Publishing News Roundup Series: How Successful Writing Craft Makes Successful Storytelling
by Maureen Crisp • August 8, 2016 • Follow
Published in News • No comments
One of the most important elements of successful storytelling is writing craft.
The way that something is written can have a huge influence how successful it becomes. In this week’s blog we are looking into using successful writing craft as a tool for a successful book. A good or bad arc can be the difference between a bestseller or a book that never makes it to the bookshelves. Utilizing your craft and perfecting it is one of the best ways to get your book noticed:
Living to Write
Pic from Flickr /Creative Commons/Killa Bea
Some weeks in the publishing blogosphere the focus seems to be all on one particular topic. This week everywhere I turned it was on writing craft.
The Atlantic put out a story about a computer analysing 2000 stories and coming up with the six main arcs of storytelling. The most popular one involving a glass slipper. This is an interesting read.
Then Neil Gaiman’s advice to authors popped up all over my Twitter feed. Neil has cult status out in publishing land but hasn’t made it onto the bestseller list for the worlds richest authors (who are making a tidy sum off kids books and movies.)
Now Novel had a great post on writing advice from Nobel prize winners. You can’t beat that for excellent craft advice. (And then a whole lot of great craft articles went into my Craft Section.)
Joanna Penn had a fabulous interview with Ellen Bard on writer self care. This is a must read as every author I know can relate to this.
Teleread has an interesting article on Amazon Author accounts and how to make sure that Amazon doesn’t close you down over something trivial.
Joel Friedlander has an interesting article by Judith Briales on Book Piracy. Judith has a list of things you can do if your book ends up on a nasty site.
The biggest children’s writers and illustrators conference is over for another year and a good time was had by all. Those of us who live
vicariously through the SCBWI LA16 Conference blog have got some excellent reading ahead with quick outtakes from every session.
vicariously through the SCBWI LA16 Conference blog have got some excellent reading ahead with quick outtakes from every session.
In The Craft Section,
Agent Kristen Nelson continues her series on 9 story openings to avoid
Janice Hardy- On putting your five senses in. – Bookmark
Jami Gold- When is a shocking scene necessary or gratuitous– Bookmark
Roz Morris- You know what your book means but does your reader?– Bookmark
Two standout posts from KM Weiland on structure- What the mouse can teach you and Don’t make this structural mistake– Bookmark both.
How to evoke wonder in your writing– Writer Unboxed – Bookmark
Abbi Geni On using description in your settings– Bookmark
From the Writers helping Writers website- a comprehensive list of writer tools– Bookmark
In The Marketing Section
7 marketing trends that no longer work and what you can do instead– Penny Sansevieri Bookmark
How to market the 99c ebook sale – Molly Greene
To Finish,
Jane Friedman has a guest post from Jessica Strawser on 5 ways to keep writing when life intervenes. This is one of those thought provoking articles where you reflect on your writing life and think about your writing goals. Are they pushing you over the edge or keeping you from falling.
Maureen
@craicer
About Maureen Crisp
Maureen Crisp has been writing her weekly publishing roundups for over seven years. She is a traditionally published children's author as well as indie-published. She lives in New Zealand and is heading the team organising the 4th National Conference of Children's Writers and Illustrators. She is currently trying her hand at writing a children’s book series if she can drag herself away from forever tweaking her Mars novel or obsessing over space.