Lisa Cron

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Dec 12-18, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

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

Richelle Lyn is discovering the art of book coaching. Then, Gabriela Pereira interviews Sacha Black about crafting your side characters. Amanda Polick reveals three ways the holidays can revive your book. Then Kerry Chaput delves into HERstory, the woman’s side of history. Melanie Moyer recommends five sci-fi books about humans creating artificial intelligence. DIY MFA

Princess Weekes explains why we keep retelling Persephone’s story. Melina Pendulum

K.M. Weiland examines the two halves of the climactic moment. Helping Writers Become Authors

Christina Delay wants you to use awe to spark creativity. Then, Lucy V. Hay explains how to write a compelling antihero. Writers Helping Writers

What are foil characters? Reedsy

Jenny Hansen shares the dreams and confessions of a disorganized writer. Then, Lynette M. Burrows offers 35 tips to a healthier writer you in 2022. Lori Freeland returns with to comma, or not to comma (part 2). Writers in the Storm

Joanna Penn interviews Lisa Cron about Story or Die. The Creative Penn

Elizabeth S. Craig: common mistakes that pull readers out of stories.

Emily Zarka reveals the origins of Krampus, the yuletide monster. Monstrum | PBS Storied

Jim Dempsey sees the future in stories. Then, Barbara Linn Probst takes a closer look at trusting the reader. Porter Anderson gets provocative about chaos, coherence, and the dream of a narrative. Writer Unboxed

Kimberly Fernando provides seven steps for tackling a revise and resubmit (R&R). Jane Friedman

Chris Winkle presents six archetypes for sidekicks. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explains how Martha Wells fell into some toxic tropes: building the Raksura.  Mythcreants

The good girl trope—why women can’t win. The Take

Angie Hodapp discusses reactive goals vs. proactive goals. Pub Rants

Nina Munteanu: the Witch’s Hat and other fungi tales.

Rebecca Nicholson interviews Carrie-Anne Moss: “There was a scene in the first Matrix with me in stilettos. I could barely stand straight.” The Guardian

Inverse interviews Shohreh Aghdashloo about Chrisjen Avasarala and the final season of The Expanse.

Minyvonne Burke and Michelle Garcia: acclaimed author and activist bell hooks dies at 69. NBC News

Cassie Da Costa hails the second coming of Octavia E. Butler. Vanity Fair

Vincent Schilling announces that Reservation Dogs [loved it!] nominated for a Golden Globe. Indian Country Today

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you took away something to support your current work in progress.

Happy solstice and cool yule, to those (like me) who celebrate!

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

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 7-13, 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, July 14-20, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

The weeks continue to march along, whether we want them to or not. Summer’s passing too fast! Console yourself with some informal writerly learnings.

Jan O’Hara extolls the life-changing magic of zeroing non-writing commitments. Carol Newman Cronin says, there are no wasted words: power to the pantsers! Julie Carrick Dalton is interrogating characters about their motivations. Writer Unboxed

Manuela Williams looks at five mistakes you’re making with your author brand (and how to avoid them). Pamela Taylor is extrapolating the past. DIY MFA

Reedsy examines the chosen one trope.

Robert Lee Brewer: everyday vs. every day. Writer’s Digest

Jeri Bronson’s married to a coroner and she explains the hows, whys and the WHAT?! Writers in the Storm

Jenna Moreci answers all your critique partner questions.

Lisa Cron poses three simple questions that will unlock your story. Writers Helping Writers

Nathan Bransford explains how authors make money.

Angela Ackerman visits Jami Gold’s blog to explain how to avoid the boring stuff in character descriptions. Then, Kassandra Lamb stops by: what’s the right way to include multiple POVs?

Oren Ashkenazi examines six stories with failed turning points. Mythcreants

Nina Munteanu considers Vonnegut’s ice-nine and superionic ice. Science!

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

Until Thursday, be well, my writerly friends!

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Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Apr 14-20, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend with family and friends.

After getting back to work, it’s time to reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings.

Gwendolyn Womack writes about the storyteller’s ladder. Jan O’Hara says we’re wired to display. Kathleen McCleary wants you to look at the flip side. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland explains how to use your outline when writing your first draft. Helping Writers Become Authors

Daniel Berkowitz stops by Jane Friedman’s blog to tell you that it’s okay not to tweet.

Lisa Cron: plot, inner change, or evocative writing—what really rivets readers? Later in the week, Colleen M. Story reveals the one thing writers miss when they try to improve. Writers Helping Writers

Leanne Sowul wants you to lose the mental clutter and find your focus (AKA Kon-Mari-ing your brain). Courtney Lazore lists five reasons to keep writing. DIY MFA

Jenna Moreci shares her top ten tips for creating an authentic character voice in dialogue.

 

Margie Lawson offers five tips for writing tears that carry power. Writers in the Storm

Chris Winkle discusses the five stages of becoming a fiction writer. Then, Oren Ashkenazi looks at five characters with strong arcs. Mythcreants

And that was tipsday for this week. I’ll be back on Thursday with your weekly dose of thoughty.

Until then, be well.

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

/ Melanie Marttila

And here we are with another wee of informal writerly learnings 🙂

Roz Morris: are you bored? The one writing rule you really need. Nail Your Novel

But I won’t do that. What do sex and revisions have in common? Bryn Greenwood explains on Writer Unboxed.

Brad Frazer explains why 2019 is a big year for the public domain. Jane Friedman

Lisa Cron explains how to get emotion onto the page. Writers Helping Writers

Janice Hardy presents three ways moral dilemmas can strengthen your novel. Later in the week, Janice provides alternative ways to describe character reactions. Fiction University

Phoebe Wood points out a plotting error that most writers make:

 

Andrea J. Johnson shares five cutthroat tips for writing killer action. DIY MFA

Elisabeth Kaufmann recommends beat sheets for the win! DIY MFA

Goal setting for people who actually want to get stuff done – Jenna Moreci

 

Chuck Wendig: in writing, progress doesn’t always look like progress. Terribleminds

Chris Winkle asks (and answers) the question, should you give non-human groups marginalized traits? (Spoiler: NO.) Mythcreants

Merriam-Webster explores the anatomy of a book in 17 words.

Thanks for dropping by and I hope something here provided the advice or guidance you need to take the next step(s) in your creative project.

Come back on Thursday for some research-y inspiration.

Until then, be well!

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Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Oct 14-20, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Another lovely week filled with informal writerly learnings.

K.M. Weiland explores why writers cherish language. Helping Writers Become Authors

Janice Hardy stops by Writers in the Storm: plot backward to move forward with your novel.

Lisa Hall-Wilson offers five tips on writing a trauma backstory. Writers in the Storm

Roz Morris explains how to outline your novel without killing the fun of writing it. Nail Your Novel

Lisa Cron tells you how to nail your first three pages. Writers Helping Writers

Barbara Poelle answers another funny you should ask question: how fast-paced should a thriller be? Writer’s Digest

Janice Hardy tells you what you need to know about internalization. Fiction University

Rachael Stephen: how to write when you don’t want to. #preptober

 

Sara Letourneau helps you let go of perfectionism the DIY MFA way. DIY MFA

Dan Koboldt stops by Jane Friedman’s blog to explain how to research your writing to ensure technical accuracy. Also, check out Dan’s new book: Putting the Science in Fiction. I’m a fan 🙂

Kathleen McCleary: it takes a village. Writer Unboxed

Porter Anderson wonders, but how much are you reading? Writer Unboxed

Chris Winkle presents six wordcraft questions writers fight over. Then, Oren Ashkenazi points out seven common problems with speculative fiction technology. Mythcreants

Cold Crash Pictures debunks the four most annoying scientific inaccuracies in film.

 

Jenna Moreci lists her worst sci-fi tropes ever.

 

And Cold Crash Pictures tackles four more sexist tropes.

 

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found something helpful in this curation.

Be well until thoughty Thursday!

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Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, July 15-21, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

You made it through Monday! Time to reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings 🙂

K.M. Weiland: how to write unique themes. Helping Writers Become Authors

Jan O’Hara offers you her guide to hacking the optimal writing environment. Writer Unboxed

Margaret Dilloway shares her thoughts on how to write while the world’s burning down. Writer Unboxed

Andrew Wood shares his five steps to create a perfect fantasy world. Later in the week, Janice Hardy lists four signs that you might be confusing, and not intriguing, your readers in your opening scene. Fiction university

Jeff Vandermeer imparts his best tips for cultivating creativity from the world around you. Writer’s Digest

Lisa Cron says, there will be blood (or your story may be in deep trouble). Writers Helping Writers

Sara Letourneau helps you recognize themes at each stage of the writing process. Later in the week, Lisa E. Betz lists five story blunders and the secrets to avoiding them. DIY MFA

And here’s my latest DIY MFA column on mythic structure: The Virgin’s Promise, part two.

Lisa Hall-Wilson explains how to use deep POV without tying and anchor to your novel’s pace. Writers in the Storm

Chris Winkle explains why we shouldn’t be fighting over trigger warnings. Then, Oren Ashkenazi reviews five common worldbuilding mistakes. Mythcreants

T.J. Berry talks about her favourite bit of Space Unicorn Blues. Mary Robinette Kowal

And that was Tipsday.

Come back on Thursday for some thoughty.

Until then, be well.

tipsday2016

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, May 20-26, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

You survived Monday, and that’s a good thing! Have a wee treat. Another week, another batch of informal writerly learnings!

A.K. Perry explores another of James Scott Bell’s signpost scenes—the argument against transformation. DIY MFA

Gabriela Pereira interviews Kimmery Martin about revising your book and getting it right. DIY MFA

I shared Kate Weiland’s list last week. Great minds think alike 🙂 Lisa Cron busts five writing myths that may be holding you back. DIY MFA

Vaughn Roycroft examines his biases and tropes: warrior women, #MeToo, and one writer’s evolving sensibilities. Writer Unboxed

Liz Michalski advises you to blow it up (where it is a practice that no longer serves you). Writer Unboxed

Julie Carrick Dalton shares her thoughts on finding second life in cast-off words. I might have to try her fire brick idea some day. I’m not craft-inclined enough to try the other stuff 🙂 Writer Unboxed

Janice Hardy helps you edit your novel without feeling overwhelmed. Later in the week, she wonders, how much really needs to be in your novel’s opening line? Fiction University

K.M. Weiland offers five logical steps to grow as a writer. Helping Writers Become Authors

Joanna Penn helps you find your writing community. The Creative Penn

Kristen Lamb: truth is the door between your greatest fears and your greatest self. Later in the week, Kristen shares five reasons to invest in rest (and avoid burnout).

Nathan Bransford offers a guide to literary agent etiquette.

Shawn Coyne explains how an agent figures out her pitch to publishers. Steven Pressfield

Remember that book that no one had ever heard of that shot straight to the NYT bestseller list? Well, Chris Winkle took one for the team and has some lessons from the rambling writing of Handbook for Mortals. Mythcreants

Then, Oren Ashkenaski shares seven ways to motivate a reluctant protagonist. Mythcreants

Jeanna Kadlec offers this writerly horoscope. Electric Lit

And that was tipsday. Come back on Thursday for your weekly dose of thoughty.

Until then, be well, my friends.

tipsday2016

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, April 15-21, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Looking for your informal writerly learnings? Why, they’re right here!

K.M. Weiland continues her ultimate first chapter checklist with part 2: writing the opening scene. Helping Writers Become Authors

Colleen M. Story wonders, is it unhealthy to be a workaholic writer? Writers in the Storm

Margie Lawson works her deep edit analysis magic on a bunch of descriptive passages. Not your mama’s character descriptions. Writers in the Storm

Laurie Schnebly Campbell helps you use the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator to create characters who drive each other crazy. Writers in the Storm

Lisa Cron explains how you keep writing when that critical, inner voice won’t shut up. Writers Helping Writers

Christina Delay dives deep with emotion on Writers Helping Writers.

Nathan Bransford wants you to know your rights as an author. Later in the week, he helps you find good comps for your novel.

Callie Oettinger reveals the secrets of the creative brain on Steve Pressfield’s blog.

Jami Gold takes a long, hard look at reader connections, fake personas, and catfishing. Oh, my! I mean, yikes! Later in the week, Becca Puglisi stops by to explain how to create a redeemable villain.

Following up on last week’s post, Chris Winkle helps you recognize bad and good storytelling advice. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explores six novels that struggle with multiple POVs. Mythcreants

Porter Anderson offers this provocation in publishing: attention spans are shorter and word counts are trending down. My favourite quote is from Tom Goodwin: “Book publishing is not in the ‘text industry.’ It’s not in the ‘reading industry.’ It’s in the ‘what do people want to spend their time doing? industry.’” Writer Unboxed

The Unbound Book fest is ripped for lack of inclusiveness and silencing a panelist last year. Olivia Garrett for the Missourian.

This oughta be fun: The Incredibles 2 trailer 🙂

 

And that was Tipsday.

Be well until Thoughty Thursday!

tipsday2016

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Jan 21-27, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Get your informal writerly learnings right here!

K.M. Weiland looks at the words that changed your life and how that helps you discover what made you a writer. Helping Writers Become Authors

Emily Wenstrom shows you how to kickstart 2018 with an author website audit. DIY MFA

Gabriela Pereira interviews Joe Fassler for DIY MFA radio.

Lila Diller lists five types of books writers should read. DIY MFA

Lisa Cron stops by Writers Helping Writers to pose this question: what does your protagonist want before the story starts?

Elizabeth Huergo: woke writing. “… we shouldn’t wait to write and ask questions until we have lost the ability to do both …” Writer Unboxed

Barbara O’Neal explains what writers do in times of trouble. Writer Unboxed

Heather Webb writers about harnessing the kinetic energy of writing—and what happens if you don’t. Writer Unboxed

Jenny Hansen: what kinds of social media posts go viral? Writers in the Storm

Janice Hardy explains the difference between a scene and a sequel. Fiction University

Rachael Stephen shows you how to organize your novel using a bullet journal.

 

Jami Gold: romance and the language of consent.

Oren Ashkenazi lists five good stories that turned creepy. Good points all. Though I enjoyed some of the shows mentioned, it was an eye-opener to realize how deeply ingrained misogyny is. As writers, we should aim higher, strive to do better. Mythcreants

Jane Hirshfield explains how the liminal frees us from the prison of self (excerpted from “writing and the threshold life”). Brainpickings

David James Nicoll is fighting erasure: women SF writers of the 70s, A through F. Tor.com

I’m absolutely devastated by Ursula K. Le Guin’s death. It was to be expected, but, as other authors have pointed out, she could have died at 108 and it still would have felt too soon.

Here are a few of the slew of tributes:

The Handmaid’s Tale season two trailer.

 

Be well until Thursday, my friends!

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