AUTHOR SERVICES
GENERAL AUTHOR’S SERVICES:
Various services for authors, mainly independent editors, IT professionals and other links to useful sites to help writers and authors. A good portion of this comes from the archives of author Piers Anthony website.
BOOK EDITING ASSOCIATES - A network of professional editors, writers, book designers, indexers, & publishing/self-publishing consultants.
BRAD SCHREIBER – General editing/ghostwriting services, book/script consulting, teaching, etc.
EDITAGE - Manuscript editing services; some editors are published sf authors.
ELIZABETH ENGSTROM’S WRITING TIPS - Tips from a 'ferocious' writer of SF/H.
HELP.PLAGTRACKER – Find and edit accidently plagiarized content, edit spelling & grammar.
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS & WRITERS RESIDENCY - Year round; work alone or in groups in Val David, Quebec, Canada.
IT PROFESSIONAL ANDRE BACKLUND - Site manager of fontfixer, and an excellent it professional who helped Will McCoy do some mass conversions of locked font files for a very affordable price. I’m sure he can do other author related stuff also, highly recommended.
MANUSCRIPTEDITING.COM – Lynda Lotman, serving writers, agents, & publishers since 1976; focus sf/f/h.
NOW NOVEL - Online writing community, free articles, can provide paid one-on-one mentorship to writers.
PATRICIO DEVIA — munizaga.osvaldo@gemail.com pattarolina@hotmail.com patricio.devia@hotmail.cl - “Via PA: Patricio Devia of Santiago de Chile is a Chilian translator in Spanish and English languages with 32 years experience. He will translate any kind of document both ways. He can also act as a middleman among publishers, directly contacting them to sell your previously translated works in the Latin American and Spanish markets. Contact him for a resume if you are interested.”
RALAN CONLEY'S SPECFIC & HUMOR WEBSTRAVAGANZA - “Via PA: The proprietor called this to my attention. He likes to write, but had the usual difficulty finding a publisher, so he did some research, and this is the result. This is a powerhouse listing of markets what seems like thousands of markets, plus agents, author organizations, book stores, jobs, writers' chats, places for copyright information, courses, critique groups, and sources for information on what writers should beware of. Much more -- it just goes on and on -- and every entry has a link. If you are serious about writing, and want information, you could spend a week following the leads Ralan provides. If you are unsatisfied with the information that this survey of mine provides, go to Ralan and become surfeit; if there is a better site for sources for writers than this one, I'll be amazed. It also links to author pages, including HiPiers. It has more than fifty author links. December 2007 update: It was easier to find my way around this time: entries were in different colors, alphabetically listed. But I was unable to locate electronic or small press publishers like Mundania and Phaze. They are surely listed somewhere, but this suggests that the seeming simplicity of the listings may be deceptive. December 2008 update: This time I was unable to find the listings at all. I'm sure they exist, but all I saw was material about Ralan's Spectravaganza contest winners and how to join the mailing list. So I have to say that the usefulness of this site has plummeted. It may be that since for efficiency I don't load pictures, that key aspects of the site are not showing. April 2009 update: Ralan wrote me, saying the material is too all there. So I put my browser into picture mode and tried again, and lo, there it all is. Under Book Publishers he lists electronic and traditional print, so this is one comprehensive tally. I also checked Adult Markets, a separate listing, but did not find Ellora's Cave therein. That's curious. Then I turned off the pictures mode and tried again, and there were no words in the market listings. That's why I missed them before. I tried clicking the blanks, and got the listings. So the site certainly works, and remains perhaps THE most comprehensive market listing. Those who use this Piers Anthony site to shop for markets and don't find what they want should go to Ralan's before giving up, because there's a lot more there. December 2012 update: the site seems to have been redesigned since I last checked it, but is just as comprehensive. November 2013 update: still there in good order, with its huge amount of information. December 2014 update: Still there in good order. I keep listing it without noting changes because this may be the most comprehensive such listing on the Internet, and many of you shouldn't be wasting time here on my list instead of going to Ralan's.”
SCRIBENDI.COM – PROFESSIONAL PROOFREADING EDITING SERVICES - “Via PA: “We edit, critique, rewrite, compose, check, design, produce, translate and publish all types of manuscripts and documents." They charge one tenth of a cent per word to review your manuscript and give you an opinion about its viability. So checking a 5,000 word story costs you five dollars. Proofreading costs eight tenths of a cent a word. And so on, different fees for different services. Also good articles in the Resources section. This could be worthwhile for a beginner. December 2004 update: Now their fee seems to be 1.2 cents per word. December 2006 update: now prices start at nine tenths of a cent per word. December 2007 update: they offer a free five page sample edit. A full edit will cost you $.009 a word. Maybe I misread the rate before. December 2008 update: now editing prices start at .015 per word. July 2009 update: they remind me that they offer a full package of services: proofreading, editing, customizable query packages.”
STICKLER EDITING - Professional editing, proofreading, & copywriting services.
THE EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT - Offering free 5 page critique.
THE EXPERT EDITOR – An Australian company that helps students, businesses, and authors from around the world improve their work.
THE FICTION DOCTOR – Much published author, strong editing experience; editing/critiquing/ghostwriting.
THE NEW WRITERPRO - By Sol Stein, free demo at website, also useful writing tips.
WRITEITNOW - From 1st idea to final manuscript, it will organize & inspire your writing; free demo.
WRITERS.COM – Since 1995, 24-7 online courses, tutorials, editing from published, working writers with teaching experience
WRITER’S RELIEF INC – Mss preparation & submission targeting
PUBLISHING AGENT ASSOCIATIONS & AGENT INFO:
I haven’t included my full list of agents that I query, although anyone can compile one by using these websites and learning how they work. With the proper research and know-how, sites like query tracker can help you compile lists of the best agents to approach. Below is a comprehensive list of the top sites for doing so and other pertinent agent info.
AGENT QUERY - A searchable treasure trove of reputable, established literary agents.
ASSOCIATION OF AUTHOR’S REPRESENTATIVES - List of approved agents.
CURTIS - “Via PA: This is a Parnassus agent who is worth reading. I know him from way back. He's got an attitude somewhat like mine. He has always fought for the rights of writers and tried to get improved and sometimes innovative contracts. He is Richard Curtis. This site is spare, no longer containing provocative articles on the business. Curtis is no longer accepting fiction queries from new writers. Thus he joins the closed shop, to my regret. August 2005 update: They are now considering only non-fiction submissions. Responses take 4-6 weeks. October 2008 update: Now not even non fiction. You have to be an already established author. September 2010 update: Blank screen. October 2011 update: Ditto. I know Curtis still exists, because I am doing business with him, but he may be out of the agenting business. October 2014 update: That blank screen remains. I fear Curtis is gone.”
PREDITORS & EDITORS – A great resource for finding reputable agents and knowing who’s no good in the publishing world, alkth9ough the site is under construction and down for a moment. When it comes back up, it’s a great source, one of the best perhaps to check out any prospective business partner before you agree on any arrangement with your work, a must.
PUBLISHERS MARKETPLACE - Memebership fees are higher than many sites, although this is the go-to site to watch what deals are going down. New authors, seasoned authors, the latest news on agents, editors, changes in the publishing industry and all the bussinesses ins and outs behind the scenes of publishing.
QUERYTRACKER - For agent queries; includes searchable database of agents
THE SAFEST WAY TO SEARCH FOR AN AGENT - By Victoria Strauss on SFWA's site
WRITERSNET - Discuss literary agents and agenting, get help with your query letter
BOOKING AGENTS, RADIO SHOWS, INTERVIEWS & BOOK REVIEWS:
A good list of services that help published authors get on radio shows, and put together book reviews. Perfect to research once you’ve been published.
1STAUTHORINTERVIEWS — “Via PA: This is a new site, launched June 1, 2011, aimed at getting authors more attention. All authors are welcome, whether print or ebook, new or established, and the interviews are free. August 2011 update: They will be introducing a Premium service, but will always have the free service too.”
AJW CELEBRITY SERVICES - “Via PA: I received a solicitation to enlist with them to make public appearances. They are booking agents. Fill out a form, send it in. They take 15% of what they make for appearances and 10% on any production services they book. I did not respond, but list them here in case anyone else is interested. September 2012 update: Not found. August 2013 update: they are back in good order.”
ARTIST FIRST NETWORK - “Via PA: I received an email flier promoting this. It says that ArtistsFirst World Radio is offering a new show series exclusively about independent and undiscovered authors, entitled Authors-First. They are a Web Radio station sending out a constant worldwide FM signal. They will do a pre-recorded one hour program about your book. There is no fee, but you are requested to make a donation whose size you determine. This looks very August 2004 update: they invited me to do a series of one minute opinions for them to broadcast. I pondered and passed it up, as I have my own site for opinions. October 2007 update: The site was slow loading, then played music. Obviously it is functioning. September 2010 update: They are still there in good order. September 2014 update: Additional plugins required, so I didn't check them, but they are obviously still there.”
HUDSON AUDIO PUBLISHING - “Via PA: This is essentially an audio self publisher, wherein the author records his material, pays a fee, and they put it online for sales with a 70/30 split. They say the audio book market is growing strongly. April 2010 update: They charge $285 per book to handle the technical and administrative details, but they take it out of royalties, so the author doesn’t have to pay upfront. April 2012 update: They are celebrating their 100th audio book. They report that they get one abusive email from a frustrated author each week. October 2018 update: Defunct link disabled.”
STEVO'S BOOK REVIEWS - “Via PA: This is a book review and promotion service. For $300 a book will be featured for the month, viewed by as many as 250,000.”
THE US REVIEW OF BOOKS - Book review site that authors can submit to.
AUTHOR MARKETING & MARKETING SERVICES:
Another set of resources for once you’ve been published, these companies can help you get more attention.
AMI – AUTHOR MARKETING IDEAS - “Via PA: I received an email brochure, so am listing it, though I'm not sure I should get into straight promotions outfits. They say they can really help you promote your book. September 2015 update: I received another flier. “Got a great book? Then match it to the perfect book launch marketing plan!" Just keep in mind that such promotions may cost more than they bring in via increased sales; nobody can guarantee success. July 2016 update: Another flyer: “Book Marketing, Book Marketing! We are sharing FREE Ideas with you." Go to the site and check out over 20 free marketing ideas. September 2016 update: they now offer Book-to-Film services for authors looking to market their novels for film production. They can do a critique of your book and assess its potential, or even write a screenplay based on it. All for a price, I'm sure. December 2017 update: Another flier: “Want a UNIQUE way to promote your book? Host a giveaway on Goodreads..." They will tell you how to do it. In fact they will even set it up and manage it for you. They are waiting for your email. June 2018 update: their flier says that reviews sell books, and you can get a good review for your book for $295 to $325, depending on its type. January 2019 update: This time their flyer offers to research to find the perfect contests for your book, dong the entry forms, covering the entry fees, and ordering the book cop4ies needed. They take care of everything for $750. but I say yet again, legitimate contests will have hundreds or thousands of entries, and your chances are likely to be low. June 2019 update: Another flier. This one recommending a Book To Film treatment. “A treatment is a cross between a synopsis and an outline that shows what your future screenplay will be. It is a framework that presents the most cinematic version of your book.”
BIZFLUENT - Book promotion ideas.
BOOKBUZZ — “Via PA: I received a flier saying that if I want to continue receiving their emails I need to let them know. I didn't answer, but I am letting you know they exist. September 2018 update: This time I received their newsletter. They promote print and e-books and offer targeted marketing campaigns to fit your budget. For one deal, they are offering a promotion package for $199, saving you $100. November 2018 update: For $99 they will advertise your book in three magazines, potentially reaching 100,000 readers. The magazines are SOUTHERN WRITERS, IND'TALE MAGAZINE, and UNCAGED BOOK REVIEWS. February 2019 update: this time their newsletter says you can exhibit your book at Book Expo America 2019 May 29-31 and BookCon June 1-2, 2019 if you sign up with them. But of course it costs you. March 2019 update: “Build your own marketing package and save up to $250.” You can choose the services you want, not paying for those you don't want. But they offer additional savings if you bundle a number of services. I recommend you check equivalent services elsewhere to see what suits you best. But don't expect to get rich from any of them. November 2019 update: They have Holiday and New Year advertising specials. For $99.95 they will advertise your book in their Holiday Book Blast to over 2,000 Booksellers, 3000 librarians, and over 10,000 readers, plus making the book available to 250,000 librarians, booksellers, book reviewers, and media professionals online for 5 days.”
BOOK CANDY STUDIOS — “Via PA: They help authors promote their works through trailers, blogs, review boards, top social networking sites, newsgroups, and even author tours. "We offer a wide range of promotional services—none of which will break the bank." But when I clicked their site, it had music, colored blank books, and a message "Get Ready." Otherwise it was blank. August 2008 update: I received an email saying that this fall they will publish the "Book Candy News Wrapper," a media communications platform that will go out to more than 68,000 magazine editors and multi-media producers. Their goal is to help authors get the word out; there is no charge. Unfortunately, all submissions had to be received by July 31, the day before this update. Maybe there'll be another push at a later date. October 2008 update: got music with a blank screen. Then a push for their program: $400 for two days. June 2009 update: They inform me that my last update is in error; it related to a temporary client they no longer represent. "We are a viral marketing company. We produce very nice trailers." They seem to be very enthusiastic about their projects, such as Brenda Novak's annual fundraiser for Juvenile Diabetes Research. They are now offering short-form trailers in 3-, 6-, and 12-pak configurations that can be time released or run all together for an added burst of marketing. September 2010 update: the site is active, with a number of entries discussing books. I don't know how effective this is for promoting sales.”
BOOKCROSSING - “Via PA: This is a book club, a reading group that makes the whole world a library. Book reviews, ratings, recommendations. 61,000 members, 23 million hits a month. October 2004 update: now they have 293,755 members and 1,432,845 books registered. October 2007 update: Now it's 591,353 people in more than 130 countries. October 2008 update: Now it's 711,322 people. September 2009 update: 800,697 people. September 2012 update: They don't seem to list their membership any more, but my guess is it's over a million.”
BOOKHITCH - “Via PA: A new marketing alternative for authors and publishers, who can list an unlimited number of books free. December 2006 update: Premium service is $19.95 per book per year. September 2009 update: Now a message: "bookhitch.com is a search engine for books." You can still list your book there.”
BOOK MARKETING TIPS - Book marketing tips or other information on writing, publishing, and marketing your books.
DUOTROPE – Searchable database of mainstream & genre markets, plus a submission tracker; fee required.
FIRST EDITION DESIGN EPUBLISHING - “Via PA: I received a note from the publisher. They convert and eformat files, and distribute to thousands of points including libraries and schools and top Internet retailers worldwide. They also provide other author services. October 2014 update: Still there.”
FOREIGN LANGUAGE MARKET LIST - Compiled by Canadian sf/f writer, Douglas Smith, 2001 John W. Campbell finalist.
HASMARK SERVICES - “Via PA: I received a flyer saying join any or all of their upcoming campaigns this year and you have a chance to win the ultimate bestseller campaign. They say that over the past five years they have become the leading authority in the book marketing business. I haven't checked them out, but list them here for those who might be interested in their promotional services. November 2012 update: a plugin is required to view their content. I don't do those, being on dialup. But this site seems similar to Wise Bear, listed below.”
HOW TO PROMOTE YOURT BOOK ON THE NET - On Bob Baker's FullTimeAuthor.com.
NETREAD – Marketing solutions that publishers access through their web browsers.
PUBLISHING ADDICT - “Via PA: This is a promotion service on Twitter. They spread the word about your book to 5,000 fans. They can take only 10 people at a time, so you have to get in line.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - Online version of the publishing industry's main source of info.
THE PUBLICITY FAQ - Great advice from a seasoned pro, Marcia Yudkin.
WEBWOMBAT: ONLINE MAGAZINES - Worldwide search engine; English & otherwise for magazines for marketing.
WRITERS UNIONS & GUILDS:
Great organizations to join if you’re an author, they can help you protect yourself and know the business better and how to navigate getting paid.
AUTHORS GUILD - “Via PA: This is a traditional writers' organization that you can't join unless you are selling traditionally, but I'm listing it because it has a web site and some online writers might qualify. It just issued a Model Trade Book Contract and Guide that includes Electronic Rights Clauses, so can be relevant to electronic publishing. It is a fine guide. The site has news of interest to writers. UPDATE: Announcement of their quarrel with Amazon.com about the way it offers used books for sale cut-rate almost as fast as the new ones, depleting new sales. This fracas has made the NEW YORK TIMES and WALL STREET JOURNAL, with hot accusations relating to free speech, lawfulness, and misrepresentation. I suspect Amazon is already sorry it took on Author's Guild without weighing its words. So who has the right of the case? I would say technically Amazon, but it's a shitty thing to do to writers. August 2003 UPDATE: Clicking this link made my browser crash, thrice. Does a hacker have a grudge against this legitimate organization? October 2004 update: This site still makes my Konqueror browser crash. I assume Author's Guild still exists, as I just renewed my membership by snail mail. December 2006 update: the site seems to be working now. October 2008 update: I am now using the Firefox browser, and it didn't crash. The site seems functional and informative. September 2012 update: They really don't like the Justice Department's ebook antitrust lawsuit, because it will make Amazon the master of the publishing universe. My own feelings are mixed: traditional publishers have bullied authors for centuries, but do we want to put in place a new bully? I wish it didn't have to be one or the other. August 2013 update: The site is running daily news updates relevant to writers' interests.”
AUTHOR’S LEAGUE FUND - Helping journalists and authors and poets gather funds in times of need, due to misfortune.
FREELANCER’S UNION - For freelance workers, writers also.
IRE.ORG - Investigative Reporters & Editors, a sort of collective organization for people in the fields of reporting and editing.
NATIONAL WRITER'S UNION (NWU) - “Via PA: This requires a bit of explaining. First, yes, it really is a union, UAW Local 1981/AFL-CIO, so if you don't like unions, this is not for you. Second, if you are serious about writing, you can join. Most writer's organizations require a writer to have had something published or sold recently to be eligible; NWU recognizes that the vagaries of sometimes whimsical or mean-spirited editorial decisions are not the definition of a writer. If you are writing, you are probably eligible for membership, and not on a standby or second-tier basis. If you have written a novel, or stories, or articles, and have tried to get them published, in any genre, or if you have written a movie or TV screenplay and it wasn't a joke, or poetry, or whatever, you are a writer. Maybe an unsuccessful one, but you still do bleed when editorially cut, and NWU cares. It is your dedication and effort that count, your dream and heart, not the luck of the editorial draw. I understand some writers organizations refuse to consider Internet-published writers; no need to be concerned. In short, NWU is doing for writers what the Internet is doing for publication: opening it up so that the common grunts can play too. There is no elitism here. It will cost you, however. Annual dues are $95 or more, depending on your writing income. So why should you join? Well, you shouldn't, if you are not serious about writing. But if you have any notion of making any money at writing, let alone a living, you should join. Other writer's organizations may or may not help their members when there is mischief, and may actually hurt a writer; I have been the route in spades. Some do good work, but on a higher plane; your objection to getting stiffed on a payment for an article may be beneath their notice. But NWU is really there fighting in the trenches. For example, it sued to salvage electronic rights for writers, so that publishers could not stiff writers on the Internet. It actively goes after errant publishers. In terms of protection for writers, this is an attack dog. Its membership is growing rapidly; it is now over 6,000 and not cresting. It maintains an agent database that includes negative as well as positive input. In short, if there is an organization with an attitude much like mine, it is the NWU. I have been a member since 1993. It is not illustrious, but in gut terms it may be the most influential writer's organization extant. If you are a writer and can join only one organization, this is the one. NWU won the big lawsuit: publishers can't grab electronic rights without contracting and paying for them. This is highly significant, though it is now being appealed. But it did drop the ball on a complaint about an Internet publisher stiffing its authors. What use to salvage electronic rights, if writers are not similarly protected from errant electronic publishers? So its record is stained, unfortunately, in an embarrassing way, considering that lawsuit. December 2004 update: There are many useful things available to anyone, on its site, such as grievances against some publishers. June 2005 update: NWU announces that an $18 million settlement has been reached in the class-action case of Gerald Posner against databases and publishers illegally selling articles over the Internet without the authors' permission. "The Supreme Court in New York Times vs. Tasini had a very simple solution for companies that want to market a writer's article: pay for it." December 2007 update: I was a member, but they dropped me. I'm sure they are still doing good work, however. December 2008 update: They say they have nearly 2,000 members. I guess they don't miss me. November 2009 update: Now they mention having 1,500 members, so maybe they are dropping other writers as they did me. They are addressing the Google Copyright infringement Settlement, urging Author's Guild to withdraw from it. This is a complicated issue, but authors do need to pay attention, because otherwise they may discover that their works are being borrowed and used without regard to copyright protections. November 2010 update: Now they have 1,200 members. Apparently they are still dropping members like me. I wonder why? November 2011 update: Still at 1,200 members, so maybe they have stopped dropping them. I admit to being bemused by being thus dumped after I had contributed several tens of thousands of dollars to their efforts. November 2012 update: The site has information on the publisher's settlement with Google, objecting to the secrecy of its terms. I should think so. October 2013 update: I was unable to reach them; the connection kept being reset. November 2014 update: Got the site okay this time. They still have 1,000 members. The site has assorted news items going back to 2011.”
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS - The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry through the daily work of its roughly 6,000 members; works to inspire and educate current and future journalists through professional development; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press through its advocacy efforts.
THE AUTHOR’S REGISTRY - No-for-profit clearinghouse that helps authors receive due payments and royalties.
WESTERNWRITERS.ORG - Western Writers of America, Inc., was founded in 1953 to promote the literature of the American West and bestow Spur Awards for distinguished writing in the Western field. The founders were largely authors who wrote traditional Western fiction, but the organization swiftly expanded to include historians and other nonfiction authors, young adult and romance writers, and writers interested in regional history.
WRITER’S GUILD EAST - The well known writer’s guild, for writers on the east coast.
WRITER’S GUILD WEST - The well known writer’s guild, for writers on the west coast.
WRITER’S ANTI-CENSORSHIP ORGANIZATIONS:
If you’ve been censored or are being ignored, this comprehensive list can link you to support.
AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION - P.O. Box 672 New York, NY 10113 Phone: 212.463.8450
AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS FOUNDATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION - 19 Fulton Street #407 New York, NY 10038 - 212.587.4025
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION - 125 Broad street, 18th floor New York, NY 10004
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION - Office for Intellectual Freedom 50 East Huron Street - Chicago, IL 60611 - 312.944.6780
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF JOURNALISTS & AUTHORS - 1501 Broadway, Suite 1907 New York, NY 10036 - 212.997.0947 - fax 212.768.7414
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - 53 West Jackson Chicago, IL 60605 - 312.427.2060
ARTICLE 19 - International Centre on Censorship 90 Borough High St. London SE1 1LL England
THE ARTISTS NETWORK OF REFUSE & RESIST - 305 Madison Ave. Suite 1166 New York, NY 10165 - 212 713-5657
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY - 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 202.467.4999 202.293.2672 (fax)
AUTHORS LEAGUE OF AMERICA - 234 West 44th Street New York, NY 10036 - 212.391.9198
CAMPAIGN AGAINST CENSORSHIP - 25 Middleton Close Fareham, Hampshire T014 1Qn England - 44.329.28.44.71
CENTER FOR CIVIC EDUCATION - 5146 North Douglas Fir Road Calabasas, CA 91302 - 818.340.9320
CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS - 666 Broadway New York, NY 10012 - 212.614.6464 - 212.614.6499 (fax)
CHICAGO ARTISTS COALITION - 5 West Grand Ave. Chicago, IL 60610 - 312.670.2060
CHICAGO COMMITTEE TO DEFEND BILL OF RIGHTS - 59 E VanBuren St, Suite 807 Chicago IL 60605 - 312-939-0675 - fax 312-939-7867; e-mail: d-goldhamer@uchicago.edu
COLLEGE ART ASSOCIATION - 275 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10001 - (212) 691-1051
COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW - 700 Journalism Bldg., Columbia Univ. New York, NY 10027 212.854.2716 - 1.800.669.1002 (subscription)
COMMUNICATION CONSORTIUM - 1333 H Street, Suite 1162 Washington, DC 20005 - 202.682.1270
DEADLINE - Center for War, Peace, and the News Media c/o New York University - 418 Lafayette Street, Suite 554 New York, NY 10003 - tel: 212-998-7960 - fax: 212-995-4143
DEEP DISH TV NETWORK - 339 Lafayette St. New York, NY 10012 - 212.473.8933 -212.420.8223 (fax)
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION - P.O. Box 19405 Washington, DC 20036 - 202.387.8034
EXTRA!/FAIR - Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting - 112 W. 27th Street New York, NY 10001 - Tel: 212-633-6700 - Fax: 212-727-7668
FEMINISTS FOR FREE EXPRESSION - 2525 Times Square Station New York, NY 10108 - (212) 702-6292 - fax (212) 702-6277
THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROJECT - 1736 Franklin Street 9th Floor Oakland, CA 94612 - (510) 208-7743 - (510) 208-4562
THE FREE FORUM - 1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209 - (703) 528-0800 - (703) 528-0800
FREEDOM TO READ FOUNDATION - 50 East Huron Street Chicago IL 60611 - (312) 280-4226 - (312) 280-4227
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT – FBI J. Edgar Hoover Building Washington, DC 20535 - 202.324.5520 (Or call local branch of FBI for info)
FREEDOM WRITER - Institute for First Amendment Studies P.O. Box 589 Great Barrington, MA 01230 - 413.274.3786
FUND FOR FREE EXPRESSION/HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH - 485 5th Ave. New York, NY 10017 - 212.972.8400 - 212.972.0905 (fax)
GAUNTLET - 309 Powell Road Springfield, PA 19064
GRIP (GROUP FOR RAP INDUSTRY PROTECTION) - P.O. Box 4856 Berkeley, CA 94704
INDEX ON CENSORSHIP - Writers and Scholars Int'l Ltd. 32 Queen Victoria St. London EL4N 4SS England - 44.71.329.6434 - 44.71.329.6461 (fax)
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL HISTORY - Cruquiusweg 31 1019 Amsterdam The Netherlands - 31.20.668.58.66 - 31.20.665.41.81 (fax)
iisg@antenna.nl
LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE EDUCATION FUND - 150 West 26th Street, Suite 503 New York, NY 10005 - 212 809-8585
LIES OF OUR TIMES - Institute for Media Analysis 145 West 4th Street New York, NY 10012 - 212.254.1061
MEDIA COALITION - 139 Fulton St, Suite 302 New York NY 10038 - 212 587-4025 - fax 212 587-2436
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ARTISTS ORGANIZATIONS - ttp://www.naao.net
NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST CENSORSHIP - 275 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10001 - 212 807 6222 - 212 807 6245
NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE - 1734 14th St., NW Washington, DC 20009 - 202.332.6483
PACIFICA FOUNDATION/PACIFICA RADIO - 3729 Cahuenga Blvd., West N. Hollywood, CA 91604 - 818.985.2711
PEACE MUSEUM - 350 W. Ontario Chicago, IL 60610 - 312.440.1860
PEACEFIRE - Box 1161 Station B Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37235 - 615 421 5432
PEN AMERICAN CENTER - 568 Broadway New York, NY 10012 - 212.334.1660
PEN CENTER US WEST - 1100 Glendon Ave., Suite 850 Los Angeles, CA 90024 - 213.824.2041
PROPAGANDA REVIEW - Media Alliance Fort Mason Center, Room D-290 San Francisco, CA 94123 - 415.441.2557
ROCK OUT CENSORSHIP - P.O. Box 147 Jewett, OH 43986
ROCK & ROLL CONFIDENTIAL - P.O. Box 341305 Los Angeles, CA 90034
STUDENT PRESS LAW CENTER - 1755 I Street, Suite 504 Washington, DC 20006 - 202.466.5242
THOMAS JEFFERSON CENTER FOR THE PROTECTION OF FREE EXPRESSION - 400 Peter Jefferson Place Charlottesville, VA 22911-8691 - (804) 295-4784
VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS - 1285 Ave. of the Americas, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10019 - 212.977.9273 - 212.245.4514 (fax)
WOMEN’S ACTION COALITION - 212.967.7711 x9226 (New York) 312.918.9161 (Chicago)
PAPER MILLS:
Great list of companies that know the insides and outs of printing paper. Some creative work here can lend you more insight to the business end of the profession and also perhaps angles for networking and spreading the word about your work.
ALLIED PAPER COMPANY - Located in Louisiana.
GEORGIA-PACIFIC - Another large US paper mill.
GREAT NORTHERN PAPER - Paper mill located in NE.
INTERNATONAL PAPER - One of the largest in US
KIMBERLY-CLARK - Large national paper company.
PORT TOWNSEND PAPER - Paper mill located in Massachusetts.
RESOLUTE FOREST PRODUCTS - Canadian paper mill.
TWIN RIVERS PAPER COMPANY - Based in NY.
VERSO - Another large paper mill.
WB MASON - Another large paper mill.
WESTROCK - A conglomerate of several large mills in America.
WEYERHAEUSER - International paper mill.
LOGGING COMPANIES:
More resources that seem rarely tapped – how many author’s get to know the loggers who are clearing forests to make the paper that ends up between the covers of all those books out there?
CANFOR - A logging company in the south east states.
HAMPTON LUMBER - Based in Portland, OR.
IDAHO FOREST GROUP – Large logging company in Idaho.
POTLATCH DELTIC - Another large logging company.
RSG FORRESTRY - Based in Washington state.
SIERRA PACIFIC - Large logging company in Pacific Northwest.
WEST FRASER - Based in Tennessee.
AUTHOR WRITING HELP & POLISHING GUIDES:
Excellent resources for improving your writing, you can never know enough about your craft.
18 WAYS TO FIND & FIX TYPOS – Every typo finding & fixing technique you'll need.
150 RESOURCES TO HELP YOU WRITE BETTER, FASTER & MORE PERSUASIVLEY – What it says, covers fiction & nonfiction.
ABSOLUTE WRITE – Articles, interviews, columns for freelance, screen & play writing, novels, non-fiction.
ADVICE ON NOVEL WRITING – By Crawford Kilian; plotting, narrative voice, scene construction, & marketing.
ENHANCEMYWIRTING.COM - A guide to indispensable writing resources.
FICTIONADDICTION.NET - Articles, publisher lists, contest, workshops, author showcase, more.
FUNDSFORWRITERS.COM – Grants for writers, good list. Need money to keep writing? This seems like a possibility.
HOW TO CRITIQUE FICTION - By Victory Crayne; everything you need to know.
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS? – Article by Wilfred Bereswill.
HOW TO FORMAT A NOVEL MANUSCRIPT - Good, simple, standard guide to proper format for novel manuscripts for submitting to agents.
INTERNET-RESOURCES.COM - Writing links & links for writers writers' resources on the web and more.
JUST ABOUT WRITE - A resource for lesbian writers.
LEARN THE ELEMENTS OF A NOVEL - By Peder Hill; articles, excerpts, blog, links.
LEARN TO WRITE - Links to buy books, subscribe to mags, etc.
LITLINE – Resource links to "all things literary".
NEWPAGES GUIDE TO INDY PRESSES - Complete list of many independent presses, college presses, and small presses for submitting your work to.
POEWAR, WRITING CAREER CENTER - Articles, craft tips, more.
QUITDAY – Smoking and Artistry: Overcoming Addiction (focus on artists but applies equally to writers.)
RICHARD HARLAND’S WRITING TIPS - Good habits, elements, characters, story, language, getting published.
SEVENTH SANCTUM - Various writing, inspiration, & name generators for all genres; also writing generators.
STORYFIX2.0 – No motivational B.S., just the truth about what it takes to get published, by Larry Brooks.
THE CREATIVE PENN: THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT WRITER’S BLOCK - By Joanna Penn.
THE SCRIPTORIUM - Sherry D. Ramsey's excellent writer's site: info, exercises, tools, more.
THE TEN TYPES OF WRITER’S BLOCK – And how to overcome them.
THOUGHTS ON WEB DESIGN - Website building tips by Elliot Chabot.
WORDINESS, WORDINESS, WORDINESS LIST – How to cut the writing fat.
WRITERS WRITE - Interviews, reviews, news, job listings, all genre writing links, GLs.
WRITER’S BLOGGING, WARNING GUIDES & AUTHOR INFO:
Blogging has become an important tool for authors, these resources go more into it, along with providing links to articles and sites that offer more general info on the craft and business of writing books.
10 BEST BLOGGING SITES FOR WRITERS — “Via PA: This is an article by Nick Schaferhoff doing a detailed comparison of the ten most popular blogging platforms an author needs to know about. It starts with a general discussion on why and how to start blogging, then gets into the list with pros and cons for each site, followed by a concluding discussion and follow up from others. I have some blog sites in this survey, which I picked up hit or miss. I'm sure they're competent, but you should start with this article to get a good grounding before you take action, because this guy knows infinitely more about the subject than I do.”
ABINTRA PRESS - “Via PA: This is a personal site by Ed Howdershelt, and I am listing it for two reasons. The official one is that it has useful advice on the Epublishing Info page on marketing your manuscript, including on ISBN numbers and registering copyrights. The unofficial reason is that Ed came to my house, installed a modem, and enabled me to get online at last and this is the first entry verified and done on my own system instead of on my wife's Windows system, Mayhem 28, 2008. I'm free of Windows at last, at least for browsing. So click his link, visit his site, and thank him or bawl him out, depending on whether you are pleased that he helped me get better access. You might even consider buying one of his books. September 2012 update: Interesting note about the pirating of his books: seems there was a $2 trial-for-one-day membership to download pirated books free. But that $2 was upgraded to $40 without notice and those who tried it now have their email addresses used to promote sex-aid scams and outrageous charges on their credit cards. He didn't do it; he was a victim. But there's a certain smugness about those so eager to steal books who got shafted themselves. “What's the word for thieves ripping off other thieves?" he suggests “Funny." September 2014 update: Still there with pithy comments about This & That, of interest to self publishing authors.”
CAREER PLAN FOR FICTION WRITERS - This is a posting of ideas for a career general plan to succeed as a fiction writer. Non-fiction writers may pursue a different path.
HOW TO GET STORY IDEAS - Illustrated article on 17 methods of getting ideas for stories
MARCARIA.COM - Trademark & Other Intellectual Property Resource Guide: plagiarism and trademark resource guide
MEANIES AND WEENIES - “Via PA: This is a blog run by "Dunn Hadenuff" that focuses on bad stories about the writing industry. December 2008 update: One entry is titled "Been Snubbed" by an author or other publishing professional. Seems it happen a lot. I hope never to appear on such a list, as I do answer my mail. November 2010 update: I see nothing more recent than 2007. October 2013 update: Still dated 2007, but the material remains interesting. November 2014 update: Still 2007. It's worth looking at if you're new to the scene, but it's not current.”
ORGANIZED WRITER, THE - “Via PA: I learned of this via an Xlibris newsletter. This is a book ad site, for the book by Julie Hood, but it gives a lot of information. The thesis is that any writer can do better if he/she organizes his time well. The site is replete, by no coincidence, with numbered organization steps suggesting how to get started and how to proceed, such as Six Rules: Work with, not against, yourself; Focus; Invest your Time; Create Habits; Use the Right Tools; and Work Forward. It makes the point that writers tend to think of themselves as creative rather than organized, when they should be both. As a highly organized writer, I agree. I don't need this site, but if you're disorganized, you do.”
PROPER MANUSCRIPT FORMAT - “Via PA: These sites show the standard manuscript for stories and novels. This is elementary material that every writer should know, but there are those who don't. Indenting the first line of a paragraph, starting a new paragraph for each new speaker in dialogue, having wide margins, and so on. William Shunn spells it out. “No one knows for certain how many good short stories are passed over because the manuscripts containing them are formatted poorly." The same goes for novels. Editors are busy, and if they see at the outset that a writer doesn't know how to present his material, they are likely to assume that he doesn't know how to tell a good story either, and will pass on to the next manuscript. So don't shoot yourself in the foot; get the details right. However, this material is dated, and I don't bother to follow all of its rules. For example, double spacing: an electronic manuscript can be changed from single to double spacing in a single step, and the publisher can do that if it wants to. The publisher can change the font, and the margins, and any other details it wants to. Few manuscripts these days are printed out for submission. So these rules are okay, but it's probably more important to get the spelling right, and do dialogue correctly.”
REEDSY – “Via PA: This is, as its site title suggests, a site warning authors about bad publishers, vanity presses, and self publishers to avoid. If you are a new author, it should be well worth your time simply to read through this site, as it provides good general advice that could save you a bundle.”
SUPERSUMMARY - “Via PA: I am told that they have in-depth study guides on a variety of contemporary novels. I'm not sure how relevant this is to the challenge of finding a publisher, but for aspiring writers trying to get a better notion of how successful novels are organized, it could help.”
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WRITING SCIENCE FICTION - “Via PA: This is a good collection of articles, to which I contributed. December 2007 update: I read the book, and it is indeed a good guide. December 2008 update: Now it seems to be Dragon Moon Press promotion.”
THE EXPERT EDITOR – A comprehensive guide to editing versus proofreading.
THE SHORT & CONCISE PLAGIARISM GUIDE FOR STUDENTS - Great info for all writers.
THE WRITERS COLLECTIVE - http://www.writerscollective.org - “Via PA: The proprietor, Lisa Grant, was offered a contract for one of her novels by a traditional publisher, realized it lacked somewhat, and did a year-long search for a better way to publish a good book. The result is this site, a virtual room filled with everything a writer needs to professionally self publish, electronically, print on demand, whatever. They take none of your income from the book, but do charge $50 for the setup fee for the printer and $175 for publication. October 2003 update: This time I couldn't verify the charges, but the site remains active. December 2004 update: It seems to cost $275 for a year's membership, and $125 a year thereafter. October 2005 update: Site is currently being renovated. December 2006 update: it is up and running now. I checked the FAQ section and found an interesting discussion arguing the thesis that ALL publishing is subsidy when you think about it. That is, somebody pays for it, and somebody makes a profit, not necessarily the author. December 2012 update: It is still there, with feisty comments.”
WRITER BEWARE BLOGS - Sponsored by the SFWA & the MWA. Great resource for articles on what to watch out for, as an author.
WRITERS MARKETS - “Via PA: This offers advice from "Angela", who I understand is Angela Hoy of BOOK LOCKER, set up to help writers who are wronged by publishers. October 2003 update: This now offers general writing and marketing advice. December 2004 update: this seems now to be at www.writersweekly.com. When I checked for complaints against Xlibris it gave me complaints against PUBLISH AMERICA. Hm. April 2008 update: She has a long discussion of Amazon's power play in disabling the "buy" button of any POD books that are not printed by their subsidiary BookSurge. You must read this. June 2009 update: read the he said, she said discussions in my June 2009 column and her May 27, 2009 entry on me. Pretty good blowout here. December 2009 update: This time when I clicked the link the first entry was titled "Piers Anthony's Anonymous Source is a Liar By Angela Hoy." Need I say more? December 2010 update: That's still the lead entry. December 2011 update: The site appears not to have been updated since May 2009 with the diatribe against me. She is very free about calling others liars.”.
WRITER’S WEEKLY - Check that publisher before you submit.
WRITING-WORLD - “Via PA: This is the reincarnation of Inkspot, which got bought out by Xlibris, then shut down when the dot.com crash forced Xlibris to retrench. It is run by the same folk, and has a huge array of things of interest to writers: 340 articles on aspects of writing--fiction, nonfiction, freelancing, greeting cards, international, etc., and over 500 links to other resources, market information, 50 contests, and more. It has 400 pages of information, and a free biweekly newsletter. Go there and see what interests you. October 2003 update: I sampled one of their articles: why publishers use form rejection letters, an irritation to many writers. It made absolute sense. Assuming this is typical, I highly recommend this site. (Oh, why do they? Because some writers like to argue rather than learn, and this wastes time and patience.) December 2006 update: still chock full of features, really worthwhile. December 2009 update: Still going strong. December 2012 update: Ditto. December 2014 update: Every month there are more items.”
COPYRIGHT & CONTRACT INFO:
Everything on copywriting and how to protect your work.
A BUSINESS GUIDE TO COPYWRITES, TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS - Excellant guide to all things copywrite related
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF JOURNALISTS & AUTHORS – SJA.
CREATIVE RIGHTS FOR WRITERS OF THEATRICAL & LONG-FORM TV MOTION PICTURES - Writers Guild of America, West.
COPYRIGHT BASICS - Copyrights made easy for kids, and us grown ups too.
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER, COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE - Resources on fair use & permission to use copyrighted material.
INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OFFICE - Copyright Registration Service; online registration.
IVAN HOFFMAN - Attorney at Law (several articles).
PATENT, COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK - Copyright, plagiarism, & online protection.
SCRVINERSERROR – Blog on law & reality in publishing from the author's side.
SECUREYOURTRADEMARK.COM – Preventing Plagiarism and Copyright and Trademark Infringement.
SFWA RIGHTS & COPYRIGHT - Helpful article.
SFWA - 5 RESOURCES ON PUBLIC DOMAIN - Copyright, fair use, public domain, etc., issues critical for writers to understand.
SFWA MODEL CONTRACT - MAGAZINES For short fiction published in a magazine.
SFWA MODEL CONTRACTS - For author/agent agreements, hardcover & anthology publications.
THE TRAPS IN PUBLISHING CONTRACTS – Excellent article on the subject.
TRADE BOOK PUBLISHING AGREEMENT CHECKLIST - Overview of a book publishing agreement.
UNDERSTANDING RIGHTS, COPYRIGHT, PERMISSIONS & PLAGIARISM - On Moira Allen's Writing-World.com.
UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT OFFICE - Info, forms, online registration.
GRAMMAR, PROOFREADING & STYLE HELP:
More in-depth sites that can help you with grammar.
100 ENGLISH GRAMMAR RESOURCES FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING AND FUN – Link page for what it says in the title.
ACCREDITED ONLINE COLLEGES WRITING CENTER - Geared for students, but good common grammar mistakes & areas of confusion for all writers.
AUSTRALIANHELPROGRAMMARGUIDES – Unique link list to guides (with articles) for grammar, math, plagiarism, citation, & more.
CCCF GUIDE TO GRAMMAR & WRITING – Brush up the technical aspects of writing.
COMMON ERRORS IN ENGLISH USAGE – (What it says)
CUSTOM-WRITING.ORG PUNCTUATION GUIDE – Colon, semicolon, quotation marks, question mark, exclamation point, comma, apostrophe.
DAILY GRAMMAR - E-mailed grammar lessons& quizzes.
ENGLISHGRAMMAR.ORG - Free video lessons, exercises, and much more.
EXCELSIOR COLLEGE ONLINE WRITING LAB - Includes: Locating Info.../Writing Process/Grammar/Essays/Digital Writing/Paper Capers/Avoid Plagiarism/ESL WOW/Argument.
GARBL’S WRITING RESOURCES ONLINE – Grammar, style, references, wordplay.
GET IT WRITE – Articles about grammar, punctuation, mechanics, & word usage.
GOOD GRAMMAR, GOOD STYLE ARCHIVE – Formerly the Ask Miss Grammar website.
GRAMMARNOW! - Grammar, composition, editing, & proofreading.
LINGUAPRESS.COM ONLINE ENGLISH GRAMMAR – Free with clearly explained grammar rules & examples.
LITERARY EDUCATION ONLINE (LEO) – St. Cloud State's style & grammar topics.
MY ENGLISH TEACHER - No updates since 2000, but still a very useful website for English students; lessons, help, answers.
PRO WRITING PARTNER GUIDE TO GRAMMAR AND WRITING – A helpful list of grammar resources.
PUNCTUATION MADE SIMPLE – A guide by Gary Olson, Eng. professor, U. of S. Florida.
QUOTATION MARKS AND DIALOGUE MECHANICS – Great guide for minor punctuation stuff, common mistakes for writers.
THE BLUE BOOK OF GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION - Current rules, with examples & quizzes.
THE CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE - The must-have reference for everyone who works with words.
THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE BY STRUNK & WHITE - The writer's bible, a must have for every novelist.
THE FARLAX GRAMMAR BOOK - All the rules of English grammar, explained in simple, easy-to-understand terms.
DICTIONARIES, ENCYCLOPEDIAS & THESAURUSES:
More grammar help, directly related to words.
ACRONYM FINDER - Web's largest acronyms & abbreviations searchable database.
ALPHADICTIONARY.COM - With links to foreign dictionaries, grammar, & related resources.
ASKOXFORD.COM – Tips, origin of words & dictionaries, word games, crosswords, jargon buster, e-mail questions.
BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY - 20,000+ notable people who have shaped our world throughout time.
CAMBRIDGE HISTORY OF ENGLISH & AMERICAN LITERATURE - "Non-English Writings: Aboriginal," free 18 vol. encyclopedia.
CJ CHERRYH’S ANTIQUE WORDS - Or words of changed usage.
DICTIONARY.COM - Free online dictionaries, word games & reference directory.
DOD DICTIONARY OF MILITARY TERMS - Military words, phrases, abbreviations, acronyms, NATO terms.
FREETHESAURUS.COM - A comprehensive (145,800+ unique entries) online thesaurus of synonyms, antonyms, & related words.
GAELIC DICTIONARIES ONLINE - Links to many resources. (SOME LINKS DON'T WORK)
MEMIDEX - Free online dictionary/thesaurus; extensive cross-referencing, complete inflections, simple interface, & frequent updates.
MERRIAM-WEBSTER - Searchable dictionary, thesaurus, Spanish/English, & medical; also word games, language links.
ONELOOK DICTIONARIES - Searches 300 online dictionaries, multiple definitions.
ONELOOK THESAURUS - When you don't know the word, but you know something about it -- great! (DATED, BUT STILL FUNTIONING)
RHYME DESK - A rhyming dictionary and other English language tools for creative writing.
RHYME ZONE - Rhyme, synonym, antonym, definition, related/similar words, Shakespeare, quotations, spell, pics.
ROGET’S THESURUS - The original thesaurus, online.
RHYMER - Free online rhyming dictionary.
SEMANTIC ATLAS - Thesaurus & translator; English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA MYTHICA – Mythology, folklore, legends, super beings, legendary creatures/monsters.
THE FREE DICTIONARY.COM - Dictionary, thesaurus, literature reference library & search engine.
THE PHRASE FINDER - Phrases, sayings & idioms.
THE PHRONTISTERY – 14k word obscure & rare word dictionary.
THE SEPTICS COMPANION – British slang dictionary with audio pronunciations.
THESAURUS.NET - Quickly provides possible synonyms, antonyms, dictionary definitions, & other info.
TRAVALANG’S TRANSLATING DICTIONARIES – Free, lots of languages including Esperanto.
URBAN DICTIONARY.COM - User contributed slang dictionary.
VISUAL THESAURUS - Entertaining visual tour of the English language.
WIKIPEDIA’S LIST OF ONLINE DICTIONARIES – With links to grammar & related resources.
WORD FINDER – Can't recall the right word?--get help here... also for word gamers.
WORD PLAYS - Love to play with words? — here you go.
YOUR DICTIONARY - Huge index of multi-lingual, specialty, thesauri, language ID & indices.
WRITER’S ONLINE SOFTWARE & OTHER TOOLS:
These are random tools from sites I’ve put together that can help in all areas of writing and putting together books.
EBOOK2PDF – Great online converter for ebook files, to convert them to pdf to make reading on your computer easiest.
FONTFIXER - A nifty online converter to unlock fonts that will not embed in pdf files.
FREAKFONTS – Free font websites to increase your font choices for your book files.
LIBGENESIS EBOOK DOWNLOAD – Perhaps the best place to find e-books on the net.
LOYALBOOKS FREE EBOOKS - Great source of thousands of free downloadable pdf e-books.
MY WRITER TOOLS - “Via PA: This is software listing for $29.95, introductory price $19.95. A program to help writers produce and clean up their documents. Works with Microsoft Windows Word. November 2012 update: This time I didn't see a price.”
THE SEO TOOLS - This is a collection of useful tools for writers and others, all free. Article rewriter, plagiarism checker, keywords suggestion tool, site map generator, grammar checker, word counter, Google malware checker, broken links finder, and many more.
UPRINT.COM POSTER PRINTS - Excellent site for printing large format posters for your novel covers, great inspiration.
WRITER’S FORUMS & STORY POSTING:
Great list of sites for sharing your work and getting critique.
DEVIANT ART - “Via PA: I haven't looked at this yet, but am told it has a massive repository for creativity of all kinds including an active and supportive critiquing and writing community. It includes free and paid membership, with the usual restrictions. It is said to be a great help to authors and artists. October 2007 update: This time I looked at it. A site full of pictures, some odd, not sexy or ugly, just odd.”
FABSOLUTE WRITING FORUM - “Via PA: This is a general public input discussion group relating to electronic publishing. As I understand it, anyone can start a topic with a statement or question, and others respond with positive, neutral, or negative input. They rake some publishers over the coals, and entries can be fascinating. For example one person asked if a given publisher had any legitimate reviews of its books. A response listed a number of very impressive reviews. A response to that indicated that there were no such reviews; the listing was bogus. Well, now. If you are pondering publishing your opus, go here and look around; you are bound to find something interesting, and you might change your mind about some prospective publishers, or have some input if you have experience with one that others are pondering. This seems like a great service for writers in doubt, or for those who have no doubt and need it. December 2004 update: I randomly checked their feedback on an agent, and was impressed. This is exactly what a new writer needs to know. October 2005 update: they have moved to ABSOLUTE WRITE at www.absolutewrite.com/forums/. October 2012 update: Still going strong, with a huge number of forums. I checked one more or less randomly, and all the entries were in 2006, so obviously it's not current. Probably they shut them down after a term, leaving them for archive reference. October 2014 update: It is current now.”
FANFICTION - “Via PA: Unleash your imagination and free your soul." This seems to be a site where short amateur fiction is run without charge and displayed for anyone to read. I couldn't find a description of its nature on the site, just listings of many stories. It is theoretically ad-free, but ads popped up when I checked it. I received an email from a writer who objected to its policy of deleting all "lemon" pieces. I gather a lemon is a story that is rated R or worse, having elements your maiden aunt would not care for. The email spoke of freedom of speech, but it seems to me that a site can run what it wants, and if it doesn't want lemons, it can legitimately delete them. I speak as one who would much rather read a lemon than a sanitized story. I had some trouble at this site because my system was not equipped for protocols it employs. See also www.adultfanfiction.net for the R rated stories; this may be the naughty companion site. December 2004 update: They report that a serious bug corrupted many of their entries, but they are working to recover, and have just done a large technical upgrade. I sampled randomly, and their material seems good. October 2007 update: The site now seems to consist of news updates on their upgrading, bug fixing, and features. October 2008 update: I tried to fathom what this site is about, and conclude it may be a review site. October 2010 update: They are performing upgrades again. October 2012 update: They are there in good order now. October 2014 update: they remain in good order.”
FANSTORY - “Via PA: This appears to be a site devoted to publishing fiction and nonfiction in a number of genres by members for reviews and feedback. They have a system of ratings, but I was not willing to sign up as a member so don't know exactly how they operate. It should be good for new writers looking for exposure and reader feedback, however. October 2007 update: They list a number of poems and stories, with reader ratings, all of which are Excellent or better. So I clicked on one, and learned I would have to buy it to see more. So I'm not sure I understand their system. October 2008 update: All the rankings still seem to be Exceptional. So I still don't understand it. October 2010 update: Everything they show is still listed Excellent or Exceptional. Either there's a whole lot they aren't showing, or this is puffery, because I have read some amateur fiction myself, and it is seldom better than mediocre.”
FICTION PRESS - “Via PA: "What is FictionPress? FictionPress is a growing network of over 144,000 writers, hundreds of thousands of readers, and home to over 890,000 original works. As a writer, this is a place to showcase your creativity and for a reader, FictionPress is an opportunity to feast to your heart's content." December 2006 update: now it is half a million writers/readers and 900,000 original works. October 2008 update: The site took so long to load -- about 10 minutes -- that I gave up on it. October 2009 update: but no problem this time. October 2010 update: Now it's a growing network of over 1 million writers/readers, and home to over 1,200,000 original works.”
MYSTERYWRITERSFORUM.COM - Mystery writing forum and home of Algonkian Writer’s conference forums.
SPECULATIONS - “Via PA: This is a bulletin board for writers of speculative fiction, reported to be quite useful. It has unflinching data on some of the bad outfits, such as Edit Ink. If you are in doubt about a literary agency or service, this could be a very worthwhile site to check. December 2007 update: They have lists of traditional print novel and story publishers. December 2008 update: "As of 2 March 2008, Speculations is no longer in the business of publishing market information for writers." They plan to go dormant for a while, then spring forth with new plans.”
STORIES ONLINE - “Via PA: This is a free story site featuring mostly sex stories but not limited to them; it was called to my attention by a SF/Fantasy author who posts there. Anyone can join, post, and read, free. They do require you to log in if you want to participate, and there is a strenuous introductory warning: if you are too young or conservative for sexy stuff, go away. So anyone who gets freaked out and wants to blame the site has no third leg to stand on. I did not log in, as that requires accepting cookies, so am not fully conversant with its aspects; I merely Previewed. But my impression is that this is a damn good site to post your material, if you aren't looking for money and have a problem finding a paying market. I did not read any of their sex stories so can't speak for their quality; maybe next month when I have more time. December 2011 update: You have to register to read their stories, and I'm too busy to get into it anyway, but the site is active.”
THE CULT – Great forum for Chuck Palanhiuk fans, I got kicked off here years ago for being brutally honest, these guys are a pay forum and have loads of resources but are more so a fan club for Chuck’s followers – although some of the forum masters are advanced writers, and the site has loads of good resources for aspiring fiction authors, beware of hierarchal mentality and cliques and strict rules by those who run this forum.
THE NEXT BIG WRITER - “Via PA: This is a place where writers can upload their novels, short stories, and poems to receive feedback, recognition, and rewards. Some novelists have received over 400 reviews. Password protected; writers keep all their rights. Any writer, new or old, can participate. So if you want reactions to your piece, this seems to be the place. Remember, such feedback is not necessarily positive.”
WRITERS CAFE - “Via PA: I received an email saying that here you can share your writing, get reviews, enter contests, join writing groups, and befriend other writers. I haven't actually visited the site. December 2008 update: This time I visited it, and its is functional, but you need to register to participate.”
WRITING DOT COM - “Via PA: This was founded in 2000, with their anniversary coming up in September. They provide a welcoming online community and social network for writers. There is an online portfolio, reviewing, contests, forums and more. They offer “forever free" memberships with basic features, and paid memberships with varying levels of pricing and service to support the site.”
WRITING LIBRARIES:
Online and offline libraries, a good list of most of the major ones.
BARTLEBY.COM - Unlimited free access to books & info for students, researchers, & the curious.
THE BRITISH LIBRARY - Biggest library in the world, 14M books & 170M total items.
DAGONBYTES - The most famous texts & authors, with a flashy intro
J. LLOYD EATON COLLECTION – UC Riverside; one of the two biggest bricks & mortar sf collections in the world.
ELIBRARY – Diverse digital archive.
GIZMOS FREEWARE - Links to Free Science Fiction & Fantasy Books Online.
INTERNET ARCHIVE – Oodles of sf-related video, audio and textual material. UTHE ARCHIVES ARE STILL WORTH WHILE)
LIBRARY SPOT - Spotlights new web resources.
MERRIL COLLECTION - Toronto Public Library; one of the two biggest bricks & mortar sf collections in the world.
NYPL – New York Public Library, best library in NE USA.
PROJECT GUTTENBERG - The oldest and largest online library of out-of-copyright texts.
PUBLICLIBRARIES.COM – List of online local U.S. branches.
READPRINT - Offers thousands of free books for students, teachers, and the classic enthusiast; search within the books.
REFDESK.COM - Categorized collection of resource links.
WORLDCAT - Connects you to the collections and services of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide.
WRITER’S CONTESTS:
These are sites that host contests for writers and authors.
13 WARNING SIGNS OF A BAD LITERARY CONTEST - Watch out before you send a check.
FREELANCEWRITING.COM WRITING CONTESTS - Listed contests for this organization.
NANOWRIMO - “Via PA: This is the National Novel Writing Month, challenging writers to write a 50,000 word novel in one month, quality no object. I haven't listed it before, because it's a once a year effort, but now I am, in part because I am one of the established authors who gives a pep-talk for November 2008. Just writing a short novel on a short deadline is no breeze, as this annual effort shows. November 2009 update: November is the month. So if you're participating, quit surfing HiPiers and get with the program. November 2011 update: It continues this year. November 2012 update: And every year as far as I know. They have good general advice that I suspect would help even those not participating in the annual writing frenzy. October 2013 update: They list the total collective word count for the year 2012 as 3,319,909,353. That would make about 66,400 50,000 word novels, if my spot math is correct. Many folk are doing a lot of writing in a month. November 2014 update: “The world needs your novel." “
NEWPAGES - Great site for classifieds, contests, and calls for submissions from top literary magazines and indy presses.
SFWA’S CONTEST BEWARE - Beware of these scams in online contests.
WINNING WRITERS - Finds & creates quality resources for poets & writers, also has contests. WD Best 101.
MAJOR WRITER’S AWARDS:
This is a fairly complete list of all the major awards offered to the best of the best writers with links to their home sites where you can find more information about the terms and previous winners.
AMERICAN BOOKS AWARDS – The American Book Awards Program respects and honors excellence in American literature without restriction or bias with regard to race, sex, creed, cultural origin, size of press or ad budget, or even genre. There would be no requirements, restrictions, limitations, or second places. There would be no categories (i.e., no “best” novel or only one “best” of anything). The winners would not selected by any set quota for diversity (nor would “mainstream white anglo male” authors be excluded), because diversity happens naturally. Finally, there would be no losers, only winners. The only criteria would be outstanding contribution to American literature in the opinion of the judges.
AUDIE AWARDS - Formed in 1986, the Audio Publishers Association (APA) is a not-for-profit trade association that advocates the common, collective business interests of audio publishers. The APA consists of audio publishing companies and suppliers, distributors, and retailers of spoken word products and allied fields related to the production, distribution, and sale of audiobooks.
BETTY TRASK AWARD - The award was established in 1984 by the Society of Authors, at the bequest of the late Betty Trask, a reclusive author of over thirty romance novels. The awards are given to traditional or romantic novels, rather than those of an experimental style, and can be for published or unpublished works.
BLACK CAUCUS OF THE ALA LITERARY AWARDS - The Black Caucus of the American Library Association serves as an advocate for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services and resources to the nation’s African American community; and provides leadership for the recruitment and professional development of African American librarians.
BOOKER PRIZE – The leading literary award in the English speaking world, which has brought recognition, reward and readership to outstanding fiction for over 50 years. Awarded annually to the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK or Ireland.
BRAM STOKER AWARD - Each year, the Horror Writer’s Association presents the Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement, named in honor of Bram Stoker, author of the seminal horror work, Dracula. The Bram Stoker Awards were instituted immediately after the organization’s incorporation in 1987. To ameliorate the competitive nature of any award system, the Bram Stoker Awards are given “for superior achievement,” not for “best of the year,” and the rules are deliberately designed to make ties possible. The first awards were presented in 1988 (for works published in 1987) and they have been presented every year since. The award itself is an eight-inch replica of a fanciful haunted house, designed specifically for HWA by sculptor Steven Kirk. The door of the house opens to reveal a brass plaque engraved with the name of the winning work and its author. Any work of Horror first published in the English language may be considered for an award during the year of its publication. The categories for which a Bram Stoker Award may be presented have varied over the years, reflecting the state of the publishing industry and the horror genre.
BREAD LOAF BAKELESS PRIZE - The Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference at Middlebury College sponsors a series of Bread Loaf Anthologies, as well as the annual Bakeless Literary Publication Prizes in Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction for authors who have not previously published a book.
CALDECOTT MEDAL - The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
COMMONWEALTH WRITER’S PRIZE - The Commonwealth Book Prize was part of an initiative by the Commonwealth Foundation called Commonwealth Writers, which seeks to unearth, develop and promote the best new fiction from across the Commonwealth. Regional winners received £2,500 and the overall winner received £10,000
COSTA BOOK AWARDS - Launched in 1971, the Costa Book Awards is one of the UK's most prestigious and popular book prizes and celebrates the most enjoyable books of the year by writers resident in the UK and Ireland. Uniquely, the prize has five categories – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book – with one of the five winning books selected as the overall Costa Book of the year and each category is judged separately by a panel of three judges per category. The Costa Book of the Year is then chosen by a nine-member panel which includes representatives from the original panels who are joined by other well-known people who love reading.
GOVERNOR GENERAL’S LITERARY AWARDS – The Governor General's Award for English-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in English. Beginning 1987 it is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each for creators of English- and French-language books.
GUARDIAN FIRST BOOK AWARD – The Guardian First Book Award was a literary award presented by The Guardian newspaper. It annually recognised one book by a new writer. It was established in 1999, replacing the Guardian Fiction Award or Guardian Fiction Prize that the newspaper had sponsored from 1965.[1] The Guardian First Book Award was discontinued in 2016, with the 2015 awards being the last.
HAMMETT AWARD - Since 1991, the North American Branch of the International Association of Crime Writers has presented the Hammett trophy to the book of the year that best represents the conception of literary excellence in crime writing. Nominations for the Hammett Prize may be submitted by any interested party.
INTERNATIONAL IMPAC DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD – The International Dublin Literary Award (Irish: Duais Liteartha Idirnáisiúnta Bhaile Átha Chliath) is presented each year for a novel written or translated into English. It promotes excellence in world literature and is solely sponsored by Dublin City Council, Ireland. At €100,000, the award is one of the richest literary prizes in the world. If the winning book is a translation (as it has been nine times), the prize is divided between the writer and the translator, with the writer receiving €75,000 and the translator €25,000.
JAMES BEARD/KITCHENAID AWARD – The James Beard Awards are given in many categories, including chefs and restaurants, books, journalism, broadcast media, and restaurant design, leadership, humanitarian, and lifetime achievement. Please see the Awards Policies and Procedures for more information on the process.
KIRIYAMA PACIFIC RIM BOOK PRIZE – The Kiriyama Prize was an international literary award awarded to books about the Pacific Rim and South Asia. Its goal is to encourage greater understanding among the peoples and nations of the region. Established in 1996, the prize was last awarded in 2008.
LAMBDA LITERARY AWARDS - For over 30 years, the Lambda Literary Awards (the “Lammys”) have identified and honored the best lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender books. The Lammys, which receive national and international media attention, bring together 600 attendees—including nominees, celebrities, sponsors, and publishing executives—to celebrate excellence in LGBTQ publishing. It is the most prestigious and glamorous LGBTQ literary event in the world.
LANNAN LITERARY AWARDS – The Lannan Literary Awards and Fellowships were established in 1989 to honor both established and emerging writers whose work is of exceptional quality. The awards recognize writers who have made significant contributions to English-language literature.
LENORE MARSHALL PRIZE – Established in 1975, this $25,000 award recognizes the most outstanding book of poetry published in the United States in the previous calendar year. The prize includes a ten-day residency at Glen Hollow in Naples, New York, and distribution of the winning book to hundreds of Academy of American Poets members. The Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize honors the memory of Lenore Marshall (1897-1971), a poet, novelist, essayist, and political activist. She was the author of three novels, three books of poetry, a collection of short stories, and selections from her notebooks. Her work appeared in such distinguished literary magazines as The New Yorker, The Saturday Review, and Partisan Review. In 1956 she helped found the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, the citizens’ organization that lobbied successfully for passage of the 1963 partial nuclear test ban treaty. In 1994, the Academy was selected by the New Hope Foundation to administer the award.
MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS – The Minnesota Book Awards is a year-long program that connects readers and writers throughout Minnesota with the stories of our neighbors.
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD - National Book Awards are currently given to one book (author) annually in each of five categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translation, and young people's literature. There have been awards in many other categories but they have been retired or subsumed in the current five.
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD – The National Book Critics Circle honors outstanding writing and fosters a national conversation about reading, criticism, and literature.
NEWBERY MEDAL - The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".
NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE - The Nobel Prize in Literature is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction". Though individual works are sometimes cited as being particularly noteworthy, the award is based on an author's body of work as a whole. The Swedish Academy decides who, if anyone, will receive the prize. The academy announces the name of the laureate in early October. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895. On some occasions the award has been postponed to the following year, most recently in 2018
PEN/FAULKNER AWARD – The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation to the authors of the year's best works of fiction by living American citizens. The winner receives US $15,000 and each of four runners-up receives US $5000. Finalists read from their works at the presentation ceremony in the Great Hall of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.. The organization claims it to be "the largest peer-juried award in the country. T
PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARD – The PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel honors a debut novel of exceptional merit by an American author who has not previously published a full-length book of fiction. One winner will be selected by a panel of three esteemed writers. The winner will receive a $25,000 cash prize intended to allow significant time and resources with which to pursue a subsequent work of fiction. All competition honorees receive Residency Fellowships at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming, a retreat for artists and writers.
PULITZER PRIZE - The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine and online journalism, literature, and musical composition in the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of American (Hungarian-born) Joseph Pulitzer who had made his fortune as a newspaper publisher, and is administered by Columbia University in New York City. Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories. In twenty of the categories, each winner receives a certificate and a US$15,000 cash award (raised from $10,000 in 2017). The winner in the public service category of the journalism competition is awarded a gold medal.
REFERNCE AND USER SERVICE ASSOCIATION AWARDS – The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) annual Outstanding Reference Sources awards are considered the highest awards honoring academic reference books or media,.
RITA AWARD – The RITA Award is the most prominent award for English-language romance fiction. It is presented by Romance Writers of America (RWA). The purpose of the RITA Award is to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding published novels and novellas.
SCOTT O’DELL HISTORICAL FICTION AWARD – In 1982, Scott O'Dell established The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The annual award of $5,000 goes to an author for a meritorious book published in the previous year for children or young adults. Scott O'Dell established this award to encourage other writers to focus on historical fiction.
SPUR AWARD – Western Writers of America annually honors writers for distinguished writing about the American West with the Spur Awards.
THURBER PRIZE - Awarded annually, the Thurber Prize for American Humor is one of the highest recognitions of humor writing in the United States. A panel of national judges selects three finalists from eight or nine semi-finalists. The winner receives $5,000 and a commemorative plaque. Previously held in New York City, the Thurber Prize returned to its hometown roots—Columbus, Ohio—beginning in 2018. During this annual event, guests are entertained with a spectacular evening of humor featuring the three award finalists, culminating with the announcement of the winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
WALT WHITMAN AWARD – The Walt Whitman Award is a $5,000 first-book publication prize. The winning manuscript, chosen by an acclaimed poet, is published by Graywolf Press, a leading independent publisher committed to the discovery and energetic publication of contemporary American and international literature. The winner also receives an all-expenses-paid six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center in the Umbrian region of Italy, and distribution of the winning book to thousands of Academy of American Poets members. The award was established in 1975 to encourage the work of emerging poets and to enable the publication of a poet’s first book. It is made possible by financial support from the members of the Academy of American Poets.