Welcome to my Sunday Wash-Up. This post is for all the writers who due to work or other commitments, cannot catch the information being passed around on the net.
It is quite simply a collection of interesting writing based web pages that fluttered past me recently. Most links have come from Twitter and if these little tweeting birds had elegant plumage, then whilst they perched on my desk, I quickly added their roosting details to my list.
11 Dichotomous Characters – And Why They Work
From Long John Silver to Jason Bourne, why do some characters stick in your mind. K M Weiland analyses eleven of them for you.
Creative Writing 101
Basic but good advice for the new writer, with some useful links to resources. Thanks to Ali Hale.
The Pomodoro Technique
How can a kitchen timer, a plan and some resolve improve your productivity? Francesco Cirillo would like to explain how and has even made a free eBook available on this site.
Famous Self-Published Books
Last week there were loads of self-publishing links in the wash-up, so this week I had intended to refrain from the Self-publish links. Fourth link and a quirky post breaks that resolve, Ho-Hum. Thanks to Simon Teakettle Ink.
Interview: Jeremiah Tolbert
Author and editor of “Escape Pod”, Jeremiah Tolbert is interviewed by Charles on the Bibliophile Stalker blog.
eLoving my Kindle
Keith takes delivery of his new toy and loves it. He is however not a total convert.
Update on the Amazon International Kindle and What It Means For Authors
Joanna Penn has also just received her new Kindle and has similar thoughts.
15 Commandments for Getting FREE Publicity By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
If you don’t need these links now, then bookmark them for when you do. Good plain useful advice.
Paper or Plastic: Why Not Both?
Yes indeed, why not both? It’s horses for courses, eventually functionality will dominate, not destroy, just dominate.
Bitterroot teen surprises parents with self-published novel
Are your children really wasting all that time on Facebook and World of Warcraft? Or are they about to plop their new novel on the breakfast table?
5 Ways to Get Your Questions Answered on Twitter
Five applications that attempt to convert Twitter into an answer-wiki. The next time my “Help needed…” tweet fails to produce the goods I might just try some of these
Short Stories: 10 Tips for Creative Writers (Kennedy and Jerz)
Undoubtedly more difficult to do than many expect this superb post on writing short stories will help keep it right and tight.
Breaking News- Publishers, Agents Report Sharp Increase in “Unpublishable” Submissions
Of course this is for real, no it is not tongue in cheek, yes we should feel sorry for the poor editors, interns eat too much anyway. Many thanks to Stephen Harris for the tears and face ache.
Is B2B the Real Market for E-books?
Dev Ganesan poinst out that as business realises the commercial possibilities that eBooks represent, the well positioned freelancer can reap some real rewards.
7 Reasons Agents Stop Reading Your First Chapter
Livia Blackburne attended a very interesting event, wish I had been there. Do you think the panelists would have read your work all the way through?
List of Universal Themes in Memoir Writing
Eighty five of them, all listed for the aspiring memoir writer. They can also be used when building a character; just what might be in your characters memoir?
Smashwords to Supply Ebooks to Amazon Kindle Store
Interesting news snippet. If the little guy has access to the big market it has some quite wide ramifications in the long term.
Harlequin’s Self-Publishing Venture: Is It the Future of Publishing?
Jane Friedman writes a long and informative post about Harlequin Horizons. Well worth the half cup of coffee time it takes to read.
Write Away: Advice for aspiring freelance writers – getting started
Great post for those just stepping out with hopes of cutting a freelance career.
Authors And The Principle Of Creating Multiple Revenue Streams
Sorry but most writing just doesn’t pay. However, there are earnings around writing that can help make full time writing a reality. Tony Eldridge explains.
Contorting Characters
Nothing to do with any physical pain inflicted on your characters, all to do with what can and can not be done at the same time. Anita Nolan points out an easily made mistake.
Characters from Photos: The Boy on My Desk
J Martin gets inspired whilst rummaging in old antique shops, interesting idea.
In love as it is in war
How to write a good sex scene? Write a damned good fight scene first. I know, not the advice you were expecting, me neither.
Nosy Neighbors and Other Stock Characters
How do you make your stock character not quite so ‘just off the shelf’? Elizabeth Spann has some ideas.
How to Write a Book Outline With Mindmapping
Judy Cullins outlines how she uses mindmaps to rapidly get her outlines down. Powerful technique, well worth getting comfortable with.
Types of Evergreen Articles in Freelance Writing and Blogging
laurie Pawlik-Kienlen writes an evergreen article about evergreen articles. What is one of those? It’s one that will always be able to draw income.
7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by Lynnda Ell
Chuck has a new recurring column called ‘7 Things I’ve Learned So Far’, This week there are some interesting observations from another ex-engineer. Note; to engineers and Mr Spock, the Tae Bridge disaster would be “interesting”.
100 Notable Books of 2009
The New York Times Book Review has listed this selection of 100 notable books from all books reviewed since Dec. 7, 2008. Need more room. Maybe I could convert the garage into a library.
how we read: an investigation
A review of a book about how the brain functions as a reading machine. Talk of “intracranial electrodes” might make it, the book, slightly heavy for most.
Book Fairs and Festivals – the Top 25 for Authors and Publishers
Scott Lorenz states, “authors should never overlook opportunities to meet the reading public face-to-face where they can easily be found – at book fairs, book festivals, trade shows, book conferences and conventions.”
John Updike’s ‘rules for book reviewing’
Reviewing others work and requesting reviews for your own is all part of valid author platform promotion. Here John Updike give some solid advice.
The Creative Penn on promoting your book
Alexis Grant chats to Joanna Penn. Good content as usual from this pair of impressive ladies.
Sorry no Podcasts this week.
Inky Girl’s Cartoon,
Last month Inky Girl put out some brilliant NaNoWriMo cartoons, here is a link to the complete index of all the 2009 NaNoWriMo cartoons.
More Writing Lists
Friday Forum: Submission Details
Jessica Rosen is full of good links as usual. This week it is about submitting your NaNoWriMo baby, but not before you have wash, dressed and preened it first.
lunch hour links for writers – 12/2/09
This week Teresa Frohock’s brilliant weekly post on writing links introduces us to her chief morale assistant. She has an informative collection about self-publishing, including a agency’s post in response to the ‘Why Agents May be Opposed to Self-publishing” post I linked to last week, a section on craft and another full of “fun-stuff”.
Writing Roundup
Jennifer Roland always links to great posts in her round ups. This week the link is again to her home page. If the roundup is not at the top, then scoot half way down and on the right is a tag cloud, click on “writing roundup” and all will be well. Whilst you are there check out the Roz Morris post or use this link, Free Copy of Nail Your Novel by Roz Morris, to jump straight to it.
Marketing Tips Around The Net: December 4th
Tony Eldridge has ten more superb links for writers who are now considering how to get their work in the hands of the public.
Writers’ Roundup: December 4
Useful links from the well travelled Alexis Grant. Checkout the post she has found from Janet Reid, if only for the video that that post links to.
Weekend Reading
Weekend reading wasn’t up at time of posting, maybe it is up now – try the link to see – lets hope Ami is back next week. “Ami Spencer is taking part in NaNoWriMo, normality will resume in December.”
If you know of other writing link lists please add them in the comments and I will append them to the Sunday Wash-up, for the benefit of all.
Back to the Sunday Wash-Up 29th November
Photo, The Secrets Out cc Me’ntheDogs
Thanks for featuring my post!
Livia, That event you went to sounded just brilliant, maybe a bit eye-opening and perhaps cringe-worthy?
I wish the organisers had made a recording of at least some of it, it would have made a great podcast for the rest of us.
Thanks for telling us all about it.
Thanks for the link to my dichotomous characters post!
K.M. Weiland. Thanks for producing such good content.
Bye the way, once you get your free e-book “Crafting Unforgettable Characters” finished, I will be at the front of the queue.
(That’s a very strong hint for the rest of you reading this.)
Hi Andy .. love the picture and glad he’s climbing back out – quizzy creatures dogs and cats ..
Thanks so much for all the resources and collating them for us .. I know I’ll use them at some stage – when my process is that far advanced.
Enjoy this Christmas season and the build up with family and friends …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by thecreativepenn: Great writing and publishing links http://bit.ly/6AoHx1 from @Le_Shack…
Thanks, shack! I hope to have the e-book finished in the next couple weeks.
Hello Andy. Glad to hear you found the article interesting. Lately I’ve been doing a lot of writing with old photos and sometimes even draw my characters. It could just all be procrastination, but it’s fun and seems to be helping with the writing.
Cheers
Janet
One question I often hear asked of well known writers is “where do/did you get your inspiration for…”.
As you have proved, inspiration is all around. If we have the eyes to seek it out.
Procrastination? So is writing in a journal, but you won’t stop me from scribbling in mine. Just set a reasonable time limit, for each week, if one day you are being super productive then don’t be rigid about the time. However, overall the average time must not exceed your limit. If it does then you need to re-evaluate your priorities.
Happy scribbling, Andy
Thanks so much for the link to my Daily Writing Tips post — much appreciated! I’m glad you found the advice solid.
And what a fantastic list of resources… I’ve had a click through to look at some already. Great round up!
One of the good things with the Wash_up are the great posts everybody puts up.
One of the bad things with the Wash_up are the great posts everybody puts up.
Bad in that a newbie writer can get intimidated by it all.
Your post filled their needs and lead them on to some good further reading.
Bye the way; that’s a nice site you have at http://www.aliventures.com/
Andy
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