Links for Writers
Resources for Children's and YA Writers |
Children's and YA Book Awards
YA Book Review Sites
| Picture Book Review Sites and Blogs |
Teen Booklists
Book Reviews by Teens |
Children's and YA Writing Organizations
Resources for
Writers | Writing Technique |
Writing Advice
Books on Writing - Reviews |
Writing Prompts | Naming Your Characters
Email Newsletters for Writers | Book
Promotion and Marketing
Book Promotion Lists |
Newsletters on Book Promotion | Fun for Writers
Writer's Block | On Rejection
| Quotes About Writing |
Getting Published
Resources for Book Lovers |
Literary Agents
Questions to Ask Prospective Agents
Literary Agents - Advice and How to Find
Query Letters
| Fiction Critiquing |
Writer's Supplies
Publishing and Writing Opportunities for Youg Writers
| Resources for Poets
Poetry Online -
Classic and Contemporary
Resources for Children's Writers and YA Writers
Verla Kay
This site is a wealth of information! Especially interesting
are her KidLit Chats (live chats you can join about writing at scheduled times) and the transcripts of those chats,
freely available to everyone. Various children's writers, editors, and illustrators have at different times given a
mini workshop through her KidLit Chat. Also some good suggestions from herself and other children's writers for those
just starting out, and some writer's tips.
The Purple Crayon
A very informative with lots of useful articles
about writing and editing children's fiction, stright from a children's editor. Also includes wonderful articles from
Laura Belgrave's website "Slush Pile", which is no longer up.
To Market by
Susan Salzman Raab
The To Market column online -- a column for children's writers and illustrators interested in
publicizing and marketing their work. A LOT here.
Aaron Shepherd's Kidwriter Page
Some article and
tips on how to write and promote children's books by Aaron Shepherd, children's writer.
Susette Williams
Lots of great articles by various authors about
writing fiction (under the "workshops" link).
The Horn Book
The Horn Book online
features articles and some reviews of children's books from the print version. The magazine is a respected source for
reviews of children's fiction and info about the world of children's publishing.
Children's
Publishers' Submission Guidelines Online
Finally, a site that has information about submitting to children's
publishers!
The Scoop: Children's Book News
Features reviews
of children and ya books, and a few author interviews.
Cynthia Leitich Smith: Children's
Literature Resources
Check out her original interviews with children's writers and illustrators.
Write4Kids.com
The Children's Writing Supersite. Also houses the
monthly column Children's Writers Marketplace.
Children's Literature Web Guide (CLWG)
This site
provides links to authors' sites, lists of recommended books, children's journals and book reviews, resources for
writers, children's book publishers, children's book sellers and more. An extensive set of links just for children's
writers.
Writing Young Adult Fiction - About.com
Some nice links here to
more extensive sites and aritcles on writing for children and teens. Includes children's book awards, children's book
reviews, children's book publishers, children's book authors, and more.
Children's Writing - Suite 101.com
There
are lots of good articles and links here to explore. Many of the articles are basic or just give you a starting point,
but they can help you think about what you need to.
Children's and YA Book Awards
Children's Book Awards at the CLWG
The most
comprehensive guide to English-language children's book awards on the Internet. Does not link to the actual award
sites, but lists which books (and authors) won the awards each year.
Children's Book Awards*broken*
Lists many awards
for Children's books, with links to application forms for the awards, or the acutal sites that host the awards.
YA Book Review Sites
Favourite Teenage Angst Books
One of my favourite teen book review
sites! Short, succinct, thoughtful reviews about some powerful books. Categories include: sex and love; fitting in;
mixed-up families; pressure; trouble; healing; and more. Easy to navigate and read, and visually pleasing. Also has a
message board, a section of links, and some "cool bits".
YA Book Central
You can add a book to their database--so if your
book isn't there, submit it. :) Press releases, book reviews, bios, and news items can also be submitted here. There
are also reader guides, study guides, teacher guides, contests, and a monthly newsletter.
Children's and
Young Adult Book Reading Resources by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Cynthia Leitich Smith covers a huge amount of
children's and teen books, giving a summary of the book's story, and a few succinct lines of review. (In the menu on
the left, you can choose to browse by age group, genre, etc. Also, click on one of the subtitles under
"Bibliographies.") Want to find something good to read? Check out her pages. Cynthia is also a writer for children and
teens; you can check out her books as well.
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site
There are lots of reviews of
children's and YA books here, coupled with ideas of how teachers can use them in the classroom. Each book review
mentions the grade level, and the books reviewed range from Pre-K all the way up to grade 9. There's a featured book
section, and an archive of all reviewed books. Reviews are also categorized by theme, topic, and subject, and there's
a free monthly newsletter. Great for educators!
TeenReads.com
This site has well-written and thoughtful
reviews, an author section featuring authors that TeenRead.com has interviewed or featured their book on, a book club
and reading guide for teens, a message board, and a newsletter.
Richie's Picks
More great YA book picks and reviews. Features long
excerpts from the books themselves, though not as much commentary. You can also receive the reviews by email.
curledup.com Curled Up With a Good Book
This site reviews many types of
books, fiction and non-fiction. Although they do not focus on YA fiction, they do review it, and the reviews are
thoughtful. The reviewers clearly know teen fiction.
CM Magazine Canadian Review of Materials
Great reviews,
well-written and thoughtful. This site has reviews of books for kids and teens, and mainly focuses on Canadian titles.
The site has reviews going back to 1972, as well as current titles, and you can search by title, author, date,
age/grade, or read the current issue or the back issues.
Reader's Club: Young Adult
Tons of reviews of teen
books, organized by subject. Lots to read here! They also have reviews by celebrities (authors, actors, etc).
Picture Book Review Sites
Cheryl Rainfield's Picture Book Reviews
My site, :) which has
extensive reviews of picture books, as well as books organized by subject.
The PlanetEsme Plan: The Best New Children's Books from Esme's Shelf
(blog)
A great blog with frequent postings about new and interesting picture books. Well written, ]
opinionated, lively, and sometimes funny, these reviews will help you find some picture books that interest you.
Recommended!
Children's Books at About.com
Picture book
reviews written by Elizabeth Kennedy, a children's educator. There's a lot to explore on this site, with picture book
reviews organized by subject and age, links to good picture book lists, resources, and more.
Favourite Reads,
Children's Picture Books, by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Brief reviews and recommendations of picture books by
author Cynthia Leitch Smith. The reviews are organized by title, and there are a lot to look at; you're sure to find a
book you like.
Teen Booklists
Reading Rants! Out of the ordinary teen booklists
One of my
favourite sites! There are some wonderful booklists here, including Teen Tearjerkers: Stories that will make you
sniff; Riot Grrrl: Best Riot Grrrrl Reads!; Bare Bones: Honest Fiction about Weight and Eating Disorders; Closet Club:
Gay Fiction for Teens; and more. When you click on each booklist, you get to an engaging summary, review, and rating
of the books, along with pictures of the covers. Conversational, interesting, thoughtful and thought-provoking -- need
I say more? :)
Favourite Teenage Angst Books
One of my favourite teen book review
sites! Short, succinct, thoughtful reviews about some powerful books. Categories include: sex and love; fitting in;
mixed-up families; pressure; trouble; healing; and more. Easy to navigate and read, and visually pleasing. Also has a
message board, a section of links, and some "cool bits".
YALSA Booklists and Awards (Young
Adult Library Services Association)
Great lists of books for teens by YALSA. Extensive lists, including best
books from 2004 all the way to 1994.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Teen Reads
A great set of booklists by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, organized by topic, including mysteries and
thrillers, fiction with lesbian and gay characters, teen pregnancy and parenthood, fiction about changing the world,
fiction about mental illness, and more.
ATN - Book Lists (Suggested Reading)
This is an extensive
site of booklists for teens--including booklists organized by theme, values, genre, author, award, if you like...
you'll like..., and more. You can find books to fit almost any taste on this site--and almost any topic.
Teen Book Reviews @ Bookloons
Check out the reviews
of books some well-known authors, including Joan Aiken, Lloyd Alexander, David Almond, and more. And while you're
there, they have a list of book-related contests for
both adults and teens, and links to various excerpts and
samples of teen writing.
Teens Read:Lesbian/Gay & Questioning
Identity Santa Clara County Teen Services
A list of teen books, which short summaries, with lesbian/gay
themes.
Book Reviews by Teens
Reads4Teens
Great, well-organized site of book reviews (and summaries)
by teens, organized by subject. Teens can submit their reviews.
Smartgirl Book Reviews
This site has TONS of book
reviews by teens and young girls. You can read reviews, or submit your own. There are also reviews on movies,
magazines, music, TV, travel, and more.
Teen Zone: Teen Reviews 2005*broken*
Reviews
of books by teens, some very thoughtful and indepth, some less so. All books are given a rating by the teen who read
them. Teens can submit their reviews by email.
Journey Into a Good Book: Cumberland Public Library, Teen Reviews
Very short comments on books by teens (the age of the teen mentioned), sometimes only saying something like "I
liked the book," organized by genre.
Children's and YA Writers Organizations
SCBWI - Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
A professional
organization to join if you're serious about writing for children. Has a lot of US chapters, and some international
and Canadian.
CANSCAIP - Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and
Performers
A Canadian professional organization you might want to join if you're serious about writing for
children. Most chapters have monthly meetings with mini-workshops as well as sharing resources, and the writers are
always friendly. You can also view the websites of many great Canadian children's and YA authors.
Canadian Children's Book Centre
Their site provides links to Canadian
children's book awards, resources for children's authors, authors' sites, Canadian children's book publishers,
Canadian children's bookstores, and submission guidelines and a form for "Our Choice", a book they produce on the top
Canadian children's books. The center also offer programs, publications and services to teachers, librarians, and book
sellers. Author members can be listed in their Directory of Authors & Illustrators Available for School and Library
Visits. Members receive their print magazine, Children's Book News.
Resources For Writers
Holly Lisle.com
An incredibly extensive site chock full of resources!
There are tons of free articles, workshops, and resources. Holly Lisle's great newsletter for writers "Forward Motion"
(available in html and as a download), her ezine Vision, and a fabulous set of articles by Holly Lisle compiled in a
free downloadable ebook Mugging the Muse: Writing Fiction for Love AND Money are all free. Dig in and spend some time
here.
Writing World
When Inkspot disappeared, Writing World appeared
just in time. Writing World features the incredibly helpful and popular monthly columns such as Advice from a
Caterpillar: Q & A for Children's Writers, and Book Promotion on a Budget, and loads of helpful articles, links, and
resources. Well worth the visit!
AllExperts Ask a Writer
Ask a writer
a question about writing and receive a one-to-one response, for free! You can read up about each writer before you
decide who to write to.
Writer's Digest - 101 Best Writing Sites
Writer's Digest lists what they (and people who voted) think are the top 101 best writing sites. There's some good
stuff, and a lot here to explore!
The Writer's Store
Want to buy some
fiction writing software? This place seems to have it all.
Resources for Writers at Suite 101.com
Reviews of
software, sites, and books about writing, and links to articles.
Eclectic Writing Articles
Some good articles here
at Eclectic Writer, as well as a character chart, their own newsletter, and links to other sites.
Preditors and Editors
A guide to publishers and writing
services for serious writers
This site lists agents to avoid---possible scams, agents who charge fees, and agents
who are potentially problematic---as well as agents they recommend, and agent contact information in general. On their
explanation page, they explain that their "not recommended" label can mean one of many things, including that an
agent: Charges a fee up front; Charges the writer with excessive copying fees; Shares writer names with an editing
service, etc.
The Writer's Almanac
A daily 5 minute radio program that you can listen
o online, that gives some history about famous writers whose birthdays are that day. A poem is also read.
Writing Technique
Alicia Rasley's Writers' Corner
One of my all-time
favourite writing sites to visit. Alicia has TONS of incredibly helpful and insightful articles about how to write, a
question of the month (you're invited to ask your question, and she'll give you quite a detailed answer if she picks
yours), a new article every month, and the top 10 plotting problems. Her wonderful articles also give you a feel for
what is in her writing booklets offered for sale. Wonderful stuff here.
Coffeehouse for Writers Good to the Last Word
Coffeehouse
for Writers is a great site. They have lots of articles and tips on writing technique, a good newsletter on writing
technique (I love Karen Hertzberg's articles).
Garbl's Fat-Free-Writing Links
Information
and links about cutting the excess from your writing and making it more conscise.
Creative Writing for Teens (but really, good for everyone)
Articles on character development and naming your characters. There is some good information here -- just take
it the context of what you know; they can go overboard on some of the examples).
Writer's Career Center
There are some good articles here on writing
exercises and how-to. Click on the articles link (you'll find more).
Writing Advice from Caro Clarke
A series of 18 articles
on writing technique and advice that Caro Clarke wrote, and that were featured in the online writer's newsletter Novel
Advice.
Free Online mini writing course by Crawford Kilian
An extensive, free series of articles written by Crawford Kilian (and hosted on bricolage), that cover such
topics as Developing Efficient Work Habits, Elements Of A Successful Story, Style: Checklist For Fiction Writers,
Symbolism and all that, Writing A Query Letter About Your Novel, Reading a Contract, and more. Worth checking out.
Writing Advice
Writing Tips Depot
A great starting place for the beginning
writer. Beginning and experienced writers can all use the reminders in the tips on dealing with criticism!
Excellent.
Weekly Tips for Writers by Erica Jong
Some excellent,
thoughtful tips for writers by Erica Jong. New tips weekly! I especially liked her reminding writers to write from
their hearts - and her 20 Rules for
Writers is great!
Books on Writing - Reviews
Recommended Books on Writing Technique: The Best of the Best
These are some of the books on writing that I have found the most helpful, most insightful, and most inspiring.
Want to make your writing the best it can be? Check out some of these books.
Errant Dreams Book Reviews
An
extensive list of reviews on books for writers. The reviews listed here mostly link to eopinions.com, where sometimes
several people write reviews. A great list that pulls many reviews together.
Reviews of Writing Books @ Writers Read
Another
incredibly extensive list of reviews of books for writers---books on writing technique, book promotion, and much more.
A great resource!
Recommended Books on Writing and
Illustrating for Children
An extensive list of recommended books for children's authors. The list is divided
into helpful sections, including books on writing for all ages. Well worth browsing!
Books on Writing Books for Children @ Harry's Inkspot
Another extensive list of recommended books for children's authors, including short reviews on each.
Writing Prompts
Writing Prompt Guidelines*broken* by Emily Hanlon
Some
writing prompt guidelines to help you know how to use prompts well.
Writing Prompts by Kelli Brooke
Haywood
Some great, intriguing writing prompts sure to get you going. They are spread out over a series of
five articles: Writing Prompts #1,
Writing Prompts #2,
Writing Prompts #3,
Writing Prompts #4,
Writing Prompts #5. Recommended.
Writing Prompts from TheFirstLine.com
Writing prompts introduced as
the first line of your story. There seems to only be one sentence every two months, but the sentence are intriguing.
Look at their archive of past sentences*broken* for more
prompts.
Writing Exercises at Momwriters
Some really
interesting writing exercises.
The Story Starter
An online writing prompt tool. You click the
start the story button, and you get a text box telling you about your character: if your character is male or female,
their job, their archetype, a key object or symbol, a setting, and a theme.
Writing Exercises and Prompts
A
series of writing exercises, prompts, and writing techniques.
Dr. John's Eazy-Peazy Guide To Creative Writing
Ideas
An online writing prompt engine. Click on the button and recieve a writing prompt. You can start typing
your story right in the text box if you want, then copy it to your word processor.
The Value of Writing Prompts
An article
on the value of writing prompts, with links to some sites that offer writing prompts.
Naming Your Characters
Find Baby Names at Parenthood.com
My personal
favourite. Enter the attributes or meaning of a name you want your character to have, and they'll give you a list of
names that have that meaning. Or you can enter the name and get a meaning for the name. You can also search for a name
beginning with a letter, ending with a letter, by origin, or by sex.
BehindTheName.com the etymology and history of first names
Another
extensive site that allows you to find the meaning of the name. This site will also give you the history of a name.
There aren't as many results as from the site above, but the history of a name can be interesting.
Babynamer.com
Another site that lets you find or choose a name by
attributes or meaning. However, you're limited to the small number of meanings in their drop down menu. Can also
search the name by the letter it begins with, the number of syllables, the language it's used in, the language it
originates from, the popularity in the US, and with or without nicknames.
Analysis of Baby Names
Need some ideas for a
character's name? Go here. They have tons of names, organized by female and male into subsections by country, along
with a write up for each name about the qualities a person with that name might have. And for an analysis of a
particular name (what that person is supposed to be like) - just for fun about your own name or a friend's, or to give
you some starter ideas about a character, go here and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you type in the
name.
Free email newsletters for writers
Writer's Zone (formerly Aids4Writers)
An elist by
author Vicki Hinze where she answers writers' questions and provides detailed answers and mini workshops or articles
on the subject. The tone is conversational and friendly. Very informative. To sign up, click on the link on the left
side of her page called "Writers' Aids".
NAWW Weekly*broken?* (National Association of Women Writers)
An excellent
weekly newsletter, filled with articles on writing technique, writing on the web, and a focus on women writers.
Encouraging and supportive. To sign up, scroll partway down the page until you get to the link.
Fiction Fix
From Coffeehouse for Writers, this
newsletter has articles about the nuts and bolts of crafting fiction, for both beginners and experienced writers. You
can view back issues here.
The Daily Grind Currently on hiatus
Also
from Coffehouse for writers, this weekly tip newsletter focuses on living life as a writer while raising a family and
holding down a day job.
John Kremer's Book Marketing Tips
A short set of book marketing tips
that comes to your mailbox every week, by the author of 1001 Ways to Market your book. Click on the link on the left
to join up.
Writers' Periodicals & Newsletters
An extensive list of online periodicals and newsletters for writers.
Writers' Daily Quote Archive
Not a newsletter, and the
emails are no longer being sent, but if you like quotes from authors, check out this extensive archive.
Book Promotion & Marketing
Book Promotion by WritingWorld
There
are LOTS of articles and ideas here on book promotion, as well as the archives of a fabulous (no longer published)
column by MaryJanice Davidson called Book Promotion on a Budget.
40+ Ways to Make Your Next Book Signing an EVENT! by
Larry James
Want to sell books at your book signing? It's important not to just sit there behind the table. Larry
James gives a lot of incredibly helpful, sound advice on how to make your book signing work. Learn from an expert.
Also, check out his other helpful articles: Self Promote or Disappear; Radio Station Checklist and more.
How to Write, Publish, and Promote Books by Judy
Cullins
A huge collection (more than 100) of helpful articles on how to promote your book, both online and
offline.
Book Promotion and Marketing at FictionFactor
A good
collection of articles on book promotion from around the net.
Free Book Promotion Countdown Checklist by Lorna
Tedder
An excellent, very detailed list of what to do to prepare for your new book coming out. Excerpted from
Lorna Tedder's Book Promotion
Savvy.
Top Recommended Book Marketing,
Publicity & Promotion Resources by Annie Jennings
A good collection of resources for book promotion,
including places to get your book reviewed prior to publication, articles on book promotion, and more.
The Publicity Hound's Free Articles
There are some informative, helpful articles here on book promotion. Not all of the articles are about book promotion,
but there are enough good ones to make it worth the visit.
Book Publicity Resources at Writers Write
A list of
links to articles and web resources for book publicity.
EventCaster
A site where you can submit your booksigning, book
reading, etc. to this service (which is free if you enter the info online). They broadcasts those events to event
editors at newspapers and web sites that subscribe to this free service. It looks like you are supposed to be a
publisher, bookstore, or other organization to submit the info -- but hopefully they'll permit an author to submit the
info themselves.
Author
Appearances and Events at Publishers Weekly
A site where you can submit booksignings and speaking
engagements. It looks like you have to be a bookstore or venue where the signing is taking place, or a publisher to
submit.
Advice for Publishers at Midwest Book
Review
The web page says the articles are for publishers, but authors can benefit from reading this great
collection of articles on book promotion.
Book Promotion Lists - Great Lists to Belong To
These discussion list hosted on Yahoo Groups are a treasure trove of great informative and helpful postings by members on what works and what doesn't for book promotion. They are a wonderful way to share resources, to get feedback on your own promotional efforts and to learn from others' experiences. All these groups are currently very active.
To join, go to Yahoo Groups and sign up for the free Yahoo Groups membership. Then search the yahoo group you want to join by name, or click the links here, and sign up. Some groups are membership approval only--you sign up, and then the list owner lets you in or not.
A tip--don't just read the current posts when you join. Read the archives, and get caught up.
Internet Authors Book Promotion Yahoo group name:
"internet-authors"
A lively discussion group for authors of print books or eBooks interested in book promotion
through the Internet. Incredibly helpful and detailed information here on what works and what doesn't online.
Recommended.
Book Signings, Events & Marketing Yahoo group name:
"booksigners"
A very active group that focuses primarily on book signings and events as a way to market your
book, but also discusses and shares other forms of book promotion, as well as resources. This group covers a lot of
ground. Recommended.
Publishing and Promoting Yahoo group name:
"publishingandpromoting"
This group focuses on book marketing, promotion, and publicity, and how to find your
reader base. Good info.
Children's eBook Promotion Yahoo group name:
"ChildrensE-bookPromotion"
This group is for children's and YA e-book authors who want to share promotion ideas
and campaigns. Although it's focus is on ebook authors, there is still some information that can be used by print
authors. Not as active as the other groups--but genre specific.
Murder Must Advertise Yahoo group name:
"MurderMustAdvertise"
Do you write mysteries, thrillers, or suspense fiction? Then this group will have some
genre specific advice about book promotion for you. The group discusses ideas and practical tips for touring, direct
mail, advertising, online promotion, and more.
Newsletters on Book Promotion
Book Promotion Newsletter by Francine Silverman
A
newsletter with articles, information, and resources on book promotion. Readers can write in to share their
promotional experiences.
Frugal Marketing Tips by Shel Horowitz
This newsletter (and the
archives) provide great ideas and articles on marketing. Although the articles are not specific to book marketing,
most of the ideas can be applied. Written by the author of Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World. You
can sign up on this page and read the archives.
Book Marketing Tip of the Week by John Kremer
This
newsletter offers some great information and resources on book promotion, by the author of one of the best books on
book promotion - 1001 Ways to Market Your Book.
Fun for Writers
Monthly Horoscopes for Writers*broken*
Check
out this monthly horoscope column just for writers. :) It's tailored specifically for writers, editors, agents, and
anyone in the publishing business. Have some fun with it. :)
Silly Signs*broken*
Some of these signs
spotted around the world are very funny. Signs such as: "Kids with gas eat free." Or how about this one: "Illiterate?
Write for free help." Laughing yet? :) And if you like those, check out these silly and stupid things as well.
Humor for Writers*broken* at Absolute Write
Check out the jokes for writers, and the humor columns about writing. Some are funnier than others.
Writing Humour: Writing Tips
A
humourous list of writing tips that takes every tip and intentionally does the opposite of what the tip says. For
instance, "Write assertively, I think." See also their
Analogies you probably won't find in great
literature.
PseudoDictionary
A site where you can read and submit
non-words (words people think should be words, or words that should be in the dictionary). Try out their randomizer on
the right.
Writer's Block
Get Into It
This whole site is dedicated to writer's
block. There are reassuring, thoughtful articles, some exercises you can do, resources, and more. Good reminders that
you may not be writing because of lack of time, grief or depression, or excessive self-criticism, or you may be
writing in your mind without realizing it. Excellent stuff.
Stalled Careers, Writer's Block, and Monsters Under the
Bed
A good article on writer's block by Melisa Michaels - a writer who faced writer's block and passed
through it.
Writers' Block: Are We Having Fun Yet?
An article
on writers' block by Holly Lisle.
On Rejection
Dealing With Rejection by Ellen Jackson
An encouraging article with some truths that are important to remember--such as sucess as as a writer depends on
persistence; if your manuscript is rejected, it might not have anything to do with how good it is; and view specific
criticism as a gift (although keep your judgement about whether to listen to it or not).
Writing Through Rejection*broken*
A
wonderful, inspiring list of famous writers and their rejections, including Madeline L'Engle, who recieved 29
rejections before the wonderful A Wrinkle in Time was published, and C. S. Lewis, who recieved 800 rejections before
he had anything published. Inspiring! (Know that you're not alone.)
The Rejection Collection
Got another rejection letter? Go
here to commiserate and hopefully feel better.
Coping With Rejection by Moira Allen
How to
cope with rejection, including building boundaries, recognizing good rejections, and more.
Dealing With Rejection by Alex Keegan
A
good article on rejection at Writers Write.
Coping With Rejection*broken*
A great
article on rejection to help you keep it in perspective, with reminders that the person who rejected you is most
likely an underpaid, inexperienced reader, and that the rejection is just one person's perspective. Also has some good
advice on what NOT to do.
Dealing With Rejection Letters by Tama Westman
A
good, short article on dealing with rejection letters--allowing yourself to feel, sharing the rejection with a friend,
and getting your work back out there.
Writing for Children: Rejection Letters by
Bethany Roberts
Includes a few lines about famous children's authors whose work was rejected, and figuring out
what an editor's really saying in their rejection letter.
Ellen Jackson shares a few rejection letters
Ellen Jackson got more than 40 rejection letters for her book Cinder Edna, that has sold more than 75,000
hardcover copies. whew! Now that's encouraging. She shares a few of those rejection letters here. Also see her article
on dealing with rejection.
Some Tips for Dealing With Rejection by
Laraine Anne Barker
More tips on dealing with rejection.
Rejection is a drag
from Barbara
DeMarco-Barrett's blog, Pen on Fire.
Rejection Slips: A Balm for Writers and as Certain as Death
Some good advice and reminders here, including: “Rejection slips! Hah! Just consider the editor nuts and send
the work back out. And don't consider revising anything until it's had at least six negative responses.”
How Writers Can Reject Rejection
An article on
rejecting rejection by Gerald Gross.
Famous Rejections*broken* by
Elizabeth Rose
Don't let a rejection letter get you down... Read a few bad reviews and rejections of some famous
authors.
Quotes About Writing
Quote of the Day from BookReporter.com
A
large set of quotes about writing (often by writers), updated daily. You can view all the accumulated quotes in the
archive. A great resource!
Writers on Writing*broken*
Some great quotes
from writers on writing.
Quotes from writers on InkThink
More quotes on
writing, by writers.
Writing
Some nice quotes on writing.
Quotes About Writing
Lots of great quotes about
writing here, organized by sections.
Getting Published
20 Valuable Tips to Getting Published
Some good
information and advice on getting published. Thorough, sound advice on what to do--and what not to do, along with some
standards in looking professional.
Articles on the Writing Craft at FictionAddiction
Some good articles on writing.
Tips for Getting Published
Some good advice on getting published, including recognizing that a letter to edit and resubmit is a great thing.
Approaching the Publisher
Some good reminders on the
importance on being professional when approaching publishers.
Tips for Writers: Getting Published
Great advice on editing your
manuscript, not fearing rejection, querying only agents who don't charge fees, how to format your manuscript, and
more.
Resources for Book Lovers
abebooks.com
Can't find that out of book? Try here first. I buy almost
all my out-of-print books here. They bring together over 8800 independent bookdealers selling used, secondhand, rare,
and out-of-print books. You can also keep a wish list there and abebooks will email you once that book appears. I've
never not found a book I wanted there...and at a really reasonable price.
BookBrowse
Love to read new books? This is the site for you. They
have TONS of excerpts, reviews, author interviews, reading guides, etc. for the newest books, listed by title, author,
category, and search. Their categories are very thorough, including books for young adults, children, African
Americans, novels with Asian & Indian authors/themes, Self Help, Inspiration, and so much more. Not sure you want a
book? Read an excerpt.
allreaders.com
There are TONS of book reviews here (a short written
one, and then a detailed breakdown of various aspects). You can browse by category, author, or do a search by a title
you know. The really nice thing about this site is that if you know a book you really like, you can search it, and
then look beneath the review. They link to other books (and reviews of those books) that have similiar rankings. The
only think lacking here for me were sections on young adult and lesbian fiction...but I did search for L. M.
Montgomery (author of Anne of Green Gables) and found one book by her.
genrefluent
A great site of young adult book reviews! The reviews
are short and snappy, and there seem to be at least three new ones every week. A fabulous site.
If You Like...
An If You Like list (if you like this book,
you might also like...) from a library. You can search by author, theme, or keyword, or browse the complete list.
Literary Agents - Places that list agents
AgentQuery.com
You can search agents listed in this directory, and
you can narrow your search with the pull-down list on the left for fiction and non-fiction genres, including
children's, middle grade, and young adult, as well as others.
Preditors and Editors
Find out which agents
to avoid.
Literary Agents - Questions to Ask
Agent Advice
Some very sound, thoughtful
advice about agents, and a great list of questions to ask prospective agents.
Agents FAQ
More great questions to ask a
prospective agent, and a detailed discussion on agents, and how to get one.
Once You Have Found An Agent - AAR
*broken*
A great list of topics to discuss with an agent who's agreed to represent you, put out by the
Association of Author's Representatives. While you might not feel comfortable asking all of the questions, they give
you a lot of things to think about, to discover what's important to you.
Literary Agents - Advice, and How To Find
How to Secure a Literary Agent
An article on
how to find a literary agent.
A Brief Guide to Researching Literary Agents
Some
advice and resources on researching potential literary agents.
How to Find the Right Literary Agent for your book
Another good article on finding the right literary agent for you--and figuring out exactly what it is you're
looking for.
So You Wanna Write A
Query Letter to an Agent
An article about how to write a good query letter to an agent, and what you need to
include.
Query Letters
How To Write Great Queries Without Resorting To
Threats, Bribery or Coercion
A good article on query letters with sound advice and good reminders.
The Complete Nobody's Guide to Query Letters by Lynn Flewelling
This article tells you how to write a query letter, step-by-step, gives you an example of a professional-looking
query letter, and then examines and explains the query letter in detail. My new favourite article on how to write a
query letter. Lots of good advice here, as well as a bit of advice on rejection.
How to Write a Successful Query by Moira Allen
A
very detailed, very helpful article on writing a query letter that works. This is one of my favourite articles on
query letters.
Writing a Query Letter That Sells
One of
my favourite articles on writing a good query letter. I found this article inspiring and incredibly informative and
helpful.
How to Write Quality Query
Letters by John Hewitt
Why you should be specific when writing a query letter.
Tara K Harper's FAQ on Query Letters
More great
suggestions and ideas on how to--and how NOT to--write a query letter, from author Tara K. Harper.
How to Write a Synopsis by Rebecca Sinclair
You
often need to know how to write a synopsis, if you're sending out a query letter (and the publishing house asks for a
synopsis). Here's an article on how to write one.
Fiction Critiquing
How to Critique Fiction by Victory Cray
This is the ultimate
article on critiquing fiction! This article has tons of detailed, concrete, helpful suggestions on questions to ask
when critiquing someone else's work (or to give to someone who's going to critique yours). It's the best, most helpful
article on critiquing that I've ever come across.
Hardcore Critique Guidelines by Amy
Sterling Casil
A great, detailed article on what to look for, with excellent examples and thoughtful advice.
Another of my favourite articles!
How to Cope With Critiquing
Another great, detailed
article on critiquing--coming from the perspective of having to critique someone else's work, and a short section on
being critiqued. Good reminders that the negative or hard to hear feedback often points out flaws in your work (which
you need to make your work better).
Critiquing Others' Work*broken*
A
great article on critiquing, that gives tips on what to look for, and ways to phrase your critique so that you're
criticizing the story, not the author, and you're giving constructive criticism, not negative trashing. A good idea to
keep those things in mind!
Nuts And Bolts of Critiquing
Another good
article on critiquing fiction, with some great points about what to watch for, recognizing the uniqueness of the
story, and remembering that a critique is an opinion.
The Diplomatic Critiquer
A great article with concrete
examples of how to critique with sensitivity or diplomacy. If you need to know why diplomacy in feedback is important,
check out this great article.
Critiquing the Wild Writer: It's Not What You Say, But How You Say It
A great article on what critiquing is really about--helping a writer become a better writer, not crushing
their spirit or ego--and reminders and suggestions about what to say and how to say it.
Critiquing Guidelines from the 6' Ferret Writers'
Group
A short article on how to give a critique--with a good reminder to give positive and helpful feedback--as
well as how to receive a critique.
A Checklist for Critiquing Science Fiction
A great checklist for science fiction--some of which applies to other genres, such as 'does the story move
us?'.
Writers' Supplies
Image Control*broken* for Remanufactured Toner & Ink Cartridges
This is a Toronto-based store that ships across Canada, the US, and some other countries. You can order online
or by phone. Shipping is free for orders over $150 Can., and there is no tax charged outside of Canada. I have
personally bought many HP Laser toners from them and been very happy with their price, quality of toner
cartridges, and service. (I buy remanufactured toner cartridges because it is much more affordable, and the quality is
good. It's also better for the environment.)
Carrot Ink for Remanufactured Toner & Ink Cartridges
Many of my
writing peers in the US (from an online group I'm in) use this company to buy their ink cartridges, and are very
pleased with the price and service. You can order online or by phone. They also frequently have specials.
Manuscript Boxes/Literature Mailers from
Brasspack
If you submit manuscripts a lot and want to look professional, manuscript boxes are a nice touch. These
are some of the nicest and most inexpensive manuscript boxes that I've found at $0.89 each when you buy 50. They ship
to the US and Canada, and have a $25 minimum order.
If you don't want to spend that much money or don't want that many boxes, consider splitting up the order with a bunch of friends. OR, you can buy a set of 5 boxes for $12.95 from the WritersStore (more expensive for each one, but a smaller initial outlay).
Autographed Copy stickers at Alpha Business
This store sells "Autographed Copy" stickers that you can
put on your books (with permission from the bookstore owner, of course). 320 stickers for $5.97. Good for book
promotion. They also sell
Local Author stickers and
This Book Recommended by Our Staff stickers.
Local Author stickers for "Autographed Copy" and "Local Author" stickers
This store sells
"Local Author",
"Autographed Copy",
"Great Gift Idea"
, "Great Reads from
INDIE next list", and
"Bestseller",
stickers that you can put on your books (with permission from the bookstore owner, of course). ($7.25 US for 1,000
stickers, minimum purchase 3 rolls of 1,000--assorted rolls OR the same design.) Good for book promotion. See all
those stickers on one page
here.
Publishing & Writing Opportunities for Young Writers
Publishing Opportunities for Young Writers
A
list of links and resources from About.com.
Annual Scribe Anthology*broken*
An annual
anthology of writings by teens, put out by the Bettendorf Public Library. Students from grades 6 to 12 can enter their
short stories, essays, and poems.
Blue Jean Online
"Blue Jean Online is devoted to
publishing what young women are thinking, saying, and doing. Here your creative work can be published for a worldwide
audience of over 1,000,000 visitors from 95 countries! Submit your writings, artwork, photography, comics, crafts,
animations, and anything you want us to consider for publication."
The Slam
The Slam is from Cricket
Magazine, a magazine of writing from teens. Submit your poetry or microfiction (less than 500 words) to the Slam, and
check back to see people's critiques.
Resources For Poets
Poetry Today Online
Resources for poets, including how-to
articles, monthly motivations, poetry contests, and more. Worth checking out.
PoetryMagic
A guide to the theory and craft of writing poetry.
Academy of American Poets
There are many resources here for US poets:
links to USA awards for poets,
a National Poetry Map (US) to find conferences, festivals, and
retreats for poets, online poetry resources, and more.
Online Rhyming Dictionary
An online rhyming dictionary and thesaurus
from RhymeZone.
Poetry Portal
An extensive resource of online sources of poetry,
including ezines.
Poets & Writers Magazine
The online version of the print magazine.
Poetry Online--Classic and Contemporary
PoemTree.com
The Poem Tree has a nice selection of poetry from both
contemporary and classic poets, that you can read online. Click on a poet's name on the left to view their poetry on
site.
PoemHunter.com
The PoemHunter has about 25,000 poems you can browse,
by 4,000 poets, including both classic and contemporary. You can search by title and name. There's also an elist you
can subscribe to, to recieve a poem in your mailbox every morning.
Academy of American Poets
You can read or listen to US poems online, and
can search by poet, poem.
