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I’ve gotten a few comments in the last couple of months, asking about Google Reader and how we can make it work for us. I thought I’d do a real quick overview of the way I use the application in case it might help someone else.

I subscribe, admittedly, to an obscene number of blogs (See below. Looks like I’m up to 1380, although I could have sworn I was around 1,000.)

What is Google Reader? It’s sort of a newspaper with all the blogs you’ve chosen as favorites included in the paper. It’s a quick and organized way to read through all the blogs you subscribe to—and, when the blogs update, your Reader automatically updates, too.

You add blogs to your Google Reader by subscribing to an RSS feed. What’s an RSS feed? I’m not exactly sure. :) Fortunately, it’s not really necessary to understand it to use it. Basically, if you look up at the top of your computer right now, you’ll see an address bar with Mystery Writing is Murder’s address in it. Next to it you’ll see an orange icon of something that looks like a radio wave (like the icon at the top of my blog post.) If you left-click on the icon, it gives you options to subscribe to my blog (or whatever blog you’re on.) Then you can choose “Google Reader” as the way you’d like to read your subscription.

Google Reader is free, but you need to have some sort of a free account with Google—like a gmail address or a Blogspot blog to use the application.

Once you’ve added blogs to your reader, you can read them…either a list view, like this:

Or an expanded view, like this:

If you really subscribe to a lot of blogs (like I do), then you can organize the blogs into different folders/categories.

To create a folder, click on “manage subscriptions” at the very bottom left-hand corner of your page (under “subscriptions.) Then click on the subscriptions tab. Then click “add to a folder” on any of the blog feeds (it doesn’t really matter which one.) At the bottom of the drop-down menu, it will have “add a folder.” Click on that to create a new folder.

Ideas for folders: I love reading writing blogs. If I had my way, I wouldn’t do any work and I’d just read blogs. Obviously, this isn’t a good way to get books written. So to curb myself, I organize blog subscriptions into days of the week and then read those blogs those days. This way I can be sure to read everyone at least some of the time and still get some work done. :)

To page up and down and through your Reader quickly, here are some Google Reader shortcuts to help you out.

Google Reader Housekeeping:

Sometimes you’ll want to go through your Reader and cull some blogs—maybe they’re blogs that haven’t updated for a long time, for example. If you look at the left-hand column on your Google Reader, you’ll see “Your Stuff.” Several items below that is “Trends.” If you click on trends, a screen will pull up that lists blogs that are inactive or obscure…and you can delete your subscription right off the screen.

Hope this helps! Does anyone else have some Google Reader tips to share? Or any questions?

I know that it seems like I spend way too much time at the swimming pool. It’s just been such an incredibly hot summer (even for the Deep South), that whenever my children utter the fateful words, “We’re bored!” then I just pop them in the car and take them off to the pool.

I was at the pool last week and something started bothering me about the tree in the picture. See the tree I’m talking about? It’s huge. It’s like a pine tree on steroids.

The other thing that bothered me about the tree is that, despite the fact it was a windy day and the other trees were blowing back and forth, it didn’t move at all.

Finally I took a picture of the tree (the mommies at the pool are getting used to my weirdness by now, I guess…laptops at the pool, notebooks at the pool, talking to myself, taking notes on the people walking and talking around me, taking pictures of trees….They don’t ever seem to engage me in conversation—I wonder why!) and I realized that the tree was, actually, a cell phone tower disguised to look like a tree.

Having a character stand out in a book because they’re too stiff or not lifelike is a problem—especially if the character is our protagonist.

How can we make our characters more lifelike?

Cheat a little and base the character on someone or several people we know well.

Have the character really feel emotions and show them displaying some emotional range—humor, anger, trepidation.

Give the character a few flaws. Nobody’s perfect.

Help put the reader in the protagonist’s head. What is the character thinking? When a new character is introduced, what does the protagonist think of him or her?

Character growth and development. Does the character change and grow? Or is he static?

How do you make your characters more lifelike?

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.

Character Relatability: http://dld.bz/p3zC

The best of both worlds–soothing the query and submission angst: http://dld.bz/p3xX

Perk Up Your Bio: http://dld.bz/p3zH @bookmarketer

An agent answers, “What is writer’s voice?” http://dld.bz/p3zM

10 Ways Blogging Can Improve Your Life: http://dld.bz/p34q

The first page of your novel=prime real estate: http://dld.bz/p34f

Is It Writer’s Block? Or Over-Thinking? http://dld.bz/p326

Engineering a Mystery:http://dld.bz/p3yt

What Writers Wish They’d Known Before Pitching (Writer’s Digest): http://dld.bz/p3yf

Planning — I Was A Teenage Pantser: http://dld.bz/p3xt

One writer’s top 10 writing tips: http://dld.bz/p3wZ

How to Create Characters for Your Character-Driven Novel: http://dld.bz/pstq

What Star Wars teaches us about character introductions: http://bit.ly/cPGo6b @p2p_editor

Words of advice from a writer turned editor: http://dld.bz/pstf

A writer’s guide to leaving an agent: http://dld.bz/pssw @srjohannes

How to Write a Great Blog Post in Just 15 Minutes: http://dld.bz/pssX

Funny business: http://dld.bz/p5ka @AuthorGuy

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Magic Peach Cobbler http://bit.ly/bgD3Ms

Confessions of a guilty writing mum: http://dld.bz/pkYC

“I don’t want to be a professional writer.” http://dld.bz/pkU6

The Write Stuff–What are Stories Made Of? http://dld.bz/pspQ

Tips for writing a series: http://dld.bz/psnG @ChuckSambuchino

Best articles this week for writers (7-30): http://dld.bz/p35b @4KidLit

11 Tips for Increasing Pace: http://dld.bz/p3y2 @alanorloff

Platform – to have or have not? http://dld.bz/psnB

4 Reasons Writers Don’t Write – Goal Setting Tips for Writers: http://dld.bz/psnv

Zen and the art of not writing: http://dld.bz/psnm

How To Revise and Resubmit: http://dld.bz/psm7

An agent does some mythbusting: http://dld.bz/pkY3

5 Resources on the Public Domain: http://dld.bz/pkYu

How to Tell Agent #2 You’re Leaving Agent #1: http://dld.bz/pkYt

Are you writing a short story or a novel (the difference in word counts): http://dld.bz/pkYq

Promote as if you were self-published: http://dld.bz/pkYg

Got Ripe Strawberries? Make Cleo Coyle’s Liquid Candy St… http://bit.ly/be6ar0

1st drafts–how to keep plowing through them: http://dld.bz/pxrd @Anasleuth

Why POV is an amazing tool: http://dld.bz/pkXx

An agent on setting up your writing business: http://dld.bz/pgJM

How Can I get Published? Right Now! (Confessions of the Unkind): http://dld.bz/pgJz

10 Tips to Convince Your Reader of Anything: http://dld.bz/pgJu

Why You Should Write to the Edges of Your Niche: http://dld.bz/pgJq

10 reasons it’s great to be a writer: http://dld.bz/ptDV @elspethwrites

Facebook tags for book promo: http://dld.bz/pgHG

Narrative, Resonance and Genre: http://dld.bz/pgHD

Writer’s guide to reading people–what does men’s hair reveal about a character? http://dld.bz/psmV

The Positive Side of Rejection: http://dld.bz/pgHz

The trouble with dialogue, part 3: http://dld.bz/pbYF

Top 10 Must Have WordPress Plugins: http://dld.bz/pbYx

How To Discover Your Productivity Patterns: http://dld.bz/nZdb

It’s POV day today! :) One more POV link–how to choose the right POV for your novel: http://bit.ly/Lyzqt @p2p_editor

My fellow mystery loving cook, @CleoCoyle ‘s “Roast Mortem” releases Aug. 3! Ck out http://bit.ly/CCgLG for release party contests & info.

One guide to self-editing: http://dld.bz/pbYk

POV: http://dld.bz/pbXa

Why Should People Buy Your Book? http://dld.bz/pbWm

How to write a synopsis: http://dld.bz/pbVC

Do Crime Books Make You a Criminal? http://dld.bz/nZcr

Ten Reasons To Keep Writing: http://dld.bz/nZcm

Pros and cons of the different POVs: http://dld.bz/pnss @authorterryo

How to read a publishing contract (19): http://dld.bz/nZcf

Amazon Launches Sleeker Kindle (NPR): http://dld.bz/pkYJ

How One Author Is Using Scribd to Find Readers (Writer’s Digest): http://dld.bz/nZcc

J K Rowling moves to dismiss plagiarism charge: http://dld.bz/pkXr

Describing Characters? Be Subtle: http://dld.bz/nZbM

Will the Book Survive? (Daily Beast): http://dld.bz/pkTY

When Strangers Meet–the Use of Strangers in Crime Fiction: http://dld.bz/pkFr @mkinberg

The best goal is no goal: http://dld.bz/nZbh

7 Ways to Ignite Your Creative Spark: http://dld.bz/nTyB

How Your Spouse Can Help Your Work-Life Balance: http://dld.bz/nZct

The audacity of authors: http://dld.bz/nTyA

Creativity negativity: http://dld.bz/nTy6

When It’s Time to Move On (Or How I Got My Current Agent): http://dld.bz/nTyz

Enjoy reading? 6 reasons to join Goodreads: http://dld.bz/nTxP

Picture Book or Short Story? http://dld.bz/nQb5

Top 2 social media mistakes authors make, according to a consultant: http://wp.me/puCO7-17y @alexisgrant

The Next Big Thing Online Could Well Be Anonymity: http://dld.bz/nPUz

How a Christian writer and agent defines success: http://dld.bz/nPSG

5 Things Trail Running Can Teach You About Focus: http://dld.bz/nPSG

Revision survival tips: http://bit.ly/bRDyp8 @jmartinlibrary

Tools for agent searching: http://dld.bz/nPNd @dlschubert

6 Simple Ways to Eliminate Your Excuses: http://dld.bz/nPMY

I’ve Got an Agent… Now What? or Match.com for Writers/Agents: http://dld.bz/nPJF

Looking and Listening: Spy Skills for Writers: http://dld.bz/nJ7G @Writeitsideways

5 Blogging Inspirations: http://dld.bz/nJ76

Writing retreat tips: http://dld.bz/nJ7e @jesakalong

Not sure how to promote your book? Marketing tips–an approach for everyone: http://dld.bz/paSG

Resource roundup for fantasy writers: http://dld.bz/nJ4R

On goals and patience: http://dld.bz/nJ4F @TeresaFrohock

Top Tips for Your Twitter Targets: http://dld.bz/nJA4

11 literary holidays for book lovers: http://dld.bz/nJ99

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Calzones Like the Pros http://bit.ly/b13dZs

The Fifteen-per-cent Solution: http://dld.bz/nJwN

12 stages of writing: http://dld.bz/nJ4p @TeresaFrohock

“I know why the vampire sparkles!” http://dld.bz/nJwF

Be There Or Be Talked About: Managing Your Reputation Online: http://dld.bz/nJ4j

Subjects to avoid when writing for magazines: http://dld.bz/nJ4a

Knowing Your Process: Where: http://dld.bz/nJ3d @wawriters

Questions on the Case of Pronouns: http://dld.bz/nJzB

5 thoughts on book promo: http://dld.bz/nJz4

An Agency Intern on Ten Common Query Mistakes: http://dld.bz/nJzu

13 Ways a Friendly Cop Can Help Superheroes: http://dld.bz/nJye

5 Rules for Writing YA: http://dld.bz/nJxV

Time Management for Writers: One Simple Strategy Which Helps You to Find Time: http://dld.bz/nJxG

The Truth About Typos: http://dld.bz/nJxu

Why Fantasy in Young Adult? http://dld.bz/nJwK

Why one YA author loves Stephanie Meyer: http://dld.bz/nJww

Writing the perfect wedding: http://dld.bz/nJwp

One writer’s writer’s block rant: http://dld.bz/nJwm

Writing our region–tips for conveying a sense of place to our readers: http://dld.bz/nTz5 @mkinberg

Conference round-up–Midsouth Writing Retreat: http://dld.bz/nJvZ

How to attract readers to our blogs: http://dld.bz/nJvB @JodyHedlund

10 Steps to a Better Story: http://dld.bz/nJv3

Orient your readers: http://dld.bz/nJvq

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Sneak Peek at Some Hummus http://bit.ly/9kD6Cn

12 Ways to Market Your Event With Social Media: http://dld.bz/nD72

9 Ways to Sync Bookmarks: http://dld.bz/nD7x

5 Ideas for Sharpening Your Next Speech: http://dld.bz/nD7m

A Day in the Life of a Querier: http://dld.bz/nD68

16 Tips for Being Productive While Working From Home: http://dld.bz/nD64

Vampires – Worldbuilding Rules and Why Did You Go There? http://dld.bz/nD6v

The importance of varying your sentence structure: http://dld.bz/nD6r

7 Reasons Why You Are Time Poor: http://dld.bz/nD5Z

The importance of silence–putting pauses in your dialogue: http://dld.bz/nMX9 @elspethwrites

Revision Readiness Checklist: http://dld.bz/nBZa

Writer’s Envy: http://dld.bz/nBYX

Why Book TV is the Shiz: http://dld.bz/nBYN

How can you tell if your story has emotional resonance? http://dld.bz/nBYH

Take Your Writing to the Next Level http://ow.ly/18igsJ @righter1

Writing pitfalls to avoid: http://dld.bz/nJDt @authorterryo

Five Reasons Amazon E-Books are Outselling Hardcovers: http://dld.bz/nBYD

Writers–finish what you start: http://dld.bz/nJ8u @merrileefaber

Three Ways to Make a Story Your Own: http://dld.bz/nBY7 @Christi_Craig

Can Any Author Be Worth $50 Million Today? (Publishers Weekly) http://dld.bz/nJ8Z

Want to get published? Stock up on patience: http://dld.bz/nJ8p @jennwwrites

The love/hate relationship we have with our books: http://dld.bz/nBYd @JodyHedlund

How to be Insanely Productive and Still Keep Smiling: http://dld.bz/nBXW

5 Screenwriting Tips All Writers Can Learn From: http://dld.bz/nBX8

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: The Long Quiche Goodbye – new recipe http://bit.ly/aWZDyN

5 Book Marketing Dos and Don’ts: http://dld.bz/nBX5

The Immediate Benefits of Having a Newsletter & Why You Need One Now: http://dld.bz/nBX2

Gen-X’s Midlife Crisis Continues (in books and movies): http://dld.bz/nBXs

Writer’s Digest’s Best Tweets for Writers (wk ending 7/23): http://dld.bz/nENn

Working Amazon: Some Strategies For Selling in E-retail Stores: http://dld.bz/nBXh

Making Money through Articles: http://dld.bz/nBXc

Industry Encouraged Self-Esteem Problems: http://dld.bz/nBWU

Promote Your Book on Facebook With a Fan Page: http://dld.bz/ntDU

Can a writer salvage early manuscripts? http://dld.bz/nBW2

Shortcuts to Fame: 5 Tips for Writers: http://dld.bz/n8qF

Imposter Syndrome: One Writer’s Experience: http://dld.bz/n8qE

The 7 Secrets of Running a Wildly Popular Blog: http://dld.bz/n8q4

What makes a good climax? http://dld.bz/n8qv

Conference Survival Tips: http://dld.bz/n8qn

Social media–what’s the point? Depends on what form of social media you’re talking about: http://dld.bz/nBY4

Writing fantasy and other childishness: http://dld.bz/n6Rn

The Trouble With Mid-Career Writer Advice: http://dld.bz/n6Rh

Freestyling vs. Outlining: http://scribesisters.blogspot.com/2010/07/freestyling-vs-outlining.html

Ten of the best nameless protagonists in literature (Guardian): http://dld.bz/n6P9

They’re not rules, they’re price tags: http://dld.bz/n6QT

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Guest Blogger Deborah Sharp http://bit.ly/bj8kM7

11 Paradoxes of Being a Better Public Speaker: http://dld.bz/n6MU

What Makes a Bad Guy Bad: http://dld.bz/n55d

In defense of modifiers: http://dld.bz/n6MJ

Building your author platform: http://dld.bz/n6ME

How one writer uses a mind map to build stories: http://dld.bz/n8fp @PauloCamposInk

Konrath’s thoughts on Wylie, the agent who took some of his star authors’ books and published as ebooks: http://dld.bz/n6MD

Best links for writers–wk of 7/23 (excellent): http://dld.bz/n8qT @4KidLit

Overcoming the dreaded writer’s block: http://dld.bz/n56c

20 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Submitting Your Work: http://dld.bz/n8ff @PauloCamposInk

The Complete Guide to Going Paperless: http://dld.bz/n56a

Seven Writing Sins: Sloth: http://dld.bz/n55E

An agent on the learning curve that never ends: http://dld.bz/n55D

The bad writer’s tripping point: http://dld.bz/n556

Taxes and the writer: http://dld.bz/n55r

Some thoughts on writing beginnings: http://dld.bz/n6Rt

Creating the next great alien language… why? http://dld.bz/n55j

The boy problem in YA: http://dld.bz/n54P

When Your Setting Is A Character: http://dld.bz/nyeQ

When you get a rejection–questions to ask yourself (besides “why”): http://dld.bz/nyeJ

Twitterific–the week in tweets: http://dld.bz/n59T

7 Simple Ways to Get More Comments on Your Blog: http://dld.bz/nyeF

The Importance of Self-Editing: http://dld.bz/nye7

Happy Saturday, everyone!

This morning I’m over at mystery reader Babs Hightower’s blog, writing a little about pros and cons to writing small town settings…that are based on real towns.   Hope you’ll come by for a visit. :)

Yes, I’m on the road again!  :)  But looking at my schedule, after tomorrow I think I’m going to be back at my home base for a while.

Today I’m at fellow Midnight Ink writer Lois Winston’s blog, Killer Crafts and Crafty Killers, to talk a little about drafting and revising.  Hope you’ll pop over and visit!