diversity

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, May 1-7, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Ah, Tuesday. Monday has been endured/survived and we’re one day closer to the weekend. Fortify yourself for the rest of the week with some informal writerly learnings!

Lauren J. Sharkey is aimlessly acquiring and agent. Then, Adam W. Burgess helps you build your LGBTQ+ summer reading list. Gabriela Pereira interviews Jessi Honard and Marie Parks about using the “loop method” to co-write your novel. Later in the week, Mary Adkins suggests your best writing goal based on your enneagram number. DIY MFA

Five easy ways to get story ideas. Reedsy

Greer Macallister says you can’t do it all. Then, Sarah Penner talks about hiding your villain in plain sight. Donald Maass: it’s simple. It’s complicated. It’s a novel. Keith Cronin offers some tough love from a guy named Francis. Then, Liz Michalski says hello, village. Writer Unboxed

What’s wrong with Calanthe’s armour? Jill Bearup

K.M. Weiland explains the role of the antagonist in story structure (part 1 of 2). Helping Writers Become Authors

Brooke Warner says we all need to be protected against predatory publishing practices. Then, Kristen Tsetsi interviews Alan Davis about the benefits of MFA programs. Anne Carley: not a journal person? Post-pandemic might be the perfect time to start. Jane Friedman

Five things I got (very) wrong about writing craft. Shaelin Writes

September C. Fawkes shows you how to use crisis to reveal character. Writers Helping Writers

Lisa Norman explains what to do if you’ve been hacked! Or have you? Later in the week, Kris Maze explains how to create a powerful synopsis to sell your book. Writers in the Storm

Kristen Lamb discusses the mother wound and fiction.

Why has the majestic griffin been forgotten? Monstrum | PBS Storied

Tiffany Yates Martin explains how Rochelle Weinstein revises: building grassroots success. Fox Print Editorial

Chris Winkle reveals how to make your craft more pretentious. Oren Ashkenazi: no, social justice warriors aren’t reducing diversity in fiction. Mythcreants

The worldview genre: stories about maturation, disillusionment, and revelation. Story Grid

The quarter life crisis is more stressful than ever. The Take

Clara Pasieka: Cree author, David A. Robertson questions why Durham District School Board removed his book from shelves. CBC

How libraries became a quiet battlefront in the war on Ukraine. CBC

Ukraine’s national poet. JSTOR Daily

Thanks for taking the time to visit. I hope you took away something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, April 10-16, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Get ready for the weekend with these articles sure to make your mental corn pop.

Omar Jimenez, Elizabeth Joseph, Steve Almasy, and Tiffany Anthony: videos show the fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya after struggle during a traffic stop. CNN

Camile Busette wants to overcome racism to advance economic opportunity. Brookings

Maud Newton says that digging into her family’s racist history turned up problems America is still wrestling with. Time

Anti-trans bills are disgusting. We deserve better. The Amber Ruffin Show

Yuras Karmenau, Adam Schreck, and Cara Anna: Mariupol mayor says siege has killed more than 10,000 civilians. Associated Press

Rachel Treisman reports that a Russian warship was sunk by Ukrainian missiles. NPR

Finland to decide on NATO membership within weeks, says PM Marin. The war in Ukraine has increased tension on the border between Finland and Russia. BBC

Jaclyn Diaz points out how images of Zelenskyy show the physical toll trauma and stress can have on the body. NPR

Vignesh Ramachandran: how the Sikh community’s experiences with hate crimes show why data collection is so important. PBS News Hour

Neda Ulaby: museums turn to immersive tech to preserve the stories of aging Holocaust survivors. NPR

Hannah Gadsby on her autism diagnosis: “I’ve always been plagued by the sense that I was a little out of whack.” The Guardian

Anis Heydari reveals how respecting Ramadan at work means more than asking, “Not even water?” CBC

Dene Moore explains how “ghosting” is haunting the job-hunting process. The Globe and Mail

Hannah Good asked 22 readers what their ideal office would look like. Here’s what they said. Washington Post

Clark Quinn: sensitivities and sensibilities. Learnlets

Harold Jarche: understanding work systems.

The human genome wasn’t completely decoded … until now. SciShow

Stephen Burgen explains why an ancient water system is being brought back to life in Spain. The Guardian

Miranda Whelehan went on TV to explain Just Stop Oil and it became a parody of Don’t Look Up. The Guardian

Women, sex, and the internet. Khadija Mbowe

Lisa Respers France announces that Hallmark to debut romance with lead character who has Down Syndrome. CNN

Kylie Cheung: Millie Bobby Brown calls out “gross” media coverage after her 18th birthday. Jezebel

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I hope you found something the inspire a future creative project.

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Feb 13-19, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s the last tipsday of February! Fuel up on informal writerly learnings for the week.

Roz Morris explains how to write a novel with multiple points of view—seven voices. Nail Your Novel

Raya’s queerbaiting of Southeast Asians – the importance of cultural context to queerness (part 3 of SEA critique of Raya and the Last Dragon). Xiran Jay Zhao

Ann Marie Nieves: PR and marketing questions answered, part VI. Dave King recommends cutting your way to freedom. Then, Barbara Linn Probst shares something that might not actually be true. Porter Anderson: ego, “litflation,” and honor(s). Tom Pope is creating without hope and fear. Writer Unboxed

How do we read? It’s Magic (almost)! Be Smart

K.M. Weiland explains how archetypes and story structure are connected. Helping Writers Become Authors

Joanna Penn interviews C. Ruth Taylor about self-publishing in Jamaica and the Caribbean and the importance of diverse voices. The Creative Penn

On worldbuilding: fallen civilizations. Hello, Future Me

Alexander J. Lewis shares his experience going a year without social media as a freelance writer. Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis explain how to pitch like a Hollywood pro. Jane Friedman

Christina Delay takes the measure of a character. Then, Fred Koehler takes you from concept to query in ten months. Writers Helping Writers

Well, THIS seems familiar … Jill Bearup

Nathan Bransford explains how to crystalize the stakes.

Colice Sanders wants you to answer the call for diversity. Then, Disha Walia lists the seven deadly sins of speculative fiction (and how to fix them). Lori Walker: going from preparing to write to actually writing. Alexis M. Collazo shares five reasons to start a morning writing routine. DIY MFA

Dealing with writer burnout. Reedsy

Lynette M. Burroughs: things I wish I knew before I published (pat 2). Writers in the Storm

Angie Hodapp is zeroing in on comps (part 1). Then, Kristin Nelson wants you to dance with the right partner at the publishing prom. Pub Rants

Possibly controversial. Rules vs. Craft. Shaelin Writes

Oren Ashkenazi: how useful are Jonathan Franzen’s ten rules for novelists? Mythcreants

Cory Doctorow reveals that a bug in early creative commons licences has enables a new breed of superpredator. Medium

Promises as a magic system. Tale Foundry

Anne Delaney discusses words on the way in: a retrospective. JSTOR Daily

Ellen Gutoskey shares 11 things you should know about Audre Lorde. Mental Floss

Thank you for taking the time to stop by, and I hope you took away something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Dec 19-25, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s New Year’s Eve eve! Get your mental corn popping for the last time in 2021.

Joshua Adams: Martin Luther King Jr. did not dream about banning critical race theory. Color Lines

Alexander Quon: Ottawa announces $700K in funding to support Cowessess First Nation’s efforts at former residential school site. CBC

Aliyah Chavez: solstice is a time to reflect and replenish. While solstice was last Tuesday, I think the whole holiday season shares this theme. Indian Country Today

Britt Julious wonders, who are Christmas movies for? On diversity and gender equity in romantic holiday movies. Harper’s Bazaar

Do CIS boys just wanna have fun, too? Gender policing. Khadija Mbowe

Kim Fahner shares her experience with breakthrough covid on Morning North. And here’s the print version. She’s not brave and strong because she shared her story. She shared her story because she’s brave and strong. CBC

Monica Kidd reveals that the fear of losing freedom common thread behind vaccine hesitancy, according to cross-cultural survey. Healthy Debate

Krissy Holmes and Ramraajh Sharvendiran cover barriers to physician recruitment and employment in Newfoundland. CBC

Why do we dream? It’s okay to be smart

Guy Kawasaki interviews Catherine Price: author, speaker, and creator. The Remarkable People podcast

Christin Bohnke: the disappearance of Japan’s third gender. JSTOR Daily

Diana talks to Katie Mack about our expanding universe. Physics Girl

Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the James Webb Space Telescope. Star Talk

Watch the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (Christmas Day!). NASA Space Flight

Thanks for visiting. I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

I should be posting my December update and 2021 year in review post on the weekend.

Until then be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 6-12, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Welcome to another week. You’ve made it past Monday! Reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings.

Janice Hardy points out an easy way to create conflict in your novel. Then, she offers five ways to fix a stalled scene. Fiction University

Shaelin explains how to unstick your draft. Reedsy

Greer Macallister explains what’s new and what’s not about book launches now. Jim Dempsey tackles diversity in publishing. Then, Barbara Linn Probst says, you never know the difference your book could make … Kathryn Craft says, the art of the chapter break is retention and seduction. David Corbett: Sherlock Holmes, Professor Moriarty, and me.  Writer Unboxed

I wrote every day, and this is what I learned. Shaelin Writes

Jami Gold considers whether to avoid or embrace story tropes. Writers Helping Writers

On her own blog, Jami follows up and offers some additional examples: how to make the most of tropes.

The annoying millennial trope, explained. The Take

The sick girl trope, explained. The Take

E.J. Wenstom encourages you to make some author platform New Year’s resolutions. DIY MFA

Colleen M. Story explains how to inspire hope for a new year of writing. Later in the week, Piper Bayard and Jay Holmes answer seven questions for an espionage pro. Writers in the Storm

Jenna Moreci shares her top ten tips for writing your first draft.

Chris Winkle shows you how to choose scenes for your story. Mythcreants

What is a butt tuba and why are there so many of them in medieval illumination? Michelle Brown TED-Ed

Nduta Waweru recounts the rise and fall of Alexandre Dumas, the Black author who ruled European literature in the 1800s. Face 2 Face Africa

Thanks for visiting. I hope you took away something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe, my writerly friends!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Oct 11-17, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Another week, another collection of informal writerly goodness.

Black and Indigenous lives matter. All lives cannot matter until Black and Indigenous lives matter.

Wear your masks. Maintain physical distance when you can’t. Wash your hands. Get your flu shot as soon as you can.

K. Tempest Bradford: World Fantasy, the convention that keeps on failing. The lack of diversity on panels and lack of a properly enforced anti-harassment policy have been ongoing for the better part of a decade and organizers are reluctant to admit there are problems, let alone take action on them.

Princess Weekes breaks down true womanhood and black girlhood in media. Melina Pendulum

Jeanette the Writer: yes, there are different types of English. Later in the week, Jeremy Hance explains how he decided to write a memoir about his hilarious mental illness. Then, Ambre Leffler offers five ways to be kind to your eyes. DIY MFA

K.M. Weiland explores the link between the first and second pinch points. Helping Writers Become Authors

Shaelin shares five fantasy tropes to avoid, be careful with, or embrace. Reedsy

Lori Freeland details the five key elements to layering your scene. Later in the week, Jenny Hansen lists the five fears that spook most writers. Writers in the Storm

Janice Hardy explains the difference between a first page that hooks and a novel that hooks. Fiction University

Jim Dempsey wants you to ground your characters with all five senses. Then, Barbara Linn Probst wonders, what is your story about, anyway? Word, phrase, sentence, equation. Later in the week, Anne Greenwood Brown explains how to communicate without words. Writer Unboxed

Alli Sinclair is asking the right questions with character interviews. Writers Helping Writers

Nancy Stohlman extols the benefits of writing flash fiction. Jane Friedman

Chris Winkle shares lessons from the exposition of Crescent City. Then, Oren Ashkenazi lists six signs your story is about the wrong character. Mythcreants

The setting of a story: what is it and how to write it. Reedsy

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

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe, my writerly friends!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Aug 9-15, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Welcome to another week of informal writerly learnings.

Black lives matter. Indigenous lives matter. All lives cannot matter until all Black and Indigenous lives matter. Truth.

Dr. Tam has stated that we should prepare for a second wave of infection in the fall and that we’ll probably be living with covid until 2022 (at least). And young people have been out partying without health precautions in the hundreds in BC.

Children and youth have been getting sick more often, and now they’ve confirmed that young people are more likely to be asymptomatic carriers. Provincially, there has been additional money given to school boards to improve HVAC systems and hire more teachers, but, you know, too little, too late. How do they expect all this work to be accomplished in two and a half weeks (and less, for some school boards)?

There are times that being right makes you sad.

I hope the following shores you up.

K.M. Weiland demonstrates four ways to write sequel scenes that grip readers. Helping Writers Become Authors

Laura Highcove helps you develop your awareness. Then, Bronwen Fleetwood discusses diversity in kidlit: better isn’t enough. Later in the week, Sara Farmer interviews Silvia Moreno-Garcia. DIY MFA

The deeper meaning of time travel stories, explained. The Take

Randy Susan Meyers says that if you’re terrified about writing your novel, that’s excellent! Then, Barbara Linn Probst wants you to begin at the beginning … or maybe not. Kathryn Craft introduces us to hook and inciting incident, the power couple of “must read now!” David Corbett explores identity, authenticity, relationships, and our characters. Writer Unboxed

Princess Weekes considers what makes good queer representation in 2020. Melina Pendulum

Bi-sexuality stories on screen. The Take

Laurence MacNaughton lists six crucial character relationships. Then, Janice Hardy explains why you shouldn’t edit as you go (for the companion post, why you should, click through). Fiction University

September C. Fawkes shares six tricks to layer on stakes. Later in the week, Chrys Fey answers the question: what is writer’s burnout? Writers Helping Writers

Nathan Bransford offers some tips for non-linear narratives.

Leigh Cheak has some Post-It note tips for plotters and pantsers. Then, Lisa Hall-Wilson answers eight questions about deep point of view. Writers in the Storm

Chris Winkle lists five common problems with metaphors. Then Oren Ashkenazi considers six consequences of poorly thought-out magic systems. Mythcreants

Roger Kruez: what irony is not. The MIT Press Reader

Robert J. Sawyer: we’re all living in a science fiction novel now. The Toronto Star

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you take away something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe.

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 26-Feb 1, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

Welcome February, Imbolc, Groundhog Day, and the return of the light! We’ve made it through the better part of winter. Reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings.

Janice Hardy: things to consider when adding a point of view character. Fiction University

Jenny Hansen shares tips for Word’s track changes features, her favourite editing lifesaver. Kris Maze: when rejection becomes connection. Writers in the Storm

Kim Bullock: the benefits of sensory deprivation for writers. Ann Marie Nieves says, we need more of that. Writer Unboxed

The Take examines the smart girl trope.

Jami Gold helps you build a bridge from story beginning to main conflict. Writers Helping Writers

Over on her own site, Jami Gold wonders what calls for diversity mean for our writing.

Ellen Brock shares her theory of four types of writers (across two spectra). Very intriguing. I’m looking forward to the next videos in the series.

Nathan Bransford shares his plot framework. Then, he explains why protagonists need to be active.

Emily Wenstrom lists her top 2020 social media trends for authors. DIY MFA

Jane Friedman offers her guide to getting the most out of a writing conference.

Juliette Dunn lists six things writers should know about autistic people. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes six overpowered characters and explains how to fix them. Mythcreants

The Lost Words Blessing – The Lost Words. Don’t think this belongs in tipsday? Listen. Just listen. You’ll understand.

Caught up in the details? Stop overthinking and just write. CBC Books

Thank you for visiting. I hope you take away some great supports for your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well!

Tipsday2019

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

K.M. Weiland issues a challenge to write life-changing fiction. Helping Writers Become Authors

Sacha Black helps you embrace diversity by writing the character you’re afraid to write. Then, Lisa Hall-Wilson explains how to scare your readers using deep point of view. Writers Helping Writers

Emily Wenstrom explains how (and why) to market yourself. Savannah Cordova shares five highly effective ways to reboot your creative system. DIY MFA

Macy Thornhill shares six ways to stay productive in a creative slump. The Creative Penn

Chris Winkle offers some thoughts on reconciling your character’s choices with your plot. Then, Oren Ashkenazi considers five more underutilized settings in speculative fiction. Mythcreants

Sabrina Imbler reports that the Merriam-Webster of medieval Irish has just got a major update. Atlas Obscura

Mental Floss presents 30 Harry Potter word origins 🙂

Joolz looks at English idioms and where they come from. ‘Cause language!

And that was tipsday. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you found something useful for your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well, my writerly friends!

Tipsday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, May 26-June 1, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

You’ve survived Monday! Reward yourself with these informal writerly learnings 🙂

K.M. Weiland unpacks four challenges of writing for a modern audience. Helping Writers Become Authors

Julia Munroe Martin shares lessons from a revision. Writer Unboxed

Leslie Marshman: when giving up is not an option. Tiffany Yates Martin waxes on the rarity of one random “yes” and what to do if you never get one. (Hint: keep writing!) Laurie Schnebly wants you to grab ‘em, keep ‘em, bring ‘em back. Writers in the Storm

Jenn Walton is turning daily news into story fodder. Bronwen Fleetwood helps you figure out whether your book is YA or adult. Charlene Jimenez shares five truths about receiving writing critiques. DIY MFA

Janice Hardy five tips to help you move forward when you’re stuck on a scene. Fiction University

Becca Puglisi explains how to introduce otherworldly elements without confusing readers. Then, Oren Ashkenazi says, stories need to stop promoting torture. Mythcreants

Chuck Wendig: on running and writing and how a little becomes a lot. Terribleminds

Jami Gold discusses the importance of balance in our lives.

Mareila Santos introduces us to Beth Phelan, the literary agent behind #DVPit, who brings new voices of colour to the literary world. Ozy

And that was Tipsday.

Until Thursday, be well!

Tipsday2019