Looking for some inexpensive classes to take for book research? How about FREE classes?
MIT Open Courseware has classes available in 35 departments. And there are some interesting classes available. For example:
Most classes have a syllabus, reading lists, and course materials like lectures and videos that can be downloaded.
Of course, there are a ton more classes than those I’ve listed here – most of which seem to be way over my head. But where else can you get an MIT education for free? Wander over and see if any of the classes will help you write your next novel.
Richard Mabry posted a review of The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maas.
Kait Nolan reviews two recent posts on Internet Promotion for Writers at Shadow and Fang.
JA Konrath details the results of his latest book tour and gives tips for doing one yourself.
Romance University has launched. Check out the classes on Crafting Your Career and Anatomy of the Male Mind: Women Writing in the Male POV.
Inky Girl (aka Debbie Ridpath Ohi) ponders the question, Are there any original plots left?
When I write a first draft, it tends to be all dialogue and action. On occasion, someone walks through a door or gets in a vehicle. But most of the time, they live in a vacuum–a completely blank space of nothingness. Not good, unless you’re writing an experimental literary story.
I add setting details in my second draft. Once I know the basic action and direction for each scene, I can select the right setting details to underscore the drama that takes place.
But which details should you include to describe your setting? It’s different for every story, but here are some links to get you started.
Character and Setting Interactions – Some questions to get you thinking about how your character currently interacts with his environment.
Setting: The Writer’s Secret Weapon – How specific details of the setting can be a powerful tool for a writer.
Setting – Five ways to use setting to enhance your book.
Give Your Setting a Role to Play – How setting can function as a secondary character in your story.
What tips do you have on incorporating setting into your story?
Twitter allows you to have more than one account, unlike Facebook which limits you to only one per person. The benefit on Twitter is that you can set up an account for each writing name you use (your own or a pseudonym) and also an account for your personal use. This allows you to keep your writing and personal tweets separate. You may even want to keep your personal account private for only your friends and family. You can also shape your writer account to represent your brand as a writer.
For more information on why you might want to use multiple Twitter accounts, read How Many Twitter Accounts Should You Have? by David Risley.
