Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, July 3-9, 2022

July 12, 2022July 10, 2022 / Melanie Marttila

Summer’s finally taking hold up here in northeastern Ontario. Take a refreshing break from your hot day with some informal writerly learnings.

K.M. Weiland shares a short post about capturing authentic human reactions in fiction. Helping Writers Become Authors

Why Stranger Things season 4 is better than ever. The Take

Yuvi Zalkow says most people don’t give a shit about your thing. Then, Susan DeFreitas explains what happens when story is medicine. Donald Maass reviews three modes of story imagination. Then, Sophie Masson considers tense and tension. David Corbett explores contradiction and character. Writer Unboxed

Um … let’s talk about The Princess. Jill Bearup

Karen DeBonis wonders, do you have a toxic productivity issue? Then, Joseph Lallo discusses the diamonds in the rough draft—writing scenes that matter. Julie Glover wonders, can a new location boost your writing productivity? Writers in the Storm

16 questions to ask while line editing. Shaelin Writes

Becca Puglisi says, if you need conflict, just let your characters talk. Then, Colleen M. Story helps you determine which is better for you—traditional or self-publishing? Writers Helping Writers

Colice Sanders is unpacking cultural appropriation. Then, Disha Walia covers trends in speculative fiction. Melissa Haas explains how to turn your indie book into an audiobook. DIY MFA

What hellhounds reveal about humans’ oldest companion. Monstrum | PBS Storied

Obligatory moments in story and genre. The action genre: how to tell an exciting life and death story. The genres of story: definition, examples, and reader expectations. Story Grid

Heather Davis poses seven questions to design a better arc of change for your protagonist. Jane Friedman

How do fairies see our world? Tale Foundry

Tiffany Yates Martin reveals how Katherine Center revises. Fox Print Editorial

Chris Winkle helps you understand character karma. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes six sloppy character arcs in popular stories. Mythcreants

Kat Rosenfield says that sensitivity readers are the new literary gate keepers. I want to clarify one thing: this article is about the misuse/abuse of sensitivity readers by the publishing industry. There are excellent sensitivity readers out there that will help you make your representation more respectful/effective. Reason

And that was tipsday.

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, May 16-22, 2021

May 25, 2021May 23, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

You’ve just survived a Tuesday-that-feels-like-a-Monday after a long weekend. Reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings.

Vaughn Roycroft shows you how story tropes can be our friends. Dave King writes to whom it may concern. Then, Barbara Linn Probst says, there’s writing—and then there’s writing about writing. Later in the week, Anne Brown wonders, why am I like this? Writer Unboxed

Can you swordfight in a wedding dress? (Things writers want to know.) Jill Bearup

K.M. Weiland introduces us to the six flat archetypes in part 15 of her archetypal character arcs series. Helping Writers Become Authors

What makes up a character’s identity? Breaking up aspects of self. Mary Robinette Kowal

Kris Maze outlines the value (and the struggle) of writer meditations. Then, Barbara Linn Probst wonders how your book ends—with destination or discovery? Writers in the Storm

Shaelin covers line editing. Reedsy

Janice Hardy explains how scene titles make it easier to writer your novel. Then, Rayne Hall tells you how to keep your short story short. Bonnie Randall shows you less cliché ways the body responds to emotional states. Fiction University

Basilisk of cockatrice? The mysterious king of serpents. Dr. Emily Zarka. Monstrum | PBS Storied

Christina Delay takes the anonymous road. Writers Helping Writers

Jessica Conoley: your final responsibility to your story is creative stewardship. Then, Jane herself delivers some tough love: how much do authors earn? Here’s the answer no one likes. Jane Friedman

Jeanette the Writers is writing for readers with dyslexia. Later in the week, Crystal Swain-Bates shares five tips to finish writing your book in 2021. DIY MFA

Jenna Moreci interviews Sacha Black about creating a podcast.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch continues her series on fear-based decision-making with part 2: fear vs. growth.

Chris Winkle does a narration makeover: giving action more immediacy. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes six stories with weak romantic attraction. Mythcreants

And that was tipsday. Thanks for stopping by. 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, March 28-April 3, 2021

April 6, 2021April 4, 2021 / Melanie Marttila

Welcome to another tipsday, your chance to stock up on informal writerly learnings.

Janice Hardy shares four ways to create emotional peril in your characters. Another piece of advice I desperately need 😦 Later in the week, Janice explains how the climax works in a novel. Fiction University

Tiffany Yates Martin helps you figure out when your story is “finished.” Matthew Norman says, scenes matter most. Later in the week, Julie Carrick Dalton takes us inside the writer’s dreamworld. Then, Deanna Caninian shares four writing lessons from binge-watching TV. Writer Unboxed

Shaelin explains how to write distinct character voices. Reedsy

K.M. Weiland continues her archetypal character arcs series with part 8: an introduction to the 12 shadow archetypes. Helping Writers Become Authors

Colleen M. Story explains how to give a great podcast author interview. Writers Helping Writers

Then, Shaelin explains how to format internal narration and thoughts. Reedsy

Jim C. Hines offers some considered yet passionate commentary on identity policing and own voices.

Nathan Bransford lets you know when to hire a freelance book editor.

On her own channel, Shaelin demonstrates line editing on short stories. Shaelin Writes

Anita Ramirez recounts the life of a writer: and so, it begins. Angela Yeh: poetry is for you. Yes. You. Then, Mark Stevens wants you to get good at taking feedback. DIY MFA

Julie Artz explains how to get accepted by a writing mentorship program. Jane Friedman

The teen mom trope; tragic, heroic, or glam? The Take

Kris Maze lists 13 ways your writing inspiration already surrounds you. Writers in the Storm

Chris Winkle analyzes five ridiculous stories about stories. Then, Oren Ashkenazi looks at seven prologues and the problems they cause. Mythcreants

Jacky Barile shows us how 100-year-old books are professionally restored. Incredibly soothing. Insider

Alexander Chee explains how to unlearn everything. When it comes to writing the “other” what questions are we not asking? From 2019, but still relevant. Vulture

Ashawnta Jackson relates how Kitchen Table Press changed publishing. JSTOR Daily

Thanks for visiting, and 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, 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, June 14-20, 2020

June 23, 2020June 22, 2020 / Melanie Marttila

Black lives matter. Indigenous lives matter. All lives cannot matter until all Black and Indigenous lives matter. I don’t have a huge platform, but I’ll make use of it as I can to keep this message front and centre for my readers. I’m still listening. I’m still learning. And I’m still trying to do better.

Meanwhile, reopening continues, to more or less success, given the area/province/state. They’re discovering people who’d apparently recovered from covid getting sick again two months on. Worldwide, the number of cases continue to increase. This thing is a beast.

Let’s get to the informal writerly learnings.

Vaughn Roycroft: regarding privilege, empathy, and voice. Writer Unboxed

A Black booktuber shares her experience. Click through to her other videos and to the resources in the notes. Silence is complicity. Listen. Do the work. Don’t stop. Bookish Realm

And if you’re a booktube fan, legitimately commit to diversify your viewing and support some of these lovely people. Google is a thing you can use. Besides, like one video and YouTube will generally cue up three similar vids for you to check out.

Nic Stone: don’t just read about racism—read about Black people living. Cosmopolitan

Black Lives Matter. How can I help? Jenna Moreci

John Peragine helps you harness the power of pronouns (part 1). Then, Lori Freeland says, write your story forward. Writers in the Storm

Joanna Penn interviews Kris Spisak about self-editing your novel. The Creative Penn

K.B. Owen visits Elizabeth Spann Craig’s blog: writing real-life historical characters.

Sangeeta Mehta interviews Stefanie Sanchez von Borstel and Leslie Zampetti about writing, pitching, and promoting in the age of coronavirus. Jane Friedman

Lucy V. Hays explains how to avoid a half-baked idea. Writers Helping Writers

Kristen Lamb explains how you can use the Johari window to understand and harness the character blind spot.

Nathan Bransford: the climax should resolve your character’s desires.

Shaelin explains line editing (with examples). Reedsy