Merriam-Webster

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Dec 1-3, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

A short week of informal writerly learnings to get back on track with curation. Enjoy!

Angela Ackerman explains how to write antagonists readers can’t help but like. Writers Helping Writers

Tiffany Yates Martin learns how Vaughn Roycroft revises by redefining success. Fox Print Editorial

Why “female entertainment” still gets written off. The Take

Grace Bialecki explains the power and necessity of sitting with your critiques. Then, Adele Annesi presents an argument for setting aside arc in story development. Jane Friedman

Liza Nash Taylor makes some notes to self on making room to move ahead. Henriette Lazaridis wants to linger, tinker, savor: taking the time to get it right. Writer Unboxed

We might never speak to aliens. Here’s why. Hello, Future Me

James R. Preston offers five tips to manage the book galley journey. Writers in the Storm

Chris Winkle shows you six places to trim slow prose. Then, Oren Ashkenazi shares what Legends and Lattes teaches us about light stories. Mythcreants

Three act structure: writing a strong first act. Reedsy

Three act structure: writing an engaging middle. Reedsy

A.H. Plotts presents show, don’t tell: your novel as a movie script. DIY MFA

Merriam-Webster’s word of the year 2022 is … gaslighting.

And that was tipsday. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found something to support your current work(s) in progress, whatever stage they’re at.

Until Thursday, keep staying safe and well!

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!

tipsday2016

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, April 29-May 5, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Another week has passed and here I am with another batch of informal writerly learnings 🙂

K.M. Weiland asks, what should your characters talk about? Helping Writers Become Authors

Julie Carrick Dalton says, it’s time cli-fi (climate fiction) became its own genre. I agree in part … The examples she cites are from a number of different genres, though. I don’t know if publishing in general or marketing in particular will be willing to get on board. Stranger things have happened. Writer Unboxed

Therese Walsh explains why you think your writing is brilliant one day and horrible the next. It’s a thing. Writer Unboxed

Donald Maass considers authenticity vs. outline. As with many other aspects of craft, it’s a matter of balance, not one over the other. Writer Unboxed

Julie Glover walks you through the five stages of editing grief. Writers in the Storm

Fae Rowan helps you world build using deep POV. Writers in the Storm

Christina Delay is living for the writing wins. Writers in the Storm

Gabriela Pereira helps you write by design using colour theory. Writers Helping Writers

Kristen Lamb: why every writing project needs a synopsis, even though you hate writing them.

Elisabeth Kauffman tells you how to raise the stakes. DIY MFA

Kharma Kelley explains all authors need to know about the new EU law.

Chris Winkle: storytelling’s terminology problem. Then, Oren Ashkenazi critiques six underdeveloped love interests. Mythcreants

Kim Fahner considers Canada’s 20th Bookmark to be a “love letter” to Sudbury. The Sudbury Star

And then watch the unveiling!

 

Emily Petsko lists 25 foreign words with hilarious literal meanings. Mental Floss

More fun with words: the Merriam-Webster time traveler. Check out what words entered the dictionary the year you were born … or any other year since 1828 🙂

And that was Tipsday for this week.

Be well until Thursday!

tipsday2016