Tag Archives: gif of the week

Friday Link Pack 3/11/2016

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Hey there link likers!

I have some fun stuff in store for you today. First, let me entreat you. If you like my #FLP posts, you may also enjoy my Twitter feed. Feel free to follow me for occasional bits of random goodness. You may even get the jump on a few of the things I post here.

Alright. On to business. Link business.

WRITE-ING (Note to self.)

Tor.com Gets Mushy About Rejection
I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s repressed guilt. For whatever reason, and in a roundabout sort of way, Tor.com is telling us “It’s not personal” when they reject our manuscripts. We knew that, Tor.com. However, the article gets downright brilliant below the fold when the author starts talking about all the structural reasons manuscripts get rejected. Nice save!

TOOLS

Tabletop RPGs As Writer Trainers
polyhedralDice
Ok, this is an older article (2011 I think), but Chuck Wendig say it as only Chuck Wendig can. He lays out all the facts in his typical entertaining and CONTENT ADVISORY style. Don’t believe me? Clicky clicky, folks. Clicky clicky.

SCIENCEY

Chart of Cosmic Exploration
This chart may well be the most delightful representation of human exploration of the Solar System that I have ever seen. Don’t miss this one if you have a sciencey streak.

THINGS I LOVE

I’m Cheating Today
I don’t feel sorry. Today is their day. I used to LOVE this band. These days I only semi-aggressively like them. What can I say? It’s not them. It’s me. I’ve changed, and they didn’t. Still, nostalgia compels me.

Yesterday’s Demons Is Available For Preorder On Amazon
This is not a drill. Go directly to Amazon and order this book. I was a beta reader for it, and I’ve reserved my copy. You do the same. I’ll wait.

GIF OF THE WEEK

If I’m still learning to write consistently, this cat is still learning to cat:

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OH. YOU’RE STILL HERE. AWKWARD.

Soon, my friends (both of you), you will learn about Clah. Who or what is Clah? You’ll have to tune in next week to find out.

Friday Link Pack 1/29/2016

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Just when I thought I’d done something as haphazardly and last-minute as humanly possible — I’m writing a Friday Link Pack post at 10 PM EST on Friday via airplane wifi in extremely turbulent air bound for snowy Salt Lake City after a long week of strenuous vacationing. Oh well, here goes nothing!

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As a reminder, because I know you all read two weeks ago and remember, I’m collaborating on #FLP posts with Drew Gerken, who wrote a great one last week. Check it out over on his blog.

WRITE-ING (Note to self.)

So you want to be a writer…
This is a lovely post by Hugh Howey about writing and what it takes. For example, don’t give up before you’ve started. Credit where credit is due on finding this one: thanks, K.M. Alexander!

How To Write Super Sharable Content For Your Author Blog
Yes, I’m coming back to Lauren Sapala again. I saw this one come up on my list yesterday, and it’s pure gold. I’m going to start following this advice once I start writing again in earnest next month! Did I mention that aside from offering great advice on Twitter and her blog, Lauren is a writing coach for hire?

CREATIVITY/INSPIRATION

Bluescreen Launch Series
One of my favorite Young Adult authors, Dan Wells, has been writing a series of pre-launch posts on his blog for the first book in a new series, Bluescreen. Check this one out and if you haven’t read any of his stuff, give it a go.

SCIENCEY

Sweat Puns Galore!
I could write several. More than several. What I can’t do is make this stuff up. Soon we will have wrist-attached sweat analyzers that can detect things like hydration levels, glucose, sodium, and body temperature. Imagine the applications just for diabetics.

GIF OF THE WEEK

Hoping for a landing less interesting than this:

TIL: Writing Is Hard

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There are so many distractions,
The world conspires.
Writing is a priority,
Don’t get that wrong.

Found enigma of obsession,
In minute non-art.
Writing shall fail to come to be,
Feels confronted.

Bring forth the life of life undone,
To eat feast of not.
Writing nourishes the me,
Of harmony.

Advancement of self consumes much,
but this too shall pass.
Writing in the night sets mind free,
To wander now.

WLM

—-

A poet I’m not. This one brought to you by the need for focus. Consider it my form of doodling. I’m going to have a new installment of Rue From Ruin for you this Friday. I’m editing right now. Well. I’m editing this post. I’m also editing Rue Part 3. It’s close.

If you’re feeling like me, it might be a good time to go back and read about The Law of the Bamboo Tree.

Enjoy a free GIF on me:

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Friday Link Pack 8/28/2015

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Screenshot 2015-08-26 21.22.41

Welcome, visitors from the blog of K. M. Alexander. I’m humbled and honored to post today following K. M.’s tradition of the Friday Link Pack.

To the three regular readers of my blog, you need only know two things:

  1. K. M.’s blog and the novels in his Bell Forging Cycle are fantastic.
  2. I probably won’t be writing regular Link Pack posts because K. M. already does such a great job of it. Enjoy it today!

So without further hullabaloo, I give you first I Write Sci-Fi Friday Link Pack!

Writing Links

Things You Might Not Know About Orwell’s Animal Farm
I was still in elementary school the first time I read Animal Farm. Here are a few things you might not know about it. For example #2 – T.S. Eliot rejected it.

The 2015 Hugo Awards
In case you missed all the drama at WorldCon, this is a full replay of the ceremony. It was a strange, sad year as there were many excellent nominations who probably deserved to win but ended up without a rocket because of the way they were nominated. Check out Dan Wells‘ view on the fallout. It mirrors my own.

The Answers You’re Looking For Are Not On The Internet
Lauren Sapala has a great article I read where she talks about why the writer culture on the Internet is broken. Just a little. She suggests we unplug and read more books. I’ve been doing more of this lately myself, and there is merit in the idea!

Soundtracks For Books Using Booktrack
As I write, I often think about the music that would put me in the mood to write the kind of stories I want to tell. Then I’ll make playlists on Spotify or SoundCloud to get me going when I am struggling for inspiration. A. C. Starrling takes the idea of soundtracks for books one step further in her detailed article over at The Creative Penn.

Random Links

Get And Stay Healthy
As a writer and a programmer, health is a constant concern. I spend way too many hours sitting at a desk every week. Reading through Darya Rose’s bio gave me some new ideas and the community on Summer Tomato is incredible.

A Female Doctor? Yes Please!
Hayley Atwell of Captain America and, of course, the EXCELLENT Marvel’s Agent Carter fame wants to be the next Doctor Who. This needs to happen, world. Make it happen.

If You’ve Ever Wondered Why Wikipedia Is Not Recognized As A Primary Resource
I’m sure this is news to precisely no one, but contentious topics (particularly in the realm of science) tend to change a lot on Wikipedia. Check your sources folks!

Beautiful Bookcases
If you’ve ever seen my office or living room, you would know that I’m a fan of books. My home is covered in them. Walls are filling up with shelves, and shelves are filling up with books. These are some interesting and unique ideas for storing those beautiful dead trees.

GIFs of the Week

I’m a fan of GIFs, so you get TWO this week. The first is my impression of myself posting a Link Pack that K. M.’s readers will read. He does the hard work of creating great content and cultivating followers, and then you all come here and read my post. So thank you all and thanks to K. M.!

iFinishFirst

The second is Tom Cruise (yes it is, look it up if you don’t believe me). This guy is one of the biggest movie stars in the world and yet he isn’t afraid to make a fool of himself. I admire that.

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