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Friday Finds for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Treasure ChestWriting-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.

  • I agree that “said is NOT dead,” but I’m likely to cut other writers (and myself) a little more slack for dialogue tags. In other words, I won’t declare that “said” must be the tag of choice 99 percent of the time. 92 percent, maybe. I’m also a fan of tagless dialogue (as when it’s obvious who’s speaking).
  • Diane Lockward wonders if this writing scam might work on someone. (Let’s hope not!)
  • The Ploughshares blog rounds up some excellent advice on getting published.
  • Helpful hints for planning a virtual book tour.
  • A very good Twitter tutorial (aimed toward journalists, but I think that most of us can benefit).

    • Have a great weekend, all. See you back here on Monday.

    Friday Finds for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    Treasure ChestWriting-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.

  • Check out Chuck Sambuchino’s super list of 11 ways to support an author’s new book. And send it to all of the family members and friends who want to help you and your book(s)! (via Literary Citizenship)
  • “I became a writer when I was hit on the head with a rock.” So begins Karen E. Bender’s essay for the latest issue of The New York Times Book Review. But, as Bender notes, “Rocks can come from anywhere. You can write about the terrible event happening around the corner or about ones occurring far away in the world. You can take revenge; you can write about people you know who have been wronged; you can write about all the rocks careening through history….Your imagination takes any rock and throws it any way it wants.”
  • Helpful hints for writers on crafting query letters to agents.
  • More hard-hitting advice for freelancers (especially would-be freelancers), courtesy of Carol Tice.
  • Important words of wisdom/“gentle reminders about writing” from Roxane Gay. Example: “Getting your name out there is only as useful as the writing you’re associating with your name.”
  • If you’re a reviewer seeking not-yet-published titles for possible review, you’ll want to check out the Publishers Weekly/Edelweiss Spring Announcements database.
  • Finally, in case you missed it, over on my other blog I’ve offered some advice on promoting books with Jewish themes/subjects.

    • Have a great weekend, everyone. See you back here on Monday!

    Friday Finds for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    2

    Treasure ChestThe weekly collection of writing-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.

  • For those of us with strong opinions and the urge to share them in writing (ahem): a helpful set of “10 Rules for Writing Opinion Pieces.”
  • Wise words for writers from Sharon Bially on “Marketing and the Spirit of Giving.”
  • Grant-getting tips from Jillian Keenan.
  • There is a lot of advice if you drill down through all of the links in this post on “What Writers Need to Know About Goodreads.” I, for one, can’t see myself devoting sufficient time and energy to making use of every tip. But the key take-away is this: “The key to goodreads is to become a member of the community first…and mention your writing only in context and when appropriate.”
  • And to conclude: some interesting details in this year-in-review post from Ploughshares, including data on submissions, payments, and more.

    • Have a great weekend, everyone. See you back here on Monday for the final post of 2012!

    Friday Finds for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    6

    The weekly collection of writing-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.

  • You know, I usually think that my mom raised me right and that I do a decent job with thank-you notes. Alas, the first installment of The Memorious Guild’s Guide to Literary Etiquette made me realize that I still have a ways to go.
  • Also on the etiquette theme: Debbi Ridpath Ohi describes what encourages her to promote others’ work through her @inkyelbows feed–and what has the opposite effect. And Nina Badzin explains how Twitter is like “a writer’s endless holiday party“. (And while we’re talking about Twitter: If you haven’t uploaded a header photo yet, GalleyCat has some advice for you.)
  • Every so often, I like to check in with the After Deadline blog for “newsroom notes on usage and style” from The New York Times.
  • This week brought my latest “First Looks” post about new/forthcoming books for Fiction Writers Review. Go on over and see what I spotlighted this month (hint: Oprah and I have something in common).
  • “It took me something like twelve years of sending work to AGNI to finally break in,” writes Jehanne Dubrow. “The writing life is like that: a decade of sending out poems, maybe every year, maybe twice yearly, to a place that feels so right for one’s work but that keeps saying no (or maybe, no thank you). And then, one day, a yes arrives, usually in a way so quiet and understated that the acceptance feels inevitable.”

    • Have a great weekend, everyone. See you back here on Monday.

    Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Five Free & Easy Ways to Promote Your Book

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    (A version of this article originally appeared in The Writer magazine; it was also published in the November 2012 issue of The Practicing Writer.)

    FIVE FREE AND EASY WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR BOOK

    By Erika Dreifus

    It’s no secret that even the largest publishing houses aren’t providing all of the marketing and promotional support their authors might wish for these days. When you consider how many authors are working with smaller and independent presses – not to mention the increase in self-publishing afforded by low-cost technologies – it seems that everyone might benefit from some basic, budget-friendly book-promotion tips.

    While promoting my short-story collection, QUIET AMERICANS, I relied on some tried-and-true techniques. I also discovered a few new tools. Here are five easy ones. They won’t consume too much of your time; even better, they’re free! (more…)