Top Picks Thursday! For Writers & Readers 05-18-2017

Welcome to this week’s Top Picks Thursday! Once again we have jumped from pleasant spring weather into mid-summer heat, but no matter—it just makes our writerly links sizzle even more.

It’s a little late, but here are 15 new books to gift to your bibliophile mom.

The big bru-ha-ha this week is Amazon’s changing the rules to allow third-party sellers to “win” your book’s Buy button. What this means is that the one-click (and first) option to buy your book may not be from your publisher. Which means that you will likely not get a dime from that sale. Brooke Warner takes a look at how Amazon is cutting you out of your royalties, Rachelle Gardner discusses this from an agent’s point of view, and Alex Shephard examines how this will “further erode publishers’ bargaining power and market share.”

Last month was Poetry Month, so Kathryn Erskine gathered a verse novel a day to celebrate.

Getting kids to love reading is so important to their future. Author Robin Steven takes aim at people who discourage kids from reading for pleasure by dismissing some books as too immature for them, while Jarry Lee spotlights this awesome program that is getting young black boys to read in barbershops.

Anastasia Boden explains the California law that threatens to shut down book signings and, therefore, small book sellers.

Libraries are on the front line for reading—and changing lives. Heidi MacDonald explores comics as the king of libraries and the problems with stocking them, and Marva Hinton highlights librarians who are addressing inequity where they see it.

Do have what it takes to channel Shakespeare? Check out the Battle of the Bard Shakespeare Remix Competition.

CRAFT

If you write short stories, Jeff Elkins has 4 quick short story editing tips for you.

The beginning can be hard—whether it be getting a new idea or figuring out where to start the novel. Kate Moretti tells how to mine your life for story ideas, and Linda K. Sienkiewicz shows where to start your story.

For a novel to really shine, every aspect has to ring true. S.H. Mastersmith discusses how to plan your character’s arc, L.E. Sterling has 7 steps to make worlds come alive, and Marie Brennan gets down to details of how to do karate in a Victorian dress.

When it comes time to edit, Janice Hardy has advice on cutting down word count, Elaine Viets has fun with misplaced clauses, and Susan DeFreitas shows how to spot toxic feedback.

Larry Brooks gives us 3 quick and easy tips that will make our novels better, Kathryn Craft displays a novel use of lists, and Bonnie Mills explores how onomatopoeia and reduplication make weird words.

All writers want an efficiency edge, so Nathan Bransford extols the incredible advantage of fast typing. That takes focus, however, and Srini Pillay warns that your brain can only take so much focus.

Donna Galanti explores how to find your childlike sense of wonder when writing for children, Kathryn Magendie tackles the problem of perceived weakness, and Jami Gold asks: what advice do you ignore?

Most writers will tell you they couldn’t stop writing if they wanted to—it’s just part of who they are. Sam Tonge advises to thine own writerly self be true, and Vaughn Roycroft explores being destined to write.

How many of us dream of writing for our favorite show or book franchise? Well, these writers are living the dream: 5 authors share how they went from fans to creators within the Star Wars universe.

BUSINESS

We’re all eager for that book contract. But Susan Spann reminds us we also need to know when to walk away from a publishing deal.

Don’t have your book out on audio yet? Maybe you should. Sandy McDowell has 9 reasons audiobook growth is soaring.

Roz Morris lists a multitude of ways you can make a living as a writer.

Writing can be a solo proposition, but publishing takes a group. Cody Sisco discusses how to form an indie author collective to share the workload—and the success.

Spreading your work widely can enhance your career. Patricia Stoltey shares 5 reasons to submit your work to anthologies, and Diana Forbes shows how writing contests can help your career.

Because we all judge a book by its cover, Chris Payne has book cover design tips to attract readers and sell books.

One way to increase our income as authors is to also become speakers. Micah Solomon traces the path from independent author to professional public speaker, and Deanna Cabinian tells us how to prepare for a TED-style author talk in less than 10 days.

If you’re not the DIY-type, you want an agent. Jason Henry Evans examines how to use LinkedIn and Twitter to find an agent, while Jessica Faust explains why authors should dump the elevator pitch. If you are struggling with the dreaded query letter, Mark Gottlieb and Laura Weymouth each have tips on how to write an effective query.

One literary agency who has recently moved their online home is BookEnds Literary Agency—and they have a lot of good advice on their blog, too.

A skill every author needs to master is the synopsis. Sarah Juckes shares a cheat’s guide to writing a synopsis, and Jessica Faust explains why you need to learn the art of the synopsis in the first place.

Marketing, branding, publicity—too much information and a lot of confusion! Kristen Lamb explains the difference between branding/platform and marketing/advertising, Carmen Amato has 3 mini-strategies to make marketing less overwhelming, Judith Briles reminds us why you are the best person to market your books, and Kristen Tsetsi explores how books become bestsellers, and how authors can influence that.

In the end, it’s all about getting the word about the book out there. Steve Laube tells about the challenges for a debut author, Judith Briles details how to sell books via book festivals and crafts fairs, and Marcy Kennedy extols the benefits of ebook preorders.

THE UNIQUE SHELF

Calling all Harry Potter fans! A handwritten Harry Potter prequel has been stolen, and J.K. Rowling asks for your help in locating it.

Zainab Williams has a list of lists of books to read with mom—and no matter how old you are, says Emma Dunn, you are never too late to enjoy picture books.

Golf buddies Bill Clinton and James Patterson are co-writing a political thriller entitled The President is Missing.

Literary women roundup: Elizabeth Brontë, more than a footnote; a questioning of Emily Dickinson’s reclusive reputation; and a possible portrait of George Eliot as a young woman.

Old books are treasure troves: this book was the WebMD of the 18th and 19th centuries, a look at the art of marbled paper from the archives of the San Francisco Public Library, and highlights from Victorian cookbooks—including sphinx cakes and costumed roosters.

Classic books are classic for a reason. Read Richard Locke’s 1974 New York Times review of the then-new Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy for why Smiley was the anti-James Bond, and see the dangers faced by those rewriting the beloved Anne of Green Gables for TV.

All manuscripts are made of pages, and sometimes those pages can tell us more than just what’s written on them. One researcher found pages from one of the first books printed in England, while another found weirdly imperfect pages in a Medieval manuscript.

Come and see history. The Indian Removal Act, which set in motion the Trail of Tears, is now on display. For even older indigenous history lesson, visit the rare public display of a 17th century Mayan manuscript.

A 6-foot tall and 7-foot wide when open atlas is not something you can fit in your glove compartment. The massive Klencke Atlas is now available online courtesy of the British Library. So now it will fit on your phone.

That’s all for this week’s Top Picks Thursday! See you next week!