Top Picks Thursday! For Writers & Readers 12-10-2020

Welcome to this week’s Top Picks Thursday! Today is Nobel Prize Day! I’m pretty sure I didn’t win the Nobel Prize for Literature, but a girl can dream. Maybe some of this week’s tips will help push me up to the next level.

Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Alison Lurie has died at age 94.

Looking for something to read this holiday season? The New York Times Editors has put out their Best Books of 2020 list, and the New Yorker also has their Best Books We Read in 2020 picks.

It’s not always easy for people to get books. In Sri Lanka, a man runs a mobile library for kids from his motorcycle, and here Jens Troeger puts together a quick guide to accessibility issues for indie authors.

Even in 2020 there are things to be thankful for, so Kathy Steinemann explores the many words and ways to convey gratitude.

And just for fun, Jessica Strawser gifts us with these holiday carol parodies for writers.

CRAFT

You finished NaNoWriMo, now what? Katharine Grubb tells you what to do with your NaNoWriMo project now.

Violence is often part of the crime genre. Carla Hoch discusses violence and fights in crime and what you as an author should know.

John Peragine has 7 more plot structures for pansters, Kelly Jensen claims mood is the most underrated and most valuable literary device, and Stavros Halvatzis explains how to capture your readers from the get-go.

Once into the meat of the story, Janice Hardy shows how to sneak clues past your readers and keep them guessing and gives us an easy way to create conflict in our novel, while Donald Maass examines the role of beats in story.

When working with your characters, James Scott Bell suggests putting your lead between two opposite characters, and Justin Aireland reminds us to know how your characters are moving around physically by using blocking.

Every writer wants to work better, faster. Jessica Kwak shows how to find productivity from chaos to creativity, Allison Williams moves us from first draft to second draft to publishable book, Sherry Howard looks at editorial feedback, Tom Bently lists 9 no-burnout practices during a recession, and James Preston talks about getting past the blank page.

Julianna Baggot explains how to nurture the automatic writer, Lauren Martin realizes that writing advice applies to life, too, and Lee Purcell says we can find success as a writer by focusing our energies.

To get through this writing life, we need a good sense of self and a good support system. James Scott Bell asks: do you have a sense of where you are? and Jodi Turchin discusses building your writer support network.

In these strange times, Maya Arthur questions Philadelphia writers living in the epicenter of 2020 chaos.

BUSINESS

BookExpo is no more. Jim Milliot gives a farewell to BookExpo, and Andrew Albanese explains why librarians will miss BookExpo.

Sales continue to surprise: print unit sales rose 8.7% at the end of November.

Richard Charkin explores the chasm between academic and trade publishing.

If you want to exploit your audiobook revenue stream, Matt Knight discusses securing the audiobook rights you need to bring your audiobook to market.

Rachelle Gardner answers the question: do I need to write my whole book before finding a publisher?

Everyone knows how important covers are. Emily Temple compiles the 89 Best Book Covers of 2020, and Penny Sansevieri brings us “buy now” books covers for independent authors.

Marketing can be tough, and the pandemic has made it tougher. Sandra Beckwith shares the shy author’s guide to book promotion, Ellen Byron discusses productive procrastination: repurposing down time to profitably promote, Greer Macallister compares what’s new and what’s not about book launches now, and Beth Barany tells us how to get more book reviews.

Online is where it’s at now, for the most part. Carla King talks social media for authors: branding, choosing a platform, and the rule of thirds; Penny Sansevieri walks us through a beginner’s guide to Amazon preorders and how to market a Kindle book: run a kickass ebook promotion; and Frances Caballo showcases some of her favorite apps.

PODCASTS

The History of Literature podcast with Jacke Wilson examines J. R. R. Tolkien and the creation of the modern fantasy novel.

On the Reading Women podcast with Kendra Winchester, Leigh Bardugo talks about world-building and the limitations (and gifts) of maps.

The Fiction/Non/Fiction podcast with Whitney Terrell and V. V. Ganeshananthan has McCully Brown and Rebekah Taussig discussing living and writing 30 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Jenny and Marcie of the Newbery Tart podcast speak against “color blindness” in children’s literature.

Artificial intelligence takes center stage one Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast with Joanna Penn, as she tackles copyright law and blockchain for authors and publishers in an age of artificial intelligence, as well as voice technologies, streaming and subscription audio in a time of artificial intelligence.

THE UNIQUE SHELF

Gifts are on many people’s minds, but what can you get for the writer (ore reader) in your life? Rachel Brittain has 20 of the best bookish holiday sweaters, Stacey Megally lists 29 cozy book blankets, and thrifty Kelly Jensen shares bookish gifts for under $30.

Women were often the silent force behind famous men. Christina Lake re-introduces us to Joan Harrison: Hollywood producer, and the forgotten woman behind Alfred Hitchcock, while Michelle Taylor reveals the secret history of T.S. Eliot’s muse.

Some writer’s work transcends time and resonates through different ages. Maya Phillips explores playwright August Wilson’s continuing legacy, and Valerie Stivers gets cooking with James Baldwin.

Always dreamed of owning a bookstore? Samantha Ladwig explains why she bought a bookstore at 29…and how it’s been going.

In case you forgot, Nancy Drew wasn’t the only girl detective. Kathleen Keenan reminds us of 8 other classic teen sleuths.

And if you like really old books, Summer Loomis tells us about the Gutenberg Bible and how to see it online.

That’s all for this week’s Top Picks Thursday! Stay warm and stay safe, and we’ll see you next week for more literary links.