Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 23-29, 2018

January 1, 2019December 30, 2018 / Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

Happy New Year! Hope everyone has had some time to make peace with 2018 and is looking forward to 2019.

HappyNewYear2019

The holiday week is always a little scant with respect to content. Still, here’s a small, but tasty batch of informal writerly learnings to start 2019 right 🙂

Julie Glover: is the new WordPress format stressing you out? It hasn’t hit up here yet, but I anticipate some angst when it does. Writers in the Storm

Joanna Penn interviews Mark Leslie Lefebvre about long-term publishing success. Later in the week, Joanna and Orna Ross help you position yourself for writing and publishing success in 2019. The Creative Penn

Leanne Sowul says, forget resolutions; reflection is the key. On Boxing Day, Gabriela Pereira interviewed me, Brenda Joyce Patterson, and Stacy Woodson for a special DIY MFA radio team episode! DIY MFA

Katrina Bird guest posts on Jane Friedman’s blog: three story planning books to consider.

Eris Young: seven things writers get wrong about language. Mythcreants

Cold Crash Pictures critiques five more scientific inaccuracies in film.

And that was the first Tipsday of the year! Come back on Thursday for some thoughty.

Until then, be well, my friends.

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Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, Dec 17-23, 2017

December 26, 2017December 24, 2017 / Melanie Marttila

It’s the last instalment of informal writerly learnings of 2017! Not to worry, I’m not stopping the writerly goodness any time soon 😉

Jane Friedman hosts Peter Selgin on her blog: the deadliest first page sin, plus a critique of two novel openings.

Vaughn Roycroft presents the pantsing leftoverture. Writer Unboxed

Dave King: surprise! Writer Unboxed

Kathleen McCleary: what to give yourself this year. Writer Unboxed

Joanna Penn interviews Douglas Smith about writing short fiction for The Creative Penn podcast.

Emily Wenstrom recommends three types of social media posts you should be using. DIY MFA

Stacy B. Woodson shares seven lessons she learned from Lisa Gardner at Crime Bake. DIY MFA

Gabriela Pereira interviews Ada Palmer about writing speculative fiction for DIY MFA radio.

Gabriela Pereira: creativity is craft and it belongs to everyone. TEDxWilmingtonWomen

My latest contribution to DIY MFA: five reasons to book a writing cruise.

Jennie Nash stops by the Writers Helping Writers coaching corner: creating the perfect elevator pitch.

Jamie Raintree offers five ways to use the holiday season to benefit your writing career. Writers in the Storm

Jami Gold explains how to create scene endings that hook readers.

Jenna Moreci: common world building mistakes.

Chris Winkle lists five reasons your story is transphobic (and what to do about it). Mythcreants

As she turns 90, suspense still thrills Mary Higgins Clark. Lynn Neary for NPR.

Alison Flood: “Cat Person” author’s debut novel sparks flurry of international publishing deals. The Guardian

A.N. Devers: this is how a woman is erased from her job. Longreads

Michelle Dean: what makes someone a predator? The New York Times

Victoria Schwab: in praise of strange books. NPR

Ava DuVernay decided to direct A Wrinkle in Time so she could create new worlds. Evan Narcisse for i09.

Minute Physics: time travel in fiction rundown.

I hope your holiday celebrations were filled with joy, family, and friends.

Be well until Thursday!

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Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, July 2-8, 2017

July 11, 2017July 9, 2017 / Melanie Marttila

It’s time for your dose on informal writerly learnings 🙂

K.M. Weiland continues her most common writing mistakes series with part 60: flat plots. Helping Writers Become Authors

Later in the week, Kate continues her series on the do’s and don’ts of storytelling according to Marvel with a look at Guardian of the Galaxy, volume 2: how to ace the first act in your sequel.

As a follow up to her last post on critiquing, Jane Friedman helps you recognize patterns in the way you respond to criticism.

Then, Gary Zenker guest posts on DIY MFA: a new approach to critique.

Larry Brooks stops by Writer Unboxed to discuss the big lie about writing compelling fiction.

As a follow up to Larry’s post, Anna Elliott asks, what’s your truth? Writer Unboxed

Donald Maass explores characters light and dark. Writer Unboxed

Parul Macdonald uncovers the world of a literary scout and international rights. Writer Unboxed

Abigail K. Perry joins the DIY MFA team: how to make you character descriptions do double duty.

Stacey B. Woodson shares five writing lessons from thriller master David Morrell. DIY MFA

Gabriela Pereira interviews Sarah Dessen for DIY MFA radio.

Marielle Orff shares five ways to get to know your characters better. DIY MFA

Emily Wenstrom offers some email marketing tips. The Write Life

Jami Gold gives us one simple trick to avoid the opening page infodump.

Janice Hardy continues her birth of a book series with testing the idea. Fiction University

Then, Janice visits Writers in the Storm: what do you want your readers to wonder about?

Chris Winkle covers five more dualities that can replace good and evil. Mythcreants

Bryan Hutchinson explains how to become a prolific writer while holding down a day job. Positive Writer

Sophie Playle: where is your budget for book editing best spent? Liminal Pages

Sarah Fox shares seven things editors wish authors knew. Well Storied

Jeremy Szal shares his tips for writing a successful query letter. Fantasy Faction

Caroline Leavitt: when the writing mentor becomes the mentee. The Millions

Anne Lamott: 12 truths I learned about life and writing. TED Talks

Jarred MGuiness says writing is the only magic he still believes in. TEDxEaling

Folklore Thursday takes a look at how iron became the enemy of the fairy folk.

Shane Koyczan: the weather.

And that is how we Tipsday.

See you on Thursday for some mental corn popping thoughty.

Be well until then!

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Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, May 21-27, 2017

May 30, 2017May 28, 2017 / Melanie Marttila

Another week of informal writerly learnings? Get set to open your goodie bag 🙂

K.M. Weiland debunks five misconceptions about writing. Helping Writers Become Authors

Later in the week, Kate posits that great comedy is meaningful, and shares four tips to help you make it so.

Kathryn Craft reviews the decade in publishing. Writers in the Storm

Kimberly Brock says, you’re writers, not waiters. Writers in the Storm

Jane Friedman advises on how much you should personalize a query letter.

Elizabeth Huergo pays tribute to C.D. Wright: songs and their landscapes. Writer Unboxed

Heather Webb teaches a survey course in time management: writing through our busy lives. Writer Unboxed

Dan Blank says, if you want to be successful, surround yourself with success. Writer Unboxed

Jamie Raintree: let your writing process be your own (and how to discover it).

Bonnie Randall gets into character minutiae and seemingly irrelevant details. Fiction University

Stacy B. Woodson shares her fantastic experience at Malice Domestic 2017. DIY MFA

Jami Gold challenges us to deal with character stereotypes.

Kristen Lamb reveals how shame is at the heart of good fiction.

Will Hindmarch explains how to give great notes a writer can use. Magic Circles

Nina Munteanu gives you the tools you need to make a believable world.

Writer and geologist Alex Acks examines Arakkis, Tatooine, and the science of desert planets. Worldbuilding advice from Tor.com.

Jo Walton looks at genre fiction’s obsession with Belisarius, with a lovely recommendation for Guy Gavriel Kay’s Sarantium novels. Tor.com

Darlene Naponse is a Reveal – Indigenous art award Laureate.

Emily Temple curates some pearls of wisdom—on writing and life—from Jamaica Kincaid in honour of her 68th birthday. Literary Hub

These are old human themes: Margaret Atwood on the enduring power of The Handmaid’s Tale. CBC

James Whitbrook watches the new Game of Thrones trailer. i09

I hope you’re having a lovely week.

Be well until next I blog 🙂

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, April 16-22, 2017

April 25, 2017April 23, 2017 / Melanie Marttila / 2 Comments

And here we are with another week full of informal writerly learnings 🙂

K.M. Weiland: what does it mean to move the plot? Helping Writers Become Authors

Later in the week, Kate shows up with three ways to test your story’s emotional stakes, the latest in her lessons from the Marvel Cinematic Universe series. This post focuses on Doctor Strange.

Parul Macdonald shares six myths and truths about what editors at publishing houses are looking for. Writer Unboxed

Dave King tells you how to wrap it up. Writer Unboxed

Colleen M. Story explains how to use writer’s intuition to strike creative gold. Writers in the Storm

Jenny Hansen profiles social media personalities for Writers in the Storm.

Laura Drake helps you write a great last line. Writers in the Storm

Jami Gold looks at fixing big problems with small changes.

When is the right time to start building your platform? Kristen Lamb

Gabriela Pereira borrows a pop quiz from Kristen Lamb: are you an aspiring writer? DIY MFA

Stacy B. Woodson: when is a story a romantic suspense? DIY MFA

Gabriela Pereira interviews K.J. Howe about writing strong female characters. DIY MFA

Sara Letourneau shares five reasons to attend the Iceland Writers Retreat. DIY MFA

Kris Spisak guest posts on Jane Friedman’s blog: five commonly confused words starting with A.