Wednesday links: Waking characters, getting unstuck, and choosing a title

I love regularly reading tips and advice articles in certain subjects — particularly writing and publishing. I don’t always need the information right then, but I know that it’ll eventually come in handy. Or at least, I hope it will.

I know there are a lot of other people out there who feel the same way I do, but sometimes it can be difficult to find every useful advice article that’s out there. So I thought I’d bring you a few. Here are the tips and advice articles that jumped out at me the most over the past week.

1. The Perils of Waking Characters, from Pub Rants: I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but opening your novel with a character waking up is rarely a good idea. This post from Kristin Nelson reinforces that. Excerpt: “Beginning your novel with the main protagonist waking up in bed will have agents passing on the material 99.9% of the time. Here’s why.”

2. Getting Unstuck: The Krafton Method, from QueryTracker Blog: I always find it interesting to read about how other writers push past their writer’s block. This article provides some good tips on not just how to push past it, but also avoid it altogether. Excerpt: “For a writer, getting stuck is an occupational hazard. Our ideas get sluggish and the writing gets stagnant before dragging to a gummed-up halt. Sometimes, being stuck seems like the natural state of things, with merciful moments of productivity and creative flow.”

3. Choosing a Title? Avoid These Two Crucial Mistakes, from A Writer’s Universe: Ah, titles. They’re definitely something I have trouble with, so any advice on them is welcome. Excerpt: “But I cringed when I saw her title. Was it horrifying or disgusting? No. But she never ran a search before choosing it.”

And a bonus: 10 Ways to Never Get Published, from Writer’s Digest: A nice, light look at what to do if you you are determined to never get published. Excerpt: “Getting your book published means that actual people will read it, and who wants that?”