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 here).
Productivity, mood management, and battling the demons inside
Attention = Power by Steven Pressfield
Where we put our attention defines who we are and shapes what we will become. Steven Pressfield is the author of The Legend of Bagger Vance and other novels as well as The War of Art and other non-fiction books about creative success. Check out his Amazon author page here. StevenPressfield.com offers weekly articles as well as a free mini-course about the business of writing.
Book Writing Strategies That Don’t Work by Daphne Gray-Grant
This is a list of strategies that don’t work — for SOME writers. If you’re following one of these strategies, and it’s working for you, I recommend ignoring the advice in this post. But if it’s not working, then check out this article for ideas on how to switch things up. Daphne Gray-Grant is a writing coach, author of Your Happy First Draft, and host of The Write Question show on YouTube. Publication Coach offers books, courses, videos, and one-on-one coaching for authors. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter at @pubcoach or subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Motivation Doesn’t Finish Books by Allison Williams
Some writers can finish a book all by themselves, but even more of them have support systems, deadlines, teachers, exercises, instructions and help. Allison Williams has edited and coached writers to publication with many of the best-known outlets in media. She has written for for National Public Radio, CBC-Canada, the New York Times, and many more. Her latest book is Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book. Learn more at her website, I Do Words. For more advice from Jane Friedman writing advice site, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
Video: What I Wish Every Author Knew About Productivity by Becca Syme
Great productivity advice from a coach who’s worked with thousands of authors. For example, some authors write better — and can actually write more — when they write slowly. Becca Syme is a Gallup-certified strengths coach, author coach, and nonfiction author. The QuitCast for Writers is a video podcast where Becca Syme discusses what to keep, what to quit, and what to question, if you are trying to make a go of the author career.
Other motivational advice this week:
- 10 Tenets For Every Writer Who Wants To Quit Their 9-5 Someday by David Villalva for David Villalva
- 5 Tips For Completing Your Nanowrimo Novel Draft by Natalie Kim for National Novel Writing Month
- A Conversation With Alexia Gordon On Making Time To Write In Unconventional Ways by Clay Stafford for Writer’s Digest
- Video: Featured Productivity Tool: Getting Interviewed by Debra Eckerling for Writers On The Move
- Finding Your Writing Balance by Anne Janzer for Anne Janzer
- How To Focus: 4 Exercises & 9 Tips For More Concentration by Johannes Haupt for Posts – The Digital Reader
- Video: How To Juggle Writing And A Full-Time Job by Kristina Adams And Ellie Betts for The Writer’s Mindset
- How To Leave Your Day Job Without Quitting by Amy Impellizzeri for Career Authors
- How To Prepare For Nanowrimo: 7 Way To Make Sure You Crush Your Goals by The Write Life Team for The Write Life
- Imagination, Engage! by LA Bourgeois for DIY MFA
- Making Mistakes: It’s A Mistake Not To Make Them by Pj Parrish for Killzoneblog.com
- Making Your Life Easier As A Writer: 5 Tips by Elizabeth Spann Craig for Elizabeth Spann Craig
- Stop Procrastination From Stopping You by Rochelle Melander And Liesel Teversham for Write Now Coach!
- Three Cheers For Idleness! by Cathy C. Hall for WOW! Women On Writing Blog
- Three Important Things To Consider When You Face Great Disappointment by Beth K. Vogt for The Write Conversation
- What Are You Aiming For? by Linda Lyle for Almost An Author
- Why Writers Should Celebrate Every Writing Milestone by Karen Debonis for Writers In The Storm
- Write What You Know? No, Write What You Love by Penny Haw for Women Writers, Women’s Books
- Writeforce: The Secret To Maintaining The Motivation—And Discipline—To Write by Mason Engel for DIY MFA
- Writing Mentor — Choosing The Right One by Stavros Halvatzis for Stavros Halvatzis
- Writing Strategies by Dale Ivan Smith for Killzoneblog.com
The art and craft of writing
Welcome To The Future, Part 2 by Lisa Norman
In this post, a couple of different AI text generators are used to write short stories. And it’s not all that great — but not half bad, either. Lisa Norman writes as Deleyna Marr and is the owner of Deleyna’s Dynamic Designs, a web development company focused on helping writers, and Heart Ally Books, an indie publishing firm. She teaches for Lawson Writer’s Academy. 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).
Slow Your Roll by Martin Johnson
How to pace your novel, based on examples from the movie Top Gun: Maverick. Martin Johnson is an award-winning Christian screenwriter. For more, visit MartinThomasJonhson.com and follow him on Twitter at @mtjohnson51. Almost an Author offers writing and publishing advice. For more this this, follow them on Twitter at @A3writers, on Facebook at @A3writers and subscribe to their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link).
Casting For Contrast, Part One by Lee Gramling
Aspiring fiction writers often don’t pay enough attention to helping their readers tell one character from another. This is really basic if you want to produce a page turner that requires no unnecessary effort or confusion. Lee Gramling is an author writes Westerns that are set in Florida. Check out his website, LeeGramling.com. The Florida Writers Association is a great resource for writers, with a very active advice blog. Follow the Florida Writers Association via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here), on Facebook at Florida Writers Association and on Twitter at @FloridaWriters1.
When To Kill A Hero Or Not by Chris Winkle
A protagonist death can make the audience rage-quit. Is it worth it? 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.
If You Knew Why I Do It by Margot Kinberg
If the antagonist is a layered character who keeps our attention, it’s easier to understand their crime, and it can make for a more absorbing story. Margot Kinberg is a university professor and mystery novelist. On her website, Crime Writer Margot Kinberg, Kinberg offers writing advice articles and videos about books worth taking a closer look at.
Video: Truly Evil Antagonists by Stavros Halvatzis
How to make your antagonist a truly memorable villain through the technique of triple-dipping him or her into the cauldron of evil. Stavros Halvatzis is a writer and writing teacher. Get Writing is Stavros Halvatzis’s YouTube channel. For more advice like this, check out StavrosHalvatzis.com or follow him via his RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
Podcast: Novel Characters by Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle, and Wes Matlock
If the character is fresh and different from what people have seen before, that’s a huge boon for the story. Creating novel characters is easier said than done though, as figuring out what people have seen before is a tricky business. 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.
Other writing advice this week:
- 25 Ways To (Pumpkin) Spice Up Your Writing by Jessica Strawser for Career Authors
- 3 Principles To Make Your Story Experience As Real-To-Life As Possible by Stefan Emunds for Writers In The Storm
- 3 Steps To Writing A Complex Structure In Your Story by Lucy V Hay for Bang2write
- 3 Tips For Crafting A Character That Can Carry A Series by Mia P. Manansala for Writer’s Digest
- Crafting Snowball Stakes For Your Fiction by Diann Mills for Live Write Thrive
- Fire In The Hole! by John Gilstrap for Killzoneblog.com
- Five Tips For Writing Dynamic Characters by Rita Zoey Chin for DIY MFA
- Focusing On Point Of View In Your Fight Scenes by Carla Hoch for Writer’s Digest
- Haunting Your Character With A Ghost (Or Wound) by September C. Fawkes for MyStoryDoctor
- Video: How To Find Your Story’s Theme And Make Your Book Unputdownable With Maxwell Alexander Drake (Part 1) by Claire Fraise for Write with Claire Fraise
- How To Pull Off A Plot Twist by K. M. Weiland for Helping Writers Become Authors
- Video: How To Structure A Short Story: Template For Advanced Or Beginner Writers by Shaelin Bishop for ShaelinWrites
- Podcast: How To Write Fast And Plot A Novel With Shane Millar by Sacha Black for Sacha Black
- I’ll Feel What She’s Feeling by Susan Defreitas for Writer Unboxed
- Imagination Without Images: Aphantasia And Sff Readers And Writers by Sfwa Communications for The Craft of Writing – SFWA
- Imitation And Emulation: Stealing Style, Structure, And Subject From Other Writers by Sarah Callender for Writer Unboxed
- James Scott Bell’s 10 Commandments For Writers by James Scott Bell for Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris
- Learn To Write Sensational Settings And Immerse Your Readers In The Stories You Create by Peggysue Wells for The Write Conversation
- Mur Lafferty: On Adding A Science Fiction Spin On The Murder Mystery Novel by Robert Lee Brewer for Writer’s Digest
- Novels That Shouldn’t Work But Do Work—And Why Part Ii by Donald Maass for Writer Unboxed
- Story Plotting And Structure: Complete Guide by Jordan Kantey for Now Novel
- The Art And Craft Of Pre-Writing by Christine Wells for Writer’s Digest
- The Importance Of Setting by Mary Gillgannon for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
- Video: The Simplest Way To Outline Your Novel (Pantser-Friendly!) by Abbie Emmons for Abbie Emmons
- The Witcher: 7 Important Lessons In Adaptation by Lucy V Hay for Bang2write
- What Writers Can Learn From Bad Tv Adaptations by Sue Coletta for Killzoneblog.com
- Who Wins: Three Parts Dead, House Of Earth And Blood, Or A Master Of Djinn? by Oren Ashkenazi for Mythcreants
- Why “The Worst That Can Happen” Is Terrible Writing Advice by Janice Hardy for Fiction University
- Write Small For A Bigger Impact by Joe Ponepinto for Jane Friedman
- Writing An Un-Put-Downable Character (Part 9 Of 10): Observables by A.c. Williams for The Write Conversation
The business side of writing
Podcast: Beta Bruises, Unreliable Narrators, And Changing Covers by Bryan Cohen And H. Claire Taylor
Why your book isn’t for everyone, and that’s a good thing, why beta readers can hurt, but also help at the same time, and more. 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: How To Boost Your Book Sales With Clayton Noblit by Mark Dawson And James Blatch
All the different services and features Written Word Media offers to authors, including promotions for both free books and bargain books, and a new membership program for authors who do a lot of marketing. 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:
- Tracking Your Author Finances by Jessica Faust for BookEnds Literary Agency
- Different Traditional Publishing Experiences With Georgina Cross by Joanna Penn for The Creative Penn
- How To Get Into The Book Marketing Mindset by Kobowritinglife for Kobo Writing Life
- Crafting A Sell Sheet: A Quick, Easy Guide by Arielle Haughee for Florida Writers Association Blog
- Advice From Industry Experts On Street Teams by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell for The Write Conversation
- Overcoming The Book Promotion Scaries by E.j. Wenstrom for DIY MFA
- Video: How To Sell Your Audiobook On Spotify by Julie Broad for Book Launchers
- Podcast: The Pros And Cons Of Traditional Publishing by Savannah Gilbo for Fiction Writing Tips
- How Much Is Your Novel Worth? by Philip Athans for Fantasy Author’s Handbook
- When Should Writers Stand Their Ground Versus Defer To An Editor? by Allison Williams for Jane Friedman
- 7 Tried And True Ways To Light A Fire Under Stalled Book Marketing by Sandra Beckwith for Build Book Buzz
- Great Freebie Ideas To Add Value To Your Author Newsletter by Lynn H. Blackburn for The Write Conversation
- 7 Outlets To Consider For Your Journalism by Alison Hill for Writer’s Digest
- What Are Submission Guidelines In Writing? by Robert Lee Brewer for Writer’s Digest
- Video: Sales Skills That Will Help You Sell More Books With C. Lee Smith by Chandler Bolt for Self Publishing School
- How To Use Your Reviews And Excerpts In Your Media Kit by Carolyn Howard-Johnson for Writers On The Move
- Podcast: How To Supercharge Ebook Sales by Thomas Umstattd Jr. for Author Media
- Oh, The Places You’ll Go (Without An Agent) by C Hope Clark for FundsforWriters
- Podcast: Thoughts On Writing And Creative Business. Interview With Joanna Penn by Michelle Monkou, Julia Canchola, And Gabby Samuels for The Creative Penn
- Reissuing Your Books: Helpful Tips by Jill Hannah Anderson for Women Writers, Women’s Books
- Podcast: How To Fix What’s Broken: Things You Can Do To Fix Lagging Book Sales by Penny Sansevieri for Author Marketing Experts, Inc.
- How To Include Images In Your Book Without Getting In Trouble by Elizabeth Javor for Self Publishing Advisor
- Video: What Does “Just Be Authentic” On Social Media Mean? by Dan Blank for WeGrowMedia
- The Quadruple-Threat Writer by James Scott Bell for Killzoneblog.com
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.