Resources Roundup – Oct’21

Leading the list of resources this time is the piece you all must have read and absorbed and debated to shreds by now – Who Is the Bad Art Friend? – The New York Times (nytimes.com).

This was a long but engrossing read, and at the end of it I wasn’t sure who emerged the better person. Dawn Dorland clearly wanted a little more credit and recognition for her donation of kidney, but Sonya Larson shouldn’t have lifted her words nor written about her story without changing most or if not all of the identifying details. Neither wins, but Dorland clearly tipped over into neurotic-writer-zone by suing Larson and increasing the stakes each time. This New Yorker piece dissects the story itself, and offers an opinion I don’t agree with – that “The Kindest” is not a particularly good story at all. Thanks to a LitHub article on the legal issues, I read the story here, and found it very well-written, quite engaging and I think it does indeed set out to achieve what the author intended to do (use the subject of the kidney donation to surface certain aspects of racism). If you’re looking for a lighter read on this topic, this is for you!

Other than that one most consuming article, I liked and read quite a few others related to writing and publishing.

Alexis Grant explains Why and How I Sold My Online Business, The Write Life

Anne R Allen serves a Warning to Writers: You Won’t See this New Publishing Scam Coming

Over at the SFWA blog, writers can read a comprehensive guide to rejection letters: Short Fiction Rejection Letters: Best practices and expectations

I’ve always advocated for short stories, not just reading them but also writing them to gain practice in the art of storytelling. If you’re still not convinced, hear it from The Write Life: How to Become a Better Writer: 5 Ways Short Stories Help

The inimitable Anne R Allen pops up again and explains What is Upmarket Fiction? Book Club Fiction? Are they New Genres? and 5 Indie Author Mistakes That Can Tank Book Sales

As a writer, you should know What Are the Types of Editing? (6 Types To Know)

Here’s an art that’s tough to learn but these tips should help: 5 Mistakes in Writing Backstory or Delivering Information in Fiction

Wondering how to support your favourite writers? Check out 15 Ways Authors Support Each Other on Social Media

I liked this article on the art of writing metaphors, and this one on three writing mistakes to avoid – yikes, I’m guilty of committing all of these sins!

And finally, if you are planning to do NanoWrimo, here’s a great idea/tip: Why You Should Write a Novella for NaNoWriMo 2021

That’s all I have this week. Do drop a note if any of these have helped you out, and if you have any links to share!