TV? What is that? I can’t remember the last time I watched TV. There are certain things I do enjoy watching on DVD (or on stream) that contribute to inspiration. Like the show Mad Men. Love that show. It is a work of art. And for brain candy? An occasional show of 30 Rock on Hulu.
But for the most, I spend my “free time” (which consists of 2-3 chunks of twenty minutes a piece), blog surfing. I have set up several blogs on my reader, and every time I get to read them, I feel like I am not spending nearly enough time reading blogs! But what can I do? Between working, reading books, and raising my son, there is only so much time I have in the day.
Some of my favorite blogs include Nathan Bransford, where he gives great advice for novice writers trying to break into the industry. He focuses on query letters, critiquing of first pages, and sometimes holds contests where one can submit first five hundred words for critique!
Another blog I like, but can be very harsh (please read at your own risk), is Mary Kole’s blog. She is brutally honest and can really be a dream crusher, but I enjoy and appreciate her honesty. She hosts workshops on query letters and first five hundred words which are priceless. Plus, her blog hooks writers up with other writers to form critique groups. I have met several other writers this way and it’s been great.
Then there is Query Shark. One of my favorite new websites. Did you write an amazing book but your query just doesn’t cut it? Send it to Query Shark! Janet will chew it up and spit it out, in public, and let you know exactly what is wrong with your query! Love that!
I hope you find this information helpful. If you know of any other websites that you want to share, please do comment!
