"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." - Walt Disney

For Writers

This page will continue to grow and change. It is a list of tips, references, exercises, websites and books I recommend to aspiring as well as seasoned authors.


Literary Travels:
17 New Orleans French Quarter Literary Hot Spots
26 Days of Literary Scotland
7 Austin, Texas Literary Locations
10 Italian Literary Hot Spots
10 Places You Can Drink Like Your Favorite Writer
10 Reading Venues Worth a Visit
7 Literary Locations to Visit With Kids
5 Writers Homes for Literary Vacations
Poe Museum
Presidential Library Visits


The Joys of Reading and Writing:
Writing Games
Writers Pets
The Weirdest or Coolest Things Written
For Love of Books
Election Day Reads
5 Reasons to Love Western Genres
Loving Castle
Science: Past, Present, and Future
Science Fiction, Science Future
Science Fiction Challenge
Christmas Book Flood
Christmas Freebies
75 Years of Batman and Freebies
Fall in Love With Your Writing
Letters Are Magic
Winnie the Pooh as Darth Vader
Feeding My Addiction
Writing Humor
More Writing Humor
How to Read Poetry
Party Like the Book
12 Songs for Writers
A Writers Resolutions
What to Buy the Writer in Your Life
25 Free Books for Christmas
Best Books of 2012
10 Books to Love Reading
Four Great Coming of Age Novels
5 Books for Graduates
Movies About Writers and Writing
Scary Reads to Terrify Your Inner Child
Thankful Writer
Free Reviews, Comic books, E-books and Audio books
Flying High or Crashing Down?
A Glimpse of the Book Fetish
Writing the Stress Away
Why I Write
Songs for Writers
Is Genre Surfing Acceptable?
Writer's Wish List
4 Reasons to Buy Books
7 Inspiring Daily Rituals
Necessity
Labor Day Writing
15 Books for Cinco de Mayo
May the Fourth be With You
July Reads
National Book Lovers Day
Reading to Inspire Young Writers


To Get Creative Juices Flowing, Prevent Writers Block, or to Deal With Rejection:
Six Words Are the Way In
Leaving Out the Dull Bits
Take A Chance
New Experiences
First Writing
Science Fiction Challenge
Feeling Overwhelmed
Writing
Reborn
Year-End Review of Your Writing
Audience of None
Dealing With Worry
5 Reasons for Vacation
Reevaluatingthe Plan
7 Things Successful Authors Don't Do
New Year, New You
Four Lessons From NaNoWriMo
5 Writer Faults
Starter Kit for Writers
To Write or Not to Write
7 Common Fears and Advice for Writers
Curing Blogging Blahs
20 Quotes of Inspiration
More Quotes
7 Tips for Overcoming Writers Block
Never Give Up
10 Tips for a Better Writing Environment
5 Keys to Unleashing Your Imagination
Writing Through Adversity
Title Tricks
The Art of Chaos
Zen Writing
The Empty Pages
Creativity Chips and Four Other Exercises
Inspiring Authors
Interview Exercise
Jung, Carl
Loglines
Universal Themes and Concepts
Rejection Infection
Inspiring Daily Rituals
Status Seekers vs Storytellers
Fresh or Frazzled
To Whom Shall I Tell My Grief
Holiday Writer
Elusive Ending
Don't Stop
Creativity, Inc.
I QUIT!
Game Masters and Mythbusters
Pitfalls


Tips, Rules, Aides and Exercises:
3 Ways to Surprise Your Reader with an Unexpected Villain
5 Step Formula for Plot Structure
5 Flash Fiction Goals
Crafting the Villain
3 Goals for Creating Better Villains
8 Habits for Becoming a Prolific Writer
7 Tips or Reminders for New and Seasoned Authors
10 Ttips for Working with Magazines
10,000 Words in a Day
Genius of Bradbury
At the Heart
How Much is Enough
Vonneguts 8 Rules
3 Lessons Every Writer Can Learn From The Martian
5 Things I've Learned in Five Years of Blogging
Foreword, Preface, and Introductions
What Can Go Wrong?
Revising and Editing: How to Critique any Manuscript
Stealing Time to Write
Brevity
Craft Timing Tip
Four C's
4 Craft Lessons for Writers
Brainstorming Tools
Description
Action Propels Your Reader
Cliches to Avoid
How to be a Writer by Ian Fleming
3 Tips to Becoming a Better Writer
Sneaked Vs Snuck
Hanged or Hung?
Plotting for Pantsers
Word Count Woes
5 Red Flags in Editing
Tips for New and Seasoned Writers
Loving Your Villain
5 Ways to Make Our Stories Different
Passed or Past?
Perfect is Boring
Power of Words
Goal Setting
K, the Funniest Letter
By the Numbers
You Rules
Notoriously Noir
Annoying Adverbs
Dealing With Dialogue
Show, Don't Tell
Technology for the Writer
Oxford English Dictionary
Ending on a High Note
What Happens in Critique Group, Stays in Critique Group
Becoming a Master
X is for...
5 Blogging Tips
Textbook Writing
Vignette
Examining Literary Fiction
5 Steps to Writing a Successful Speech
Benefits of the Blog Challenge
Faceless Characters
James Scott Bell
Uniquely Unexpected
Sympathy for the Villain
Photo Prompt
Writing Prompt
5 Ways to Learn About and Preserve Family History
4 Keys to Publishing Success
Demonization
Happy Endings
Kubler-Ross Model
United Press International
Juxtaposition
Normal
Victory
Interview
Asking and Avoiding
Background
Verbs
X-ray Interviewing
5 Ways to Become a Better Writer


Working with Agents, Editors, and Publishers:
When is Your Story Ready?
8 Ways to Annoy Literary Agents
7 Steps to Preparing Your One Sheet
Pad Your Resume and Wallets by Writing for Small Markets
6 Tests Before Publication
When and Where to Publish Short Stories
Then There Were Five
7 Tips for Pitching to an Agent or Editor
5 of the Worst Author Traits
Resume' for the Writer
Defining High Concept
Interview With an Agent
Speed Dating Pitch Session


Marketing and Self Promotion:
Structuring the Author Website
12 Tips for a Successful Book Tour
7 Ways to Keep Your Network Alive
Marketing Plans
Social Media Expert
7 Free or Inexpensive Ways to Advertise
How Important is Social Media?
5 Qualities of a Successful Self Promoter
14 Ways to Promote Your Book (Part 1)
14 Ways to Promote Your Book (Part II)
Setting Up Your Blog Tour
Counting the Cost of Words


Retreats, Conferences, and Classes:
Sharing Your First Conference
Preparing for a Writing Conference
7 Ways to Get the Most Out of a Writing Conference
2016 Conferences, Workshops, and Festivals in Louisiana and Texas
More 2016 Conferences, Workshops, and Festivals in the USA
Preparing a Writers Gathering
Finding the Right Conference
7 Steps to Preparing a Writers Retreat
Free Writers Conferences
Free Annual Muse Online Writers Conference
Writing Classes You Can Take at Any Age
Free Conference - IndieReCon
8 Free Writing e-courses


Legalities of Writing:
12 Copyright Q's and A's
Copyright and Legal Advice
What Rights Should You Offer?
Trademarked Words In Writing
Taking Back ebook Rights


Books I Find Beneficial:
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft                              By Stephen King
The Hero With A Thousand Faces                                By Joseph Campbell
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers       By Christopher Vogler
The Associated Press Stylebook                                    By Associated Press
Writing 21st Century Fiction                                          By Donald Maass
Bird by Bird                                                                    By Anne Lamott
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within     By Natalie Goldberg


Websites or Blogs Worth Frequenting:
The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood 
SleuthSayers
Anne R Allen and Ruth Harris
Goins, Writer
Positive Writer
Tara Lazar: Writing for Kids
Helping Writers Become Authors
The Write Practice
 Live Write Thrive
Rachelle Gardner
Terrible Minds 
Jennifer Blanchard
Fiction Notes
Writers Digest
Nathan Bransford
Jody Hedlund
Hope Clark
Mysterious Matters
Kill Zone
Alex J Cavanaugh
Jane Friedman
Southern Writers Magazine