Welcome to the first Top Picks Thursday of December! It’s cold here, so curl up somewhere warm and dig into the links below.
In author news, “bartender with a writing problem” Gary Regan died at 68.
In awards this week, Colin Dwyer lists the National Book Award winners, and Irish novelist Edna O’Brien wins the David Cohen lifetime achievement award, which is seen as a precursor to the Nobel prize.
People often talk about dyslexia, but they don’t always get it right. Reading By Example hosted a roundtable panel dispelling some of the myths and misunderstandings about dyslexia.
Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware has a bunch of alerts for us this week: attempted rights fraud at Audible’s ACX, complaints at Month9 Books, and nonstandard business practices at Black Rose Writing.
Looking for some financial support for your project? Mary Kole announces The Good Story Grant for writers.
Arthur Klepchukov rounds up fiction writing contests worth your time in winter 2019.
As the holidays barrel towards us, gift-giving is on people’s minds. Sandra Beckwith has 29 gifts authors and writers will love, Aycia W. Morales suggests 19 unique gifts for writers and readers, and K.M. Weiland lists 17 eco-friendly gifts for writers this Christmas.
CRAFT
Cookbooks are not a niche we talk much about here, but they are a very popular type of book! Abigail Weil delves into why three generations of Americans have the same favorite cookbook, and Kassia Fiedor lays out the complete guide to marketing and selling a cookbook.
How do you find inspiration? Stavros Halvatzis explores pantser vs. plotter, while Barbara O’Neal explains how to use the collage method.
Book structure supports everything else. Janice Hardy discusses plotting with the Hero’s Journey, Hank Quense shares 3 important story elements, and James Scott Bell asks us to define what one thing our novel is about.
So many elements of craft go into a story, and it all starts on page one. Peter Selgin examines what to do when your story opening does nothing but blow smoke, Hank Phillippi Ryan reminds us to set our setting, Matthew V. Clemens shares secrets of suspense learned from Jaws, Zoe M. McCarthy explores using the sense of touch in writing, and Lisa Hall Wilson discusses how to tell if you’re writing in deep point of view.
We all want to write that un-put-down-able book. C.S. Lakin looks at using beats to keep readers emotionally engaged, Margie Lawson says smart writers expand time, and Laurisa White Reyes brings part 5 of her series how to write a real page-turner.
Characters draw the readers in. Bonnie Randall explores creating names and titles in your novel, K.M. Weiland tells us how to choose the right antagonist for any type of story, and our characters are cops, Patrick O’Donnell warns us to avoid these common mistakes in police procedurals.
Every writer needs to revise edit. One way we do that is with beta readers. But what if we can’t find anyone to read? Hire one! CeCe Downs explains what to expect with professional beta readers. Feedback from other sources is useful, too, but can be overwhelming. Robert Lee Brewer parses the difference between lose vs. loose vs. loosen, and Tiffany Yates Martin shares a 7-step plan for navigating editorial feedback and revising your WIP.
We can learn writing lessons from almost anything. Cassandra Lipp has 5 lessons writers can learn from It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, John Peragine shares 12 lessons learned from writing short, and Judith Briles gives us writing tips to get you across the finish line.
Cristina Delay warns us against writing for carrots, and Jael McHenry discusses the relationship between writing, verbs, and time.
With the holidays comes hectic schedules. Angelica Hartgers has 4 tips to boost productivity this holiday season, and Rachelle Gardner wants to know if you have a holiday writing plan.
BUSINESS
Every author eventually runs into the question of using a third party text. Joseph Perry dives into fair use so authors know what they can legally use when.
There are numerous ways to make money as a writer. Sherry Howard asks: is work-for-hire for you?
Many presses are struggling to stay viable in today’s market. Alex Green explores 3 university presses finding new ways to keep up with a changing market.
In this age, there are many tools to help sell books. Brian Berni introduces us to PickFu, a tool that lets you split test your cover, and Jim Milliot looks at a new Edelweiss360 bookstore-to-consumer tool will allow bookstores to send personalized emails.
If you are seeking traditional publishing deals, Janet Reid talks about novella sales, Ruth Harris advises how to ride the publishing roller coaster, and Abigail Rasminsky reminds us that your book might not sell and you have to live with that.
Branding and building a following are essential parts of being an author these days. Tiffany Yamut has a guide to branding yourself as an author, Amy Collins gives us crowdfunding tips, Anne R. Allen urges commenting on blogs to build your platform, and Ilham Alam shares 6 steps to getting your self-published book into libraries.
Other ways to market your book require interacting in public in front of real people—nerve-wracking for many authors. Caroline Louise Walker explains how to throw a shower for your novel, Chrys Fey tells us how to prepare for public speaking like a pro, and Lee Purcell discusses how to create a low-cost book trailer.
For your online marketing, Orna Ross explores how to get your first 50 book reviews, Cristian Mihai has the top 10 persuasive writing techniques for bloggers (or anyone), Dan Brotzel shares tips for writing the copy for your author website, and Kim Lochery shows us 28 email sign up form examples you can take design inspiration from.
And because ’tis the season: Penny Sansevieri gives us last-minute holiday book sales strategies.
THE UNIQUE SHELF
Jo Lou compiles 14 literary podcasts for every type of book person.
Beau L’Amour remembers the life and works of his famous father, Louis L’Amour.
Every writer started out as a reader. Alison B. Hart shares the joys of reading with a second grader.
Epics from the time of oral history are known to us only because someone eventually wrote them down. Michael Schmidt explores who the scribes were who actually wrote down the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Allan Metcalk reminds us where the word “guy” comes from.
Sometimes an authors’ non-fiction work can make us see them in a different light. Alison Flood and Lindesay Irvine investigate a George Eliot translation of Spinoza that sheds new light on her fiction.
It is no secret that Shakespeare’s plays were sometimes collaborative affairs. Now machine learning has revealed exactly how much of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII was written by someone else—and who it was.
That’s all for this week’s Top Pick Thursday! We’ll see you next week with more literary links!
The Author Chronicles 
Welcome to the first Top Picks Thursday of December! It’s cold here, so curl up somewhere warm and dig into the links below.
In author news, “bartender with a writing problem” Gary Regan died at 68.
In awards this week, Colin Dwyer lists the National Book Award winners, and Irish novelist Edna O’Brien wins the David Cohen lifetime achievement award, which is seen as a precursor to the Nobel prize.
People often talk about dyslexia, but they don’t always get it right. Reading By Example hosted a roundtable panel dispelling some of the myths and misunderstandings about dyslexia.
Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware has a bunch of alerts for us this week: attempted rights fraud at Audible’s ACX, complaints at Month9 Books, and nonstandard business practices at Black Rose Writing.
Looking for some financial support for your project? Mary Kole announces The Good Story Grant for writers.
Arthur Klepchukov rounds up fiction writing contests worth your time in winter 2019.
As the holidays barrel towards us, gift-giving is on people’s minds. Sandra Beckwith has 29 gifts authors and writers will love, Aycia W. Morales suggests 19 unique gifts for writers and readers, and K.M. Weiland lists 17 eco-friendly gifts for writers this Christmas.
CRAFT
Cookbooks are not a niche we talk much about here, but they are a very popular type of book! Abigail Weil delves into why three generations of Americans have the same favorite cookbook, and Kassia Fiedor lays out the complete guide to marketing and selling a cookbook.
How do you find inspiration? Stavros Halvatzis explores pantser vs. plotter, while Barbara O’Neal explains how to use the collage method.
Book structure supports everything else. Janice Hardy discusses plotting with the Hero’s Journey, Hank Quense shares 3 important story elements, and James Scott Bell asks us to define what one thing our novel is about.
So many elements of craft go into a story, and it all starts on page one. Peter Selgin examines what to do when your story opening does nothing but blow smoke, Hank Phillippi Ryan reminds us to set our setting, Matthew V. Clemens shares secrets of suspense learned from Jaws, Zoe M. McCarthy explores using the sense of touch in writing, and Lisa Hall Wilson discusses how to tell if you’re writing in deep point of view.
We all want to write that un-put-down-able book. C.S. Lakin looks at using beats to keep readers emotionally engaged, Margie Lawson says smart writers expand time, and Laurisa White Reyes brings part 5 of her series how to write a real page-turner.
Characters draw the readers in. Bonnie Randall explores creating names and titles in your novel, K.M. Weiland tells us how to choose the right antagonist for any type of story, and our characters are cops, Patrick O’Donnell warns us to avoid these common mistakes in police procedurals.
Every writer needs to revise edit. One way we do that is with beta readers. But what if we can’t find anyone to read? Hire one! CeCe Downs explains what to expect with professional beta readers. Feedback from other sources is useful, too, but can be overwhelming. Robert Lee Brewer parses the difference between lose vs. loose vs. loosen, and Tiffany Yates Martin shares a 7-step plan for navigating editorial feedback and revising your WIP.
We can learn writing lessons from almost anything. Cassandra Lipp has 5 lessons writers can learn from It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, John Peragine shares 12 lessons learned from writing short, and Judith Briles gives us writing tips to get you across the finish line.
Cristina Delay warns us against writing for carrots, and Jael McHenry discusses the relationship between writing, verbs, and time.
With the holidays comes hectic schedules. Angelica Hartgers has 4 tips to boost productivity this holiday season, and Rachelle Gardner wants to know if you have a holiday writing plan.
BUSINESS
Every author eventually runs into the question of using a third party text. Joseph Perry dives into fair use so authors know what they can legally use when.
There are numerous ways to make money as a writer. Sherry Howard asks: is work-for-hire for you?
Many presses are struggling to stay viable in today’s market. Alex Green explores 3 university presses finding new ways to keep up with a changing market.
In this age, there are many tools to help sell books. Brian Berni introduces us to PickFu, a tool that lets you split test your cover, and Jim Milliot looks at a new Edelweiss360 bookstore-to-consumer tool will allow bookstores to send personalized emails.
If you are seeking traditional publishing deals, Janet Reid talks about novella sales, Ruth Harris advises how to ride the publishing roller coaster, and Abigail Rasminsky reminds us that your book might not sell and you have to live with that.
Branding and building a following are essential parts of being an author these days. Tiffany Yamut has a guide to branding yourself as an author, Amy Collins gives us crowdfunding tips, Anne R. Allen urges commenting on blogs to build your platform, and Ilham Alam shares 6 steps to getting your self-published book into libraries.
Other ways to market your book require interacting in public in front of real people—nerve-wracking for many authors. Caroline Louise Walker explains how to throw a shower for your novel, Chrys Fey tells us how to prepare for public speaking like a pro, and Lee Purcell discusses how to create a low-cost book trailer.
For your online marketing, Orna Ross explores how to get your first 50 book reviews, Cristian Mihai has the top 10 persuasive writing techniques for bloggers (or anyone), Dan Brotzel shares tips for writing the copy for your author website, and Kim Lochery shows us 28 email sign up form examples you can take design inspiration from.
And because ’tis the season: Penny Sansevieri gives us last-minute holiday book sales strategies.
THE UNIQUE SHELF
Jo Lou compiles 14 literary podcasts for every type of book person.
Beau L’Amour remembers the life and works of his famous father, Louis L’Amour.
Every writer started out as a reader. Alison B. Hart shares the joys of reading with a second grader.
Epics from the time of oral history are known to us only because someone eventually wrote them down. Michael Schmidt explores who the scribes were who actually wrote down the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Allan Metcalk reminds us where the word “guy” comes from.
Sometimes an authors’ non-fiction work can make us see them in a different light. Alison Flood and Lindesay Irvine investigate a George Eliot translation of Spinoza that sheds new light on her fiction.
It is no secret that Shakespeare’s plays were sometimes collaborative affairs. Now machine learning has revealed exactly how much of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII was written by someone else—and who it was.
That’s all for this week’s Top Pick Thursday! We’ll see you next week with more literary links!
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Posted in Audio Books, Blogging, Book Launch, Character, Creativity, Diversity, Editing, Inspiration, Libraries, Marketing, Plot, Point of View POV, Process, Reading, Self-publishing, Setting, Social Media, The Writing Life, Top Picks Thursday, Writing Business, Writing Craft | Tags: 12 lessons learned from writing short, 14 literary podcasts, 17 eco-friendly gifts, 19 gifts for writers and readers, 28 email sign up form examples, 29 gifts writers will love, 3 generations of the Joy of Cooking, 3 important story elements, 4 tips to boost productivity during holidays, 5 lessons from It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Abigail Rasminsky, Abigail Weil, Alex Green 3 university presses keep up with changing market, Alison B. Hart, Alison Flood, Allan Metcalf, Alycia W. Morales, Amy Collins, Angelica Hartgers, Anne R. Allen, are you writing in Deep Point of View, art of blogging, Arthur Klepchukov, Barbara O'Neal, Beau L'Amour, Blogging Wizard, Bonnie Randall, Book Baby, Brian Berni, Building Book Buzz, Career Authors, Caroline Louise Walker, Cassandra Lipp, CeCeDowns, choose the right antagonist, Chrys Fey, Colin Dwyer, comment on blogs to build platform, common mistakes in police procedurals, complaints at Month9 Books, creating names and titles, Crime Reads, Cristian Mihai, Cristina Delay, crowdfunding tips, CS Lakin, Dan Brotzel, Edna O'Brien win David Cohen Lifetime Achievement Award, Electric Literature, Elizabeth Spann Craig, Fair Use, fiction writing contests, Funds for Writers, Gary Regan dies, George Eliot's translation of Spinoza, get self-published book into libraries, Good Story Grant, guide to branding yourself as a writer, Gwendolyn Huber, Hank Quense, Helping Writers Become Authors, holiday writing plan, how to get your first 50 book reviews, how to write a real page-turner, Ilham Alam, incentivize your writing, Ingram Spark, insights into dyslexia, issues at Audible ACX, J. Thomas Ross, Jael McHenry, James Scott Bell, Jami Gold, Jane Friedman, Janet Reid, Janice Hardy, Jim Milliot, Jo Lou, John Peragine, Joseph Perry, joys of reading with a second grader, Judith Briles, Kassia Fiedor, Kerry Gans, kidlit.com, Kill Zone Blog, Kim Lochery, KM Weiland, Laurisa White Reyes, Lee Purcell, Lindesay Irvine, Lisa Hall-Wilson, LitHub, lose vs. loose vs. loosen grammar, low cost book trailer, machine deciphers how much of Shakespeare was written by someone else, Margie Lawson, marketing and selling a cookbook, Mary Kole, Matt Q. McGovern, Matt Schudel, Matthew V. Clemens, Michael Schmidt, Nancy Keim Comley, National Book Award winners, navigate editorial feedback, NonFiction Authors Association, nonstandard business practices at Black Rose Writing, novella sales, NPR, Olive Software, Orna Ross, panster or plotter?. Hank Phillippi Ryan, Patrick O'Donnell, Penny Sansevieri last-minute holiday book sales strategies, Peter Selgin, PickFu, plotting with Hero's Journey, prepare for public speaking, professional beta readers, Publishers Weekly, Rachel Gardner, Reading by Example, remembering Louis L'Amour, ride publishing roller coaster, Robert Lee Brewer, Ruth Harris, Sandra Beckwith, scribes who wrote down Epic of Gilgamesh, secrets of suspense, Self-Publishing Advice, sense of touch in writing, setting, Sherry Howard, Sian Cain, smart writers expand time, split test your cover, Stavros Halvatzis, Technology Review, The Author Chronicles, the Book Designer, the collage method, The Creative Penn, The Guardian, The Millions, The Write Editings, throw a shower for your novel, Tiffany Yamut, Tiffany Yates Martin, tool allows bookstores to send personalized emails, top 10 persuasive writing techniques, Top Picks Thursday, use beats to keep readers interested, verbs and time, Victoria Strauss, what one thing is novel about, when story opening only blows smoke, where the word "guy" comes from, work-for-hire, Writer Beware, Writer Unboxed, Writer's Digest, Writers Helping Writers, Writers In the Storm, writing copy for your author website, writing tips to help you finish, your book might not sell, Zoe M. McCarthy