Writers' Roundup: May 14

Thanks to all of you who left encouraging notes on my good-news post this week. I feel your love!

My list of links is short this week:

• From the Book Examiner, 30 famous authors who were once rejected. (I’ve already been rejected, so all I have to do to qualify is become famous!)

• I recently discovered this site on taking a career break to travel: Briefcase to Backpack. Let them inspire you.

• The Gatekeeper begs us not to compare our books to Eat, Pray, Love. I’m guilty of doing this and I bet some of the writers reading this post are, too. We should all think twice before doing it again.

• Moonrat says when it comes to your book, you’ve got to be your own evil drill sergeant. Because you can’t count on anyone to fix things later.

• After experimenting with Tumblr for a few months — because I might want to know how to use the micro-blogging platform in my next job (whatever that will be) — I’ve decided to turn it into What Lexi Reads, a running commentary on the many books that make it onto my nightstand.

This weekend I’m heading to the first-ever Compleat Biographer Conference in Boston. I hope to report back next week that I learned a trick or two.