I am not a fan of reinventing the wheel. If I've found a terrific explanation for something, I use it, give credit, and move on.
Have you discovered an especially helpful resource?
Send me a note via email or Contact form, and I'll check it out.
Beta Reader Resources
Authors XP - This organization matches avid readers with authors who need them
Beta Books - This organization has a good reputation and provides beta organizational support so authors can focus on writing.
Rooted in Writing - offers a comprehensive resource for authors on how to effectively and safely utilize beta readers.
The Young Writers Initiative - This online community of volunteers work toward the goal of helping young writers publish. Excellent!
Children's Literature
Children's Book Formula
Darcy Pattison's blog
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Write Academy
Darcy Pattison's blog
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Write Academy
Dialogue
"Dialogue Tags vs. Action Beats" by Kelly F Barr in Hope Heart Heroes
General Writing and Word Craft
"Common Editing and Writing Problems by Dorothy Mitstifer" – a pdf list of things to do and things to avoid. Handy little reference for writers to use in self editing their work.
The Grammatical Expletive: Just Publishing Advice has a great article with clear examples and explanations for what this is and how to fix it.
"Killing your darlings" - where does this advice come from and what does it mean? a Masterclass Article.
Learning English website has a great explanation with examples to help us understand passive modals.
"Money-Saving Guide for Authors and Writers" - a general, comprehensive guide for writers who want to become a published author but don't know where or how to begin.
ProWritingAid is a fantastic resource! They have a wonderful software program that can help you self-edit and learn so much about the craft of writing. I use it myself and the website is also chock full of incredible articles and explanations. "Getting the Most Out of Your Editor by Preparing Your Manuscript First" is a good article listing seven steps of manuscript preparation.
RIT's (Rochester Institute of Technology) SEA website (Supporting English Acquisition) has some very helpful articles on communication. I especially liked this one on Passive Voice - "Stative Passive Constructions Describing Emotional States".
"Save the Cat" principle - coined by Blake Snyder and explained by Steven Pressfield.
Showing vs Telling: Heaps has been written on this subject. Check out Jerry Jenkins article - "Show, Don't Tell: What You Need to Know" which is straightforward and helpful for grasping the concept. Then pop over to Jericho Writers where Harry Bingham posts a couple articles that elaborate on the nuances: "Showing, Telling, and a Truckload of Nonsense" and "Showing and Telling, a Middle Route".
Storm Writing School - I'm a huge fan of Tim Storm's philosophies. Aspiring authors and those who want to deepen their stories so they have an impact on their readers should check out his offerings. On this page he lists his core tenets. I highly recommend you check it out. "Why Your Story's Conflict May Fail to Grip Readers" and "Delight: The Secondary Source of Reader Engagement" are fantastic examples of his insightful articles.
"SuperSummary offers a library of articles on literary terms and devices, ranging from allusion to metaphor, alliteration to hyperbole, irony to symbolism. We also cover figures of speech, poetic and rhetorical devices, and literary techniques and eras. Each article provides in-depth information, including the term's definitions and uses, as well as examples from literature. Learn something new, or relive high school English class, with these comprehensive articles."
"Tenses in Fiction Writing: Present, Past, Past Perfect and Habitual Past" explained by Louise Harnby.
Writing Resource - This is a cool general writing resource provided by a company that makes wristbands for various causes - Wristband Express.
Grammar
No AI editing tool/grammar checker program is perfect. But ProWritingAid is extremely helpful. You can learn a lot from their helpful website articles too.
Hiring an Editor
Jane Friedman - "The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor"
Jennifer Harshman Services - "Find a Real Editor"
Megan Harris - "8 Must-Haves for Freelance Editing Contracts"
Jennifer Harshman Services - "Find a Real Editor"
Megan Harris - "8 Must-Haves for Freelance Editing Contracts"
Legal Issues
The Book Designer - "What Every Writer Ought to Know About Fair Use and Copyright" by Joel Friedlander
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 - "Staying Legal When Using Quotes" by Joy Butler
International Trademark Association - offers a "Guide to Proper Trademark Use"
LegalZoom has good information on how and why a writer would copyright a book.
PW LLC - a US national law firm - has copyright info, stuff on plagiarism as well as explanations of statutes of limitations for writers, photographers, musicians, etc. There is a lot of good legal advice (it seems so to my untrained eye, at least).
This site was recommended to me by a young writer in Colorado. Thanks, Noah! Good luck with your YA fantasy series!
Selfpublishing.com has a "how to" article full of advice and resources for copyrighting your writing.
Self-Publishing School has a step-by-step tutorial on how to copyright your book.
Stanford University Library has a great resource on "Fair Use."
Trademark and Brands used in fiction: Mark Fowler's Blog "Rights of Writers" answers the question, "Can I Mention Brand Name Products in My Fiction?"
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 - "Staying Legal When Using Quotes" by Joy Butler
International Trademark Association - offers a "Guide to Proper Trademark Use"
LegalZoom has good information on how and why a writer would copyright a book.
PW LLC - a US national law firm - has copyright info, stuff on plagiarism as well as explanations of statutes of limitations for writers, photographers, musicians, etc. There is a lot of good legal advice (it seems so to my untrained eye, at least).
This site was recommended to me by a young writer in Colorado. Thanks, Noah! Good luck with your YA fantasy series!
Selfpublishing.com has a "how to" article full of advice and resources for copyrighting your writing.
Self-Publishing School has a step-by-step tutorial on how to copyright your book.
Stanford University Library has a great resource on "Fair Use."
Trademark and Brands used in fiction: Mark Fowler's Blog "Rights of Writers" answers the question, "Can I Mention Brand Name Products in My Fiction?"
"Literary Larceny"
The Publishing world is a scary complicated beast with a long history of not looking out for authors. Please educate yourself and others. Spread the word that this latest trend is WRONG and needs to stop!
I borrowed the alliterative topic title from Kristen Lamb who has posted an enlightening (and infuriating) article ("Literary Larceny & Why People Should Be Ashamed") on a growing trend that is hurting writers. Back in 2015 she also wrote the eye-opening 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)."
Yuwanda, the site editor of Inkwell Editorial describes: "Ebook Theft: 12 Things You Can Do To Stop Someone from Copying and Selling Your Ebook."
I borrowed the alliterative topic title from Kristen Lamb who has posted an enlightening (and infuriating) article ("Literary Larceny & Why People Should Be Ashamed") on a growing trend that is hurting writers. Back in 2015 she also wrote the eye-opening 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)."
Yuwanda, the site editor of Inkwell Editorial describes: "Ebook Theft: 12 Things You Can Do To Stop Someone from Copying and Selling Your Ebook."
Nonfiction, Creative Nonfiction,
Memoir, Autobiography, Biography
Sensitivity / Inclusivity / Diversity
The Conscious Style Guide has many informative articles and a newsletter.
Dyslexie Font is a unique type face that aids those with dyslexia, which is a neurodiversity that can make reading a challenge.
Editor's {of Color} - by Conscious Style Guide - has a directory of professionals
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
The NY Times: In the 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."
Pro Writing Aid software: Inclusive Language
Pub(lishing) Crawl: "About that White as Default Thing" by S. Jae-Jones
Refinery 29: "What Is #OwnVoices Doing To Our Books" by Kat Rosenfield - this article explains the history and legitimacy of the #ownvoices movement as well as the fallout and pitfalls of limiting creativity. Very thought provoking.
Renee Harleston - is a sensitivity reader, blogger of "Writing Diversely", writer, and many other things. But I just love this article she wrote 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.
Sensitivity Reader Directories -
TCK Publishing: "Why Diverse Fiction Matters" by Kate Sullivan
The Trans Language Primer
We Need Diverse Books: "The Rise of Gender-Inclusive Pronouns and Language in Literature" by Maya Sungold
ylva publishing: In the article "Avoiding Racism for Writers - Coffee, Honey and Other Color Don't," Alex K. Thorne says:
When writing about a character of colour (ESPECIALLY if you’re a white author), visit sites such as:
writingwithcolor.tumblr.com
weareallmixedup.tumblr.com
thisisnotafrica.tumblr.com
thisisnotlatinx.tumblr.com
Dyslexie Font is a unique type face that aids those with dyslexia, which is a neurodiversity that can make reading a challenge.
Editor's {of Color} - by Conscious Style Guide - has a directory of professionals
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
The NY Times: In the 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."
Pro Writing Aid software: Inclusive Language
Pub(lishing) Crawl: "About that White as Default Thing" by S. Jae-Jones
Refinery 29: "What Is #OwnVoices Doing To Our Books" by Kat Rosenfield - this article explains the history and legitimacy of the #ownvoices movement as well as the fallout and pitfalls of limiting creativity. Very thought provoking.
Renee Harleston - is a sensitivity reader, blogger of "Writing Diversely", writer, and many other things. But I just love this article she wrote 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.
Sensitivity Reader Directories -
TCK Publishing: "Why Diverse Fiction Matters" by Kate Sullivan
The Trans Language Primer
We Need Diverse Books: "The Rise of Gender-Inclusive Pronouns and Language in Literature" by Maya Sungold
ylva publishing: In the article "Avoiding Racism for Writers - Coffee, Honey and Other Color Don't," Alex K. Thorne says:
When writing about a character of colour (ESPECIALLY if you’re a white author), visit sites such as:
writingwithcolor.tumblr.com
weareallmixedup.tumblr.com
thisisnotafrica.tumblr.com
thisisnotlatinx.tumblr.com
Storytelling and Structure
Whether you are writing a script, developing your storytelling for tabletop or online roleplaying games, writing a novel or short story, challenging yourself to NaNoWriMo, or working on a submission to a writing competition - you need to know how to put a story together so it is engaging and resonates with the human psyche and experience, as well as satisfies our human need and expectations for what makes a good story.
Kristen Lamb's article "Arc: How Characters Grow and Change Organically" is fantastic!
K. M. Weiland has excellent resources for story structure, outlining, character development, scene structure, themes, storytelling, etc. !
Quick and Dirty Tips on how you can "Improve Your Storytelling with Playwriting Techniques."
Save the Cat - the Language of Storytelling is a website with some wonderful storytelling tips and tactics.
"Character and Narrative Structure, Tips for Writing Engaging Scenes" is a found in, of all places, the website for a theater prop online store. The Theater Seat Store has a number of resources aimed at Writing for Theater and Film, but they have material in there for all storytellers.
Kristen Lamb's article "Arc: How Characters Grow and Change Organically" is fantastic!
K. M. Weiland has excellent resources for story structure, outlining, character development, scene structure, themes, storytelling, etc. !
Quick and Dirty Tips on how you can "Improve Your Storytelling with Playwriting Techniques."
Save the Cat - the Language of Storytelling is a website with some wonderful storytelling tips and tactics.
"Character and Narrative Structure, Tips for Writing Engaging Scenes" is a found in, of all places, the website for a theater prop online store. The Theater Seat Store has a number of resources aimed at Writing for Theater and Film, but they have material in there for all storytellers.
Style Guide Resources
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 by 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 Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White., and the Chicago Manual of Style.
Specific helpful resources:
Chicago Manual of Style's quick citation guide.
Perlego has put together a referencing and citations guide for APA and Harvard formats. Looks impressive.
- 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 by 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 Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White., and the Chicago Manual of Style.
Specific helpful resources:
Chicago Manual of Style's quick citation guide.
Perlego has put together a referencing and citations guide for APA and Harvard formats. Looks impressive.
Tutorials for MS Word, Styles,
& Track Changes
and Formatting
Editorial Freelancers Association - Guidebook for New Authors
Jerry Jenkins - How to Format your Manuscript (Even if you Hate Computers)
Louise Harnby - Formatting Your Book in Word Using the Styles Tool
Word Ribbon Tips.net - Using the Style tool in Word
Erin Wright - YouTube: How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word
Shauna Kelly - Making the Most of Word in your Business: Track Changes
Tips and Tricks HQ - 15 Most Useful Microsoft Word Shortcuts
Word Ribbon Tips.net - Home page, Track Changes
Jerry Jenkins - How to Format your Manuscript (Even if you Hate Computers)
Louise Harnby - Formatting Your Book in Word Using the Styles Tool
Word Ribbon Tips.net - Using the Style tool in Word
Erin Wright - YouTube: How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word
Shauna Kelly - Making the Most of Word in your Business: Track Changes
Tips and Tricks HQ - 15 Most Useful Microsoft Word Shortcuts
Word Ribbon Tips.net - Home page, Track Changes
