Setting/Publishing Rights/Skinny Genes/News/Clutter Hypocrite

1.  Dena Netherton uses her stage experience to talk about setting in our writing. Her examples are spot on.

2.  Every aspiring writer dreams of getting "the call." While it's an emotional rush after years perfecting our writing, signing a contract is serious business. This advice also apples to self-publishing contracts. Susan Spann guest posts at Writers in the Storm about what rights a publisher really needs.

3.  FRC Action sent me an email entitled, "The Skinny on Genes." (Now, there's a lesson in attention-grabbing headlines.) We've heard a lot about GMO's in relation to our food, but what if they started genetically engineering people?

4.  Writer Unboxed reports on what's new in the digital publishing industry.

5.  Jeanette Levellie writes with her usual tongue-in-cheek style about being a "clutter hypocrite."

Writers:  Do you enjoy creating a stage for your characters? What are some of the things you take into consideration?

Readers:  Do you collect a lot of books? How do you keep any kind of collection from taking over your house?

Photo Credit:  Anonymous

Unpolished/Story Ideas/FRC/Get Organized/Recipe

1.  Traci Tyne Hilton guest posts at The Write Conversation. Her view of unpolished literary works certainly runs counter to traditional publishing models. Interesting post.

2.  Amber Schamel guest posts on Seriously Write. Sparking story ideas isn't as hard as we think. She illustrates her method and encourages writers to keep their eyes open.

3.  FRC puts out reliable information, and this issue of their update made my hair stand on end. For all their talk about privacy, the government is stripping away in small chunks. It makes me think of the old saying, "He's talking from both sides of his mouth," meaning contradictory statements.

Also covered is the lack of Christian refugees in this huge influx.

4.  I don't know about you, but this time of the year brings out my desire to get organized. While I've made progress, clutter still creates problems. I came across this article with 5 tips to deal with all the stuff. Perhaps it will help you as well.

5.  Recipe Corner. Here's a recipe for Butternut Squash Parmesan from Kraft. It looks yummy. I'll print it out and maybe even try it. (Maybe this is one of the reasons I have a problem with clutter - a lot of good intentions, but not a lot of acting on them. LOL!)

Writers:  What sparks story ideas for you?

Readers:  Do you print out recipes and then never make them? Please share.

Photo Credit:  dekok

Stereotypes/Anthologies/Deadlines/Immigration/New Year

1.  Kristina McMorris guest posts at Writer Unboxed on the subject of Stereotypical Perspectives. She gives great advice on incorporating characteristics based on common knowledge. I think you'll find this article thought provoking and a good balance between showing reality and the desire to avoid offense.

2.  I've written for anthologies, and I know many of you have as well. Susan Spann posts at Writers In The Storm on the subject of, "Show Me The Money: Royalties in Anthology Contracts." She defines certain terms and gives examples of contract language.

3.  Whether we're writers or not, we all face deadlines. I came across this blog post by Carol Garvin on the subject. The insights she gives crystallized some thoughts for me.

4.  You'd have to be totally cut off from TV and the Internet not to hear the growing debate on immigration. This article by the Family Research Council gives a logical, sane view and frames the debate from an ideological perspective. I highly recommend it.

5.  We've landed! On the moon - yes, but that was a long time ago. No, I'm referring to 2016, a New Year.

Along with the New Year comes time management challenges. Jeanette Levellie released her new book, Shock the Clock, the middle of December 2015.

Why do we need this type of advice? If everything stayed on a neat schedule, we could do this with our eyes closed. Unfortunately, it's like hitting a moving target. Just when you think you've got everything figured out, a tire goes flat or Junior breaks a leg.

Check out this interview at Write Now and her new book.

Writers:  What kind of issues derail your writing time?

Readers:  Do you set goals for the New Year? Please share.

Photo Credit:  Richard Dudley

Pies/Contest/Lead Time/Recent Shootings/De-Clutter Treasures

1.  Lynn Simpson, at Connecting Stories, tells why she doesn't bake pies just 'cause.

2.  Are you an Indie author? Check out the Lyra Contest. This link will take you to the page with the rules.

3.  When should you begin promoting your book? Sharon Bially, at Writer Unboxed tells us why book public relations need lots of lead time.

4.  With all the recent shootings, I found this Family Research Council article quite eye opening.

5.  I chuckled at Susan's de-clutter experience. It sounds like something that would happen to me. Here's her post at Writing Straight From The Heart.

Writers:  Have you ever entered a writing contest? If so, please share your experience - positive or negative.

Readers: What kind of activities do you avoid "just 'cause?"

Photo Credit: Cheryl Empey

Real Life/Weed Words/Devo/Budget/Cats

1. LoRee Peery guest posts at Zoe M. McCarthy's blog. She shares about how she used her real-life experiences in writing her book. There are some great ideas here for writers and bloggers alike.

2. Are "weed words" creeping into your writing? Cyle Young guest posts at The Write Conversation.

3.  Dena Netherton writes about a new venture and Leaving the Results to God.

4.  FRC talks about the worries in Washington, D.C. about the impending budget crunch. Lobbyists are worried that any shutdown will have a negative impact on an already volatile market.

5.  Jeanette Levellie shares what she learned from her feline friends.

Writers:  What "weed words" trip you up?

Readers: If you've ever had a cat, what has it taught you?

Photo Credit:  Christoph Kurtzmann

Tips/Freedom/Blogging/Covers/Potatoes

 

1.  David Bruns guest posts at Writer Unboxed. He gives 6 Writing Techniques he learned at Storymasters, which was taught by Chris Vogler, James Scott Bell, and Donald Maas.

2.  I like to keep updated on religious freedom issues. One of my go-to organizations is The Family Research Council. In a recent email, they reported on infringements to religious liberty ranging from the military to a little girl being told she couldn't mention God or scripture in her homework because of government policy.

3.  Edie Melson, at The Write Conversation, talks about the top blogging mistakes made by authors. I think this has value whether you're an author or not.

4.  The title of this post intrigued me, and although it was long, I finished the whole thing. We all know book covers can make or break our masterpieces. Check out this story at Working Writers and Bloggers, by Nicolette Pierce.

5.  Jean Fischer, at Something to Write Home About, shares how a potato launched her writing career.

Writers:  How did you discover you were a writer?

Readers:  Do book covers influence your buying decisions? Please share.

Photo Credit:  Krappweis