Blogs Read in July 2015

This month I made a concerted effort to get back to reading blogs - especially those of writers with more experience and knowledge than I have. I need to learn and I need to try and maintain something of a decent perspective from this somewhat sheltered and blinkered corner of the world. Also, I write in isolation. I don't have a lot of in-depth contact with people, let alone other writers. Too shy, not enough time, strong feeling of being too different and not welcome, and not fond of people, pick your reason, but those sum it up for me. Anyway, here are the blogs I got caught up on this month. There are a lot, and if one author seems to be a focus, just remember that I'm working down a list and I'll be culling that list as I go. These are the folk I am learning from at the moment, my unwitting mentors who don't know me from a bar of soap, and to whom I am very grateful. These are their words.

Publishing Industry

• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-23/: Dean Wesley Smith on changes in the publishing industry and new ways of approaching being a writer and publisher;
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-22/: Dean Wesley Smith on cash streams in the new world of publishing and how these differ from traditional publishing.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-17/: Dean Wesley Smith on how to make a living on short fiction - and the writing life.
• http://jakonrath.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/ebook-subscriptions-q-a.html: a mock-up conversation on changes in the publishing industry
• http://jakonrath.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/subscription-ebook-services.html: Joe Konrath on the rise of subscription services.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-25/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living, KDP and pay-per-page - also eggs in one basket.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/the-new-world-of-publishing-the-real-price-of-traditional-publishing/: Dean Wesley Smith on the world of traditional publishing and what it costs. Just when I have doubts about going through a publishing house, he goes and sums up what my research told me nearly five years ago.
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/07/02/yes-once-more-amazon-is-screwing-authors-set-to-pay-them-006-per-page/: Bob Mayer on the Amazon pay-per-page debate.
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/30/is-the-subscription-model-in-trouble-scribd-dumps-romance-titles/: Bob Mayer on the subscription model and ScribD
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/21/the-authors-guild-has-a-fair-contract-initiative/: Bob Mayer on Authors Guild contract advice
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/06/29/brian-white-of-fireside-lets-feed-some-storytellers/: Fireside Fiction, its needs and its mission.

Roleplaying Publishing

• http://dndadventurersleague.org/being-the-dungeon-master-in-a-shared-universe/: On being a Dungeon Master and organised play

About Writing and Writing Tips

• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/07/24/todays-flash-fiction-writing-challenge-is-not-about-fiction/: Chuck Wendig asks writers to share why they write.
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/07/21/think-plan-write-edit-repeat/: Chuck Wendig with some commonsense writing tips
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/07/15/writing-a-lot-writing-a-little-and-the-power-of-failure/: Chuck Wendig on writing - from a Twitter conversation with other writers
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-21/: Dean Wesley Smith on the importance of writing and how writing short stories can help you find your next novel, world or setting.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-20/: Dean Wesley Smith on the writing life and more about making money from writing
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-18/: Dean Wesley Smith on the writing life and on the wisdom of writing what you love
• https://fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com/2015/07/21/de-bullet-point-your-dialog/: Philip Athans talks about de-bullet pointing your dialogue in stories.
• http://kriswrites.com/2015/07/08/business-musings-brain-quakes/: Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes about shaking up the brain and learning new things and avoiding ruts and why they're important.
• https://fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/exactly-how-long-a-chapter-should-be/: Philip Athans on the perfect chapter length
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/outlining-craft-tuesday-at-write-on-the-river/: Bob Mayer talks abut the value of outlining a novel
• http://kriswrites.com/2015/07/01/business-musings-writing-for-the-ages/: Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes about writing, how writing dates, and writing advice
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-2/: Dean Wesley Smith on the challenge of writing a story every day, and especially on 'writing in the dark' or what I call 'writing cold'.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-1/: Dean Wesley Smith on the writing life and title generators.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-29/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living and writers setting goals.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-27/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living and what to expect when setting writing goals and life intervenes.
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/30/book-dissection-craft-tuesday-at-write-on-the-river/: Bob Mayer on dissecting books of the genre to see how they were successful
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/23/research-craft-tuesday-at-write-on-the-river/: Bob Mayer on the importance of research and how it can be used to spark ideas
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/good-is-the-enemy-of-great-5-things-special-forces-taught-me/: Bob Mayer on success and what to expect and other stuff
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/16/conflict-the-fuel-of-your-story-craft-tuesday-at-write-on-the-river/: Bob Mayer on mapping conflict in stories, a more mechanical approach than I usually take, but one I should consider for at least some of my stuff
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/09/3911/: Bob Mayer talks about theme and intent in writing and getting it across
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/06/30/the-secret-behind-making-me-care-about-your-characters/: Chuck Wendig on how to keep readers reading through character crafting

Writer News

• http://kriswrites.com/2015/07/03/a-new-short-story/: Kristine Kathryn Rusch sells a story to Asimov's
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/07/01/blackbirds-is-a-kindle-deal-sdcc-and-more/: Chuck Wendig on a new Kindle deal and SDCC workshops
• http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/120500.html: Richard Lee Byers' schedule for GenCon
• http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/119763.html: Richard Lee Byers has a short story release
• http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/119418.html: Richard Lee Byers has a novella available
• http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/119163.html: Richard Lee Byers on Pulp Podcast
• http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/118627.html: Richard Lee Byers working with Risen Phoenix Studios
• http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/118500.html: Richard Lee Byers going to Stokercon 2016

Writing Workshops

• https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/worldbuilding-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy-writing: an on-line science fiction and fantasy world-building workshop run by Philip Athans
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/june-online-workshops/: a variety of workshops on the craft of writing and the business of it.

Flash Fiction Challenges:

• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/07/03/flash-fiction-challenge-six-random-titles/: deadline July 10.
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/07/17/flash-fiction-challenge-random-phrase/: deadline July 24th

The Writing Life

• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-19/: Dean Wesley Smith on the writing life and the importance of writers to practice commonsense.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-8/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, life balance and enjoying writing
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-6/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living and the power of a challenge
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-5/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing and writing to a challenge.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-4/: Dean Wesley Smith on the power of challenge and writing short stories cold.
• www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-12-day-3/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living, and the hazards of the fourth of July.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-30/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living and the short story writing challenge that will run in July.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-28/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-26/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing and living.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-24/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living and cats.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-23/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing, living and a new writing challenge.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-22/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing and living.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-21/: Dean Wesley Smith on writing and living.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-20/: Dean Wesley Smith on life and writing... or not writing, as the case may be.
• http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/writing-in-public-year-2-month-11-day-19/: Dean Wesley Smith on life and writing.
• https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/no-news-is-good-news/: Bob Mayer on technology and real life.
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/07/06/eject/: Chuck Wendig on taking a break from social media
• http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/06/29/in-which-i-learn-to-talk-less-and-listen-more/: Chuck Wendig on social media lessons and etiquette