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
How To Become An Author: From Beginnings To A Lifelong Career by Jason Hamilton
A very approachable and clear guide to building a career as a fiction author, starting right out with learning how to write, and ending with diversifying income streams. This is a very broad overview to help you create an overall strategy to follow. Jason Hamilton is a fantasy author. Check out Hamilton’s site, MythBank, full of reading and viewing guides to the most popular sci-fi and fantasy works. You can also follow him on Twitter at @StoryHobbit and on Facebook at Jason Hamilton. Kindlepreneur is pretty much the top site out there for self-published authors who want to sell more e-books on Amazon. The RSS feed is here (direct Feedly signup link). Follow them on Facebook at @KindlePreneur and founder Dave Chesson on Twitter at @DaveChesson.
Podcast: Writing Fuel For Indie Authors With Cassie Newell by Sacha Black
In this episode, guest Cassie Newell, a writing coach, talks about changing your mindset as an indie author and creating the fuel you need to keep writing. 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).
Other motivational advice this week:
- 5 Tips To Getting To 50k Words by Lori Chick for National Novel Writing Month
- 6 Things To Expect From Writing Sprints Like Nanowrimo by Jeff Elkins for The Write Practice
- Am I Being Lazy? by Katy Segrove for Pick Up Your Pen
- Are You Discouraged With Writing? Here’s What To Do by Daphne Gray-Grant for Publication Coach
- Feeling Stuck? How To Write No Matter What by Rochelle Melander for Write Now Coach!
- Fitness For Writers by Deborah Lyn Stanley for Writers On The Move
- How To Write When You Don’t Want To: An Uncommon Approach by Michelle Boyd for Live Write Thrive
- Liz Flaherty: On Author Friendship by Liz Flaherty for Women Writers, Women’s Books
- The Top 10+ Writing YouTube Channels by S.e. Laughter for The Write Practice
- Using Kindle Vella For Nanowrimo Motivation by Nanowrimohq for National Novel Writing Month
- Vision Versus Will–Why Both Are So Needed To Create A Good Book by Mary Carroll Moore for How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book
- When Inspiration Wanes by Lynette Burrows for Writers In The Storm
- Why You Need To Feed Your Creativity by Daphne Gray-Grant for Publication Coach
The art and craft of writing
Charlaine Harris: On Shifting Perspectives In A Fantasy Series by Robert Lee Brewer
New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris discusses the shift in point of view with her new fantasy novel, The Serpent in Heaven. Robert Lee Brewer is senior editor of Writer’s Digest. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer. Follow Writer’s Digest via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @WritersDigest and on Facebook at @writersdigest.
Keep Readers Turning The Pages by Ellen Buikema
If you want your readers to keep turning the pages, answering some vital questions early on will help them commit to your story. Ellen Buikema writes non-fiction and YA fantasy. For more about her, check out her website, EllenBuikema.com. or follow her on Facebook at @ecellenb or on Twitter at @ecellenb. Writers in the Storm is another great site for writing advice, with a group of regular contributors and guest writers who post frequently. It is very well worth following on RSS (direct Feedly signup link here).
How Useful Are Blake Snyder’s Rules Of Storytelling? Part 2 by Oren Ashkenazi
In this article, Oren continues tearing apart Blake Snyder’s “Save the Cat,” one of the most influential current books on storytelling. I liked “Save the Cat,” but now I’m having second thoughts! Oren Ashkenazi is a speculative fiction manuscript 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.
Why Realism Is Toxic To Fiction by Chris Winkle
In some circles, realism is highly prized. But too strict a focus on being realistic can limit or even hurt your writing, especially when it comes to speculative fiction. This article is a deep dive on this issue, and is a useful read for writers coming out of academia. Chris Winkle is the founder and editor-in-chief of 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.
Down In The Writing Weeds by James Scott Bell
Some persnickety advice for using crutch words like “suddenly” and “very.” Thriller writer James Scott Bell is the author of more than twenty books about writing, and you can follow him on Twitter at @jamesscottbell. His website is JamesScottBell.com. 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.
Other writing advice this week:
- Video: 1st Person Present Tense Pov — Is It Right For Your Book? by Claire Fraise for Write with Claire Fraise
- 7 Ways To Write Beautiful Prose by Hannah Lee Kidder for Blogging – The Write Life
- 7 Words To Avoid In Writing To Be A Better Writer by Joe Bunting for The Write Practice
- A Fun Way To Brainstorm Your Next Story Idea by Janice Hardy for Fiction University
- Archetypes; Unmasking Your Villain; And The Final Edit by Dale Ivan Smith for Killzoneblog.com
- Are Prologues Bad Or Aren’t They? by Tiffany Yates Martin for FoxPrint Editorial
- Video: Bad Habits I Got From My Writing Degree by Shaelin Bishop for ShaelinWrites
- Busting 4 Myths About The Inciting Incident by Disha Walia for DIY MFA
- Dabble Writer Review: Pros, Cons, And Pricing by Dave Chesson for Kindlepreneur
- Dan Harmon’s Story Circle In 8 Easy Steps by P.J. Mcnulty for Self Publishing School
- Video: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Priceless Advice To New Writers! by Stavros Halvatzis for Get Writing
- Have The Courage To Ignore Expert Advice by John Gilstrap for Killzoneblog.com
- How Grateful, Compassionate Protagonists Can Add Depth To Your Fiction by Richard Thomas for LitReactor
- Video: How To Create A Large, Diverse Cast Your Readers Will Love by Kristina Adams And Ellie Betts for The Writer’s Mindset
- How To Create A Large, Diverse Cast Your Readers Will Love by Kristina Adams for The Writer’s Cookbook
- How To Fix Flat, Two-Dimensional Characters by Ross Hartmann for MyStoryDoctor
- How To Use A Long-Form Synopsis To Plan Your Novel by Julie Artz for Jane Friedman
- How To Use Beats In Crime Fiction And Thrillers by for Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader – Blog
- Is My Hero A White Savior? by Chris Winkle for Mythcreants
- Master List Of Answers To Most Asked-For Writing Topics On This Site by K. M. Weiland for Helping Writers Become Authors
- Muddling Through The Middle (And How To Write Your Way Through It) by F.e. Choe for DIY MFA
- Perfect Your Pile Of Words by La Bourgeois for DIY MFA
- Pro Tips From A Nano Coach: Getting Through The Muddy Middle Of Your Novel by Peng Shepherd for National Novel Writing Month
- Should I Hire An Editor To Help Cut My Manuscript? by Lisa Cooper Ellison for Jane Friedman
- Podcast: Stories About Building Something by Oren Ashkenazi and Chris Winkle for Mythcreants
- The Differences Between Plot And Theme And How They Intertwine by Laura Fineberg Cooper for Writers’ Rumpus
- The Three Os Of A Great Scene: Objective, Opposition, Outcome by MaryAnn Diorio for The Write Conversation
- Podcast: The Water Horse: Keep Subplots At Bay by Valerie Francis And Melanie Hill for Story Nerd
- Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Adapting Their Books For The Screen by David Leonhardt for Bang2write
- Turning Relationship Arcs Into Plots, Part 2 by September C. Fawkes for September C. Fawkes
- What Is Developmental Editing? The Writer’s Guide To Developmental Editing by Alice Sudlow for The Write Practice
- What Is Prewriting? Preparing To Write With Purpose by Jordan Kantey for Now Novel
- Why Prologues Get A Bad Rap by Tiffany Yates Martin for Jane Friedman
- Podcast: Witches And Demons With Jennifer Givhan by J.d. Barker, J. Thorn, And Zach Bohannon for Writers, Ink.
- Writing Empathy Series Part Three: Empathy For Your Reader by Jen Braaksma for Women Writers, Women’s Books
The business side of writing
Podcast: 5 Steps To Author Success With Rachel Mclean by Joanna Penn
Thriller author Rachel McLean talks about how you can find the intersection between what the market wants and what you love to read, and how you can strategically seed book sales to improve your marketing. Joanna Penn has been sharing writing and publishing advice since 2008 at The Creative Penn and is the author of Successful Self-Publishing and many other writing and publishing advice books. She also has one of my favorite writing advice podcasts, and you can subscribe to it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. The Creative Penn offers articles, videos, books, tools, and courses for independent authors.
How A Luddite Learned To Love Instagram by Fran Hawthorne
Until last October, I had never texted a photo. I used my Instagram account only to follow family updates. I still can’t access a QR code via my phone to save my life. (Literally: When I went for a Covid test in February, the annoyed clinic staffer finally had to click on the code and […] Women Writers, Women’s Books is an online literary magazine by and about contemporary women writers from around the world. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
Video: Honor Your Connection To Readers by Dan Blank
Social media and email newsletters should be less about trends and algorithms and more about your goals as a writer and the experiences you want to have with readers. Dan Blank is a marketing expert who’s worked with thousands of writers and creators over the past ten years. At We Grow Media, Blank offers one-on-one marketing consulting to help authors grow their platforms, create meaningful connections with readers, and prepare for big book launches.
Other business advice this week:
- The AI Novel Is Pointless by Peter Derk for LitReactor
- What To Do When An Author’S Podcast Pitch Isn’t Working by Patricia Durgin for The Write Conversation
- Writing For Different Mediums, And Getting Screen Deals by Sabrina Ricci for Digital Pubbing
- A Quick Guide To Barnes And Noble Self Publishing by Jackie Pearce for Self Publishing School
- Video: How Does A Literary Agent Work With The Author? by Jessica Faust and James McGowan for BookEnds Literary Agency
- You Don’t Need A Platform If You Can Find An Audience by Catherine Baab-Muguira for Jane Friedman
- Choosing Your Book’s Trim Size by Sierra Edwards for BookBaby Blog
- Dealing With Emotions While Selling Your Books by Brian Jud for Self Published Author
- Kdp Global Fund Payouts [Updated November 2022] by Clayton Noblit for Written Word Media
- 7 Ways To Market And Publicize Your Forthcoming Book To Create Buzz by Aileen Weintraub for Writer’s Digest
- Querying More Than One Project At A Time by Janet Reid for Janet Reid, Literary Agent
- Podcast: How To Find A Good Editor by Thomas Umstattd Jr. for Author Media
- Video: Increase Book Sales On KDP With This by Dale L. Roberts for Self-Publishing with Dale
- Podcast: Using Generative AI For Digital Collectibles And Nfts With J. Thorn by Joanna Penn for The Creative Penn
- Tips For Effective Follow Up After A Writing Conference by Crystal Bowman for The Write Conversation
- Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Putting All Your Eggs In One Basket by Robert Lee Brewer for Writer’s Digest
- What Is The Value Of Having Social Media Followers? by Dan Blank for WeGrowMedia
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.