Top Picks Thursday 06-19-2014

Welcome to this week’s links round-up! Enjoy the first day of summer this weekend.

In honor of the World Cup, Reggie Nadelson lists 5 books that define Brazil.

Lyndsay Faye has another response to Ruth Gardner’s article claiming adults should be ashamed on reading YA.

In awards news, Lee & Low Books has a New Visions Award for New Authors of Color (YA & MG). Submissions accepted until October 31, 2014. And Elizabeth Bird makes her summer predictions for the 2015 Newbery & Caldecott Awards.

Libraries are becoming the only place most people encounter real books. Teen Librarian Toolbox discusses how a middle grader’s frame of reference might inhibit their enjoyment of a book.

Help spread the love of writing. The Stories of Tomorrow Campaign wants to rebuild the Young Writers Program site.

In censorship news, South Carolina fines state colleges for using gay-themed books in their courses.

Most writers try to keep from being preachy in their works, but something of us leaks into all of our writing. K.M. Weiland examines what readers think of you when they read your books.

We all can use a larger vocabulary. Erin McCarthy has a list of 16 Twitter accounts for word nerds.

CRAFT

Having trouble focusing your story? Kristen Lamb tells us how loglines can keep your story targeted, while Mary Kole reminds us to stay focused on forwarding our main story goal in every scene or risk boring the reader.

Monica M. Clark lists 7 tools to hook your reader in that all-important first page. On any page, Jami Gold encourages us to use ALL the senses to improve description and deepen the story, and when you’re done writing, use these 6 ways to balance your editing between plot and character.

One of the nebulous “must haves” of writing is voice. Karen Woodward describes finding and owning your voice. Having a unique voice is important if you intend to modernize a classic. Meghan Drummond explains the 3 attributes of a successful adaptation.

Rachelle Gardner discusses the writer’s gift of insecurity. Insecurity can come in the form of creative block, so Jami Gold suggests using a random generator to break writer’s block. Or you can do as Neil Gaiman does, and follow the guiding light of instinct when you write.

You’ve got a book deal? Great! Stephanie Gayle warns that you should have more than one title prepared for your book, and if you’ve ever wondered just what a debut experience is like, Stephanie Kuehn shares her lessons from a debut year.

In genre news, Noah Gittell explains what Westerns mean now, and Oliver Willis explains that comic books are not a liberal chamber of horrors.

Delilah S. Dawson gathered together all her tips on juggling real life and writing, while Jordan Hamessley London reminds us that sometimes the best advice is to stop juggling and take a break from work.

BUSINESS

In the long-running ebook price-fixing trial, Apple settles ebook damages with the states.

Harper Voyager launches its Impulse digital publishing program.

Jane Friedman examines what value traditional publishers still have.

If you write literary fiction, creative nonfiction, and realistic YA that pays close attention to craft and voice, agent Mary Krienke of Sterling Lord Literistic might be right for you.

Attorney Helen Sedwick tells us what authors need to know about taxes.

Nina Amir gives us 10 ways to test market your nonfiction idea before you publish.

Frances Caballo explores using visuals to market your book, while Sarah Pinneo shares 6 things your publicist won’t tell you.

Get the most out of Google with Mary Hanes’ Google algorithm cheat sheet, use Alexander Hemus’s 5 best incentives authors can use to build their email list, engage more people with Kim Garst’s tips on how to write tweets people will respond to, and connect with librarians using Debbie Ridpath Oh’s K-12 teen librarian list.

THE UNIQUE SHELF

Check out Bloom’s (Revised) Taxonomy, with verbs.

Laura Miller discusses Kevin Birmingham’s book about the censorship and ultimate success of James Joyce’s ULYSSES.

Nina Fedrizzi tells us how to tour Jane Austen’s English countryside.

That’s it for us this week! Stay cool!