Jen's Writing Journey

So many great resources, so little time. Thus, I avoid preamble and move directly into this week’s links.

The Business of Writing

5 Reasons Pitches Can Be Detrimental Rather Than Helpful
Jane Friedman, who took pitches at the Willamette Writers Conference, offers a little advice to writers making pitches: Don’t pin all of your hopes on that 10 or 15 minutes.

The Myth of “Just an Author”
Agent Nathan Bransford discusses the role of an author in publicizing and marketing his or her book. It seems to be very clear to non-fiction writers that they are their platform, and they must spend a lot of time building their reputation to ensure good sales. But, it is murkier for the fiction writer. We understand the need for book signings and events like that, but we don’t always enter into our writing life with a strong idea of how we will be expected to market our work and our selves.

Can Self-Publishing Damage Your Career
Agent Noah Lukeman addresses a writer’s question about self-publishing. I am still of the belief that rejections are opportunities for you to polish your manuscript and make it more publishable, so I would be reluctant to suggest using a POD publisher to get a book contract. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work for some writers.

The Future of BEA
Publisher’s Weekly captures the changes you can expect to see at next year’s Book Expo America. It sounds as if it will be pretty much the same–the changes are mainly tweaks. This article serves as a nice description of what goes on at the conference for those of us who have never been.

Mystery Author Sandra Brown Answers Your Questions
It’s hard to write a summary of this–the headline sums it up quite nicely. Ms. Brown discusses rejection, getting that elusive first book deal, conferences, and more.

To Agent or not to Agent. That Is the Question.
Debbie Mumford answers the question of when you need an agent.

Craft

Research Junkie: When Is Enough, Enough?
Minnette Meador discusses the fine art of research. When should you keep going, and when should you sit down and start crafting your story? She suggests using real-life research instead of a bunch of boring fact searches.

Take Time to Edit
Stop with the queries and the pitches! Instead, take the time to ensure that your story is edited and polished before you send it out. So says Elle Scoot at Writing Advice for the Absolute Newbie.

Training Our Inner Editor, Part 3b
The Blood-Red Pencil comes through again. Linda Lane provides an example scenario written from omniscient POV and from the POVs of two central characters. This exercise is important in helping writers decide which POV is the best for telling the story and showing how to use the POV you choose.

Fiction

Reasons to Make Your Delivery Date
Moonrat reminds we writers that when we are on contract, we need to meet our deadlines. When we are writing for fun, we can be leisurely and procrastinate until we feel like it.

More Tips on How to Present Backstory
Camy Tang gives us more tools for giving the dreaded backstory. Yes, long gone are the days when we writers could begin a book with a line such as “I am born.” Instead, we must start in the middle of the story and find artistic ways to include the necessary backstory without boring our readers to death. (Also read her first set of tips on presenting backstory.)

How to Stay Motivated as a Writer
Lonnie Ezell guests on the Publishing Guru blog with nine tips to help you keep your motivation up, even during the boring middle of your novel.

Freelancing

Don’t Let Your Good Ideas Go to Waste
Jennifer Mattern has been running challenges to freelance writers to help them keep their businesses moving forward. In this one, she asks you to take an old idea and do something with it.

Finding Time to Be Yourself and Stay Sane
In a guest post on L.J. Sellers’ blog, author Pam Ripling shares her tips for knowing where you  spend your time. Once you know that, you will be able to better allocate your writing time and estimate project costs for your clients.

Caught in the Time Warp
Sue Lick reminds us of the need to ask questions before we write a piece. We don’t want to waste our time writing something that won’t be used–we are trying to make a living here, after all.

Platform

Do You Blog for Yourself or for Your Readers?
Jessica at Racy Romance Reviews discusses her philosophy to blogging. She tries to ensure that her posts provide something new to the world, but she often wants to comment on things others have said on their blogs. What do you look for from the blogs you read?

2010 GLA Excerpt: Blogs, Facebook, and Social Media
In this excerpt from Ron Hogan’s article in the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents, we writers are instructed not to start a blog just to promote your book. Instead, Hogan argues, blog if you want to blog, and write your posts about things that interest you. Readers will see through a thinly veiled advertisement every time.

Fun Stuff

Vampire Romance: Mortal Men No Longer Cut It
Apparently, Twilight has ruined all hopes for any of us to have normal relationships. Damn you, Stephenie Meyer and your sparkly mens. (I was alerted to this story by a post at Marta Acosta’s Vampire Wire blog. Marta writes the hysterical Casa Dracula books.)

iPhone and Smart Phone Apps for Writers/Bloggers
This post at the Pen & Muse collects a bunch of super-cool apps to help us do our jobs better. As you know, I’m in love with my iPod Touch, so I am now officially in love with this post, too.

Unleash Your Story
Help raise funds for cystic fibrosis research and treatment, just by writing? Yes, through the Unleash Your Story program, you can raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This post at Novel Journey provides a great summary of the the program.

Looking for more? Andy Shackcloth presents his own list of writing posts on his site. I suggest bookmarking it or adding it to your Google Reader.

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