Linktopia

Surfing the best of the writers’ blogs so you don’t have to.

Welcome to the first Linktopia in our new forum.

Therese and I are kicking off the week with Monday linky goodness so those of us who like to ease into the workaday world can delay it a little by blogging.  Works for me.

The prize if you win Vanity Fair’s essay contest is pretty good: a week in Tuscany with your muse . . . Victoria takes a look at another writer’s contest that almost seems too good to be true . . . .  More on the SOBEL controversy by La Snark . . . . Ray reveals tips for good dialogue tags . . . Kathy at Lighthouse shows us how to eliminate extraneous pronouns . . . . you know what they say about bodily excretions and getting off the pot?  Eric blogs about why it doesn’t pay to read the NYT in there . . . .

Oh yeah, we’re moving on up. To that dee-lux blog over at WordPress…

The new hamster wheel for Writer Unboxed is nearly finished. We’ll be doing the crossover soon to our new home. Therese and I are bursting to tell you all our news but we’re holding off until we get the ducks in a row, the plugins adjusted, blahdie blah blah. But that won’t stop linky goodness on Thursdays, nossir. Segway to:

The discovery of another new blog, I Should be Writing (h/t Memetherapy). I like this author’s fatalism. It neatly parallels my own . . . also check out Indexed. This blog is hilarious . . . Nienke’s blog is also sporting a new look . . . . the new writer’s horoscopes are up at Publisher’s Marketplace. Something about an eclipse and sacrific and loss. Good thing my forecast never comes true . . . . Eric wrestles with the writer’s eternal dilemma–how to get the backstory across without an info dump . . . there’s a contest over at Crime Fiction Dossier to win Gregg Hurwitz’s latest release, LAST SHOT . . .

More after the jump.

Surfing the best of the writers’ blogs so you don’t have to.

For our non-American readers, the upcoming weekend is known as Labor Day, where the working stiff gets an extra day off on the boss’ dime to drink lots more beer and eat foods loaded with nitrates. But we writers will be furiously plugging away at our wips and taking advantage of the . . . eecch, who’m I kidding. I’ll be sleeping in and drinking beer too.

Don’t forget, this weekend is also the perfect time to enter our first annual WU contest. This year we’re giving away an AlphaSmart 3000. Details here.

Some people shouldn’t be let out of their cages or allowed to drink beer even if they are a major figure in their genre, but SS/F “legend” Harlan Ellison didn’t have his frat buddies around to police him at this year’s World Science Fiction Convention (h/t GalleyCat) . . . . here’s yet another new blog by a publishing insider, helpfully called Publishing Insider . . . . also worth a look is Dibs!, “early buzz on upcoming books” . . . . but vintage blogger Ray has a nice post on “conclusion” words and luckily this is NOT one of my vices, which is good because my writing suffers from plenty of other problems . . . . the post-conference high has worn off the Alphabet Girls . . . . Conversations with Famous Writers has one with John Shors, author of Beneath a Marble Sky, now coming to a theatre near you soon . . . . Random Reader reads the debut of one of my favorite mystery writers, Bruce Alexander, and loves him as much as I do . . . . So writers are born, not made? Anyone else think that’s messed up? Eric’s got the goods.

More after the jump.

Sheesh, I don’t check a blog for a week or so, and I miss something big. Over at the stellar Flogging the Quill, Ray has what he terms “a modest proposal” but is really a killer deal: an online storytelling workshop. Folks, if you have a WIP you’d like honest feedback on …. and I’m talking about honest feedback unencumbered by friendships, blood ties, tit-for-tats, critique group political b.s. . . . . here’s your opportunity. Then scroll up for his guest post by Sheila Williams on first drafts. I felt a whole lot better reading it.

But I’m not sure how I feel about this alleged “Top Ten Blogs About Writing and Publishing” entry if WU isn’t on it, but there are some links to good blogs by industry insiders (h/t Pubrants), and I found this guy who isn’t shy about his disdain for La Snark (warning: expletive-filled, venomous and hilarious) . . . . Eric shows us a nifty way of organizing your story before you start writing . . . . this disturbs me so much I can’t even begin to explain . . . . Bookdwarf wades into the bitchslap war going on in the chick-lit genre, as does Paperback Writer . . . .

More after the jump.

Continuing with our theme of bizarre art this week, I thought a little Kafka would get us in the mood for linky goodness. But first…

The AlphaSmart 3000. You know you want one. All you have to do is click here to learn how to get one.

For FREE.

Melly’s finally coming home now that the cease fire is in effect. We can all be thankful for that . . . Fiction is still dead. Hm. And the President’s poll numbers are gonna break 40 percent any day now. MJ Rose comments as well (h/t GalleyCat) . . . . . thinking of going into debt to get an MFA in creative writing? Read this (h/t Rarely Likable) . . . . I hope this isn’t the kiss of death for this mystery writer’s debut (h/t Booksquare) . . . . Eric’s got a great post on consistency and creativity . . . . Jack’s back, and he’s got a new look. Go check . . . . Harlequin’s chick/action line Bombshell bites the dust (h/t Cindy Meyers) . . . . Jason Pinter discusses Starbuck’s new book-of-the-month project . . . . .

More links after the jump.

Indeedy, it has been a busy time for WU. If you haven’t yet heard the news, we’re updating our look, bringing aboard A-list contributors so you don’t have to keep reading the same old yadayada from Therese and me, and unveiling a slate of killer interviews for the fall.

The best news of all is that we want to celebrate our new look by giving away an AlphaSmart 3000. If you’re a writer on the go (who isn’t?) and don’t have one of these bad boys yet, you really don’t know what you’re missing. I wrote an entire chapter of my wip at the airport while waiting for a delayed flight. It’s indispensable. Intrigued? Scroll down for contest details.

In other news, again please pray for Melly’s safety and a quick end to the madness engulfing an entire region. You know what makes me furious? This:

Surfing the best of the writers’ blogs so you don’t have to.

Please keep sending your thoughts and prayers to Melly, who is still in Israel enduring another horrific round of bombs. Melly, we’re still praying for an end to this bloodshed and your safe return.

Last night I broke my self-imposed rule of early-to-bed, early-to-rise-and-write-damnit! to watch who Tim Gunn would kick off Project Runway for breaking the rules. Gunn layed down the LAW in his butter-cream voice: “Rules are rules.” I was hyperventilating. Let’s just say it was worth missing my 5 a.m. wakeup. It’s a dirty addiction.

Speaking of reality t.v. tilting the planet on a new apex, the writers at America’s Next Top Model (you didn’t think those shows were unscripted, did you?) are on strike for stuff like insurance, a living wage, and residual rights, which could really keep them off the bread line as ANTM is shown 24/7 on VH1 these days. Writer Dan J. Blau lays out their case on Television Without Pity.

We second Stephen King’s and John Irving’s plea to JK Rowling . . . . the Alphabet Girls share 10 lessons they learned at the massive RWA conference this weekend . . . . acquiring editor Jason Pinter wonders why agents still haven’t learned he switched publishing houses five months ago, and a shudder rocks through every writer who reads his rant . . . . I don’t know if I could do this (ht Slushpile) . . . . Conversations with Famous Writers interviews Sarah Mlynowski . . . . How Not to Piss off an Editor (ht Paperback Writer) . . . . Eric’s come up with a genius idea (I don’t trot out the genius adjective lightly, either): shower crayons.

More after the jump.

Surfing the best of the writers’ blogs so you don’t have to.

I don’t care what you guys think of Al Gore, but Global Warming is FER REALS. I just spent an afternoon baking in a hot oven of an office with no a/c, so Linktopia is a tad incoherent this week. Or maybe that’s ’cause I’m doing it, and not Therese. Whatever, it’s hot and I’m sketching.

Or maybe it’s the world that’s sketching this summer. I just finished reading a new post on Melly’s blog, and it really makes me shut my yap. Go there and send her some well-wishes. She needs them right now.

We welcome some new blogs to our sidebar: Fiction Addiction, Man in Black, Pubrants, and Write on Write Right Now . . . . Most of the romance blogging has gone silent due to the RWA conference this weekend, but Romancing the Blog never sleeps . . . . Evil Editor on the efficacy of the word ‘but’ . . . . I haven’t been over to “Confessions” in a while, but Sarah’s got some crime fiction news that’s worth checking out . . . . the insatiable Random Reading reviews Jonathan’s Stroud’s Golem’s Eye (love that title!) . . . . Victoria reminds us that there ARE reputable folks in the pub biz . . . . Miz Snark on what to reveal, what not to reveal in queries . . . . .

More after the jump.

She’s the coolest cat, she shizzles my fizzizle, and she makes a mean minestrone soup. She’s Therese Walsh, and she’s super fly. She’s held the fort down on WU while I’ve cavorted on the beaches and drank way too much.

Super Fly Girl deserves a break and she’s going to take hers next week. I hope I can fill in for her as well as she’s filled in for me, but somehow I doubt it. I’ll do my pathetic best, however.

So get ready, yo, for Linky Goodness TM

This has nothing to do with writing, but the new season of Project Runway started last week. Thank god Bravo cycles episodes every other day. Unfortunately, the wankers over at the Washington Post revealed the winner of the episode prior to the airing. Shame! For those writers looking for character inspiration, hssst. This show is loaded with them. I’m especially taken with Vincent. What mind produces a chain-draped lampshade for a hat and calls it ‘inspired’ fashion or doesn’t let his team partner help him and then berates her for leaving him alone? I can’t wait to find out.

There. Don’t you miss Therese already?

On a more serious note, please pray, burn incense, or whatever you do to call upon your ghods for the safety of fellow blogger Melly, who is in Israel right now enduring a horrific situation. Melly, if you get a chance to read this, you and everyone in the region regardless of nationality or political persuasion, are in our thoughts and prayers.

In case you missed Part One and Two of our two part post speculating who will die next in the final Harry Potter tome, others have been reading tea leaves and laying odds . . . . Another superfly friend of mine sent me the link to this fun blog: Top Ten Worst URL FLops . . . . . Crawford Kilian has some advice for folks who like to use parenthesis (though some of my favorite authors use them to good effect) . . . . Hal shares another hilarious and demented ramble at Geek Show. Don’t miss Part Two of our interview with him starting tomorrow, it’s milk-snorting funny . . . . and if you haven’t laughed enough, the Bitches muse over fad for dead rabbits on the upper lips of 1970’s cover models . . . . more reality checks from Writer Beware . . . . Ray’s been in correspondence with La Snark and they pass along good advice for those ready to query . . . .

More after the jump.

First, a big thanks to Inkygirl Debbie Ridpath Ohi for permission to snag her super-cool comic. (Debbie creates original comics weekly for her other blog Will Write for Chocolate. This week she posted a comic that’s sure to be appreciated by all writers but especially book-signing authors.) Second, Kath is still beaching it up, but Therese is slipping into her seat again to deliver some linky goodness (wow, comfy seat…and buttons all over the place).

The Smart Bitches offer not only a fun madlib but entice our inner artists to let loose inThe Big Kahuna Contest, creating original cover art using the Bitches very own, very fertile synopsis…Results from the 2006 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest are in. Treat yourself to a visit and read Jim Guigli’s winning burrito-inspired entry…Ray blogs about the importance of maintaining the tension created with your story’s inciting event, at least in the first chapter…The Alphabet Girls offer a Wednesday Workout for your characters on stress…The Publicity Hound blogs about how to get the best photo session for your publicity shot, and points us to the original article here…The New York Times published an Opinion piece by author Katha Pollitt, who thanks us all for the sales bump she got after a reviewer dissed her book (ht Book Ninja)…Sephera Giron at Storytellers Unplugged reminds us how important it is to MOVE. “Ass out of chair for at least an hour a day,” says Giron. Not only will you have a healthier body for moving around, you’ll have a pumped mind–better to storytell with, my dears.

More after the jump…

Through the magic of blogging, you get to see where Kath is right now, destroying a few skin cells on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Linktopia is in Therese’s hands for a few weeks (brawhahahahaha!)…but she’s also already feeling somewhat lonely (sniffle).

Alrighty, on to the good stuff:

Melly blogs about the differences between Canadians and Americans after her trip to the Finger Lakes (hey, you were in our neck of the woods, Melly!). The Alphabet Girls blog up how eavesdropping can help your wip…really! Cavan blogs about why it’s still cool to write on paper…and even lets us peek at his notebook. Bookslut announces the publication of their 50th issue and talks up “buttonhole books,”–the books you basically force feed to all your friends and family (fwiw, for me this is Niffenegger’s Time Traveler’s Wife). Booksquare whaps reporters over the e-head and offers them this breaking bit: it’s not news to announce there’s sex in romance novels. Doh!

More after the jump…

Ah, summer.

Long days. Weddings. Heat rash. Blender drinks. I love summer. And I loves me some summer vacation.

I’ll be on one for the next few weeks, beaching it up. I’m a West Coast girl trapped on the east, and the toughest part about it is that I’m no longer 10 minutes away from an ocean. This holiday is a long time coming.

But fear not for Linktopia. The intrepid Therese will be posting beach Linkies in my absence. Today, I surf the best of the writer’s blogs so you don’t have to.

We bid adieu to one of our favorite bloggers, Jack Slyde. He’s taking a break from blogging to concentrate on being a new daddy and a writer. Can’t blame him. Check back occasionally, Jack . . . . Ray has a must-read post on how good writing isn’t enough these days, you gotta have a fresh story to tell . . . . and along those lines, Melly has a great discussion going regarding plots . . . . Yikes. Miss Snark blogs about the Publishing Contrarian’s e-mail list . . . . . Tor editor Anna Genoese gives us the down and dirty on the P&L of harcovers, trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks . . . .

Quantum’s very smart-looking new blog (alright, I’m NOT envious) has a post on the difference between an amateur and a professional writer . . . . Metaxu Cafe showcases a compelling post on why Harry Potter must die . . . . Speaking of, bookmakers are already laying odds on who lives and who dies. My .02? Voldemort and Wormtail. You heard it here first . . . . Mickey Spillane gets his own highway (h/t Confessions) . . . . Nienke has found another ingenious time-waster (Writer Unboxed= Rude exit brown; Kathleen Bolton = Not hell-bent oak. This could go on all day).

More links after the jump.

Surfing the best of the writers’ blogs so you don’t have to.

I finished wrestling with the second draft of my current WIP, and it’s a miracle I still have hair. Thank God for blog surfing. It takes my mind off my throbbing follicles.

It sounds like the opening of a good thriller, but the murder of reclusive UK author is as heartbreaking as it is bizzare (h/t Slushpile).

Booksquare has a link to an interview with editor Ellen Seligman . . . . check out this entertaining new blog Rejection is My Middle Name Name (h/t Ghost Word) . . . . GOB muses about an author who is using e-pub Lulu.com to market herself as a writer to NYC editors, rather than sell the book. . . . . Hal embarks on another terrifyingly intelligent and hilarious ramble (be sure to check out our two-part interview with him beginning July 14) . . . .

Quantum has a new look, and I’m a little envious about Eric’s WordPress platform . . . . Melly posts a link to “Big Picture Writing Errors”, and sadly I have a few in my WIP . . . . Ray has a good post on how character POV affects description . . . . At last! someone else hates workbooks too, and Allison explains why in a trenchant and hilarious post . . . . This is rich. At Writer’s Beware, Victoria Strauss has found a literary agency auctioning their services on Ebay (be sure to check out Part One of our interview with Writer Beware tomorrow).

No jump this week.

Write on.

Surfing the best of the writers’ blogs so you don’t have to.

Blogger is being good, fingers crossed. Which means folks have been able to update their blogs. There should be juicy tidbits this week.

Crime Fiction Dossier has a list of recommended reviewers for mystery/crime fiction authors to send their ARCs . . . . Paperback Writer has invented Amazon.com Review Poker. This is a worthwhile time-sucker . . . . only John Baker could turn a boring day into a gripping hook . . . . Nienke gives us a giggle (I’m going to steal that animated .gif) . . . . Writer Beware has updated their blog with a useful page that debunks many “literary” services (e.g. ripoffs *coff*) floating around . . . . Melly has a useful post on editing . . . . also via Melly, Rarely Likable, blog where the author is nicely twisted and amusing. . . .

More links after the jump.