Showing posts with label novel. Show all posts

Internet Outages Are Not So Bad

We had a neighborhood Internet outage that lasted over twenty-four hours, and we thought the world was coming to an end. Then I realized I could use the time to work on 2011 goals, and they're done. WHOO HOO!!

One of the things I did today was sort through all the short stories I never finished. It gave me the idea to focus on completing some of them in 2011. Reason? My main goals are editing the 3 Courier novels next year, so rather than get involved with another full-length novel, cleaning up the mess of unfinished short stories and writing new ones seems to make more sense. Should also help me get in the mindset for writing the collection of short fairy tales for the 3 Day Novel Contest and NaNoWriMo next year.

I also took another look at this years goals. Have to say I'm pretty darn happy with what I've achieved. Big lesson learned on keeping better track of progress throughout 2011 though.

Until next year...28,000 more new words to write and lots of holiday baking. How are you wrapping up 2010?

Time to Set Goals for 2011

Because the holiday season is upon us, and time is limited, I've decided to start setting the goals for 2011. And since this years goals were mostly a pain in my ass and completed at the end of this year or not at all, I'm adding them to the right column so they're in my face almost every day.

There are seven weeks left of the year and I plan on unveiling the goals every Friday as I create them. This week I've come up with two. Warning, there's A LOT of thinking out loud below.

1. Achieve 50% towards remainder of 1,000,000 words of written fiction.
This is a goal I set, in September of 2008 after listening to an early episode of Writing Excuses. Basically they mentioned that the first one or two novels you write are likely crap. I know my first two were both more personal stories I'll probably never publish. They also mentioned that it takes writing one million words to begin mastering prose. These are all professionals' opinions, and who am I to argue, right? Anyways, I set the goal back then to write a million words of fiction within a certain time frame that never happened. Actually I stopped tracking it and have since written over 120,000 new words, which really surprises me considering the writer's block I went through this year.

Well, IT'S BACK for 2011 & 2012. I started a counter in the right column, but have the rest of the year's writing, so I'm not exactly sure where the total count will be for 2011 and 2012 other than an estimated 300,000 per year which is less than the 480,000 I should be able to write if I stick to a 2000 words a day for 20 days a month.   WOW! That's 4-6 novels or who knows how many short stories a year, which could lead into another goal.

2. Finish editing The Courier #1 by the end of the ~~first~~ second quarter.
I've consistently not met this goal every time I've set it, so it will be interesting to see if I meet it this time. This novel is going into its 4th draft, and now on to the math. I've taken the first 100 pages of the novel to critique group and have another 200 to subject to weekly criticism, and at 10 pages a week gets me to 180 pages by the end of the first quarter. Well, that ain't guna work. So I guess I could up it to editing 20 pages a week and attend critique group twice a week. Gosh, can my ego take that much slamming...LOL? Sounds like I'm setting myself up for failure again. Sigh. Better make it the second quarter, because I also need to update the synopsis and will likely go through the whole query letter business to find a new agent.   More goals...

Anyone else out there thinking about or setting goals for next year yet? What do you hope to achieve?

Switching To Scrivener 1 Day In...Am I Crazy?

Yesterday R.J. introduced me to Srivener, a tool for writing documents. Anybody else out there using it?

I watched the video and was interested enough to download a free 30 day trial. Ten minutes into playing with it I was hooked. So I've decided to use it the next 29 days not only for NaNoWriMo, but to add the 4th draft of book 1 of The Courier. Am I crazy?

Oh, and they're actually selling a half price copy to anyone who wins NaNoWriMo at the end of the month. Another incentive to finish.

Finding Barry's Voice

I did it! I finally found Barry's narration voice. Only took a year and a half.

Why did it take so long for his voice to come to me? I got Margery and Vern almost immediately. Nina was also pretty easy. I even got Pete, who you'll meet at the end of book 1 and he's a major character in book 2 and 3, right away.

By the way, the picture to the right makes me nauseous. How about you?

With Barry, I've always felt a connection to him, can visualize him perfectly, and can even sense his presence in the room with me. But for some reason I was having a hard time completely capturing the tone of his voice and his personality in the narration. Now that I've got it, I blame it on that first person present thing. Way back when I started the story, I thought it'd be easier to write in it. LOL! Boy was I wrong. Like most protagonists, Barry's constantly in situations where he has to think fast or choose between the lesser of two evils, so he inevitably makes lots of bad decisions. Capturing his voice during those moments, before he has a chance to think through his actions or embellish on his experiences, as he would in past tense, has been one of my greatest challenges.

How'd I find Barry's narrator voice. I edited and rewrote and edited and rewrote the first chapter about twenty times with the intent to find it. Insane, huh? Well, it worked.

One other comment about writing and reading first person present. We writers who tackle it get a lot of flack about how uncomfortable it reads when you're not used to it. But after a year and a half of writing in first person present, it's hard to switch back to past tense. And recently I started reading Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand, which is really well written in first person present. After reading the first few pages of his book, I've realized I prefer the way it reads as well. So come on publishers, give us more of it.

Countdown to the 3-Day Novel Contest

This is a repost from The Courier's website.

Just wanted to quickly note that I've officially entered the 3-Day Novel Contest and am finalizing the outline today and tomorrow for the second book in The Courier Series.

I've been thinking about posting how the contest is going on The Courier's website once or twice a day, but haven't made up my mind. If I need to vent, I figure posting there is as good as in my journal, so drop by Saturday night if you'd like to check out how I'm doing.

I love the storyline I came up with for the second novel. It is much different than book 1 and filled with lots of new characters. It's all pretty exciting and I can't wait to get started on Saturday!

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #24

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers

On Dance on Fire, Hitting 50 ...and more, James Garcia Jr., on his four month journey through publication.

All About Books

On Overbury Ink, Number 38, part 7 – by Ian Eliot LeWinter
On Farm Lane Books Blog, White is for Witching – Helen Oyeyemi
On Fantasy Literature's Fantasy Reviews, Who Fears Death: A book I will never forget
On Bookgasm, Strip AND Blood Guts & Whiskey
On Marissa Farrar's blog, The Strain by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

All About Writing & Publishing

FAV! On Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors, Use All 5 Senses to Bring Your Setting to Life
FAV! On Copyblogger, Charles Bukowski and the Secret to Immortal Writing
On Vamplit's Library, Artwork A Personal Story of Jekyll and Hyde
On the Wicked Writer's blog, Internet Writers Resources – free for the taking!
On Rachelle Gardner's blog, How to Become a Better Writer
On a Newbie's Guide to Publishing, The Difference Between Sales and Fans
On Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency's blog, Has Your Ship Sailed?

Weekly Features

Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing
Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
This week's Where Stories Are Made: Paul Magrs over at Book Chick City
On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Blogging Events

July 16 - 18, Book Extravaganza
September 13 - 17, Book Blogger Appreciation Week

Join the Hop

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group. Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links...

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #23

FYI... Bloodleggers begins today. In honor of our first release, we're holding a drawing to win a free eBook published by eBookUndead. Leave a comment and you're entered to win. Hope you'll drop by Blood Reads to read.

All About Writers

FAV! On A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, Konrath Kindle Stats
On Kiki Hamilton's blog, Inspiration, Advances and How to Write the Breakout Novel

All About Books

On the Overbury Ink, Steampunk Novel Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger
On Fantasy Literature, reviews of Killswitch: Even more exciting than the first two books!
Also on Fantasy Literature Thoughtful Thursday: Reading is not a spectator sport
By The Cajun Book Lady, Review: Firefly Island by Daniel Arenson
FAV! On Bitten by Books, 45 Plus FREE Books! FREE Friday! Woot!
Over at Something Wicked This Way comes, Marissa’s Top Ten Horror Novels AND Nicole's Top Ten Scariest Reads!

All About Writing & Publishing

On Pub Rants, One Possible Peril Of A Multi-book Deal AND Talk About the Money
In the Wicked Writer's blog, From One Medium to Another
On Fangtastic Books, The Popularity of Vampires with Tom Olbert and Unholy Alliance Giveaway
On Wordplay: Helping Writers become authors, Should Stories Be Soapboxes?
On Mysteries and Margtaritas, Mary's Rants - Take the whine out of writing
On Writers Gone Wild, Thoughts on Editing by SarannaDeWylde
Thank you Rachell Gardner for Short and Not-Always-Sweet Answers AND Really Not That Complicated
FAV! On Writing in the Crosshairs, How Can We Know talks about the buzz about agents charging for readings.

Weekly Features

Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing AND Why I Write Vague Rejection Letters
Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
This week's Where Stories are Made: AUTHOR over at Book Chick City
On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Blogging Events

July 16 - 18, Book Extravaganza
September 13 - 17, Book Blogger Appreciation Week

Join the Hop

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #22

Spotlight

Over on Fools & Sages, a personal friend of mine struggles with her love/hate addiction to the Twilight series in They Sparkle
I also chuckled when I read The Spork Theory on Jim C. Hines blog

All About Writers

On Blood Reads, Interview with C.J. Ellisson, Author of Vampire Vacation
On Lexington Vampire Examiner, Interview with Mike Duran, Christian vampire author part 1

All About Books

I'm seeing a lot of the same books over and over again, so I don't have much to add here this week. I also need to clean out my book review feed folder. Too much paranormal romance and I'm slowly giving up on this genre.

In Vamplit's Library, a review of Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite A Review

All About Writing & Publishing

On Working Stiffs, Let's Play -- The First Five Lines
On A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, The Time Is Now
FAV! On Wordplay, Why No Writer Knows What He’s Doing
Loved R.J.'s post, Crunch Time on our Bloodlegger's blog.

Weekly Features

Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing
Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
This week's Where Stories are Made: Keri Arthur over at Book Chick City
On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Join the Hop

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #21

All About Writers

On Guide to Literary Agents, 7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Holly Schindler
We've been blogging about our characters on Bloodleggers. By co-writer R.J. Robyn, Searching for Billy Knox... and by me, two part interviews with Regina Todd
On Dark Faerie Tales, Author Interview & Giveaway: 13 to Life by Shannon Delany

All About Books

On Bitten By Books, How Honest Is Too Honest In A Review?
On Book Junkie, Bookswim Book Rentals

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

On Fangtastic Books, A Review of Dark Oracle by Alayna Williams
On Darkly Reading, Review of The Mage in Black by Jaye Wells
On Fantasy Literature's Fantasy Book Reviews, The Etched City: Dark and decadent
On Farm Lane Books Blog, Red April – Santiago Roncagliolo

All About Writing & Publishing

That Author Ecopy Comes With A Hefty Price Tag on Pub Rants

Weekly Features

Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing & The Rejection Letter of the Future Will Be Silence (And Why This is a Good Thing)
Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
This week's Where Stories are Made: Thomas Emson over at Book Chick City
On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review
On Overbury Ink, Number 38 – Part 6, by Ian Eliot LeWinter
NEW On Dark Faerie Tales, Publishing News

Blogging Events

September 13 - 17, Book Blogger Appreciation Week

Join the Hop

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #20

WHOO HOO!

20 Blog Hops

All About Writers

On Biting Edge, Start Saving Your Pennies... mentions that James Bond's car from Goldfinger is for sale and expected to sell for over $5 million. There's also some news on a future Bond book, as well as a link to a website with pictures of some really COOL bookshelves of the non human kind.
Here's an review of Jaws, by Peter Benchley. It's always fun to run across modern day reviews of older books.
On Fangtastic Books, Welcome Guest Author Yolanda Sfetsos

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

On Bitten by Books, Ouroboros by Michael Kelly and Carol Weekes
On Book Lovers, Inc., Review: Shades of Gray by Caitlin Kittredge & Jackie Kessler
On Book Whisperer, Review: Blood Song by Cat Adams & Review: Blood Song by Cat Adams
On The Cajun Book Lady, Review: The Second Coming by David H Burton

All About Writing & Publishing

On 1st Turning Point, Pointless Networking ain't so pointless when you make those accidental connections
On the Wicked Writer's blog, Long live the book… A view on the publishing industry
On Jim C. Hines blog, Reading Reviews
On The Journey is Everything, The Five Stages Of Author Booksignings

Weekly Features

Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.
Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
This week's Where Stories Are Made: Jaime Rush over at Book Chick City
On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Join the Hop

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group.

Weekly Whine: Morning Coffee's a Must

See below for It's Monday! What are you reading?

I don't really have anything to whine about today. I'm over my latest bout of anemia as of yesterday and actually had the energy to get out of bed at 3:50 A.M. this morning. Still had to head to the Keurig brewer first thing and watched the strongest brew stream into the cup. Ahhh...the aroma of morning coffee.

I got a bunch of yard work done yesterday. I love yard work! Really gives you the time to be productive and ponder, all at the same time. My poor backyard garden was seriously neglected after being ill the last couple years, so getting it back in order really makes me happy and peppy too :-). It was pretty hot yesterday though, and I HATE the heat--there's a tiny whine. Can't wait until we move up to the mountains full time. House in the mountains looking out on Longs Peak, where you see snow for most of the year, is the definition of heaven.

I have a confession. I missed the cutoff date for the contest. I worked my ass off editing The Courier and pulling my hair out with the synopsis, and it was nothing but painful. When the anemia got bad last weekend, I gave up and used my "lack of energy" as an excuse not to finish. The deadline came and went last Tuesday, and I didn't care. In fact, I was relieved I didn't enter. What it all came down to is that I lose my enjoyment for writing when I enter contests. So, NO MORE CONTESTS!

Off to add this week's forum topic to Vamplit Writer's. This week's question is who our vampire alter ego would be from literature, movies or television. The question came to me while watching Ultraviolet for the 20th time this weekend. Another movie I loved that no one else seemed to enjoy. So it's, no contest. I'd be Violet.

Oh, another movie we watched over the weekend that I thought was awesome, even after my son warned me young people really hated it was Gamer with Gerard Butler. Michael C. Hall plays another psycho in the movie. The man sure has talent for such roles.

WOW! I may not of had a lot to whine about, but I sure had enough to natter through.

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme, hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Currently Reading: Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry & God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert

Listening to: Blood Trail by C. J. Box

Just Finished: Moonshine by Alaya Johnson & Small Favor by Jim Butcher (LOVED IT!!)

Next up: Dance on Fire by James Garcia Jr.

Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #19

All About Writers

On Enchanted by Books, Guest Author Carolyn Crane & Giveaway! discusses the "Top 6 cool things about being a series author that I never expected"

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

On Bookgasm, Decoding the Heavens: A 2,000-Year-Old Computer — and the Century-Long Search to Discover Its Secrets AND I Am Not a Serial Killer AND Tooth and Claw
NEW FAV On Book Lovers, Review: Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane +Giveaway
Looks like a pretty good list on Farm Lane's Book Blog in The Best Literary Science Fiction Books?

All About Writing & Publishing

Platform, Shmatform on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing shows you don't have to be an established author to be a top seller.
NEW BLOG On Guide to Literary Agents, 7 Tips on Book Publicity. I also watch Livia Blackburne's blog and she provides excellent advice. On her blog, How to Get (and Keep) People's Attention was a great read this week
On 1st Turning Point, Marketing Before Publication? How About Before It’s Written?
On Biting Edge, Writers and Readers...what we owe each other
Fear was a focus on Copyblogger in Is F.E.A.R. Holding You Back? AND 7 Quick-Start Techniques for Fighting the Fear to Write
On Editorial Ass, How to Throw an Awesome Book Launch
On Passion on Paper by Gina Leigh Maxwell, Terrible Twos-day: Word Count vs. Words That Count
On Wordplay, 8 Ways Longhand Writing Frees Your Muse
On Richard Dansky's blog, Seven Things You Should Always Ask A Writer. We used the question about which book you wished you'd written this week on Vamplit Writers
On Leterary Agent Rachelle Gardner's blog, Getting People to Read Your Book

Weekly Features

Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts. I also enjoyed What Makes a Great Setting
Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
This week's Where Stories are Made: Keri Arthur over at Book Chick City
NEW On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review
On Overbury Ink, Number 38, part 5 by Ian Eliot LeWinter

Join the Hop

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group.

No Whine Zone

In honor of Memorial Day, there will be no whining today. Instead, I will reflect on my own time serving our country and thanking God that since WWII my close family members who have served during wartime have all returned home safe.

In addition, I'm starting a new section, joining What Are You Reading?

Currently Reading: Moonshine by Alaya Johnson & Small Favor by Jim Butcher

Just Finished: To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer & White Plague by Frank Herbert

Next up: Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry & Dance on Fire by James Garcia Jr.

What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme, hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #18

All About Writers

On Fantastic Book Review I really enjoyed the questions asked in, Sensational 7 Q & A with Jennifer Murgia!
On Enchanted by Books, Guest Author Michelle Rowen & Giveaway!
On Paul D. Brazill's blog, Guest Blogger: Author & ex -cop Johnny Russell.

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

In Damian Kane's blog, Book review: A Stir of Echoes, by Richard Matheson
On Fantasy Literature, Wolfsangel: Fine heroic fantasy
On Bookgasm, Neverland
On The Neverending Shelf, Book Review: The Line
On Taliesin Meets the Vampires, Dance on Fire – review
On Writers Gone Wild, How To Spot A Bastard By His Star Sign

All About Writing & Publishing

eBook Royalty: Another Way To Protect on Pub Rants
On Rachell Gardner's blog, What if My Agent Doesn't Like My Next Book?
There are some interesting comments over on the Wicked Writer's Blog this week on muses
On Criminal Minds, Taking a Whiz on Book Marketing . . .
On Jim C. Hines blog, Saying No to a Publisher
On WOW, Women on Writing, Metaphors Are Fun, Creative and Therapeutic
On Vamplit, Loving the Undead
On A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, DRM Free
On Haunted Dreams, Dark Destinies, Why I Write About Angels and Demons

Weekly Features

Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts, and my favorites in his blog this week are Every Writer Gets Rejected and How to Write a One Sentence Pitch
Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
This week's Where Stories Are Made: MD Lachlan over at Book Chick City

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group.

Weekly Whine: Breathing is Good

Those damned trees and their beautiful flowers are shutting down my windpipe. We needed one of our heavy shows to take the flowers off the trees, but it never came. We had one, but it was ineffective. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, because it's not actually as bad as I've experienced past years. And if I take a Benadryl before bed, the day is easier to get through.

I started reading Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski last night and love it! Finished watching the second season of Lost last week too. I'm hooked! I pick up season 3 from the library today...WHOO HOO! Oh, and we watched the third season of Dexter over the weekend. Awesome! Not good for catching up on editing though. So, I'm cutting the whine short again this week and am off to work on The Courier.

Oops, forgot to mention that my mom finished reading the last chapter I released of The Courier on Textnovel and she loved it. That'd be the chapter where Barry goes head to head against the hellish monster and gets his head bit off. She said she'd like to distribute the novel out to friends, especially teachers. Funny, but I've been thinking of doing the same thing. I'd really like to get the novel read by young people and teachers are certainly a route.

Monday's Whine: A Cup of Coffee and a Positive Outlook

Have you ever noticed how you wake up Monday morning with a positive outlook on the upcoming week, then once you're a quarter through the day, the blues settle in? Well here I am, with a cup of coffee in my hand and my positive outlook. Although I'm two hours into my day and ready to go back to sleep. That'd be one good way to get past the blues.

I don't really have anything to whine about this week, so I'm cutting this week short. Off to write some new Courier II.

Wicked Topics of Our Choice

We wrote on a topic of our choice this week over at the Wicked Writer's blog. My post was 10 Inspiring Places to Write.

Read the other writer's opinions:

C. J. Ellison, The Business of Selling Books
Greg Marshall Smith, Authors, Authors Everywhere; Even on a Film Shoot
David Sartof, Sring Time and Thoughts Turn to Plotting
Supriya Savkoor, Research as Muse
And our guest this week, Randall Stone, contributed The Four Marks of the Servant

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #11

Every week I weed through over 80 blogs, looking for new reading material and writing advice. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link to my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers & Books

Hurry over to Bookgasm to enter to Win Bite Me by Christopher Moore before Friday
Author Interview & Contest with Diana Rowland at Amberkatze's Book Blog
Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my Goodreads to-read list:
- Book Review: I am Not a Serial Killer over at Book Chick City sounds fabulous
- Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski looked so good I had to get on the wait list now for it at the library
- 5 bat Review: Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater got me to put the first in the series in my reading queue
- Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - Review
- Creatures of the Pool by Ramsey Campbell, one of my favorite horror authors
Don't miss these every week:
- Nicole Hadaway's movie & book reviews over at her All Things Smart & Scary.
- Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
- This week's Where Stories are Made: J F Lewis over at Book Chick City. Here are a few other articles and posts you'll enjoy on writers' spaces:

All About Writing & Publishing

How I Became a Better Writer Thanks to Distracted, Hungover College Kids at Copyblogger, "But after years spent writing in professional newsrooms, I was surprised to discover how teaching college students actually helped make me a better student of the craft of writing."
Interesting posts from a few agents out there: On Confidence, or, WWDTD, title, title, title
Query Letter Subject Lines: Act Now!! Get It While It Lasts! is hilarious in that anyone would actually do it
Am I Good Enough to Epublish?
Novel Survey Results, Part III
Best and Worst of Writing over at Labotomy of a Writer

Other Blog Tours

Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.

Monday's Whine: Starting Late

Oops, I forgot what I was going to write about this week. Give me a minute...

Here's a good place to start. It's 6:00 A.M. in Denver and I got up an hour late. Great start to the week. Finished breakfast and got side tracked by housework when I was supposed to be writing new stuff on the next courier novel and writing this post.

I found two book series I'm enjoying. Thorn St. Croix series by Faith Hunter and Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. The Dark Hunter series are paranormal romance novels, so I may have finally found a romance series I can stomach.

I still haven't figured out what I'm writing about this week for the Wicked Writer's blog, so maybe I'll take off early and figure it out after I finally writer my new words for the day.

Best Advice for Writing Success

This week's posts over at the Wicked Writer's blog were all about the best advice we've received in our time as writers. My post, Work Through the Pain discusses advice I received from my father that I apply to getting through the hard days of writing.

Read the other writer's opinions:

C. J. Ellison, brought in the guest blogger, Nicole Hadaway, author of Release, this week. Her post, The Best Advice I Ever Received (on Writing)
Greg Marshall Smith, Sometimes I'm Glad I Listened to Other People
Supriya Savkoor, Learn as I Go
We also reposted How Does an Unknown Author Become a Kindle Bestseller? Perseverance

All About Writers

All About Books

All About Writing & Publishing

Weekly Features

Blogging Events

Join the Hop

All About Writers

All About Books

All About Writing & Publishing

Weekly Features

Blogging Events

Join the Hop

Spotlight

All About Writers

All About Books

All About Writing & Publishing

Weekly Features

Join the Hop

All About Writers

All About Books

All About Writing & Publishing

Weekly Features

Blogging Events

Join the Hop

WHOO HOO!

20 Blog Hops

All About Writers

Books I Want to Read

All About Writing & Publishing

Weekly Features

Join the Hop

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

All About Writers

Books I Want to Read

All About Writing & Publishing

Weekly Features

Join the Hop

All About Writers

Books I Want to Read

All About Writing & Publishing

Weekly Features

All About Writers & Books

All About Writing & Publishing

Other Blog Tours

About W. J. Howard