Most of the other indie authors I’ve met didn’t major in English Lit in college. Fewer started life intending to be writers. Somehow along the way, our gift demanded to be used and here we are.
Now that we have a new profession (or wanna-be profession), how to we refine our craft to create the stories or books we dream about?
I, for one, have no desire to get another college degree. (Nor the bank account, but that’s another story.)
What we all can do is use the same medium that made independent writing and publishing possible.
The internet. That almost unlimited, overwhelming source of information.
That can teach us what others have learned.
Blogs are a great way to find the most helpful, actionable information out there. I’ve put together a list of my 10 favorites…the ones I refer to over and over.
No contest, this is my favorite. Not only are the posts informative and helpful, but this site offers unique tools that help bring writing to a higher level.
Having trouble expressing a character’s emotion without relying on a cliché? Check out the Emotion Thesaurus. Want to add a flaw to your protagonist? Try the Negative Character Trait Thesaurus. Stuck on how to bring your setting to life? The Setting Thesaurus can help.
And that’s not all this awesome site has to offer.
This is a great example of an author website blended with helpful articles and tools, like her story arc workbook.
The tag line says it best: “unmissable articles on writing.” There’s always something to be learned here, like how to structure a series, or how to avoid story collapse.
The danger is finding so much to read that suddenly I realize an hour’s gone by and I’m still reading and not writing.
Every writer is also a book marketer. We all have to learn how to persuade people to buy our books through a different form of writing—our advertising copy. Copy Blogger is a great site to help learn to do just that.
The tag line to this site is “a lawyer’s thoughts on authors, self-publishing and traditional publishing” doesn’t do justice to this highly entertaining and highly informative site. It relies heavily on curated content, so there’s always something well worth the read.
Jeff Goins has developed blogging for writers to an art form. His blog is packed with tips and resources for writers and bloggers wanting to actually make a living from their work.
One of the most engaging bloggers I follow, Kristen Lamb combines an entertaining style with practical advice for writers. Her specialty is using social media for book marketing. She calls herself a social media Jedi. Reading her tips, I can agree. She is a master and has much to teach.
Anne R Allen’s blog is “writing about writing. Mostly.”
Some of the most valuable posts I’ve ever read are here. Whether the topic is tips about writing or how to avoid being scammed by an editor, the information here has proven its worth over and over.
Jane Friedman started in traditional publishing. Then she branched out to explore new business models for writers that were made possible by digital publishing.
I have found her deep insight into the publishing industry of great value in navigating the wild world of independent publishing.
The Writer Beware blog (and its companion website) warn authors about scammers in the form of literary agents, editors and publishers. They’re not afraid to name names and publish mug shots. This one is always worth checking before signing any deal.
What are some of your favorite writing and publishing blogs?