Twitter Tip Thursday

Here are some of the tips and useful links I've come across on Twitter this week:

Trends

Report from last night's panel on trends in #kidlit @megcabot http://ow.ly/2Wprk @Kid_Lit

Querying

Successful contemporary YA query: Mindi Scott's query to Jim McCarthy (Dystel & Goderich) for FREEFALL: http://bit.ly/aZsPHX @taralazar

"Query until someone puts a ring on your finger." - Kristen Lippert-Martin. Excellent advice at http://tinyurl.com/3y9hnum @RachelMorgan13

EXCELLENT article: http://tinyurl.com/3aenvny My Query Letter Manifesto. Not only great advice but a highly entertaining read :-) Go see it! @RachelMorgan13

To be honest, I DO get to your ms faster if you check in - but I also make a faster decision about it. @Natalie_Fischer

I'd say a quarter of #queries are probably much too long or way too short. The best pitches are usually 2-3 paragraphs. @MandyHubbard

A great & funny blog post about the slush pile from agent Steve Laube: http://bit.ly/9F6bSu @RachelleGardner

Critiquing:

Why GIVE Critiques?: People thank me all the time for giving free chapter reviews. But, I love doing it. Why? Beca... http://bit.ly/9hC5ur @ClarissaDraper

On writing:

New On The Blog: Balancing The First Pages Of A New WIP http://bit.ly/cxdQh4 @CA_Marshall

Newbie writers: watch out for these big writing no-no's. (sorry no pictures): http://bit.ly/hJVmK @Georgia_McBride

What do writers make at different publishers? The famous (and now updated) "Show Me the Money" survey with answers: http://dld.bz/z6f2 @elizabethscraig

Why your beginnings don't really matter. http://bit.ly/a2wOTO @ChristieWild

Great post with awesome examples! Opening Sentences: Reeling Your Reader In: http://bit.ly/d0astJ @jafhedlund

Many of life's failures are people who did not realise how close to success they were when they gave up. Be encouraged.Keep going. @pichetsinparis

Top 3 (posts and reads): http://wp.me/pHil1-c6 @kangaroobee

Use this 2 get ur brain churning on how to make your ms stand out, not just your blog! http://www.copyblogger.com/usp (via @ingridsundberg) @Natalie_Fischer

The Writer's 10 Commandments. Read http://markterrybooks.blogspot.com/2010/10/writers-10-commandments.html @pichetsinparis

New On The Blog: Friday Five: Advice For Writers - 14 Oct 2010 - Formatting A Manuscript http://bit.ly/czxkSE @CA_Marshall

Three essential tips to writing a publishable novel - http://ow.ly/2TUN9 @BubbleCow

Writing a fiction synopsis? Here's what one should look like: "The Big Easy" (crime/noir) http://tinyurl.com/298fen2 @WritersDigest

Here's your top 5% of slush pile. How to rise to the top and not get an automatic rejection. http://tinyurl.com/29qot6p @ChristieWild

Making a Book Stand Out: The Critical Aspect of Having a Compelling Story http://bit.ly/c5s0MR @JodyHedlund

You know you've got a cliché when you see the exact same line in another book. Love the line! Check out the post. http://trunc.it/bx5nz @ClarissaDraper

Do you have a BUSINESS mindset for your writing career? Should you? http://bit.ly/antyd8 @RachelleGardner

The three stages of learning to write successful science fiction: wp.me/pz1mb-6s....I love these snippets...they urge me on. @bamawm

Confusion is not tension. If reader has no idea what u're talking about, they will abandon the book @Georgia_McBride

"Nobody uses large numbers of adjectives when they think..." Alexander McCall Smith @jafhedlund

Do you get frustrated by the Writing Rules? Read this: http://bit.ly/91GS4f @RachelleGardner

Revising

Our 1st drafts are a lump of clay. Beauty comes after we shape & mold & polish time and time again.@JodyHedlund

Recognizing and fixing repetition in your manuscript: http://bit.ly/hJVmK @Georgia_McBride

Knowing When It's Good Enough http://nblo.gs/9b34x @ali_cross

Writing Resources

New stuff on a Tuesday! A resources page! http://kidlit.com/resources-for-writers/ @Kid_Lit

Picture Books

This is good! Must read for PB authors!! http://bit.ly/bp4zbm 12 Common Picture Book Mistakes by Elizabeth O. Dulemba @KatApel

What are picture book editors looking for? http://bit.ly/ck46OG Each story needs to have a twist. Why is your story different? @taralazar

Agents

Agent Spotlight on Elena Mechlin of Pippin Properties, Inc. http://bit.ly/dnJm0Z @Casey_McCormick

Five tips on how to connect with an agent: http://bit.ly/a1wMpY @4KidLit

NEW on blog: exclusive requests: sign of a bad agent? www.adventuresinagentland.blogspot.com @Natalie_Fischer

I blogged about #AgentFail today. Check it out: http://bit.ly/9ZYgB4 @RachelleGardner

RT@4KidLit How to handle "WHO offered you representation?" What to do if you get push-back. http://bit.ly/dA3c6v @auntiflamingo

Dealing with Rejection

3 Steps Writers Should Take After Getting a Rejection: http://bit.ly/dpt3zf (via @JaneFriedman) Excellent post! @JodyHedlund

Branding

What is branding? Guest post by author Karen Witemeyer http://bit.ly/b16JwC @RachelleGardner

Blogging

What is RSS? Reading blogs? Get organized, stay informed, save time, protect your privacy. http://tinyurl.com/3antp96 @ChristieWild

Think in Stories to Write Better http://bit.ly/csEEqN @Kangaroobee

5 Ways Blogging Makes You Better: http://bit.ly/aM7NVB (via @CassFrear) @JodyHedlund

The number ONE way to generate more traffic to your blog: http://bit.ly/9DIsSk @JodyHedlund

NaNoWriMo

L'Aussie Writing : Will I NaNoWriMo or Won’t I NaNoWriMo? Some tips to help you decide: http://t.co/aKJs3t0 @pichetsinparis

Got an idea for NaNoWriMo? How to create a basic outline: http://thegracefuldoe.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/nanowrimo-creating-an-outline/ @gracefuldoe

@the creative penn great post Joanna http://dld.bz/zCRD Nano Notebook @papyri

Miscellaneous

Guest post from Alane Ferguson on censorship http://ow.ly/2U04o @Kid_Lit

WRITERS. New fair deal ePublisher/agent accepting submissions now. http://is.gd/g2ZKu RTs? <3>