10 Great Links About Writing You Might Have Missed

Sometimes I stumble across blogs or articles that really resonate with me. They get me thinking about my own writing and how I can apply the principles to my story. So I've collected some links that have stood out to me over the past couple of weeks. Maybe some with touch you too.

1. Writing with vulnerability is something we all know we should do, but when someone does it and has has success, then we sit up and take notice. Michael Hauge points to a story of such a man who, in his vulnerability, gained a following. You can read about it here: Vulnerability & Courage

2. What if God asks you to write about something you don't want to? What do you say? Yay or nay? This article by Andy Lee speaks to writing the hard things instead of being a people pleaser. You can read about it here: Write The Hard Stuff

3. We make goals and meet them, but do you feel successful when you do? It's important to define our success in order to know when we have succeeded. You can read about it here: How to Define  Success

4. Publishing isn't for wimps and there are many hoops to jump through and hurdles to jump over. They are obstacles, but we must learn to consider them friends. They help us grow and mature along the writing journey. You can read about it here: Hoops Jumping for Writers

5. We all have issues with time management, as we all need more hours in our day. Edie Melson at The Write Conversation gives some excellent suggestions for finding more time to write. You can read about it here: 10 Tips to Simplify Your Writing Life

6. All writers are told to build their platform and be on social media. Bah! We have trouble finding time to write, much less spend time on social media. Andrea Guevara on The Write Life shares 5 fixes to build your brand. You can read about it here: Social Media for Writers: 5 Quick Fixes to Build Your Brand.

7. Have you heard about The Story Equation by Susan May Warren? She talks about the components to a great story plot and how to get put it all together on the Seekerville blog. You can read about it here: One Question That Will Unlock Your Entire Story

8. You have heard about the gatekeepers in the publishing industry. We all face them on our writing journey. Ann Kroeker, The Writing Coach explains the different kinds of gatekeeps and the good they do. You can read about it here: The Role of a Gatekeeper in the Publishing World

9. Do you use Twitter? Carolyn Howard-Johnson talks about the importance of hashtags on BookBaby Blog. You can read about it here: Making Magic With Twitter Hashtags

10. Everyone knows how hard it is to write a good query. Rachelle Gardner at Books & Such had a great post on what not to say in a query letter. You can read about it here: Avoid These Lines in Your Query Letter

What have you learned this week in regards to writing? 


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Sherrinda Ketchersid is a born and bred Texan, preacher’s wife, mother to 4 children, and secretary at public elementary school. With the children grown and out of the house, she weaves tales of fierce knights and their ladies in a time where men were warriors and women had to be strong enough to keep them in check.

After taking time off from writing, she has returned with a new motto in place to spur her on. “Writers write. Everyone else makes excuses.” ~Jack Bickham.  No excuses this time. She is weaving her love of romance with history to bring joy and the hope of love to those who may one day read her stories.

You can connect with her through:

Personal blog: sherrinda.com

Twitter: @sherrinda

Instagram: @sherrinda

The Writer's Alley Weekend Round-Up

Mid-November, people! It's almost time to thaw the turkey, make a dozen pies, and put the Christmas lights on the house. Is anyone as panicky as me? Nah...I'm not really panicking. I'm pretty good about going with the flow, but the last few months have just flown by and I need to get organized. I don't want to procrastinate and be harried this Christmas. I want to enjoy the season between Thanksgiving and the New Year. So who's with me? You? Okay, great! Now that we have that settled, let's find out what's up the street this next week.

The Weekly Line-Up

Monday - Angie will be talking about Past, Present, Future...Motives of Your Characters.

Tuesday- Julia's post is entitled Dealing With The Waits of the Writing Life

Wednesday - Karen  is sharing Part 2 of How to Grow Your Blog Platform.

Thursday - Ashley has something up her sleeve and it will be something worth stopping by for.

Friday - Amy is hosting the fabulous Amy Matayo!

The Awesome Link Round-Up

This Simple Trip Can Will Help You Overcome the Inertia of Perfectionism (Copyblogger)

4 Piece of Well-Meaning Advice to Beware Of (Positive Writer)

7 Ways to Keep Writing When You Feel Like Giving Up (Write to Done)

The Great Twitter Debate: Should You Follow Back? (Writer unBoxed)

Beyond Fancy Clothes and Funny Foods - Creating the Culture of Your Story (Go Teen Writer)

#NaNo Tips: "Stealing" Writing Time (Kaye Dacus)

36 Writing Tips to Put Your Butt in the Chair (Positive Writer)

Is "Finding Your Voice" As A Writer Just Plain Laughable? (Write to Done)

Losing One's Marbles (Writer unBoxed)

Have A Great Week!

The Writer's Alley Weekend Round-Up

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Do you ever feel like you are walking a tightrope, trying to keep your balance as you pusillanimously make your way through life? Some days you just want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over your head, don't you? Yep, life gets like that, but if you just get out of that bed, put on some clothes and take a step, well, you can do anything. You just need to take a step. And then another. And another. Soon you will be skipping through life like a superhero on a sugar high. (Have you eaten through all your Halloween candy yet?) Now while you are skipping, skip on over to The Writer's Alley for a great dose of "writerly wisdom". We have a great line up for you this week!

The Alley Weekly Line-Up

Monday - Pepper is hosting Sarah Forgrave, who is sharing Pinterest Tips for Authors, Part 2.

Tuesday - Laurie's post today will be sure to please, as always. Stop by to find out more!

Wednesday - Mary has a great post, entitled Six Ways to Become a Unique Writer.

Thursday - Krista post, Beyond the Novel, will be talking about other types of writing we can do to honor the calling on our lives to write.

Friday - Casey is our host today with guest, Brandy Vallance!

The Awesome Link Round-Up

Opening Round Begins For The Goodreads Choice Awards (Galley Cat)

Supercharge Your Novel With Color and Sound (Positive Writer)

The Monster In Every Writer's Head (Positive Writer)

Writing The Story of Your Heart, Even When the Odds Aren't in Your Favor (Writer unBoxed)

NaNoWriMo Tip #4: 3 Methods To Trigger Story Ideas (Galley Cat)

Writing in Deep POV (MBT Ponderers)

How One Marketing Blog Tripled It's Email Subscribers With 3 Simple Strategies (Copyblogger)

Have a great weekend!

The Writer's Alley Weekend Round-Up

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Oh my, life gets crazy, doesn't it? I cannot believe that November is just around the corner, with December not far behind! Does that frighten your socks off? Don't fret, my friends, we have a great week lined up for you and some exciting news from one of our very own Alley Cats!

The Writer's Alley Weekly Round-Up

Monday - Pepper is hosting guest, Sarah Forgrave, who will be sharing how to use Pinterest in story crafting (Part 1).

Tuesday - Laurie is talking about writing conflict and tension into your story...and hopefully keeping you from having too many "rewrites".

Wednesday - Mary's got a great post lined up for you: Purposeful Writing - Clarity vs. The Obvious

Thursday - Krista has been battling deadlines, and has some great things to share in her post entitled, I Gave Myself A Deadline - Now What?

Friday - Casey will be sharing  How To Avoid White Noise Marketing. Fascinating!

The Alley Cat Shout Out

Alley Cat Karen Shravemade's debut book just came out this week and we are so very proud of her! The title is "Your Beautiful Life - Living your most creative life at home with kids." It's written for stay-home moms and homemakers who desire to live their best life where they are, in the season they're in. You can find out more and grab a free copy HERE. Yes, you heard me right! Her book is FREE! Go and get your copy today! 

The Awesome Link Round-Up

Author Beth Wiseman Talks About 3-D Characters (The Borrowed Book)

Does My Book Need A Prologue? (Go Teen Writer)

Everything I Need To Know About Plot, I Learned From Buffy (Writer Unboxed)

How To Supercharge Your Writing: Use This Cinematic Technique (Write To Done)

Deconstructing Micro-Tension (Writer Unboxed)

Have a great and awesome week!

The Writer's Alley Weekly Round Up

It's the week before the ACFW Conference and many of The Alley Cats are gearing up to attend. Packing. Ordering business cards. Shopping for "the dress". Polishing up the One Sheet. Making last minute babysitting plans. And on and on it goes. Does it sound familiar? Are you excited? Or are you like me, staying home, hoping for some texts and some pictures from my friends, and praying for their success throughout the conference?

Well, we have a fabulous week for you at The Writer's Alley! Stop by and be blessed by the words of wisdom from these gals.

The Alley Weekly Line-Up

Monday - Angie's post is "Why I Don't Write...But It's Why I Should". I'm sure we can all relate to this one!

Tuesday - Julia will be posting about the challenges of being an introvert while attendinga writing conference....particularly the ACFW Conference just right around the corner.

Wednesday - If you are attending the ACFW Conference next weekend, you definitely need to stop by and read Karen's prayer for those attending (and those who aren't). Wow...it's wonderful.

Thursday - Ashley is sharing ways to deal with the exhaustion at a writing conference and the importance of finding time to recharge; then you can look for ways to encourage others

Friday - Amy has returned from a long vacation and has a great post lined up for you!

The Awesome Link Round Up

It's Okay If What You Write Stinks (Kaye Dacus)

Writers As Casualties of Commerce by James Scott Bell (Kill Zone)

Famous Writers on the Creative Benefits of Keeping a Diary (Brain Pickings)

First Ever Write To Done Flash Fiction Contest! (Write to Done)\

Author Conference of the Future (JA Konrath)

3 Essentials That Determine Your Writing Success (Positive Writer)

FREE Book Download: Writing Naked by Marcy McKay (Mudpie Writing)

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

The Writer's Alley Weekend Round Up

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It's been busy for everyone with the start of school. I don't know about you but I always like the start of school. Even though I don't have kids at home anymore, I still like the "start" of something new. I like routine. I like having a plan. I like the thought of cooler weather just around the corner. And so it is at The Writer's Alley. We have been busy with our new design and our awesome Party last week, and now we are ready to settle in and give you some great thoughts on writing and the writing life. So even if you don't know what we are writing about each day, stop by and be surprised! We promise it will be good. 

The Alley Weekly Line-Up

Monday - Angie is sharing how creating chapter summaries helps with your story after you have taken a writing break.
Tuesday - Julia will be your hostess today on the basics of article writing.
Wednesday - Karen is sharing "Creating Story Flow: The Secret Power of Cause and Effect".
Thursday - Ashley will help you get ready for conference season.
Friday - Amy is your hostess today.

NEWS YOU CAN USE!

Our very own Krista Phillips is having a sale on her new novella, A Side of Faith.

For only $0.99, you can get the Kindle version of A Side of Faith HERE!

This weekend only!

The Awesome Link Round Up

Don't Let The "Play-It-Safers" Talk You Out Of Your Writing Potential (Best Seller Labs)

Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Writer (Storyline Blog)

Top Ten Writing Tips - Tip #1 FINISH YOUR FIRST DRAFT (Kaye Dacus)

Writing Contests With September Deadlines (Seekerville)

The Psychological Reason You Can't Spot Your Own Typos (Levo)

10 Unusual and Beautiful Public Libraries (The Telegraph)

What Is The Editing Process Like With A Traditional Publishing House (Go Teen Writers)


Have a super weekend and a great writing week!

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

The Alley Weekly Round Up

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It's been a quiet week. One of those weeks where you go through the day like a robot, doing the same thing that you do every day without really thinking about it. Nothing exciting. Nothing troubling. Just the same old stuff. I rather like those weeks. They are rare, you see. In today's busy world, the quiet normalcy of days are few and far between. So you gotta love them. Cherish them. Relish them for all they are worth. Now to make your ordinary days extraordinary, I suggest you stop by the Alley this week and see what our lovely Alley Cats are writing about. 

The Alley Weekly Lineup

Monday - Angie is your host today with another fabulous post.
Tuesday - Julia's been cooking up a brilliant article for your writing pleasure! Come taste and see.
Wednesday - Karen's got a great post for you: Six Vital Questions to Ask Your First Readers
Thursday -  Ashley has been gallivanting about and seeing some historical sights, but she will stop by and share something wonderful to jump start your writing.
Friday - Amy will have some brilliant words for you to soak in and learn from.

Alley Cat Spotlight!

This week the spotlight is on Karen Schravemade. Karen calls Australia her home and has been remodeling/decorating her home and documenting it as she goes. She has started up a fabulous DIY blog that is growing leaps and bounds. It's called A House Full Of Sunshine and is a beautiful place. She has made beautiful cakes, party favors, and wall art. She even has an "Inspire" tab on her blog! You definitely want to check that out.

Karen is brilliant at stringing words together and we are definitely lucky to have her at The Alley.  Be looking out for a few changes in the landscape here at The Alley. With Karen's artistic, decorative gifts, she is going to spruce us up and make us look fabulous. We can't wait!

We Have Winners!

The winner of the giveaway from Amy's FREEBIES post is.....Sally Bradley! You get to pick 2 of Amy's books for your very own. Lucky girl!

The winner of the giveaway for GRAND CENTRAL anthology is....Michelle Lim!!!

The Awesome Link Roundup!

Writing: How to Boost Your Productivity (Alli)

Why Failure IS An Option For Writers (Positive Writer)

Create Your Own eBook Using Google Drive (Galleycat)

The Writing Tools of 20 Famous Authors (Flavorwire)

How to Write a Book or Blog (The 6 Danger Stages You Need to Overcome) (Write To Done)

How Not To Start A Novel (Anne Allen's Blog)

Have an superb weekend and a fantastic week!

The Alley Weekend Round Up

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I can't believe summer is here and here in a big way. Where I live in Texas, we don't have much of a spring. We slip into summer fast, sink into the heat and stay there until the end of September. I like to stay inside where it is cool and refreshing. But you know what I like even better? I like reading books and blogs...especially good blogs...and The Writer's Alley is one of them. Boy, do we have a great week lined up!

The Weekly Line-Up

Monday - Although she has just moved this past week, Pepper is sure to have something great for us!
Tuesday - It is Guest Post Tuesday! Stop by for a fabulous guest who will teach us something wonderful.
Wednesday - Want to know about success writing? Mary's topic is Proving You Have the Right Answer. Intriguing, isn't it?
Thursday - Krista brings us 5 Reasons to Self-Publish. You know you've thought about it! ;)
Friday - Casey is writing about your target audience with a post entitled What/Who Do You Write For.

Alley Cat Pal Shout Out

Guess what special Alley Cat Pal is a finalist in the 2014 ACFW Genesis contest? Laurie Tomlinson, that's who!! She is a finalist in the Romance category. You can find the list of finalists HERE.

Congratulations to you, Laurie! We love you!

The Awesome Link Round-Up

Big Publishing is the Problem (???) (Hugh Howley)

21 Harsh but Eye-Opening Writing Tips From Great Authors (Thought Catalogue)

Free ebook on Amazon: The Heart of Thornton Creek by Bonnie Leon

Free ebook on Amazon: Michal (The Wives of King David Series Book 1) by Jill Eileen Smith

Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Writer? (Copyblogger)

Kick Your Negative Self-Talk To The Curb (Storyline Blog)


What is on your calendar for the week? Any writing involved? Sysnopsis? Brainstorming? Revisions? Share what you are up to!

The Weekend Round Up...Alley Cat Style

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You've been there before. You had your hopes up, only to get let down, disappointed at the outcome. I had a job interview last week and got the call saying that while I was a "finalist", I didn't make the cut. Sure, I was disappointed, but you know what? Life goes on. The way I look at these kinds of disappointments is to think of it like this: 1) God has something better for me, and 2) God is saving me from something. So when you get disappointed in life...and believe me, you will...pick yourself up and believe that something is just around the corner. Something good. Something great. Something that will make your heart sing.

The Weekly Line Up

Monday - Angie is starting a two-part series with a post entitled Getting to Know Your Character: The Challenge.
Tuesday - Julia has something great up her sleeve, so come by and be surprised.
Wednesday - Karen is hosting guest Carla Stewart with her new release, The Hatmaker's Heart.
Thursday - Ashley will inspire us with her thoughts on keeping a healthy heart as a writer.
Friday - Amy is hosting Wendy Paine Miller with her new release, The Flower Girls.

The Awesome Link Round Up

Writing From The Heart by Robin Jones Gunn - Recommended for anyone interested in using their avenue of artistic expression to reach others at the heart level. (Robin Jones Gunn)

Ann Rice On Self-Publishing... (The Examiner)

13 Ways How Writers Can Survive the Dreaded Waiting Stage  (Positive Writer)

Who's Afraid of Cheap Books? (Let's Get Visible)

Kindle Reading Apps Sync With Audible Books (Amazon)

How to Succeed as a Writer (Write to Done)


Have a fabulous week writing to your heart's content!

Linked Up Post...News You Can Use

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Well, I've found a few cool blog posts and articles that I thought you might be interested in. Just a few, but it's rather fun to read up on other people's thoughts and news.

Have you heard the news about Summerside Press closing it's doors? I know, I know...it's a bummer. You can read up on it HERE at Steve Laube's blog.

Here's an interesting article about Writing Sexual Tension Without Any...you know...Sex by Alice Gaines. Found at the Savvy Authors site.

Have you seen any 2013 movies based on books? Here's a list, including upcoming movies you can look forward to.

I found an excellent article by Tina Bustamante at the McGregor Literacy blog. It's called Refining Our Fiction and speaks about getting our stories in tip-top shape, refined to perfection.

Alas, Google Reader is no more. Monday, July 1, 2013, Google shut it down. Here is a nice obituary for Google Reader, along with recommendations for other readers.

Interested in becoming an influencer for a debut author with her debut book? Melissa Tagg is about to release her novel, Made To Last, and is looking for influencers. Check it out HERE.

Alley Cat Casey has a giveaway on her blog! Trouble in Store by Carol Cox. Looks like a great read and the interview with Carol is GREAT! Check it out HERE. Giveaway ends July 19.

This week only you can buy 5 ebooks on Writing for only $7.40!!! Titles are:
You Are A Writer by Jeff Goins
Self-Publish: Moving From Idea to Product by Erin Ulrich and Teri Lynne Underwood
31 Days to Becoming A Better Writer by Kristina J. Tanner
How to Market and Sell Your eBook by Sarah Mae
On Becoming A Better Writer by Denise J. Hughes
You can check out the description of these books and place an order HERE. (I did!)


Have you read anything interesting of late? News? Tidbits? Please share!

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and fo

What to do when you find your book on Amazon... (a 12-step program)

I was perusing my e-mails one day a few weeks ago, when a new message came into my inbox.

"Krista... Have you seen this?"

Then a link.

To Amazon.

TO MY BOOK!!!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

That was my response after I clicked on said link and it went to amazon.com to the page that had my debut novel listed with price and everything! HOLY CANOLY!

So... for all you aspiring writers out there... WHEN you get your contract... and WHEN you find your book on Amazon... this is what you do!

1. Scream.
2. Pinch Yourself.
3. Scream Again.
4. Call everyone on your speed dial of your phone and tell them to go to amazon and enter your name and a keyword for your book so they can see something super cool.
5. Scream again.
6. Go look at all the other "sites" and find your book there too! If you are CBA... Christianbook.com. For everyone, BN.com... booksamillion.com... You can also check to see if your publisher has updated their website to include your book info as well! 
7. Scream, yet again. (might want to buy your family ear plugs while you are on amazon... overnight shipping... better yet run to Target before #8...)
8. E-mail every e-mail loop you have announcing this fun news. In all caps. Bold. Italics. Size 50 font. Color Red.
9. Blog about it and beg everyone you know to pre-order your book so you can get an amazon ranking (FYI: I did not know this, but once you have pre-orders... you'll get a "ranking" in Amazon on your books page! Currently as I type, mine is around 30k. However... I'm typing this a week early, so it's probably currently like 2,438,234 or something to that affect. I realize the initial hype that I created by my #6 will wear off pretty quickly....)
10. Scream again.
11. Go to www.authorcentral.com and set up your author page. You will be able to link your author page to your book, enter your bio, add your profile picture (you do have a profile picture at this point, right?!?), and even link your twitter feed and potentially your blog feed as well. Later, this will be a great holding place that people can go to and view ALL your millions of books you have in print... in one place! Once your book is released, you'll be able to view (limited) sales numbers here as well!
12. Check your Amazon ranking every 5 minutes for the first 48 hours. Then give yourself a once a week limit otherwise you MIGHT go completely insane. Plus, you need to get writing that next book!!!!

And of course, this post wouldn't be complete without including...

A link to my book on Amazon.... CLICK HERE
A link to my book on Christianbooks.... CLICK HERE
A link to my book on Booksamillion.... CLICK HERE




Link to my blog where I announced my book cover/back cover copy...

What? You think I'm excited??? Really???? You could TELL THAT BY THIS POST????????


Discussion: What was your first reaction or what do you think your first reaction will be when on that glorious day you see your name and book title on Amazon??

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Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and a contemporary romance author. She recognizes that life can be frustrating and just plain not fun sometimes, but believes that laughter and smiles can make the not-so-fun a little better! She blogs about the amazing things God has been doing and her journey as a busy momma of 4 and caregiver to a daughter with a rare congenital heart defect at http://reflectionsbykrista.blogspot.com. She is represented by the fab agent, Rachelle Gardner, and her debut novel, Sandwich, With a Side of Romance, releases in September 2012.