For authors

I spotted some really great resources for authors and I had to share them. Here they are, with a tiny explanation as to why they’re awesome.

1. How to query. This one is from Heather Webb an editor and writer herself, from Romance University. She tells you what to do and what to avoid in those so-important queries.
2. If you’re writing a query, you must start by finding an agent. You can look everywhere, or you can go to Agent Query. Truly the best site on the web for such a search. It’s not only the largest online but the most up to date.
3. If point number one only ended up terrifying you (which happened to me), then hang on and read these posts on the Fear of Writing from Kelly Leiter or try this one from the Tiny Buddha on how to transform Self-Criticism into Self-Appreciation!
4. Finally, if you’re shouting, great links, Taylor but I want more! Here’s a great resource site from Tina Hunter with tons of links. Her site rocks! Just check out this page filled with reviewers by genre!

Yeey links!

 

Posts I loved this week

This week brought out a great round of very funny posts and some that were just inspirational. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

A very positive and encouraging post by D. Emery Bunn on how to get an audience, I loved it.

If you need a laugh, check out this post from Infinitefreetime. All I’ll say is that it involves a cat. Oh, I laughed and laughed.

Someone else is praising Scrivener, this post is a great start tool and it even includes a tutorial! Thanks to Jeff Goins.

If you need another good laugh, check out this post by Inside the life of Moi. A lot of work went into this post and a lot of good writing. Man alive!

A great insightful post on how-to for Twitter from Just Gene’O. Check out this blog if you haven’t yet, it’s absolutely fantastic.

If you’re like me and can never have too much laughter in your day, check out this post with hilarious questions and answers by I Am not The Batman. Ha! Still chuckling over that.

A great post with editing tips, this one is thanks to Robin Gianna from Romance University.

Beautiful, beautiful photographs at Part Time Monster.

Another funny post, this one is by Pecked to Death by Chickens. I love anything that makes me laugh and this one did so in the early, dark morning before heading to DayJob. Hilarious.

A great list of links by category for writers with everything from agents to editing links, this post is a great reference by Writer Unboxed.

Very, very sad but Outlander is done for this half-season. It will restart in April (though not the 4th for us Canadians) and have 8 more episodes but we have to wait until then to see the story continue…sigh! Still, here‘s the Mid-Season finale recap from Penny Dreadful Books.

Sigh! Until Spring, Jamie!

Posts I loved this week

A wonderful week of posts. Check out these beauties!

From The Written Word Remains…I read this lovely post on rereading favourite books. It’s one of my favourite activities and couldn’t help but agree with the author. Great post!

The beautiful photograph is only eclipsed by the incredible writing in this insightful post by Just Ponderin’.

A fantastic post by Kristen Lamb on getting an awesome plot and ready for Nanowrimo.

The Write Practice has this great post on how to create Character Sketches using Scrivener and I absolutely loved it. Awesome post!

November is coming and everyone’s already excited about Nanowrimo. Like Winter Bayne with her usual humour shining in the post.

This awesome post on First Drafts by Mishka Jenkins made me feel so much better because it not only let me know I’m not the only one who struggles with them but she also shared tips and steps on how to move forward.

If you’re stuck like me and need help getting going, check out this post on 11 Novelist-Tested ways to defeat Writer’s Block from Writers Helping Writers.

Super-cute, check out this picture of a baby turtle being carried by mom. A big thank you to Spanishwoods for making me smile with that lovely post.

If you’re considering starting a blog but want to do it with a group of writers, check out this post by Madeline Iva on just that subject from Romance University.

A huge congratulations to Sourcerer, a very talented blog who has just acquired a new contributor, the brilliant, saucy Infinitefreetime. Very, very exciting!

For those who love quotes, these are specially for writers from Jen’s Thoughts.

Finally, here’s a little bit of cuteness to end the post!

(credit:zwallpaper.biz)

Posts I loved this week

A fantastic week for posts! From Banned Books Week to inspiration for more writing, here are some of the posts that I absolutely loved reading.

A great idea to free that inspirational muse in your mind, The Magic of Free Writing sounds like a wonderful exercise. A great post from The Write Practice.

A huge thank you to Winter Bayne for these inspirational posts on the very important topic of Banned Books Week. And to Part Time Monster for this very moving post on that same topic.

If you’re looking for witty, intelligent writing, I can’t recommend this blog highly enough. I Am Not The Batman is surprisingly insightful while keeping a great sense of humour. At the same time, it’s so well written, I couldn’t pick between the great choices of posts.

Along the same lines, inspiring you, Robin LaFevers advocates for doing nothing in her post: The Surprising Importance of Doing Nothing from Writer Unboxed.

A fantastic review site, Room With Books has moved here.

For some amazing photography, check out this post from That Montreal Girl.

Maggie Toussaint talks about pacing in her post: Pacing can Make or Break your Story in Romance University and while you’re there, check out this post by Maria McKenzie: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: The Art of Writing Dialogue.

A lovely recap of Episode 3 of Outlander, this post on Penny Dreadful Book Reviews made me sigh. What a lovely series!

If We Were Having Coffee are hands down some of my favourite posts. Sensitive, gentle and intimate, they let me see what someone else’s week has been like. Here’s a lovely example of one of these great posts by Gene’O.

15 Terms every Indie Author Should Know had a few I didn’t know and is a great reference. A great post in Wise Ink.

Showing Settings through the Eyes of Your Characters got my interest because I love colouring the story through the eyes of my characters. It was a great post from Live Write Thrive.

Finally, check out this other list of awesome links at Natacha Guyot!

 

Posts I loved this week

A great mix of funny and resourceful links this week. Check them out!

A great post on first drafts and how to go about getting them done by Margarita Morris. This is her second post on ‘How I write’ series that has been absolutely fascinating so far.

Does Writing Advice really work? is a great post by Bottled Worder that shakes up a few myths.

There’s something about how these posts are written that just draws me in time after time. Check it out on Part Time Monster.

Five Facts About Fear for Writers. A great post with fantastic insight from The Write Practice.

Oh so funny, this post made me laugh from Infinitefreetime.

A great post on silencers for those who write mystery from Romance University.

How to write a book: The 5-Draft Method by Jeff Goins.

How Best-Selling Writers Sabotage Themselves is a great read even if I’m nowhere near there because it’s fun to pretend. A great post by Live Write Thrive.

I’m editing Amy’s Courage so this post was just perfect. Finding Problems vs. Fixing Problems from Jami Gold.

An eye-opening, chilling post on what can happen with publishers on Dear Author. A huge thank you to Winter Bayne for the link.

Another incredible photograph from Sourcerer. Many thanks to Gene’O for that post!

Hilarious review of Outlander’s first episode. I laughed so hard at this one. A huge thank you to Auralee Wallace at Penny Dreadful Book Reviews.

Why you should self-publish by Chuck Wendig from Terrible Minds.

51 Resources for writers from Positive Writer via Jen Owenby. A fantastic find!

Posts I loved this week

Here are my weekly favourite posts. From those that touched my heart to those that give reviews, they’re all here. Enjoy!

This one definitely surprised me as a way to write better by Emily Wenstrom in The Write Practice.

If you’re considering editing and wonder about options, this post has them for you by Jami Gold.

I’ve already mentioned the Write Practice but they had this great post on exercise and writing and I can’t help but mention them again. Such a great post by Birgitte Rasine from birgitterasine.com!

21 of the Best quotes on Writing from Stephen King. An absolutely delicious post. Check it out on the Positive Writer.

A great post on some very bad advice. I loved this one by Jeff Goins.

We writers are always looking for conflict for our WIP but we don’t want that in real life. Here’s a great post on how to resolve conflict with your loved one from Tiny Buddha.

Funny and endearing, this post by Anne Greenwood Brown had me from the get go. Then I noticed how informative it was! A huge thank you to Writer Unboxed for this great post.

A great set of links for writers in this blog. A huge thanks to Geri Walton at 18th and 19th Century.

Kristen Lamb has these five tips for long term writing success that were excellent.

Romance has often been criticized for being formulaic. In this fantastic post, All About Romance argues the pros and cons of following a winning recipe.

Cute or funny, these quotes from famous writers about writing made me laugh–on a Monday. A great post by Interesting Literature.

In this wonderful post, The Procrastiwriter wrote: “You can take long breaks, and the words will be waiting for you.” I just loved it.

If you’re a Harry Potter fan or if you just read the books, don’t miss this gem by Inky Tavern. It’s a thing of beauty.

The latest post Inside the Life of Moi made me laugh. Hilarious and cute, I had to include it here.

The title says it all: “When the Gazillionth Pass through your Manuscript tries to Kill you” by Heather Webb with great ideas in Romance University.

Absolutely delicious, this post had to be included in this list. A huge thank you to Part Time Monster for this one.

Brand new site, for those of you looking for reviews, check out Room With Books.

Posts I loved this week

A ton of excellent post this week as we say goodbye to Summer and hello to Fall. Check out the beauties below!

If you’re looking to submit to a literary agent, check out this post from one of them with her best tips on Romance University. Then stick around the site to enjoy this great post by K.M. Weiland on tips to make your love story an epic love story.

Avoiding the dreaded info-dump is crucial for a good story. Here are three essential questions for a better backstory on The Write Practice. And this fantastic one on writing villains.

Joe Bunting promises that this exercise will get you unstuck every time you try to write and can’t. I have to say I tried it and it worked–at least for me.

If Mondays get you down, go over to DBCII for some inspiration. Starting next week, he’ll post writing prompts from books he has. Check out this great idea here.

When I don’t write, I worry about my book and when I write, I worry about making mistakes, so I worry about my book! This post on the Tiny Buddha on how to relax was just what I needed to read.

Sooo excited because I was certain we might not get it but Outlander is coming to Canada. A huge thank you to Penny Dreadful for letting me know and for reviewing it!

If you’re into Westerns, check out this post by Amy Alessio with seven fantastic Western romance reads for you to check out on Romance University.

Five ways to increase your productivity while you’re not writing by Chuck Sambuchino from Writer’s Digest.

Just for fun, this post had me in stitches. So funny by Suzie81 Speaks.

This one has great inspiration with quotes by those who’ve achieved great things on Jen Owenby.

If you’re writing a query letter, check out this post on how to write a killer blurb on Writer’s Relief.

Here come the categories. Again, keep in mind they’re just for fun.

* Best Achievement of the Week – To D. Emery Bunn for completing his book Darkness Concealed.

* Best Short Piece of the Week – A definite gem, this one‘s by Mishka Jenkins.

* Best Rant of the Week – to Infinitefreetime, for this one.

* Best movie Review – to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Natacha Guyot.

* Most Unusual Tips for Writers – This one needs a word of warning. Some tips are truly…disturbing, from the Thought Catalog.

* Best find of the Week – Very cool. You type in three words and it generates 5 blog topics for you. Check it out here at HubSpot.

* Funniest Post of the Week – What not to say to a mom with a Colicky Baby by Outmanned. Never had a baby colicky or otherwise, but I still laughed out loud.

My first look at Outlander

The book Outlander might be thick but it’s a legend. First, you have a top-rate love story. Then you have completely accurate historical facts and finally, it takes place in Scotland. It’s an incredible book.

A lot of folks were worried that the series wouldn’t do the books justice. I was just hoping we’d get to see it in Canada (we don’t always). When I found out we did, I screamed a little.

I loved the costumes. They were just the way I saw them in my head and added pieces that I couldn’t figure out. Their hats, the way the full kilts looked, the way they rode on horses with them, the scenery without lights or roads. It looked absolutely realistic. I could feel the midst and humidity.

I loved the dialogue. I knew they’d have to cut some stuff out, but I was ecstatic that they kept the best parts. And I particularly loved the accents and the music was awesome. Just right.

I thought the acting was really good. I liked Caitriona Balfe as Claire and Sam Heughan as Jamie. I thought they were just like the book characters, except alive.

What I didn’t like was how short the first episode was. I couldn’t believe it when the credits rolled by. I honestly wished it would have gone on longer.

Everything else I absolutely loved. Have you seen it? What did you think?

 

Still hungry for more? Check out these other reviews of the Outlander series.

http://romanceuniversity.org/2014/08/25/outlander-hits-the-small-screen-with-elizabeth-eckhart/

All About Romance’s Review.

 

Posts I loved this week

Another great week in the blogging world. Check out these awesome posts. What would I do without you guys? This post would suck.

A great round up of reads for those hot summer days. A big thank you to AMY ALESSIO for the great post!

Another incredibly helpful post by Sourcerer on Stats and engagement for blogs. If you want facts about blogs and how to raise traffic, this is the post for you. A big thank you to Sourcerer for sharing those numbers and secrets!

This one is both cute and useful. Thank you, Joe Bunting for the list of reasons to write!

Funny, witty and interesting, check out this list of Blogging Confessions from Part Time Monster. Great post!

Blogging tips, I’m always looking to improve my little blog. A big thank you to Out of the Well for these gems!

I loved this one because it’s a funny rant about cellphones…and it has a Star Trek reference. An awesome post from Steve Vernon!

Hilarious and about soccer! Well, this post is just up my alley! Check it out here. (Wee note: You don’t need to know anything about soccer to appreciate it). A big thank you to Steve and Jon’s best things for the great post!

This one is serious and very, very important. Back up your work. D. Emery Bunn has a great suggestion because the very moment you finish your masterpiece, the computer will die and, unless you’ve saved it…Exactly. A big thank you to D. Emery Bunn for those helpful tips and steps.

So cute and funny because that’s exactly what happens with kids, this post had me laughing. Thank you Infinitefreetime for that laugh!

A cute twist on ending that Writer’s Doubt. Thank you to Karin Gillespie for that great post!

I find bloggers and indie authors are very kind people. Here’s an example, Winter Bayne announced that James is back in her blog to give the guy a little help. I wasn’t surprised because Winter has to be one of the most supportive people I know, still it moved me. I thought it was a lovely thing to see.

Here‘s another example. Ch’kara Silverwolf is supporting indie authors by letting them promote their books on her blog. I thought that was absolutely awesome on her part.

There’s something so nice about reading posts from other pet lovers and none is as loving to her little doggies as Rachel Mankowitz. Check out this instalment of Butterfly’s adventures. So cute!

I love these posts. I wish I could take pictures like this one. I have to settle for not cutting people’s heads off and admiring Just Gene’O‘s or Sourcerer‘s.

Sometimes life gives us great cards, sometimes, we get some sucky ones. I was so impressed by Sonia Lathem because she’s dealing with a very difficult medical situation and still managed to put some humour into the post. Now that’s perseverance!

I loved this one because it’s a countdown but also because it’s a TV show countdown with opinion. Good shows and reasons why they’re good or not. Thank you so much for the great post to Part Time Monster! But, before you go, here‘s Sourcerer‘s version of the same idea. Compare!

A wonderful post on what Disney’s Princesses would look like if they were real women. This one had me at the title but the pictures are even better! A big thank you for that lovely post to Frances from Frances and Lynne.

Found this teeny, tiny post and it’s absolutely delicious! Had to share it here because it’s so good. A huge thank you to Adventures in Date Night for the post!

Last but definitely not least, a recommendation from Interesting Literature, 10 Classic Vitorian Novels everyone should read. I’m not big on people telling me what to do but I love to hear book recommendations. A big thank you to Interesting Literature for the great post!

Posts I loved this week

This week might have been hectic for me (house selling and hunting) but post-wise, it didn’t disappoint me. What an amazing set of beautiful posts. A big thank you to everyone for those inspirational articles.

I loved this post because it’s just so beautifully written. It sounds like summer and feels like a story. One of those I just didn’t want it to end. A big thank you to Katey Writes for the wonderful post.

If you struggle with dialogue or are looking to spruce it up, here‘s a great post on how to write great dialogue. It has easy steps, and better still, examples!

A great post uniting writing and soccer (genius!) by Jevon Knights. The great suggestions and tips made me really glad I had read it. Plus, did I mention it has writing and soccer? YUM!

Few things move me more than hearing someone’s dream. In this version of ‘If we were having coffee’ Just Gene’O shares his. And it’s truly beautiful. Like all dreams are.

A big happy birthday to Infinitefreetime! From Sourcerer and all of us. He celebrated by making his book The Benevolence Archives free. If you don’t have a copy yet, it’s a great book!

On that same subject, check out this review by Winter Bayne. Without giving anything away, she writes a fantastic review. What’s good, what she liked, what she’d want more of, it’s all in there. Plus a bit of humour. And, while we’re at it, here‘s another fantastic review of a very useful book for authors. Thanks so much, Winter!

This one made me stop and think. A great post on off-peak posting by Sourcerer. So, so smart and I would have never thought of it on my own. A big thanks to him for that insightful post!

If you’re into the Classics, check out this post about Charles Dickens. So well written, so insightful and just a pleasure to read–she even put quotes! I loved each and every word. Thanks for that wonderful post, Margarita Morris!

A beautiful, inspirational piece on writing by Cristian Mihai titled: ‘What if I fall?‘. For those days when becoming an author seems like an impossibility.

If you’re struggling with Writer’s Block, this one is for you. It has 10 ways to beat it that are simple, hands on and have to do with writing. A great big thank you to Shannon Donnelly for that great post!

I loved this post from Sourcerer. It’s a countdown, a confession and an insight into the mind behind the blog. Absolutely awesome post!

I love those Wordless Wednesdays and they’re everywhere! Check out this post by Part Time Monster and this one by Sourcerer.

The Write Practice has this funny post for those writers who tend to hide away. Light and witty, it made me smile. Thank you Carlos Cooper for that great post!

This post has 5 tips for guest blogging on Pen and Prosper. A gold mine of information, this blog is not to be missed. Check out the resources on the side under ‘Sites for Information and Inspiration’. Marketing tips for authors, led me to Training Authors for Success and the post: 12 Must-Follow Blogs for Authors. Daily blog tips is another amazing resource, this time for bloggers.

A big congrats to Callum McLaughlin for his awesome accomplishments. Check them all out here and see the reason we all think this blog deserves all those awards!

I loved this one because I needed to read it. I forget to write and throw those expectations out the door. They sneak and creep their way back in and sink my writing. A fantastic article and one I desperately needed to hear. Thank you so much, Robin LaFevers!

Finally, this beautiful post on how to write that so-important first kiss by ANNA CAMPBELL. A definite must-read for us romance writers.