Quote of the day
Even when anger does not create the desired harmonious effect, it can serve the purpose of establishing self-respect. It can send a message to others that you believe in your own decency, and that you see yourself as one to be considered seriously.
~FRANK MINIRTH, author of The Anger Trap: Free Yourself from the Frustrations that Sabotage Your Life
WRITING
- It’s Not A Story ‘Till Something Goes Wrong, Writers Write | Tweet
If you’re struggling to start your story or you’re stuck before you reached half way, stop and ask yourself: ‘Is it really a story yet? Or is it just an idea?
If you have ever enjoyed a book or movie right up until the ending spoiled it for you, you understand the importance of knowing how to end a story effectively. Here’s how to create the right ending for your novel.
Elements of Fiction Writing – Beginnings, Middles & Ends
- The Six Questions Writers Must Answer In And Within A Novel, Writers Write | Tweet
We sometimes overlook the obvious when we write. We become obsessed with sentence structure, descriptions, characterisations, world building and plotting instead of looking after the basics.
SCREENWRITING
- MEET THE READER: Random Notes from a Screenwriting Contest Judge, Script Mag | Tweet
After years of reading scripts and even more years of watching movies, I’ve come to the conclusion that dream sequences are an absolutely useless storytelling device. There are really only two ways dream sequences are used in screenplays.
- Why haven’t you finished that script?, Go Into The Story | Tweet
You know, that story you’ve been kicking around for months. Maybe it’s pretty well worked out, but you just can’t summon up the energy to type FADE IN.
Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need
SELF-PUBLISHING
Self-Publishing Beyond the Book: Serializing, Podcasting, and Merchandising, Jane Friedman | Tweet
Insanity is a common source of confidence, thankfully. I’ve been wanting to serialize something in my world for a long time and have a number of projects that I started but never made the cut.
Facebook’s decision a few years ago to limit page owners’ “organic reach”— and force them to pay to reach their followers— saw many authors getting frustrated at the dwindling number of fans who saw their posts.
SOCIAL MEDIA FOR AUTHORS SERIES: FACEBOOK PAGES
HAPPINESS
- How to Be Happier Without Really Trying, Barking Up the Wrong | Tweet
You are already a happiness expert. Seriously. You’re just a bit inconsistent.
Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill
PSYCHOLOGY
- A Guide to Dealing with Frustration & Disappointment in Yourself, Zen Habits | Tweet
One of the most common things I see in people who write to me is something we all share: disappointment in ourselves. We all feel this, because we constantly fail to live up to our standards.
The Anger Trap: Free Yourself from the Frustrations that Sabotage Your Life
ARTS
- Why I Should Have Paid More Attention in Music Theory Class, The Creativity Post | Tweet
Why becoming truly great requires more than just good instincts.
ECONOMICS
- What Are the Worst Airports in the World?, Priceonomics | Tweet
Airports are a tempest of emotions. They can be the source of deep frustration due to long lines, security, and delays.
ENTERTAINMENT
Midway through postproduction on his eighth movie, the Western THE HATEFUL EIGHT — about a band of outlaws trapped in a saloon during a blizzard — the director discusses the country’s legacy of white supremacy, Obama, and why he doesn’t worry about a Transformers future.
