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October 15, 2013

Writer Resource: Writers Helping Writers

The logo for Writers Helping Writers with text: Introducing the New...

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I’m always on the lookout for great writing resources. Over three years ago, I discovered one of the best: The Bookshelf Muse, written by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. They’re also the genius duo behind The Emotion Thesaurus.

If you’re not familiar with The Bookshelf Muse or The Emotion Thesaurus, let me put it this way: *gush gush gush*, The Emotion Thesaurus is the ultimate how-to book for how to show our characters’ emotions, from body language to visceral cues.  Seriously, I have The Emotion Thesaurus on my desktop, and I leave it open all the time because I use it that frequently. *grin*

Anyway, you might now be wondering what these tidbits have to do with “Writers Helping Writers.” Three things…

#1: The Bookshelf Muse Is Now Writers Helping Writers

Angela and Becca have moved The Bookshelf Muse to their new website: Writers Helping Writers.

Their new website has (or will have) new features like Writing Tools and an improved area for all their Thesaurus Collections. In addition to their published The Emotion Thesaurus, they’ve created several more Thesaurus Collections that they offer for free.

Each Thesaurus Collection includes unique descriptions and tips for how to use the entry in our writing. Find collections for Weather and Earthly Phenomena; Physical Attributes; Setting; Symbolism; and Color, Texture and Shape.

They’re constantly adding new material too. Going along with their new website, they’ve just started a new Thesaurus Collection: Talents and Skills. Follow their blog to see each new entry as they post it.

#2: Two New Books: The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus

Angela and Becca have taken their old Character Trait Thesaurus entries and completed a massive upgrade to turn those blog posts into fantastic new books. They’ll be releasing next week, and I, uh, might have gotten a sneak peek at the books, so I can confirm you don’t want to miss these. *smile*

Once they officially release, you’ll want to keep an eye on the Writing Tools section of Writers Helping Writers. They currently have several tools listed as “Coming Soon” that *cough* might have something to do with the upcoming releases.

#3: The Writers Helping Writers Amazing Race

Angela and Becca don’t follow the usual rules for book releases. When they released The Emotion Thesaurus, they started a Random Act Of Kindness Blitz.

This time, to celebrate the release of their new character trait books, they’ve assembled a group of writers willing to donate their time to help other writers. Just as how the Amazing Race TV show is all about teamwork, they’ll be kicking off the Writers Helping Writers Amazing Race next week, where we’ll see how many writers we can help with a little teamwork.

Be sure to stop by Writers Helping Writers the week of October 21st, you’ll be able to request help with:

  • Query Letter critique
  • 1st page critique (250 words limit)
  • 1st Paragraph HOOK
  • 25 word log line pitch
  • Tweet Me!
  • Book exposure
  • Mini Blog Review
  • Ask Me Anything!
  • Request a Future Guest post

I’m one of the Racers, so I’ll be posting more about the WHW Amazing Race next week, but I hope you’re getting the picture that you want to stay up to date with Writers Helping Writers. *smile*

Now It’s Our Turn to Help Angela and Becca

Angela and Becca have done so much to help writers with their blog, writing tools, and craft books, and now it’s time for us to help them. Thanks to their awesome Tech Guy (the same one I have), they’ve transferred all their content—including blog posts and comments— to their new site. So there’s no reason for people to visit their old site anymore.

Although they’re not deleting their Blogger-based The Bookshelf Muse site, they’re ramping down adding any new content to it. That means we want to direct people to their new site, and we can do two things to help them make this a cleaner break:

  1. Spread the word about their new site via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.
  2. Update any links on your blog to point to their new site.

For that second item, you could try searching your blog for Angela and Becca by name, searching for “bookshelf,” etc. to find those links. Then you can edit the post to change the link to their new site.

Those of you on WordPress.org can download a plugin I highly recommend called Broken Link Checker. Not only will Broken Link Checker notify you when a link on your blog is broken (and might need to be updated), but you can also use it to update links across your website.

For example, I was able to go into the Broken Links plugin page on my WordPress Dashboard (under Tools) and search within the plugin to find all links on my website with “bookshelf” in the URL. Then I clicked Edit URL for each entry and pasted in the appropriate new Writers Helping Writers URL (that’s the http://writershelpingwriters.net/ address).

Image of Broken Link Checker page

With that plugin, I was able to update the links for all of Angela’s comments here, the link to my guest post, the link to their Random Acts of Kindness Blitz, etc. in about 3 minutes. Yay!

If you know of other tools that will update links in WordPress.com or Blogger blogs, please share them in the comments. Until then check out Writers Helping Writers, update your links, and tell your friends about The Bookshelf Muse‘s new online home.

Are you familiar with The Bookshelf Muse or The Emotion Thesaurus? Did you know they’d moved? Do you have any questions about the Broken Link Checker plugin for WordPress.org sites? Do you have any suggestions for how to update links in WordPress.com, Blogger, or other blogging platforms?

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becca puglisi
becca puglisi

Jami, you. Are. The. BEST!! Thank you so much for this in-depth shout out regarding all of the changes we’re going through. It’s craziness, I tell you, CRAZINESS! But now that the website is up and running, it’s totally worth it, and now we can focus on the launch and The Amazing Race. Thanks again for spreading the word!

Davonne Burns

I love The Emotion Thesaurus and its always open on my Kindle any time I am writing. I will definitely be checking out their other books. Thanks for the heads-up Jami!

Angela Ackerman

Oh my gosh, Jami. Wow! Seriously, what an incredible endorsement of us! How did we get so lucky to hook up with you? <3

We are so glad to have made the move at last, and you and Jay have just been wonderful to us with getting things online. I know I'll have ore 911 questions about websites and I'll be coming straight to you, because you are the Queen of all things WP!

Lisa Gail Green

You’re so thorough!!! LOL I love Angela and Becca!!!!! I’m thrilled for them and love how they spread the love and how many times can I say “love?”

Rhenna Morgan

Love, love, love my emotional thesaurus.

Kerry Gans

Thanks for the heads up! The Bookshelf Muse is a frequent flier on our Top Picks Thursday links roundup. We’ll be sure to put this on this week to help spread the word. Angela and Becca always have valuable advice and ideas.

Tasha Turner

Great post. I’ve updated my follow, entered the contest, shared links to their new site.

Thank you for the great broken link tool. I will be busy over the next day tracking down friends who have moved their websites so I can update over 60 broken links on my site. I know this tool will come in handy.

Julie Musil

Jami, this is so great! I love Angela and Becca’s new site. Thanks so much for spreading the great news about it.

Nena Clements

Awesome information. I haven’t been to their site in a while. It really rocks!

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[…] PSST! The WHW Amazing Race is coming Oct 21st! Submit your requests for help with Queries, 1st Pages, Pitches, Hooks and more! Details HERE. […]

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[…] fan of The Bookshelf Muse blog, home of the Emotion Thesaurus, please visit them at their NEW home: Writers Helping Writers. Along with their multiple thesaurus databases, they have numerous resources for […]

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[…] Remember when I mentioned last week that The Bookshelf Muse had become Writers Helping Writers? […]

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