Quote of the day
On a long, hard run, the physiological, psychological, and mental fatigue a
ssociated with a maximum effort sends a danger signal to the body. What started out as a chosen and desired effort is interpreted as life threatening, something to be stopped. Your first response will not be a conscious sense of fear but rather physiological sensations. At this point, in fact, your conscious mind is still giving you full-steam-ahead signals, but the subconscious mind, intent on life preservation, begins sending the body an opposite set of instructions—muscle stiffness and pain, pounding heart, a struggle to breathe, sounds suggestive of dying. The message from the subconscious mind to the body is clear—shut it down.
~NICHOLAS ROMANOV, author of The Running Revolution: How to Run Faster, Farther, and Injury-Free–for Life
WRITING
Writing a fantasy novel involves many considerations: Worldbuilding, avoiding clichés of the genre, using popular elements such as magic originally and more. These 34 must-visit fantasy writing resources will help you with every aspect from creating fantasy maps to naming your fantasy characters.
The Plot Fantastic: How to Plot and Outline a Fantasy Novel (The Plot Chronicles Book 3)
This week’s video shows you how to make readers happy by taking advantage of their conflicting desires for the fate of your characters.
4 Methods for Creating Character Names by Ryan Lanz, Romance University | Tweet
A common question I hear tossed about is how to create character names. Some writers find this simple, and yet others struggle with naming every single one, particularly concerning the main cast. In this post, we’ll talk about tricks and tips for creating character names, and perhaps we’ll bring some ease to the process. What’s in a name?
About Your Character’s Name: Writing Advice from Authors to Authors (Volume 3)
Telling the Whole Story: Fiction and the Problem of Underwriting, Live Write Thrive | Tweet
Modern writers have been heavily influenced by the movies. On the one hand this is good—the best of visual media will teach us pacing, plotting, great dialog, and hopefully the mechanics of a good setting.
SCREENWRITING
- SUBMISSIONS INSANITY: The 10 Submissions Commandments, Script Mag | Tweet
Luckily, though the submissions process may seem daunting, it’s actually quite easy … Providing you remember these 10 Submissions Commandments.
Write It to Win It!: 39 Secrets from a Screenwriting Contest Judge
- Daily Dialogue: V for Vendetta, Go Into The Story | Tweet
Trivia: The domino scene, where V tips over black and red dominoes to form a giant letter V, involved 22,000 dominoes. It took 4 professional domino assemblers 200 hours to set it up.
SELF-PUBLISHING
Eleven Ways to Get Better Book Reviews for Your Novel, The Book Designer | Tweet
As most successful novelists can tell you, book reviews are an important part of marketing and selling your books. The prospect of seeking out book reviews can, however, be a bit overwhelming. Today Florence Osmund is sharing her thoughts and experience on the subject and I think you may find what she has to say very helpful.
Flat Book Covers: New Trend?, My Bookish Life | Tweet
Moving on… The newest trend seems to lower the bar another notch, by introducing us to … the flat woman. What are these flat book covers? Lots of space, bright colors, and cartoonish silhouettes that may or may not be people.
MOTIVATION
No one knows, Seth’s Blog | Tweet
No one knows the right answer, no one knows precisely what will happen, no one can produce the desired future, on demand.
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way
CONSCIOUSNESS
Is Consciousness a Stream? An Update, Psychology Today | Tweet
A new experiment shows perception is discrete, not continuous.
Waking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy
NUTRITION
- This is what happens when everyone is terrified of carbs, The Washington Post | Tweet
Simply, people are eating less of it. The data show that the cheap and easy meal hasn’t disappeared from diets, but diners aren’t consuming it with the gusto they once did.
Good Carbs, Bad Carbs: Lose Weight and Enjoy Optimum Health and Vitality by Eating the Right Carbs, Second Edition-Revised and Updated
RUNNING
Why does running make us happy?, Science News | Tweet
The joy of running. That sense of well-being, freedom and extra energy that runners often experience is not just a matter of endorphins. A new study shows that the “runner’s high” phenomenon is also caused by dopamine, an important neurotransmitter for motivation.
The Running Revolution: How to Run Faster, Farther, and Injury-Free–for Life
BUSINESS
With flood of new brands, water is on track to outsell soda by 2017.
Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!