Tag Archives: donald maass

About This Writing Stuff…

Happy New Year! I hope your 2017 is off to a better and healthier start than mine. This year was less than 24 hours old when I was struck with a stomach virus that left me violently ill on and off (mostly on) for three days. At least it held off until just after the Sherlock season premiere.

It’s nice to occasionally resurrect what used to be a regular feature on my blog, this gathering of sagacious and informative articles from around the interwebs.

Although I’m not convinced that Laurie Gough’s rant against self-publishing could be labeled as either sagacious or informative. Certainly Kristen Lamb and Larry Correia don’t agree.

Over at Digital Book World, Chris Syme offers a four-step program to help authors market their books effectively on social media while Jami Gold is all about helping writers choose the best editors.

Finally, we get some perspective on POV from both Donald Maass and Chris Winkle, and Anne R. Allen explains why she writes first chapters last.

All that and a bit more. Enjoy!

Self-Publishing: An Insult to the Written Word by Laurie Gough

Author Animal Farm – New York GOOOOD, Self-Pub BAAAAD and Generation Author Snowflake & The High Cost of Instant by Kristen Lamb

Fisking the HuffPo’s Snooty Rant About Self-Publishing by Larry Correia

4 Steps to Selling More Books with Less Social Media and Why You Only Need to Sell Your Books on One Social Media Channel by Chris Syme

Spend Less Time Marketing By Setting Up Social Media Outpost Channels by Chris Syme

Picking Editors: Tips for Finding a Developmental Editor by Jami Gold

Immersive POV by Donald Maass

Choosing Your Story’s Perspective by Chris Winkle

First Chapters: Start Your Novel with Your Reader in Mind by Anne R. Allen

 

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Kristen Lamb delves into the torture of writing a synopsis while Dana Kaye wants authors to stop poor social media practices. Four is our lucky number this week as Donald Maass preaches pacing, Janice Hardy describes descriptions, and Written Word Media covers covers!

Speaking of Written Word Media, they also provide a detailed discourse on what it means to be a hybrid author as well as tips for an effective author website.

Are you a fantasy writer? As of October 12, Tor.com will be open for submissions.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

The Dreaded Synopsis–What It REALLY Reveals About Our Writing by Kristen Lamb

The Hybrid Author: Everything You Need to Know by Chloe at Written Word Media via Digital Book World

10 Things Authors Need to Stop Doing on Social Media Immediately by Dana Kaye

4 Tips for Preventing Flat Descriptions by Janice Hardy via Jami Gold

Four Kinds of Pace by Donald Maass

4 Ways to Hack Your Book Cover Design (with Science) by Taylor at Written Word Media

7 Must-Have Features for All Author Websites by Ferol at Written Word Media

Seth Godin’s Three Charges Against Publishers by Alison Jones

The Unreliable Narrator and Story Suspense by Now Novel

Google Experiments and Fails with Book Discovery by Joe Wikert

Tor.com Opening to Fantasy Novellas on October 12 by Carl Engle-Laird

 

 

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Kristen Lamb wants all artists–especially burgeoning writers–to be PAID for their work instead of being promised “exposure” by those who would take advantage.

A.S. Winchester would like to remind us that writing is hard work while Jan Yager and James Scott Bell offer advice on how get the job done. Conversely, Jordan Dane explores roadblocks to progress. Are you ever “too old” to start writing? Keith Cronin doesn’t think so!

Questions about branding? Joe Moore has some answers.  Want to run a Goodreads giveaway? Let Cynthia help. Robyn LaRue begins a series on depicting accurate crime scenes and Jo Eberhardt believes in supporting characters.

All that, and a little more. Enjoy!

A Culture Addicted to FREE–How FREE is Poisoning the Internet and Killing the Creatives by Kristen Lamb

Writers Are Not Lazy! by A.S. Winchester

How to Overcome Your Procrastination and Finish Writing Your Book – Part One by Jan Yager

My Top 12 Most Common Obstacles a Writer Faces by Jordan Dane

What’s Your Brand? by Joe Moore

The Ten Events of the Highly Successful Writer by James Scott Bell

Crime Scenes for Writers: Introduction by Robyn LaRue

Filling the Silence by Donald Maass

Too Late to Start Writing? by Keith Cronin

Culture Shock: A Window to World-Building by Gaëtane Burkolter

Writing Supporting Characters that Matter by Jo Eberhardt

Five Tips for Running a Giveaway on Goodreads by Cynthia

Please note that this weekly collection might be placed on hiatus yet again compliments of an overwhelming workload both at my day job and, happily, in my writing life. If this occurs, it will only last perhaps a month.

I am working with my publisher, Firebringer Press, to release volume two of our Middle of Eternity anthology series by July. The first volume, Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity was released in 2014.

Further, my paranormal mystery novella, Like Mother, Like Daughters will be released in both ebook and audio formats later this year. The audio will be recorded by yours truly so I expect that shall cause another blogging hiatus down the line.

However, I promise it shall not be a yearlong absence as in 2015. I do enjoy culling these articles from the interwebs and presenting them to you in the hope that you find them as educational and enlightening as I.

 

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, award-winning writer Steven H. Wilson imparts his experiences as a self-publisher and small-press founder. David Gaughran and Victoria Strauss discuss the Penguin Random House sale of the nefarious Author Solutions.  Over at Writer Unboxed, they talk about tension, energy, and choosing the right path.  The Mythcreants, a site replete with helpful articles and perspectives, offers tips on character development and clichés to avoid.

All that, and a little more. Enjoy!

Lessons Learned: Self-Publishing – Part One and Part Two by Steven H. Wilson

FYI: Penguin Random House is Still in the Vanity Publishing Business by David Gaughran

Author Solutions Sold to Private Equity Firm by Victoria Strauss

2016 Opens with a World Author Challenge to Publishing Contracts by Porter Anderson

Tension vs. Energy by Donald Maass

The Storyteller and the Roads Not Traveled in the WIP by Julianna Baggott

19 Tips on Writing Memoir from The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith

Six Cliches to Watch Out For by Oren Ashkenazi

The Six Traits of Strong Characters and Five Signs Your Character Is Fully Developed by Chris Winkle