Here are some quotes for my writer friends. Below them there are a large number of writing links I’d been tracking on a separate page. It proved to be too much work and there were plenty of other sites who did it better, but I’m leaving them here without doing further updates for those who might be interested.
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“You know what I did after I wrote my first novel? I shut up and wrote 23 more!”
– Michael Connelly, while appearing on Castle
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“When it comes to fiction, the writer’s only responsibility is to look for the truth inside his own heart. It won’t always be the readers’ truth or the critics’ truth, but as long as it’s the writer’s truth — as long as he or she doesn’t truckle or hold out his or her hat to fashion — all is well.
“Bad writing usually arises from the stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do – to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help little old ladies across the street.”
– Stephen King, Full Dark, No Stars
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“The focus has to be on writing new work all the time. Stories will find their readers, but your readers can’t find more of your work unless you write it.”
- Dean Wesley Smith, The New World of Publishing: Speed
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“”Being a good writer is three percent talent, 97 percent not being distracted by the internet.”"
– unknown
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“For writing, the most important thing is passion. A love for what you do. A desire to create something with all of your enthusiasm and as much attention to your craft as you can muster.”
- Joe R. Lansdale, “Lansdale Unchained #4: Typewriter Mystique, the Bull of it” Subterranean Press Online, Winter 2008
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“The only way to make a name and a living at fiction is write the next story, the next novel. Bluntly put, if you are not writing the next story, the next novel, you are not writing and thus not a writer.”
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The following is an ongoing list of articles and posts of interest to writers. Be sure to check out the links to the Must Read Blogs on the front page sidebar. I don’t list those posts individually here, but you’re selling yourself short if you’re not reading them.
June, 2011
Passive Guy has written some vital, must-read posts. For Avoidance of Doubt clauses. New attempts to strip mine authors. Publishers and authors skinning their own authors. If you just signed with a big agent. A Get-out-of-Jail card for long-time authors.
More from Joe Konrath and Barry Eisler on self-publishing.
May, 2011
Zoe Winters on how some writers are like road construction workers.
Mike Stackpole with a blistering salvo in the indie vs. traditional publishing battle.
Passive Guy on book contracts.
Joe Konrath on promotion for ebooks.
Passive Guy gives some great contract advice to writers.
In the past, I haven’t listed individual posts when I’ve linked to an entire series on the front page, but I’m making an exception here. Kris Rusch’s Business Rusch series has some recent articles that should be considered mandatory reading. Start at the top of this list and work down.
Some stunning news about royalty statements.
Sea changes in the industry.
Agents – are they working for us or have they become the worst of the sharks?
April, 2011
L.M. May discusses Fiction Writers and Learned Helplessness.
Dean Wesley Smith continues his new series Think Like A Publisher. This one has to go on the front page links.
March, 2011
Leading indie writer Amanda Hocking explains why she signed a big deal with a traditional publisher.
A B&N exec implies that ebooks will pass print in two years. He later backs off on a specific timetable.
A well-known romance writer, Connie Brockway, also goes indie and for some interesting reasons.
Robin Sullivan ignores outliers like Amanda Hocking and compares indie and traditional publishing for a midlist writer.
Barry Eisler turns down a half-million dollar traditional deal to go indie.
Dean Wesley Smith starts a new series, Think Like a Publisher, that looks like another addition to the must-read category, certainly for those interested in indie publishing.
One midlist writer walks away from a contract because of the eBook terms, something we’re going to see more of.
February, 2011
J. Daniel Sawyer on Creative Destruction, or How to Survive the Ebook Apocalypse.
Authors Guild series, Part III – The E-Book Royalty Mess: an Interim Fix.
Authors Guild series, Part II – E-Book Royalty Math: The House Always Wins
Authors Guild series, Part I – How Apple Saved Barnes & Noble. Probably.
Alisa Valdes on self publishing.
Ten lies about writing you believe.
Ben Casnocha on the 30 steps to mastery.
January, 2011
Tom Dupree’s Adventures in Editing, Part I.
Mike Stackpole on getting the first chapters right in Science Fiction and Fantasy.
John Scalzi on the Writing Contest from Hell. (Always read the fine print.)
John Scalzi on writing 2,000 words before turning the Internet on.
The keys to epublishing success.
Scott William Carter on why he formed a publishing company and is mixing “Big Publishing” with indie publishing.
The top ebook self-publishers.
Joe Konrath struggles with eBook pricing.
December, 2010
Joshua Bilmes on the demise of Borders.
Mark Coker, the founder of Smashwords, with some interesting predictions for 2011. (Dean Wesley Smith comments on this piece, but I’m hoping with the permanent link to Dean’s blog you’re reading it automatically.)
Chuck Wendig with some (R-rated) interesting comments on self-publishing.
November, 2010
Kevin J. Anderson on daring to be bad.
J. Steven York with Twitter 101 for writers.
John Scalzi offers a warning to MFA students.
Tom Dupree discusses upcoming bestseller lists for ebooks.
October, 2010
Kevin J. Anderson on the difference between a career and a hobby.
September, 2010
Rick Novy on e-publishing your backlist.
John Scalzi on finding the time to write.
The differences between Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction
Scott William Carter: 10 Reasons There’s Never Been a Better Time to Be a Fiction Writer
J. Steven York: What Do Writers REALLY Need?
August, 2010
Philip Goldberg: Who Needs Publishers? We All Do!
Mike Stackpole on Digital Rights contracts.
Dean Wesley Smith starts a new series on The New World of Publishing, installments one and two. (As soon as he gets a table of contents for this series, expect to see a link on the front page sidebar.)
The price of a book: or why advances aren’t higher in conventional publishing. (This post actually dates back to 2003, but I was recently reminded of the link.)
J.C. Hutchins on enhanced e-books.
July, 2010
Mike Shatzkin on ebook margins and royalties.
Leslie Walker on writing under stress.
June, 2010
Steve York on Twitter 101 for writers.
February, 2010
Mike Stackpole on writers who say they just want to write.
