You Have a Book Inside of You

The trick is to get it out where others can enjoy it. Never before has it been so easy to do. Professional or amateur, you can find tools in abundance to help you get started, keep track, and publish. Many of them are free, and others are surprisingly inexpensive.  If you need to learn about word processing, or how to use EXCEL to track your submissions, take a class at the Lane!

Here is but a tiny sample of some places to go to get you started. Don't stop on with pages below: linger and follow links long enough and you'll discover resources that will let you say, "I can do that!" And for goodness' sake, don't wait until the only thing to write about you is your obituary.

Motivation : you got no excuse, baby!
WritingHabits.com Check Excuse #16, especially:)
Characters Name Generator Uses US Census to generate character names for fiction writers online.
Caution! Rejection is part of the work.

If you expect to be found overnight, you may have to find the money to self-publish.


How an Agent sees it There are rules to follow if you expect success.



Contests Contests and Vanity Anthologies - Warning Don't be sucked in by your ego. Things to know about contests and anthologies.

Writers' Contests Well, maybe they're not all bad.



Assistance
Inspired2Write (formerly WordWeave)
The archive has much to offer by way of practical advice.
Advice Suite101 Comprehensive portal site for writers.

Smatterings Interesting personal website on writing, researching, etc.

Soyouwanna be a sitcom writer This is funny, intelligent and definitely interesting advice to those who think they can write better stuff than what they see on TV.



For Children's Writers:
Beginning Internet for Children's Writers
A bit of a jumble here: would be more useful with some descriptions, but nevertheless, you'll find sites that are well known and valuable.
Publishing
Publishing Guide
A basic guide to how to get published.
For Teens
Creative Writing for Teens
Pretend age doesn't matter, because it doesn't. This is good stuff here.
Software
Writers' Software Advice
Letterbox
If you can't find it here, you can probably get along without it.
Format a screenplay without knowing how. ($39.99)

Instant Muse Utilities Click the button to get prompted to write a story.

Happily Ever After Software, some of which is freeware, for helping writers.

Writing Resources Rather unique resources for all aspects of writing.

ScriptSmart The BBC has strict standards for submission of scripts. This template software automates the process of formatting your scripts (and you can use it in the colonies, too).

SpeedTyping Repetitive typing, such as names of characters, or headings, are best done with a keystroke macro, and this piece of freeware is one of the best.

Romance Writers Software A prime list of free programs to help with the process of writing (not just romance).



For Poets Rhyming Dictionaries Online There aren't that many available online for free.  The fun one is at http://www.wordcentral.com/mus/rhyme.html



Everything else
Writers' Resources from Google Directory
Don't go into overwhelm here: just pick a subcategory that interests you and follow the trail.  But at some point, you have to stop reading and start writing!
Writers' Groups
Yahoo email lists for writers
Click this occasionally to see if there are any new lists.

Queen City Writers' Club
This item mentions several groups and online alternatives.

Misc.Writing.Moderated A long-term Usenet group offering intelligent discussion of any issues around writing of any type.

Momwriters

Essentially a support site for moms who are professional or new writers.


Ticket2Write Very current informational website for professional writers.



Keeping Organized Write Again! Free and commercial software for tracking your manuscript and expenses etc.

TreePad Excellent, easy to learn personal organizer in tree (hierarchical) format.

SpaceJockeyWriter Weird name, intriguing freeware to organize and develop your plots, etc.

The Working Writer Comprehensive organizational software ($79.95)



Marketing Everyone who's Anyone Check out the rejection letters and the dialog with the agents on this site. This is based on the author's own submission efforts.

ElectricPenguin
Debbie Ridpath Ohi is an expert in online publishing and finding markets for writers.


Created Feb 22 2003   Updated 22/01/05