Jen's Writing Journey

I decided to add some categories this week to make it easier for you to find your favorite links. Let me know if you like it better this way, or if the hodge podge put together as I found a good resource worked better for you. Also let me know if there are any specific tips you’d like me to be on the lookout for each week.

Happy writing!

Fiction

Gone Too Deep
Rachel Vincent knows how to give enough details about her writing process to whet readers’ appetites. In this post, she says that one of her characters is going through hard time. Her readers (including me) have posted comments about how they can’t wait to find out what she’s talking about. In her blog, Vincent goes behind the scenes just enough, unlike J.R. Ward, whose insider’s guide to her Black Dagger Brotherhood series was too much behind-the-scenes for a lot of readers.

Prop Up Your Sagging Plot Middles
The Blood-Red Pencil does it again. How many of us have wonderful beginnings and endings for our WIPs and ideas, but no idea how we will flail through the middle of the story?

Freelancing

Finances for Full-Time Freelancers
The move from full-time employment to full-time freelancing will change the way you manage your finances drastically. Not knowing when or if you’ll get another paycheck can be stressful. Jenny Cromie gives tips to help you prepare financially so that you will be able to make it on your own. Mary Richards would be so proud.

Create a Freelance Marketing Plan and Campaign
Jennifer Mattern provides some good tips on marketing your freelance business.

Media News

Why Teach Journalism if Newspapers Are Dying?
A journalism professor sent a question to Salon.com questioning his very reason for being. Cary Tennis provided a response that should give us all hope. Things may look bad now, but we will survive and thrive as long as we keep our core skills.

Longevity in the Evolving Newsroom
Continuing the message of hope, Mediabistro gives real examples of how to adapt to the changing times for the news profession.

General Writing Info

Effect/Affect
Do you struggle with which effect is correct when you’re writing? This post might have the trick that will help you.

Doing Research
Tiffany Colter gives three very good reasons for doing your research.

The Perils of Book Writing
Does writing make you fat? How do you deal with the war between keeping your butt in the chair and ensuring that your butt still fits in the chair? As part of her month-long book tour, Christina Katz shares her experiences with her lack of activity while writing her first book.

• Writing Roundup, April 6 Here is this week's batch of writing resources. Happy writing!FictionTalking about TalkingThe editors at The Blood Red Pencil give some good tips for ensuring dialogue that sounds authentic but not as boring as the average conversation. Don't believe me when I sat the average conversation is boring? Record one or......
• An Interesting Book? I heard about a book on the radio today that sounds interesting: Dirty Little Secrets of Buzz: How to Attract Massive Attention for Your Business, Your Product, or Yourself by David Seaman.He apparently describes some publicity stunts that can get good attention in the media. The local library doesn't have......
• Writing Roundup, June 19 We've got some great resources this week--summer hasn't slowed down any of the bloggers! The Business of Writing Money, Money, Money, Money Author Lauren Dane shares her thoughts on the RWA president's position on e-publishing. It is a well-thought-out argument that asks the RWA to put the focus back on......
• Writing Roundup E-reads: Penetrating the Mystery of E-book PricingEver wonder why e-books are priced the way they are? Wonder no more. This article provides an interesting look at pricing models and their basis in print pricing models.IPod Touch, iPhone Join Kindle's Book ClubThe Kindle store is becoming slightly more inclusive by offering......
• Writing Roundup, April 24 Better late than never, here are the items and tidbits that I hope will spur you to a great weekend of writing. The Business of Writing Writing Conference Success Mary Andonian gives tips for Writer Mamas (and Writer Non-mamas) to be successful at a writing conference. As someone who is......

• Top 50 Romance Blogs, part 5 We made it! The final 10 blogs! This concludes the series of posts for the Top 50 Romance Novel Blogs to Watch in 2009. Now...
• Professional Blogging Roundup: On RSS Feeds, PR, Writing Tips, and More Happy belated Thanksgiving. Did everyone enjoy their four day weekend? I know I did. The turkey was great. Here we are again with another edition...
• Weakonomics Weekend Edition: Vacation and Book Reviews Hello faithful readers.  Today is Saturday August 2nd, and this post was written a few weeks ago.  For the next few days I'm going to...
• Sunday Money Roundup - Please Donate Edition. If you haven't already, PLEASE give at least a few bucks to the Haiti relief efforts. We all have it way better than they do...
• The Everything Guide To Writing Children's Books: From Cultivating an Idea to Finding the Right Publisher All You Need to Launch a Successful Career (Everything Series) (Paperback) Surefire techniques to help you top the bestseller list! Whether you?re already published or just an aspiring writer with a dream, the children?s book publishing...