Top Picks Thursday! For Writers & Readers 08-17-2017

Welcome to this week’s Top Picks Thursday! We’ve got a cool bunch of writerly links for you.

Here’s how Indie Author Day became a national library event.

Colleen M. Story examines what smart writers spend their money on, and Drew Chial reminds us that one of those things should be paying your collaborators.

Piracy is a concern for writers, so Savvy Book Writers takes a look at the pros and cons of fighting book piracy.

CRAFT

Although we do focus on prose writing here, other types of writing hold skills any writer can use to enhance their art. Kathryn Craft examines 5 creative nonfiction skills for novelists, and Melissa Donovan discusses using imagery in poetry writing.

Writers want to draw readers in and never let them go. Mary Kole talks about how to hook a reader, Rachel Stout shows what to avoid when writing your book’s opening lines, and Janice Hardy explores creating conflict in your novel.

Even a writer of contemporary fiction must do some world-building—no author can escape it completely. Meg McNulty has 3 ways to build a fantasy world, while Cait Reynolds tells us how to get medical facts right in fiction.

Compelling characters are one way to draw readers in and get them hooked. K.M. Weiland gives us 4 ways to write a thought-provoking mentor character, James Scott Bell has the ingredients of a great series character, and Suzanne Purvis shows how to get your fabulous characters to shine in your synopsis.

Villains and antagonists can be some of the most compelling characters in your story. Kristen Lamb discusses when the antagonist is a flaw within the protagonist and how to show the antagonist as both inner and outer demons, while Chris Winkle shows how to craft a redemption arc for your villain.

Writing a book can be a tough mental and emotional endeavor. Rachel Giesel lists the 4 ingredients of your best writing routine, Lucy Mitchell shares 10 signs your book is ready to come out of you, Hannah Holt compiles 5 lessons from 100 published picture book authors, Lisa Sell tackles writer imposter syndrome, and Denise Jaden has 7 questions to ask yourself when you’ve lost your desire to finish.

BUSINESS

Dream of seeing your book on the silver screen? Hollywood producer Brett Tomberlin discusses how a book becomes a movie.

Publishing is a business, and authors need to know the nuts and bolts, particularly if they self-publish. Susan Spann tells us what to look for in “out of print” termination clauses, David Kudler shows how to take control of your metadata, and  Kathy Rowe and K.S. Brooks have the hard facts on hardcover books for self-published authors.

Tamela Hancock Murray examines whether you can share too much communication with your agent, and Janet Reid gives us 2 reasons you’re hearing “no” on your fulls and how to best query for a memoir.

Sales and marketing are not often an author’s forte. Beth Bacon lists 8 myths about book sales that authors need to ditch now, Sara Wigal has 5 ways to promote your book, John Fleming gives us a checklist to identify the weaknesses in your marketing platform, and Joel Friedlander advises to go wide for discoverability.

Your book launch is usually a major part of any marketing plan. Shelley Hitz shares her 3-phase plan for your book launch timeline, while Elaine Viets discusses book signing jitters.

Online media are a great way to reach our readers. Anne R. Allen lists 10 reasons authors should blog, R.J. Crayton gives a primer on Amazon Author Central, and Open Road Integrated Media newsletters reach ONE MILLION subscribers.

THE UNIQUE SHELF

Psychology meets magic. Harry Potter character Myers-Briggs personality types.

Can’t bring yourself to recycle an old book? Try this instead: upcycled bookish goodies.

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