Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 12-18, 2020

January 21, 2020January 19, 2020 / Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

Welcome to tipsday, the place to load up on informal writerly learnings.

Barbara Linn Probst wants a place to write. Kris Maze gives you three reasons to consider readability before you publish. Writers in the Storm

Janice Hardy touts the freedom of writing without chapters. Diana Gabaldon does this too … think Imma try this some time. Then, she shares a simple trick to keep readers turning pages. Fiction University

It was question week on WU! Sophie Masson wonders, what do you save? Then, Jim Dempsey asks, do you really want to be a writer? Natalie Hart: what do people get wrong about you? Jeanne Cavelos extolls the compelling, emotional, complex sentence. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland offers three life-changing rules for finding more writing inspiration this year. Helping Writers Become Authors

Sacha Black shares six steps to setting yourself up financially as a writer in 2020. Writers Helping Writers

Sara Letourneau assigns additional reading on the theme of man and the natural world. Pamela Taylor is celebrating the solstice (a little late, but hey, SOLSTICE). DIY MFA

The Take unpacks the tough woman trope.

Then, Shaelin looks at the manic pixie dream girl trope (which, it turns out, is not a trope at all). Reedsy

Chris Winkle outlines six important differences between filmed and narrated stories. Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five stories where the heroes lack agency. Mythcreants

Robert Lee Brewer considers when to use a while and when to use awhile. Writer’s Digest

Thank you for taking the time to visit and I hope you found it worthwhile 🙂

Until Thursday, be well!

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 5-11, 2020

January 14, 2020January 12, 2020 / Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

It’s a lovely, sunny Sunday after 20 cm of snow. Please enjoy these informal writerly learnings!

Janice Hardy shares three things to remember when revising from a critique. Later in the week, Janice help you craft hook lines that draw readers in. Fiction University

Christopher Hoffmann: what your dialogue tags say about you. Then, Sangeeta Mehta interviews Jim McCarthy and Paula Munier about what it means to be a full-time author. Finally, Jane herself lists five common story openings you want to avoid—if you can help it. Jane Friedman

Tamar Sloan offers a writer’s roadmap to capturing an unhappy relationship. Writers Helping Writers

Jenna Moreci lists her favourite family tropes.

Nancy Johnson finds a new year brings fresh author envy. “But anticipatory angst is real, if a bit irrational, and I sometimes envy authors who make lists I’m not even eligible for, wondering if my own trajectory will be on par with theirs.” Juliet Marillier wants to be a light in the darkness. What will you use your writerly superpowers for this year? Kathryn Craft is bridging temporal story gaps. David Corbett: wherein we resume our discussion of evil. Writer Unboxed

Jenn Walton hopes you’ll use personality tests to enhance character development. Heather Viera shares five tips for creating a relaxing workspace. DIY MFA

Julie Glover: will your character fight, flee, or freeze? Writers in the Storm

Chris Winkle lists five masquerade explanations and why they’re bad. Then, Oren Ashkenazi points out six military blunders in speculative fiction. Mythcreants

Chuck Wendig blogs at clouds (to make a point about blogging). Terribleminds

Robert Lee Brewer distinguishes between heroes and heros. Writer’s Digest

Hélène Schumacher: is this the most powerful word in the English language? BBC

Georgie Hoole introduces us to Cecil Court: the secret alley full of curious old bookshops. Secret London

Thanks for your time and attention. I hope you came away with something you need for your current work in progress.

Until next time, be well, my writerly friends 🙂

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 29, 2019-Jan 4, 2020

January 7, 2020January 5, 2020 / Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

It’s the first tipsday of 2020! Get yourself some informal writerly learnings here 🙂

Kris Maze offers some New Year’s reflections on wellness and this writer’s life. Eldred Bird says, let your characters tell the story. Writers in the Storm

Ten qualities an agent wants to see in a writer. Bookends Agency

Bess Cozby suggests five writing resolutions beyond “write every day.” Tammy Lough helps you ramp up your dialogue with help from Isaac Newton. Samantha Hanni shares five ways to aid your editor. DIY MFA

Donald Maass revisits the un-con a second time: emotional tipping points. Barbara Linn Probst shares a 2020 vision. Julianna Baggott wants you to set aside the planning and the pantsing and consider a land of your own invention. Writer Unboxed

Jenna Moreci lists ten things you should do before you write your novel. My favourite bit: Writing a book is hard. Books don’t just fall out of your mind vagina. 😀

Chuck Wendig says that in 2020 you should write with a knife to your back and the cliff’s edge at your feet. Terribleminds

Chris Winkle explains how The Rise of Skywalker finally made Kylo Ren worth redeeming. Mythcreants

Thank you for visiting and I hope you found something to fuel your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well!

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 22-28, 2019

December 31, 2019December 29, 2019 / Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

The time from Solstice through New Year’s Eve is generally slow for informal writerly learnings. Everyone is (and rightly so) spending time with friends and family, celebrating. Thus, this week will be video heavy, but it’s all writerly goodness 🙂

happy-new-year-2020

Also, happy New Year and new decade, everyone! May it bring us hope and peace and all good things.

Tasha Seegmiller: reflecting and goal-setting for writers. Writers in the Storm

Joanna Penn and Orna Ross reflect on a decade of self-publishing. The Creative Penn

Helen J. Darling offers six tips on working with an editor (post-NaNoWriMo). DIY MFA

Shaelin talks about writing a great first line. Reedsy

Gabe explains how to write backstory. Bookishpixie

And here’s Tim Hickson’s take on flashbacks and backstory. Hello, Future Me

Chris Winkle wants you to tame your exposition. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explains how to tell a story within a story. Mythcreants

Thanks for visiting and I hope something in this mix has given you what you need to progress in your current work in progress.

Until next time, be well!

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 15-21, 2019

December 24, 2019December 22, 2019 / Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

It’s Christmas Eve! Time to unwrap your package of informal writerly learnings.

Erika Liodice suggests a new approach for the New Year: un-resolutions. Vaughn Roycroft: the hygge writer. Dave King goes in search of the story beyond the story. Writer Unboxed

Barbara Linn Probst suggests some visual-spatial tools for mapping—and enhancing—you story. John Peragine: the most difficult conversation for writers. Laura Drake recommends using comparison for power. Writers in the Storm

Is it possible to write an original story? Reedsy

K.M. Weiland shows you how to explore theme through your secondary characters: six important questions to ask. Helping Writers Become Authors

Lucy V. Hay shows you three steps to writing diverse characters. Angela Ackerman wants you to build a roadmap to the author future you want. Writers Helping Writers

Jenna Moreci goes over the pros and cons of past and present tense.

Jeanette the Writer answers an editorial question: how do I use italics? Manuela Williams shares five ways to build your author brand when you’re super busy. DIY MFA

Jami Gold explains how to write a strong resolution.

Chris Winkle: agency is what that sexy lamp is missing. Then Oren Ashkenazi suggests eight holiday presents for the fictional character in your life. Mythcreants

Robert Lee Brewer: should you use e-mail or email? Writer’s Digest

Neil Gaiman on the Tim Ferris show.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you take away something you need for your current work in progress.

Until next time, be well, my writerly friends … and to all, a good night!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 8-14, 2019

December 17, 2019December 15, 2019 / Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Here are some informal writerly learnings to peruse while you’re preparing for, or celebrating, the holidays.

Lori Freeland says that show, don’t tell, are the three most misunderstood words in a writer’s vocabulary. Then, Colleen M. Story shared seven ways writers can overcome holiday anxiety. Julie Glover is saying no to get to a more important yes. Writers in the Storm

Shaelin shares five of her favourite tropes. Reedsy

Rheea Mukherjee makes notes on writer dreams, gratitude, and the anxiety of authenticity. Jim Dempsey wants you to manipulate your reader’s point of view. Sarah Callender asks, is imitating the greats helpful or harmful? Kathryn Craft is manipulating story time for maximum effect. David Corbett shares a lesson in forgiveness from The Crown. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland critiques: ten ways to write a better first chapter using specific word choices. Helping Writers Become Authors

Roz Morris shares five post-NaNoWriMo ways to use the holidays to keep your new writing habits … without revising too early. Nail Your Novel

Abigail K. Perry digs into James Scott Bell’s signpost scene 13: the final battle. Brenda Joyce Patterson takes a deep dive into the essay. Then, Constance Emmett shares five tips for post-publication survival and success. DIY MFA

Robert Lee Brewer points out the difference between lets and let’s. Writer’s Digest

Nathan Bransford offer the eight essential elements of a story.

Chris Winkle shares five ways to make multiple points of view more engaging. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explains why some dark topics are more sensitive than others. Mythcreants

Tim makes some excellent points about writing power escalation. Hello, Future Me

Heidi Fiedler stops by The Creative Penn: five ways to quiet your inner editor.

Jami Gold asks, what’s your core story?

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you’re leaving with some great resources for your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well!

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 1-7, 2019

December 10, 2019December 8, 2019 / Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Aaaaand … I’m back with some lovely informal writerly learnings for you 😉

Jael McHenry: writing, verbs, and time. Ray Rhamey extols the fun of pantsing. Donald Maass: un-con redux—operation phoenix. Susan Spann cries, curses—foiled again! Cathy Yardley wants you to play to win. Writer Unboxed

Jenna Moreci digs deep to list her top ten dystopian tropes.

Robert Lee Brewer clears up the confusion around lose, loose, and loosen. Writer’s Digest

Emily Wenstrom offers five tips to set (and keep) an author platforming resolution. And here’s my latest Speculations: five awesome ways NASA’s all-woman spacewalk inspires us. DIY MFA

James Scott Bell answers the question, is it necessary to write EVERY day? Then, Angela Ackerman is mastering show, don’t tell. Writers Helping Writers

Writing anti-heroes with Reedsy.

Spencer Ellsworth says, outlines are for revision (say what?)—a different approach for your process. Fiction University

Ellen Brock shares a simple strategy for novel editing.

Chris Winkle shares lessons from the disingenuous writing of Maximum Ride. Then, Oren Ashkenazi considers what makes an antagonistic group problematic. Mythcreants

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you found something you need to fuel your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well, my friends.

It’s good to be back.

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Oct 20-26, 2019

October 29, 2019October 27, 2019 / Melanie Marttila

Counting down to Hallowe’en, NaNoWriMo, and Wordstock Sudbury! Be prepared with this excellent selection of informal writerly learnings 🙂

Jan O’Hara helps you avoid a writing cat-astrophe. Sarah McCoy: confession of a lapsed reader. Heather Webb is writing boldly, without fear. Writer Unboxed

Meg LaTorre catalogues filter words you should remove from your manuscript. iWriterly

Becca Puglisi shows you how to use secondary characters to sway the reader. Eldred Bird explains how to create a multi-use logline. Then, Margie Lawson shows you how to make hugs carry power. Writers in the Storm

K.M. Weiland offers a writer’s guide to understanding people. Helping Writers Become Authors

Bonnie Randall: scaredy-pants! Four breeches—er, breaches—that elicit fear in your characters. Then, Janice Hardy shares two tips that make plotting your novel way easier. Fiction University

Jeanette the Writer shares six things editors want writers to know. Gabriela Pereira interviews Nicole Valentine about pacing, world building, and time travel. Savannah Cordova shares five tips for writing nail-biting suspense. Then, Rayne Lacko offers five ways to write what you want to understand. DIY MFA

Chuck Wendig wants you to find the balance of self-care and tough love. Terribleminds

Chris Winkle: Carnival Row shows us the damage a reveal can do. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five slow story openings and explains how to avoid them. Mythcreants

Jenna Moreci shares ten tips for creating magic systems.

Christina Bacchilega: how mermaid stories illustrate complex truths about being human. Literary Hub

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you found something useful for the busy writing months ahead.

Until next time, be well!

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Oct 13-19, 2019

October 22, 2019October 21, 2019 / Melanie Marttila

Another week, another batch of informal writerly learnings. Enjoy!

K.M. Weiland: this is how to transform infodumps into exciting plot reveals. Helping Writers Become Authors

Roz Morris considers what your readers will never notice (and what they will) … a brief point about reader belief and story logic. Nail Your Novel

Dave King talks gatekeepers. Kathleen McCleary: the books that get people talking. Tiffany Yates Martin explains how to train your editor brain. Writer Unboxed

Shaelin Bishop shares seven of her favourite writing tools.

Ethan Ellenberg gives authors the big picture on intellectual property. Jane Friedman

Angela Ackerman lays out the free and paid story feedback options for authors. Later in the week, Savannah Cordova from Reedsy visits: what can the best metaphors in literature teach us about writing? Writers Helping Writers

Abigail K. Perry looks at James Scott Bell’s signpost scene 12: the Q factor. Brenda Joyce Patterson takes a deep dive into novellas and novelettes. DIY MFA

Julie Glover give us more on plotting, pantsing, and personality type. Writers in the Storm

Jami Gold warns you to watch for redundancy in your story.

Jane Friedman reports on current trends in traditional book publishing.

Chris Winkle shares 18 ways for protagonists to contribute. Mythcreants

The complex problems with mental illness in fiction. *Please be aware that this video essay discusses suicide, self-harm, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other mental health issues. While it’s very well done (in my opinion), the video offers no solutions. If you prefer not to watch, do not click through on this one.* Hello Future Me

Nina Munteanu considers science fiction on water justice and climate change.

Thanks for visiting! I hope you found something to help you progress with your work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well, my writerly friends!

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Oct 6-12, 2019

October 15, 2019October 13, 2019 / Melanie Marttila

This week’s curation of informal writerly learnings for your consideration.

Julie Glover talks plotting, pantsing, and personality type. [Hehe! I was one of the 87 people on FB who responded to Julie’s question 🙂 ] Lisa Hall-Wilson shares four pro tips for writing the emotional journey in deep POV. [I’m participating in Lisa’s five day deep POV challenge!] Writers in the Storm

Jael McHenry considers the novelist’s necessary evils. Jim Dempsey says, writing is a labyrinth of choices. Sarah Callender forgets to remember that writing can be uncomfortable. Kathryn Craft lists 12 signs that you’re afraid of your work in progress. Writer Unboxed

Janice Hardy explains how to ground (and hook) your reader in your opening scene. Then, Janice shares lessons learned from a decade in publishing. Fiction University

Meg La Torre visits Jenna Moreci and explains everything you ever wanted to know about literary agents.