Welcome to the first Top Picks Thursday of September! September 6th is National Read a Book Day! Head over to our Facebook Page and post a pic of what you’re reading!
Attention, writers! Check out SCBWI’s new Kate Dopirak Craft and Community Award and see if it’s for you.
Bob Eckstein draws his way through the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference.
If you are including a character with mental illness in your story, consider these do’s and don’ts of including mental illness in your fiction from Elena Mikalsen.
We often italicize foreign language words in our stories. Jumoke Verissimo discusses the politics of italics, and Ann Mah examines foreign language in fiction.
James Preston reveals the keepers of the flame: libraries in the new millennium.
CRAFT
While much writing advice can apply to most genres, some is specific, so it’s always a good idea to know what you are writing. Christopher Shultz explains the differences between magical realism and fantasy, and Natasha Boyd lays out how to write a wondertale.
Many writers can’t start a project without at least a working title, and certainly by the time it hits the shelves the work needs a compelling title. Stavros Halvatzis discusses the importance of a title, while Rachel Gardner tells how to create a compelling book title. The title should reflect the atmosphere of your novel, and Janice Hardy walks us through setting the right tone for your novel.
A firm grasp of the structural components of a story can set your story apart from others. Kris Kennedy explains how to avoid info dumping by making the backstory essential, Jami Gold explores how to make scenes stronger with sequels, James Scott Bell has the most important question you can ask about a scene, H.R. D’Costa shows how to use story stakes to keep readers turning the pages, and Ann Kroeker offers 3 tweaks to becoming a better writer.
Every writer dreams of writing a character that walks off the page and into the readers’ lives. K.M. Weiland explores creating your character’s inner conflict between want vs. need, Janice Hardy gives us 5 things to consider when choosing a character’s career, and Tom Bentley reminds us that your character’s flaws are your story’s draws.
Editing is essential to a strong story, but Christopher Oldcorn explains why you shouldn’t edit while you write. When you do edit, Cecelia Watson reveals the virtues of the semicolon, Gordon Long has another set of words to trim, Melissa Donovan shows how to eliminate redundancies in your writing, Patricia B. Smith exposes the futility of relying on AI grammar checkers, and P.J. Parrish explains how to be your own co-author.
For many writers, writing is all about a deep joy in words. Melissa Henderson advises how to save your best ideas, discover how Barbara Kingsolver reignited her love affair with words, Leah Schnelbach reveals what Stephen King’s It taught her about the shape of stories, Joe Moran reminds us that good sentences are why we read, and Robert Lee Brewer brings us 12 Mary Shelley quotes about writing and 14 Roald Dahl quotes about writing.
Creativity finds us in many places, inspired by many things. Deborah Tobola gives us 7 writing exercises to kickstart your creativity, Elizabeth Ducie shares the benefits of writing conferences, Tasha Seegmiller urges us to focus on the heart of writing, and Bonnie Randall has 6 snarky strategies to turn small town BS into fiction brilliance.
We all want to work effectively and efficiently. Christopher Wells explains how to persevere in your writing journey, Sondra Kraak tackles writerly expectations and how to slay those dragons, Anne R. Allen warns against 10 critique groups that drive you bonkers, and Kristen Kieffer shows how to set truly effective writing goals.
We all strive for work-life balance, but balance can be hard to find. Evan Ramzipoor shares 8 tips on balancing work and writing, Barbara O’Neal discusses when the book takes over everything, and no matter where you are in your writing Bob Hostetler reminds us we need a backup strategy.
BUSINESS
In publishing, 7 major publishers sue Audible over their audiobook Captioning, and the lawsuit delayed the Captions rollout. Also, Keith Kupferschmid asks why no one is talking about the provision of the CASE Act that benefits the users of copyrighted work, and Helen Sedwick has 4 factors to help you determine Fair Use when quoting song lyrics in a book.
In the bookselling world, Walmart discount pricing sparks threatening letters from Amazon’s KDP to authors, and Kristen Lamb explains why James Daunt is not going to save Barnes & Noble.
For self-publishers, David Kudler says you can tell an (e)book by its cover, and Orna Ross explores self-publishing poetry books.
Writers seeking traditional publishing, Lisa Tener answers the question: can you still get a book deal as a new author?
Looking at marketing, Boni Wagner-Stafford shows how to engineer success with a good marketing strategy, Jessica Thiefels has 5 simple marketing ideas every new author can use, and Ana Andjelic talks about personal branding for people who hate personal branding.
Marketing in person can be fun and profitable. Joshua Lisec shares the secret to getting paid to sell books, Patricia Sands gives a shout out to book clubs, and Mary Locke discusses audiobook promotion for indie authors.
There are a lot of digital ways to boost your marketing. John Doppler cuts through the hype of social media marketing, Sandra Beckwith advises getting reader reviews before advertising on Amazon, Martin Cavannaugh tells how to promote your book on YouTube, and Scott McCormick has metadata optimization for your book.
Connection with your readers online is important. Elna Cain shares 9 powerful Instagram tools to boost your social media presence, Jordan Peters asks if you are creative enough in your blogging, Christian Mihai has tips for blogging for busy people, and Rachel Thompson explains how blogging consistently helps readers find you.
THE UNIQUE SHELF
America is a vast country, and the road trip has a special place in the American psyche. Andrew Small examines what the great American road trip boks say (and miss) about America.
Dorian Lynskey asks: is the political novel dead?
Over on CrimeReads, Olivia Rutigliano remembers the Gilded Age’s long-lost lady detectives.
We all are looking for a kinder world. Caroline Bologna lists 35 children’s books that teach empathy and kindness.
That’s it for this week’s Top Picks Thursday! Join us next week for more writerly advice.
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