chris winkle | Phil Giunta – Award-Winning Writer of Fun, Frightening, and Fantastic Tales

This week, Chris Winkle reviews common IT mistakes in fiction and how to correct them while Angela Ackerman helps us improve our character descriptions. Speaking of characters, Ruth Harris runs through a roll call of irresistible rogues and shows us how they can spice up our fiction.

Nate Hoffelder offers financial advice for first time self-publishers and Crystal King provides a brief tutorial on Instagram. Kristen Lamb talks breakout novels and gatekeepers, Maria Grace reminds us that mere machinery does not good science fiction make, and writer pal Donna DeLoretta Brennan is in the spotlight for her new short story collection!

All that and a bit of counseling from Konrath, too. Enjoy!

Five Information Technology Blunders and How to Fix Them by Chris Winkle

Character Descriptions: Avoiding the Boring Stuff by Angela Ackerman via Jami Gold

Six Things Writers Need to Stop Worrying About by Joe Konrath

Instagram 101 for Authors by Crystal King

How to Waste Money When Self-Publishing a First Book by Nate Hoffelder

Rogue Characters: The Secret to Compelling Fiction by Ruth Harris

Forget the Mess-It’s a Time for a Story with Donna DeLoretto Brennan via Catherine Castle

Science Fiction: More than Gizmos by Maria Grace via Kristen Lamb

The Breakout Novel and Why Publishing is Desperate for the Next Big Thing and Gatekeepers & Good Books: Trophy Fishing in a Literary Tsunami by Kristen Lamb

This week on the blog, Ceridwen Dovey expounds the concept of “bibliotherapy” and the restorative power of reading fiction. Kristen Lamb encourages writers to be secret-keepers… and to get more rest. Jami Gold explains what it means to add layers to your characters and Anne R. Allen councils us against worrying too much about plot purloiners.

Over at Career Authors, Paula Munier cites three mistakes by debut writers that potentially exasperate agents and editors while Glenn Miller advises us on how to be trustworthy writers. C.S. Lakin offers tips on preparing your scenes, Sarah Chauncey talks effective use of POV in memoir, and from Mythcreants, Chris Winkle enumerates six manuscript mistakes that a copy editor might (or might not) help you fix.

Enjoy!

Can Reading Make You Happier? by Ceridwen Dovey

Secret-Keepers: Generate Page-Turning, Nerve-Shredding Tension and Rest for Success and Why Busy is Seriously Overrated by Kristen Lamb

Make Characters Unique with Layering by Jami Gold

What if Somebody Steals Your High-Concept Book Idea? by Anne R. Allen

Are You Making One of These Risky Moves for Writers? by Paula Munier

This is What Happens When You Stop Lying to Readers by Glenn Miller

Questions to Consider When Plotting a Scene by C.S. Lakin via Jane Friedman

The Tricky Issue of POV in Memoir by Sarah Chauncey via Jane Friedman

Six Common Wordcraft Mistakes in Manuscripts by Chris Winkle