Category Archives: Writing Resources and Craft

Jun 20

Some good stuff here (with the disclaimer that writing advice is easy, good writing is hard).

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Some good stuff here (with the disclaimer that writing advice is easy, good writing is hard).

Via Will Shetterly.

Originally shared by Richard Bensam

“Literally anything else you can do would be a better use of your time, at this point, than writing about Game of Thrones. Literally anything.”

Pretty sure this is inspired by the category of “political writers” at Slate, Salon, Vox, Buzzfeed, Gawker et cetera who are genuinely not at all interested in their topic — politics — but are doing it because that’s where the gigs are. It’s remarkable how many of them would rather write about GoT. But a ton of good general advice as well.

http://fredrikdeboer.com/2016/06/20/entirely-too-many-points-of-entirely-unsolicited-advice-for-young-writers-from-someone-running-out-the-door
Jun 03

Via Natalie Mootz. No huge surprises here, but the number one reason people stop reading is that the book is dull.

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Via Natalie Mootz. No huge surprises here, but the number one reason people stop reading is that the book is dull.

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

WHY READERS STOP READING A BOOK

The story being Dull was the most frequently mentioned problem with 25.29% of the mentions of the Category. Followed by actual Bad Writing, then Dull or Unbelievable Characters, Info Dump, and uses of Profanity.

https://litworldinterviews.com/2016/06/03/why-readers-stop-reading-a-book/
May 31

Any time you write a story with a historical setting, these simple tools are there to help – so you don’t use the…

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Any time you write a story with a historical setting, these simple tools are there to help – so you don’t use the 1970s phrase “warm fuzzies” in a story set in the 1930s, for example, or have Jack the Ripper talking about “adrenaline”, or your 1890s NZ character saying “not all that” (1990s US), or…

I could keep going for a while with other real examples. Bottom line: use the tools.

Originally shared by Karen Conlin

Two indispensable tools for writers and editors:

The Online Etymology Dictionary and Google Ngram Viewer.

Both are great first stops in your research regarding suitable language for your work. Did people in the 1950s use the term “flashback” to refer to memories related to hallucinogens? Was the term “backup” in the sense of “reinforcements” used in the 1600s?

I prefer to use http://etymonline.com for “first use” dates, and the Ngram Viewer for determining “more/most common” usages over time. You may find them useful in other ways.

#twt  

http://etymonline.com