Sunday Surfing

Barnes & Noble Bows To Apple And Amazon; Exits Tablet Business

How Can the Average Writer Make Money Self-Publishing E-Books?

An Introduction to Author Services, Part 1 and Part 2

Considering Self-Publishing? Don't Bother, Unless You Follow Guy Kawasaki's Advice

High Fantasy Map Quiz!

14 Words That Are Their Own Opposites

Computer Desktop Encyclopedia

Captain Obvious

Lessons Yoda Has Taught Me About Writing

Think you're a nerd? Prove it! 21 Jokes Only Nerds Will Understand I got about 16 or 17 on the first read. I'm nerdy with a capital N. Of course, being a science-loving computer programmer helps.

I added the Feedly and Bloglovin widgets this weekend. I'd be grateful if someone can verify for me that they work properly.

I have been (and plan to continue) using Feedly as my blog surfing chauffeur. I've spent a good bit of time getting things organized the way that works best for me. I still have some tweaking to go, but am thus far satisfied.

Sunday Surfing

Foreign Rights Agents: Everything You Need To Know (& Why You May Want One!)

7 Ways Authors Waste Time "Building Platform" on Social Media

Creating Your Own Mythology  and Tools for Creating Your Own Mythology

Fun With Formatting: Making Ebooks Pretty

Using a Critique Checklist, or, How Not to Look Like a Twit

It's Okay to Freak Out Once in a While



Sir Jeff has been busy this week (surprise, surprise!) trying to complete a short story. I admittedly made no progress on it Saturday. My brother and I had a Game of Thrones season 3 marathon Saturday. Excellent show!

And my short story, The Watcher, appearing in Seers: Ten Tales of Clairvoyance is now available! I'll draft a decent post during the coming week, but if you'd like to read about the ten contributors, check out Carole Ann Moleti's post.

Sunday Surfing

WRiTE CLUB 2013 - Submissions Open

Checklist For Adding Suspence & Intrigue

Publishing Spotlight: Interview with John Pitts

Why Are We Stepping On Each Other's Toes?

Backup, Version Control, and Comparing Your Work

Gryphonwood Press: Open Submissions during June 2013

10 Things Your Opening Chapter Should Do: A Check-List for Self-Editing

Elizabeth Seckman's June IWSG post (query/response) is worth the read. Rejecting the Bible...An IWSG Post

50 Essential Epic Fantases (1-25) and 50 Essential Epic Fantasies (26-50)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Trailer Premieres!

Several of you are already aware, but we bade Sally Sue a final farewell last weekend. She will be missed. Thirteen years in our home. Forever in our hearts.

Sally Sue 2000-2013

Challenge Met: Vow Kept

When dragons speak, Jeff listens. When dragons prod, Jeff complies. Or he runs incredibly fast.

The submissions packet is ready. I'll be supporting the United States Postal Service this morning.

Life should now begin to return to normal. Do not be surprised if you receive comments on posts you published a week or two ago. Jeff has much catching up to do.

On an unrelated note: Grandson #1 graduated from kindergarten last week. Paw Paw had to console the poor, distraught child. I just hope his scars will one day heal.

Congratulations, you little scholar you.

Sunday Surfing

Literary Consolation Prizes

I apologize for the lack of links. I wrapped up my edits this week and a ten-hour "consistency check" proofing marathon today. I'm in the midst of drafting the last of my synopsis and hope to have it finished before sundown.

I believe I'm going to make my June 12th deadline after all. Then I'll be able to catch up on everything else--like visiting your blogs and maybe writing a new post for my own! LOL

Remember, write wisely!

Those %!@# Expletives

Guide for Authors and Editors

Penguin Random House, the “Following Four,” and the Future of Competition

22 Maps That Show How Americans Speak English Totally Differently From Each Other

For you Game of Thrones lovers:
Red Wedding: 14 People Who Now Hate George RR Martin After Latest Episode Of 'Game Of Thrones'
and Game of Desks - Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (YouTube)

Biting the Bullet - June IWSG

There comes a time in every writer's life when he must simply bite the bullet. In this context, bite the bullet means submit, whether it be a manuscript, short story, article or anything else. If it's something that must be reviewed, judged or accepted, then it must be submitted.

Click here to join this supportive community

I recently realized that it has now been a full year since I completed the initial draft of The Bonding. It's gone through three intense revisions and some hefty edits. The last two edits have focused almost exclusively on word count reduction.

It's not that easy for me. Some people have trouble shedding pounds. I have trouble shedding words. I know my nemesis.

Wordiness is the bane of my writing.

So I trimmed the fat. I whacked and whittled, cut and chopped like a lumberjack on steroids. I now wonder if there's enough fat left to flavor the meat.

But this post is about biting the bullet of submitting, not my struggles with word count reduction. Or are they one in the same? Perhaps wrestling with word count has become my way of avoiding the bullet of submitting. I tell myself it's a valid excuse. But is it just an excuse?

No matter! This is the month that Jeff bites that bullet. I've given my knightly oath to dragon and spouse alike. (And I dare not provoke either!) This is the month that I begin to seek publication in deed and not just in word.

Wish me well?

Sunday Surfing

6 Reasons Google+ Beats Facebook for Author Platform Building

(All my commas say this)

The Lead, the Opening, the Hook?

On-Site Research

Mystery vs. Suspense: The 8 Keys

My Last, Best Hope for Mastering Structure

9 Huge Opportunities Even Smart Authors Miss

An Admonition for Self-Publishers. Ahem...

What Are the Real Costs of Self-Publishing? Wrong Question...

May your surfing be sensational, your Sunday super and you week wonderful.

Write wisely!