Monday, March 12, 2012

Shiny Links for Writers

It's all about the links today, and this set is geared for fiction writers. Put down the cat, adjust your reading light, and position your index finger on the scroll key. Here goes:

Rachel Funk Heller equates learning to write with learning to drive—and shows us how to start our literary engines.

March 8 was National Proofreader's Day. (I'm kicking myself for not knowing it at the time.) To celebrate the occasion, GalleyCat offered a link to EditMinion, an online copyediting robot. Unsure about that semicolon? Run it past the robot for free.

Louise Behiel is a therapist by day and a writer by night. In a recent series of blog posts, she explores the familial roles individuals may assume in households with an emotionally absent parent or parents. Because roles taken on in childhood typically carry over into adulthood, an understanding of them can help writers flesh out fictional characters. Warning: Behiel emphasizes that none of these roles is carved in stone and the lines between them blur. The series starts with two post on The Family Hero here and here and then shifts to The Problem Child and then onto Rebels and Scapegoats . The series will continue, so bookmark Behiel's blog.

Even if you don't write mysteries or thrillers, you'll be interested in what three literary agents had to say at Sleuthfest about the state of the publishing industry. (Thanks to mystery writer Diane Capri for the link to the Babes in Bookland blog.)

Marcy Kennedy writes science fiction and fantasy, but her definition of strong female characters encompasses all genres.


August McLaughlin's recent blog post compares revisions to relationships, and before she's finished, you'll be nodding in agreement.

Chuck Wendig's back with a list of twenty-five things we should know about word choice. Here's a sample: "Writers often bandy about that old crunchy nugget of penmonkey wisdom — NO ADVERBS — as if it is bulletproof. As if a gang of adverbs shanked that writer’s mother in the kidneys as she stooped over to water the hydrangeas. Adverbs are not birthed from the Devil’s hell-womb. They’re just words." Read the whole post here.


Writer Roni Loren may not have all the answers, but she can recommend books to fix almost any writerly problem. Have trouble plotting? Loren recommends Blake Snyder's SAVE THE CAT.


Have you recently read a blog post, article, or book that helped with your writing? Please share your find in the comments section.

18 comments:

Coleen Patrick said...

Jane Friedman had a post on 2/27 called "Building a More Effective Author Website." I bookmarked it because it has a simple checklist of must haves and a list of common mistakes. Good info!
Thanks for the links Pat.

Lark Howard said...

Thanks for the links, Pat!! Can't wait to check them all out, although a copyediting robot kind of scares me.

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

Thanks for pointing me toward Jane Friedman's advice on author websites, Coleen. I'm going to need all the help I can get.

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

Don't be scared Lark. The copyediting robot comes from the same folks who gave us Write or Die.

Sheila Seabrook said...

Thanks for the wonderful links, Pat. I'm learning so much from Louise's posts. They're amazing!

Alicia Street said...

Great mash-up, Pat! I also love the series Louise is doing. Maybe it's just me, bit the link to the Galley cat one does not seem to be working right (and boy could I use that one).

Karen McFarland said...

Awesome mash-up Pat! Thanks for pointing out these great writing posts. I could the help. lol! And thanks to you for coming by today and all your encouragement! :)

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

Hi, Alicia,
I sent you a message with the correct link. Here it is again:
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/free-robotic-copy-editor-for-national-proofreading-day_b48156

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

I agree with you re Louise's posts, Sheila. What a resource she is.

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

karen, you're the number one cheerleader for your fellow WANA 1011ers. Thank YOU.

Marcy Kennedy said...

Thanks for including me in such a wonderful list. I loved August's post comparing revisions to relationships (as well as a lot of the others you've included) as well.

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

I loved August's post, too, Marcy--as well as yours.

Fabio Bueno said...

Thanks for the links, Pat. I had seen August's and Marcy's, but I need to chek out all of them!

August McLaughlin said...

Fantastic resources, Pat. I see a few I've yet to check out. Thanks also for including my post! Feels like a pat on the back after completing my revised draft. :-)

Anonymous said...

It's impossible to keep up, Fabio. I like reading others' mash-ups because they always introduce me to new-to-me bloggers.

Did I tell you how much I enjoyed your high school reunion reminiscence?

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

Gah, that "Anonymous" was me, Fabio.

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

You deserve lots of pats on the back, August. Congrats on finishing your revised draft. That's a major accomplishment.

Patricia Rickrode w/a Jansen Schmidt said...

All very good links, Pat!

Thanks for reminding us.

Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt