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Topical Resources

Learning how to research is an important skill for any author or editor, but it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start.

The internet is chock full of helpful resources, of course, and I've listed a few here by topic (alphabetized for your convenience) that I thought might help. You can scroll down or jump to one of the following topics of interest:

Author Business

Beta Readers

Children's Literature

Conscious Language

Dialogue

Grammar

Hiring an Editor

Historical Fiction

Legal Issues

"Literary Larceny"

Nonfiction ...

Publishing

Self Editing

Storytelling/Structure

Style Guides

Tutorials

Author Business

 
Advanced Reader Copies: Understanding the Rules and Restrictions Around Running an ARC Team by Jessica S. Taylor

The Alliance of Self-Publishing Authors has a website with advice and ratings of various services.​

An Author's Note - read Sylvia Kriebig's explanation: Systematic Guide to Author's Note Writing - Five-component framework on the what, why, and how of author's note writing.
Here's another article from SelfPublishedWhiz: What is an Author's Note? Do you need one?

Critique Partners - Working with a critique partner or group can be invaluable as you prepare your story for readers. But how to find such a partner or group?! Julie Artz offers a free CP (critique partner) Meet Cute a few times a year. And The Write Life, by selfpublishing.com published the article 41 Places to Find a Critique Partner to Improve Your Writing by Cathy Yardley in Oct 29, 2019, most of which are still viable.

Hiring an editor, rates, etc. - See "Hiring an Editor" section below

IBPA Publishers Association
- position and criteria on Hybrid publishers

Legalities - See "Legal Issues" section below

Marketing - this probably needs a whole section unto itself, but for now I'll start with a resource I came across recently. A TikTok by Jason K Pargin.

"Money-Saving Guide for Authors and Writers" - a general, comprehensive guide for writers who want to become published authors, but don't know where or how to begin.​

ProWritingAid - a fantastic resource and software program for self-editing and learning about the craft of writing. The website is chock full of incredible articles and explanations. Check out: Getting the Most Out of Your Editor by Preparing Your Manuscript First.

Publishing - See "Publishing" section below

Readability! - If you want to polish your writing to make it "bold and clear," check out the free service where you can copy and paste your text on top of their example text and get an evaluation: Hemmingwayapp.com. NOTE: the desktop app for working offline is not free, but the online version is.

Self Editing - See "Self Editing" section below

Storm Writing School - Aspiring authors who want to deepen their stories to have greater impact on their readers should check out Tim Storm's offerings. I highly recommend: Why Your Story's Conflict May Fail to Grip Readers and: Delight: The Secondary Source of Reader Engagement.

Touch Typing Courses! The ability to type properly is essential for a writer. These sites have  listings of resources to help you become a speedier and more accurate typist: Writers Services and Alison.

Tutorials for MS Word: Styles, Track Changes, Formatting—See "Tutorials" section below.

The Writer Beware Blog describes itself thus: "The official blog of Writer Beware® shines a bright light into the dark corners of the shadow-world of literary scams, schemes, and pitfalls. Also providing advice for writers, industry news, and commentary. Writer Beware® is sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association."

Writing Excuses Podcast from April 19, 2015:  What Do I Do With All This Blank Space?

Writing Basics - a general writing resource provided by a company that makes wristbands for various causes - Wristband Express.​

Beta Reader Resources

 
Authors XP - This organization matches avid readers with authors who need beta readers.

Beta Books - has a good reputation and provides beta organizational support so authors can focus on writing.

Critique Match - a unique platform that seems authentic, transparent, and user friendly.

NDAs - If you would like your beta readers to sign NDAs, EditMojo offers some instruction in this article.

"The Niche Reader provides beta and ARC services for authors who are looking for feedback and reviews on their books. We are run by Fictive Pursuits, the same company behind The History Quill and Fabled Planet."

Rooted in Writing - describes how to find beta readers and offers a comprehensive resource for how to effectively and safely utilize beta readers.

Writing Mastery blog article: The Essential Role of Beta Readers: How to Find and Work with Beta Readers

The Young Writers Initiative - online community of volunteers working to help young writers publish.​

Children's Literature

 
Children's Book Formula

Darcy Pattison - blog

Write Academy​

Conscious Language:

Sensitivity / Inclusivity / Diversity

 
In The NY Times article: Mirrors for my Daughter's Bookshelf, Sara Ackerman writes, "The education professor Rudine Sims Bishop uses the metaphor of windows, sliding glass doors and mirrors to illustrate why diverse literature is so important. Books can be windows into worlds previously unknown to the reader; they open like sliding glass doors to allow the reader inside. But books can also be mirrors. When books reflect back to us our own experiences, when scenes and sentences strike us as so true they are anchors mooring us to the text, it tells readers their lives and experiences are valued. When children do not see themselves in books, the message is just as clear."

The Conscious Style Guide has many informative articles and a newsletter, as well as an Editors of Color directory of professionals.

Dyslexie Font is a unique type face that aids those with dyslexia, which is a neurodiversity that can make reading a challenge.

Them online magazine article: Gender-Neutral Pronouns 101: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know by Devin-Norelle. I learned so much.

How to Write about Character Skin Color in Your Novel by Nisha Tuli is a fabulous, comprehensive overview.

Intelligent Editing - Perfect It software: It Makes Sense to Use Sensitive Language

International Literacy Association: Multicultural Literature: Reflecting Diversity in Literature for Youth by Stan F. Steiner

Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education: Inclusive Language Matters in Children's Literature by Hannah Grieco

Pro Writing Aid software: Inclusive Language

Pub(lishing) Crawl: About that White as Default Thing by S. Jae-Jones

Racism and the Use of the N-Word in Historical Fiction by Delta B. McKenzie

Reedsy Blog article: Inclusive Language: An Author's Guide (with Examples)
Refinery 29: What Is #OwnVoices Doing To Our Books by Kat Rosenfield—this thought provoking article explains the history and legitimacy of the #ownvoices movement as well as the unintended fallout and pitfalls of limiting creativity.

Renee Harleston is a sensitivity reader, blogger of Writing Diversely, writer, and many other things. But I just love this article on Dismantling the White Default. It succinctly explains what this is, and I encourage every writer who isn't already personally aware of what that means, to read it.

Rise Up Against Racism - Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors

Sensitivity Reader Directories - 
  • Writing Diversely
  • Marginalized Editors and Sensitivity Readers List

TCK Publishing: Why Diverse Fiction Matters by Kate Sullivan

Tumblr post: Writing For Color by Mod Collette
Part I - POC and Food Comparisons
Part II - Words for Skin Tone - How to Describe Skin Color

We Need Diverse Books is a "non-profit that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people. Read: The Rise of Gender-Inclusive Pronouns and Language in Literature by Maya Sungold

Writing the Other offers classes and workshops to teach authors how to write sensitively and respectfully about those who are different from themselves." They have a number of amazing programs!

​ylva publishing: In the article: Avoiding Racism for Writers - Coffee, Honey and Other Color Don'ts, Alex K. Thorne recommends, when writing about a character of color (ESPECIALLY if you're a white author), visit sites such as:
writingwithcolor.tumblr.com
weareallmixedup.tumblr.com

Dialogue

 
Bad vs Good Dialogue by Brandon McNulty on YouTube using some fun cinematic examples.

Dialogue Tags vs Action Beats by Kelly F. Barr in Hope Heart Heroes

The Editor's Blog
by Beth Hill offers a lot of great advice and clarification:
Dialogue - the Speech of Fiction
and: Use and Misuse of Dialogue Tags 
and: Another Take on Dialogue Tags
and: Bad Dialogue—Bad, Bad Dialogue
and: Inner Dialogue—Writing Character Thoughts
and: Punctuation in Dialogue
and: Smiling or Laughing Dialogue—A Reader's Question​
and: When a Comma Isn't Enough

How to Use and Not Use Dialogue Tags in Your Fiction - by Margery Bayne (she/her) writing for The Writing Cooperative and published in Medium—an awesome, concise, yet nuanced description and explanation.

The Story Grid has a very comprehensive list in this article: Dialogue Tags: 12 Categories and 102 Examples for Writers

Grammar

 
For Grammar, Punctuation, Capitalization, Hyphenation, etc. (i.e., Conventions) - check out The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation!

Royal Order of Adjectives in English - an excellent explanation found in Daily Writing Tips by Jacquelyn Landis.

Verb Tenses - Tenses in Fiction Writing: Present, Past, Past Perfect and Habitual Past - explained by Louise Harnby.
And Jami Gold's blog post: Beyond the Past: Understanding the Past Perfect Tense has helpful explanations of how and when to use (and not overuse!) past perfect in simple past narrative and when not to use past perfect when writing in present tense.

Hiring an Editor

 
The Alliance of Self-Publishing Authors has a website with advice and ratings of various services.​

The Editorial Freelancers Association has resources for hiring an editor as well as a Rate Chart that describes (not prescribes) the median ranges reported by members for a wide variety of publishing freelance professionals (indexers, formatters, etc.) other than editors.

IPEd (The Institute of Professional Editors, Limited - in Australia and New Zealand) also offers recommendations for hiring and working with an editor - Working with self-employed editors: A guide for clients as well as Editor's Pay Rates
​
Jane Friedman: The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor

Megan Harris: 8 Must-Haves for Freelance Editing Contracts​

The Narrative Craft article: What are industry rates for editing and proofreading? A guide to pricing an edit by Andrew Hodges

Historical Fiction

 
Anachronism and Accuracy: getting it right in historical novels by KJ Charles

The History Quill is a wonderful resource! Check out their masterclasses, historians, community, etc.

Language and Historical Fiction: An Exploration of Style, Idiom and Anachronism by Philip Gooden

Racism and the Use of the N-Word in Historical Fiction by Delta B. McKenzie

6 Principles for Writing Historical Fiction by Andrew Noakes

Legal Issues

 
Black Wolf Editorial Services article by Judy L. Mohr: You Need to Register Your Copyright from her book: Hidden Traps of the Internet

BookBaby Blog: Lyrics In Books: Your Questions Answered By Scott McCormick

The Book Designer: What Every Writer Ought to Know About Fair Use and Copyright by Joel Friedlander

The Chicago Manual of Style: Chapter 4 deals with copyright, permissions, use of public domain, etc.

Copyright.gov has good information on Fair Use and copyrighting literary works.

The Editor's Blog by fiction editor Beth Hill has a good article on using lyrics and poetry in fiction.

​Guide Through the Legal Jungle blog by Joy Butler, author and attorney: Staying Legal When Using Quotes

Intellectual Property - It is your right and responsibility to protect your ideas and words. BFF Editing's Privacy Statement and Contract spell out how we'll do our part. But besides copyrighting your manuscript, if you want to ask beta readers or ARC readers to sign an NDA, EditMojo offers some instruction on crafting such a document in this article.”


International Trademark Association offers a Guide to Proper Trademark Use.

Legal Information for Authors - interview of Jonathan Kirsch, hosted by Emerald Lake Books
​
LegalZoom has good information on how and why a writer would copyright a book.

The blog Rights of Writers by Mark Fowler answers the question: "Can I Mention Brand Name Products in My Fiction?"

​Selfpublishing.com has a "how to" article full of advice and resources for copyrighting your work.

Self-Publishing School has a step-by-step tutorial on how to copyright your book.

Stanford University Library has a resource on Fair Use.

"Literary Larceny"

 
I don't want to scare you, but the publishing world is a scary, complicated beast with a long history of prioritizing making a profit over looking out for authors. Please educate yourself and others. Spread the word that this latest trend in "literary larceny" is unethical and needs to stop.

I borrowed the alliterative topic title from Kristen Lamb, who posted an enlightening (and infuriating) article ("Literary Larceny & Why People Should Be Ashamed") referring to a growing trend that hurts writers. Back in 2015 she also wrote the eye-opening (for me, anyway) article: "PAY THE WRITER: Pirates, Used Bookstores & Why Writers Need to Stand Up for What's Right."

Paul Combs writes about it in: "Steal This Book: Amazon and TikTok Users Team Up to Brazenly Promote Theft From Authors in Horrific New Scam."

Selfishgenie Publishing shares this "cautionary tale": "Alice in Amazonland (with apologies to Lewis Carroll)."​

Check out Aleksey Haritonenko's Feb 2025 article in Sellfy: Fighting eBook Piracy: 9 Ways to Protect Your eBook.
 

Nonfiction, Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Biography

Creative Nonfiction: True Stories Well Told - The Line Between Fact and Fiction by Roy Peter Clark.

How to Write a Memoir: Examples and a Step-by-Step Guide by Zining Mok

Memoir Writing, Ink - by Alison Wearing. This ongoing program looks like a fabulous opportunity to get coaching, support, accountability, resources, and to develop connections and community. And it seems to be priced pretty reasonably.​

Publishing

 
Hybrid publishing: IBPA Position Statement on Hybrid Publisher Criteria

"Indie" publishing - What is Indie Publishing? And How to Get Started in 2025 by the team at Reedsy that lays out the history of the term and modern connotations including how it differs from or encompasses "self" publishing.

Writing a Query Letter and composing a Synopsis of your story can feel daunting. But many have gone before you and are happy to offer guidance. Check out this article found on queryletter.com: "Pitching Your Book: A Synopsis Example and 5 Helpful Tips."

Self Editing

 
14 Line Editing Tips provided by Reedsy

20 Editing Tips from ProWritingAid

How to do your own Line Edits by Reedsy

Passive to Active Voice shifting in your own writing by Reedsy

Writing Techniques by ProWritingAid

Your Editing Journey - How to Make Your Manuscript Shine pdf by ProWritingAid

Storytelling & Structure

 
Whether you are writing a script, developing your storytelling for tabletop or online role-playing games, writing a novel or short story, challenging yourself to NaNoWritMo, or working on a submission to a writing competition—you need to know how to put a story together so that it engages and resonates with the human psyche and experience, as well as satisfies our human need for good story.

Kristen Lamb's article: Arc: How Characters Grow and Change Organically is fantastic!

K.M. Weiland's website/blog: Helping Writers Become Authors has too many excellent resources to link them all on: story structure, outlining, character development, scene structure, themes, storytelling, etc.

Quick and Dirty Tips - how you can Improve Your Storytelling with Playwriting Techniques.

Save the Cat - Language of Storytelling is a website with some wonderful storytelling tips and tactics.

Style Guides

 
Examples of Manuals and Style Guides for English by region:

- Australia: Style Manual: For Authors, Editors and Printers—Snooks & Co. for the Department of Finance and Administration

- Canada: The Canadian Style: A Guide to Writing and Editing—Dundurn Press

- New Zealand: Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa Style Guide of the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc.), and the Writing Style Guide—University of Otago

- UK: Copy-editing: The Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Authors and Publishers—Judith Butcher, and The Oxford Style Manual, the Oxford Guide to Style, and The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors

- USA: The Associated Press Stylebook Basic Books,
the Chicago Manual of Style, and Elements of Style—William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White

Specific helpful resources:
​Chicago Manual of Style Online - Quick Citation Guide

Perlego has put together an impressive-looking referencing and citations guide for APA and Harvard formats.​

Tutorials:

MS Word, Styles, Track Changes & Formatting

 
​Erin Wright - YouTube: How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word

Jerry Jenkins - How to Format Your Manuscript (Even If You Hate Computers)

Louise Harnby - Formatting Your Book in Word Using the Styles Tool

Microsoft Office 365 Support - Track Changes in Word

Shauna Kelly - Making the Most of Word in Your Business: Track Changes

​Tantro Bensko for the Writing Cooperative - When Editors Use Track Changes on Your Manuscript
​
Tips and Tricks HQ - 15 Most Useful Microsoft Word Shortcuts

​
Word Ribbon Tips - Powerful Word Tips, Tricks, and Ideas, Track Changes, Using the Style Tool in Word

Do you have a suggestion for a topic that you or other writers would find useful?
Let me know in the Contact Form, and I'll check it out.
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