Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 7-13, 2021

March 16, 2021March 14, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

We’re half-way through March and heading for the vernal equinox. Reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings.

K.M. Weiland continues her archetypal character arcs series with part five: the king arc. Helping Writers Become Authors

Janice Hardy shows you five places to find your novel’s theme. Then, Janice lists four steps for choosing what details to describe in a scene. Later in the week, Angela Ackerman recommends you do this one thing to write unforgettable characters. Fiction University

Princess Weekes: Lovecraft Country … was just not that good. Melina Pendulum

Lisa Cron returns: still crazy after all these years. Then, Jim Dempsey lists five reasons you need a professional editor. Juliet Marillier celebrates wild women. The Cailleach and Baba Yaga, two of my personal favourites! Later in the week, Kathryn Craft explains how authenticity builds a satisfying author career. Then, David Corbett looks at two approaches to dramatizing character change: Emma vs. Hamlet. Writer Unboxed

Shaelin explains how to convey emotion in your writing. Shaelin Writes

Jane Friedman considers which is better for authors, blogging, or an email newsletter. Then, Lisa Cooper Ellison shares three traps that subvert our ability to receive feedback. Jane Friedman

C.S. Lakin explains how to face down writer fear. Live, Write, Thrive

The ice queen trope, explained. The Take

Kris Maze offers five dialogue quick tips for page-turning fiction. Later in the week, Piper Bayard and Jay Holmes list ten common bedroom object to use as weapons. In a pinch. Writers in the Storm

Jami Gold discusses setting as character. Later in the week, David Duhr wonders, do you focus on the doing or the having? Writing process vs. product. Writers Helping Writers

In defense of basic. What does it meme? The Take

Laura Highcove wonders, why does it feel like you can’t write after a writer’s conference? Then, Manuela Williams explains how to nurture your reader community. Later in the week, Elly Griffiths advises you to follow the feet. Then, Angyne Smith shares five things that saved her novel from oblivion. DIY MFA

Jenna Moreci shares her structuring method.

Lucy V. Hay offers a comprehensive guide of ALL. THE. STORY. STRUCTURES. Informative and somewhat overwhelming. Bang 2 Write

Chris Winkle explains why you should watch out for hindrance characters. Then, Oren Ashkenazi points out five problems with focusing on internal conflicts. Mythcreants

Kristen Lamb extols the art of embracing the suck: commitment matters.

Julian Lucas shows how Octavia Butler reimagines sex and survival. The New Yorker

Stephanie Burt: we live in the world of WandaVision. The New Yorker

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

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Feb 28-March 6, 2021

March 9, 2021March 7, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Time to indulge in some informal writerly learnings.

K.M. Weiland continues her archetypal character arcs series with part four: the queen arc. Helping Writers Become Authors

Sharon Oard Warner advises you to find the ending before you return to the beginning. Jane Friedman

Yuvi Zalkow encourages you to expose your mess. Sarah Penner considers women’s empowerment in fiction from a bookseller’s perspective. Later in the week, Liza Nash Taylor declares, there will be worms. Writer Unboxed

Jill Bearup considers boob armor: four things you need to know.

James Scott Bell wants you to turn envy into energy. Later in the week, Becca Puglisi shares eleven techniques for transforming clichéd phrasings. Writers Helping Writers

Jeanette the Writer lists eight essential edits for your novel. Later in the week, Emily R. King wants you to find your voice. Then, Ann McCallum Staats shares five hands-on research techniques for spot-on writing. DIY MFA

Shaelin looks at Deus Ex Machina: what it is, why it happens, and how to fix it. Reedsy

Janice Hardy points out six places infodumps like to hide in your novel. Fiction University

Then, Shaelin explains how to write a cliff-hanger that keeps readers turning pages. Reedsy

Janice Hardy asks, does you novel have a problem? (It should.) Writers in the Storm

Chris Winkle: Space Sweepers shows us what excellent messaging is. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five common story fragmentations and how to consolidate them. Mythcreants

Emily Zarka examines the Taotie: the mystery of Chinese mythology’s famous glutton. Monstrum | PBS Storied

Nina Munteanu: the semicolon is dead; long live the semicolon.

Harry Potter isn’t a good guy. The Take

Cassandra Drudi encourages you to listen to Waubgeshig Rice and Jennifer David’s new podcast, Storykeepers, an audio book club on Indigenous literature. Quill & Quire

Kyle Muzyka interviews Richard Van Camp on storytelling and its power to combat loneliness. CBC’s Unreserved

John Dickerson interviews Colson Whitehead, the only fiction writer to win Pulitzer Prizes for consecutive works. 60 Minutes

Guy Kawasaki interviews Luvvie Ajayi Jones for the Remarkable People Podcast.

Gabriel Weisz Carrington explains how his mother, Leonora Carrington, used tarot to reach self-enlightenment. Literary Hub

Thank you for visiting, and 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, Feb 21-27, 2021

March 2, 2021February 28, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

Welcome to March! You’ve made it through Monday. Reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings 🙂

K.M. Weiland presents part three of her archetypal character arcs series: the hero arc. Helping Writers Become Authors

Writing Fat Characters – a conversation with Marianne Kirby | Writing the Other

Tiffany Yates Martin explains the difference between criticism and critique. Then, Tasha Seegmiller asks, are you a whole-hearted writer? Later in the week, Laurie Schnebly Campbell explains why character motivation matters. Writers in the Storm

Tim Hickson talks elemental magic systems. Hello, Future Me

Susan DeFreitas shares four key tactics for addressing backstory and exposition. Jane Friedman

Abigail K. Perry points out some must-knows about picking comparable titles. Then, Sara Farmer recounts crime authors caught up in real crimes, cozy to cold-blooded. Later in the week, Constance Sayers shares four historical fiction writing hacks. Then, Briana Cole offers five tips to get your story written fast. DIY MFA

Shaelin breaks down the Save the Cat plot structure. Reedsy

Janice Hardy offers some tips to understand and control your novel’s pacing. Then, Orly Konig shares some revision tips for pantsers: three steps to a full rewrite. Fiction University

Kasey LeBlanc is learning to say no thanks: standing up for your creative vision. Heather Webb declares that hope springs eternal: hang on, writers. We’re almost there. Then, Julianna Baggott shares the results of a survey on process: that thing you do. Later in the week, Julie Duffy wants you to focus on short fiction. Writer Unboxed

Literary Icons You NEED to Know from the Harlem Renaissance (feat. Princess Weekes). It’s Lit | PBS Storied

Kristen Lamb: tough choices are the professional writer’s daily grind.

Chris Winkle set out to praise “The Eye of Argon” and all she got were these lousy writing lessons (and a t-shirt?). Then, Oren Ashkenazi looks at ten justifications for oppressed mages and why they fail. Mythcreants

Bridgerton is a fan fiction about today. The Take

The Jewish American Princess – beyond the stereotype. The Take

Trey Mangum reports that Ta-Nehisi Coates will write the next Superman film for DC and Warner Bros. Shadow and Cut

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

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 31-Feb 6, 2021

February 9, 2021February 7, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

You’ve made it through Monday. Wednesday/humpday is just around the corner. Fortify yourselves with some informal writerly learnings.

Lauren J. Sharkey shares her experience with the negative balance of writing. And here’s my latest Speculations: The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger. DIY MFA

The fabulous and flirty fight of The Mask of Zorro. Jill Bearup

Greer Macallister bemoans all the things she doesn’t know (about publishing). Sophie Masson explains how to celebrate new releases. Donald Maass wants you to consider hopes and fears in fiction. Later in the week, Rheea Mukherjee is writing real. Writer Unboxed

Race-baiting, queer-baiting, colorism, featurism, and performative diversity in Bridgerton. | Khadija Mbowe

K.M. Weiland offers an introduction to archetypal stories. Helping Writers Become Authors

J.D. Lasica: do stories have a universal shape? Jane Friedman

Emily Zarka introduces us to the werehyena, the terrifying shapeshifters of African Lore. Monstrum | PBS Storied

September C. Fawkes lists the eight points of progress. Then, Becca Puglisi provides an author’s guide to redeeming villains. Writers Helping Writers

The Take explains why we root for Gone Girl’s Amy Dunne.

Janice Hardy shares three steps to grounding your reader in your story world. Later in the week, Janice explains how the opening scene works in a novel. Fiction University

The hipster trope, explained. The Take

Kris Maze helps you sort fact from fiction: “flow” improves the writing life. Writers in the Storm

The magic of childhood in My Neighbour Totoro. Tale Foundry

Chris Winkle explains how to get readers to feel those emotional twists. Then, Kellie Doherty lists six ways to make fantasy travel more interesting. Mythcreants

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you found something to help with your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 24-30, 2021

February 2, 2021January 31, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

Welcome to February! Winter is progressing, the light is returning, and we’re beginning to see signs that the lockdown is once again flattening the curve. Yes, there have been problems with the vaccines, but we will see a resolution, sooner rather than later.

You’ve been so good, wearing your mask, maintaining physical distance, washing your hands. Keep it up! This is the way we beat covid-19. Reward yourself for all your good work with some informal writerly learnings 🙂

Barbara Linn Probst takes a closer look at writer time and reader time. Elizabeth Huergo offers some readings for writers: John le Carré and George Orwell. KL Burd: the soul of art. Later in the week, Heather Webb is writing through the pain. Then, Julie Carrick Dalton says, I choose joy, dammit! Kristin Owens says, you asked for it: when it’s time for critique. Writer Unboxed

Why are we so obsessed with characters being redeemed? Melina Pendulum

Janice Hardy wants you to stop being nice to your characters. Fiction University

Tiffany Yates Martin helps you understand third-person point of view: omniscient, limited, and deep. Then, Susan DeFreitas explains the one thing your novel absolutely must do. Jane Friedman

Shaelin shares 8 simple ways to make your writing better | Reedsy

Then, she explains how to write a closer (or more distant!) point of view | Reedsy

K.M. Weiland: story theory and the quest for meaning. Helping Writers Become Authors

Lisa Hall-Wilson shares four ways to write deeper with personification. Kris Maze advises that if your writing’s in a slump, get into the flow! Writers in the Storm

Why The Hunger Games’ Katniss represents all teen girls. The Take

The bombshell trope, explained. The Take

Christina Delay is creating from the familiar. Writers Helping Writers

Gabriela Pereira interviews Julie Carrick Dalton about multiple timelines, climate fiction, and a childhood code of honor. Then, Sara Farmer interviews Sherry Thomas. DIY MFA

Chris Winkle recommends nine jerkass traits that aren’t toxic or abusive. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five emotional arcs that fell flat. Mythcreants

Vigilantes, retribution, and the pursuit of meaningful justice | Like Stories of Old

John Tattrie introduces us to the extraordinary inner world of Charles R. Saunders, father of Black “sword and soul.” CBC

Michael Martin interviewed Cicely Tyson about her new book, Just as I am, prior to her death. NPR

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

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 17-23, 2021

January 26, 2021January 24, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

I’ve gathered lots of informal writerly learnings, this week. Stock up and enjoy!

Janice Hardy provides a lifeline for when writing is no longer fun. Then, Rochelle Melander wants you to dump old myths and discover a new solution to procrastination. Later in the week, Janice is back with five steps to your next novel idea. Fiction University

Jill Bearup investigates the feasibility of fighting in a corset.

Jan O’Hara shares some writing self-care for when the world is afire. Then, Dave King wants you to focus! Therese Walsh describes Jan 20, 2021 as a semi-colon moment. Liz Michalski helps you root down and rise up. Writer Unboxed

Shaelin helps you structure a novel with Freytag’s Pyramid. Reedsy

And then, she covers the Fichtean Curve. Reedsy

Angela Ackerman: authors aren’t your competition. Then, Barbara Linn Probst considers ways of seeing, ways of writing. Writers in the Storm

K.M. Weila presents the three character arcs of the Karpman Drama Triangle. Helping Writers Become Authors

On her own channel, Shaelin Bishop offers 15 tips for writing better short stories. Shaelin Writes

Allison K. Williams explains how to restart your unfinished book. Jane Friedman

Elizabeth Spann Craig is returning to writing after a break.

Savitri and Satyavan: The legend of the princess who outwitted Death – Iseult Gillespie TED-Ed

Lisa Hall-Wilson shares seven ways deep POV creates emotional connections with readers. Writers Helping Writers

Jenn Walton helps your boost your creativity. Anita Ramirez suggests five ways to keep writing through a crisis. DIY MFA

The southern woman trope, explained. The Take

And … gaslighting: what does it meme? The Take

Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five useless powers in popular stories. Mythcreants

David Silverberg: at Bakka-Phoenix, the beloved science fiction and fantasy bookstore, you can let your geek flag fly. The Toronto Star

Matt Galloway interviews Nalo Hopkinson on the ‘joyful’ responsibility of being a leading Black voice in sci-fi writing. CBC’s The Current

Jeffrey Brown and Anne Azzi Davenport: poet tapped for inauguration to spread message of unity. PBS News Hour

And … Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem.

Thanks 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!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 10-16, 2021

January 19, 2021January 17, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

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

Janice Hardy wonders, is your plot going somewhere readers will follow? Then, Janice offers some guides for using internal conflict that make sense. Fiction University

Brené Brown: Why Your Critics aren’t the Ones Who Count. 99u

Sandra Wendel explains the differences between line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. Jane Friedman

Christina Kaye shows you how to start, build, and grow your email list. Helping Writers Become Authors

Shaelin Bishop demonstrates line editing. Shaelin Writes

Ellen Buikema promotes the value of writing young adult literature. Writers in the Storm

Megan Taylor Morrison shares eight growing pains she had while learning to edit equitably. Elizabeth Spann Craig

Emily Zarka considers the Baba Yaga: the ancient origins of the famous witch. Monstrum | PBS Storied

Jim Dempsey explains what to expect from an editor. Juliet Marillier is writing in wild times. Then, Kathryn Craft presents seven sneaky ways to spotlight story wisdom. Writer Unboxed

Alli Sinclair helps you write better dialogue. Writers Helping Writers

The Simp trope, explained. The Take

Chris Winkle addresses feminists and romance fans: let’s fight our common enemy. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explains how Legendborn created an enthralling love triangle. Mythcreants

The Gold Digger trope, explained. The Take

Judith Herman: eleven words that don’t mean what you think they mean. Mental Floss

Thank you for stopping by, and 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, Dec 13-19, 2020

December 22, 2020December 20, 2020 / Melanie Marttila

Ah! The penultimate tipsday of the year! Time to get your informal writerly learnings 🙂

John J. Kelley helps you stage the scene. Yuvi Zalkow is embracing the I-don’t-know-ness. Porter Anderson hopes you work wonders in 2021. Writer Unboxed

Janice Hardy shares three steps to crafting a stronger first draft. Fiction University

Jenna Moreci shares her top ten tips for writing fantasy.

Lori Freeland lists five things every writer needs to thrive. Then, Barbara Linn Probst considers scene coherence from the reader’s perspective. Writers in the Storm

My name is Inigo Montoya: Princess Bride fight analysis. Jill Bearup

Lucy V. Hay shares ten steps to revise your NaNo novel. Writers Helping Writers

Nathan Bransford explains what to expect when you work with a freelance editor.

The strong female character trope, explained. The Take

Abigail K. Perry demonstrates the importance of internal and external value shifts in characters. Later in the week, Amy Ayers offers five ways to talk about writing with nonwriters. DIY MFA

The funny fat girl trope, explained. The Take

Ken Brosky explains how to effectively manage multiple narrators in your novel. Then, Louise Tondeur asks, is your writer’s block really writer’s indecision? Jane Friedman

Chris Winkle does a narration makeover to create tension. Oren Ashkenazi: what The Black Company teaches us about dark stories. Mythcreants

Emily Zarka considers the Nuckelavee, Scotland’s skinless, evil monstrosity. Monstrum |PBS Storied

Mildred Europa Taylor: Cynthia Erivo to star in and produce film about enslaved Yoruba girl who became a gift to the queen of England. Face 2 Face Africa

Stephanie Cram: Darcie Little Badger’s YA debut Elatsoe landed on Time’s list of the best fantasy novels of all time. CBC’s “Unreserved”

A Poem for All The ‘Old Hags’ // Sarah MacGillivray

Tom Grater reports that Charlie Mackesy, author of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse, teams up with Bad Robot to produce animated short. Deadline

Thanks for dropping by, and 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, Dec 1-5, 2020

December 8, 2020December 6, 2020 / Melanie Marttila

Welcome to the first post-NaNo tipsday of 2020! Because I don’t watch YouTube during November, I have a lot of videos to catch up on. Expect a fair number of videos in the next two or three weeks 🙂

Black and Indigenous lives matter.

Wear your masks, maintain physical distance, wash your hands, and get your flu shot as soon as they’re available. I say this last because our local pharmacies ran out of flu vaccine almost as soon as they were stocked. We’re hoping to make our appointments, soonish, now that we’ve heard they have more in.

Leanne Sowul dubs 2020 the year of reflection. Then, Gabriela Pereira interviews Veena Rao: the unexpected female protagonist. Later in the week, Anita Ramirez lists five reasons you’re never too old to launch a writing career. DIY MFA

Princess Weekes explains why the cynical superhero isn’t that interesting (with philosophy). Melina Pendulum

Donald Mass: the beat goes on. Kathryn Magendie talks royalties: what this writer made, once upon one time. Then, Julianna Baggott nurturing the automatic writer. Writer Unboxed

John Peragine shares seven more plot structures for pantsers. Later in the week, James Preston helps you get past the black page. Writers in the Storm

Shaelin explains how to write a character arc. Reedsy

James Scott Bell wonders, do you have a sense of where you are? Writers Helping Writers

Allison K. Williams helps you move from first draft to second draft to publishable book. Jane Friedman

The spicy Latina trope, explained. The Take

Chris Winkle explains how and why you should consolidate your story. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes the climaxes of Marvel’s phase three (part 2). Mythcreants

Princess Weekes tackles the question, are graphic novels … novels? It’s Lit | PBS Storied

Nina Munteanu revisits Darwin’s Paradox: compassion and evolution.

Andrew Liptak: SFWA names Nalo Hopkinson the 37^th Damon Knight Grand Master. Tor.com

The Torontonian roots of Doctor Who. The Toronto Dreams Project Historical Ephemera Blog

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

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Oct 25-31, 2020

November 3, 2020November 1, 2020 / Melanie Marttila

Welcome to the first—and last—tipsday of November! Load up on informal writerly learnings and I’ll see you in December. ‘Cause NaNoWriMo.

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

Wear your masks. Maintain physical distance. Get your flu shot. We are firmly in the second wave and the situation is getting steadily worse. We all have to pull together to survive and protect each other until a vaccine is available.

Kim Bullock explains why writers need rooms of their own. Later in the week, Barbara O’Neal distinguishes between using memory vs. backstory. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland: the midpoint as the swivel of your novel’s linked structure. Helping Writers Become Authors

Janice Hardy shares six steps to creating a great character. Fiction University

Susan DeFreitas says, don’t hold out for publishing to make you feel seen. Pursue this goal instead. Jane Friedman

The Karen trope, explained. The Take