Social networking can be both a blessing and a curse for the writer.  A blessing because it gives us an avenue to connect with both writers and readers, but a curse because it can be a massive timesink.  So when a new social networking site starts up, I usually avoid it.  I can find plenty of ways to proscrastinate as it is, thanks very much.  Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest – I haven’t tried them (although I confess I’m eyeing Pinterest with interest).   So when I first found Goodreads, I was hesitant to jump in.  But, oh boy, am I glad I did.

I admit it: I’m a Goodreads junkie.  As soon as I start a new book, I update Goodreads.  When I finish the book, I rate it.  I’m constantly adding to my “to read” list and right now I have more books listed there than I could read in 18 months.  So what are the benefits of Goodreads?

For the reader:

1.  A place to interact with writers I enjoy.  I can follow them, see what they’re reading, what they’ve liked and not liked.
2. A place to store my ever-expanding “to read” list.  No longer is my desk covered with post-it notes bearing scribbled reminders about books I thought looked interesting.  Now it’s all in Goodreads.
3. I can see what my friends are reading.  A lot of the books on my “to read” list are there because a friend added them to their list.
4. I can show my friends what I think of each book I read.  My personal policy is that I don’t rate any book as less than three stars.  If I disliked it to that extent, I leave it unstarred.  I also have a “not finished” shelf for the books I couldn’t bear to persist with.
5. I can check out reviews and ratings of books I’m considering reading before I purchase.   On the odd occasion that I’ve ignored low ratings and scathing reviews, I’ve left the book unfinished.  Unfortunately I have gotten caught a couple of times with books that had high ratings and glowing reviews but which turned out to be awful.
6. I can connect with other readers via various reading groups.

But what about the benefits of Goodreads for the writer?

I got as far as:

1. A place to interact with readers and potential readers.
2. A place where readers can easily write reviews and rate books.
3. A place to generate buzz by providing giveaways and writing blogs.  Your Goodreads account can be synced with your blog for easy updating (although, I confess it bores me seeing the same blog post everywhere I follow a writer).
4. A place to connect with like-minded writers via various reading groups.

What am I missing here?  How else does Goodreads benefit writers?  Or is it more about the reader?  Should writers stay out of the way?

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Back in April, I posted about procrastination.  Since then I’ve been thinking about writer’s block and whether or not it actually exists.  Sure, I struggle to write at times.  Actually I struggle to write most of the time.  But I can usually identify a reason: fatigue, stress, not knowing my characters well enough, not knowing where the story is heading, not being in a creative mood…  I can give you any number of reasons why I can’t write today.  But is it ”writer’s block”?  Or is it just me making excuses?

In the movie Stranger than Fiction, one of the lead characters is a writer who is unable to come up with a way to kill off a character in her book.  The plot paints her as a wildly successful writer who is paralysed by her own success.  But is this necessarily “writer’s block” or a case of someone who lets herself be overcome by circumstances to the point where she can no longer write?

I’ve read several theories about what causes writer’s block – it’s a result of stressful conditions, it’s a disruption to activity in a particular part of the brain, it’s a writer running out of inspiration…  I’m not arguing these aren’t all real issues that can halt the flow of words but aren’t we using them as excuses?  We’re too tired, too stressed, too busy to write, so we tell ourselves we have writer’s block.  What other profession would accept this as a valid reason for not producing the required work?  I’m sorry, I can’t paint your house today because I have painter’s block.  I can’t clean your teeth because I have dentist’s block.  I can’t sell you any milk because I have shop assistant’s block.  It’s really quite ludicrous when you think about it.

So I’ve decided I will no longer believe in writer’s block.  If Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny stop coming around because we no longer believe in them then I choose to believe that writer’s block will disappear if I don’t believe in that either.

This doesn’t mean I won’t ever be too tired or too busy to write.  It doesn’t mean I won’t ever have one of those days when I sit at the computer for hours without writing a single word.  It doesn’t mean writing will suddenly become easy.  It just means I have one fewer excuse for why I’m not producing what I know I can.

What excuses do you dress up as writer’s block?

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Inspiration? Motivation? Publishing news?  Check out today’s reads:

Cory Doctorow – Apple Won’t Carry an Ebook Because it Mentions Amazon

Amanda S Green - Where Are the Howls of Outrage?

Chris Meadows – Is David Pogue Bourne to be Wild, or a Bourne Loser?

James Scott Bell – 7 Things Writers Need to do Right Now

Ed Cyzewski – When Self-Publishing is More Useful as a Marketing Tool

Jane Friedman – What Authors Seem to Forget About Marketing – Especially Those Who Dislike It

Self-Publishing Review – Book Sales Aren’t Everything

Adrien-Luc Sanders – Six Minutes

Joanna Penn – Marketing Direct to Kindle Readers

August McLaughlin – Pinterest-Friendly Blog Posts: 5 Important Steps

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Nancy DiMauro – Promises to Keep

David Carrico – It’s a Book Review! (Fictorian style)

Frank Morin – Building Wisdom

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Looking for some reads to inspire you?  Check out these.

Brian Keene - How to Write 80,000 Words in a Weekend

Erin Bowman - Facing the Blank Page

Guest Blogger Patti Larsen at The Other Side of the Story - One Writer’s Process

James Scott Bell - Successful Fiction Begins With a Great Concept

Roger Colby - 5 Ways to Work With Stubborn Writing

Kyle Wiens - I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar

Rachel Aaron - A New Look at Plotting

Amanda S Green - And Now We Wait

Dystel & Goderich - What Really Happened with the Pulitzer

Alison Strachan - Writing Goals: Learning How to Learn About Writing

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Evan Braun – Interlocking Pieces (a.k.a. The Martin Effect)

Leigh Galbreath – How to Make Highway Robbery Work for You

Matt Jones – Distractions – Stop Working Against Your Technology

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It’s Sunday!  And that means we have 10 reads worth your time:

Jason Black discusses the important of the denouement in Cause of Death: Denouement.

Kristen Lamb has 5 Common Writing Blunders That Can Annoy or Bore Our Readers.

Over at Anne R Allen’s Blog, Ruth Harris lists 11 Reasons Writers Get Rejected – And Why Only 3 of them Matter.

At Writer Unboxed, Shari Stauch examines some unique blogs in Seven Out-of-the-Box Author Blogging Ideas.

Catherine Ryan Howard talks spam marketing in This is an Ethical Way to Sell Your E-Book? I Disagree.

Natania Barron discusses Five Ways Social Media Can Destroy Your Writing (And, Potentially, Your Career) and offers some solutions.

S James Nelson talks about How I Won David Farland’s Writing Contest by writing a specifically-targeted story.

Roni Loren has a warning about copyright in Bloggers Beware: You CAN Get Sued For Using Pics On Your Blog.

A class action lawsuit has been lodged against Harlequin, alleging under-payment of royalites.  See the details at Harlequin lawsuit.

Interested in writing for Writer Beware?  They have recently put out a Call for Guest Bloggers.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Guest poster Jordan Ellinger – Flexing Your Writing Muscles with Help from the Writers of the Future Contest

Dylan Blacquiere – Writing Doctors

Colette Vernon – Can Goldfish Channel Muse?

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10 reads worth your time:

Ryann Kerekes has some tips for getting a first draft down fast in How Long Does it Take to Write a Book?

On the other hand, KM Weiland suggests some novels can’t be written quickly in Are You Writing Your Novel Too Fast?

Jeffe Kennedy talks about When To Stop Revising and Move On.

And when you do move on to revising, Matthew Salesses has some tips in A Month of Revision.

Matthew Iden examines Kobo as a competitor to Amazon in Kobo: The Heavyweight Challenger?

Jane Friedman has some e-publishing basics in The Best E-Publishing Resources.

Marcy Kennedy talks about increasing your blog’s audience in Four Little-Known Factors That Could Destroy Your Blog’s Chances of Success.

Victoria Strauss details one writer’s nasty shock in Editing Clauses in Publishing Contracts: How To Protect Yourself.

Bob Mayer recommendings letting go of bad reviews in How Should Authors Handle Book Reviews?

Finally, check out a unique advertising campaign from Mignon Fogarty (aka Grammar Girl) in What If Grammarians Had Their Own Magazine?

Missed any Fictorians articles?

Ann Cooney – Writing Stillness

Ann Cooney – Critiques Part 1 – Understanding the Process

Mary Pletsch – Filing Off the Serial Numbers: Part Two: Real Life

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10 reads worth your time:

Agent Kristin explains the difference between action and activeness in Writing Craft: Action vs Active Openings to Grab Attention.

Dean Wesley Smith dispells the perception that being picked up by a traditional publisher means the book will actually make it onto bookstore shelves in The Secret Myth of Traditional Publishing.

Anne R Allen has tips on guest blogging in How to Blog VI.

Amber West also has tips for bloggers in Do Writers Need To Blog?

Rachel Kent shares Twitter and Facebook tips in Why Do Readers Connect With You Online?

The Savvy Book Marketer looks at how writers can utilise Goodreads in Promote Your Book on the Goodreads Network.

The Bluestocking Blog examines how not to annoy your followers in Balancing Promotion.

Porter Anderson demystifies the @ symbol in Get A Grip On Twitter Handles.

For inspiration: Writer’s Digest has 72 of the Best Quotes About Writing.

For writing contests: check out the list at Bucks County Writers’ Group.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Guest poster Mignon Fogarty – “OK”, “Okay”, and How to Deal with Other Troublesome Style Choices

Clancy Metzger – Writing Guerilla Warfare Style

KD Alex – Writing Between Naps

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Wow, we’re already into the second half of the year.  What writing goals do you have for the next six months?  I’m hoping to finish edits on the WIP by early October but that seems a long way off yet.  If you’ve finished your writing for the day, here’s 10 reads worth your time:

Kristine Kathryn Rusch talks audio rights in The Business Rusch: Time and the Writer.

Jody Hedlund has 8 Reasons Not to Quit Social Media When You’re Burned Out.

At SF Signal, Zack Parsons Talks With Authors About Writing and Music.

Craig Mod discusses the changing role of the book cover in Hack the Cover.

Raphyel M Jordan discusses the importance of sci fi writers staying up-to-date with scientific advances in The ISS Caught a Dragon’s Tail. So What?

Ed Cyzewski looks at the need for a head for business in When Self-Publishing Is More Useful as a Marketing Tool.

RD Meyer talks about what he learnt during the writing of his latest manuscript in Wrongful Death – Lessons Learned.

Eugenia Williamson considers whether self-published writers are really better off in The dead end of DIY publishing.

Damien Walter advises writers to respect their fans in Fandom matters.

And, finally, Fictorian Evan Braun’s first novel, The Book of Creation, secures a lovely review by the Winnipeg Free Press.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Brandon M Lindsay – Never Surrender!

Evan Braun – A Matter of Perspective

Kylie Quillinan – First Drafts: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

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My first drafts are ugly. I have friends who talk about plotting and planning for months before they ever write a word on a new manuscript. I can’t see myself doing that. I’m getting better at plotting but even so, it doesn’t seem to matter how much I plan and ponder, dream and think, my first drafts are still rough.

For me, a first draft is largely an exploration of the plot. It’s also about me trying to get to know the characters. It’s not until I’ve gone all the way through a draft that I start to get a handle on the sub-plots and themes, and it’s only then that I start understanding my characters. So my first drafts are perhaps more what other people call planning.

I’d love to be one of those writers who can complete a manuscript to satisfaction in just a couple of drafts. It usually takes me about three drafts to really nail down the plot and it’s only then that I can start worrying about the details – sensory, emotional, visual. This is when I start looking at issues like what time of year events occur in and what the weather is like. For some reason, my characters are always trapped in an “unseasonal heatwave”. Here in Australia, we have very hot summers so perhaps this is the reason for my obsession with heatwaves.  At about the dozen draft mark, I start feeling comfortable with what I’ve written and it’s really only then that I start to feel like I have a manuscript that’s getting towards being half decent.

I’m currently working on the first round of edits for a manuscript that I meticulously – for me, at least – planned prior to writing. I even used index cards – lots of them – and I thought I did a much better job of laying out the plot than I ever have before. However now that I’m finally re-reading this draft for the first time, I’m realising all that planning has left me with a first draft that really isn’t any better than what I usually produce. There are still massive plot holes, contradictions and things I just haven’t figured out yet.

So I’m wondering whether all that planning was a waste of time. Perhaps this is just the way my brain works. Maybe I need to go through that process of laying the story out, in the form of a first draft, to get my head around it. Perhaps what I’ve been thinking of as a first draft is really my planning stage. Other people use index cards, character notes, and synopses for planning. I guess I’m doing much the same, only mine is 80,000 words long.

So I’m wondering whether I’m approaching this the wrong way. All this time I’ve been telling myself I need to plan better, but perhaps what I’ve been thinking of as a first draft really is my planning process. It’s just a little longer than what some other people do. But then again, maybe I’m kidding myself.  Am I just being lazy and avoiding planning properly because I find it so difficult? That’s the problem with writers, isn’t it.  We can convince ourselves of just about anything by justifying it as our “creative process” instead of laziness.

So tell me: what planning process do you go through prior to writing your first draft?

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We hope you enjoyed Publishing Month as much as we did.  Stayed tuned for our next theme month – details to come in a few weeks.  In the meantime, here’s 10 reads worth your time:

 Aaron Hildebrandt talks about how writers need to be experts in so many areas in Writing is Hard.

Zoe Winters discusses earning the title of writer in Labels: Writer vs Author.

Cyndi Pauwels talks about the need to recharge in All Good Things.

Charles Passy examines a few movie industry gimmicks that writers should be aware of in 10 Things Hollywood Won’t Tell You.

Susannah Breslin offers Why You Shouldn’t Be A Writer.

And Sarah A Hoyt responds with Why You Should Be A Writer.

i09 has The 22 Rules of Storytelling, According to Pixar.

Writers’ Village discusses The Laziest Way To Find a Winning Plot.

Looking for some feedback on the structure of your writing? Check out Pro Writing Aid.

Upcoming convention, plus a short story contest: CopperCon 32.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Guest post by Gini Koch – Why I Like Traditional Publishing

Frank Morin – Is It Still Worth Trying To Get An Agent?

Guest post by Brandon Sanderson – Brandon Sanderson Dishes On Publishing

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Well, Publishing Month is drawing to a close.  We’ve got just one week left to go.  Stay tuned for our  final Publishing Month guest bloggers, Brandon Sanderson and Gini Koch.

In the meantime, here’s 10 reads worth your time:

Rachelle Gardner talks about what to expect from your agent in Understanding Your Agent.

Also on the topic of agents, Red Sofa Literary lists some basic mistakes writers make when approaching an agent in How to “win” over an agent.

Lois H Gresh discusses the necessity of submitting your work in Rewriting Treadmills: Traditional Publishing versus ePublishing.

Philip Goldberg talks about the benefits of traditional publishing in Who Needs Publishers? We All Do!

Writers In The Storm discusses how a writer’s business needs should affect his choice of publisher with Gettin’ Busy With It.

Dean Wesley Smith dispells a few common myths in The Secret Myth of Traditional Publishing.

The Intern discusses Five Signs You’re About to Land an Agent.

At The Art and Craft of Writing Creatively, Cheryl Shireman guest blogs about the prejudice against indie writers with Dear Traditionally Published Writer.

Rainy of the Dark looks at Just What Percentage of Book Sales are eBooks?

Ashley Barron discusses lessons learnt during the indie journey with A Self-Publisher’s Dilemma.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Moses Siregar III – So, You’re Considering Indie Publishing…

Nancy DiMauro and Colette Vernon - Women Writing the Weird: Publishing in an Anthology

Joshue Essoe – Editing Saved My Life. And It Could Save Yours

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We hope you’re enjoying our Publishing Month as much as we are.  We’ve had some great posts already from both Fictorians and guests, and there’s more to come, including Brandon Sanderson and Gini Koch.  In the meantime, here’s 10 reads worth your time:

Vickie Britton looks at Compiling A Short Story Anthology for Print or eBook Publication.

Rachelle Gardner discusses whether self-publishing and agents can mix in Self-Published Author Seeks Agent.

Laura Hazard Owen sums up the recent BookExpo America with 5 Things the Book Industry Will Be Talking About Next Week.

Victoria Strauss has a warning for those thinking about jumping into self-publishng with ePublishing Revo: It’s A New Electronic Publishing Service, But There’s A Catch.

Karen Schechner looks at how indie bookstores are responding to the growing self-publishing phenomenon in Working With Self-Published Authors.

Rich Adin asks Should Editors Certify That an eBook Has Been Edited?

Confused about creative commons?  Check out Matt Enis’s article Ebook Crowdfunding Platform Unglue.it Launched for an explanation.

Nail Your Novel muses about Where Will Self-Publishing Get Quality Control?

Dear Author lists some Publisher Experiments I’d Like To See.

Publishing Crawl discusses The Not-So-Secret Backdoor to Publishing.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Guest poster S. James Nelson – Abandon All (Unreasonable) Hope

David Carrico – I Haven’t Given Up

Guest poster Laurie McLean – Literary Agents in the New Publishing Era

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Still to come in our Publishing Month: guest posts from writers Brandon Sanderson, Stephen Nelson, and Gini Koch, and literary agent Laurie McLean.  In the meantime, here are 10 reads worth your time:

Anne R Allen examines the different types of publishers in Who Are the Big Six? What Does “Indie” Really Mean”? Answers to Not-So-Dumb Questions You Were Afraid to Ask.

At Writers in the Storm, Susan Squires explains her own publishing options in Too Many Choices.

The Intern takes a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at The Publishers Weekly: The Deals You Don’t See.

Teleread crunches numbers in Amazon Price Bots Result In Unusually High- and Low-Price Books.

Mhairi Simpson talks about how Self-Publishing Is Not the Easy Way.

Still on the topic of self-publishing, The Huffington Post discusses The Changing Politics of the Self-Publishing Stima.

Nathan Bransford talks about how Traditional vs Self-Publishing is a False Dichotomy.

The Guardian examines writers’ incomes in Stop the Press: Half of Self-Published Authors Earn Less Than $500.

Interested in checking out some books by small or independent presses?  Take a look at Small Press Reviews.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

Guest post from David Dalglish – The Triumph of the Dalglish: How I Sold 2ook Novels While Not Knowing Squat

Nancy DiMauro – E-Publishing – Why I Chose It

Guest post from Jordan Ellinger – Coming Up In The Trenches

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Since we’re focusing on publishing options during June, this week’s Sunday Reads are all about aspects of publishing.

Boyd Morrison takes A Detour in the Publishing Journey.

MJ Rose reflects on the E vs P Debate.

Pub(lishing) Crawl discusses Bringing Your Baby To Editorial Board.

The Write Type discusses Self-Published vs Traditional: Candid Tales from Frontline Authors.

Slate asks What Will Become of the Paper Book?

Lindsay Buroker has 3 Tip for Self-Publishing Success.

Amanda Hocking discusses reasons to pursue traditional publishing in How Am I Doing Now?

Nathan Bransford discusses The Biggest Challenges in the New Era of Publishing.

Tonya Kappes asks How Bad Do You Want Success?

Failure Ahoy! examines Amazon’s Ever-Changing Algorithms.

Missed any Fictorians articles this week?

David Carrico – Anatomy of a Collaboration

Kylie Quillinan - June: Publishing Month

Guest poster Celina Summers – Different Paths to Publishing

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Here at The Fictorian Era, we have something of a motley crew, a bunch of writers at all stages of their careers.  Some of us have been writing for only a couple of years, others for many years.  Some are published in a variety of formats, others are still trying to get a foot in the door.  Some are pursuing the traditional route, others are more interested in the indie path.

Not all that many years ago, the traditional path was the only legitimate publishing option.  Within traditional, the options were to go with a major publishing house – the New York Big 6 – or a small publishing house.  Self-publishing wasn’t an option if a writer wanted respect, readers, or an income.  Epublishing changed all that.  Self-publishing – or indie as it tends to be referred to – is becoming more and more of a real option.  We’ve heard the success stories.  We’ve seen writers who originally self-published go on to sign contracts with traditional publishing houses.  And we’re seeing the stigma of self-publishing fade away.

During June, we’re exploring publishing options.  We have guest posts lined up from writers Brandon Sanderson, David Dalglish, Stephen Nelson, Gini Koch, and Jordan Ellinger, literary agent Laurie McLean, and publisher Celina Summers.  We’ll also be hearing from some of the Fictorians, some who you’re familiar with and a couple you don’t hear from often.

June is going to be an exciting month.  We look forward to sharing it with you.

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