Writers Tool Kit

A list of resources on the craft and business of writing


Agents, editors, and publishers

Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR) is the professional association for literary and dramatic agents, and it's a great place to start your search for an agent. Members agree to abide by the AAR's Canon of Ethics and the professional standards enumerated in the organization's bylaws.

The Book Deal blog offers advice and insights in the crazy and rapidly changing world of book publishing.

Guide to Literary Agents Blog hosted on Writer's Digest.

Kossack's Guide to Publishing offers solid inside info on getting published from a veteran writer and editor.

Pub Rants offers engaging commentary on the state of publishing from a literary agent's perspective.

Query Shark's tough-talking agent helps authors revise hopeless queries into wins, and readers get to follow the process. The brave can submit their own query letters for review.

Writer Beware Blogs is sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America with support from Mystery Writers of America, and its goal is to spotlight publishing scams.

Writer's Market is the resource if you're looking to sell your story or novel. A subscription gives you online access to thousands of publishers, hundreds of agents and thousands of magazines. Listings include submission guidelines, giving you the edge over other hopeful authors.

Wordworks (our own Sarah Batschelet is the owner) and Nuance Words are just two of many local editing services. Kathy also offers editing services and swears her website will be up any day now.

Grammar and language geeks

The Chicago Manual of Style is grandaddy of style guides, covering everything from the parts of a book and how to format them to grammar and usage. You probably won't need enough of this massive guide to subscribe, but the Q&A section is open to all. If you're polishing a manuscript, it might be worth subscribing, because most book publishers follow CMOS.


Grammarbook.com is posted by the author of the The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation and is great if you're feeling a little lost. The quizzes will have you confidently revising for correct punctuation and grammar in no time.

Grammar Girl gives you fun, completely unstuffy advice on English grammar and usage.

Grammar Guide Quizzes challenge even the most self-assured grammar nerd with twisty brain teasers from a veteran newspaper copy editor.

Lingua Franca provides thoughtful commentary on language and writing by some of the most respected members of the U-press community.

Self-publishing resources

How to Self-Publish an E-Book is a good place to start if you decide to go digital.

IndieReader offers reviews, interviews, and discussion on the topics of self-publishing and e-books.

Let's Get Digital's tag line—How to Self-Publish, and Why You Should—says it all, and author David Gaughran's website is a great resource for anyone considering self-publishing.

Self-Publishing a Book: 25 Things You Need to Know is a helpful starting place if you are considering self-publishing.

The Self-Publishing Review is a critical exploration of self-published books by an experienced editor who began this blog to disprove her own contention that all self-published books are terrible. Not all are, as it turns out, but her reviews highlight some common problem areas for DIY projects that have no professional input.

SPR (Self-Publishing Review) is an online magazine that (surprise!) reviews self-published books and also offers news, commentary and writers' blogs about the brave new world of self-publishing.

The Threepenny Editor blogs about writing and publishing from the perspectives of an editor and a book designer, both of whom have over a decade of industry experience and a strong commitment to self-publishing.

Industry organizations and resources

The Authors Guild is the US-based advocacy organization for authors. Among many benefits, members receive free book contact reviews.

Mediabistro offers online training and industry news. Their professional organization, AvantGuild, offers members how-to videos on everything from line editing your own writing to finding an agent. Members can market their services through Mediabistro and get access to inside info on pitching consumer magazines.

Publishers Weekly is the official guide to the land of the "Big Six" publishers.

Writers

About Freelance Writing shares tips and resources from a freelancer with 30 years of experience.

Advice to Writers gathers pithy quotes and interviews from writers, living and deceased, commercial and literary.

Books Blog is The Guardian's blog on all things bookish, including commentary of various things literary by well-known, published writers.

Draft is a NYT blog on the craft of writing. Contributors have included Jhumpa Lahiri, Constance Hale, and Ben Yagoda.

Fostering Creativity is a great blog for those who are exploring the world of professional writing, including genre and short fiction, written by an editor and writer with over a decade of experience in the field.

IMSDb, the Internet Movie Script Database, is a terrific resource for aspiring screenwriters.

The Writer's Almanac is a daily e-newsletter and podcast with Garrison Keillor, each offering brief notes on poets and writers, interviews, and a poem.

Writers Don't Cry is author and editor Susan J.Morris's take on the craft of writing. Her posts are available on her own site and on Amazon's Omnivoracious blog.

The Write Practice is dedicated to getting you to do the one thing you must do as a writer: write.










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