Worth the read: Salon’s Paula Young Lee looks at how “we need diverse books” can move beyond wishful thinking.
Writing Tools and Information
Lit Mags for Your Reading Pleasure.
BuzzFeed has compiled a list of 29 amazing literary magazines we should all be reading.
And since my work has only appeared in one of these journals, this list can also double as a list of places I need to submit my work to. It’s good to have goals.
Suggested Reading That'll Help Improve Your Writing.
Not every great author can give equally great writing advice. But according to Micah Solomon, the three books mentioned in this Bookbaby blog post can give you the tips you need to progress your writing to new levels.
Don't call it a comeback, they've been here for years.
Avid readers: check out this recent New York Times article to find out why indie bookstores are back, with a passion.
Building a Black Literary Movement.
Vinson Cunningham interviews Chris Jackson, editor for Ta-Nehisi Coates and Victor LaValle, among others, on building a black literary movement.
Top 20 Books People Lie About Having Read.
Do you have an unopened dusty copy of War and Peace or Catch 22 wedged shamefully in the back of your bookcase?
Take heart regarding your literary duplicity with this list from the BBC of the top twenty books people lie about having read (20% of which are by Charles Dickens)—and then slap those unread tomes on your bedside table, because 60% of those surveyed said being (or at least seeming) well-read made a person appear more attractive. I guess that may be the motivation for the lies.
This list is for the UK, but I have a feeling people are bluffing about reading these books in the US as well…
Print vs. E-books
A recent survey shows that most students do still prefer print over digital. In this Star-Tribune article, Laurie Hertzel contemplates: http://www.startribune.com/print-or-e-books-the-debate-continues/367820511/
99 Ways.
From Book Riot: Claire Handscombe's insightful list of "99 Ways to Spread the Word About a Book You Love" is an awesome article for writers to share with their non-writing family and friends.
http://bookriot.com/2016/01/20/99-ways-spread-word-book-love/
Secondhand Inspiration: Writer Podcasts
It can be easy to get a tad overwhelmed by all the podcasts that are out there. But here’s a useful list of podcasts that are recommended “for writers, word nerds, and book lovers.” Check out Crystal King’s post for Grub Daily. There’s bound to be a few podcasts on this list that will interest you, and maybe even motivate you.
https://grubstreet.org/grub-daily/podcasts-for-writers-word-nerds-and-book-lovers/
The 100 Best Websites for Writers in 2016.
There’s a boatload of great recommendations in this extensive post from The Write Life/Marisol Dahl on “The 100 Best Websites for Writers.”
As someone who looks at tons of writing blogs and websites on a daily basis, I was surprised at how many other helpful sites exist that I had never heard of before. This is definitely worth checking out…
What's the Key?
Dawn Field has written a keen post on the Bookbaby Blog called "The Key to Great Writing.”
This article is well worth the read for those writers who know that there isn’t some panacea that triggers great writing, but that there are some common features of bad writing you can avoid to make your writing stronger.
Resource: Cathy’s Comps and Calls
I just discovered a new resource for writers online. Well…at least it is new to me.
This week brings the latest post of Cathy’s Comps and Calls, where Cathy Bryant presents no-fee competition and submission opportunities (and does her best to indicate which ones pay). Check it out.
About Online Writing Courses.
On her blog, Christi Craig offers some thoughts on choosing online writing courses. I have been thinking about taking some online writing courses to jumpstart my literary workrate...so these five points to consider are helpful and timely...hopefully you find them useful as well.
http://christicraig.com/2015/12/16/5-elements-to-consider-in-choosing-an-online-writing-course/
Sweet Giveaway.
The website Build Your Own Blog is giving away a new MacBook Air to one lucky blogger! Worth a shot by entering - a chance to start your 2016 writing endeavors off on the right foot!
http://www.buildyourownblog.net/blog/free-macbook-air/?utmx=masmal15dec
Year-End Book Lists.
If you are looking for some year-end book lists to catch up on the awesome reads you missed in 2015, you'll find an ever-updated compilation over at the Largehearted Boy blog:
http://www.largeheartedboy.com/blog/archive/2015/11/online_best_of_15.html
Productivity.
From the BookBaby blog: Here’s seven writing tips to increase your productivity. Productivity is a recurring problem for all writers, so these tips may serve as inspiration to push you towards being more industrious in your creative endeavors.
Let's clean it up, people.
What if you knew all the common screw-ups writers make? Could that help you avoid (some) rejection notices? Maybe even make you a sharper writer?
Writers (freelancers especially) should all check out this post from the Making a Living Writing site: “Worst Writer Mistakes: 8 Editors Reveal What Makes Them Say ‘No’.”
Day Jobs.
From the Electric Lit blog: Here’s a fun infographic on day jobs that inspired famous authors.
A little bit of motivation for those of us who hold down a career while also slogging through the morass of a writer’s life.
http://electricliterature.com/the-day-jobs-that-inspired-famous-authors/
Secondhand Inspiration: Writers of the World
Check out bestselling novelist Warren Adler’s new website Writers of the World, an archive of personal essays from different writers about their creative processes. It is sure to inspire and motivate. And if you are so inclined, you can also submit your own personal story about why you write.
Apathy.
Writing when you feel like…meh.
It is something all writers face - what do you do when it’s time to write and you just don’t feel like it? For those moments when you just aren’t feeling motivated, here are seven remedies for writer’s apathy, from a posting on the BookBaby blog. I plan to use this advice for my own writing endeavors – maybe you can, too.