Quote of the day
Knowledge does not change behavior. We have all encountered crazy shrinks and obese doctors and divorced marriage counselors.
~CHIP HEATH, author of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
WRITING
How to Create Workable Scene Outlines for Your Novel, Resources for Writers | Tweet
Although most novels are divided up into chapters, the scene is the fundamental unit of fiction. Each scene is a mini-story, with a main character, a problem or challenge, and a beginning, middle, and end of its own.
Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time
How to Write a Sequel That’s BETTER Than the First Book, Helping Writers Become Authors | Tweet
The very first question you have to ask yourself when considering a sequel is, “Does this book have the potential to better than the first one?” In short, can you outdo yourself?
Write. Publish. Repeat.: The No-Luck-Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success
Perfectionism in First Drafts, The Author’s Nook | Tweet
You write a page, re-read it, research, tweak, search for that perfect synonym for “look” that doesn’t sound as creepy as “ogle” but not as cliche as “stare.” Something with undertones of longing… and if that word isn’t perfect then the whole page is garbage. So you spend the next hour fussing over how rough your rough draft is. See the irony?
Write Your Novel! From Getting Started to First Draft
Five Things Every Antagonist Needs, Write Divas | Tweet
What makes up a good antagonist? There are a variety of aspects that make a antagonist great.
Archetypes: Characters, Narrative and Mind
SCREENWRITING
- Case Study: Female Driven Comedy, Go Into The Story | Tweet
We were looking specifically at female driven comedies, so I wanted to look at what someone could expect to get for financing such a film. This chart shows male versus female comedy budgets year over year.
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
Why They Make Bad Movies, Flying Wrestler | Tweet
Beginning screenwriters often are shocked to hear how competitive the field is, and how difficult it is to break into. If only the writers with the very best skill, craft, artistry and ideas are able to sell their material or get hired, how does that jibe with the fact that there’s so much “crap” that gets made by Hollywood?
SELF-PUBLISHING
Truths and Lies about Self-Publishing, Books by Women | Tweet
Some say self-publishing is the greatest invention since sliced bread. Others say it’s ruining the industry. A lot of people have weighed in on this hugely popular phenomenon. Now, it’s my turn. I’ll address a few commonly held ideas and say if they’re true, or false.
- What is Tumblr?, Writers Write | Tweet
Tumblr is a free user-friendly micro-blogging platform. It allows you to mix social networking and blogging in a single website. The platform lets you share original content in the form of text, links, quotes, music, and video content. It has a loyal user base and if people like your posts, they ‘reblog’ them.
CREATIVITY
- To be a better writer: write more books, The Creativity Guru | Tweet
In today’s New York Times, author Stephen King challenges a common belief: The more one writes, the less remarkable one’s work is apt to be.
Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation
PSYCHOLOGY
3 Ways Your Beliefs Can Shape Your Reality, Psychology Today | Tweet
You don’t need quantum physics to understand the power of belief.
Beliefs: Pathways to Health and Well-Being
PRODUCTIVITY
A two-year tenure at Google gave a team of people the productivity skills to start their own venture.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
ECONOMICS
- Why we hate cheap things, The Book of Life | Tweet
We don’t think we hate cheap things – but we frequently behave as if we rather do. Consider the pineapple.
Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
SCIENCE
Hint: It’s not painkillers, bed rest, or surgery.
Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection