Links 'N Stuff - It's Friday!

Welcome back everyone!  Today I'm gonna show you some fun stuff on the Internet I've found in the past few weeks.  First, however, I have some thoughts and ideas I wanted to share with you all.

So in case you were living under a rock this week, Mr. Ray Bradbury passed away.  One of the greatest authors of our time.  I won't reiterate what almost every news article and website even remotely associated with writing have said, but he left a great legacy for future generations to explore and enjoy as much as we all did.

This week I hit my first real wall of writer's block.  Safe to say, I panicked quite a bit.  For two days I felt like I couldn't do any writing or editing, and I barely read my book.  So on the third day I pushed on through and started doing research on current markets open for short stories and novellas, and I could feel that wake my muse up a bit.  She started whispering to me, and soon I was back to writing my normal amount.  I learned something very valuable about writer's block.  I know a lot of sites and advice columns will tell you to work through it, continue doing it, but it's actually very true.  People can't be inspired 100% of the time.  That's ridiculous.  I also noted that this lack of inspiration started when I quit smoking this week.  I had a solid schedule set up where I would write in a flurry, smoke a cigarette and think about what I wrote, then make edits.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  Now that I don't have that key part, I've had to adjust my routine, but I think its better now.  A lot less interruption and pausing so I can just plow through and worry about editing later.

So, enough about me, and on to some new road markers on your map of the Internet!

First up, in honor of Mr. Bradbury, I have a link to twelve writing tips from the man himself.  Originally tweeted by Derek Blass (@derekblass), this is straight from Mr. Blass's blog. Any tips from a successful and influential writer are always welcome to me, and Bradbury's advice is slightly different from anything I've read or heard.  Definitely check it out, you won't regret it.

Next up, a fun comic strip I found out about from Felicia Day's Flog.  Before I get into the comic, I have to say this:  If you haven't checked out The Flog, you are missing out!  It's full of fun nerdiness and interesting stuff straight from Ms. Day herself.  Anyways, on one of her episodes she highlights a comic, Manly Men Doing Manly Things.  It's a hilarious take on what all the heroes from video games would do when they have to readjust to the real world.  It centers around Commander Badass, the guy who runs the "halfway house" and all the adventures.  A new strip is posted every Monday, and I'm totally addicted.

And last but not least is an online t-shirt company called Ript Apparel.  I found them via Pinterest.  These guys have a new t-shirt design every day for purchase in all normal sizes, as well as for kids and babies.  The only downside to this website is the shirt designs are only available for one day, but that means even more cool designs to buy!  They have some of the coolest and nerdiest t-shirts I've ever seen, and I'm eagerly waiting for this Sunday's release so I can get a cool Doctor Who t-shirt.  Definitely give them a look, and if you want to try your luck, they have a grab bag where you have a chance to win an old design they didn't sell out of when it was available.

Well, that's it for me today.  Hope you guys are enjoying the stories and links I post here, and I look forward to later next week when I do a new writing exercise!  Until then, godspeed everyone, and have a great weekend!!!