Author: Elizabeth Spann Craig

Below are writing links that I’ve posted to Twitter in the last week.

The Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable—try it for searches on plotting, characterization, querying, book promo, and more.

Anyone signing up for the free Writer’s Knowledge Base newsletter this month (and current subscribers) will be automatically entered in a June drawing to receive K.M. Weiland’s CD (or MP3) Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration CD . Sign up here for the web’s best writing links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

The Small-Scale Approach to Achieving Great Things: http://bit.ly/mbHFNs

5 Ways To Sell Your Next Book Before It’s Written: http://bit.ly/iAeLkx

Primary Characteristics: http://bit.ly/kEpnf6

Dos and Don’ts for Prologues and Epilogues: http://bit.ly/jWTcrm @Sarafurlong

Bullying in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/lBxIFz @mkinberg

The A to Z of Excellent Copywriting: http://bit.ly/ikONn4

Using Tarot in Writing: http://bit.ly/iNbvvL @raelynbarclay

Tips for Selecting Your Story’s Narrative Style: http://bit.ly/jek6ui

The Mean, the Bad, and the Nasty—Writing Villains: http://bit.ly/jV0ojo

Lessons from an Old Panasonic: Read out loud: http://bit.ly/kBpkYt @Christi_Craig

Tips for growing your social media following: http://bit.ly/kJZrlq

For those last-minute shoppers: 10 Lists of Book Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day: http://bit.ly/jNqhyY @galleycat

How Plot Development Is Like Navigating a Maze: http://bit.ly/k1aB5a

The 20 minute workout for your manuscript: http://bit.ly/mHJpGy

Raising the Tension in Your Scenes: http://bit.ly/mEyAGj

Best Articles This Week for Writers 5/6/11: http://bit.ly/lsiKJD

Including symbolism in your story: http://bit.ly/kXWmAS

A few helpful Word tips: http://bit.ly/ll7wpD

Here’s A Guaranteed Way To Generate A Backlog Of Post Ideas: http://bit.ly/ifz1wq

How to Escalate the Suck Factor, Star Wars Style: http://bit.ly/mc366J

A rhyming tool for poets: http://bit.ly/mQfUjV

Mistakes We Make With Middles: http://bit.ly/meinRO

Be fearless as a writer: http://bit.ly/k3GEwj

An agent says: .doc is not .docx: http://bit.ly/kTSx2E

Now with over 7000 links to help #writers find resources: http://bit.ly/dYRayA

Proper use of the comma: http://bit.ly/klFCWx

The Top 3 Daily Time-Wasters & How To Tame Them: http://bit.ly/j4AofU

Literary Magazines Are Learning to Surf (Poets and Writers): http://bit.ly/mKPP8S

Art of the Fantasy Genre: The Fighter: http://bit.ly/m7AEuw

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Chocolate Angel Food Cake http://bit.ly/kLRFLu

Reading in the Cloud: “Spotify for Books” from The Publisher’s Standpoint: http://bit.ly/ijxsim

Thoughts on creating endings: http://bit.ly/jBn1uf

Democratizing the tools of production has made creation of great literature easier: http://bit.ly/lSBmQ9

Thoughts on protagonist creation: http://bit.ly/kDHp4C

Make Your Antagonist a Force for Good: http://bit.ly/m9ZKma @jamigold

Self-editing checklist–show and tell: http://bit.ly/jTgRAy

The Premise that Sells: http://bit.ly/myZSne

How to Get LinkedIn Famous in 15 Minutes a Day: http://bit.ly/k4bMBt

Ebook or Print Book? Why Do You Have to Choose? http://bit.ly/mM2XIk @thecreativepenn

Combat writer’s block and unleash your creativity with the first WKB giveaway! http://bit.ly/mqBVzq

Am I Writing YA or MG? http://bit.ly/li8P26

Creating Characters in Poetry: http://bit.ly/j47TAu

Cutting the Flab: Eliminate Extraneous Words: http://bit.ly/jnkwm0

Social Media for Authors: Forever in Search of Buzz (Poets and Writers): http://bit.ly/lZLmJd

How to Make a Zombie Plague: http://bit.ly/k4MPOy

Thicken your skin: http://bit.ly/iVUueG

How to search Google like a pro: http://bit.ly/jWBko8

Subtle ways to come out of the writing closet: http://bit.ly/lU3noW

DRM vs. piracy, and the future of e-books: http://bit.ly/kq4NRy

Why Creative People Need to Be Eccentric: http://bit.ly/mJvGhV

@KristenLambTX ‘s new twibe for writers wanting to build a platform & connect to other writers: #MyWANA http://bit.ly/lQkbWO

Is Blogger Copyright Dead? http://bit.ly/mg56wA

Tips for Writing Picture Books: http://bit.ly/mBh3QV

The Inherent Falseness of Memoir: http://bit.ly/ive0iR

Are literary agents dinosaurs? http://bit.ly/jr93zU

Blog Commenting Flops: Do These to Lose Traffic and Links: http://bit.ly/kLt3vv

Improv [Writing] Tip #7: Keep It Real: http://bit.ly/ikMOqM

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: I love fondue, do you? http://bit.ly/kGvsL5

Why We Write: In the Presence of Living: http://bit.ly/impwsw

Tools for writers: http://bit.ly/jvUMBF

Select precise nouns and verbs: http://bit.ly/kWM49Y

10 Nontraditional Ways To Promote Your Book: http://bit.ly/jLcaJh

15 Purposes for Parentheses: http://bit.ly/l4OMQ5

The Realities of Getting Real: http://bit.ly/lMEzut

Going to a convention? Tips for newbies: http://bit.ly/kG5v8Z @kbowenwriter

4 reasons you may be missing deadlines: http://bit.ly/kmGXG7

Nathan Bransford’s editing process: http://bit.ly/ikIef0

5 ways to ruin a good story: http://bit.ly/imjXUh

Key Story Elements: Inner And Outer Desire: http://bit.ly/lbm2Nb

How Mundane Routines Produce Creative Magic: http://bit.ly/iZOfMr

Top 5 Band-Aids to Apply Before Querying: http://bit.ly/lH39Om

Being Prepared—as a Writer: http://bit.ly/mUvZ19

10 Cool Things on the Web (for screenwriters, fans, and other literary types): http://bit.ly/itB9WR

Affect Is (Usually) a Verb: http://bit.ly/jQAttK

Query Letter Mad Libs: http://bit.ly/jXtZae

Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for the web’s best writing links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

A tool for finding in-person crit groups. Type in “critique group” and your location: http://bit.ly/lSed7B

ISBN Decoded: http://bit.ly/lGNjOr

How to Minimize Interruptions When You’re Working: http://bit.ly/lyBEXs

20 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Writing Life This Spring: http://bit.ly/kCRiWo

For crime writers–12 Legal Warrant-less Searches: http://bit.ly/lffrpJ

Does the Pitch Tail Wag The Novel Dog? http://bit.ly/kUssJT

How to keep doubts at bay: http://bit.ly/kpoqq3

Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way: http://bit.ly/l31ie8

Jane Friedman, Former ‘Writer’s Digest’ Publisher, Tells All: http://bit.ly/iJaxGJ

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Buttermilk Banana Bread http://bit.ly/lZd48z

An insider’s guide to book fairs (Guardian): http://bit.ly/kYF0xM

Don’t be an uptight tweeter: http://bit.ly/kDjLXN

Putting the suspense puzzle together: http://bit.ly/jRrj8M

Keep ’em guessing: http://bit.ly/jWPUJE @juliemusil

Why It’s A Great Time To Be A Freelance Writer: http://bit.ly/j6W31U

Learning to Disconnect: http://bit.ly/l3FLsA

10 steps for dealing effectively with rejection: http://bit.ly/iIWS0K @douglascorleone

How to figure out when a chapter isn’t working: http://bit.ly/iNvVIl

Is your book’s setting ho-hum? http://bit.ly/gByyLa

Build A Writing Network With LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/iFTxoj @jhansenwrites

Why companions and sidekicks are so important in books: http://bit.ly/m1cH2m

Need Some Bling for Your Title? Try PRISM: http://bit.ly/jiTJOf @4kidlit

1-step websites for writers: http://bit.ly/jrnGPT @janefriedman

Passionate writing: http://bit.ly/iCDGvx

Every individual, and character, is their own unique thread: http://bit.ly/ivdhu3 @RavenRequiem13

The art of creative abundance: http://bit.ly/kD9LIg

4 Advantages of Re-Reading: http://bit.ly/lxFTvP @victoriamixon

Don’t Write the Bland and the Boring: http://bit.ly/lM8jAW

How to Focus with Pomodoro Technique: http://bit.ly/kjdbXj

Tips for Treating Titles of People: http://bit.ly/lFx53D

3 Powerful Blog Post Formulas That Most Bloggers Overlook: http://bit.ly/lk6AJ0

24 Ways to Enhance Your Creativity: http://bit.ly/mHedXU

Teaching Fantasy Part 1: Rewards, Backfires, Escapes: http://bit.ly/ktBtBw

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: A Killer Quiche to Celebrate the Release of Avery’s LOST and FONDUE! http://bit.ly/m8tADm

Grammar ABCs: A is for Appositive: http://bit.ly/ka7iIf

35 Weird Traits Your Characters May Have: http://bit.ly/lj4c8N

10 Most Popular Professions for Romance Novel Heroes: http://bit.ly/mh9xAe @galleycat

How To Write Memorable Characters: http://bit.ly/maYQad

The 3 stages of querying: http://bit.ly/msA8Fe

Writing Copy That Sells–The Dirty Little Secret to Seducing Your Readers: http://bit.ly/is5OaM

When to end a series: http://bit.ly/jH9nQm

Take a Chance with Your Writing: http://bit.ly/iUt4om

The Stigma Of Writing Horror: How The Genre You Write Matters As Much As The Story: http://bit.ly/lRvsNY @thecreativepenn

The One Right Way to Write a Query: http://bit.ly/lo1mHW

Up Your (Story) Game: 7 Tips: http://bit.ly/kvjen9 @CherylRWrites

When writing is your day job, summer vacation for the kids can turn your schedule upside down: http://bit.ly/lKtH2R

Get Your E-Book Noticed: Presentation, Promotion & Patience: http://bit.ly/lad78A

Keep a file copy of every book and story you write on your computer: http://bit.ly/lBZI6L

Fantasy settings: The Wastelands: http://bit.ly/k6NkQl

7 things about the business of writing that one author has learned: http://bit.ly/letuTv

A self-publishing scale to help categorize authors: http://bit.ly/m9nGjX

A definition of Deep POV and tips for writing it: http://bit.ly/jqj10x @authorterryo

Understanding—and Accepting—the Reasons You Write: http://bit.ly/me23L2

Getting More Links to Your Blog – Things That Make People Link: http://bit.ly/kBXu22

Creativity: the Least Important, Most Important Thing There Is: http://bit.ly/kvSQoz #amwwriting

The secret life of libraries: http://bit.ly/lTPeRd

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Agatha Winners! http://bit.ly/lfDarw

Why you need to give it away (to be a successful creative): http://bit.ly/mctvqh

Authors should create “error logs” for their books & ebooks: http://bit.ly/l7TNCd

Freelancers: 6 foolproof ways to unstick stuck writing and thinking: http://bit.ly/lXewAn @janodaniel

7 Survival Secrets for Independent Bookstores: http://bit.ly/mzzLi8 @galleycat

Is the happy ending making a comeback? (Guardian): http://bit.ly/kqNryk

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 4/29/11): http://bit.ly/jhjNUJ

Formatting posts and pages on your new WordPress blog: http://bit.ly/llAqiV @storiestorm

An agent asks, “WTF is up with cursing in YA?” http://bit.ly/j7nk9W

Using Google calendar to stay organized: http://bit.ly/ilRZ3C

Want to create vibrant characters that pop off the page? http://bit.ly/hoxTo9

Can Our Own eBooks Become More Interactive? http://bit.ly/kwAyyk

Modern Fantasy Sub-Genre Bingo: http://bit.ly/iZ4qEz

The Elegant and Inescapable Semicolon: http://bit.ly/kEbsMx

Words, words, and more words: http://bit.ly/iR0i7j

6 Directions for Visual Display of Content: http://bit.ly/kFWhgh

2 Extremes Writers Take & How To Avoid Them: http://bit.ly/kTitXV

Delving in Details: http://bit.ly/kKeoM7 @RavenRequiem13

The Dilemma of The Mother Writer: http://bit.ly/jF01UO

Punctuating Quotations: http://bit.ly/kZeKXw

Why Do We Think Talent Ought to Be Rewarded? http://bit.ly/lHYdzk

Your 10 Step Plan for Becoming a Twitter Star: http://bit.ly/mzct9n

Who Cares About “Whom” Anymore? http://bit.ly/kejGdb

Approach your book idea thoughtfully: http://bit.ly/ln9Dil

Semicolons and Other Signs of Savvy Writing: http://bit.ly/kJdoqD

Overediting: Sucking the Life Out of Your Story: http://bit.ly/ig2Z1B

5 Pieces of Well-Meaning Writing Advice That One Writer is Glad She Didn’t Take: http://bit.ly/kHRVRW

I was in Anderson, SC, on Friday morning, visiting my parents after talking to the Sisters in Crime’s Greenville chapter on Thursday night.

My mother likes to listen to a local talk radio show in the mornings. I didn’t pay any attention at all to it, so it was a sort of white noise in the background for me as I read the newspaper.

Suddenly my mother turned up the volume a little. “Let’s see what Pork Chop has to say,” she said, under her breath.

“Excuse me?” I asked. “What did you say?”

“I said that I wanted to listen to Pork Chop.”

“His name is Pork Chop?” It was hard to wrap my head around.

“Well, that’s what he goes by.”

Yes, I am a Southerner. Yes, there are names like Pork Chop here in the Southern US. I come across them all the time. They are not made up. You can’t make stuff like this up.

I also come across amazing names almost every day—first names and surnames. I got a truly incredibly surname the other day from someone who emailed me. I added it to my collection. I love my name collection Word file. Some of the names immediately evoke a particular image.

Sometimes? I get caught.

“Is that my name in your book?” I’ll be asked.

Well, it’s a name they share with the character, I’ll tell them. Sometimes I can’t even remember where I collected the name….TV? Radio? Newspaper? An acquaintance mentioned the name?

And I need a lot of names in my books. There are five suspects. There’s a sidekick and a sleuth and various supporting characters. Some characters make return appearances in books…some don’t. I always need fresh names for each book.

One thing I always make very, very clear—the characters are not the people whose names are used. I always make a point that they’re nothing like the character. Because people wonder…if I used their name, what else did I borrow?

Do you borrow names? Do you have a name collection like I do? How do you handle it if you use the name of someone you know?

**************

Sign up for the free Writer’s Knowledge Base newsletter and be automatically entered in a June drawing to receive K.M. Weiland’s CD (or MP3) Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration CD. (Current subscribers will also be entered.) The newsletters include top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders. Sign up here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter. (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email address is never shared.)

A little over a month ago, I wrote a post about being a restless writer.

In it, I admitted that I’m a writer that has a hard time sitting still for very long. I sort of wince whenever I hear about writers with incredible discipline who sit for hours and write. I just can’t do it for that long.

Right now I have a lot of writing going on….actually I have several different deadlines. One is for a manuscript, one is for a full outline, one is for edits. So I really need to knock out a lot of work (and my apologies in advance if I’m not quite as active online for the next 1 1/2 months.)

In the last post on this topic, I mentioned some different ways I approach writing as a restless writer:

Do other writing-related tasks if you’re in a time crunch or under deadline. This is especially helpful for me. I can get work done that I’ve got to get done, but I can switch to writing the outline if I’m tired of writing, or switch to editing if I’m restless with the outline, etc.

Open up to the possibilities of writing on the go during the day. Write in dead time while waiting for something, write in my head as I do errands, write at a library.

Move around. Doing housework while writing is an easy multitasking win…because housework requires no thought. Somehow, it helps me brainstorm, too.

And:

Reduce up front the amount of time you’re writing before taking your breaks. Consider writing in 15 minute segments.

More on that last one now. I’ve read an interesting post on the Work Awesome blog about the Pomodoro Technique. This technique is incredibly simple to remember because there are only 5 steps:

1. Pick a task you need to accomplish.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and start working
3. When the timer rings, take a 5 minute break
4. Repeat steps 1-3
5. Every four cycles, take a 25 minute break.

Since I’m feeling a little under the gun right now, I followed this technique yesterday with the full 25 minute cycles and it worked really well. Ordinarily, though, I think I’d probably reduce the 25 minutes to 20 or possibly even fewer.

I think it would still be effective if the amount of time in the cycle is reduced, because you’re still in the writing zone. I think the hardest part of working on that cycle is at the beginning, when you’re just getting started for the day.

One additional note on the technique above—as a restless writer, I found that during my 5 minute break (step 3), I needed to do something really active that was not on the computer. I spent that time loading or unloading the dishwasher, folding a few pieces of laundry, packing the children’s lunch for the next day…you get the idea.

During the 25 minute break after 4 cycles were completed (step 5), then I checked social media (email, Twitter, etc.) Because it’s very, very tough to pull away from social media after only 5 minutes, but it can easily be done in 25 with a timer.

How do you eliminate distractions to focus on your writing? Or does it come naturally to you?

It can be difficult (and some writers feel, impossible) to out yourself as a writer to friends, family, and neighbors.

It shouldn’t be that hard. I don’t see plumbers, doctors, vets, or carpenters having the same problem.

But I totally understand this reluctance. For years, I wouldn’t introduce myself as a writer when people asked what I did for a living. I’d label myself a mom or a stay-at-home mom. I’m usually uncomfortable meeting people for the first time, and I don’t like to focus attention on myself.

For me, though, it got to the point where it was ridiculous not to mention it. I found that if I didn’t mention my writing, then people didn’t understand why I couldn’t volunteer every day at the school (I still volunteer a lot there), or why I couldn’t talk on the phone for long periods of time during the mornings. Or why I’d disappear into my house around deadlines and not be seen out.

When I finally did talk openly about being a writer, some people I knew were upset that I hadn’t mentioned it earlier. I think they thought it showed a lack of trust on my part.

It’s usually the fear of not knowing the reaction that the other person is going to have when you say you’re a writer. I think I’ve now heard about every reaction there is—from interest to disbelief to boredom. There are some questions that are inevitable: What types of books do you write? Are you published? Do you write under your own name? How many books have you written?

Let’s say that you do want to let people know that you’re a writer. How can you subtly reveal you’re a writer?

An email signature. Got an ebook out? A printed book? Articles to link to on the web? A writing blog? You’ve got plenty of material for a simple email signature that automatically goes out on any email you send.

Bookmarks or business cards. Many writers I know use online printers like VistaPrint to order inexpensive business cards. When an acquaintance or neighbor asks you for your phone number or email address, you can hand them your card and scribble your personal info on the back. (When I’ve done this, I’ve almost never gotten questions about my writing right then. The person usually looks a little taken aback and then asks about my writing the next time I see them.)

Write an article for the community newspaper with a writing tagline at the end. This is a great way to make a little extra cash (and I do mean little) and have a tagline at the end of the story for anyone in the community to see. The freebie community mags are wonderful for that kind of thing (and always need material) and everybody seems to read them at the coffee shop, etc. I’ve had a few people mention my writing to me for that reason.

Got a traditionally printed book? Have a signing…and mention it on Facebook. This is a very public way to announce you’re a writer, but if nothing else works, this will. Your friends will assume that they just weren’t somehow paying attention when you mentioned your writing around them.

Give talks in local schools. Teachers love it if you speak to their classes about how exciting writing is…especially if you ask them how they’re approaching teaching writing and you can follow their curriculum in your talk. A few parents of the children I spoke to in the elementary school mentioned weeks later that their kids had enjoyed my talk.

Actually telling people. When they ask you what you do, say you’re a writer. Because that’s what you are. A writer isn’t only someone who has a book on a shelf. A writer writes.

Ultimately, talking about my writing not only made my life easier but it also got me some new readers.

Do you openly talk about your writing to others? When did you decide to do so?

Sunday I was feeling less than prepared.

I’d been super-prepared all week—meeting every challenge that came my way…anticipating challenges in advance. But boy, I was sure dropping the ball all day Sunday.

Sunday afternoon, my son volunteered with other middle school kids at a car wash to raise money for camps for inner city children. Great cause! I brought him there, dropped him off, and took off home.

He ended up soaking wet in a chilly wind. I came back and brought him towels and a change of clothes. Left again and returned later to pick him up.

Took my daughter to another event Sunday afternoon. This one I actually thought a little bit about. “Sweetie,” I said, “it says ‘gross games and gross food’ on the invitation. You’re wearing really pretty clothes. Are you sure you don’t want to change?”

She didn’t. And I thought about bringing a change of clothes for her in the car (just in case), but we were running behind (and I’m never late), so we jumped in the car.

When we got there and she saw there were games involving spaghetti, shaving cream, and slime, she asked me for old clothes. I drove home, got the clothes, and came back again. Then left and came back again to pick her up.

When it was all said and done, I made 10 total trips up and down the same road on Sunday. It should only have been 6. Lots of wasted time because I didn’t think ahead.

It’s good to be prepared as a writer, too. It can keep us from getting too discouraged and quit something that we could end up being successful at. It can also keep us from wasting time on tangents.

Some areas to be prepared for:

Be prepared that new ideas that seem wonderful will strike right when you’re mucking through difficult terrain on your current manuscript. Jotting them down in a Word file for future reference can keep you from getting sidelined.

Be prepared that the siren song of the internet or the omnipresent smart phones will lure you away from your book. Closing all windows or writing on paper when you’re feeling especially susceptible can help.

Be prepared that there will be spots in your WIP when you’re not sure how you’ll move the story forward or make the character come alive. Brainstorming solutions or making lists of as many possibilities as you can dream up is a good way to handle it.

Be prepared for doubt because all writers have it (or they should have it). We all wonder variations on this theme: is this story any good? Will anyone want to read it? Will someone want to publish it or am I wasting my time? Is all this trouble worth it? During these times, it’s good to spend time with other writers…either online or in person…for support.

Be prepared for bits of dead time with paper and pencil.

Be prepared for the research and time that goes into querying—and the seemingly endless rejections. On the upside, there is tons of information out there on which agents are looking for what type of material, how to construct a query, and what to include in one.

Be prepared to have an online presence or platform if you’re planning on being either traditionally published or self-published.

Be prepared to promote and to think up new ways to reach your readers. Publishers put most of this responsibility on the writers. If you don’t enjoy appearances, you can opt for social media promo, instead.

Be prepared for good and bad reviews.

Be prepared to feel conflicted about different writing strategies, promo strategies, and publishing options.

What things have you discovered about writing that it’s good to be prepared for?

*********

Sign up for the free Writer’s Knowledge Base newsletter and be automatically entered in a June drawing to receive K.M. Weiland’s CD (or MP3) Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration CD. (Current subscribers will also be entered.) The newsletters include top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders. Sign up here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter. (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email address is never shared.)