Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you’ve all had a good week, especially given how turbulent it has been in certain parts of the world lately. From tornadoes to earthquakes and riots to terrorists, things feel particularly tenuous. So give the people you love a hug or a call — or maybe write them a lovely handwritten letter — and take a moment to think about the very different lives we all live. It’s good writing inspiration, yes, but it’s just good humanity, too. And if you’re in the U.S., don’t forget that Sunday is Mother’s Day.
Philosophical moments aside, I’ve got a nice collection of links for you today. I had to poke around a bit this week as things were particularly busy at work, so I hope you find these worth my digging. Enjoy, and happy writing!
Five Ways Scrivener Can Help Your Work in Progress – I’m a huge fan of the Scrivener writing program (and no, I have no connection to the company), and this is a great little mini tutorial. If you don’t have Scrivener and are interested in trying it out, ignore the link on the page and go straight to the source, where you can get a trial run before committing.
Paul Beatty on Satire, Race, and Writing for “Weirdos” – An interview with the author.
Anatomy of a Regency Letter – A lovely post on the physical details of a letter of the era, including paper sizes and folding techniques. (Thanks to Mary Robinette Kowal for the link.)
The First Day in the Life of a Brand New Bookstore – On last week’s opening day for Little City Books in Hoboken, NJ. Charming and heartening. If you’re in the Hoboken area, go buy some books.
Reach a Wider Audience: Eleven Foreign Literary Markets – Some thoughts on how to sell your short work into foreign territories, and why that might help your career on a wider scale.