Saturday, December 31, 2011

Author Intrusion

How to identify author intrusion and fix it. 

http://theeditorsblog.net/2011/12/13/weed-out-author-intrusion/

Friday, December 30, 2011

Embedding Tweets

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/how-to-embed-tweets-in-your-blog_b43850
How to add a tweet within your blog post or website. 

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Laying Clues

How to write a mystery so you're readers won't fell you cheated. 

http://paranormalpointofview.blogspot.com/2011/12/laying-clues-and-adding-twists-to-our.html

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Point of View

A great post, with diagrams, explaining the different points of view.

http://diymfa.com/2011/12/07/the-last-point-of-view-cheat-sheet-youll-ever-need/

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Rejection

25 truths every writer should know about rejection.

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/12/13/25-things-writers-should-know-about-rejection/

Monday, December 26, 2011

Stages of Writing a Book

Here are the five turning points on the way from idea to finished manuscript.

http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/2011/12/five-major-turning-points-on-road-to.html

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Big Revision

According to agent Mary Kole, "unless you make big changes, a revision isn’t worth doing."

http://kidlit.com/2011/12/07/big-revision/ 

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Friday, December 23, 2011

First Novels

Ten hints to increase the chances your first novel won't turn into one of your "practice novels."

http://fictiongroupie.blogspot.com/2011/12/can-first-novel-find-publisher-10-dos.html

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Character Names

Many sites listed to help you find the perfect character names. 

http://tnt-tek.com/writing/how-do-you-come-up-with-character-names-an-exhaustive-list/

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Active and Static Backstory

Different ways to weave backstory into your manuscript. 

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/12/active-versus-static-backstory-and.html

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Life Cycle of a Book

From writing through publicity, videos about each step along the way.

http://publishingtrendsetter.com/life-cycle-book/

Monday, December 19, 2011

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Friday, December 16, 2011

Press Releases

What you need to include in your press release.

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/03/how-to-write-a-press-release-a-mini-tutorial/

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Dead Parents

How can you show the influence of your character's missing parents on his/her lift?

http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/disney-parents-dead-mothers-and-absent-fathers

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Storyboards for Revision

How a detailed storyboard can keep your manuscript on track.

http://www.plotmonkeys.com/2011/11/10/guest-author-joan-swan/

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

First Line

Some hints to hook your reader right from the outset.

http://carolriggs.blogspot.com/2011/11/hook-first-line.html

Monday, December 12, 2011

Writer's Block

12 Steps to get past a case of writer's block.

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/11/30/cure-writers-block/

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Friday, December 9, 2011

Premature Editing

Does revising before you finish your first draft kill your creativity? 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/editing-are-butchering-your-creativity/

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Extending the Life of Your Book

Tips to keep up interest in your book after the first few post-launch months.

http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-prolong-your-books-exposure.html

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Query Personalization

Don't try to a fake the personalization on your query.

http://kidlit.com/2011/11/09/query-personalization/

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

First Person

Why it's a problem and why writers are drawn to it.

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2011/10/problem-with-first-person-but-why.html

Monday, December 5, 2011

Small Presses

What are the advantages and disadvantages of publishing with a small press.

http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/small/

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Friday, December 2, 2011

Voice

How to craft a great voice. 

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2010/05/how-to-craft-great-voice.html

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Parents

How to handle parents in your book. 

http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/how-to-avoid-parenting-your-characters

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Book Piracy

What can you do about it?

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/11/authors-and-book-piracy/

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Marketing Your Book

An extensive list of links about marketing. 

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/08/how-to-market-your-book/

Monday, November 28, 2011

Contests

Why it's worthwhile to enter contests before you submit to agents and editors. 

http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2011/11/treating-pain-of-rejection.html

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Writing Flaws

45 flaws described in detail that show your lack of storytelling experience. 

http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog/show/forty-five-more-flaws-that-expose-your-lack-of-storytelling-experience-part-5

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Blog Comments

Why comments are important and how to generate more of them. 

http://www.publetariat.com/sell/author-blogging-101-comments

Friday, November 25, 2011

New YA Imprint

British Publisher, Angry Robot, will launch a new YA imprint, Strange Chemistry in September 2012. 

http://angryrobotbooks.com/2011/11/introducing-strange-chemistry-our-new-ya-imprint/

Character Driven

Everyone seems to be looking for character driven picture books like these. 

http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/08/c-character-driven.html

Thursday, November 24, 2011

MG Marketing

Two things every MG author should do to publicize a book. 

http://lisa-schroeder.livejournal.com/390127.html

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

School Visits

What mistakes do authors make in school visits?

http://schoolvisitexperts.com/?p=537

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

High Concept

What do editors and agents mean when they talk about "high concept?"

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/08/what-is-high-concept/

Monday, November 21, 2011

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Book Release

A timeline for what you need to do in the months before your book's release. 

http://www.lisaschroederbooks.com/2010/02/timeline-and-checklist-for-ya-of-mg.html

Friday, November 18, 2011

Word Frequency

Here's an easy way to find out if you're overusing certain words. 

http://writewords.org.uk/word_count.asp

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Unpublished Writers

Does it make sense to blog before you're published? 

http://kidlit.com/2010/07/21/should-unpublished-writers-blog/

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Agent Search No-nos

Agent John Cusick tells what not to do when you're looking for an agents.

http://johnmcusick.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/ten-surefire-ways-to-turn-off-a-prospective-agent/

Monday, November 14, 2011

YA and First Person

Why is the first person POV the norm in YA?

http://adventuresinagentland.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-i.html

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Ending Your Story

Sometimes all you need is to cut the last sentence, paragraph, or scene. 

http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/the-end-wrapping-up-your-stories

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Picture Book Questions

Answers to many questions about getting your picture book published. 

http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/07/whole-lot-of-info-about-picture-books.html

Friday, November 11, 2011

How to Get an Agent

Agent Jill Corcoran provides links to her posts on how to get an agent. 

http://jillcorcoran.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-get-agent.html

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Goodreads

How to get the most out of the largest reader social media site. 

http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/10/lia-keyes-making-full-use-of-goodreads.html

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Fear of Rejection

Some ideas to help you get past your fear of rejection and submit your manuscript . 

http://lisa-schroeder.livejournal.com/387350.html

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Redundant Phrases

Tighten your writing by eliminating these phrases. 

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/50-redundant-phrases-to-avoid/

Monday, November 7, 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Naming Your Characters

Here are some mistakes to avoid when you name your character. 

http://fictiongroupie.blogspot.com/2011/10/5-tips-for-not-screwing-up-your.html

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Reconnecting With Your Work-in-Progress

Some tips to get you back on track after you've had to step away from your manuscript. 

http://writeitsideways.com/6-ways-to-reconnect-with-your-work-in-progress/

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Sales Data from Publishers

An interesting article about how the big three publishers will be sharing sales data with their authors. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/business/media/authors-to-get-sales-data-from-three-big-publishers.html

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Search Engine Optimization

As a writer, is it worth your while to try and improve your search engine results? 

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/10/do-writers-need-to-worry-about-google/

Monday, October 31, 2011

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Online Etymology Dictionary

Do you need to know the earliest a word was used to make your novel historically accurate? 

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Retiring a Novel

When is it time to give up on a manuscript and move on to the next one?

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/10/a-time-to-kill-your-novel/

Friday, October 28, 2011

New Publishers

Should you take a chance on a new publisher?

http://behlerblog.com/2011/10/10/the-falling-domino/

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Contact Info

Make sure it's easy for people to find your contact info. 

http://catwoods.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/contact-tip-for-writers/

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Types of Voice

Editor Krista Marino says voice is made up of: diction, perspective, characterization, and dialog.

http://ingridsnotes.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/perfecting-your-ya-voice-part-1/

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Historical Fantasy

What's the difference between steampunk and gaslamp fantasy?

http://enchantedinkpot.livejournal.com/104323.html

Monday, October 24, 2011

Rhetorical Devices

50 fancy names for some great writing hints.

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/50-rhetorical-devices-for-rational-writing/

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Marketing Your Novel

From before you even sell it to after it hits the shelf.

http://adventuresinagentland.blogspot.com/2011/10/tips-on-marketing-your-novel.html

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Foreshadowing

How to drop hints to make your readers want to find out more. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/03/guest-author-cathy-clamp-foreshadowing.html

Friday, October 21, 2011

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

YA Twitter

Links and hashtags to follow if your write (or read!) young adult novels. 

http://albertwhitman.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/a-quick-and-inevitably-incomplete-guide-to-the-ya-twitterverse/

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

What Sells MG Books

Tools to help increase the sales of your middle-grade novel. 

http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-sells-middle-grade-books.html

Monday, October 17, 2011

Foreign Rights

Agent Sara Crowe gives a look at what's involved. 

http://acrowesnest.blogspot.com/2011/09/sara-on-foreign-rights-and-book-fairs.html

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Skype Author Visits

Here's a website to let schools know about your availability to do an author visit via Skype. 

http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011

Character Types

There are several standard types of characters that may appear in your manuscript. 

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/10/seven-character-types-that-build-your.html

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Author Platform

Ten tips to building an author platform.

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/10/10-tidbits-about-author-platform/

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Readings

Some great tips for the reading part of your school or bookstore visit.

http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-blogger-jennifer-nielsen-rules-of.html

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Simultaneous Queries

Why you should submit to editors or agents in batches. 

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/09/26/why-you-should-only-query-6-8-agents-at-a-time/

Monday, October 10, 2011

First Lines

Five tips to make a memorable first line. 

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/09/5-elements-of-riveting-first-line.html

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Character Voices

Make sure your character isn't speaking in your voice. 

http://theeditorsblog.net/2011/09/15/character-voices-shouldnt-sound-like-yours/

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Outlining

What are the benefits of outlining before you write your manuscript?

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/09/benefits-of-outlining.html

Friday, October 7, 2011

Middle Grade Voice

Stacy Whitman of Tu Books explains what makes middle grade, middle grade.

http://www.stacylwhitman.com/2011/09/07/some-thoughts-on-middle-grade-voice/

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Book signings

Here are some tips to attract people to your book signing. 

http://1stturningpoint.com/?p=6805

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Skills Every Writer Needs

If you want to be a writer, you need to be able to do more than just write. 

http://cherylreifsnyder.blogspot.com/2011/09/tuesday-ten-skills-every-writer-needs.html

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Grantwriting

The basics of writing a grant to improve your chances of getting chosen. 

http://janefriedman.com/2011/08/17/grantwriting-101/

Monday, October 3, 2011

Magical Realism

How it's different than paranormal and five tips to get you started. 

http://writeoncon.com/2011/08/writing-magical-realism-vs-paranormalfantasy/

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Questions to Ask Your Characters

Have a chat with your characters to find out who they really are. 

http://nicolehumphrey.net/thirty-character-questions/

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Chapter Books and Graphic Novels

An explanation of the difference between chapter books and similar age books like easy readers and middle grade, plus a look at graphic novels.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Marketing with School Visits

How to use school visits to build relationships that will result in increased sales. 

http://writeoncon.com/2011/08/successful-marketing-and-promotion-with-school-visits/

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Surviving Rejection

Rejection hurts, but maybe these tips will help. 

http://www.novelmatters.com/2011/08/six-tips-for-when-rejection-happens.html

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Self-Editing

Ten tips that seem to go against the conventional wisdom. 

http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2011/08/wait-dont-kill-that-darling-real-skinny.html

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Ebook Trends

What's in the future for ebooks? 

http://www.publetariat.com/business-end/next-10-ebook-trends

Monday, September 26, 2011

Endings

Make sure the end of your book is satisfying to your readers. 

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/07/its-over-getting-readers-to-ending-and.html

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Fantasy

Author Bruce Coville's tips for fantasy writing. 

http://ingridsnotes.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/14-quick-tips-for-fantastic-fantasy-writing/

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Marketing Your Second Book

Things an author should do differently the second time around. 

http://karenjonesgowen.blogspot.com/2011/08/ten-things-ill-do-with-my-next-books.html

Friday, September 23, 2011

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Unagented Publisher Offers

What should you do if you don't have an agent and you receive an offer from a publisher. 

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2007/08/handling-unagented-offer-from-publisher.html

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Photos in Nonfiction

The challenge of including photos and cartoons in your nonfiction books and articles. 

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-post-karen-blumenthal-on-power.html

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

New MG/YA Agent

Barbara Scott is joining Wordserve and will be accepting middle grade and young adult submissions. 

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/09/new-agent-at-wordserve/

Monday, September 19, 2011

Dialect

How to indicate dialect while still making your story readable.

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/09/kate-hart-on-dialect-and-dialogue.html

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Query Mistakes

Don't make these rookie mistakes when you query agents. 

http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com/2011/09/rookie-mistakes-to-avoid-when.html

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Publisher Services

What do you get from a traditional publisher? 

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2010/08/package-of-services-publishers-provide.html

Friday, September 16, 2011

Book Ideas

Maybe making a list from one of these prompts will give you a book idea. 

http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/08/listing-you-way-to-new-ideas.html

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Math and Science Books

A blog about using children's books to teach math and science. 

http://bookishways.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

How to Market Your Book

Rachelle Gardner provides an extensive list of book marketing links. 

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/08/how-to-market-your-book/

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Teacher Guides

Why you should have one and how to choose someone to write  it. 

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/08/guest-post-natalie-dias-lorenzi-on.html

Monday, September 12, 2011

Preparing for Publication

What to do between your book's acceptance and its publication.

http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2011/07/10-ways-to-prepare-in-advance-for.html

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Picture Book Market

Agent Jennifer Laughran talks about the picture book market.

http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/07/whole-lot-of-info-about-picture-books.html

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Quick First Draft

Using a tip from screenwriting, here's one method of producing a quick and dirty skeleton of a first draft.

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/06/29/kicking-out-a-fast-first-draft-2/

Friday, September 9, 2011

Social Media Resources

Harold Underdown provides links to social media information. 

http://www.underdown.org/social-media-resources.htm

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Book Proposals

How to write book proposals for both nonfiction or fiction.


http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/07/how-to-write-a-book-proposal/

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Social Media No-nos

Don't do these things if you want to be taken seriously as a writer.

http://whisperedwritings.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/10-ways-to-kill-your-writing-career-using-social-media/

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Fan Mail

As amazing as it may seem, too much fan mail can be a problem. 

http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=1016917725611909564

Saturday, September 3, 2011

After the First Draft

First off, celebrate, then onto the work to be done.

http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com/2011/07/10-things-to-do-after-finishing-first.html

Friday, September 2, 2011

New Children's Publisher

Editor Eileen Robinson has opened up a new publishing company, Move Books, with an emphasis on books for boys. 

http://www.move-books.com/

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Carolrhoda accepting YA Submissions

Until the end of September 2011, Carolrhoda will accept unagented YA submissions as described here.

http://carolrhoda.blogspot.com/2011/08/you-will-submit-to-me.html

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

School Visit Contracts

Make sure your contract covers these ten items. 

http://schoolvisitexperts.com/?p=519

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

fantasy

http://ingridsnotes.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/finding-the-fantastical/

Notes from a talk by author Bruce Colville about writing fantasy. 

Sunday, August 28, 2011

How to Research

A simple method to prevent you from getting bogged down in research while you're writing. 

http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/researching-your-story-a-suggested-strategy/

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Outline or Seat of the Pants

Author Elizabeth Spann Craig has written both ways and gives her pros and cons of each method.

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-wrap-up-of-outlining.html

Friday, August 26, 2011

Blogging Tips

Links to over 30 tips and tutorials about blogging.

http://www.ricardobueno.com/33-must-read-tips-tutorials-for-bloggers/

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Promotional Brochures

A brief overview of what you should includes in your school visit brochure.

http://schoolvisitexperts.com/?p=480

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Last Lines

Scene and chapter endings are just as important as beginnings.

http://lydiasharp.blogspot.com/2011/06/scene-and-chapter-endings.html

Monday, August 22, 2011

Author Websites

Here's a description of what you should include in your website if you're published or if you're not.

http://kortizzle.blogspot.com/2011/06/author-web-sites-basics.html

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Brainstorming

Lists to help you beat writer's block by brainstorming.

http://www.rickwalton.com/freeu/brains/index.htm#43

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Interviews

Some things to watch out for during a radio or tv interview.

http://timetowrite.blogs.com/weblog/2011/06/writers-six-things-not-to-do-during-tv-and-radio-interviews.html

Friday, August 19, 2011

YA Research Grant

The ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) Foundation is offering a grant of $1,500 for research in young adult literature. (deadline Sep 15) 

http://www.alan-ya.org/grants/

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Domain Names

Why you should have your own domain name even if you don't have a website.

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2011/06/29/mastering-ones-own-domain-an-no-this-is-not-a-seinfeld-reference/

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Scenes

Tips to bring your scenes to life.

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/07/bringing-scenes-to-life.html

Monday, August 15, 2011

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Vary Your Syntax

There are many ways to say the same thing. Take advantage of them.

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-varieties-of-syntax-to-improve-your-writing/

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Getting Out of Your Book Contract

If things aren't working out, is it possible to get out of your contract?

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/06/getting-out-of-your-book-contract-maybe.html

Friday, August 12, 2011

Agent Pitch Sessions

Agent Natalie Fischer tells what you absolutely should not do during a pitch session.

http://adventuresinagentland.blogspot.com/2010/10/pitch-session.html

Thursday, August 11, 2011

America Writes for Kids

This website provides links to author web pages by state.

http://usawrites4kids.drury.edu/

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Dialogue No-nos

Things to avoid when writing dialogue.

http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com/2011/06/dialogue-disasters.html

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Blog Topics

Can't think of what to blog about? Here are some ideas.

http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2011/06/30-blog-topics-for-writers.html

Monday, August 8, 2011

Plot Questions

Editor Cheryl Klein gives a list of questions about plot to consider.

http://chavelaque.blogspot.com/2011/06/plot-questions.html

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Acquisitions Meeting

http://helpineedapublisher.blogspot.com/2011/06/acquisitions-meetings.html 

What happens in them and what criteria do they use to evaluation your manuscript.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Openings

Here are some openings you might want to avoid.

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/06/five-openings-to-avoid.html

Friday, August 5, 2011

Publisher's Marketing

What marketing does your publisher do for your book?

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/06/do-publishers-market-books/

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Dictating a First Draft

Try dictating your first draft to get that story out of your head and into the world.

http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/dictate-your-story-%E2%80%93-an-unconventional-method-of-completing-a-first-draft/

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Book Signings

Four things you can do to help make your book signing a success.

http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2011/07/guest-post-four-elements-of-great-book.html

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Email Etiquette

Some simple tips to make your email more professional.

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/06/email-etiquette.html

Monday, August 1, 2011

1970s

Even if you lived through them, you'll find some fascinating details to use in your historical novel (yes!) set in the 1970s.

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/01/guest-post-traci-l-jones-on-writing.html

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Story vs. Craft

What's the difference between story and craft, and why should you care?

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/05/story-vs-craft/

Friday, July 29, 2011

Language Arts Common Core Standards

Find out the curriculum standards for each state.

http://commoncorestandards.com/ela/k-12-curriculum-maps/

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Getting Ideas

Here are lists of brainstorming ideas to kickstart your creativity.

http://www.rickwalton.com/freeu/brains/index.htm#43

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Children's Publishers Links

Here's a list of publisher links to make it easier for you to do your research. 

http://f1rstpages.com/publisher-links/

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Beta Readers

Who's not a good choice to be your beta reader?

http://bigglasscases.blogspot.com/2011/06/beta-omega.html

Monday, July 25, 2011

Google+

Learn how to use this new social network. 

http://mashable.com/2011/07/16/google-plus-guide/

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Novels in Verse

What are they and should your next novel be written in verse?

http://ingridsnotes.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/exploring-the-verse-novel/

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Rebus

Magazines are always looking for people who can write good rebuses.

http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/rx/ws06/nutsbolt.shtml

Friday, July 22, 2011

QR Codes

What are they and how can you use them to market your books.

http://katiedavis.com/blog/marketing/2011/06/qr-codes/

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Going on Submission

What actually happens after your agent submits your novel to editors?

http://betweenfactandfiction.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-to-expect-when-youre-submitting.html

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Editing Checklist

Here's a detailed list of things to look for, from big picture items down to fine-detail areas.

http://theeditorsblog.net/2011/06/07/checklist-for-editors/

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Monday, July 18, 2011

Character Traits Thesaurus

http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/2011/05/introducingthe-character-traits.html  

Another great resource from the folks who brought us the emotion thesaurus.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Interviews

Some hints on being a good interviewee.

http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2011/06/promoting-your-book-dos-and-donts-of.html

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Inexpensive Book Trailers

Don't have much to spend on making a book trailer? Here are some hints.

http://katenoble.com/blog/2011/05/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-for-5/

Friday, July 15, 2011

Nonfiction Proposals

Seven tough questions to ask yourself before you submit a nonfiction proposal.

http://bk-askthepublisher.blogspot.com/2011/04/useful-proposals.html

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Resist the Urge to Explain

After you've shown it, don't then tell it.

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/05/resist-urge-to-explain.html

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Proofreading

Doing a better job of proofreading will lead to a more professional manuscript.

http://www.mywritingblog.com/2011/05/10-actions-you-can-take-to-improve-your.html

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Monday, July 11, 2011

First Books

Why it's unlikely your first book will be published.

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/05/will-your-first-book-be-published.html

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Picture Book Lists by Topic

Lists of picture book by subject matter.

http://cecilybooks.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Friday, July 8, 2011

PEN/Steven Kroll Award

This new award honors the author of an illustrated picture book.

http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/2144

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Chapter Endings

How do you know when to break to a new chapter?

http://ht.ly/4Uy6K

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Interminable Agency Clause

Why you shouldn't have this as part of your contract.

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/04/interminable-agency-clause.html

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Word Count Norms

What's are the standard word count ranges for children's books.

http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/05/wordcount-dracula.html

Monday, July 4, 2011

New Agency

Hen and Ink Agency will specialize in children's books.

http://fallingleaflets.blogspot.com/2011/05/agency-alert-agent-move-and-agent.html

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Following Up on a Submission

When and how should you follow up if you haven't received a response to your submission.

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/05/following-up-on-submissions.html

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Character Traits

100 weird character traits to help you brainstorm even more character traits.

http://writeanything.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/35-weird-traits-your-characters-may-have/

Friday, July 1, 2011

Making a Living

Can you quit your day job and make a living from your writing?

http://mandyhubbard.livejournal.com/249542.html

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Novels in Verse

How to decide if writing in verse is right for your novel.

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/05/guest-post-caroline-starr-rose-on.html

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Deciding to Move on from a Manuscript

Is it time to admit that your manuscript might never be published and move on?

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/05/case-for-putting-manuscript-in-drawer.html

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Monday, June 27, 2011

Choosing a Title

Here's a handy mnemonic to help you choose a good title.

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/05/need-some-bling-for-your-title-try.html

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Blurbs

How to request a back of book blurb.

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2011/05/art-of-blurb-request.html

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Agency Agreements

What you should look for in your contract with an agent.

http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-agency-agreements.html

Friday, June 24, 2011

Synopsis

Some great tips on how to write a synopsis.

http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/how-to-synopsis/

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Overexpressed Emotions

More is not always better when you're showing your character's emotions.

http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/2011/02/over-expressed-emotions.html

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

New MG/YA Agent

Judith Engracia is a new literary assistant at Liza Dawson Associates and is looking for middle-grade and young adult novels.  

http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/2011/04/interview-with-literary-agent-judith.html

Monday, June 20, 2011

New MG/YA Agent

Lauren Ruth has joined Bookends and is looking for middle-grade and young adult manuscripts, in addition to books for adults.  

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/06/lauren-is-open-for-submissions.html

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Microsoft Word Formats

Why you submit your manuscript as a .doc and not a .docx document.

http://kidlit.com/2011/05/04/doc-is-not-docx/

Saturday, June 18, 2011

When Your Agent Doesn't Like Your Next Book

Some suggestions on how to handle this unfortunately situation.

http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/03/when-your-agent-isnt-feeling-love.html

Friday, June 17, 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Book Readings

How to find and work with a venue for your book reading.

http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-book-reading.html

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Fantasy Writing Tips

Author Bruce Coville gives tips for fantasy writers.

http://ingridsnotes.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/bruce-covilles-eight-tips-for-fantasy-writers/

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Traditional Publishing

Ten things to like about traditional publishing.

http://lisa-schroeder.livejournal.com/370655.html

Monday, June 13, 2011

Agent Myths

Make sure you don't honor these myths about agents.

http://tawnafenske.blogspot.com/2011/04/3-myths-about-agents.html

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Saturday, June 11, 2011

When You Should Set Your Story in the Past

Don't just do it so you can eliminate modern-day technology.

http://kidlit.com/2011/04/27/time-period-settings/

Friday, June 10, 2011

What Does an Agent Do?

It isn't just reading books all day long.

http://slwhitman.livejournal.com/168370.html

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Value of Traditional Publishers

What does a traditional publisher do for you? 


http://janni.livejournal.com/729257.html

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

GLBT in YA

Blog, forum, and reading lists about GLBT characters in young adult novels.

http://www.gayya.org/

Monday, June 6, 2011

Online Marketing

Don't miss the opportunity to market through these sites.

http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/2011/03/07/7DontMissSitesForOnlineMarketing.aspx

Sunday, June 5, 2011

First Drafts

What to worry about and what to ignore.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/04/its-start-what-not-to-worry-about-in.html

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Friday, June 3, 2011

After Your Novel is Finished

Author Elana Johnson has written a free ebook about your next steps.

http://www.elanajohnson.com/#!query-to-the-call

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Debut Novels

What can you reasonable expect from your debut novel?

http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/04/debut-novel-expectations.html

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Transitions

How to move your character from scene to scene without confusing or boring your reader.

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/04/making-transition.html

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Picture Book Dummies

For illustrators only, how to make a picture book dummy.

http://www.yellapalooza.com/tutorials/dummies.html

Monday, May 30, 2011

New YA Agent

Rachel Stout of Dystel and Goderich is looking for believable and thought-provoking YA.  


http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/New+Agent+Alert+Rachel+Stout+Of+Dystel+And+Goderich.aspx

Sunday, May 29, 2011

First Drafts

Tips to quickly get that first draft out of your head and into the computer.

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/04/5-tips-for-quickly-writing-your-first.html

Friday, May 27, 2011

Fund your Writing

It takes a village, and kickstarter can help.

http://www.kickstarter.com/

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Distancing Verbs

Get closer to your reader by eliminating these distancing verbs.

http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/strengthen-your-prose

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Conference Expectations

Tips to keep your conference expectations in check.

http://yamuses.blogspot.com/2011/05/managing-your-conference-expectations.html

Monday, May 23, 2011

Character Descriptions

How to slip in a description of your character without stopping your story flow.

http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/slipping-in-character-description/

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Friday, May 20, 2011

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Problem Words and Phrases

A list of 50 sets of words/phrases that are often confused.

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/50-problem-words-and-phrases/

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Book Promotion

Should you hire a company to help you with your book promotion?

http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/promoting-a-book-should-i-hire-a-book-promotion-company/

Monday, May 16, 2011

Keep Your Wordpress Blog Safe

How to prevent hackers from getting into your Wordpress blog.

http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/2011/03/28/10StepsToSecureYourWordPressBlogFromHackers.aspx

Sunday, May 15, 2011

New MG/YA Agent

Kathleen Rushall is pioneering a mg/ya list for Waterside Productions.

http://www.waterside.com/agency/2007/10/kathleen-rushall/

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Friday, May 13, 2011

Online Reference Sources

Seven websites to help you do research for your nonfiction or fiction.

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-great-online-research-resources-for-writers/

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Leaving Your Agent

Points to consider before leaving your agent.

http://adventuresinagentland.blogspot.com/2011/02/killing-messenger.html

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Backstory

Some tips for putting in your backstory without using an information dump.

http://www.publetariat.com/write/how-include-backstory-without-killing-your-novel

Monday, May 9, 2011

New MG/YA Agent

Kathleen Rushall of Waterside Productions is looking for middle-grade and young adult novels.

http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/New+Agent+Alert+Kathleen+Rushall+Of+Waterside+Productions.aspx

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Present Tense

What are some of the problems with using the present tense? 

http://helpineedapublisher.blogspot.com/2011/05/present-tense-problems.html

Mistakenly Published Blog Post

What should you do if you hit "publish post" too soon and would like to take it back.

http://www.thehappyaccident.net/oops-or-what-to-do-when-you-mistakenly-publish-a-blog-post/

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Prologue Alternatives

How to weave traditionally prologue information into the main body of your book.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/02/prologues-not-as-evil-as-you-think.html

Friday, May 6, 2011

Online Press Kits

What to include in your online press kit. (You do, of course, have a press link on your website, right?)

http://www.publetariat.com/sell/book-marketing-your-online-press-kit

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Sunday, May 1, 2011

New MG/YA Agent

Judith Engracia of Liza Dawson Associates is looking for middle-grade and young adult novels.

http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/New+Agent+Alert+Judith+Engracia+Of+Liza+Dawson+Associates.aspx

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Podcasting

Step-by-step instructions to create a podcast.

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/01/15/how-to-create-a-podcast/

Friday, April 29, 2011

Conferences

Tips to make the most out of a writing conference.

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com/2011/03/writing-from-place-ten-ways-to-make.html

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Types of blogs

What type of blog should you have--personal, professional, group, or vlog?

http://sommerleigh.com/?p=2269

Monday, April 25, 2011

New Children's Agency

Beth Fleisher, formerly with Barry Goldblatt Literary, has formed her own agency, Clear Sailing Creatives.

http://www.clearsailingcreatives.com/Home_Page.html

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Book Marketing Mistakes

Seven mistakes authors make in marketing their books.
http://www.publetariat.com/sell/seven-book-marketing-mistakes-authors-make-part-1-8

Friday, April 22, 2011

Small Ways to Improve Your Writing

Address these seemingly-minor, mechanic-level changes before submitting your manuscript.
http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/2011/03/8-fiddly-things-you-can-do-to-your-manuscript-to-make-your-editors-day.html

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Facebook for Authors

What are fan and book pages and should you have them?
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/02/facebook-for-authors-how-to-get-started.html

Monday, April 18, 2011

Sequels

A sequel shouldn't be just a next book about the same character.
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2011/03/sequels.html

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Curious Pages

If your book is not all sweetness and light, then this might be the perfect place to be reviewed.
http://curiouspages.blogspot.com/

Friday, April 15, 2011

Chapter Breaks

What they add to your manuscript.
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/03/art-of-chaptering.html

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Bookscan

How to use the Bookscan numbers in your marketing efforts.
http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/03/whats-so-great-about-those-bookscan.html

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Fantasy

YA writers give advice on writing fantasy.
http://community.livejournal.com/enchantedinkpot/84375.html

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Monday, April 11, 2011

Kill Your Darlings

How to tell if you really need those lines/scenes.
http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/02/no-pain-no-gain-killing-your-darlings.html

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Editing After Acquisition

Even after you have a book contract, you'll still be editing your manuscript.
http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-much-editing-does-contracted-book.html

Friday, April 8, 2011

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Identifying Cliches

Paste in your text and see where you've used cliches.
http://cliche.theinfo.org/

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Monday, April 4, 2011

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Judging Your Manuscript

50 things editors/agents think about when evaluating your manuscript.
http://fallingleaflets.blogspot.com/2011/02/50-things-your-manuscript-is-judged-on.html

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Friday, April 1, 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Nonfiction and Schools

How to connect your nonfiction book to a school curriculum.
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/02/guest-post-sarah-c-campbell-on.html

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Seeing Your Novel's Big Picture

Here's a handy way to see see if your scenes and characters are in the right places.
http://blog.garycorby.com/2011/02/get-big-picture-of-your-novel.html

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Monday, March 28, 2011

Kill Your Darlings

Nine great hints to help you cut, cut, cut.
http://storytellersunplugged.com/blog/2011/03/09/the-delete-key-the-published-writer%E2%80%99s-best-friend/

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Dialect

Should you use regional dialects in your manuscript?
http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/accents/

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Timing from Contract to Book

Why does it take so long after the contract is signed before a book is published?
http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-slow-can-you-go.html

Friday, March 25, 2011

Overused Phrases

Here's a handy tool to see if there are any overused, multi-word phrases in your manuscript.
http://www.writewords.org.uk/phrase_count.asp

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Conference Tips

How to get the most out of a writers' conference.
http://donnabowmanbratton.blogspot.com/2011/02/dos-donts-and-stuff-of-attending.html

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Grounding Your Reader

As soon as your readers get confused, you've lost them.
http://kidlit.com/2010/08/04/grounding-the-reader/

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Thrashing

Are your revisions making your manuscript better or just different (and maybe even worse)?
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2011/02/thrashing.html

Monday, March 21, 2011

Onomatopoeia

This extensive list of sound words includes the date first used.
http://www.examples-of-onomatopoeia.com/examples/onomatopoeia.php?a=1

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Writing Humor

Author Lenore Look shares what works for her.
http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/2011/01/lenore-look-look-whos-laughing.html

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Getting Twitter Followers

What you may be doing wrong if you're not getting followed.
http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/13-reasons-why-you-didnt-get-followed-back_b1635

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Curse Words in YA

Should you use them and how often?
http://www.kirstenhubbard.com/2011/01/on-cursing-in-ya.html

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

New Agent

Agent Kristin Miller of D4EO is looking for author/illustrators and authors of middle grade and young adult novels.
http://agentkristin.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-agent-wish-list.html

Monday, March 14, 2011

Dialogue Mistakes

Some things to avoid when you're writing dialogue.
http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com/2011/01/6-common-dialogue-mistakes-to-avoid.html

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Submitting Via Email

How should you format and name your emailed manuscript.
http://jillcorcoran.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-sub-queries-full-ms-in-digital.html

Friday, March 11, 2011

Overused Themes in YA

If your book has one of these, you'd better make sure you've given it an original spin.
http://www.write-brained.com/2011/01/overused-themes-in-ya-part-iii.html

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Remainders

What are book remainders and how does this affect you.
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-are-remainders.html

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Planting Clues

Hints and foreshadowing aren't just for mystery writers.
http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/01/trail-blazing-planting-clues-and-hints.html

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Independent Book Stores

In the wake of many chain bookstore closings, here's a list of independent alternatives.
http://www.edrants.com/list-of-independent-alternatives-to-closed-borders-bookstores/

Monday, March 7, 2011

Voice

Links and tips to help you create your own unique voice.
http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/01/developing-unique-voice-links-tips-and.html

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Submission Checklist

Make sure you check these before submitting a manuscript for consideration.
http://cbaybooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/checklist-for-submitting.html

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Filter Words

When you filter your words through the eyes (or ears or other sensory organs) of your characters, you weaken your book.
http://writeitsideways.com/are-these-filter-words-weakening-your-fiction/

Problem Critique Group Members

Characteristics of people who will make your critique group less useful.
http://yamuses.blogspot.com/2011/01/critique-of-critique-group.html

Friday, March 4, 2011

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Sensory Language

Lists of sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch words.
http://www.yoakumisd.net/junior_high/bartosh/bartosh2.html

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Podcasting

How to create an online audio presentation.
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/01/15/how-to-create-a-podcast/

Monday, February 28, 2011

Setting


Sunday, February 27, 2011

Point of View

Here's a detailed explanation which uses the Hansel and Gretal story as examples.
http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2010/12/20/point-of-view-first-person-third-person-or-objective/

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Search Engine Optimization

How to help Google and other search engines find your site.
http://www.amarketingexpert.com/how-to-help-google-find-your-site-2/

Friday, February 25, 2011

The F-Bomb

Should you use swear words in your young-adult novel?
http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-f-bomb-debate.html

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Earning Out Your Advance

What does this mean and is your career doomed if you don't earn out.
http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2011/01/20/show-me-the-money/

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Rhythm

How great rhythm leads to great read alouds.
http://www.bethanyroberts.com/RhythmandtheReadaloud.htm

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

taxes

Links to resources for writers about taxes.
http://www.publetariat.com/business-end/7-links-help-every-writer-taxes

Monday, February 21, 2011

Introducing Your MC

Some dos and don'ts to introduce your protagonist.
http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2010/09/12-dos-and-donts-for-introducing-your.html

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Early Readers

Author Grace Ling tells why they're not an "easy readers."
http://forum.teachingbooks.net/?p=4743

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Agency Agreements

What to expect when you sign with an agent.
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/02/agency-agreements.html

Friday, February 18, 2011

Plotting

Using a plot board to lay out your story.
http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/01/writers-plot-board-getting-organized.html

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Distributing ARCs

How to distribute electronic ARCs (advanced reader copy) of your upcoming title.
http://www.netgalley.com/

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Pacing

What not to do if you want to keep your novel moving along.
http://writerunboxed.com/2010/08/24/telegraphing-and-other-pace-killers/

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Blog Comments

Read the post and the other people's comments before you respond.
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/01/how-to-write-good-blog-comment.html

Monday, February 14, 2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Titles

Choose a title that will make kids want to pick up your book.
http://shannonkodonnell.blogspot.com/2010/07/title-tips.html

Friday, February 11, 2011

Onomatopoeia

Here's a great list of sound words with (sometimes tongue-in-cheek) descriptions.
http://www.soundsafaritheater.com/onomatopoeia.html

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Rule of Twenty

You need to reach the twentieth idea before you get to original ones.
http://upstartcrowliterary.com/blog/?p=1527

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Monday, February 7, 2011

Chapter Endings

How to end your chapters so your book will be a pageturner.
http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/2010/10/creating-page-turner-tricks-to-great.html

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Friday, February 4, 2011

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Kill Your Characters

If you have characters who aren't pulling their weight, kill them off.
http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2010/08/make-your-characters-earn-their-keep.html

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Creating Book Trailers

A simple overview, including what software you need, of how to create a trailer.
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/01/07/how-to-create-a-book-trailer/

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Prologues

Seven reasons not to have a prologue and two reasons to have one.
http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/7-deadly-sins-of-prologues-great-novel-beginnings-part-2/

Monday, January 31, 2011

Picture Book Queries

How soon should you query with a new picture book?
http://kidlit.com/2011/01/12/how-soon-do-i-query-again/

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Introduce Your Characters

Show them in action, in conflict, and involved in a mystery.
http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog/show/how-to-establish-your-characters-openings

Friday, January 28, 2011

New Jewish Children's Books Imprint

In association with PJ Library, Marshall Cavendish has launched a new imprint, Shofar Books, specializing in Jewish-themed children's books.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/45902-new-jewish-children-s-books-line-launching-this-fall.html

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Tighten Your Writing

Ten easy suggestions to make your writing tighter.
http://alexisgrant.com/2010/12/13/self-editing-10-ways-to-tighten-your-copy/

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Jewish-Themed Books

Barb Krasner's Highlights Foundation course on writing children's books with Jewish themes.
http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/pages/current/FWsched_jewishThemed_11.html

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

New Childrems' Agency

Marcia Wernick and Linda Pratt have opened a new agency to represent children's book writers from pb through ya.
http://www.wernickpratt.com/index.html

Monday, January 24, 2011

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Rejections

What do agents/editors really mean in those rejection letters?
http://www.bethanyroberts.com/rejection_letters.htm

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Snowflake Method

A ten-step method to design a novel.
http://bubblecow.co.uk/2010/12/how-to-write-a-novel-the-snowflake-method/

Friday, January 21, 2011

Writers' Toolbox

Collection of miscellaneous useful links for writers.
http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2010/12/writers-toolbox-prepping-for-2011.html

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Story Questionnaire

Answer these questions and your story will be well on its way.
http://ht.ly/3dkvp

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Twitter Hashtags

Twitter hashtags related to writing.
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/40-twitter-hashtags-for-writers/

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Monday, January 17, 2011

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Posting Work Online

Should you post your manuscript online?
http://kidlit.com/2010/12/20/should-i-post-my-writing-online/

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Writing Degrees

Types of degree programs, both online and on-campus.
http://nouveauwriter.blogspot.com/2010/11/guest-post-degree-options-for-aspiring.html

Friday, January 14, 2011

Contract Cancellations

What would cause an editor or publisher to cancel your book contract?
http://behlerblog.com/2010/11/21/canceling-a-project-reality-check/

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Small Presses

What are the advantages in publishing with a small press?
http://karenjonesgowen.blogspot.com/2010/12/as-i-see-it-top-ten-reasons-to-publish.html

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Build Your Online Presence

Nathan Bransford gives tips on how to be successful online.
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2010/11/seven-tips-on-how-to-build-following.html

Friday, January 7, 2011

Conference Checklist

What to bring and what to leave home.
http://kidlit.com/2010/12/03/conference-checklist/

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Writing Bible

What you need to document to keep everything consistent and on track in your novel.
http://www.write-thing.com/2010/05/12/making-a-writing-bible-an-essential-tool-for-story-writers/

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Author Websites

How to make your website a place people will want to visit.
http://www.authortechtips.com/7-secrets-for-amazing-author-websites/

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Reversion of Rights

In this digital age, when is a book "out of print?"
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/11/reversion-of-rights.html

Monday, January 3, 2011

Free Books for Low-income Teens

First Book Is Giving Away More Than 125,000 Books to Low-income Teens
http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2010/11/novel-gift-first-book-is-giving-away.html

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Synopsis Cheat Sheet

Answer these worksheet questions with complete sentences to create a one-page synopsis.
http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/how-to-write-a-1-page-synopsis/

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Amateur Writing Mistakes

These writing mistakes will scream "amateur" to an editor.
http://edittorrent.blogspot.com/2009/10/marks-of-amateur-starting-list.html