Christmas Linkspam!

Most of you are off enjoying the holidays--but I'm still working :( Today's the last day of school, though!

Before the new year begins, I thought I'd leave you with a few good posts I've been reserving for awhile now, waiting to build up a proper linkspam. I, er, had more links than I'd originally thought I had, but this is going to be my last post until after the holidays, so you'll have plenty of time to peruse and clickity click.

Merry Christmas!

On Writing: Before the Sale/Agent

• Aprilynne Pike on writing a new novel when one doesn't sell.
• Cynsations gave us writers--before and after publication--some food for thought on website design. Angela's doing the Seven Deadly Sins of writing. Here's sin one.
• Mandy, author of Prada and Prejudice, gave details on her amazing publication story. Moral: don't give up!
• Revisions. I hate them. But I find it fascinating to see how others revise--PJ Hoover did a great article at the Spectacle about revising her trilogy. (and while you're at it, check out the interview PJ did with the Enchanted Inkpot.)
• About to start querying? Jill Corcoran listed some great links. Also: the QT blog has seven things you need to do to get published. And while we're at it, Upstart Crow shared a link of the characteristics Little Brown looked for before accepting a work in publishing. Also: Holt's uncensored top ten tips for writers.
• Writing a synopsis? This was a pretty cool tip.
  

On Writing: After the Sale/Agent

•  Kim Pauley did a post on how much money writers really make, and Genreality had a more detailed post on the subject dealing with one NY Times bestselling author's paycheck. 
• Janice Hardy is giving a lot of details about what to do after the agent, which I'm finding fascinating. Also: details on writing sequels. 
• If you missed it, Laura and Lisa hosted agent appreciation day! (And speaking of, Shannon had one of the best stories of signing with her agent. Also: Bria recently signed with her agent, and I have loved her "After the Yes" posts. Also, also: an interview about being agented that's quite well done here.)
• Kate Schaffer Testerman on what to expect of your agent. (Moonrat did it first.) Speaking of, Becky Levine's How I Got My Agent story.

On Editors and Publishers

•  Top Ten Reasons the Editor Doesn't Like what The Critique Group Loves
• I found this post at Carolrhoda fascinating: why it's so difficult to make good YA covers.
• Those of you writing YA: be aware of the rising new genre, New Adult.
• One publisher's acquisition process. Quite an impressive flow chart is involved. Speaking of: how a book is made. 
  

On Other

• Query Tracker is now offering easier to use writing networks--if you're not a member yet, this is just one more reason to join (for free).
• All you multi-cultural writers out there: Into the Wardrobe recently launched Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind, a blog dedicated to Asian literature.

Fun Stuff!

• DGLM provided a great link to a NY Times article on the weird locations and habits of writers. It's a fun read!
• This story makes me wish I had a recipe for my own book to share.
• I concur.
• Elana on why she started writing. I may want to shamelessly steal flatteringly imitate this post in the future...
• Re-imaged covers to Madeline L'Engle's Time Quartet. *sigh* I love this man's art.
• This is a fun read. And this is a fun looksy. And so is this.

Self Publishing and How (not) to Do It

• Agent Rachelle Gardner gives what I think is the best reasoning on why self publishing does NOT work for fiction writers. If you're a fiction writer who's ever considered self publishing, be sure to check this out first. 
• If you STILL don't believe me, then read this article, too, about the self-publishing statistics (statistics on cold hard cash, y'all). 
• And then if your STILL STILL not convinced, then read this, too.
  
• And, although I'm adamantly against self publishing fiction works, I'm still open to e-books, and this article was quite informative.

On Controversy

• Censorship sucks. Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth) explains why.
• I wanted to feature this in more detail (and I still might, but lord knows when). Anyway, Steph posted a FANTASTIC article on whether or not modern YA belongs in classrooms. (For the record: my opinion is YES.)
• It is my goal in life to get a book review like this. But hopefully never one like this.
  

 

Books I Want to Read:

• Powerless
•  (online movie) Alma
• How it Ends
• Magic Under Glass (also: here)
• The Dresskeeper
• (game) a Nintendo DS game that lets you draw kanji!
• Gentlemen
• Brightly Woven 
• Ghost in the Machine
• Tomorrow, When the War Began 
• The Hunchback Assignments
• Because I am Furniture
  
• The Magicians
  

...and finally, two Merry Christmas links! (Both courtesy of Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why.

• Charles Dickens on revising A Christmas Carol
• Fun with Christmas Decorations You MUST read this one!!! It's hilarious!

HAPPY   HOLIDAYS!!