Posts I loved this week

I’m humbled and delighted with these posts. They’re simply amazing. Bloggers are highly talented people and, in my opinion, produce amazing posts. Check out this week’s great offerings.

I really appreciated this post on reasons to keep going when the editing gets tough. Editing is tough. You’ve created this beautiful story and, in editing, you cut it to pieces. It’s hard to do it day after day. I loved hearing reasons to keep going especially now that I’m editing Amy’s Courage like mad. A big thank you for the awesome post to Victoria Grefer.

I loved this post by Jodie Llewellyn because I think all writers find themselves in that place of doubt at one point or another. She writes with incredible courage and raw honesty that made me not only feel for her but identify very strongly with that incredible post.

A really cute post (and funny!) about lessons learned from the 80’s movies. Check it out and laugh! A big thank you to Dadmissions for the great post!

Seven great tools to hook your reader. Of course, great writing should always be our goal as writers but these are gems to keep in mind. I know I will keep these close to my fingertips. A big thank you to Monica M. Clark for the great post on The Write Practice!

I loved this post because it spelled out just how to connect emotionally to your readers. I find that my enjoyment of a book depends directly on how well I connect emotionally to the hero or heroine. That’s such a key point, so I loved this post and I’m very grateful to Nate Philbrick and Writerology for the great ideas!

Wow. Don’t miss this picture post by The Writing Catalog. Just…wow.

A big question all writers have to answer is what name to be published under. This post interested me because I struggled with that question myself and it offers a myriad of answers. A big thank you to Catherine McKenzie for the great post!

I loved this post by Mishka Jenkins on characters’ backstories. I love having characters with a rich backstory. I love reading about them too. Her post brought that to life for me. Plus, it had links to other posts on the subject! Bonus!

Oh, this post touched my heart. A dog’s eyes can say a million things. Incredibly, Part Time Monster caught a picture of this phenomenon. Amazing post.

If you’re an author thinking of starting a website, this post is for you. If you are considering starting a blog or want to know what yours should include, check out this one instead. A big thanks to Mishka Jenkins for sending those beauties my way and to Callisto Green for the awesome posts!

If you’re editing, you might want to check this one out. I have to admit, I make those mistakes. This post has great examples that really clarify the difference–for example between whom and who. Who knew! A big thank you to Jon Gingerich for the great post and excellent examples.

Finally, four tips for writing a great novel. This one was a hit for me because it’s only four, not twenty or fifty. A big thank you to Jan O’Hara from Writer Unboxed for the great post!

Posts I loved this week

Good blogs never let you down. I follow some awesome blogs and they sure deliver. Plus, I discovered a couple of new gems! Check out this week’s awesome posts.

An excellent post on a biggie, Writer’s block. A big thanks to DBCII for the insight and the great post!

Just for a chuckle, check out this post or this one by Infintefreetime. Interesting, short and funny or unpredictable, his posts are something I never miss. I think the variety is part of the appeal but I think there’s some wizard magic in there too–and possibly a unicorn or two. An interesting aside, the author of Infinitefreetime has written a book titled “The Benevolence Archives: Volume One” and is coming soon. If it’s anything like his blog, it’s sure to be an instant hit. Check out more information here.

A feel-good story, this post on the blog Living with Izzy made my day. It’s about an abused doggie who finds her loving home. Check out the great picture of her kissing her new dad. That’s one happy puppy.

Agree or disagree, Victoria Grefer wrote an excellent post on why you shouldn’t edit while you write. I certainly believe I shouldn’t do it while I write…it’s just so tempting!

Craig Lumen wrote a great piece on writing a great protagonist. He used movie examples, so his points are immediately clear and it was fun to read. Just before you think this was a one-time awesome post, here’s another great post by him with more help for creating characters!

Get to know D. Emery Bunn and how he writes. This post has a very insightful look at how he goes from idea to finished product. A big thanks to D. Emery Bunn for the great post!

Steven Pressfield wrote the this one. Important lessons and thoughts to keep in mind when you’re writing. And this post is captivating; it reads like a book you don’t want to put down.

I really like Jamie Lee Wallace. I’m always amazed by how well she writes. Check out this post done around moving. Could she turn that into a great post? She did more than that. The post was inspirational, full of ideas and tips on how to ‘spin’ real life into your book. A big thank you to her for that gem!

A big thanks to Harliqueen who shared this great link on questions to ask a friend who has just read your work. Great link! Many thanks to Harliqueen for sharing it!

Here‘s another reason why Sourcerer is such an amazing blog. Along with other posts on comics and music, they share and give awesome tips. And check out what’s coming up next here. Love that blog!

Oh my goodness, if you want a full out, gut-wrenching laugh, check out this post by Outmanned. I knew I’d laugh just from the title…and I wasn’t disappointed. A big thank you to Outmanned for that gem!

Last, but definitely not least, The Writing Catalog went out of the April A to Z challenge in style. The last post, on Zeugma, was intriguing and fascinating. Personally, I had no idea what zeugma was…but the examples are simply delicious. Loved it. Typical of this blog, the post was insightful and so well written.

Blogging ideas

Having a blog is a necessity for an author. Not only do you practice writing, you reach potential readers and grow a following. But keeping a blog can also be stressful. That blog can become an entity you have to feed with daily posts.

Victoria Grefer wrote a great post with three great tips on being more efficient blogger. Efficiency is great for me because I keep a blog and I’m always grateful for ideas or ways to improve it.

I have to admit I already used her idea of writing the posts ahead of time. I write my posts on Saturday mornings. I try to write the entire week’s worth of posts. The only one I can’t is the ‘Posts I loved this week’ because that, by necessity, grows each day. Now, that doesn’t mean that, should something interesting happen, I don’t ignore my ‘saved’ posts and write a new one, I do, but I have some in ‘reserve’ should I need them.

What about you? What works for you? Do you go with inspiration or do you prep ahead?

 

 

Posts I loved this week

I loved, loved the posts this week and I think you’ll see why below. They’re just top notch. Absolute gems. Check out these beauties.

I love getting links and tips and here, Winter Bayne sent out a selection of blogs she adores. A big thanks to her because I love finding new blogs!

This one is great for that writer’s toolbox. Nathan Bransford posted this great selection of tips for before, during and after writing your masterpiece. Keep in mind he actually wrote a book on how to write books and it’s doing really well. These posts are the top writing advice posts from his blog. Don’t miss out.

I loved this post by David J. Delaney because my characters too seem to do what they want at times and I have a difficult time bringing them back to task.

This one is a really interesting post about writing as therapy–from the author’s perspective. They always say, ‘write what you know’, so it makes sense that our characters would have pieces of us in them.  Thank you Victoria Grefer, for the great post!

If you’re a fan of the bad-boy hero, check out this post by A.O Peart at Romance University. Not only does it explain the reasons behind the attraction, it has a list of possible bad-boy heroes in books you may not have yet read…Yum!

Here‘s a fantastic post by K.M. Weiland on ‘downtime’ for writers and why there’s no such thing. A big thank you to Winter Bayne for sending me the link!

If you’re looking for an interesting hook on how to find books, check out this post by Inky Tavern. There are three examples of the first two sentences of these books and they all sound absolutely amazing. Now, I’m thinking of all the beginnings to my favourite books. How did they start? What a great post!

Infinitefreetime got a new look this week. He went Premium. If you’re considering spending the money, you might want to see what his blog looks like now. On another note, awesome cover and big congrats on his upcoming book!

The April Blogging challenge is still on and I have been delighted with it because the quality of the posts has been absolutely amazing. Check out these great blogs and their amazing posts this week. One, on Tone, is The Writing Catalog and the other is on Twitter, by BCII. A big, big thanks to both for their great posts and hard work. You’re almost at the end!

For the bloggers out there, here are 5 blogging tips you might be overlooking. A big thanks to Drew Iaconis for the excellent post!

Alianne Donnelly had this post that I absolutely drooled over. She explains in it the reasons why she writes. The post really resonated with me. I loved her honesty and integrity.

Great posts for writers

These are all posts by writers for writers. Great, inspirational and interesting, I couldn’t but share them.

This one is a neat post on how the World’s most brilliant people spend their days. Pretty cool because they have graphs comparing their sleep and work hours. Kevin Short explains strange little facts about them as well, like how Victor Hugo used to wake up by gunshot (what?) and have a cold bath on his roof. Obviously, he didn’t live in Canada.

Another beautifully written post is this one by Julianna Baggott. It talks about the need writers have to write and she explains it beautifully. I read it and sighed. It’s that good.

Joanna Penn wrote a powerful post on how to use fear and pain to drive your story forward. I don’t know about you, but I try to avoid both fear and pain but, after reading her post, I’m thinking they might have some value after all.

Now I’m self-published but, if you’re trying to find an agent, here‘s a great post on how to write a query letter. It’s never easy or fun but Cody Wagner has a great guide with examples on how to do a great job. A big thanks to Joe Bunting for the tip!

Just found this amazing site and couldn’t help but recommend this post. It’s by Victoria Grefer and I simply loved it. How to humanize a villain, love it. Loved the ideas too. And here‘s another one that I simply loved on magic in everyday life. Loved it too. What a great blog!

Christian Mihai couldn’t be left out of this bunch. Check out his great post on writing advice. Awesome!

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did. They certainly made my morning delicious!

Psychology in writing

Writers are psychologists. They have to be.

Books take us through a character’s journey. Some part of that journey has to be psychological. I would add that, the most interesting part of the journey is their psychological quest for balance or for self-awareness or for self-compassion etc. In order for that journey to be even slightly realistic and, therefore compelling, the writer has to know a bit about psychology.

Victoria Grefer agrees with me. I loved her post: 5 Psychological Struggles that Enhance Great Plot in Fiction. Loved it.

They are: redemption, the impossible choice, sacrifice, growth and letting go. Just writing them makes me start asking questions, thinking about possibilities and start wondering how it would look like. They’re simply delicious. 5 amazing conflicts. Love them.