Port of Call

The Daily Port of Call: June 2, 2014

Photo by Alexander Lvov/bigstockphoto.com

Photo by Alexander Lvov/bigstockphoto.com

In today’s Daily Port of Call, you’ll discover how to find new readers, how writing two novels at one time can help you write both, and how substantive editing can make or break your novel.

How do you find new readers? Empathy figures prominently.

One writer makes a promise to herself: Post every day in June: “If I am the only one waiting for my writing, I am the only one that knows when I let something else step ahead.”

Substantive editing: Are you missing this important step in revising your novel?

Settle in with this inspiring interview of filmmaker Barbara Rick: “In a way meditation is listening, and listening is the key to life and writing. As a writer you want to notice everything, and that means being empty and available.”

“One of the ways we can grow as writers is to experiment, to try things.” One author started writing another novel to help him with his current novel.

Need some background noise while you write? Here are five options to try.

Here are ten highbrow summer reads and what they say about the reader.

The Daily Port of Call: May 30 2014

Photo by Alexxander Lvov/bigstockphoto.com

Photo by Alexxander Lvov/bigstockphoto.com

In today’s Daily Port of Call, you’ll find an important reason to do your creative work every day, how to write a terrific murder mystery, and six steps to set up your professional author page on Amazon.

Austin Kleon says inertia is the antithesis of creativity. Do your creative work a little every day.

A menu of services can help your freelance writing business.

Here are tips (with links to other resources) for writing a terrific murder mystery.

Check out this excellent advice for writers: Don’t let hurt keep you from learning where you need to go.

Here are six steps to set up your professional author page on Amazon.

You have your manuscript, and you’re ready to hire an editor. Here are fifteen questions you should always ask before hiring.

Want to become a better writer in fifteen minutes? Check out these TED Ed Talks on grammar and word choice.

Need suggestions for your summertime reading list? Here are nine literary luminaries’ ultimate summertime reads.