Here’s another freshly tossed salad of writing advice and other crunchy goodies to fuel you on whatever you’re working on this month. Let us know what brightens up your day, and what’s inspiring you lately!
- First up is a heartfelt and deeply sensitive piece by Kacen Callender, which will absolutely hit you in the feels if you’ve ever been swayed by the howling winds of perfectionism. Subscribe to their blog posts for more profound and introspective truths about writing, and what it means to be a published author today.
- Next is a mind-blowing and wonderfully evocative roadmap for how to plot your novel using the four-act structure, by the ever-magical and wise fairy godmother/Baba Yaga of writers, Laura Weymouth. It uses examples from Alice in Wonderland and The Hobbit to highlight each stage, and one of the muses (Meredith) loved using it to re-outline her current project, so definitely check this out!
- If you’re looking for more resources direct from literary agents, check out the blog by the Nelson Literary Agency, which has been going for a looong time now. This article provides really clear and concise advice on how to make sure your characters are going through enough “Try/Fail” cycles in order to earn their arc, and to make the journey satisfying for your readers. They have lots of other really helpful articles and advice listicles, so do check them out regularly.
- We have to include the latest lightsaber beam of wisdom from Jedi Master Chuck Wendig, who has started offering gentle writing advice to counter the constant (and kinda bumming-out) harsh writing advice we often see online. In his characteristic bat-shit crazy style, he makes us want to keep writing in spite of *gestures to everything* and all the negative voices in our heads.
- Bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan, has a Masterclass at last! In her first lesson, she gets honest about her personal experiences and how those shaped her writing voice. The class encourages you to get pretty deep so brace yourself for the experience!
- Book marketing and promotion can be incredibly daunting, especially for new authors who are just making their first foray into the world of publishing. And in this day and age where your social media is an essential tool in shaping your brand, there can be so much pressure to do everything at once. Nathan Bransford shares his tips and advice on how to build your author platform and make the most out of it without burning out.
- And finally, a non-writing related story: ever wondered how a puppet is constructed and what goes into the art of puppetry? Singaporean puppeteer Oliver Chong shares tips of the trade and what it’s like creating a 4.5m-tall puppet!
We hoped you enjoyed the latest freshly dressed and sun-drenched salad, positively bursting with sweet goodness (ok is anyone else hungry?). Let us know what you’re reading lately, or what’s been inspiring you and your work.
Muse in Pocket, Pen in Hand 