Top Websites for Writers and Bloggers

Update - 2010

Even though I have this information listed elsewhere on A Blogger's Books, I’ve been planning to share it as a blog post for a very long time. According to my Live Traffic Feed (Feedjit), many of my readers leave via these sites after reading my posts, and I just wanted to give them an additional boost.

Maybe some of these will turn up some great writing tips for you. I’ve added the individual by-lines (if they have one) of sites to help you target your search. Here are the ones most visited by hundreds of readers on A Blogger’s Books in 2009.

• Websites For Writers An independent directory of online writing resources. (I've received quite a number of visits since being listed by them).


• Freelance Writing Jobs


• Brit Writers Find jobs, competitions, support.


• Association of Authors' Agents


• Roget's Thesaurus Find synonyms and antonyms.


• Freelance Market News An essential guide for writers since 1968.


• Writing For The Internet course 


• Poetry Workshop


• How To Write And Publish A Book How to Write a Fiction, Non-Fiction Book, or Novel, find a Publisher or Publishing Option, and Market Your Book for Free. Tips and Expert Advice.


• Freelance Writers Database  This site helps editors find freelance writers of any genre or speciality. The searchable database of writers and freelance journalists is available to everyone.


• Free dictionary


• Online Novels Get yours listed.


• Famous Birthdays


• Finding Free e-Books Your source for free, legal eFiction.


• Poetry Magic Poetry Magic is resource centre for the theory and craft of writing poetry.


• Guardian Books


• Hire a brilliant editor


• Blogger plugins


• Writers Market where and how to sell what you write.


• A Newbie's Guide To Publishing


• Read It, Swap It Bought a book and finished it? Don't know what to do with it? If you've Read It, Swap It!


• Blogger Templates


• Rare book room


• Free Stock Images


• ViperChill


• Lit Match Author Advance

 Let me know if I've missed your site.

Can You Write For Young Kids?

image source

I once planned to write a series of books for kids. I ended up writing just one before I aborted the idea. The hardest part of the exercise (for me) was choosing the right words and phrases to suit my targeted age group. Writing a story is one thing. Researching words your young audience will understand and approve of is quite another. 





An original idea





Kids aren't long suffering (I've got three). If there's even a slight resemblance to a story they're heard before they'll be happy to let you know. Your story has to be an original idea because unlike adult readers, they won't appreciate the  reference to Joyce or Wordsworth. The idea also has to be sustainable and kept at the same pace all the way to the very end. There's to be no let-up - no slow parts where you're allowed to give your reader a back-story. Kids don't do back-stories. As the popular snack saying goes, 'once you pop, you can't stop.'





A talent for drawing





Some kids' writers do the illustrations themselves. When the potential agent asked me to send my story, she requested that I sent some drawings along with it. I got my oldest daughter and husband together and quickly organized a draw-fest between the two, as they're the best artists in the house. The simple fact is that in these financially unstable times, agents/publishers would prefer to hire someone who can do both. I was told that illustrators charge a handsome fee (which is why they wanted me to present the drawings). It's also beneficial to meet with them and talk through exactly what you want. This, of course is not an easy feat. Of course, many children writers do not draw, but these are either already well-known or established. In case you're wondering, the agent did not take me on.





Page turners





For parents who read to their kids and for kids who read by themselves, you have to think carefully about where the page turns will be. Everything has to be strategically placed so there's a small cliff hanger at the end of each page. Kids get distracted very easily. Unlike the adult who'll wade through thousands of pages to find out who's responsible for the dome in Stephen King's latest book, the child doesn't care about the end of the story unless the writer makes her/him. (Did I say I have three kids?) Kids need incentives to keep reading the story, and no amount of skilful prose or grandiose delivery would do the trick. They want words at the end of each page that says in no uncertain terms, 'turn me.'





Involvement tactic





Kids want to be involved within the stories they're being read. Parents want to be entertained while they read them. The Gruffallo is a perfect illustration of this. Kids are fascinated by this creature with the poisonous wart at the end of his nose and the turned out claws. Parents are entertained by the snake, owl and other animals as they try to trick mouse into getting into a position where they can devour him. As the story unfolds, mouse is cleverly victorious. The Grinch involved exactly the same idea, while playing around with language in a very amusing fashion. This encouraged  both kids and parents to 'live' the tale over and over. Hairy McClarey is another favourite of mine. This is a very simple book that uses repetition and masterfully clever illustrations to draw in the older readers and young listeners/readers alike. After about 4 reads, my kids and I could say the book out loud with confidence.





Have you got tips for writing for children to share? How do you cope with finding the cliff hangers and what style do you employ to keep your young listeners/readers interested?

My Follow Friday - A Book Inside, How To Write And Publish A Book

I’m back to normal (ish) so I’ve resumed my ‘Follow Friday’ feature – blog style – for the new year.





I follow ‘A Book Inside - How To Write And Publish A Book' because it’s crammed full of tips and expert advice for writers. There are tutorials on writing fiction and non-fiction; finding a publisher; or marketing your book in a way that’s right for you.





The author of 'A Book Inside' also conducts regular interviews with experienced people in 'the know.' It’s a how-to blog which is witty, sharp and knowledgeable about the processes of the publishing and writing industries. It’s a great place to be if you’ve got questions about promoting, outlining, researching for, or setting the price for your book. There is a wealth of knowledge for e-publishers too. Get it right the first time by reading up on some vital hints and tips on this blog.



Apart from listing a definitive collection of other writing blogs, this site assists the writer all the way from querying the publisher to marketing your book.

My All-Time Best BookMarked Articles For Writers and Bloggers

I have placed all these essential and helpful articles in one blog post. I have personally found these pieces entirely useful in my blogging/writing career. They’re simple and easy-to-follow without many of the jargon-filled tutorials out there. Here’s hoping you find one to help you do just the thing you’ve been meaning to get done for a while.





How to Change The Font On Your Blog

From: The Cutest Blog on the Block





The Easy Way To Put 'Top Comments' Widget On Your Blog

From: Reach Beyond Limits





How To Insert A Custom Signature In 'Blogger' Posts 

From: Isabella Snow





How To Add A Retweet Button On Your Blog 

From: Rose DesRochers – World Outside my Window





Essential HTML Skills For Article Authors  

From: Christopher Knight – Ezine Articles





Collection Of Essential Articles For Bloggers/Writers

From: Social @ Blogging Tracker



How To Display Your Content On A Blog's Front Page

From: Web Designer Depot





8 Simple Ways To Make Google Love Your Site

From: Daily SEO Blog





How To Place Photos Side By Side In 'Blogger'

From: Isabella Snow - Hub pages





What Does Blogger 'NavBar' Do? 

From: The Relationship Supermarket.com





How To Find Your Blog's RSS Feed URL 

From: Athlyn Green’s Hub pages





Vital Start-Up Tutorials For New Writers Of Online Content  

From: A Blogger's Books



10 Blogging Attitudes You Could Learn From American Idols  

From: Social @ Blogging Tracker





101 Ways To Promote A New Blog  

From: DailyBlogTips





How To Establish A Writing Platform  

From: Sunday’s Child Lives At Annie’s House





The Most Important Blogging Analysis Ever 

From: ViperChill





The Practical Way To Improve Your Ranking

From Search Optimization





How To Find A Literary Agent 

From: Nathan Bransford, Literary Agent





How To Create Your Own Handwritten Signature

From Wandering Thought





10 Commandments For Aspiring Writers

From: The Man Who Painted Agnieszka's Shoes





How To Write A Successful e-Book

From ViperChill





5 Ways To Gain Agents' Attention

From Jody Hedlund





10 Photoshop Video Tutorials

From Tech Milieu.com





How To Embed YouTube Videos Into Blogger

From Blogger Tricks





How To Make A Publisher Say 'Yes' 

From: Help I need a Publisher!





How To Really Build Backlinks And Dominate Google

From ViperChill





How To Get A Feedburner Account For Your Blog

From Wandering Thought





Market Your Smashwords e-Book: The Definitive Guide

From Mark Coker





5 Ways To Get Your Blog Indexed By Google in 24 Hours

From ProBlogger





A Simple Way To Clear Your StumbleUpon New Shares

From Tech Milieu.com





Blogging Attitudes You Could Learn From American Idols

From Social @ Blogging Tracker





Put a Facebook 'Like' Button On Your Blog





In Defense Of Print

From: A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing

TweetBrand

Twitter is one of the main social networking sites used by bloggers and site owners to share their work for web traffic. Usually, when you post your updates to Twitter, no matter which of the popular applications you use, the links you share are always giving traffic to someone else - giving back-links to their website.



Unless you’re always posting your own links – in which case, you’re a spammer – you don’t get anything out of the free advertisements you give away to other people.





While it’s great to make friends, maintain your relationship to your online colleagues, and have genuine internet connections with other people in cyberspace, it’s also fantastic to be able to leave some of your own identification with each of the thousands of twitter updates you make every month.





Recently, there’s been the introduction of something called, TweetBrand  In a matter of five minutes you could start branding your tweets with your name, and insert a link back to your own website with every post you make. Isn’t that fabulous? But the best thing is, there's an easy, step-by-step, free guide.



image source for above picture

Top Websites for Writers and Bloggers

Even though I have this information listed elsewhere on A Blogger's Books, I’ve been planning to share it as a blog post for a very long time. According to my Live Traffic Feed (Feedjit), many of my readers leave via these sites after reading my posts, and I just wanted to give them an additional boost.



Maybe some of these will turn up some great writing tips for you. I’ve added the individual by-lines (if they have one) of sites to help you target your search. Here are the ones most visited by hundreds of readers on A Blogger’s Books in 2009.

• Websites For Writers An independent directory of online writing resources. (I've received quite a number of visits since being listed by them).


• Freelance Writing Jobs


• Brit Writers Find jobs, competitions, support.


• Association of Authors' Agents


• Roget's Thesaurus Find synonyms and antonyms.


• Freelance Market News An essential guide for writers since 1968.


• Writing For The Internet course 


• Poetry Workshop


• How To Write And Publish A Book How to Write a Fiction, Non-Fiction Book, or Novel, find a Publisher or Publishing Option, and Market Your Book for Free. Tips and Expert Advice.


• Freelance Writers Database  This site helps editors find freelance writers of any genre or speciality. The searchable database of writers and freelance journalists is available to everyone.


• Free dictionary


• Online Novels Get yours listed.


• Famous Birthdays


• Finding Free e-Books Your source for free, legal eFiction.


• Poetry Magic Poetry Magic is resource centre for the theory and craft of writing poetry.


• Guardian Books


• Hire a brilliant editor


• Blogger plugins


• Writers Market where and how to sell what you write.


• A Newbie's Guide To Publishing


• Read It, Swap It Bought a book and finished it? Don't know what to do with it? If you've Read It, Swap It!


• Blogger Templates


• Rare book room


• Free Stock Images


• ViperChill


• Lit Match Author Advance

 Let me know if I've missed your site.

My Favourite Christmas Book

image source



How The Grinch Stole Christmas! is my favourite christmas story ever. I read it to my kids several times in the run-up to the christmas holidays. I adore the repetitions and the fact that Dr. Seuss dared use 'mouses' for the plural of mouse. 

It shows that we can all choose our own way of writing, inject our personality into our text, and still come up with a fantastic, workable product.



Next year I resolve to stop worrying about old writing rules and stick to what I know best - writing as me!



MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

Retell A Fairy Tale in no More Than Three Sentences

As writers we tend to go on a bit. Finding words is the easy part. It's what we do. But could we tell a story in a few sentences? Here are some familiar fairy tales below, told in no more than three modern-speak sentences. I'm sure you can work out what they are.



This juvenile delinquent deceives a giant's wife. He steals their valuable stuff, and when the guy tries to defend his property, the youngster murders him.







Absentee dad and his new partner abandon a couple of kids in a forest. The kids vandalise an old woman’s house and end up in a pot of trouble when she turns out to be a witch.



Sometimes you gotta kiss a few frogs to find your prince.





A group of greedy goats, not content with their lot decide to pop over to the property next door to feast on the green grass there. The first two deceive the gate keeper in order to get in, and the last one tops him.





A rich brat ends up lost in the rain. A noble family with time on their hands takes her in and stupidly puts a pea under her mattress. Brat gets up in the morning, complains about the accommodation and gets rewarded for her troubles.



Some fat pigs get caught up in getting their hooves on the property ladder. An estate agent in a wolf-disguise decides to have them for tea, but ends up in hot water when they join forces in their sub-let.



Grow up already.



Idiot emperor bares all. Sidekicks agree he looks good naked.



What’s up with these stepmothers? This one's delusional and thinks she’s prettier than her step daughter. She crazy-talks with some freakish mirror and puts her stepdaughter in a deep sleep. Wonder guy happens along and plants a kiss on girl's smoochers.





Crazy parents makes a stupid deal with some witch. Witch locks their daughter in a high castle and grows her hair to bizarre lengths. Guy comes along and actually climbs up the chick’s hair but they soon get into trouble when the witch goes mental on them.



Pervert with fancy flute steals mice and kids.



Lazy geezer with an uncontrollable pet cat allows his animal to run riot in the neighbourhood. Cat wears human clothes and shoes, kills a larger guy and manages his owner's stolen property and love life.



Spoilt brat, irked about her frizzy hair, breaks into a hairy family's home, eats their food, breaks their furniture and valdalises their property.

The Daleks Are Reading Our Books

Strange, but true. Author Leigh Russell from No Exit Press manages to sell her highly acclaimed and very successful crime book, Cut Short to no other than Dr Who's Dalek. As many of you know, I work on Dr Who and have seen these monsters who threaten to exterminate our world. Hopefully, after reading Leigh's excellent book, the Daleks will be enthralled and entertained enough to stave off the destruction so they could enjoy some more of our earthly masterpieces.

A Book Movie

Marketing and promotion have changed drastically over the past decade or so. When I was younger, films were mainly promoted by trailers or adverts shown in the cinema and on TV. Books were primarily marketed by newspaper ads and bookstore promotions.







The Blair Witch Project was the first film (which I remember personally) that used the Internet to promote its release. Although not an entirely well-made film, it became hugely popular and extremely successful. At that time, this was pioneering a phenomenon which took hold solidly and producers haven’t looked back ever since.





Book publishing has been steadily heading that way. Authors are making use of several different avenues of marketing and promoting now available to them. Newspaper ads are no longer adequate or contemporary, and writers have turned to places like California corporate video production to help their cause. I’ve seen some of my author colleagues’ films they made of their books. I must admit that up until recently, I didn’t even think it was possible to make a movie of a book. But with the widespread use of Internet sites like twitter and YouTube, I suppose it was inevitable that this would happen.





What promotion methods do you use to promote your books and have you considered making a film to accompany your paper-equivalent masterpiece.

Author Feature

Today 'A Blogger's Books' features a sucessful author colleague, Pat Bertram.

Pat Bertram is a native of Colorado and a lifelong resident. When the traditional publishers stopped publishing her favorite type of book - character and story driven novels that can't easily be slotted into a genre - she decided to write her own. Daughter Am I is Bertram's third novel to be published by Second Wind Publishing, LLC. Also available are More Deaths Than One and A Spark of Heavenly Fire.

More Deaths Than One: Bob Stark returns to Denver after 18 years in Southeast Asia to discover that the mother he buried before he left is dead again. He attends her new funeral and sees . . . himself. Is his other self a hoaxer, or is something more sinister going on? And why are two men who appear to be government agents hunting for him? With the help of Kerry Casillas, a baffling young woman Bob meets in a coffee shop, he uncovers the unimaginable truth.

Daughter Am I: When twenty-five-year-old Mary Stuart learns she inherited a farm from her recently murdered grandparents-grandparents her father claimed had died before she was born, she becomes obsessed with finding out who they were and why someone wanted them dead. Along the way she accumulates a crew of feisty octogenarians, former gangsters and friends of her grandfather. She meets and falls in love Tim Olson, whose grandfather shared a deadly secret with her great-grandfather. Now Mary and Tim need to stay one step ahead of the killer who is desperate to dig up that secret.

A Spark of Heavenly Fire: In quarantined Colorado, where hundreds of thousands of people are dying from an unstoppable disease called the red death, insomniac Kate Cummings struggles to find the courage to live and to love. Investigative reporter Greg Pullman, is determined to discover who unleashed the deadly organism and why they did it, until the cost - Kate's life - becomes more than he can pay.