This week’s top writing advice from around the web for Nov. 13, 2022

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Reading Time: 8 minutes
(Image by Maria Korolov created with Midjourney.)

I subscribe to more than 150 writing advice sites and gather the best posts for you every single Sunday. You can see all the previous writing advice of the week posts here and subscribe to the RSS feed for this writing advice series here (direct Feedly signup link).

Productivity, mood management, and battling the demons inside

Podcast: How To Be A Fearless Writer by Sacha Black

This episode features guest Beth Kempton, writing coach and author of The Way of the Fearless Writer. She talks about the most common writer fears and how to overcome them. Sacha Black is a fantasy author and writing coach, with several writing advice books including 13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft Superbad Villains (Better Writers Series) May 9, 2017. Follow her on her website, Sacha Black, on Facebook at @Sacha Black or on Twitter at @sacha_black. Sacha Black is a site that offers writing advice, courses, and podcasts. Follow the site via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).

Video: Writing Habits And Accountability by Kristina Adams And Ellie Betts

In this episode, the hosts talk to YA fantasy writer Clarissa Gosling, who is also the administrator of the 365 Writing Challenge group, which supports people in building the habit of writing. Kristina Adams is a bestselling author and writing instructor. Find out more at her website, KristinaAdamsAuthor.com. The Writer’s Cookbook offers advice, podcast, videos, coaching, workshops, and writing courses. Follow the site via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).

Other motivational advice this week:

The art and craft of writing

Video: How To Turn Your Book Into A Movie by Kate And Abbie Emmons

Hosts Abbie and Kate talk to filmmakers David and Jackson Hughens, who are in the process of turning their screenplay into a crowd-funded feature film. Speculative fiction author Kate Emmons is a YA fiction author and Abbie Emmons teaches writers how to make their stories matter. Abbie Emmons is a YouTube channel about writing from the writing instructor and author of the same name.

Podcast: Hero Haters by Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle, and Wes Matlock

In this episode, the Mythcreants team discusses the characters who hate the protagonist — why hero haters are useful, why they’re so often contrived, and how they can be better handled. Oren Ashkenazi is the speculative fiction manuscript editor, Chris Winkle is the founder and editor-in-chief, and Wes Matlock is a content editor at Mythcreants. Mythcreants is my all-time favorite writing advice site. Get their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter @Mythcreants and on Facebook at @mythcreants.

The Expanded Ultimate Story Checklist by Matt Bird

This is a giant checklist of 122 questions, plus link to in-depth articles covering each of the topics. Great resource to bookmark and return to again and again. Matt Bird is the author of The Secrets of Story: Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers. The Secrets of Story blog offers in-depth, detailed advice about writing and structuring novels and screenplays.

Podcast: Monstrous Awakening by Mary Robinette Kowal, C.L. Polk, Fran Wilde, and Howard Tayler

In this episode, the hosts discuss how body horror and other monstrous-ness is a tool we should be employing with great care. Mary Robinette Kowal is the Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author of the Lady Astronaut series and other books and the former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. C. L. Polk is a fantasy author. Fran Wilde is a science fiction and fantasy writer. Howard V. Tayler is the creator of the webcomic Schlock Mercenary. Writing Excuses is a podcast about the art and business of writing. Support them on Patreon.

Other writing advice this week:

The business side of writing

3 Ways To Step Up Your Book Marketing by Sabrina Ricci

Advice for sprucing up your book sales page, offering bonuses to book buyers, and creating a mailing list sign-up page. Sabrina Ricci writes advice about indie publishing. Follow her on Facebook at @sabrinadenisericci or on Twitter at @sabsky. Digital Publishing is a site about indie publishing. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).

Get The Big Things Right by Nathan Bransford

No one is going to reject your book if you have a typo in your synopsis. No one is going to refuse to buy your self-published novel because your author bio has insufficient short story publications. But there are a few things that you absolutely do have to get right, and this article focuses on the five big ones. Former literary agent Nathan Bransford is the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series. Follow him on Twitter @NathanBransford and on Facebook at @NathanBransfordBooks. At NathanBransford.com, Bransford offers writing and publishing advice as well as book coaching, editing, and marketing services.

Five Skills Every Author Needs To Have by Jessica Faust

Other than being able to write a book in the first place, authors must also know how to write a synopsis, learn from revisions, know their weak spots, and understand that publishing is a business. Jessica Faust is the owner and president at the BookEnds literary agency. Follow her on Twitter at @BookEndsJessica or on Instagram at @jfaust_bookends or email her directly at JFaust@bookendsliterary.com. BookEnds is a literary agency that represents more than 300 authors and illustrations, both fiction and non-fiction, including several New York Times and USA today bestsellers. They are currently open to submissions. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter at @bookendslit or on Facebook at @BookEndsLiterary.

Other business advice this week:

Am I missing any writing advice sites? Email me at maria@metastellar.com or leave a note in the comments below.

Edited by Melody Friedenthal
Maria Korolov

MetaStellar editor and publisher Maria Korolov is a science fiction novelist, writing stories set in a future virtual world. And, during the day, she is an award-winning freelance technology journalist who covers artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and enterprise virtual reality. See her Amazon author page here and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, and check out her latest videos on the Maria Korolov YouTube channel. Email her at maria@metastellar.com. She is also the editor and publisher of Hypergrid Business, one of the top global sites covering virtual reality.