Author: Elizabeth Spann Craig

Here are writing links that I’ve posted to Twitter for the past week.

If you’re looking for a particular topic, just plug in your keyword into the search box at the top left-hand corner of the blog (on the black header right above my blog name…next to the Blogger symbol…the small search window is next to the magnifying glass) and the roundup with your subject will come up. To narrow your search down on the page, do a CTRL+F, type your subject, and hit enter.

For crime writers–handling lengthy investigations in our fiction: http://dld.bz/7usF @mkinberg

Why fairy tales are immortal (Globe and Mail) : http://dld.bz/7ugZ

Making Sense of a Rejection Letter: http://dld.bz/7rmj

5 Tips For Choosing The Perfect Book Interior Designer: http://dld.bz/7rmd @thecreativepenn

Understanding Advances And Royalties: http://dld.bz/7rk7

Things that have surprised me about the writing life: http://dld.bz/7tgH

Publishing — The Synopsis: http://dld.bz/7rk5

Thanksgiving Mysteries: 2010 List: http://tinyurl.com/2g96waz @JanetRudolph

How to Make Your Website Mobile Friendly (And Keep Your Readers Happy): http://dld.bz/7rk2

Writing Cannot Be Strictly An Independent Activity: http://dld.bz/7rkb

A tale of a successful query: http://dld.bz/7rjS

For God’s Sake, Buy Your Friends’ Books: http://dld.bz/7rxY

When Writing Doesn’t Pay (And It Feels Great): http://dld.bz/7rhb

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Hot Seafood Dip http://bit.ly/aFeFNI @CleoCoyle

Bloggers: How to Slash your Writing Time in Half: http://dld.bz/7gmx

3 Steps to Fan Page Awesomeness: http://dld.bz/7gkX

Tips on Writing Action Scenes: http://dld.bz/7gkU

Agent Donald Maass On: Your Tools for Character Building: http://dld.bz/7gdc

How to Use WordPress as an Online Notebook: http://dld.bz/7gcH

Keep the Passion to Write: http://dld.bz/7dnM

“Should I Quit My Job to Work as a Writer for Hire?” http://dld.bz/7dns

6 Tips for Writing for Young Adults: http://dld.bz/7dnd

13 Tips for Beginning Bloggers (Which One Blogger Learned the Hard Way): http://dld.bz/7dmP

Writing Should Be Treated as a Business: http://dld.bz/7dmJ

How to write a Q&A: http://dld.bz/7dmD

Get Past a Motivational Brick Wall: http://dld.bz/7dmh

Writing the synopsis before the book: http://dld.bz/7dkR

Should You Include Illustration Notes in Your Picture Book? http://dld.bz/7dkM

Writing Devices: Transitions: http://dld.bz/7dkB

Stop and Go Sentences: http://dld.bz/7dkx

Can An Online Presence Help Make a Best Seller? http://dld.bz/7dkf

Working as a Copywriter Abroad: http://dld.bz/7dkb

Six Ways to Trick Yourself into Working Harder: http://dld.bz/7fRJ

Nicolas Gary: France’s Digital Man of Letters: http://dld.bz/7dj5

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Pumpkin Pie! http://bit.ly/d53M1Z @CleoCoyle

The Most Sympathetic Villain Ever: http://dld.bz/7djx

Literary rejections on display: http://dld.bz/7aXg

The Dark Side Of Your Novel’s Hero: http://dld.bz/7aWV

Negotiating your own contract: http://dld.bz/7dnS

How to Connect and Network With Writers – 5 Social Media Tips: http://dld.bz/7aWK

Steampunk Abstractions: The Inevitability of Imperialism: http://dld.bz/7aW5

4 Agent Pet Peeves: http://dld.bz/7aWr

The Cons of Procrastination: http://dld.bz/7aWk

Writing Through the Doubt: http://dld.bz/7aVF

Starting a Scene with Dialogue: http://dld.bz/7aVv

Should You Grant an Exclusive Read to an Agent? http://dld.bz/7aVj

7 tips for improving your writing (especially for bloggers and freelancers): http://dld.bz/69N8

Seven Tips to Start Your Travel Blogging Journey: http://dld.bz/69Nv

Novels – Sagging Middle Fixes: http://dld.bz/69MA

How to Gain Twitter Influence: http://dld.bz/69Mz

Lock up the darn writer: http://dld.bz/69K2

12 Dozen Places To Self-Educate Yourself Online: http://dld.bz/69Ky

Top 5 Query Mistakes Freelance Writers Make: http://dld.bz/69Kp

How to speak publisher – A is for Acquisitions: http://dld.bz/69Kc

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Thanksgiving Treats http://bit.ly/c4Q2Zb @CleoCoyle

How to Write for Translation: http://dld.bz/69JM

17 ways for writers to publish their content: http://dld.bz/69J7

The importance of first impressions: http://dld.bz/6SZR @joanswan

How to Write Safely in a Publishing Universe: http://dld.bz/69Jh

How to Salvage a Scene: http://dld.bz/69Hp

Thanks to the Writing Masquerade blog for interviewing me: http://dld.bz/6USZ ! I shared my recipe for corn pudding, too. :) @eveningfades

6 Articles for a Stronger, Faster, Better First Draft: http://dld.bz/6UCE @Writeitsideways

How To Write Three Blog Posts A Day: http://dld.bz/69Hg

9 tips for writing back cover copy: http://dld.bz/6UAT @TheCreativePenn

How to Unblock Your Writing and Create Effortless Words: http://dld.bz/69Hd

Building an Author Platform from Scratch: http://dld.bz/69GV @pubperspectives

This Is Your Brain on Metaphors (NY Times): http://dld.bz/69G4

Developing contacts to promote your book: http://dld.bz/6Tfg @spunkonastick

How to write a profile article: http://dld.bz/69F4

6 Vital Signs of A Healthy Plot: http://bit.ly/dgD3PK

The value of pre-publication blurbs: http://dld.bz/69Fr

iPhone Apps for NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/69Fd

Tips for having a blog tour: http://dld.bz/69Fa

Things one writer didn’t expect about writing full-time: http://dld.bz/69EF

Book rejection bingo: http://dld.bz/69EB

Cultivating your Imagination: http://dld.bz/69Er @jammer0501

Five Steps to a Strong Main Character: http://dld.bz/69Ed

Checking for plot holes: http://dld.bz/69Ea

Inspiring the uninspired: http://dld.bz/69DR

3 blogging blunders: http://dld.bz/69DM

A reader asks:is Our Attention Span Getting Shorter? http://dld.bz/6z9M

Do You Even NEED an Agent?: http://dld.bz/69DB

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Thanksgiving With a Little South on the Side http://bit.ly/bEcpv9 @CleoCoyle

Using flow for writing productivity: http://dld.bz/69Dw

How to Make Down Days Work for You: http://dld.bz/6zAp

Is Our Attention Span Getting Shorter? http://dld.bz/6z9M

Anatomy of a Scene Cut: http://dld.bz/6z9D

A Hidden Market for Freelance Writers: http://dld.bz/6z93

Writers: Be Bold! http://dld.bz/6z9f

How to Set Up Your First Blog the Right Way the First Time: http://dld.bz/6z9d

For freelancers: Ten Good Reasons the Editor Said “No”: http://dld.bz/6z8M

Want to Be a Professional Writer? Act Like One. http://dld.bz/6z8C

Why modern books are all too long (Guardian): http://dld.bz/6z85

Writing the flip side of our characters: http://dld.bz/6GHx

The 7 Rules Part III: Rejection: http://dld.bz/6z82

The 3 types of negative book reviews: http://dld.bz/6z8u

5 Steps for Crafting the Perfect Book Review Pitch: http://dld.bz/6z8m

The Writer’s Bucket List: http://dld.bz/6z8f

How to Keep the Conversations on Your Blog Civil: http://dld.bz/6z8a

Researching believability: http://dld.bz/6z7Q

5 Tips for Writing Scenes: http://dld.bz/56B2

One easy way to improve your writing–be specific: http://dld.bz/6DgJ @Paize_Fiddler

An agent with some Twitter tips: http://dld.bz/6z7A

The power of perspective: http://dld.bz/6z7y

Take the Fantasy Novelist’s Exam: http://dld.bz/6z6P

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: COMMENT TO WIN TODAY! What is Your Must-Have Thanksgiving Side Dish? http://bit.ly/9jR5pW @CleoCoyle

Character Traits vs Author Traits – Reaching for the Brass Ring: http://dld.bz/6z6B

Why are you writing this story? http://dld.bz/6z6c

Why good guys need to win in detective novels (Boston Globe): http://dld.bz/6z5Z

Biographers fear that publishers have lost their appetite for serious subjects (Guardian): http://dld.bz/6z5M

5 Ways To Tell Your WIP Is Progressing: http://dld.bz/6t47

9 Ways To Elevate Your Speaking To Black Belt Level: http://dld.bz/6t45

Don’t Prejudge Editorial Taste When Submitting to Magazines: http://dld.bz/6t42

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 11/12/10): http://dld.bz/69NK

Things that authors get wrong: http://dld.bz/6t4f

Modifiers to avoid: http://dld.bz/6t3Q

Pleasing Ourselves or Pleasing the Reader? http://dld.bz/6t3K

Avoid 5 Plotting Mistakes by Using Scenes: http://dld.bz/6t34

Multiple Points of View: http://dld.bz/6t2t

Bad Boy Heroes: Three Types: http://dld.bz/6t2q

Top Five Mistakes that New Freelance Writers Make: http://dld.bz/6tzT

An Agent on Addressing Your Query: http://dld.bz/6tzv

5 Reasons Writers Get Stuck with Tips How to Unstick: http://dld.bz/6tzn

Ethnicity in writing–should you worry about including it? http://dld.bz/6475

A look at ending our scenes: http://dld.bz/6tzg

Archetypes, not Stereotypes: http://dld.bz/6tyy

Finding the Writing Groove: http://dld.bz/6tyr

5 Causes and Solutions to Writer’s Block: http://dld.bz/6tyd

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: First Murder Bourbon Pecan Pie http://bit.ly/bblVwk @CleoCoyle

Ten of the best angels in literature (Guardian): http://dld.bz/6txX

An editor on backstory: http://dld.bz/6txM

Character Emotional Development: http://dld.bz/6txE

Definitive list of cliched dialogue: http://dld.bz/6txB

An agent on whether a writer should resubmit a manuscript, even if only one chapter is changed: http://dld.bz/6tx6

The online graphical dictionary: http://dld.bz/6sTQ

Twitterific–the week in tweets: http://bit.ly/cwFKYM

Business Writing Jobs and Rates – How Much Do Writers Make? http://dld.bz/6sTH

Taking history: top writers select their photographs of the decade: http://dld.bz/6sT9

An agent answers whether it’s all right to scream or squeal when you get ‘the call’: http://dld.bz/6s6F

The New Girls’ Network: How a debut author got a little help (PW): http://dld.bz/6s64

Feed your writing soul: http://dld.bz/6s6x

Events not worthy of a full screen: http://dld.bz/6s6u

5 More Ways to Jump Start a Writing Career – Part 2: http://dld.bz/6s6k

Did all these fantasy stories really rip off Harry Potter? http://dld.bz/6s6j

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Guest Blogger, Barb Goffman! http://bit.ly/9DKDMd @CleoCoyle

One writer’s 10 ground rules for writing about her kids online: http://dld.bz/6s6f

The Life of a Furtive Writer: http://dld.bz/6s5Q

15 Secrets For the Perfect Business Portrait (or Author Photo): http://dld.bz/6mbw

The debate on prologues: http://dld.bz/6mbm

An agent with a thoughtful post on the necessity of author platforms: http://dld.bz/6t2G @pubperspectives

How to Use StumbleUpon: Your Comprehensive Guide: http://dld.bz/6maZ

10 Guest Blogging Tips: http://dld.bz/6maU

There was an article that ran this week on the Genreality blog by urban fantasy author Carrie Vaughn entitled “Things I Didn’t Expect About Writing Full-Time.”

I thought it was really interesting because I have noticed things that surprised me about spending my day as a writer.  But I hadn’t actually sat down to articulate them.

Carrie Vaughn mentions things like the number of emails she gets, and the endless waiting for different things on the publisher’s end to happen.

Those things wouldn’t have made my list, but I’ve definitely noticed other things that have surprised me about being a writer. One thing that is that I spend most of my day writing.  It’s not just work on my novel, of course—it’s also answering emails, writing blog posts, creating short tweets, writing status updates, commenting on blogs…I’m actually writing most of the day.

I’m writing to people who also spend most of their day writing.  Other writers, my agent, my editors. 

These people all have excellent communication skills.  Way above average communication skills.

So lately—I’ve also noticed that I’ve had some frustration (well-hidden.  I hope…) with regular people who aren’t writers and don’t write clearly.    That’s something I never would have expected as a byproduct of spending my day writing.

I’m not picking out typos or being picky about grammar or anything like that—I’m just trying to figure out the point of the school-related email or the Scout-related email or the church-related email.  Because the emails frequently ramble and aren’t clear.   And I’m always in such a hurry to get to the crux of the missive.

And I’m used to corresponding with writers.

Which is ridiculous, of course.  These non-writers aren’t practicing their writing skills like we are.  I’m just learning to reread emails a few times to figure out what some of them are trying to say.  And saving the emails and using my highlighting feature. :)

My husband has wonderful writing skills for a non-writer. But it  takes him a long time to write an email.  He wants to get the word choice exactly right. 

So that’s what’s surprised me the most—the fact that I apparently think everyone writes well, or that writing is just a basic skill like reading is,  because of the amount of time I spend interacting and corresponding with writers.  :)

What surprises you, as you spend more time writing?

After so many years of setting the clock back, you’d think I’d expect the changes.

But each fall I’m surprised how dark it is in the late afternoon. Every morning I’m surprised how light it is so early.

The darkness puts our whole family in a different mood. We light candles at suppertime. We feel sleepier at bedtime. And when I take my daughter to her scout meeting at 6 p.m., she gets the delicious sensation that she’s up really late at night and out on the town.

I’ve noticed lately, though, an aggressive attempt by stores to put me in a very particular mood.

The Christmas shopping mood.

It was November 3 and I walked into a store that was playing Christmas music. Whoa! There’s no way I’m ready for that stuff yet, y’all. I picked up some things for the kids last summer and that is it. The Christmas season starts after Thanksgiving. It does! But I kept running into stores that were selling the season awfully early.

These stores’ determination to put me in a money-spending mood was a slap in the face. It was not subtle. It felt very pushy to me.

I’ve read some books where I felt the writer abruptly and clumsily tried to force me into a mood: a tense mood, a frightened mood, a maudlin mood. It jumped off the page at me and I don’t think it’s because I’m a writer.

It’s like watching a poorly-done horror movie. You know the bad guy is going to leap out at you because of the scary music, heavy on strings, that’s loudly playing.

Subtle ways to create a mood:

Skillful (and, to my liking, brief) description of the scene’s setting: an abandoned, deteriorating house (unease). A crowded train with body to body people (stress).

Setting tone through dialogue. Obviously this would be two or more characters sharing more than just chit-chat with each other. There could be an urgent tone set, a joyful tone, somber tone…

Syntax: We convey our feelings about a person via word choice—choosing words with negative connotations instead of positive ones. Someone’s face has pity, not sympathy. Someone is smug, not content. A person is cloying, not sweet. The character contributes toward establishment of the mood—the reader feels suffocated by the closeness of the cloying character, e.g.

Weather: I’ve seen this overdone. But it can be used very effectively in unusual ways. We all remember what a beautiful day it was in New York city on 9-11. It just illuminated the horror that played out.

Light: The daylight savings time shifts play havoc with my moods. You could do the same with blackouts, houses with uncertain electrical wiring, uncovered ceiling lightbulbs creating sinister shadows, etc.

I appreciate subtlety in creating moods instead of having a writer lay it on too thick. Are you the same way? As a writer, how do you invoke mood?

I haven’t run a post on negotiating your own contract for a while, and received a recent email from a writer looking for resources on the subject.

I did negotiate my first contract myself since I didn’t have representation at the time–and didn’t have enough time to really hunt when the publisher came calling.

I wouldn’t recommend doing it by yourself, but sometimes it’s just not an option—agents are hard to come by, and you can get an offer from (usually small-to-mid-sized) publishers before you’re able to land a literary agent.

There are posts, by agents, on negotiating your own contract: the “Agenting 101” series (look for it on the right hand side of the page. There are eleven references) on the Pub Rants blog by Kristen Nelson, a blog entry called “Ten Things to Know if You Go Commando” on agent Janet Reid’s blog, and a series called “Contracts 101” on the BookEnds Literary Agency blog:

http://tinyurl.com/2rneqq
http://tinyurl.com/yaebq3t
http://tinyurl.com/y882fn5

There’s a guest post by agent Holly Root with Waxman Literary Agency on negotiating contracts: http://tinyurl.com/ybedos7

A general post by an agent on negotiating your own contract.

Another site I found helpful showed a sample author contract, just to give you an idea what the document may look like: www.writecontent.com.

Stroppy Author blog ran posts covering each section of a contract. Just scroll down for all the posts.

Usually publishers will go off a basic template contract—what’s known in the industry as a “boilerplate.” Publishers will expect counteroffers (I countered on my contract), but likely won’t budge too much from the original offer.

If something in the contract seems a little off to you, though, the information on these different blogs can definitely help keep you from being taken advantage of.

Hope this information will help some folks out there. :) Google searches on this topic are sometimes hard to sort through.

I really never thought I’d be writing a post like this, but I have to admit that I really like the Kindle.

I was definitely not expecting to like it—for several reasons.

One is that I love being in places where there are books. I grew up surrounded by books in the public library and my house. There was always a book on the table and books making the bookcases groan.

Another reason is that I have enough screen time as it is. If I’ve had a busy writing week (or promo week, or both), then by the end of the day my head aches and my eyes hurt and I just can’t wait to get away from my laptop, the desktop, my smart phone, whatever.

So I wasn’t exactly expecting to be a fan of the Kindle when my husband bought one a few weeks ago.

But—it’s so sensible.

It takes up hardly any space. The screen isn’t backlit like a computer screen, so (as yet) I haven’t experienced any eyestrain. I can actually read the Kindle outdoors because there won’t be glare on the screen. It can hold all the books I want.

Unfortunately, I think we’ve reached the point where we can’t collect many more books. Books are even stacked on the floor in some rooms…and this is after culling our collection! No, if some come in, then some have to go out….

Unless you have a Kindle. Then you can have a huge library on a single device…and back it up to another.

Usually, if I go out of town, I have to make a big decision as to which books I’m going to bring with me. This involves skimming the first chapter of each book to see which ones I’m more likely to want to read.

If you have a Kindle, you can bring all the books with you.

I’m a clumsy person. Very. Yes, I’ve already dropped this brand-new device. While I wouldn’t recommend dropping the Kindle, it has survived its scary experience.

Do you like to write in the margins of your books? I’m a margin-writer and highlighter, myself. Yes, you can do it in the Kindle.

Like a book, you will still need a booklight if you read the Kindle in your bed in the middle of the night and don’t want to wake the person sleeping next to you. That’s because it’s not backlit. But that’s sort of comforting and almost book-like.

I really don’t have anything bad to say about it. I’m a fan.

I still go hang out where there are books. I go to the library once or twice a week. I’m frequently in the bookstores…and yes, I’m still buying paper books (after I give away several to make room for the new ones.)

But I think I’m seeing a glimpse of the future. It’s a little scary because it’s creating a lot of discord in the publishing industry…but I’m definitely a convert.

Have you got an eReader? Are you planning on buying one? How do you like yours?