Welcome to this week’s writerly link round up! How is it the last Top Picks Thursday of March already? I don’t know about you, but we are still waiting for that lamb to show up here!
We’ve spoken about authors scared to write diverse characters for fear of getting them wrong and offending a group by accident. The group Writing With Color now has a feedback service called Colorful Critiques, where you can get feedback on your diverse characters.
The focus here is often on long-form writing, but short stories are their own art form. Jodie Renner shares how to write a prize-worthy short story, step-by-step.
In academia, Emma Pearse examines the new movement to give romance novels the same academic treatment as other genre fiction.
Rhys Griffiths examines the phenomenon of the continuation novel—where a living author continues a deceased author’s work in the style of the deceased author. It is increasingly common these days—but is it a good thing?
Could there be any continuation novels in the future here? Rhianna Pratchett discusses memories of her father, and her inheritance of Discworld.
CRAFT
As you think about what to write, Kathryn Craft serves up several questions that will take our writing deeper and elicit writing that gets noticed, while Nils Odlund ponders understanding how readers read.
Story structure helps guide the reader through the book. Most of us have heard about the all-important “inciting incident” for our story structure. But as K.M. Weiland explains, the inciting incident may not be what you think it is. James Scott Bell answers how to write Act II, and Jennifer Wilck shows how making lists can help organize your writing.
Martina Boone shares 7 keys to building relatable characters, Isabel Wollf explains how to write good dialogue, Dennis Kearney has 5 tips for writing realistically about the law and lawyers, Stephen Leary explores what happens when you meet your fictional character in the real world, and Rachel E. Newman discusses self-editing for point of view.
Nathan Bransford gives us 4 ways to avoid “screenplayizing” your novel, Ben Yagoda examines 7 things writers can learn from stand-up comedians, Jo Knowles explores making your own path in your writing journey, and S.P. Sipal asks: should we only write what we know?
Sometimes, we just can’t get started writing. Nina Amir urges us to “just do it,” while Steve Maurer lists 6 proven tips for getting into the “write” mood.
Once we get started, the challenge is to keep going. Samantha Wilcox explains how to “write through your mind,” Pooja Lohana shares tools to help keep you writing, and Hanya Yanagihara has 9 tips for finishing that novel.
From time to time, every writer needs moral support. We all get overwhelmed. Edie Melson lists 10 things to say to a writer who’s on the ledge, Dahlia Adler shares some simple words we sometimes need to hear, and Jody Hedlund has some advice for when you feel like giving up.
BUSINESS
Writers should know by now that writing is a business as well as a craft. So authors should know to be professional at all times. Yet, as Maryann Miller points out, sometimes authors need to be reminded to behave.
One of the things that sends authors over the edge is a bad review. Alan Kealey lists 10 ways for authors to handle bad reviews in a more productive manner.
Since writing is a business, intellectual property attorney Kathryn Goldman explains the different levels and types of writing companies an author may need to create over a career, and agent Chip MacGregor answers questions from commenters.
Submissions can be a stumbling block for many writers. Patrick Icasas warns against these 4 submission mistakes for short stories, and Nancy J. Cohen waxes nostalgic over snail mail submission protocol.
Marketing these days is often an online, social-media-driven affair. Glenn Hickling explores how Pixar’s 22 rules of story can help write engaging marketing material, Anne R. Allen shares the top 10 social media marketing mistakes by authors, and Penny Sansevieri explains the quickest way to kill your online success.
Many authors are on Goodreads and Twitter. Barb Drozdowich explains the new Goodreads changes that affect your Fan and Friends lists, Book Marketing Tools shares 8 Twitter resources for authors, and Christina Katz reminds us that we need a good bio wherever we go and shows us how to do a bio makeover.
Many writers keep a blog—and sometimes run short of ideas. Glen Long gives us 6 tips to turn a crappy idea into a great blog post. And however we choose to connect with readers, Cheryl Reif shows how to connect with readers without it breaking the time bank.
THE UNIQUE SHELF
For those of us word nerds who not only want to know what a word means, but where it came from: this Online Etymology Dictionary will give you the history of a word.
Did you know how Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale was first marketing in the US? Check out You Asked For It—with a prime pulp cover.
We at the Author Chronicles love libraries. Check out these top 50 amazing American college and university libraries.
The Author Chronicles 
Leave a comment