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: Feel The Burn by Dongwon Song, Piper J. Drake, Peng Shepherd, Marshall Carr, Jr., and Erin Roberts
In this episode, the hosts talk about why we burn out, how we recognize it, how we deal with it, and how we — eventually — recover from it. Piper J. Drake is an award-winning sci-fi and paranormal romance and steampunk author. Writing Excuses is a podcast about the art and business of writing. Support them on Patreon.
Other motivational advice this week:
- 3 Ways Your Novel Could Change The World by Lewis Jorstad for The Novel Smithy
- 4 Key Problems That Cause Writing Anxiety (And How To Overcome Them) by J. D. Edwin for The Write Practice
- 4 Ways To Avoid A Dead-End Writing Career by David Farland for MyStoryDoctor
- 5 Ways To Recharge After Suffering Writer’s Burnout by Colleen M. Story for Insecure Writer’s Support Group
- Podcast: Consistency, Inconsistency, And The Crushing Weight Of Expectations by Howard Tayler, Dongwon Song, and Dan Wells for Writing Excuses
- Creativity Sparks The Writing Practice by Deborah Lyn Stanley for Writers On The Move
- Don’t Let Your NaNoWriMo Engine Idle by Amy Wallen for National Novel Writing Month
- Facing Down Fear by Kathleen Mccleary for Writer Unboxed
- How Much Rejection Have You Faced? by Daphne Gray-Grant for Publication Coach
- How To Decide What You Really Want From Your Writing Career by Colleen M. Story for Writers In The Storm
- How To Make The Best Of Your Writing Goals by Jim Dempsey for Writer Unboxed
- How To Strategically Set Writing Benchmarks by C. S. Lakin for Live Write Thrive
- Video: Improving Writing Focus by Daphne Gray-Grant for Publication Coach
- Maybe We Should All Be More Like Harlan Ellison by Philip Athans for Fantasy Author’s Handbook
- When To Give Up On A Book Project–And How To Tell by Mary Carroll Moore for How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book
- Video: Why You Might Need To Write A Hot Mess by Morgan Hazelwood for Morgan Hazelwood
- Write What Your Passionate About by Sue Coletta for Killzoneblog.com
The art and craft of writing
Podcast: Exploring Genre With Paul Tremblay by J.D. Barker, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon
Guest Paul Tremblay returns to the podcast to discuss pacing, getting tired, and the challenge of unreliable narrators. J.D. Barker is the New York Times and international best-selling author of numerous novels. J. Thorn has sold more than 185,000 books worldwide. Zach Bohannon is a science fiction and horror author. Writer’s Ink is a podcast focusing on the business of writing.
Do You See Dead People? by PJ Parrish
How to you create empathy for your victims, how to avoid creating cardboard corpses — by treating them them like any living character and putting flesh on the narrative bones. PJ Parrish is the New York Times and USA Today bestseller author of the Louis Kincaid thrillers. Her books have won the Shamus, Anthony, International Thriller Awards and been nominated for the Edgar. Visit her at PJParrish.com or follow her on Facebook at PJ Parrish. The Kill Zone is the home of eleven top suspense writers and publishing professionals. They cover the publishing business, marketing how-tos, and the craft of writing. Follow them on RSS here (direct Feedly signup link). Follow them on Twitter @killzoneauthors.
Podcast: Signature Items by Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle, and Wes Matlock
In this episode, the Mythcreants team discusses the objects — tools, weapons, clothing, accessories, and other things — that become so associated with particular characters that they become signature items. 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.
Video: Detail Diatribe: The Multiverse Problem by Red
What happens when a story introduces a canonical mechanism for retcons, like Marvel did with the metaverse? Red is the writer and illustrator of a fantasy webcomic, Aurora, and the cost and co-founder of Overly Sarcastic Productions. Overly Sarcastic Productions is a YouTube channel about myths, literature, and history with over 2 million subscribers.
Other writing advice this week:
- Video: 10 Best Tips For Writing A Climax by Jenni Keer for Writing with Jenna Moreci
- 10 Tips And Exercises For Generating New Story Ideas by Richard Thomas for LitReactor
- 10 Truths About Writing I Learned From Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer by Edie Melson for The Write Conversation
- 7 Easy Questions To Edit Scenes Like A Pro by David Villalva for David Villalva
- 7 Tips For Writing Across Culture In Fiction by Elizabeth Shick for Writer’s Digest
- Before You Hire A Developmental Editor: What You Need To Know by Sangeeta Mehta for Jane Friedman
- Video: Choose The Best Title For Your Story: Avoid These Errors! by Stavros Halvatzis for Get Writing
- Common Misconceptions About Satellite Orbits by Dan Koboldt for Dan Koboldt
- Comparisons Aren’t So Odious by N.L. Holmes for Florida Writers Association Blog
- Video: Consider Status In Dealings Between Characters by Zoe M. Mccarthy for Zoe M. McCarthy
- Dealing With Multiple Drafts During Revisions by Janice Hardy for Fiction University
- Developmental Edits Part 3: Receiving Feedback by Kendra Griffin for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
- Five Tropes That Require Low Realism by Chris Winkle for Mythcreants
- Foreshadowing Vs. Spoilers — What’s The Difference? by Jami Gold for Jami Gold, Paranormal Author
- How Authors Use Beta Readers: Who, When, Why—And Does It Help? by Barbara Linn Probst for Writer Unboxed
- How Much Development Of Characters Who Die? by Glen C. Strathy for Bookwriter RSS Blog
- How Setting And Characterization Intersect In The Books We Write by MaryAnn Diorio for The Write Conversation
- How To Enhance Contrast In Your Writing by Jessica Strawser for Career Authors
- How To Use Framing Devices In Fiction (+4 Quick Tips) by Hannah Lee Kidder for Self Publishing School
- How To Write A Character Who’s Adrift by Nathan Bransford for Nathan Bransford
- How To Write An Underdog Story: 7 Steps With Examples by Joslyn Chase for The Write Practice
- Video: How To Write Effective Description Of Characters, Places & Objects by Claire Fraise for Write with Claire Fraise
- How To Write That Last Chapter: 8 Tips For Ending Your Book by Anne R. Allen for Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris
- How Writing Your Synopsis Can Fix Your Book by Allison K Williams for Jane Friedman
- Inciting Incident: Definition, Examples, Types, And How To Start A Story Right by Joe Bunting for The Write Practice
- ive Tips To Get Unstuck From The Murky Middle Of Your Manuscript by Monica Cox for DIY MFA
- Les Choses Sont Contre Nous (Things Are Against Us) by Rainey Hall for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
- Podcast: Line Editing For Authors With Hayley Milliman by Sacha Black for Sacha Black
- Music And Magic: Writing A Brazilian Story For An English-Speaking Audience — Interview With Heloisa Prieto by Gabriela Pereira for DIY MFA
- Video: New Book Video: The Secrets Of Character: Invest by Matt Bird for The Secrets of Story
- Revise For Success — A Stress-Free Plan For Polishing Your Novel by Anne R. Allen for Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris
- Structuring Your Relationship Plotline by September C. Fawkes for September C. Fawkes
- Tap Readers’ Subconscious To Engage Them In Your Story by Stefan Emunds for Writers In The Storm
- This Is Your Permission To Write Offensive Things by Peter Derk for LitReactor
- Using A Setting You Know To Set Your Characters Free by Kaira Rouda for DIY MFA
- What Happens If Everyone Can Learn Magic? by Oren Ashkenazi for Mythcreants
- When To Use Deep Pov In Fiction By Genre by Lisa Hall-Wilson for Lisa Hall-Wilson
- Why The Save The Cat! Novel Beat Sheet Won’t Help You by Oren Ashkenazi for Mythcreants
- Video: Writing Coach Nerine Dorman On YA, Sci-Fi And Fantasy by Brendan McNulty for Now Novel
- Writing Good Bad Guys by Linda S. Clare for Linda S. Clare
- Writing Out Of Sequence by John Gilstrap for Killzoneblog.com
The business side of writing
AI — The Scary Future Of Genre Fiction? by Laurence O’Bryan
One area where AI is likely to have a significant impact is in the realm of genre fiction. Science fiction, fantasy, and other genre novels often have complex worlds and rules that must be carefully balanced in order to create a satisfying story. AI algorithms are well-suited to this kind of work, as they can quickly generate vast amounts of content and ensure that all of the details are consistent and coherent. Laurence O’Bryan is an author and book marketing expert. #PublishingReinvented is a blog that offers book publishing and marketing advice.
Podcast: USA Today List, The 2022 Author Survey, And Multiple Paths To Success by Bryan Cohen and H. Claire Taylor
How to have the perfect writing space, wherever you are
Whether or not you should juggle multiple projects at once, which BookBub ads are working and how to test your own, why you should find a genre that you love to write that readers love to buy, and the scoop on author earnings from Written Word Media. Bryan Cohen is an experienced copywriter, bestselling author, and the founder of Best Page Forward and Amazon Ad School. You can find out more about Bryan at BryanCohen.com. H. Claire Taylor is a humor author and fiction strategist, as well as the owner of FFS Media. The Sell More Books Show is a weekly podcast focusing on helping new and experienced authors stay up-to-date with the latest self-publishing and indie news, tools and book selling and marketing strategies.
Video: Writing With The Devil by Mark Dawson and James Blatch
Making money with ghostwriting, finding ghostwriting clients, negotiating rates, and turning someone’s ideas and life into an amazing story. Mark Dawson is a USA Today bestselling author who teaches courses about book production and marketing. Check out his website at MarkJDawson.com. James Blatch writes military thrillers. For more, check out his website, JamesBlatch.com. On the Self Publishing Formula show, Mark Dawson and James Blatch talk about building a career as a self-published author.
Other business advice this week:
- Podcast: Self-Publishing For The First Time With Barnaby Jameson by Joanna Penn for The Creative Penn
- Yay Or Nay: Should Your Blog Be On A Separate Website? by Patricia Durgin for Almost An Author
- Books PR & Marketing Questions Answered Part X: What To Do On A Budget by Ann Marie Nieves for Writer Unboxed
- 10 Reasons You Want A Blog In Your Book Marketing Plan by Nina Amir for How to Blog a Book
- Video: What Does ‘Done’ Mean? by Jessica Faust and James McGowan for BookEnds Literary Agency
- What I Learned From 90 Queries by Eva Langston for Jane Friedman
- 5 Steps To Get Your Novel Ready To Self-Publish by Denise Grover Swank for National Novel Writing Month
- Podcast: How To Get Author Interviews And More From The Book Marketing Tips & Author Success Podcast by Penny Sansevieri for Author Marketing Experts, Inc.
- Podcast: Selling Your First 10k Copies From The Book Marketing Tips & Author Success Podcast by Penny Sansevieri for Author Marketing Experts, Inc.
- 4 Lessons Learned Over A Decade Of Author Platforming by E.J. Wenstrom for DIY MFA
- Funny You Should Ask: Agent + Author Breakups by Barbara Poelle for Writer’s Digest
- Video: 5 Market Research Tools For Authors by Julie Broad for Book Launchers
- How AI Will Impact Self Publishing by Laurence O’Bryan for #PublishingReinvented
- Follow Industry Typing And Formatting Conventions For Your Writing Genre by Audrey Wick for Writer’s Digest
- What Is A Creative Commons License, And If It’s Right For Your Book by Elizabeth Javor for Self Publishing Advisor
- Video: Fiverr Book Cover Design Variations For $30?! by Dale L. Roberts for Self-Publishing with Dale
Am I missing any writing advice sites? Email me at maria@metastellar.com or leave a note in the comments below.
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.