The posts here are typically a mash-up of interesting things I’ve found or learned from during the preceding week. This could be material from blog posts, articles, video clips, etc.  However, since I’ve been away from my SiC weekly for a little bit (kidnapped by the shape shifting aliens yet again), I’m giving you a bonus of a few great links I’ve found over an expanded period of time.  Off we go!

Current (Pop) Culture Chattering

• Diva Beyonce is being skewered for possibly faking her pregnancy and stealing dance moves and music video concepts.  Whoops.
• Sir Paul McCartney got married again to Nancy Shevell who is an heiress to a New Jersey trucking magnate.  Rumor also has it that he didn’t get a prenup again.  Oye.  We know that didn’t end so well before.
• The sad news came through a few weeks ago that we lost R&B songbird Vesta Williams.  For anyone unfamiliar with her, the big hit song of her career was “Congratulations.”  Reports are that a slew of prescription pill bottles were found by her body including some empty ones, so the death was initially thought to be accidental or suicide.  It is another sad testament to where some celebrities end up once the bright lights fade.
• Dr. Conrad Murray is one step closer to possibly being toast with the Michael Jackson manslaughter trail now underway.

Wicked Writing Wisdom

I’m still in new novel writer mode and learning tons from reading about writers’ processes, blogs on craft tips and learning to embrace plotting (shiver).  While not doing NaNoWriMo in November, there is a lot to be pulled from the planning process many are embarking on to get the most out of the challenge.  Larry Brooks’ NaNoWriMo #15: Stuck? Try this and move forward provides great takeaway tips for getting to the meat of the story you want to write.  That is key for anyone writing a book.  Definitely also join me in checking out the rest of his series.

Next, run like Cujo to read Kristen Lamb’s novel structure series.  This week, she shared Plot Problems–Falcor the Luck Dragon & the Purple Tornado and leads us to the light with examples and analogies that make plotting work make sense.

In If At First You Don’t Succeed, Revise, Merry Farmer shares her process for going about revisions.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All from Michael-Haynes spoke to me a little bit ago because I’m in the midst of pushing outside of my comfort zone and into plotting territory.  When it comes to writing advice, Michael shares, it is a learning process and we should only adopt pieces that can work for us.  In Eight Time Management Tips for Writers, Michael gives us some of his tips and great reminders.

Are Writers without Business Sense Doomed from Jami Gold gave me food for thought beyond my typical “craft only” focus.

Making Media Magic

Kristen Lamb rounds out her must-read series on the three critical people we need to know about in social media with Meet the Salesman–Every Deal Needs a Closer. 

Jeff Bullas addresses the argument of what is the more helpful social media platform in Does Twitter or Facebook Drive More Traffic to Your Blog? 

The blogosphere has been running full with discussion on blogging overload and lacking relevance.  Part of the great posts are:

• Roni Loren’s Is Blogging Dead is what started the discussion off for me.  In it, she explores the argument if writers should spend their time on blogging when the market is already oversaturated with blogs and that most people have developed blog reading fatigue.  That you have to have something super spectacular to catch new readers’ eyes.
• Roni also brought us The Post In Which I Rant About Blogging, Platforms, and the Pressure on Writers, which was a timely read for me while balancing my ROW80 goals.
• Sonia Medeiros rounded it out for me with her post Got Blog Fatigue where she discussed the delicate balance of the obligations of being a writer against the time required to blog (and handle other life responsibilities).  As with the other blogs, the comment section of Sonia’s post became a truth-telling confessional of sorts.  Good stuff.

Frolicking Fun Finds

Kindle owners rejoice!  Amazon has finally made checking out Kindle books available at 11,000 library sites. 

A fan of all things horror and twisted, Roni L. made me laugh out loud with her post Life Lessons From Poltergeist.  You are d*mn skippy that if the chairs stack up unprovoked any place near me, I am so out.

The Zombies Are Coming!  In my world, zombies rock and are delightful fun.  Thanks for the slow, undead shuffle down the annals of zombie flicks Sonia M.!

To celebrate the end of round three and the start of round four, there was a ROW80 party.  And there *cough* may have been some pics.  Check out Jenny Hansen’s Rock The ROW Party – Photo Finalists post showing the selected finalists and a chance for you to vote.  You may recognize a certain someone hiked up on a wooden stool.  Whatever.  It has already been established that I like to party. 😛

Piper Bayard had me giggling with glee via two posts this week.  The first What Don’t We Know About You shared some blogger awards with others, provided a twisted discussion between Piper and Holmes and then allowed readers to play along by sharing three hidden things about themselves.  The second, Family Lost in Corn Maze Calls 911, is part of her End is Near posts and provided some great history on some classified corn maze activity.

Imaginative, Insightful, Inspirational

With Working Toward Balance, Jenny H. inspired me to take another hard look at how I can still improve balancing some areas of my life.

Writing Tips for Better Work/Life Balance by Ron Vitale continued on with reminder tips to inspire me on my ROW80 challenge journey.  Check out the schedule that works for him.

Michael Hyatt brings us The Power of Incremental Change Over Time that carries on the idea of how taking small steps will round us up to completing larger goals.

Carleen Brice’s Writing Through Doubt is a great push on goal setting and creating new beliefs to get us acting towards those goals.

On Oprah.com, the questions were asked what brings you joy and what steals your joy.  Fascinating answers.  Also from Oprah’s site is Martha Beck’s 6 Step Guide to Taming Your Fears.  A little longer read, but worth it.