The year 2013 is well under way. I’ve decided to repeat one of my most popular posts, pay it forward once again, and share with you a dozen plus one lessons and resources from my arsenal of tools. Hopefully, you’ll find something useful for your own writing.
Thirteen may just prove to be the luckiest year yet—if you’re a believer, like me. I’m certainly wishing you a wonderful, belated 2013.
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Thirteen Writing Resources for 2013
Critique partners unite
Ever feel like you are so caught up in revising your story that you can’t hear your characters anymore?
There are so many advantages to collaborating with critique partners who understand your voice and let you fly, but give you honest feedback when you’ve gotten into writer-gone-wild mode. Yes, it’s helpful when someone points out poor word choice or incomplete sentences but set your expectations higher when working with someone else’s manuscript and visa versa. The real challenge is in making your story sing, both beautifully and loud enough to draw attention to it. And, when your characters world gets murky and their voices sound flat, the value of good critique partners is immeasurable.
Join a writers group, such as Romance Writers of America
If you are in the NJ metropolitan area, check out New Jersey Romance Writers
Or try Charlotte Dillon’s Author Site On occasion, her site will match writers with critique partners.
Learning the industry
You’ve written a manuscript, or two. Now it’s time to sell it and you need to start thinking in an entirely different mindset. There are many helpful online resources to learn about the publishing industry.
Here are a few websites I recommend:
Read, read, read: Sites promoting/reviewing books:
Writer Blogs
I love following authors in a variety of genres, both for entertainment and to see how they are marketing their stories. Blogs are a helpful way to learn about how authors are figuring out how to establish an online presence.
Here are a few blogs I subscribe to that I find interesting and entertaining:
The Sisterhood of the Jaunty Quills
Warm Day, Cool Nights, and Hot Guys
How writers weave their magic
Hilary Smith and The Hunger Games
Writing Skills
Ten Intriguing Rhetorical Devices – my favorite!
Five Keys to Powerful, Precise Writing
The Emotional and other Thesaurus
Writing Secrets of Prolific Writers
Editing
This one is really worth reading if you are revising a manuscript and trying to make every scene sing.
Signs the You are a Writer
Be tenacious
Jenny Crusie’s “Rat on an Island” metaphor – MY FAVORITE
Agent Information
Social Networking
FaceBook Author Page
Twitter – I like HootSuite
Easy to Create Blog Sites – www.weebly.com
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Adding motions to express emotion:
http://www.joannawaugh.com/Craft.html
Some wonderful authors from an assortment of genres that are on my reading list
Lucky 13: A personal partnership made in heaven (i.e. New Jersey) The Violet Femmes
The Violet Femmes 
Joanna Shupe
/ April 2, 2013Great tips, Michele! Lots of good web sites to check out here.
Michele Mannon
/ April 3, 2013Thanks. It’s helpful even for me to have everything outlined on one blog, with links, too! Hope other people find it useful.
Maria K. Alexander
/ April 4, 2013Thanks for the refresher on some great sites to check out! I love the Emotion Thesaurus site and book.
Jaye Marie Rome
/ April 8, 2013Lots of great info here, Michele, as well as some good reminders. Thanks!
Jaye
Jenna Blue
/ April 8, 2013Thanks, Michele! There’s lots on here I’ve never checked out–might take me all week, you were so thorough! : ) Have a feeling we’ll all come back to this list again and again!
Jenna