Publetariat

Quick Link: Keeping Organized as a Writer

August 10, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Being a pantser comes very easily for me. Finding a story to write and filling out a general plot is never hard. But all the rest of the structure and details and the finer points that make a story worth sharing is a lot harder. Part of that is being organized, cause you don’t need much organization for a basic story you just spit out. Elizabeth Spann Craig has been gracious enough to share how she keeps organized. What is your organizational secret?

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Keeping Organized as a Writer

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Being a writer can involve a lot of clutter.

And I don’t even print things out. I’ve trained myself by this time to work as well on the computer as I used to on paper (that way I don’t have the time-consuming process of transferring notes or manuscript text to the computer later). But there’s a lot of computer clutter.

I’ve found if I can keep my files organized, it helps me to write a lot faster. That’s because I can quickly access the information I need and keep writing my story without getting distracted by something else on my computer (hello, internet).

Here’s my (current) method, using Word. I’ve gone through a bunch of different iterations and I’d be interested in hearing how you’ve set your own files up.

Read the full post on Elizabeth Spann Craig

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If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

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All a matter of priorities… and being a little bit selfish.

August 10, 2017 by Publetariat

I talked about my fear of putting myself out there, and that was fun.

Actually, that is a lie, growth SUCKS.

But afterward, you feel much better. Whether it’s muscles or emotions, growth is worth the pain. That still doesn’t change the fact that it is hard. I am still nervous about posting, but each day gets easier and better. You are actually making it better. Stats don’t lie. So all is good, right?

Well, all except for the guilt.

Yep, because I don’t make any money off this site. It is a labor of love, something I want to do. For me. For you. For a dream. But there is always something else that needs to get done, nagging you.

There are those people who are always organized and have everything together and look polished even when cleaning the toilet (which of course is always sparkling) and while I joke about hating them, I admire them and know that I will never be like that. I have come to terms with my limitations, shall we say. I like playing in mud puddles too much and my hair will never behave!

But like most of you, I am the calm in the middle of a whirlwind. I love my house. I love my family. We joke about calling our house The Home for Lost Children, Wayward Kitties, and Silly Dogs. Which doesn’t include the turtle or the bird. If you stop by, you will find fur on the floor, dishes may or may not be done, and I am not responsible for what chaos erupts while you are here, especially if there is a Red Sox game on.

But you will be welcomed, overfed, and someone will love you and make you feel better. As long as you are not allergic. Otherwise, we have Benadryl, (which used to be the name of our old lady dog, but I mean the pills, not the dog).

So what does this have to do with guilt? Everything.

The time I take to be here with you is thrilling, like a secret romance. The floors always need vacuuming, the garden always needs weeding, and I always have work projects. Don’t even mention the need for sleep.

I put that all aside to be here, and it is wonderful. I think we all need to be a little more selfish and take the time to nurture what makes us feel alive.

Have a good day, go do something nice for yourself.

Paula

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Quick Link: Audiobooks are the Fastest Growing Book Market: How to Get Your Book Recorded

August 9, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Audiobooks are growing in sales and are very popular. You can also use them as part of an up-sell or deal for your customer. Check out the article from Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris that interviews someone who actually voices audiobooks for a behind-the-scenes look!

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Audiobooks are the Fastest Growing Book Market: How to Get Your Book Recorded

An Interview with Audible Narrator C. S. Perryess

Audiobooks are hot. Especially for adult fiction.

People like to listen to audiobooks on their phones.
New audio platforms like Amazon Echo and Alexa and Google home make listening to audiobooks convenient and fun.
Millennials like audiobooks.
There are lots of options for getting them: the library, iTunes, Audible, Google Play.

The Alliance of Independent authors (Alli) says all indies should branch into audiobooks.

But how does an indie author afford the initial expense of hiring a narrator?

One answer: go through the “royalty share” program at Audible, the audiobooks wing of Amazon.

Today I’m talking to the narrator of my audiobooks, C. S. Perryess, who records for Audible (aka ACX.)

Read the full post on Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris

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Bringing back the dead. Why site stats are important to a blog.

August 9, 2017 by Publetariat

Yesterday was my big brave day and I posted and the world did not blow up and I was not attacked by rabid trolls foaming at the mouth. Today is harder. Yesterday I ran up the steps and jumped off the diving board. Today I have time to ponder about what I did/doing and go “OMG what was I thinking!” along with all the other fun thoughts of self-doubt.

But we shall still push forward! (Deep breath!)

You do have an author site, right? Please. You need an author site. The easiest one to set up is a WordPress site. Let me know if you are interested in learning more about this, or have any questions about WordPress sites you would like answered. I am happy to help!

All WordPress sites come with an amazing little tool called Jetpack. Actually, it is a bunch of tools provided by WordPress and a bunch of them are free. One of which is the Jetpack dashboard Site Stats. This tells you how many people are visiting and can give you a general picture of the health of your site over time.

Something that my stats are telling me is that you liked the Quick Links better than the Link Roundup posts. See how powerful you are! And I am listening because eventually, I would LOVE for this site to kind of be like a neighborhood coffee bar for writers. A place to find resources and hang out. So the quick links will be back but maybe with a link round up on Fridays. There is just too much good content out there. So how about that? And of course, I will still be trying to find my voice and write directly to you. And maybe, just maybe, you will write back to me.

Have a good day!

Paula

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Help! I can’t find my voice!

August 8, 2017 by Publetariat

If you have been coming to this site (thank you!) you might have noticed that right now I have been posting links to other peoples stuff. It’s really good stuff, stuff that I find quite helpful, but it is other peoples stuff on other people’s sites. Since my day job is helping other people with their sites and I am pretty darn good at it, I know that original content is key to a sites success. So why the disconnect?

Mostly fear.

I am afraid of you. Yep. Little ol’ you.

So afraid, that I hesitate on what to do. Who am I to you? What if you don’t like what I have to say or how to say it? And how do I find my goddamn voice?

I think I just found out that my voice cusses a little bit. Sorry. But it is me.

But I change and so doesn’t my voice. Constantly. Depending on the situation, on my mood, how hungry I am, and just because. I do an awesome evil Elmo voice.

Where does that leave me in terms of finding my voice to speak to you? I don’t know.

But I do know that to do nothing, to continue to be afraid to speak is like losing a little piece of myself. I know that I am very honest if you are speaking kindly of me, or god awful blunt which is probably closer to the truth. I don’t filter myself very well.

Plus I hate the feeling of being scared and weak more than I hate what scares me. One summer very long ago, my friends and I were at a pool with a very high dive. My friends were trying to decide if they dared jump off and were trying to rationalize their fear. The diving board was quite high, used for Olympic training. They turned around to try and get me to go first, but I was already gone and halfway up the ladder. The trick is not to think about it, just do it. One determined baby step at a time until you run out of diving board.

Perhaps that is the answer. I am going to take a deep breath and hold it in and take a baby step, then another until I run out of diving board. Hopefully, you will stay with me. I am still afraid of you but I am more mad at the fear I have in me.

Have a good day and thank you for reading.

Paula

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Link Roundup for August 7 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

August 7, 2017 by Publetariat

Here is your list of helpful articles to start off the new week. Enjoy!

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Birth of a Book: The Idea Stage: Testing the Idea from Fiction University. How do you know when an idea is good enough to become a story?
8 Top Publishing Lessons Authors Need To Know from Digital Book World. What to do if you want to go the traditional publishing route.
Avoid A Boring Thriller With This One Simple Trick from Standout Books. And it doesn’t involve apple cider vinegar.
One of Our Biggest Obstacles as Writers from Shelly Hitz. Do you ever doubt yourself as a writer? I do. If so this post is for you.
15 Free Resources For Every Stage In An Indie Author’s Journey from Digital Book World. Who doesn’t like free stuff!
Don’t Tweet Your Rejections from Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Of America. Personally when I get rejected I curl up in a ball and drink wine but if you are one of those people who like to share, think twice on sharing your rejections.
In an important sense, unity in writing is an author’s core design principle. This is the starting point and end goal in writing. From BookBaby Blog. My jr. high English teacher would call this the woof and weave of a story.
How to Get Agents and Publishers Begging to See Your Work from Write to Done. More good information on query letters.
The First Thing You Should Know about Your Protagonist before You Start Writing from Live Write Thrive. C. S. Lakin never writes a bad post.
A Smarter Way to Manage “Pick Your Brain” Requests from The Write Life. How to help others without drowning yourself.

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Link Roundup for August 3 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

August 3, 2017 by Publetariat

OMG you guys, you do not know how much fun I have looking for pictures to go with the posts. Some of them are truly bizarre and I wish I could interview the people who took them. Or at least drink what they are drinking.

A lot of our posts for today deal with feedback and choices like choosing to hire an editor and putting out the best product you can. There are also a few posts from authors who have been there and share how they cope (or not). Enjoy!

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Write What You Want to Know by Vicki Delany from Romance University. Instead of write what you, write what you want to know.

What it feels like to get negative feedback on your book….
Who You Know Can Make a Difference from Books & Such. It is good to hang with other writers even if you are an introvert like me.
5 Tips For Writing Superbad Villains from The Creative Penn. Because without a bad guy there is no story.
What Art School Failed to Teach Me About Writing & Rejection from Positive Writer. A good read if the word “no” makes you queasy.
5 Ways to Make Your Self-Published Book Look Professional from Writer’s Edit. Having a professional book helps us all!
How to Write Your Best Book: Part One from Goins, Writer. A really good podcast.
Report from the Trenches, #1from Steven Pressfield Online. Dealing with the emotions of feedback.
How Do You Respond to Criticism of Your Work? 6 Patterns to Recognize from Jane Friedman. Do you know the stages of criticism grief?
7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by Angelica Baker from Writer’s Digest. Stories from other authors.
Writing: In Praise of Editors – Unsung Superheroes Who Daily Save Authors from Themselves from Self Publishing Advice Center. Hug an editor today!

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Have a little happiness on me!

August 2, 2017 by Publetariat

Link Roundup for August 2 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

August 2, 2017 by Publetariat

Lots of good stuff today – how to save some money, traditional vs indie publishing, and should you quit your day job? And then there is help with foreshadowing and why stuffing too much information into your readers brain too quickly results in reader burnout. Enjoy.

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The Rollercoaster Of Traditional And Indie Publishing With Sean Black from The Creative Penn. Podcast with notes about one author’s journal from traditional publishing to indie publishing. Lovely accents from the both of them.

Info dump in the first chapter just goes to the garbage can of the mind.
What you NEED to know for successful Amazon Ads! From Writers In The Storm. Make those advertising dollars work hard for you.
From Idea to Novel From Kill Zone. How do you start a new work?
Writing A Successful Query Letter from Fantasy Faction. More tips on getting that letter answered!
The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing Your Fiction from Well-Storied.
Opinion: Why Indie Authors Should Quit Their Day Jobs Like I Did from Self Publishing Advice Center. Perhaps not quite the option for everyone. What do you think?
A Closer Look at Foreshadowing from Fiction University. Build suspense.
3 Ways to Create a Compelling Villain For Your Next Story from The Write Life. Because every good story deserves a great villain.
Do You Need to Take (Yet Another) Writing Course? Here’s Why it Might be a Bad Idea from Aliventures. Yesterday we had posts about why a writing retreat might be a good idea. Today, from Ali, why maybe another course is a waste of time.
One Simple Trick to Avoid an Opening Page Infodump from Jami Gold. Info dumps are a great way to loose readers quickly!

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Link Roundup for August 1 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

August 1, 2017 by Publetariat

Have you ever done a writing retreat? NaNoWriMo doesn’t count although that is the only one I can count to my name. Today’s posts all seem to deal with communication. The need to communicate to your readers, to the people helping you, and to yourself.

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Make the Most of Your Writing Retreat from Live Write Breath. Have you been to a writing retreat? What did you think of the experience?

Can ya hear me now?
The Power of the Unlikeable Protagonist from Writer UnBoxed. Someone you love to hate.
How I Balance Writing with Having a Day Job or Coping With Not Having Superpowers from Pub Crawl. Patrice is my new hero!
Marketing Mayhem and How to Avoid It from Books And Such. If you are lucky enough to have a marketing team, you need to make sure you are using them effectively.
Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book from Jane Freidman. Everything you wanted to know and more!
4 Creative Book Marketing & Promotion Ideas for Indie Authors and Self-published Books from Self Publishing Advice Center. What is the craziest thing you have done to promote your book?
How To Write Contemporary Fiction: Don’t Write for Leo Tolstoy’s Audience from Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris. Unless you are Leo Tolstoy.
How to Become a Better Writer: Do This (And Only This, Seriously) For 1 Hour from The Write Life. A funny post, we have all been there. One minute, I will be right back, my computer made a ding noise.
Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 60: Flat Plots from Helping Writers Become Authors. Add depth to your plots.
Is Your Procrastination a Symptom of Perfectionism? From Live Write Thrive. Perfectionism can be a symptom of fear.

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Link Roundup for July 31 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

July 31, 2017 by Publetariat

We have survived another month in this crazy year! We have a bunch of great posts that help with outling, costs, but most importantly your mood health. Enjoy!

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Breaking Down the Cost of Self-Publishing from Well-Storied. Kristen breaks down the different options and how much they cost.

Be fearless!
Finding and Hiring an Editor: Why They Help, What They Cost, and What to Look For from How To Plan, Write, And Develop A Book. If you look on Amazon, people will take the time to review a book and rate it lower because of editing issues.
Fearless Querying: Learning to Love the Query Letter from Writer’s Digest. A shot of courage if you need it.
Your 3-Step Plan for Outlining A Novel from Writers Helping Writers. Another way to outline.
17 Writing Lessons to Remember from Postive Writer. More like affirmations but still really good. “Your writing is better than you think it is”
8 Steps to a Perfect Scene from Live Write Thrive. Take your scene writing to the next level.
Putting It Right, At Last: Must Read Women Authors in Fantasy from Fantasy Faction. Support the sisterhood!
One Routine Any Aspiring Writers Should Develop from Writers And Authors. Write!
Reconnecting with Our Passions: Storytelling from Jami Gold. Are you a storyteller or a writer?
The Weight of the Undone from Writer UnBoxed. A insperational life message.

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Link Roundup for July 27 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

July 27, 2017 by Publetariat

We have almost made it through the week. It is a beautiful day in southern California, I hope it is nice where you are too. Enjoy today’s picks!

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Cast Your Eyes Over This and Other Writing Flubs? From Indies Unlimited. Funny but not good writing.

Cats your eyes over this!
Every Villain is a Metaphor for Resistance from Steven Pressfield Online. Do you agree?
Staging a Book Blitz from Writer UnBoxed. Market hard!
Writing Tips: How To Create Immersive Worlds For Science Fiction And Fantasy from The Creative Penn. How to you make a cohesive world.
Putting it on the Page: How Your Personal Experiences Influence Character Development – by Paul Lonardo from Romance University. Who you are influences your writing.
Learn What Irony (Really) Is and How To Use It from Reedsy. Not just a song from Alanis Morissette.
Understanding and Using Parallel Structure: a Beginner’s Guide from The Write Life. Are you making this error in your writing?
Writers on Social Media: Does It Even Make a Difference? From Kill Zone. Social media is a lot of work. Do you think it is worth it?
The Ugly Truth About Self-Doubt as a Writer from The Write Practice. So glad to not be alone in this!
Writing: 6 Good Reasons to Write a Non-fiction Book from the Self Publishing Advice Center. A way to stand out from the crowd.

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Link Roundup for July 26 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

July 26, 2017 by Publetariat

It is appropriate that today we have so many posts on taking care of yourself. We are a little short as I am dealing with a sick co-worker, and two car emergencies. So enjoy and take good care of yourself!

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55 Ways To Explode Your Content Marketing [Infographic] from Write To Done. Who doesn’t love a good infograph!
Are You a Writer Who Hates to Blog? You’re Not Alone (and it’s NOT the End of the World). From Lauren Sapala. Just know that blogging is like having a baby – lots of constant care and work before you see any progress.
When is the Right Time to Hire a Book Editor? From The Write Life. Cause no one wants premature editing.
Overcoming Negativity Bias from Writers Helping Writers. I am postive you will love this article.
The Finer Points of Great Dialogue from The Writers Alley. “Great idea” she said!
Ways To Stay Motivated In This Shit-Shellacked Era Of Epic Stupid from terribleminds. A key for sanity from Chuck Wendig
Chronic Problems: Writing and Burnout from Jami Gold. Above all else take care of yourself. You can’t help others or write if you are not in a good place.

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Link Roundup for July 25 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

July 25, 2017 by Publetariat

Midweek posts with a little bit for everyone.

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55 Ways To Explode Your Content Marketing [Infographic] from Write To Done. Who doesn’t love a good infograph!
Learn to Love the Work, or Do Something Else (and Other Lessons on Enduring Greatness) from Goins, Writer. There is no get rich quick way of writing.
Email Marketing Tips: How to Get Your List to Buy Your Book from The Write Life. You do have an email list, right?
How to Calculate Your Book’s Length Before Writing from Helping Writers Become Authors. I didn’t even know you could do this!
Our New Book Formatting Resource Page from Indies Unlimited. How to format your ebook so it looks great.
10 Things I Learned About Publishing from My Debut Series from Pub Crawl. A great lessons learned post.
Do You Use Character Trinkets? from Writability. Short but sweet from Ava Jae on how you can add depth to your characters.
4 Times Inaction Can Help Your Writing Life from Writers In The Storm. Sometimes even the best writers need a time out.
The Truth Behind Popular Copyright Myths from Writers UnBoxed. What you need to know about copyright.
What Are Content Mills … and Why Should Freelancers Avoid Them? from Aliventures. Avoid like the plague! They help no one.

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Link Roundup for July 24 – The best writing articles on the web that you might have missed!

July 24, 2017 by Publetariat

Happy Monday! What is your best marketing platform? Have you tried vlogging or podcasting? If not we have some articles to help you get started along with some posts that will help you grow as a writer.

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6 Fantasies Standing Between You and Writing Success—and How to Fight Back from Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris. What is holding you back?
How to Write a Bestseller from Positive Writer. Because isn’t that the point?
Speaking Martian on Venus by Becke Martin Davis from Romance University. How good are you at writing in the other gender’s voice?
4 Things I’ve Learned From Vlogging from Writability. Another great marketing tool!
Millennials May Be the Salvation of Libraries from GoodEReader. Libraries are a great place when you are on the road to work. Comfy, quiet and they have free wifi and power strips!
How to Carry Your Book Cover Design Through to the Marketing Campaign for Your Self-published Books from Self Publishing Advice Center. Because your cover is the face of your book, and what people will see first.
How Do You Know What You Don’t Know? from Kill Zone. Because sometimes you need to hear the truth before you grow.
Is the Voice of the Oppressor” Hindering Your Productivity? from Live Write Thrive. How to deal with perfectionism, my mortal enemy.
How To Use Dictation To Write Faster And Stay Healthy With Scott Baker from The Creative Pen. Dictation software has really come a long way.
Ten Tips For The Successful Writer – by Dani Collins from Romance Universtiy. Ten tips we could all use!

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Keeping Organized as a Writer

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Audiobooks are the Fastest Growing Book Market: How to Get Your Book Recorded

An Interview with Audible Narrator C. S. Perryess

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