Tag Archives: kathryn craft

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

Nice to hear from a few writer friends on the blog this month. Sara Karnish reminds us about proper critique etiquette and discusses the writer/editor relationship with Pattie Giordani.

It is said that your focus determines your reality. That applies to fictional characters as well. However, there are occasions in real life when we deliberately ignore or avoid something unpleasant. Writer pal Kathryn Craft shows us effective ways to depict that in our characters.

Over at Good Story Company, Amy Wilson draws a distinct line between editing and revision while Kristen Overman delves into the “chosen one” trope and how to ensure your hero is up to the task.

Struggling with book marketing? With a writing drought? With imposter syndrome? We got you covered on all three this month.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Follow the Energy of Denial by Kathryn Craft

Chosen One Stories: Is Your Hero Worthy of the Journey? by Kristen Overman

How Right Do Your Characters Have to Be? by Terry Odell

How to Give a Critique (Without Being Too Critical) by Sara Karnish

I Would Rather See My Books Pirated Than This (Or Why Goodreads and Amazon are Becoming Dumpster Fires) by Jane Friedman

How to Market Your Books to Get Worldwide Exposure by Diana Urban

How Authors Use Preorders to Promote New Books in 2023 by AJ Yee

5 Things Influencers Look for in a Book by Ryan Steck

5 Ways to Survive a Publishing Drought by Katrina Kittle

The Difference Between Editing and Revising by Amy Wilson

The Author/Editor Relationship: A Q&A with Pattie Giordani by Sara Karnish

How to Escape Imposter Syndrome in Your Writing Life by Lynette M. Burrows

 

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Dave Chesson reviews the pros and cons of Draft2Digital’s services while Chuck Wendig expresses concern about the current literary landscape with a focus on AI and book bans.

At Mythcreants, Chris Winkle reminds us that the hero of our story should always have agency, even when things go sideways.  Elisa Bernick advises new writers on the right and wrong ways to approach established authors for advice while the nice folks at Good Story Company offer tips on marketing your books to libraries.

Over at BookBub, we have a trove of information on book promotion covering topics such as pre-orders, contests and giveaways, and attracting new readers.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Draft2Digital: Read THIS Before You Sign Up by Dave Chesson

Marketing to Libraries by Good Story Company

Giving Your Hero Agency When Things Go Wrong by Chris Winkle

Origin Stories and Big Reveals: Do We Really Need Them? by Barbara Linn Probst

Let’s Chat About ChatGPT by James Scott Bell

6 Ways Clichés Can Help Your Writing by Kathryn Craft

Striking Hollywood Scribes Ponder AI in the Writer’s Room by Mandalit del Barco

The State of Being a Published Writer in 2023 is Really Weird and a Little Worrisome by Chuck Wendig

The Right Way to Ask a Published Writer for Publishing Advice by Elisa Bernick

24 Great Prize Ideas for Book Promotion Contests and Giveaways by Leila Hirschfeld

11 Ways to Promote Preorder Books that Drive Real Results by Therese Walsh

BookBub: Promoting a New Book to Current Fans and New Readers [Case Study] by Carolyn Robertson

 

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff

This week, Kathryn Craft provides strategies for managing POV in your story while James Scott Bell discusses the three types of “mirror moments” in fiction.

Chris Winkle encourages writers to simplify their stories for improved reader experience. Looking for better ways to build suspense? Tracy Clark has a few tips for you.

With language AI gaining attention, Erma Clare examines ChatGPT as a story development tool for writers and Joe Bunting reviews the ten types of stories and their underlying values.

All that and a bit more. Enjoy!

A Copy-Editing Checklist for Novelists by Dana Isaacson

Writing for Theater and Film by Carina Jaramillo*

How to Write an Optimized and High-Converting Book Description by Rob Kosberg

4 Ways to Organize Your Third-Person POVs by Kathryn Craft

5 Strategies I Use to Launch New Books on Kindle Unlimited by Nicholas Harvey

6 Tips for Building Suspense by Tracy Clark via Hank Phillippi Ryan

How Promo Stacking Helps Authors Hit Bestseller Lists by Diana Urban

Put a Funhouse Mirror in the Middle of Your Mystery by James Scott Bell

Managing Exposition Starts With Simplifying the Story by Chris Winkle

Friend or Foe: ChatGPT Has Pushed Language AI into the Spotlight by Erma Clare

An Anxiety Episode Changed My (Dis)Belief in Writer’s Block by Kathryn Magendie

How to Use Scars to Deepen Characterization by Sue Weems

The Ten Types of Stories and How to Master Them by Joe Bunting

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*Special thanks to youth services librarian and educator Chloe Pederson and her student, Anna, for alerting me to this one. Who would have thought a home theater furniture store would offer such a helpful blog?

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

It’s been three months since I gathered a collection of informative articles here, something that was once a monthly feature on this blog. My life took an unexpected and disquieting detour in September which affected my health and my writing. I’m struggling to put both back on track as we head into the new year, but for now…

Philip Athans thinks there should be a little bit of Harlan Ellison in all of us and I agree. Harlan remains one of my literary heroes.

Kristen Lamb warns us against self-sabotage in all its forms while over at Good Story Company, Mary Kole offers advice on dealing with criticism.

Anne R. Allen encourages believability over realism in our fiction, Jami Gold explains the differences between foreshadowing and spoilers, and Amanda Patterson shows us how to use motifs.

All that and much more. Enjoy!

Maybe We Should All Be More Like Harlan Ellison by Philip Athans

How to Deal with Negative Criticism by Mary Kole

Self-Sabotage: I Don’t Deserve Success by Kristen Lamb

5 Tips to Boost Your Professional Writing Cred by Lori Freeland

7 Ways Public Readings Can Help Your Writing by Kathryn Craft

Revise for Success – A Stree-Free Plan for Polishing Your Novel by Jodie Renner via Anne R. Allen

Why Realism is Irrelevant in Fiction: Aim for Believability Instead by Anne R. Allen

How to Enhance Contrast In Your Writing by Jessica Strawser

Foreshadowing vs. “Spoilers”: What’s the Difference? by Jami Gold

Do You See Dead People? by PJ Parrish

How to Motivate Yourself to Write and Finish Your Novel by Lorna Faith

What is a Motif in Fiction? by Amanda Patterson

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

In this month’s roundup, Becca Puglisi reminds us to enhance our characters by imbuing them with unique talents and skills.

Struggling to write a compelling start to your novel? Maggie Smith can help. Over at Career Authors, Brian Andrews and Gina Panettieri show us how loglines help authors answer that dreaded question, “what’s your book about?”

If you’re grappling with impostor syndrome, as many creatives do, Ruth Harris and Tiffany Yates Martin have some encouraging advice for you.

There’s no denying that TikTok has become one of the hottest sites for book promotion. Shailee Shah offers a roster of writers who are using the platform to build an enormous following.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy!

Character Traits & Skills: Beyond the Superficial by Becca Puglisi via Jami Gold

Seven Components of a Successful Novel Opening by Maggie Smith

Exposing Inner Conflict in non-POV Characters by Kathryn Craft

It’s Messy in the Middle: Unpacking Cultural Appropriation by Colice Sanders

Understanding the Three Types of Character Arcs by Britton Perelman

Why a Strong Plot Requires a Significant Goal by September C. Fawkes

The Upside of Impostor Syndrome by Ruth Harris

Are You Telling Yourself the Wrong Stories? by Tiffany Yates Martin

What is Your Book About… Do You Know? by Brian Andrews

Loglines and Comps by Gina Panettieri

14 Indie Authors to Follow on TikTok for Ideas and Inspiration by Shailee Shah

How to Build an Amazing “About the Author” Page by Jason Hamilton

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This month, personal experiences come into play as Kathryn Craft reminds us to cultivate a productive and fulfilling writing life, Gwen Plano examines different aspects of character diversity, and Scott Hines creates meaningful connections on social media.

In the marketing department, Jan Sikes delves into BookTok while AJ Jack offers seven methods for analyzing reader habits. Want to know more about the book-to-screen process? Literary agents Allison Hunter and Jennifer Weltz give us the low down.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy!

The Book that Tore Everyone Apart by Gaby Hinsliff

The Fight Between Authors and Librarians Tearing Book Lovers Apart by Pranshu Verma

How Are Books Adapted for the Screen? Two Agents Demystify the Process by Sangeeta Mehta

Transparency in Slush: The Wizard Behind the Curtain by AJ Cunder

Dear Writer: Advice on Cultivating Connection in the Internet Age by Scott Hines

Fill Your Writing Life by Kathryn Craft

7 Clever Ways Authors Can Learn More About Readers Online by AJ Jack

8 Sequence Structure: The Best-Kept Screenwriting Secret by Britton Perelman

#MKTG 17 – TikTok by Jan Sikes

Characters and Diversity Part I: Race by Gwen M. Plano

Characters and Diversity Part II: Wealth by Gwen M. Plano

Characters and Diversity Part III: Physical Ability by Gwen M. Plano