It’s the last tipsday of March! Three months of 2022 passed, and … what do I have to show for it? Actually, I have a fair amount. I just have to remind myself that just because my head has been in #revisionhell for the past three months doesn’t mean that I haven’t accomplished anything else (!)
In any case, it’s time to stock up on informal writerly learnings for the last time in March.
Disha Walia wants you to appreciate speculative storytelling elements with these book recommendations. Then, Jeanette the Writer suggests when to stop editing: enough is enough. Gabriela Pereira interviews Brian Leung: writing about difficult subjects with a distinct first-person voice. Later in the week, Jessie Kwak explains how to recapture joy in your writing. Finally, Alexis M. Collazo shares five daily practices to stay happy, healthy, and writing. DIY MFA
Damn, you’re ugly: a Witcher armour review. Jill Bearup
K.M. Weiland poses three questions to make sure you’re not missing out on important scenes. Helping Writers Become Authors
Lisa Norman introduces you to the invisible reader you don’t want to ignore. Then, Lisa Hall-Wilson shares four ways to write the lived experience of trauma. Ellen Buikema is using the sixth sense in writing. Writers in the Storm
Do progressive reboots actually work? Melina Pendulum
Matthew Norman shares what the Beatles taught him about the difficulty of art: a hard day’s work. Then, Erika Liodice lists ten ways to find inspiration in Key West: sunshine and the creative mind. Kelsey Allagood asks, are you an accidental info-dumper? Then, Julia Whelan explains how to write a book without writing a book: what burnout taught her about process. John J. Kelley is rediscovering wonder and wisdom at Planet Word Museum. Writer Unboxed
Know your writing tropes. Reedsy
Tiffany Yates Martin is weaving flashbacks seamlessly into story. Then, Susan DeFreitas shares the secret of successful openings. Jane Friedman
Joanna Penn interviews Nikesh Shukla about Your Story Matters. The Creative Penn
The screwed-up history of English spelling. Otherwords | PBS Storied
Nathan Bransford: writing in times like these (and do click through to Morten Høi Jensen’s Gawker article—it’s excellent).
Inciting incident: how to start a story. Story Grid
A whole dynasty of Bi emperors. Xiran Jay Zhao
Tiffany Yates Martin: what do you do when the worst happens? Again, I recommend clicking through to listen to the podcast Tiffany discusses. Then she tackles the question: how do you write enduring stories? Fox Print Editorial
Kristen Lamb says that SEO is the key to working smarter, not harder.
Becca Puglisi shares nine tension-building elements for character dialogue. Writers Helping Writers
Chris Winkle shares lessons from the empty writing of The Alchemyst. Then, Oren Ashkenazi stages a high fantasy battle royale. Who will win: Name of the Wind, The Fifth Season, or Way of Kings? Mythcreants
Thank you for spending some time with me. I hope you took away something to support your current work in progress.
Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!
Always Looking Up 