Shiny or Useful Writing Links

Agents, Publishers, Synopses, and Querying

Tade Thompson on synopses (thread): https://twitter.com/TadeThompson/status/1570133449155186688

Zeroing in on Comps: https://nelsonagency.com/2022/02/zeroing-in-on-comps-part-i/

So You Want to Write a Short Story Collection: https://katemckean.substack.com/p/so-you-want-to-write-a-short-story?utm_source=url

Jim Suggests Questions to Ask a Prospective Agent: https://dystelblogarchive.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/jim-suggests-questions-to-ask-a-prospective-agent/

PitMad pitch analysis: https://twitter.com/Frozley/status/1465692736586088451

12 PitMad Strategy Tips: https://twitter.com/daphnedador/status/1465321634735312896

Query Letter Format Part 1: https://katemckean.substack.com/p/a-query-letter-format-part-1

Query Letter Format Part 2: https://katemckean.substack.com/p/a-query-letter-format-part-2

Query Letter Format Part 3: https://katemckean.substack.com/p/query-letters-part-3-everything-else

Where Are All the Agents: https://katemckean.substack.com/p/where-are-all-the-agents

I’m a Writer Who Hates Pitching–Help! (non-fiction writing): https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/im-a-writer-who-hates-pitching-help

Query Theory 101: The Anatomy of a Query Letter: http://carissa-taylor.blogspot.com/2016/05/query-theory-101-anatomy-of-query-letter.html

Beginnings

Beginnings: https://twitter.com/dongwon/status/1258794561201152001

10 Ways to Start Your Story Better: https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/10-ways-to-start-your-story-better

Alexia’s Best Writing Tips of 2019: https://sffseven.blogspot.com/2019/12/alexias-best-writing-tips-of-2019.html

Confessions of a Slush Reader: Why Should I Care?: https://www.shimmerzine.com/2011/03/16/confessions-of-a-slush-reader-why-should-i-care/

Getting Started [motivation, beginnings]: http://haikujaguar.livejournal.com/1347832.html

8 Ways to Write a 5-Star Chapter One [writing craft, beginnings]: http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/8-ways-to-write-a-5-star-chapter-one

How Writing a Good Hook is Like Running a Good Con: http://nataliesee.livejournal.com/176548.html

Where agents stop reading: http://writerunboxed.com/2011/08/09/surviving-the-literary-gong-show-2/

Characterization

6 Ways to Write Characters You Love to Hate: https://savethecat.com/tips-and-tactics/succession-barry-6-ways-to-write-characters-you-love-to-hate

How to Write Character Arcs: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/write-character-arcs/

Tate’s character motivation exercise (thread): https://twitter.com/mltate24/status/1491223994045190146

We Are the Mountain: A Look at the Inactive Protagonist: https://www.fantasy-magazine.com/fm/non-fiction/we-are-the-mountain-a-look-at-the-inactive-protagonist/

Think Like a Horror Writer to Create Better Villains: https://www.sfwa.org/2021/09/21/think-like-a-horror-writer-to-create-better-villains/

The Protagonist Problem: https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-protagonist-problem/

Random Name Generator: http://random-name-generator.info/index.phpd?n=10&g=3&st=3

How to Name Characters in Fantasy: http://dankoboldt.com/how-to-name-characters/

Intelligent Characters: https://yudkowsky.tumblr.com/writing

“Why Me?” Asked the Protagonist: https://www.pcwrede.com/why-me-asked-the-protagonist/

Using Character to Generate Stories: https://caseylblair.wordpress.com/2019/08/14/using-character-to-generate-story/

Sympathy for the Villain: https://publishingishard.substack.com/p/sympathy-for-the-villain

Hemingway on Writing: https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/11/13/hemingway-on-writing-2/

Twitter thread on three-dimensional characters: https://twitter.com/FondaJLee/status/990296487979499520

Writing Tips: Using a Comic Relief Character for More Than Comedy: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/02/23/using-a-comic-relief-character-for-more-than-comedy/

One weird trick that makes a novel addictive: http://jezebel.com/one-weird-trick-that-makes-a-novel-addictive-1757781864

17 psychological tricks to make others like you (or a character) immediately: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-people-like-you-2016-4/#-1

5 Ways to Get Into Character: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/5-ways-get-character

How Do We Talk About Strong Female Characters: http://www.tor.com/2015/06/16/how-do-we-talk-about-strong-female-characters

How to Write a Dysfunctional Relationship: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1115046.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Heroine’s Journey”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1109772.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Idiom, Character, and Worldbuilding” [worldbuilding, characterization]: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1109772.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “But That’s a Different Panel: Swearing” [worldbuilding, characterization]: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1110471.html

I Hate Strong Female Characters: http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/08/i-hate-strong-female-characters

Genograms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genogram and http://barrylittmft.com.p12.hostingprod.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Genogram_Instructions.306150702.pdf

Archetypes: Character Archetypes and The Archetypes

Making humanoid monsters non-human [worldbuilding, characterization]: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?613084-LotFP-IWI-concoct-house-rules-magic-items-and-monsters&s=d7fc69d231ae2023fa8d83ce1873d282&p=15209665#post15209665

Writing characters: Steal This List

Great character descriptions from science fiction and fantasy books: http://io9.com/5823291/great-character-descriptions-from-science-fiction-and-fantasy-books

dialogue

Rewriting the 7 Rules of Dialogue: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/rewriting-the-7-rules-of-dialogue

Are these really words?: http://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/are-these-really-words-%28yes%29/worser

Learn how to write dialogue from the movies [dialogue, writing exercise]: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/how-to-write-effective-dialogue

Editing

Rambling About Revisions: https://pcwrede.com/pcw-wp/rambling-about-revisions/

Grammar Girl’s Editing Checklist: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/grammar-girls-editing-checklist

Turkey City Lexicon – A Primer for SF Workshops: https://www.sfwa.org/2009/06/18/turkey-city-lexicon-a-primer-for-sf-workshops/

Thread on word count for debut epic fantasy novels: https://twitter.com/SpecHorizons/status/1331623731429568513

Tiddlywiki (create your own wiki): https://tiddlywiki.com/

The 5 Biggest Fiction Writing Mistakes and How to Fix Them: https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-5-biggest-fiction-writing-mistakes-how-to-fix-them

Filtering Feedback: Strategies for Overcoming the Revision Doldrums: https://www.sfwa.org/2019/12/filtering-feedback-strategies-for-overcoming-the-revision-doldrums/

Assertive Writing: https://www.apexbookcompany.com/blogs/frontpage/editorial-content-assertive-writing

How David Weber Orders a Pizza: https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=635193

Hard-Core Manuscript Formatting: https://larawillard.com/2014/10/24/hard-core-manuscript-formatting/

Revolutionize Your Writing with These 4 Editing Hacks: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/09/07/editing-hacks/

Confessions of a Slush Reader: Why Should I Care?: https://www.shimmerzine.com/2011/03/16/confessions-of-a-slush-reader-why-should-i-care/

Robyn Bennis on the Uselessness of Writing Advice: http://alexbledsoe.com/2017/04/10/guest-post-robyn-bennis-on-the-uselessness-of-writing-advice/

BetaBooks, a tool to help organize critique feedback on books: https://www.betabooks.co/

7 Ways to Fix a Messy Manuscript: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/7-ways-to-fix-a-messy-manuscript?et_mid=798217&rid=239125697

The vehicle of language: http://laphamsquarterly.org/travel/vehicle-language

Suffixes: http://www.grammarunderground.com/suffixes-how-to-know-whether-its-systemwide-or-system-wide.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on the Writers Seminar: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1108867.html

The Dyer of Lorbannery [plotting, editing]: http://papersky.livejournal.com/143157.html

Endings

8 Promises You’re Making to Readers—and Then Breaking: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/8-promises-youre-making-to-readersand/

6 Famous Books That Almost Ended Very Differently: https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/941-6-famous-books-that-almost-ended-very-differently

Humor About Writing

How I Got Published (12 Tips from a Bestselling Author): https://firesidefiction.com/how-i-got-published

Do Not Take Writing Advice From the Worst Muse: http://io9.com/do-not-take-writing-advice-from-the-worst-muse-1603438929

The Story Coaster: http://www.incidentalcomics.com/2013/07/the-story-coaster.html

Drinking and creativity: http://lifehacker.com/why-you-should-drink-beer-for-big-ideas-coffee-to-get-513262326

Case Study of an Author 13 Days Before Release of a Novel [humor]: http://jimhines.livejournal.com/644243.html

“Complaints Medieval Monks Scribbled in the Margins of Illuminated Manuscripts”: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/03/21/monk-complaints-manuscripts/

“25 Lies Writers Tell and Start to Believe” [humor, motivation]: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/03/27/25-lies-writers-tell-and-start-to-believe/

“How to Revise Your Work and the Awesome Editing Symbols You Should Know”: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-revise-your-work-awesome-editing-symbols-you-should-know

A hilarious explanation of the differences between genres: http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/2011/08/rules-of-genre.html

Inspiration and Creativity

5 Ways to Survive a Publishing Draught: https://careerauthors.com/5-ways-to-survive-a-publishing-drought/

How to Brainstorm Original Ideas for Christmas Horror Stories: https://horrortree.com/how-to-brainstorm-original-ideas-for-christmas-horror-stories/

Dark Art as an Access Need: https://adahoffmann.substack.com/p/dark-art-as-an-access-need

When Words Melt Away: https://www.sfwa.org/2020/04/17/when-words-melt-away/

5 Ways to Avoid Loneliness When Working From Home: https://portal.peopleonehealth.com/HealthyLiving/Article/1541

Sometimes People Just Want You To Stop: https://marthawells.dreamwidth.org/375043.html

7 Types of Rest: https://blog.trello.com/7-types-of-rest

Wendig’s Gentle Writing Advice: https://twitter.com/ChuckWendig/status/1355181079838285834

Make Your Soul Grow: https://lettersofnote.com/2013/10/28/make-your-soul-grow/

10 Rules for Writing Fiction: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one

Keep submitting, a thread: https://twitter.com/PearseAnderson/status/1280256768803831810

Neil Gaiman and V.E. Schwab’s conversation. Full video: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/GaimanSchwab Text highlights: https://www.tor.com/2020/06/14/read-highlights-from-neil-gaiman-and-v-e-schwab-in-conversation-at-torcon-2/

Everything is Broken! What Should I Write About? https://www.tor.com/2020/06/09/never-say-you-cant-survive-everything-is-broken-what-should-i-write-about/

Erotica Author Chuck Tingle Offers Some of the Best Writing Advice: https://www.tor.com/2019/09/30/ome-of-the-best-writing-advice-from-hugo-finalist-and-erotica-author-chuck-tingle/

Getting Over Writer’s Block: https://gailcarriger.com/2014/02/05/getting-over-writers-block-the-occasional-faq/

25 Reasons to Keep Making Stuff: https://twitter.com/ChuckWendig/status/1062341964631326720

This Twitter thread on tricks for writing the middles of stories: https://twitter.com/MarissaLingen/status/968111236037660672

Quotes on Writing: 19 Classic and Contemporary Lessons from Black American Writers: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/promptly/writing-quotes/quotes-on-writing-lessons-from-iconic-black-american-writers

From Slush Pile to Big Five: How to Stay Sane While Working on your Debut: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/slush-pile-big-five-stay-sane-working-debut

What Do I Write Next: The Squishy Side: http://www.marissalingen.com/blog/?p=1616

7 Tips for Self-Care for Nonprofit Staff: http://nonprofitwithballs.com/2013/08/7-tips-for-self-care-for-nonprofit-staff/

22 of the Best Single Sentences on Writing: http://litreactor.com/columns/22-of-the-best-single-sentences-on-writing

A Map to Get Out of Writer’s Block: http://nybookeditors.com/2013/03/a-map-to-get-out-of-writers-block/

#WhereIWrite: http://www.whereiwrite.tv/

StoryWonk podcast – Five Minutes: http://forum.storywonk.com/index.php?/topic/338-the-journeyman-writer-21-five-minutes/

Reviving Dead Stories: http://horrortree.com/story-worms-reviving-dead-stories/

Getting Started [motivation, beginnings]: http://haikujaguar.livejournal.com/1347832.html

What creative and productive writers do: www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/what-bestselling-writers-do-differently-than-everyone-else

9 Warning Signs of an Amateur Artist [motivation, writing business]: http://skinnyartist.com/9-warning-signs-of-an-amateur-artist/

The Method of Fun [motivation]: http://mrissa.livejournal.com/827683.html

“Your Taste is Why Your Own Work Disappoints You”: http://kottke.org/11/04/your-taste-is-why-your-own-work-disappoints-you

“25 Lies Writers Tell and Start to Believe” [humor, motivation]: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/03/27/25-lies-writers-tell-and-start-to-believe/

Persist! http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/the-art-of-cussed-persistence/

Marketing

How to Market Your Book to Get Worldwide Exposure: https://insights.bookbub.com/ideas-for-getting-your-book-more-international-exposure/

Five PR Tools Every Writer Should Know About: https://www.authorsguild.org/industry-advocacy/five-pr-tools-every-writer-should-know-about/

Automatic Promotion Tweets: https://www.theothertracy.com/2022/01/11/automatic-promotion-tweets-python-and-tweepy/

24 Great Prize Ideas for Book Promotion Contests and Giveaways: https://insights.bookbub.com/prize-ideas-for-book-promotion-contests-and-giveaways

How to Advertise a Book on Facebook: https://kindlepreneur.com/facebook-ads-for-books/

127+ of the Top Free and Paid Book Promotion Sites: https://kindlepreneur.com/list-sites-promote-free-amazon-books/

BookBub’s Partner Blog: http://insights.bookbub.com/

Ads Bidding for Authors: Strategy Guide + Bid Calculator: https://insights.bookbub.com/ads-bidding-for-authors-strategy-guide-bid-calculator/

Book Promotion Giveaways: What Works? https://www.sfwa.org/2012/12/10/book-promotion-giveaways-what-works/

Using SFWA Effectively for Book Marketing: http://www.kittywumpus.net/blog/2020/12/02/using-sfwa-effectively-for-book-publicity/

Step-By-Step Viral Giveaway Guide: https://sumo.com/stories/viral-giveaway/

How to Use Goodreads for Authors: https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-use-goodreads-for-authors/

Email Marketing Examples: https://sumo.com/stories/email-marketing-examples

7 Ways Authors Can Sell More at Conventions and Live Events: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/02/16/7-ways-authors-can-sell-more-books-at-conventions-and-live-events/

List of Sites to Promote Free (or discounted) Amazon books: https://kindlepreneur.com/list-sites-promote-free-amazon-books/#

Dear Time Traveler Op-Ed: http://stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2018/01/talking-shop_11.html

The 8 Persuasive Words That Can Instantly Help You Sell More: https://sumo.com/stories/persuasive-words

How to Get Book Reviews as an Unknown Author: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/07/29/how-to-get-book-reviews-as-an-unknown-author/

Preparing Your Goodreads Marketing Timeline: http://amazonauthorinsights.com/post/158993986899/preparing-your-goodreads-marketing-timeline-by

Reader Magnets: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/10kreaders/Reader_Magnet_Full_Ebook_FINAL.pdf

Making the Most of Your Time on Netgalley: https://broaduniverse.org/learn-more/reach-book-reviewers/making-the-most-of-your-time-on-netgalley/

The Easy Way to Use Data to Improve Your Book Sales: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/04/19/easy-way-to-use-data-to-improve-your-book-sales/

11 Places to Find Free Pictures for Facebook: https://adespresso.com/academy/blog/15-places-find-amazing-free-pictures-for-facebook-ads/

Book Marketing: Using Amazon Ads to Grow a Book List: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/03/02/amazon-ads/

10 Rookie Mistakes Increasing Your Unsubscribe Rate: https://sumome.com/stories/email-unsubscribe-rates

How to Get Your Book Sales Moving With Facebook Ads: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2016/11/24/facebooks-ads-beginner/

Penny Reid’s website, a great example of how to do an author newsletter sign-up page: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/

Bookbub Promotion: Crunching the Numbers [self-publishing, marketing]: http://dankoboldt.com/bookbub-promotion-numbers/

225 Hashtags for Writers: http://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/2015/04/225-hashtags-for-writers.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on the Writers Seminar: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1108867.html

7 Secrets to Loving Book Promotion: http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2013/06/7-secrets-to-loving-book-promotion-even.html

All about marketing, blogging, and social media [marketing, social media]: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/marketing/

How to Build or Improve Your Writer Platform in 30 Days [marketing, social media]: http://robertleebrewer.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-build-or-improve-your-writer.html

“Promoting Ebooks with KDP Select” [marketing, ebooks, self-publishing]: http://ruthnestvold.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/promoting-ebooks-with-kdp-select/

“My Amazon KDP Select Free Experience” [marketing, ebooks, self-publishing]: http://mayalassiter.com/2012/03/my-amazon-kdp-select-free-experience-or-how-i-gave-away-8500-books/

“Why You Should Be Writing Short Fiction”: http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-you-should-be-writing-short-fiction.html

“What’s a Book Marketing Cheat Sheet?”: http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/007280_04042012.html

Book Marketing Ideas – everything but the kitchen sink! – http://www.authormedia.com/2012/01/16/89-book-marketing-ideas-that-will-change-your-life/

“Four Elements of a Great Book Signing”: http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2011/07/guest-post-four-elements-of-great-book.html

Plotting

Five Secrets to Writing Suspense: https://careerauthors.com/five-secrets-to-writing-suspense/

Six Lessons from my Writing Crush: https://writerunboxed.com/2023/05/19/six-lessons-from-my-writing-crush/

7 Ways to Add Great Subplots to Your Novel: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/7-ways-to-add-great-subplots-to-your-novel

The Something of Nothingness: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/augur-magazine/tales-and-feathers-a-pro-slice-of-life-fantasy-magazine/posts/3421782

A Craft Thread (Melissa Caruso): https://twitter.com/melisscaru/status/1478750406377361413

Using furigana in English: https://twitter.com/tesseralis/status/1446221070118240268

Ruby Text Tool (for furigana): https://www.kurumi.com/jp/rubytool.html

25 Essential Notes on Craft from Matthew Salesses: Rethinking Popular Assumptions of Fiction Writing: https://lithub.com/25-essential-notes-on-craft-from-matthew-salesses/

Sudowrite (AI writing aid): https://www.sudowrite.com/

Kishōtenketsu for Beginners – An Introduction to Four Act Story Structure: https://mythicscribes.com/plot/kishotenketsu/

Creating Your Story Waypoints: https://blog.nanowrimo.org/post/647026469040783360/creating-your-story-waypoints

Why Humans Are So Bad at Seeing the Future: https://www.wired.com/story/why-humans-are-so-bad-at-seeing-the-future/

How to Write a Romance Novel: The Keys to Conflict: https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/how-to-write-a-romance-novel-the-keys-to-conflict

Plot Twist Prompts: Compelled Duty: https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/plot-twist-story-prompts-compelled-duty

7 Ways to Add Great Subplots to Your Novel: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/7-ways-to-add-great-subplots-to-your-novel

Outline Your Story Like a Subway Map: Outline Your Story Like a Subway Map: https://blog.nanowrimo.org/post/166302962291/nano-prep-outline-your-story-like-a-subway-map

Translating the Hero’s Journey Into a Linear Plan: https://www.sfwa.org/2019/07/30/translating-the-heros-journey-into-a-linear-plan/

Done to Death: How to Avoid Horror Genre Clichés: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/done-to-death

3 Tips for Writing Cosmic Horror That “Goes Beyond”: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/tips-for-writing-cosmic-horror-that-goes-beyond

Favorite fantasy book tropes, a thread: https://twitter.com/sabaatahir/status/1271933103720681473

The Skeletal Structure of Japanese Horror Fiction: https://www.tofugu.com/japan/japanese-horror-structure/

Evaluating the Strength of Your Formatted Outline: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/oct/19/evaluating-formatted-book-outline

Conflict Isn’t Necessary: https://www.pcwrede.com/conflict-isnt-necessary/

Problems: https://www.pcwrede.com/problems/

How to Write a Mystery Novel: https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-write-a-mystery-novel

The Differences Between a Crime Novel, Mystery Novel, and Thriller Novel: https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/differences-crime-novel-mystery-novel-thriller-novel

Getting to the Heart of SFF’s Most-Tear Inducing Moments: The ‘Riders of Rohan’ Phenomenon: https://www.tor.com/2019/10/08/getting-to-the-heart-of-sffs-most-tear-inducing-moments-the-riders-of-rohan-phenomenon/

How I Abandon Organization While Planning a Novel: https://clpolk.com/2019/01/11/how-i-abandon-organziation-while-planning-a-novel/

Plot Structure: How to Shape an Intriguing Plot: https://www.nownovel.com/blog/novel-plot-structure-intrigue/

25 Ways to Plot, Plan, and Prep Your Story: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/09/14/25-ways-to-plot-plan-and-prep-your-story/

This thread on scene craft: https://twitter.com/NaomiHughesYA/status/971103835472187394

The Mysteries of Outlining and Nesting MICE: Creating Killer Stories: http://blog.karenwoodward.org/2012/10/the-mysteries-of-outlining-and-nesting.html

The Four Stages of Writing – https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/04/05/malcolm-cowley-four-stages-of-writing-paris-review/

The Art of Thought – https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/08/28/the-art-of-thought-graham-wallas-stages/

How to Write What You Know – And Then Change the Story: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-write-what-you-know-and-then-change-the-story

Spinning Old Into New – The Steps of Rewriting a Fairy Tale: http://www.diamondsandtoads.com/2011/09/spinning-old-into-new-steps-of.html

How to Create Awesome Scene Arcs That Surprise Readers: http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-create-awesome-scene-arcs-that-surprise-readers/

Writing Excuses 11.03: Layering The Elemental Genres (podcast): http://www.writingexcuses.com/2016/01/17/11-03-layering-the-elemental-genres/

How to Improve Your Writing: Using Subplots and Subtext: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-imrpove-your-writing-subplots-and-subtext

The story grid: http://www.storygrid.com/

Strong female characters and plot: http://io9.com/this-twitter-rant-might-change-how-you-think-about-fema-1686324225

Periodic Table of Storytelling: http://designthroughstorytelling.net/periodic/

The Significance of Plot Without Conflict: http://stilleatingoranges.tumblr.com/post/25153960313/the-significance-of-plot-without-conflict

Die Hard and Fairy Tales: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/02/die-hard-and-fairy-tales

Notes on Writing Short Stories (WorldCon)[writing craft]: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1118703.html

Stories We’ve Seen Too Often: http://www.strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction-common.shtml

The Art of Retelling: http://www.aaronshep.com/storytelling/A62.html

Slush Frustration: http://ann-leckie.livejournal.com/191769.html

CONvergence notes on “Keeping Promises”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1111975.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Intertextuality and Originality”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1109490.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Building the Spear”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1109772.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Fantasy of Discovery”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1110263.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Narrative Conventions”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1110263.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Journey’s End”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1110471.html

The Dyer of Lorbannery [plotting, editing]: http://papersky.livejournal.com/143157.html

How to Broaden Your Short Story’s Scope: http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/how-to-broaden-your-short-storys-scope

Old Ways of Looking at Plot: http://pcwrede.com/blog/old-ways-of-looking-at-plot

A few of the greats discuss story structure: http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/donald-maass-james-scott-bell-and-christopher-vogler-discuss-story-structure

POV

Close to You: Writing in Third Person Close: https://careerauthors.com/third-person-close-pov/

We Need to Talk About First Person Plural: https://electricliterature.com/read-like-a-writer-first-person-plural-pov/

Old Ways of Looking at Viewpoint [POV]: http://pcwrede.com/blog/old-ways-of-looking-at-viewpoint

Productivity

Defy Parkinson’s Law to Be More Productive: https://lifehacker.com/defy-parkinson-s-law-to-be-more-productive-1850565701

Naomi Kritzer’s Advice for Parents (thread): https://twitter.com/NaomiKritzer/status/1513940462457225216

Sidequestions: An Antidote to “I Should Be Writing”: https://www.sfwa.org/2022/02/14/sidequesting-antidote-i-should-be-writing/

7 Things That Will Doom Your Novel (& How to Avoid Them): https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/7-things-will-doom-novel-avoid

Christie Yant’s Tools for Writers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1R9IRbolmTr42z-9l7kN9tN0De7WTDGmXv3jbVhM_kXk/edit#gid=797426584

Thread about juggling multiple writing projects and deadlines: https://twitter.com/sharpegirl/status/1439310776821436420

Training Myself Not to Work: https://courtneymilan.substack.com/p/training-myself-not-to-work

How to Prioritize Tasks as a Team When Everything Feels Important: https://blog.trello.com/prioritize-tasks-as-a-team

Mythulu’s Survival Guide for Participants of NaNoWriMo: https://mythulu.com/survival-guide/

Is Writing Inspiration or Perspiration? https://www.writersdigest.com/beat-writers-block/inspiration-vs-perspiration

Effective Goal Setting For Writers: https://www.sfwa.org/2020/04/22/effective-goal-setting-for-writers/

When setting goals, define your controlables: https://www.patreoncommunity.com/t/when-setting-goals-define-your-controllables/8513

How to Write a Book in Three Days: http://www.ghostwoods.com/2010/05/how-to-write-a-book-in-three-days-1210/

Starting a Novel is HARD (5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Writing) Blank Page : https://www.katebitters.com/start-writing-novel-first-pages/

How to Write Faster: https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-write-faster/

I’m on Track to Write 200,000+ Words This Year. Here’s How I Keep Productive:
https://medium.com/@KateBitters/im-on-track-to-write-200-000-words-this-year-here-s-how-i-keep-productive-4ccc4b234fe3

Cold Turkey Writer, the Ultimate Distraction-Free Text Editor: https://getcoldturkey.com/writer/

A Mid-Year Prep Talk to Rejuvenate Your Writing Resolutions: http://www.ingramspark.com/blog/a-mid-year-pep-talk-to-rejuvenate-your-writing-resolutions

Sometimes Writer’s Block is Really Depression: http://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/sometimes-writers-block-is-really-depression/

Track your time use on Toggl to find more writing time: https://toggl.com/

How to Schedule Your Day for Peak Creative Performance – https://www.fastcompany.com/3008409/dialed/how-schedule-your-day-peak-creative-performance

Ten Steps to Balance Writing, Working, and Raising Kids—While Staying Sane – http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/ten-steps-to-balance-writing-working-and-raising-kids-while-staying-sane

The Most Dangerous Writing App Destroys Your Progress: http://lifehacker.com/the-most-dangerous-writing-app-destroys-your-progress-1762981262

Four questions to ask when your writing is stuck: http://writerunboxed.com/2015/04/03/four-questions-to-ask-when-your-writing-is-stuck/

The Ugly Truth About Writer’s Block (and Its Cure): http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2014/02/03/writers-block-cure/

7 Writing Routines That Work: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/7-writing-routines-that-work

Writing Methods: http://pcwrede.com/blog/writing-methods/

Boosting writing productivity: http://thisblogisaploy.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-i-went-from-writing-2000-words-day.html

Why the Internet is a Trap (and how to deal with it): http://talktoyouniverse.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-internet-is-trap-and-how-this.html

Publishing Industry

My Book is Coming Out This Month. Here are Ten Things I Learned on the Way to Getting Published: https://horrortree.com/my-book-is-coming-out-this-month-here-are-ten-things-i-learned-on-the-way-to-getting-published/

Amazon Announces Its Wattpad-Style ‘Kindle Vella’ Platform: https://publishingperspectives.com/2021/04/amazon-announces-its-wattpad-style-kindle-vella-platform/

Uncharted is looking for (volunteer) slush readers: https://uncharted.submittable.com/submit

Flash Fiction Online first reader application form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCamb9l111oPhCbFEpc49XcXOybxeK-15Z-77FkyjaFdPS2Q/viewform

On Being a Submissions Editor: https://sigridellis.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/on-being-a-submissions-editor/

The rejection is the feedback, even when it’s a form. I choose my forms specifically for each story. https://twitter.com/ccfinlay/status/825398220754792448

Simultaneous Submissions: A Definitive Guide: https://duotrope.com/guides/simultaneous-submissions.aspx

How Fantasy Literature Helped Create the 21st Century: https://electricliterature.com/jeff-ann-vandermeer-modern-fantasy/

COVID-19 resources, info, and assistance for the science fiction, fantasy, & horror communities: http://www.jasonsanford.com/blog/2020/3/covid19

The Coronavirus Pandemic Is Changing How People Buy Books : https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-book-sales-indie/

On Writing Conferences: https://publishingishard.substack.com/p/on-writing-conferences

Imposter/Abuser: Power Dynamics in Publishing: https://firesidefiction.com/impostor-abuser-power-dynamics-in-publishing

5 Places to Get Paid to Write About Writing: https://horrortree.com/5-places-to-get-paid-to-write-about-writing/

How About a Thread on Literary Agents? https://twitter.com/DelilahSDawson/status/1064933188055822337

Non-English Markets for Speculative Short Fiction (in English): http://smithwriter.com/foreign_market_list.htm

How to Research a Literary Agent: https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2017/06/how-to-research-literary-agent

It’ll Be Good for Your Career… : https://catherineldf.dreamwidth.org/409158.html

5 Questions Writers Should Ask Potential Agents: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/5-things-writers-should-ask-potential-agents

Moneyball for Book Publishers: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/business/media/moneyball-for-book-publishers-for-a-detailed-look-at-how-we-read.html?_r=0

Hugos and Such: http://www.jimchines.com/2016/04/hugos-and-such/

A Brief History of Hard SF: http://critique.org/c/hardsf.ht

Exploring the Romance Genre: http://haikujaguar.livejournal.com/1393720.html

General guidelines for searching for publishers, agents, etc.: http://pred-ed.com/general.ht

A good Duotrope replacement: http://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/

How to Respond to Sexual Harassment at Conventions: http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/on-sexual-harassment-at-conventions-elise-matheson-speaks-out/

5 Key Book Publishing Paths [publishing industry]: http://janefriedman.com/2013/05/20/infographic-5-key-book-publishing-paths/

All types of publishers [publishing industry, self-publishing]: http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2012/05/who-are-big-six-what-does-indie-really.html

Research

The Stanford Geospatial Network Model of the Roman World (how people traveled in olden days): https://orbis.stanford.edu/

Magic in the Middle Ages: https://www.coursera.org/learn/magic-middle-ages

Search journals, primary sources, and books on JSTOR: https://www.jstor.org/

Fix My Fight Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obi7jLDNFLo&feature=youtu.be

FightWrite: Knife Fights Part I: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/fightwrite-knife-fights-part-1

FightWrite: Knife Fights Pt 2: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/fightwrite-knife-fights-part-2

Map of Mythical Creatures in Europe: https://i.imgur.com/6zGp6v3.jpg

Reading Better Than Before (PDF): https://el2.convertkit-mail.com/c/qduvkrmq6kc7hdk8zxt8/8efqhohp548v9r/aHR0cHM6Ly9maWxlcy5jb252ZXJ0a2l0Y2RubS5jb20vYXNzZXRzL2RvY3VtZW50cy8xNDIyOTQvMjczNDI0Mi9SZWFkaW5nX0JldHRlcl9UaGFuX0JlZm9yZS5wZGY=

Post-Corona the Rise of Sanitized Travel (future extrapolation): https://app.box.com/s/as3r55q0r7qtreb7kvo957onz53r4vwk

What the coronavirus forcing me in lockdown’s taught me about cooking; plus, how to make Mantou (馒头): https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/f0qjm9/what_the_coronavirus_forcing_me_in_lockdowns/

10 Tips on Writing Victorian Garb from Gail Carriger: https://gailcarriger.com/2019/11/22/10-tips-on-writing-victorian-garb-from-gail-carriger-important-for-authors/

All About Dragons: https://www.halloweencostumes.com/all-about-dragons.html

Emergency Triage for Writers: Bring Out Your Dead: http://dankoboldt.com/emergency-triage-writers/

In the 2018 season, Writing Excuses does an excellent “What writers get wrong” series (about professions, conditions, hobbies, and all the multifaceted parts of a person’s identity): https://writingexcuses.com/

Writing and Researching Steampunk & Victorian History: https://gailcarriger.com/2011/04/03/writing-and-researching-steampunk-and-alt-victorian-history/

Deep-Learning Networks Rival Human Vision: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deep-learning-networks-rival-human-vision1/#

Science in Science Fiction: http://dankoboldt.com/science-in-scifi/

Book recommendation: The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens’ London, Judith Flanders

The entire case records from a Victorian asylum are now online: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-entire-case-records-from-a-victorian-asylum-are-now-online

Never Happen: The Real Deal on TV Cops: http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/triv198.html

Homes, An Educational App for Exploring Different Types of Homes From Around the World: http://laughingsquid.com/homes-an-educational-app-for-exploring-different-types-of-homes-from-around-the-world/

Survivor Library: http://www.survivorlibrary.com/

Military Phrases: http://www.businessinsider.com/military-phrases-2013-12

Meet the Bag Man: http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/4/10/5594348/college-football-bag-man-interview

Misc Notes on Writing Historical and Public Domain Characters: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1122616.html

Security

SFWA Safety Resources: http://www.sfwa.org/safety/

Setting boundaries (thread): https://twitter.com/AyanaGray/status/1535431505270525953

Digital Security for Filmmakers: https://www.digitalsecurity.film/

Crash Override Network: http://www.crashoverridenetwork.com/resources.html

Self-Publishing

9 Things We Learned From Tracking 150k Books for 3 Years on Amazon: https://www.ingramcontent.com/publishers-blog/9-things-we-learned-from-tracking-150k-books-for-3-years-on-amazon

KDPUniversity Free Webinars: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G202193670

7 Things I Didn’t Know About Microsoft Word Meets Amazon Kindle: https://www.urbanfantasist.com/home/seven-things-i-didnt-know-about-microsoft-word-meets-amazon-kindle

Kickstarting an Anthology of Genre Stories: https://medium.com/@aidan_c_doyle/kickstarting-an-anthology-of-genre-stories-13b94d3c5c83

Ultimate list of the best book review blogs: https://kindlepreneur.com/book-review-blogs/#sci-fi

My Self-Publishing Timeline: https://www.dianehester.com/index.php/blog/item/95-2016-08-18-07-25-28

Publishing: Everything the Indie Author Needs to Know about ISBNs for Self-published Books: https://selfpublishingadvice.org/isbns-for-self-published-books/

Self-Publishing Tips: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/self-publishing-tips/

Best & Worst Self-Publishing Services: https://selfpublishingadvice.org/allis-self-publishing-service-directory/self-publishing-service-reviews/

How Kindle Scout Works: http://www.sfwa.org/2016/04/kindle-scout-works/

Bookbub Promotion: Crunching the Numbers [self-publishing, marketing]: http://dankoboldt.com/bookbub-promotion-numbers/

What Does It Take to Be a Best-Selling Author: http://observer.com/2016/02/behind-the-scam-what-does-it-takes-to-be-a-bestselling-author-3-and-5-minutes

Lessons Learned: Rise of the Spider Goddess: http://jimhines.livejournal.com/763865.html

Researchers Reveal Phrases That Pay on Kickstarter [self-publishing, social media]: http://phys.org/news/2014-01-reveal-phrases-kickstarter.html

How to Make Life Easy for Librarians: http://ideatrash.net/2014/01/how-to-make-life-easy-for-librarians-so.html

Miscellaneous Notes on Ebook Publishing [self-publishing, ebooks]: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1115327.html

How To Make Money on Ebooks [self-publishing, ebooks]: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-make-money-on-ebooks.html

2013 Smashwords indie publishing statistics: http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/05/new-smashwords-survey-helps-authors.html

Hard numbers and analysis of ebook sales [writing business, ebooks, self-publishing]: http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/05/new-smashwords-survey-helps-authors.html

All types of publishers [publishing industry, self-publishing]: http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2012/05/who-are-big-six-what-does-indie-really.html

“Promoting Ebooks with KDP Select” [marketing, ebooks, self-publishing]: http://ruthnestvold.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/promoting-ebooks-with-kdp-select/

“My Amazon KDP Select Free Experience” [marketing, ebooks, self-publishing]: http://mayalassiter.com/2012/03/my-amazon-kdp-select-free-experience-or-how-i-gave-away-8500-books/

Social Media and Email

Accessible links (thread): https://twitter.com/Em1lySm/status/1516741011422199810

A Bug in Early Creative Commons Licenses Has Enabled a New Breed of Superpredator (tldr; only use CC 4.0+): https://doctorow.medium.com/a-bug-in-early-creative-commons-licenses-has-enabled-a-new-breed-of-superpredator-5f6360713299

Build Your Email List: Your #1 Marketing Asset: https://www.yourfirst10kreaders.com/seven-days-to-1k-part-4-gdfr/

How to Leverage Email Confirmations: https://sumo.com/stories/email-confirmation/?ref=em-se-100920

Create Professional Ads and Social Media Images: https://bookbrush.com/

My Quick and Easy 34-Step Strategy for Making BookTube Videos: https://bookriot.com/making-booktube-videos/

Social Media Event Promotion: The Complete Guide: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-for-events/

Advice for people who have the internet fall on their head: https://twitter.com/hawkwing_lb/status/1359555362811228164

A Step-by-Step Guide to Build Your Author Website: https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/step-step-guide-build-author-website

A Guide for Authors on Recommending Books: https://www.sfwa.org/2020/07/24/a-guide-for-authors-on-recommending-books/

Cyberbullying ‘Shield’ App Uses AI to Combat Social Media Trolls: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-07/au-ca071320.php

How to Use Goodreads for Authors: https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-use-goodreads-for-authors/

What Should Writers Post on Instagram: https://www.writersdigest.com/publishing-insights/what-should-writers-post-on-instagram

How to Deal With Self-Promotion and Award Season: https://www.sfwa.org/2012/01/guest-post-debut-author-lessons-how-to-deal-with-self-promotion-and-award-season/

How to Make a Good Author Website: https://blog.nathanbransford.com/2018/05/how-to-make-a-good-author-website

Best and Worst Times to Post on Social Media: https://www.fastcompany.com/3036184/the-best-and-worst-times-to-post-on-social-media-infograph

When Is the Best Time to Post? https://coschedule.com/blog/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/#facebook

WordPress For Writers: 10 Most Useful Plugins For Your Author Website: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/09/09/useful-plugins-author-website/

On Reviewing Books: http://aletheakontis.com/2016/06/on-reviewing-books/

Author Websites – MNSpec presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-89JpqGx78

Social Sharing Best Practices: https://sumome.com/stories/social-sharing-best-practices

How Authors Can Use Pinterest: https://janefriedman.com/how-authors-can-use-pinterest/

The Five Free Tools of Social Media Success for Writers: http://services4authors.com/2015/09/16/the-five-free-tools-of-social-media-success-for-writers/

Researchers Reveal Phrases That Pay on Kickstarter [self-publishing, social media]: http://phys.org/news/2014-01-reveal-phrases-kickstarter.html

How to Be Found on the Internet [writing business, social media]: http://carriecuinn.com/2013/06/25/advice-for-writers-how-to-be-found-on-the-internet/

All about marketing, blogging, and social media [marketing, social media]: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/marketing/

How to Build or Improve Your Writer Platform in 30 Days [marketing, social media]: http://robertleebrewer.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-build-or-improve-your-writer.html

Why the Internet is a Trap (and how to deal with it) [social media]: http://talktoyouniverse.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-internet-is-trap-and-how-this.html

Book Marketing Ideas – everything but the kitchen sink! [marketing, social media] – http://www.authormedia.com/2012/01/16/89-book-marketing-ideas-that-will-change-your-life/

Titles

7 Tips for Choosing a Title You Love: https://careerauthors.com/7-tips-for-choosing-a-title-you-love/

Isabel Yap’s thread on coming up with story titles: https://twitter.com/visyap/status/1348394445662609412

What I’ve Learned From Slush Reading at PodCastle [titles, writing craft]: https://medium.com/@aidan_c_doyle/what-ive-learned-from-reading-slush-at-podcastle-46ec0cd8a27c

Zen in the Art of Short Fiction Titling: http://www.sfwa.org/2016/05/zen-art-short-fiction-titling/

Tools (Websites, Apps, Services, etc.)

These are not sponsored.

Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers 2021: https://www.writersdigest.com/resources/writers-digest-101-best-websites-for-writers-2021

Resources for writers that everyone assumes you already know: https://twitter.com/VelociSarah/status/1483462942700023817

Smithsonian Open Access (free to use images): https://www.si.edu/openaccess

Story Origin: https://storyoriginapp.com/

Book Funnel: https://bookfunnel.com/

Worldbuilding

Science Fiction Economics Lab: https://scifieconomics.world/worldbuilding-academy

Immersive worldbuilding thread: https://twitter.com/melisscaru/status/1337405591917105153

Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions: https://www.pcwrede.com/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/

Museums in Science Fiction and Fantasy: http://dankoboldt.com/museums-science-fiction-fantasy/

What Makes Epic Fantasy “Epic?”: https://www.tor.com/2020/07/24/what-makes-epic-fantasy-epic/

10 Mistakes Made By Fantasy Writers: https://horrortree.com/10-mistakes-made-by-fantasy-writers/

The Mysterious Discipline of Narratologists: https://www.tor.com/2019/01/29/the-mysterious-discipline-of-narratologists/

This Twitter thread on worldbuilding: https://twitter.com/FondaJLee/status/955889321629765632

A Magic User in the Hundred Years’ War: http://mockman.com/2017/02/27/a-magic-user-in-the-hundred-years-war-using-dd-with-historical-settings/

10 Types of Fictional Apocalypses and What They Mean: http://io9.com/10-types-of-fictional-apocalypses-and-what-they-mean-1643403076

An anatomy textbook for mythological beasts: http://io9.com/mythological-creatures-are-cooler-when-theyre-anatomic-1250933217

The Lewis Model: http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2013/09/08/the_lewis_model_explains_world_cultures_through_language.html

CONvergence panel notes on “London in Fact and Fiction”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1111171.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Idiom, Character, and Worldbuilding” [worldbuilding, characterization]: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1109772.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Syncretism, Real and Fantastic”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1110471.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “But That’s a Different Panel: Swearing” [worldbuilding, characterization]: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1110471.html

7 Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding: http://io9.com/7-deadly-sins-of-worldbuilding-998817537

What place names mean: http://twentytwowords.com/2012/05/02/world-map-with-place-names-swapped-out-with-their-original-meanings/

Dscript, a recently developed font that works pretty well if you’re looking for an ancient/alien runes feel [worldbuilding]: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/dscript.htm

Making humanoid monsters non-human [worldbuilding, characterization]: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?613084-LotFP-IWI-concoct-house-rules-magic-items-and-monsters&s=d7fc69d231ae2023fa8d83ce1873d282&p=15209665#post15209665

Are you building your world, or limiting it?: http://writertracy.livejournal.com/356182.html

Writing Business

IMHO: What Remedies Do Authors Have When Fraudulent Work Appears on Amazon? : https://hotsheetpub.com/2023/08/imho-what-remedies-do-authors-have-when-fraudulent-work-appears-on-amazon/

Review Requests: https://horrortree.com/review-requests/

S-Corp and Other Corps: https://www.ilona-andrews.com/2021/s-corp-and-other-questions/

The Author’s Guild Contract Review & Assistance: https://www.authorsguild.org/member-services/legal-services/contract-review-assistance/

Reading Aloud: https://maryrobinettekowal.com/category/reading-aloud/

Public Readings From A to Z: https://www.swantower.com/2021/01/16/public-readings-from-a-to-z-part-1-how-much-should-you-read/

Productive (and Realistic) Ways to Optimize Your Space for Remote Work: Fhttps://blog.trello.com/optimize-space-for-remote-work

Sustainable Arts Foundation’s list of parent-friendly residencies: https://www.sustainableartsfoundation.org/residencygrantees/

Working Comic Conventions: https://www.sfwa.org/2017/03/13/working-comic-conventions/

Free software for USPS shipping: https://www.pirateship.com/features

Introducing the SFWA Legacy Kit: https://www.sfwa.org/2020/11/13/introducing-the-sfwa-legacy-kit/

How to Write a Basic Pitch: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zmPkDR2g8W6V4Al-TE9PHf_7UdkSxWaU/view

Basic client negotiation strategies: https://twitter.com/imemi/status/1065700145948434432

8 Tips To Improve Your Audio When Appearing On A Podcast Or Radio Show: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/01/12/improve-audio-podcast-radio/

The Freelance Writer’s Rebuttal Guide: http://www.matt-wallace.com/presenting-the-freelance-writers-rebuttal-guide/

A Tax Cheat Sheet: https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Self-Employment-Taxes/A-Tax-Cheat-Sheet-for-Kindle-eBook-Self-Publishing/INF29515.htm

Important. And Pass It On…: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2006/10/important-and-pass-it-on.html

Slushkiller: http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/004641.html

Writing Excuses 11.2: How To Get The Most Out Of A Conference, with Kathy Chung (podcast): http://www.writingexcuses.com/2016/01/10/11-2-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-conference-with-kathy-chung/

Rights Reversion: http://kriswrites.com/2012/10/24/the-business-rusch-rights-reversion/

Hachette/Amazon: http://haikujaguar.livejournal.com/1385152.html

Stickman’s Tips for Having a Table at a Comic Book Convention: http://198.173.235.195/24hourcomic/24hourcomic2011.html

The Six Things That Make Stories Go Viral Will Amaze and Maybe Infuriate You: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2014/01/the-six-things-that-make-stories-go-viral-will-amaze-and-maybe-infuriate-you.html

A Few Notes on the Business of Writing (WorldCon): http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1116267.html

How Much Will Obamacare Cost Me? (Relevant for all the uninsured writers out there!): http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/09/26/226456791/how-much-will-obamacare-cost-me-try-our-calculator

How to Make Happy Accidents Happen: http://lifehacker.com/how-to-make-happy-accidents-happen-more-often-1148657518

Of Authors and Indie Bookstores: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/07/01/of-authors-and-indie-bookstores/

How to Be Found on the Internet [writing business, social media]: http://carriecuinn.com/2013/06/25/advice-for-writers-how-to-be-found-on-the-internet/

How to Have a Career: Advice to Young Writers: https://medium.com/editors-picks/793c6eb8256c

Hard numbers and analysis of ebook sales [writing business, ebooks, self-publishing]: http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/05/new-smashwords-survey-helps-authors.html

How Should I Become a Writer?: http://pcwrede.com/blog/spring-shadows-or-how-should-i-become-a-writer-ms-pro/

How many words does a publisher want in a novel?: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/word-count-for-novels-and-childrens-books-the-definitive-post

Agents and Money: http://kriswrites.com/2012/11/14/the-business-rusch-agents-and-money/

9 Warning Signs of an Amateur Artist [motivation, writing business]: http://skinnyartist.com/9-warning-signs-of-an-amateur-artist/

How to communicate with customers/fans [writing business]: http://haikujaguar.livejournal.com/1119216.html

What Not to Put in a Cover Letter [writing business]: http://www.kith.org/journals/jed/2004/08/22/2205.html

In which Mike Resnick tells it like it is [writing business, writing craft]: http://www.diabolicalplots.com/?p=2633

Writing Craft

Writing Tricks and Brain Hacks (thread): https://twitter.com/rapscallison/status/1562442998717509635

Cat Valente’s Words of Wisdom (thread): https://twitter.com/catvalente/status/1486037098679443467

Active Reading to Step Up Your Writing: https://www.sfwa.org/2022/01/11/active-reading-to-step-up-your-writing/

Spec-Fic-Fu: How to Make Aliens and Robots Fight Better: https://www.sfwa.org/2021/04/20/spec-fic-fu-how-to-make-aliens-and-robots-fight-better/

How I Write Quiet Horror: https://horrortree.com/guest-post-how-i-write-quiet-horror/

R.L. Stine Writing Program (especially for kids and teachers): http://rlstine.com/writing-program

Flights of Foundry panels have started showing up on their YouTube channel! This convention was amazing and the panels are totally worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8jDna_LNiWUbJ254-dymVg/videos

Theatrical Shortcuts for Dynamic Fiction: https://www.sfwa.org/2020/06/23/theatrical-shortcuts-for-dynamic-fiction/

Subversive Pixel-Stained Technopeasant: An Interview With Jo Walton: https://web.archive.org/web/20080324151423/http://www.irosf.com/q/zine/article/10407

What Writing Horror Can Teach All Writers: https://tornightfire.com/what-writing-horror-can-teach-all-writers/

The Compelling Emotional Complex Sentence: https://writerunboxed.com/2020/01/17/the-compelling-emotional-complex-sentence/

Odyssey Workshop podcasts re Secret Knowledge:
http://podcasts.odysseyworkshop.org/odysseypodcasts_114_elizabethhand_secretknowledgeandsecretwounds1.mp3
http://podcasts.odysseyworkshop.org/odysseypodcasts_115_elizabethhand_secretknowledgeandsecretwounds2.mp3

“Goodness. I saw this and realized that 5 years ago…” (thread about the creative life): https://twitter.com/eckabeck/status/1162023677170524160

Putting Your Worst Foot Forward: https://www.tor.com/2019/01/09/putting-your-worst-foot-forward-why-you-should-play-to-your-weaknesses-as-an-author/

What I’ve Learned From Slush Reading at PodCastle: https://medium.com/@aidan_c_doyle/what-ive-learned-from-reading-slush-at-podcastle-46ec0cd8a27c

The Clues to a Great Story (TedTalks video): https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_stanton_the_clues_to_a_great_story

How to Write Better Using Humor: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-mix-humor-into-your-writing

10 Tips for Creating a Kick-Ass Bio: https://writersblock.loft.org/2016/07/21/4782/10_tips_for_creating_a_kick-ass_author_bio

ISBW Writing Rules (podcast): http://murverse.com/isbw-358-periscope-test/

How to Use Subtext in Your Writing: http://thewritepractice.com/how-to-use-subtext-in-your-writing/

Writers on Writing: The Secret Life of Subtext: http://passagesnorth.com/archives/issue-28/the-secret-life-of-subtext/

Most common story titles:
http://www.critters.org/c/blog/?l=20150410175349
http://neil-clarke.com/top-ten-most-common-short-story-names/

Odyssey Podcasts # 78, Catherynne M. Valente on titles: http://www.sff.net/odyssey/podcasts.html

Bad Writing Advice Explained: http://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/bad-writing-advice-explained/

Jim Hines advice on writing: http://jimhines.livejournal.com/737610.html

Writing Sex and Erotica, Notes from MinnSpec Meeting: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1125550.html

An Infallible Way to Test the Quality of Your Story: http://www.writers-village.org/writing-award-blog/an-infallible-way-to-test-the-quality-of-your-story

The Clues to a Great Story (TED video): http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_stanton_the_clues_to_a_great_story.html

Writing Hacks: What You Don’t Get for Free: http://mrissa.livejournal.com/886765.html

Notes on Writing Short Stories (WorldCon)[plotting, writing craft]: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1118703.html

CONvergence misc. panel notes: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1111550.html

CONvergence notes on “Apocalyptic Fiction”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1111609.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on the Writers Seminar: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1108867.html

4th Street Fantasy notes on “Tell, Don’t Show”: http://cloudscudding.livejournal.com/1110263.html

It’s not a sandwich, it’s architecture [writing craft]: http://mrissa.livejournal.com/834349.html

In which Mike Resnick tells it like it is [writing business, writing craft]: http://www.diabolicalplots.com/?p=2633

Storytelling mistakes [writing craft]: http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/5-story-mistakes-even-good-writers-make

Story Rules [writing craft]: http://www.pixartouchbook.com/blog/2011/5/15/pixar-story-rules-one-version.html

25 Ways to Improve Your Writing in 30 Minutes a Day [writing craft, writing exercises] : http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/25-ways-to-improve-your-writing-in-30-minutes-a-day

8 Ways to Write a 5-Star Chapter One [writing craft, beginnings]: http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/8-ways-to-write-a-5-star-chapter-one

3 Secrets to Great Storytelling [writing craft]: http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-first-chapter-get-started/3-secrets-to-great-storytelling

Writing Exercises

Learn how to write dialogue from the movies [dialogue, writing exercise]: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/how-to-write-effective-dialogue

25 Ways to Improve Your Writing in 30 Minutes a Day [writing craft, writing exercises] : http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/25-ways-to-improve-your-writing-in-30-minutes-a-day