Top Picks Thursday! For Writers & Readers 03-16-2017

Welcome to this week’s Top Picks Thursday! Who else is going green tomorrow for St. Patrick’s Day?

It’s tax time again! Can’t you feel the joy in the air? Writer and CPA Lisa London has tax tips for writers.

L.J. Alonge discusses the struggle to write past the white gaze as a black author.

More good news for readers! Science says book readers live longer.

CRAFT

Mary Jaksch has advice about how to fire up a stalled novel, but her idea could easily help in the brainstorming, pre-writing phase—which might keep you from getting stuck in the first place.

Writers understand using story structure as we write, but Jami Gold examines what story structure means from your readers’ point of view.

Which comes first, the character or the plot? Kristen Lamb investigates using a paradigm to create your character, and how that character paradigm then determines plot.

Writers obsess about overall word count, but what about scene word count? How scene word count can help in your big-picture editing.

Creativity is a writer’s life blood. Jami Gold delves into brain science by exploring right brain vs. left brain vs. creativity, and Clive Thompson shows how being bored out of your mind makes you more creative.

BUSINESS

For literary writers, Mike Sahno shares 5 pieces of bad advice literary fiction writers get about publishing.

For self-publishers,  Joel Friedlander introduces The Book Makers, a new full-service book design and production service.

Authorpreneurs take note: Stephen Mansfield discusses 10 warning signs of a leadership crash (and how to avoid them).

Agent Janet Reid answers the perennial question: Should I query young agents?

Professional writers need a lot of skills to write and market their books. Heidi Fiedler lists the professional writer skill sets, Chris Syme notes 3 skills every author needs to sell more books, and Amy Collins urges us to seek professional, expert advice on our marketing journey.

Almost all authors have a website these days, but how many of us know how to maintain it? L.W. Linquist shares 10 must-know website tips and tricks for writers.

THE UNIQUE SHELF

If you love your libraries, check out Book Riot’s library gear.

On the romantic front, Dana Rosette Pangan has 7 reasons you should date a reader.

That’s all for this week’s Top Picks Thursday! Have a great St. Patrick’s Day!