Writing Resources M – Q

WRITING RESOURCE

 HOT LINKS
NAVIGATION
FIRST DRAFT
  A-D     M-Q
  E-H     R-S
  I-L       T-Z

— M —

Donald Maass

LITERARY AGENT

Donald Maass represents dozens of novelists in the SF, fantasy, crime, mystery, romance and thriller categories.

LINKS:

 

Main Character Introductions

3 WAYS TO INTRODUCE YOUR MAIN CHARACTER

By Les Edgerton — Writer’s Digest

One of the biggest bugaboos in manuscript submissions is when the author doesn’t properly introduce the protagonist within the first chapter. Here are three ways to introduce the main character of your story.

LINK:

 

Multiple Main Characters

how to structure stories with multiple main characters

By K.M. Weiland — Helping Writers Become Authors

If you have two (or more) characters who are equally important to the story and receive equal POV time, how should you balance them when structuring your novel? Generally speaking, we find two different types of stories with multiple main characters.

LINK:

 

Make a Plan

WHEN STARTING YOUR CAREER AS A WRITER

By Janette Moore — Change Becomes You

Dreaming of establishing your reputation as a writer but don’t know where to begin? Here is a simple career plan to help you.

LINK:

 

Mapping Your Hero’s Adventure

By Elizabeth Sims — Writer’s Digest

How do the most successful authors of our time construct their stories? What is the Hero’s Adventure — aka, The Hero’s Journey? This post digs into that and more.

LINK:

 

Marketing Basics

FREE NICK STEPHENSON VIDEO

Nick Stephenson — ProWritingAidTV

LINK:

 

Market a Book

By Ricardo Fayet

LINK:

 

Market a Book

By Joanna Penn

LINK:

 

Marketing Through Email

3 STRATEGIES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR EMAIL MARKETING

By Derek — Oddballs Marketing

Email marketing is still one of the most effective marketing methods out there. However, a lot of strategies being used today are outdated or just plain annoying.

LINK:

 

Marketing Without Social Media

By Carol J. Michel

“I gave up social media in July 2020.”

LINK:

 

Mastering Your Mystery

WRITE, PUBLISH, AND PROFIT WITH YOUR MYSTERIES AND THRILLERS

By Cheryl Bradshaw

Do you write in the genres of mystery, thriller, or suspense? Are you interested in learning how to write better, more compelling books and becoming successful in your marketing endeavors?

LINKS:

 

Ian McEwan on His Writing Process

Ian McEwan, author of “Solar” describes his writing process, how he schedules his day and about his homemade desks.

LINK:

 

Mind Mapping

Use Mind Maps to Solve Screenwriting Problems

By Steven M. Cross — No Film School

People think in connections, and a mind map can help show connections and also make new connections.

LINK:

 

Mind Mapping

Want to learn better? Start mind mapping

By Hazel Wagner

Hazel shares her work on mind mapping and what it can do for understanding, memorization, and retention.

FREE YouTube Video
LINK:

 

Mindset Matters

8 SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER WRITING HABITS

By A. Howitt — Mythic Scribes

It might be time to address your mindset. The mistakes we make, the way we respond, and the impact on our self-worth are all matters of perception not personality traits. They’re habits. Behaviors. And behaviors can be changed.

LINK:

 

Missoula Writing Collaborative

The Missoula Writing Collaborative teaches literary competence, critical thinking, cultural awareness, and artistic joy through creative writing. Our writers are published professionals with a number of books and many honors among them.

LINK:

 

Mistakes Writers Make

GIVING UP

By Cassandra Lipp — Writer’s Digest

Perhaps the biggest skill a writer can learn to aid their career is to learn to keep going in the face of rejection. A writer who gives up as soon as it gets hard is a writer who will never see their words be published.

LINK:

 

Mistakes Writers Make

LACK OF CONFIDENCE

By Moriah Richard — Writer’s Digest

The Writer’s Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week’s writing mistake writers make is lacking conflict.

LINK:

 

Mistakes in Writing

here are the most common writing mistakes

By K.M. Wieland — Helping Writers Become Authors

Skipping the best parts of the story

The fastest way to frustrate readers is to write everything but the good parts!

LINK:

 

16 Embarrassing Writing Mistakes to Avoid

check ’em out before it’s too late!

By Writers Write

Jennifer Frost writes: ‘Writing mistakes are everywhere, especially online or when people neglect proofreading.

LINK:

 

Money-Saving Guide for Authors

RESOURCES FOR WRITERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR CRAFT AND SAVE MONEY ON CAREER EXPENSES

By Coupon Follow

A special THANK YOU! to Kelly Miller and Marisa for bringing this useful site to our attention!

LINK:

 

Montana Resources for Writers

By Write By Night

LINK:

 

Mood in Fiction

140 words describing mood in fiction

By Amanda Patterson — Writers Write

How readers feel after reading a book or a short story, or after watching a film, is known as the mood in fiction.

LINK:

 

Moral Dilemmas Make Characters and Stories Better

By Steven James — Writer’s Digest

Readers can’t resist turning pages when characters are facing tough choices. Use these 5 keys to weave moral dilemmas into your stories—and watch your fiction climb to new heights.

LINK:

 

Mother Archetypes in Crime Fiction

7 MOTHER YOU MEET IN CRIME NOVELS

By Catriona McPherson — CrimeReads

There are precious few happy kids of loving mothers in crime fiction. Perhaps that’s inevitable, since crime fiction shows us flawed individuals, at times of great crisis.

LINK:

 

Motif in Fiction

By Amanda Petterson  — Writers Write

If you’ve ever wondered what a motif is and how to use one in your novel, read this post. We define it and give you examples of motifs in stories. A motif in fiction is a recurring object, sound, phrase, action, or idea in a story.

Link

 

Multiple Submissions

IN WRITING AND PUBLISHING

By Robert Lee Brewer — Writer’s Digest

Learn what multiple submissions in writing and publishing are from editor Robert Lee Brewer, including when writers should make them (if ever) and why they should care.

LINK:

 

Murder Your Darlings

And Other Gentle Writing Advice from Aristotle to Zinsser

By Roy Peter Clark

From one of America’s most influential teachers, a collection of the best writing advice distilled from fifty language books — from Aristotle to Strunk and White.

With a chapter devoted to each key strategy, Clark expands and contextualizes the original author’s suggestions and offers anecdotes about how each one helped him or other writers sharpen their skills. An invaluable resource for writers of all kinds, Murder Your Darlings is an inspiring and edifying ode to the craft of writing.

LINK:

 

Mystery

ESSENTIAL VERSUS NON-ESSENTIAL MYSTERY

By Amanda Kabak — Writer’s Digest

What gets a reader to keep turning pages? It’s a fundamental question all writers grapple with, and craft books and articles are loaded with advice on the subject: a compelling plot, tension, conflict, and sometimes, literally, mystery.

LINK:

 

Mysteries — How to Write

By K.M. Weiland

Mystery is one of the most popular fiction genres of all time. At its simplest, the genre is a puzzle for audiences and characters to figure out together. At its most complex, mystery offers a deep-dive into humanity’s most pressing existential questions and threats.

LINK:

 

Mystery Reads

TOP 25 MYSTERY NOVEL

By Kathy Edens — ProWritingAid

A look at the top mystery novels from the Mystery Writers of America, Publisher’s Weekly, and Goodreads’ highest rated mysteries of all time.

LINK:

 

— N —

Narrators: First Person Narrators

7 great crime novels

By Scott Blackburn — CrimeReads

the intimacy, the excitement, and the potential for deceit that only a good first person narrator can conjure up

As a reader, I’ve always been drawn to first person fiction. I love that it allows such a deep dive into a character’s mind while limiting my access to information, which I find crucial in building suspense. Mostly, I love that first person narration is conversational.

Link

 

Narrators: Unreliable Narrators

By Richard Thomas — Lit Reactor

The unreliable narrator is a protagonist, and technique, that I’ve used quite often.

Why? What is the appeal? How can that make your stories more effective, more intense, more interesting? Let’s talk about it.

LINK:

 

Narrative Mode: Point of View

By Glen C. Strathy

Choosing the right narrative mode for your story is a decision that determines the perspective or point-of-view from which your reader experiences the story, as well as the perspective the main character has on the story events.

LINK:

Narrative Voice

By Two Brothers Press

A discussion of point of view and verb tense and how these elements affect the story

LINK:

 

Navigating the Publishing World

By Florida Gulf Coast Sister in Crime

What are paths to publication for emerging writers? Can a self-published or independently published author make the switch to traditional publishing? What are the options for traditionally published authors who are tired of ceding control over their work and profits to third parties?

Join Sisters in Crime for an exciting discussion of the book publishing world from the POV of traditionally published, self-published, and hybrid Sisters in Crime authors. Our experienced panelists will help you explore your publishing options.

LINKS:

 

Need An Author Website?

FOLLOW THESE TIPS

By Frances Caballo — A social media expert for authors

LINK:

 

Negative Tension

A FREE YOUTUBE VIDEO

By Bill Johnson

How to create and sustain narrative tension in a novel, screenplay, or play.

LINK:

 

Negotiating with the Dead

A writer on Writing

By Margaret Atwood

In this wise and irresistibly quotable book, one of the most intelligent writers now working in English addresses the riddle of her art: why people pursue it, how they view their calling, and what bargains they make with their audiences, both real and imagined.

An invaluable insider’s view of the writer’s universe.

“A book is another country. You enter it, but then you must leave: Like the Underworld, you can’t live there.”

LINK:

 

New Books Newsletter

By Book Riot

LINK:

 

T.J. Newman: On Letting Real Life Inspire You

By Robert Brewer — Writer’s Digest

After completing a draft of her novel, she tried finding an agent but was rejected 41 times before being taken on by Shane Salerno of The Story Factory. In this post, Newman discusses how her job as a flight attendant inspired her to write her debut release Falling and much more!

LINK:

 

Newsletter for Writers

YOUR SHOT OF WRITERLY NEWS + RUMORS

By SCRIBBLER

LINK:

 

NOIR AT THE BAR

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS ON YOUTUBE
LINK:

 

Novel Editing Workbook

By Kris Spisak

Finishing your book is awesome. Finishing your editing is what makes all the difference.

Looking for an editing guidebook that will help you take your work-in-progress to the next level? Look no further.

LINK:

 

Novel Writing for Beginners

By Joy Lynn Goddard

If you dream of writing a novel but don’t know how to get started, let me take you step by step through my novel-writing guide for beginners. Learn how to turn your big ideas into a full-length story, how to outline and structure your novel, how to develop characters so they’ll walk off the page, and how to polish, publish, and promote your work—and more. It won’t be long until you’re ready to share your novel with the world!

LINK:

 

Novel Writing Training Plan

Use this FREE guide before you start writing to work out your narrative arc, plan out your key plot points, flesh out your characters, and begin to build your world. Then, when you begin your writing journey, you will have a map to follow along the way.

LINK:

 

Novels About Novelists

By Louise Dean — The Guardian

From Louisa May Alcott to Philip Roth and Michael Chabon, writers of fiction have long been fascinated by the dramas of their own trade

LINK:

 

— O —

Online Creative Writing Classes

By SkillShare 

Find what fascinates you as you explore these creative writing classes. Get started for FREE!

LINK:

 

Online Level 1 Courses

By The Writers Studio

An invigorating class that brings together students from all over the U.S. and the world to explore the myriad possibilities of narration in fiction and poetry.

LINK:

 

Online Writing Classes

TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE THROUGH ONLINE WRITING CLASSES

By The Writers Workshop

LINK:

 

Online Writing Courses

TUTORED ONE-TO-ONE

By The Writers College

LINK:

 

Online Writing Resources

ADVICE TO WRITERS
LINK:

 

On Writing Your First Novel

The Journey of a Wannabe Novelist

By Stephen Haunts

From developing intriguing plots and complex characters to word processing and formatting tools, through to staying healthy and motivated as a writer, this book covers everything a first-time novelist needs to know. Whether you’re just starting out or struggling to get your book off the ground, On Writing Your First Novel provides the guidance and motivation you need to turn your writing dreams into reality.

LINK:

 

On Writing

By Stephen King

Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.

LINK:

 

On Writing

By Carl Hiaasen — Writers Write

Some writing tips from Carl Hiaasen.

LINK:

 

On Writing (and Writers)

A Miscellany of Advice and Opinions

By C.S. Lewis

A definitive collection of wisdom on every style of writing and a celebration of the transformative power of the written word.

Featuring over one hundred excerpts—some short and some essay length—drawn from his wide body of letters, books, and essays, On Writing (and Writers) brings together C. S. Lewis’s reflections on the power, importance, and joy of a life dedicated to writing.

LINK:

 

Opening Line

What makes a great opening line?

By Allegra Hyde — Lit Hub

The spark of connection can happen on the page in the same way it can in the real world. A great first line can spur intense readerly attraction—provoke a compulsion to know more. Let’s call this: love at first sentence.

LINK:

 

Opening Scene

7 EASY RULES FOR WRITING A NOVEL’S OPENING SCENE

By PrecisionEdit

A story’s opening scene must attract the reader’s attention well enough to make them want to commit to reading the entire book, so it’s not a decision to make lightly. Even the most seasoned writers will admit that the choice for an opening chapter is likely to change over the course of writing the novel, making the opening scene an ever-evolving (and sometimes elusive) goal.

LINK:

 

Outline

how to write a plot outline

By Jordan — Now Novel

There is no single method for how to outline a story, but these are some ways to make story structure and planning work for you and your writing process.

LINK:

 

Outlining

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF A POST-FIRST-DRAFT OUTLINE

By Kris Spisak — Writer’s Digest

Have you ever considered outlining after finishing your first draft?

Whether your writing style is more “meticulous planner” or more “writing-by-the-seat-of-your-pants,” your first draft can find its way with persistence. There are no right answers about how you get there, as long as you do.

LINK:

 

Outlining

7 STEPS TO CREATING A FLEXIBLE OUTLINE

By K.M. Weiland — Writer’s Digest

Many writers who swear they dislike outlines are thinking of them in the wrong ways. K.M. Weiland’s seven-step process to creating a flexible outline for any story can help you let loose and have fun in your first draft.

LINK:

 

Outlining A Crime Novel

MODIFYING THE HERO’S JOURNEY

By Zara Altair — ProWritingAid

The crime genre covers a wide range of subgenres from whodunit, to howdunit, to whydunit. The general premise is the game you played as a kid, cops and robbers.

LINK:

 

Outlining — Start Short

DO SOME PLANNING ON THE FRONT END

By TypeRight Editing

Once you decide you want to write a novel, it pays to do some planning at the front end to ensure you put your best foot forward in your finished work. The four tips below will help you get there.

LINK:

 

Outlining Steps

three steps to creating an outline for your story

By Golden Storyline Books

I’ve read manuscripts and novels where the story has no evident direction or a convoluted first half. There should be a climactic scene, with a story that anticipates the climax and prepares the reader many conceivable options for the outcomes in that climax, this will give the story extra power. Otherwise the  events will fail to encourage readers to suspend disbelief. The conclusion the reader discovers at the end should be gradually built throughout with the anticipations slowly raised and linked to the characters and the narrative sequence.. Books with a non-traditional narrative still generally construct a climax and establish direction towards the conclusion.

LINK:

 

Outlining — Take Off Your Pants

OUTLINE YOUR BOOKS FOR FASTER, BETTER WRITING

By Libbie Hawker

This instructional book explains the benefits and technique of planning a story before you begin to write.

LINK:

 

— P —

 

Pacing Your Story

is your story moving too fast?

By K.M. Weiland

In some genres, readers want to feel a sense of desperation and urgency on the characters’ behalf.

One of the best ways to ramp up that feeling is to tighten the story’s timeline and speed up events. Your characters have to disarm a ticking bomb? How much more exciting if they have to do it in five minutes rather than five days!

However, there are definite downsides to allowing your story to move too fast.

LINK:

 

Paris Review:

  • Authors
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Interviews
  • Newsletters
  • Submissions
LINK:

 

PARKER

The Many Faces of Parker

By Nick Kolakiowski — CrimeReads

Parker is Donald Westlake’s (Richard Stark’s) most enduring, confounding character.

Parker is an ice-cold thief who meticulously plans his scores; when things go wrong (and they usually do), he’s just as methodical in killing whoever made the mistake of betraying him this time around. He doesn’t say much, and when he does, he keeps it short. He’s not given to sentimentality or mercy.

Link:

 

Parts of a Book

A PUBLISHING GUIDE FOR NEW AUTHORS

By Derek Haines — Just Publishing Advice

The main parts of a book have stayed almost the same throughout the years.

Not much has changed from the time of hand-written books, through to printed and now electronic books. All have similarly ordered elements.

Most people who read your book will expect where they can find specific information.

For new authors, you should consider this when you prepare for publishing.

LINK:

 

Passion in Your Writing

HOW TO CHANNEL PASSION IN YOUR WRITING

By Donald Maass — Writer’s Digest

Transposing your own powerful feelings, opinions, joys and sadness to your characters, every day, is the way to instill in your pages the wisdom that is living inside your novel—and you.

LINK:

 

Passive Voice

A LAWYER’S THOUGHTS ON AUTHORS, SELF-PUBLISHING AND TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING
LINK:

 

Passive Voice

HOW TO MAKE IT ACTIVE

By Ashley Shaw — ProWritingAid

In this post, we’ll go through what passive voice is, how to recognize it, and ways to fix it to improve your writing.

LINK:

 

Louise Penny

STILL KILLIN’ IT

By Elaine Szewczyk — Publishers Weekly

LINK:

 

Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache Books

THESE DARK DETECTIVE NOVELS ARE REALLY ABOUT ETHICS AND HOPE

By Aja Romano — VOX

LINK:

 

Piracy — Why You Shouldn’t Worry About It

but How to Protect Yourself Anyway

By Joanna Penn — Jerry Jenkins Blog

Yes, piracy happens, but here’s why you shouldn’t let fear keep you from putting your words out into the world.

LINK:

 

Planning and Organizing Your Great Story

By Derek Haines — Just Publishing Advice

If you are new to creative writing and fiction, there are a few typical pitfalls you really should try to avoid. You need to create a story that will hold a reader’s interest.

Two of the most common traps for new authors when they start fiction writing are to narrate too much and to overuse the passive voice. These two mistakes make it impossible to adopt the golden rule of fiction writing, which is show, don’t tell.

LINK:

 

Plan Your Thriller

OUTLINING YOUR THRILLER NOVEL

The thriller’s core emotion is excitement. A thriller novel is fast-paced and develops around what happens after you’ve established danger. Plan your thriller to keep moving and excite your reader.

LINK:

 

Plot — What Is It?

By Amanda Patterson — WritersWrite

A plot is a series of events that make up a story.

Plots have beginnings, middles, and endings. The first quarter of your book is the beginning, the second and third quarters are the middle, and the last quarter is the ending.

LINK:

 

Plot or Character?

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLOT-DRIVEN AND CHARACTER-DRIVEN STORIES

By Christina Escamilla

It is essential to first think about your reasons for storytelling. What are you trying to communicate to your audience? How do you do this through your story?

LINK:

 

Plot Climax

WAYS TO IMPROVE PLOT CLIMAX

By Jeff Gerke — Writer’s Digest

Learn four ways to improve plot and climax in your writing by looking at the four components of a novel’s climax, including the run-up, the moment of truth, and more.

LINK:

 

Plot Development

CHARTS AND TIPS FOR OUTLINING AND PLOTTING

By Jess Zafarris — Writer’s Digest

To build a great story structure that will carry you through to a finished novel, you have to take a closer look at your plot and work out kinks that may come up as you’re writing.

LINK:

 

Plot Devices

HOW TO USE THEM IN YOUR STORIES

By Savannah Cordova — Writers Write

Writers use plot devices to advance the plot of a story. While some writers might hesitate to lean on them, there’s a reason that so many great stories use them — they work!

LINK:

 

Plot Holes

5 WAYS TO FIND AND FIX PLOT HOLES

By Anthony Ehlers — Writers Write

Sadly, a plot hole is often the kiss of death for your story. Essentially, it breaks the reader’s trust – they leave the world we’ve created because they don’t believe it. They feel cheated. 

LINK:

 

Plot Problems

10-MINUTE FIXES TO 10 COMMON PLOT PROBLEMS

By Elizabeth Sims — Writer’s Digest

Good fiction takes time. You cannot sit down at the keyboard and pound out the Great American Novel in one or two sessions.

LINK:

 

Plot Structure

A CONVERSATION WITH HELGA SCHIER

By Creative Writing Now

“Most first-time writers who come to me for advice have trouble with two seemingly distinct issues, which, upon a closer look, go hand in hand: more often than not inexperienced writers are telling their story rather than showing it, and just as often neither character nor plot develop naturally. A novel must comprise both.”

LINK:

 

Plot Structure in Writing

By Golden Storyline Books

LINK:

 

Plot & Structure

By James Scott Bell

How does plot influence story structure? What’s the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that’s gone off course? With Plot & Structure, you’ll discover the answers to these questions and more.

Filled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, Plot & Structure gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like an experienced pro.

LINK:

 

Plot a Thriller Backwards

By Alexa Donne

I’m sharing my strategies for plotting a mystery/thriller which is… backwards! I start with the motive or twist and work back from that. I’m sharing all my tips for how I do it, and the important elements of your mystery/thriller to consider before you start writing.

LINK:

 

Plot Twists

how to pull off a plot twist

By K.M. Weiland — Helping Writers Become Authors

Readers love a well done plot twist. They like to have the rug skillfully pulled out from under their feet at the last minute in a way that changes everything they understood about the story, while simultaneously making them see everything with perfect clarity.

LINK:

 

Plot Twists

By Elizageth Day — Crime Reads

Nine works from different eras and genres, all united by one thing: a twist that completely upends your reading experience.

As an inveterate reader, there is nothing I enjoy more than being swept up in a plot and then—suddenly—having all my preconceptions pulled out from under me with a deft authorial sleight of hand.

Link

 

Plotter vs Pantser

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE 
LINK:

 

Plotting

WHAT IS A PLOTTER IN WRITING?

By Robert Lee Brewer — Writer’s Digest

The world of storytelling can be broken into many categories and sub-categories, but one division is between plotter and pantser. Learn what a plotter means in writing and how they differ from pantsers here.

LINK:

 

Plotting

USING DAN HARMON’S STORY CIRCLES

By Krystal N. Craiker — ProWritingAid

Dan Harmon, the creator of the show Rick and Morty, has simplified the Hero’s Journey. His Story Circle, or Story Embryo, fits more stories that aren’t necessarily about a hero going on a journey and returning to the mundane world. The narrative structure is so universal, it can apply to books, short stories, TV shows, plays, and movies. It’s a great place to start building the plot of your story.

LINK:

 

Plotting or Pantsing?

Writing Mistakes Writers Make

By Michael Woodson — Writer’s Digest

The Writer’s Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week’s writing mistake is choosing between plotting or pantsing.

Link

 

Plot Twists

WRITING PLOT TWISTS AS GOOD AS GONE ‘GIRL

By Kathy Edens — ProWritinAid

LINK:

 

Plot Twists

EVEN BESTSELLING AUTHORS DIDN’T SEE COMING

By Kristina Wright — BookBub

LINK:

 

Plot Twist Story Prompts

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

By Robert Lee Brewer — Writer’s Digest

Every good story needs a nice (or not so nice) turn or two to keep it interesting. This week, share a case of mistaken identity.

LINK:

 

Plot Whisperer

SECRETS OF STORY STRUCTURE ANY WRITER CAN MASTER

By Martha Alderson

When it comes to writing bestsellers, it’s all about the plot. Trouble is, plot is where most writers fall down–but you don’t have to be one of them. With this book, you’ll learn how to create stories that build suspense, reveal character, and engage readers–one scene at a time.

LINK:

 

Plotting with a Story Circle

DAN HARMON’S STORY CIRCLE

By Krystal N. Craiker — ProWritingAid

One of the advantages of the Story Circle is that the narrative structure is so universal, it can apply to books, short stories, TV shows, plays, and movies.

LINK:

 

Podcast

HELPING WRITERS BECOME AUTHORS

By K.M. Weiland

LINK:

 

Podcasts

WRITERS TALK PODCASTS

By Neil Gaiman

7 YouTube videos about podcasting.

LINK:

 

Podcast Marketing

CONCRETE STRATEGIES TO GROW YOUR PODCAST AUDIENCE

By Refer-O-Matic

LINK:

 

Podcast Studio

HOW TO CREATE A PODCAST STUDIO

By Darren Clarke — Digital Marketer

Want to record your own podcast? Then you’re going to need some podcast equipment.

LINK:

 

Podcast On YouTube

HOW TO START A PODCAST
LINK:

 

Point-Of-View

By Mike Klaassen

Narrative point of view is the perspective from which a story is told. Stories may be narrated from the viewpoint of either an unidentified entity (a persona) or one that is identified.

LINK:

 

Point-Of-View & Tense

By Kristen Kieffer

How you choose to structure and style your story’s prose can make all the difference.

LINK:

 

Power of Fiction

WITHOUT BOOKS WE WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT

By Valeria Luiselli — The Guardian

Fiction is one of the most pleasurable of human activities. It’s one of the most difficult, yes; but when it is driven by a deep desire, it is one of the most pleasurable.

LINK:

 

Power of The Five Senses

WORDS COME TO LIFE USING THE FIVE SENSES

By Amanda Patterson — Writers Write

In this post, we talk about the power of the 5 senses in stories and why they are important in the books you write.

LINK:

 

The Prairies Book Review

FIRST-RATE EDITORIAL BOOK REVIEWS FOR INDIE AUTHORS AND SMALL PUBLISHERS

The Prairies Book Review  Submit your book at our website to get a review.

LINK:

 

Premise

By K.M. Weiland

For both writers and readers, the premise is the reason we become interested in a story.

LINK:

 

Premise

HOW TO WRITE A PREMISE

By The Novel Factory

You should be able to express the premise of a story (the central idea) in one or two sentences.

LINK:

 

Present Tense Fiction

MORE WRITERS ADOPT THIS WAY OF STORYTELLING TO BRING IMMEDIACY AND INTIMACY TO THEIR WORK

By Richard Lea — The Guardian

LINK:

 

Present Tense Novels Embrace the Immediate

By Anna Dorn — Literary Hub

The most common argument for the present tense is its “immediacy.” It’s more exciting and alive. I tell stories in the present tense because I want my listener to feel like they’re along on the journey with me.

LINK:

 

Present Tense Writing Benefits

PRESENT TENSE CREATES A MORE IMMERSIVE STORY EXPERIENCE

By Tom Farr — The Writing Cooperative

Writing in present tense creates makes the reader feel like they’re experiencing the action of the story as it’s happening. This helps the reader to feel more immersed in the story than if it was told in past tense.

LINK:

 

Producing More Words

7 TIPS

By James Scott Bell @ The Killzone Blog

LINK:

 

Professional Editor

WHY SHOULD WRITERS USE ONE?

By Tiffany Yates Martin — Writer’s Digest

When writers sign with a publisher, these days they’re rarely treated to the kind of intensive editorial collaboration they may have imagined. And if indie publishing, they will receive none at all unless they hire editors directly.

These seismic shifts in the industry have created a confusing proliferation of professionals-for-hire under the umbrella description of “editor.”

But what exactly is a professional editor—and do you need an editor for your book?

LINK:

 

Promote Your Series

By Ricci Wolman — Written Word Media

Writing into a series is a proven way to build an audience and increase sales. This free post digs into why series are so effective, and how authors should promote a series to maximize their potential.

LINK:

 

Protagonist — Antagonist

The Least You Should Know

By Amanda Patterson — Writers Write

If you know who your protagonist and antagonist are, and what they want, you will probably be able to tell a good story. These are the two most important characters in your story. They define the story goal and control the plot. Your characters are the answer to most of your problems in storytelling.

LINK:

 

The Psychology Workbook for Writers

TOOLS FOR CREATING REALISTIC CHARACTERS AND CONFLICT IN FICTION

By Darian Smith

Writers know that their characters and stories should be multi-layered and believable. Now here’s a simple workbook that uses the same knowledge that gives therapists insight into human behaviour to create fiction that hits the mark. Each chapter outlines an aspect of psychological theory as it can be used for writing and provides two worksheets to translate it into action — one to develop characters, one to develop the story.

LINK:

 

Public Libraries Are Under Attack

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP

By Angie Manfredi — Harper’s BAZAAR

Former librarian Angie Manfredi on the freedom to read and what you can do to support your local libraries from encroaching censorship.

LINKS:

 

Publish a Book

By Nathan Bransford

Whether you’re pursuing a book deal with a Big 5 publisher or trying your hand at DIY self-publishing, this guide has all my best advice on how to navigate the publishing process and choose the path that’s right for you.

LINK:

 

Published

THE PROVEN PATH

By Self-Publishing SCHOOL

This is a FREE PDF download!

LINK:

 

Publishing

SHOULD YOU PUBLISH TRADITIONALLY OR INDEPENDENTLY?

By Kristen Kieffer — The Well-Storied Podcast

If you’d indeed like to publish for profit, then the next step to determining which path is right for you is to get to know what each publishing option entails. This is a FREE podcast!

LINK:

 

Publishing

What i hate  about the traditional publishing industry

By Alyssa Matesic

As a professional book editor who previously worked at major US publishing houses, I have a love-hate relationship with the publishing industry. Here are the biggest traditional publishing cons as I see them, as well as general publishing advice for anyone who is working on a book project.

Link:

 

Traditional Publishing vs Self-Publishing

the pros and cons

By Joanna Penn — The Creative Penn

Authors now have a choice in how they publish and get their books into the hands of readers. This article covers the pros and cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing.

LINK:

 

Publishing Your Book

Traditional / Vanity — What’s the difference 
Link:

 

Publishing Contract

5 reasons authors should reject a traditional publishing contract

By Patrick Walsh

Lots of authors lust after traditional publishing contracts BUT authors are rejecting these traditional deals more and more. In this video, I dive into the 5 main reasons why you should reject a traditional publishing contract.

Link:

 

Publishing FAQs for Writers

By Robert Lee Brewer — Writer’s Digest

In this post, find 25 frequently asked questions that Writer’s Digest editors receive along with answers to those publishing FAQs for writers.

LINK:

 

Publishing and Marketing Simplified

YOU CAN WRITE, PUBLISH, MARKET, SELL AND TRACK YOUR SALES—ALL FROM ONE DASHBOARD.

Bublish

LINK:

 

Publishing News and Resource Websites 2021

101 BEST WEBSITES FROM THE MAY/JUNE 2021 ISSUE OF WRITER’S DIGEST

Writer’s Digest

LINK:

 

Publishing Partner Program

IT PAYS TO REFER AUTHORS TO BOOKBABY!

BookBaby

Earn generous commissions by referring new authors to our expert publishing team.

LINK:

 

Publishing Questions

GREAT WRITING AND PUBLISHING ADVICE FROM AN ACTUAL LITERARY AGENT

Robert Barbara Poell — Writer’sDigest

10 Writing and Publishing Questions Answered
LINK:

 

Publishing Terms

100 COMMON PUBLISHING TERMS DEFINED

By Robert Lee Brewer — Writer’sDigest

Publishing has its own jargon that may not be familiar to people new to the business.

LINK:

 

Publishing Top 10 Sites

FOR INDIE AUTHORS

By Erica Verrillo

Indie authors need all the help they can get. Self-publishing is taxing, time-consuming, and there is a steep learning curve. Fortunately, there are lots of people who are willing to help.

LINK:

 

Publishing Trends to Know in 2021

THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY IS IN TRANSITION. SEE WHAT LIES AHEAD.
LINK:

 

Publishing Trends of 2021

SIGNS TO CONSIDER IN 2021

By Josh Weber — Calumet Editions

Here are the major trends that are proving new ground in the publishing industry that independent authors and publishers need to be aware of to have a larger market share and broader social media exposure.

LINK:

 

Publishing Your Book

TRADITIONAL / VANITY — WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE 
LINK:

 

Punctuation for Beginners

By Amanda Patterson — Writers Write

“Punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language: they tell us to slow down, notice this, take a detour, and stop.”
Lynne TrussEats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

LINK:

 

Punctuation for Beginners

all about hyphens

By Amanda Patterson — Writers Write

This post is all about hyphens and em dashes. Punctuation is the name for the marks we use in writing. Punctuation marks are tools that have set functions. We use them to give a sentence meaning and rhythm.

LINK:

 

Punctuation: Eats, Shoots & Leaves

THE ZERO TOLERANCE APPROACH TO PUNCTUATION

By Lynne Truss

We all know the basics of punctuation. Or do we? A look at most neighborhood signage tells a different story. Through sloppy usage and low standards on the internet, in email, and now text messages, we have made proper punctuation an endangered species.

LINKS:

 

Punctuation Mistakes to Recognize and Avoid

By K.M. Weiland — Helping Writers to Become Authors

When shaken out with a skillful hand, the very effectiveness of punctuation makes it go unnoticed. On the other hand, when we choose the wrong punctuation in the wrong place, the result is the readerly equivalent of coughing over too much cayenne.

LINK:

 

Punctuating Dialogue in Fiction

By Mike Klaassen

In the world of fiction-writing, “rules” vary somewhat, depending on who is dictating them.  And in some situations there are allowances for variations in objectives and personal style. No fiction-writing mode is so closely associated with specific punctuation as is dialogue.

LINK:

 

Punctuating and Formatting Dialogue

By Mia Botha — Writers Write

Be careful of getting yourself and your reader confused. The simpler, the better. Remember reading it aloud should be your guide.

LINK:

 

— Q —

Query Letters

WRITING SUCCESSFUL QUERIES FOR ANY GENRE

By Robert Brewer — Writer’s Digest

LINK:

 

Query Letters

HOW TO WRITE THE PERFECT QUERY LETTER

By Mary Kole — Writer’s Digest

A literary agent shares a real-life novel pitch that ultimately led to a book deal—and shows you how to query your own work with success.

LINK:

 

Query Letter Tips

FROM LITERARY AGENTS FOR WRITERS

By Chuck Sambuchino — Writer’s Digest

LINK:

 

Quote of the Day

ADVICE TO WRITERS
LINK:

 

 HOT LINKS
NAVIGATION
FIRST DRAFT
  A-D     M-Q
  E-H     R-S
  I-L       T-Z

CLICK HERE!

We do the research so you don’t have to!
http://blackdogebooks.com

Our New Home!

www.blackdogebooks.com/first-draft
Sponsored by Blackdoge Books, FIRST DRAFT and the Writers Helping Writers Initiative (WHWI)
www.blackdogebooks.com/whwi

Comments are closed.