Finding the Best Creative Writing Blogs On the Internet - Jerry Jenkins

I'm always looking for interesting stuff.

Today, when Panzer was cleaning out the glove box on the Panzermobile's dashboard, he discovered a post in there under his forgotten ereader. Flattening out the post, our fastidious kitty boy found it was from author Jerry Jenkins blog site.

Included in the post are Jerry Jenkins 13 favorite creative writing blogs. Each of the blogs listed is followed by a description of what the blog covers and includes a link to the blog site. Be advised, there are popup ads at the site.

Panzer says, "There are blog recommendations for both fiction and nonfiction writers."

If you're looking for some educational/entertaining reading for writers, tootle over to Creative Writing Blogs

The Dirty Dozen: 12 Ways Not to Write a Mystery Novel - Anne R. Allen's Blog

On Panzer's trip into the Catosphere today he was looking for information on mystery writing. His search took him to Anne R. Allen's Blog. Our big bad kitty pilot found a guest post there by Jacqueline Diamond with information about what he was looking for. Jacqueline Diamond is the author of 101 novels published in several genres including mystery, so he couldn't wait to read what she wrote about mystery novel writing.

Plot is important.

According to the post, while researching for her newest mystery Ms. Diamond read several cozy mysteries. She discovered twelve do not do's in some of them. When writing a mystery novel these twelve were definite turn-offs for her as a reader. These do not do's run the gambit from do not have incompetent police to do not under plot to do not over plot. There are nine more she found in her research and they're all important do not do's for as writers to learn.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Pay attention ... Plotting seems to be a frequent problem in cozy mysteries."

Note: This is a long post, but worth your time. You'll need a cup of tea, a muffin, and a doughnut for today's selection.

To read the post, tootle over to mystery

More Time For You With Simple Marketing Tools

Whew! I'm glad I found my way home.

Panzer got lost in the Catosphere today. Our poor bewildered kitty was flying here and there trying to get his bearings. In his travels, he discovered the BookBub site.

At the site he found a post by Diane Urban about tools to make your ebook marketing easier. There's information on Trello for time management, Canva for image design, Feedly for a blog post aggregator and more. The post is from earlier this year but the information contained in it is still valid for indies today.

Panzer says, "I want anything that gives me more time in my day."

To read the post, tootle over to simple marketing tools

How To Produce A Vlog

Let's get started!

Panzer stopped at the ReelSEO site today. My big bad kitty doesn't know much about video, so he went by to see what he could learn.

Our intrepid kitty explorer found a post about how to make a vlog.

"Vlog? What's a vlog?" my little kitty asked.

So, we read Ann Smarty's post.

Turns out, a vlog is a video blog.

According to the post, you get a web cam, a good microphone, software, and go to work.

Panzer says, "I didn't know it was so easy!"

To read the post, tootle over to creating a vlog

25 Tumblrs for Readers

But ... But ... I'm on Tumblr, too.

Panzer stopped in at Mashable today.

He found a post about the 25 best Tumblr blogs for book readers. Although the post says its for readers, my bad boy found lots of information for writers too. Besides authors' Tumblrs, there are publishers', bookstores' and reviewers' Tumblrs.

But ... Panzer isn't doing the Happy Cat Dance. Our Tumblr blog isn't listed with the author Tumblrs. Oh, well.

If you're interested in seeing what's going on at Tumblr, tootle over to Tumblrs For Readers

Getting Book Reviews: The Methods Award-Winning Authors Use – A Study

50 Bestselling authors? 50?

Just like you Panzer and I are always looking for reviews for our ebooks, so my bad boy spends a lot of time scouring the Catosphere looking for information.

Today he found a post at The eBook Author's Corner about how 50 bestselling authors get their reviews. That's fifty bestselling authors! This post is a treasure trove of ideas. There are tips here on using social media, email lists, review blogs and review sites (some sites we'd never heard of!).

If you need help getting reviews, tootle over to Getting Book Reviews: The Methods Award-Winning Authors Use – A Study

Julie Musil: Marketing Your Independently-Published Novel

Where are we going?

To market. To market. To market we go! We parked the Panzermobile at Julie Musil's  IndieLife blog today.

You know my bad boy and I are always looking for marketing ideas. Rachel McCoy did a guest post here about where to market your indie pubbed book. Rachel discusses, blogs, websites, writers' forums and other online arenas.

If you're looking for some marketing ideas, tootle over to Julie Musil: Marketing Your Independently-Published Novel: Friends, for today's IndieLife installment, I'm happy to share a guest post by fellow author and blogger, Rachel McCoy! You can...

Goodreads: Where readers and authors battle it out in an online “Lord of the Flies”

This is not what I wanted!

There's still a lot of yowling about Goodreads going on in the Catosphere. So, Panzer stopped in at Salon to check out the latest.

I want to admit Panzer and I are not on Goodreads. We'd heard that authors should open an account there and interact with readers. We were thinking about doing it, so we did some investigating. Then all this yowling and CATerwauling started. Authors arguing with reviewers. Reviewers arguing with reviewers. Tweets. Blogs. It just keeps getting bigger.

If you want to read about what's going on at Goodreads, tootle over to Goodreads: Where readers and authors battle it out in an online “Lord of the Flies”

Anne R. Allen's Blog: Is Your Author Website Working Against you? Top 10...

No more blinking?

Once again Anne R. Allen's blog has a great post for those author's who have a website/blog. She has ten tips for making sure your website/blog is a reader magnet.

It is true number one on her list is don't use gifs. We admit it. We have/do use gifs. (My favorite gif is Panzer blinking his eyes at you. Remember it?) So this blog might not pass her test!

If you want to compare your website to the ten tips, tootle over to  Anne R. Allen's Blog: Is Your Author Website Working Against you? Top 10...: I visit a lot of author websites and blogs. Most are delightfully creative. I love how so many of the sites—especially the blogs—express th...

The Spirit of Poe a major bust

Panzer is not happy. 

He went to visit Jason Dark today and got some very disturbing news. Guido Henkel has a warning for all of us over at his blog.

Henkel and several other writers submitted stories to a proposed charity book to raise money for the Edgar Allan Poe house. The book publisher has turned out to be nothing but trouble for the writers involved.

Panzer says you need to read what happened to our fellow writers. Pass the word around about this situation with your tweets, on your Facebook page and your blog.

Tootle on over to Henkel's  The Spirit of Poe a major bust .

Remember: you never want to make this black cat mad!

Four Crime and Mystery Writer Research Blogs

There are several blogs I like to visit. Here are four of my favorite sites for research, information and ideas:

1. D.P. Lyle's Writer's Forensics blog is an excellent place to post a question, read other writer's questions, or just read through past blog posts for ideas. Want to know how long it takes for a victim to drown? Want to know what caliber bullet is most lethal for a head shot? Check with  Dr. Lyle. 

2. The Passive Voice blog written by The Passive Guy is an great blog to read about writer contracts or whose doing what in the writing world. (The Passive Guy is an attorney, but don't let that frighten you away. )  Check with The Passive Guy.  

3. Writer Dean Wesley Smith's blog is a mixture of contract and agent information and his writing. Want to know why agents' days may be numbered? Want to read some great free short stories? Check with Dean Wesley Smith.

4. Chicago Crimewriter Beth Anderson's blog has a collection of her workshops. Want to know how to write a synopsis? A story opening? Check with Beth Anderson's Hot Clues.

Now, go check out these blogs and tell them Panzer sent you.