How to develop creative rituals (This week in books)

This week! Books!

It’s publishing summer, which means things typically slow down a tad, though this year all bets are off. I still managed to find a few links for you.

First, in case you missed it last week, I’m offering classes on navigating the traditional publishing process and getting a book deal! And you still have a few days for 15% off the How to Get a Book Deal bundle using the code BRANSFORDBLOG.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine reached its 100th day, and Ed Nawotka at Publishers Weekly looks at the war through the lens of its impact on Ukrainian publishers.

Getting into good habits that sustain creativity can be tricky, particularly with so many distractions. Angela Yeh has five tips for developing good creative rituals.

In the spirit of summer, Kelly Jensen has an enjoyable look at summer camp as captured in YA fiction.

Learning to incorporate feedback and self-editing to make a draft better is a crucial but very tricky skill. Liza Nash Taylor surveys tips from four esteemed writers whose names start with J on tips for revisions.

And agent/author Donald Maass’s posts are always worth reading. This week: how to craft good microcosms that connect your novel to deeper cultural threads.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Nightwork by Nora Roberts
2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
3. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
4. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
5. Verity by Colleen Hoover

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. Here’s the Deal by Kellyanne Conway
2. Killing the Killers by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
3. Finding Me by Viola Davis
4. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
5. Phil by Alan Shipnuck

Young adult hardcover:

1. Family of Liars by E. Lockhart
2. One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
3. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
4. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
5. You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2. Refugee by Alan Gratz
3. Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
4. Stuntboy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds
5. Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordon

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• How to utilize exposition and context in a novel
• Establish where we are entirely (page critique)

Don’t forget that you can nominate your first page and query for a free critique on the blog:

• Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog
• Nominate Your Query for a Critique on the Blog

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Twitter
• Follow my page on Facebook
• Join the Facebook Group
• Check out the Bransforums

And finally, the first images from the new James Webb Space Telescope will be released on July 12, which should offer an unprecedented glimpse into the distant/early reaches of the universe. I couldn’t be more excited.

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.

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