Feeling The Bat...

This morning an Artist friend posted that a UK choreographer had contacted her about  creating a dance piece based around a piece of art she had done a while ago. ‘I feel like a real artist,’ she said...and my reply ‘Can I slap you upside the head YOU ARE A REAL ARTIST!

There has been a lot of head slapping this week  in the blogosphere.

First up, Amazon is now posting Author’s ranking. 

Where are you in the list in your genre etc etc...Do you care? Are you obsessed?...

John Scalzi takes a hard look at what’s going on in Amazon land and slaps authors upside the head. Get over it. It’s marketing and here is what you do....Great article from John (and if you haven’t read his stuff, I recommend it!)

Jody Hedlund took a look at blogging authors... and promotes a voice of reason...this discussion is going all over the blogosphere and there are some very good comments in there.

Susan Kaye Quinn is all fired up about Denise Swanks business plan for writing...something that every writer should have.

Joanna Penn explains what she would do now if she was starting out (creating her mega impact on the publishing writing blogosphere) knowing what she knows. Great Advice! (must find the timer!)

Problogger has 8 non writing apps for writers....some good ones in here....

Larry Brooks sits down and shares what he has just learned in the last 6 months analysing 100 books for his new project. He calls it a bat upside the head....

Edittorrent looks at the five bad habits of good writers...(borrows Larry’s bat...)

Over in the craft section,

Bubblecow highlights 5 tips to make your cover look professional

Catherine Ryan Howard has 11 ingredients for a sizzling book description

Adventures in CYA publishing has 6 tests of solid story premises. (great post referencing Larry Brooks.)

or you can check out Snoopy’s rules for writing. Very nice!

LiveWriteThrive show how to make your plots bigger! (bat upside your characters head)

Elisabeth Spann Craig explains to a writer how you choose what to read in the genre you write...(some people need that bat....)

Mark Nicol of Daily Writing tips is on the warpath, with the bat, over the inability of people to use an apostrophe...in the write place!

and Catherine Ryan Howard tells you how to proof your Createspace paperback...without resorting to violence.

Ava Jae wants writers to explore different universes when they get stuck creatively in their work...(use the bat as a crutch)

To finish,

If you are looking to turn the writing world on its head...Follow the Will Smith model. Duolit, (great team) tells you how to do it.

Writeitsideways tells you how to make your own luck.

After all that bat swinging you may need some physical therapy for writers...

or a hospital bed!

maureen

pic fromhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/christinestephens/3845778137/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Marking With An X

It’s Banned Books Week and some top writers have been interviewed on how they feel about having their books banned. I remember a NZ writers comment about having his children’s book banned in the US. Sales went through the roof!

A challenged book, placed on a list gets noticed. This in the hands of a canny publicity team can ensure that these books get a huge profile. A children’s book on the banned list is usually pointing to society expectations that we protect children from reality. Is it what the characters say that is upsetting or what the book asks children to consider...or the setting of these books?

The NY Times interviewed Lois Lowry, author of The Giver, one of the most banned books in the last 30 years. Tamora Pierce adds her insightful comments at the end. Katherine Paterson is also interviewed on the risks of great literature. Her books regularly turn up on banned book lists.  Take a look at Amazon’s list of banned children’s books, it is a who’s who of famous children’s authors.

This week Nicola Morgan has been talking about copywrite education. Try to explain to kids that downloading pirated books and movies actually benefit big corporations and not the creators...It is a great article and should be passed around...let’s get some education out there...

Melinda Szymanik has also written a passionate plea on this subject.

The UK children’s booksellers conference has just wrapped up and there was a digital focus as gaming companies addressed publishers about unlocking the rights and getting together to exploit all the storytelling opportunities...

Author Platform is getting another airing with Rachelle Gardner commenting on author collectives and platforms. Everybody shares, everybody reaps benefits...

Chris Brogan has the essential how to do an author platform now, list of do’s...and don’t bothers...

For those flirting with indie publishing, 

Joel Friedman has a great post on mono typefaces...and Shannon of the mega helpful Duolit girls has 3 common mistakes to avoid when indie publishing.

Does your novel have rising tension...how can you tell? Publishing Crawl has the answer...drop your story plot points into this graph...(for those writers that love info graphics.)

If you are looking at your finished manuscript and wondering what next, check it over for these common editing mistakes and what to do about them.

Last weekend Karaveer Writing School had their first rewriting and editing course and it was a great success. So another popular course gets added to the portfolio. There is an advanced course coming up in November for published novel writers, a master class tune up which has a couple of places left.

In the craft list,

Develop your antagonist...

Don’t leave your characters in limbo, develop the setting...

Ten ways to barf a book...just get that first draft out there and on a simila theme Jane Friedman says Kitchen sink it!

Angela Ackerman has gathered all her great craft resources posted on twitter together...

Martina from Adventures in Children’s and YA publishing has the Go To post on Concept...It all begins in line one!

Seekerville has the best post on keeping reader empathy and I know my writing mentors will be waving it at me....

How is your productivity? Could it use a little tune up?

Dana Sita has got a productivity routine that works for her...maybe you should try it or you can immerse yourself in Chuck Wendigs 25 ways to get your creative groove back...(warning it is Chuck!)

To finish,

Buzzfeed looks at Aladdin and Titanic and discovers they are the SAME story.

and to refresh your memory...the following video is on basic plots....and everyone of them has shown up on the banned books list...

maureen

pic from pic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/takomabibelot/2875992647/