Selected Writers' Sites
It's perhaps not surprising that writers' resources are plentiful, in print and on the Web. Writers, after all, like to write. And many of them write about their own experiences and how to do what they're doing.
Writers have been prolific in forming groups and associations, too, which is also good news for the budding wordsmith. Some are general, others are genre-specific. Some membership organizations, like the Author's Guild, offer important member benefits like access to group health insurance and help in developing your own Web site. They also offer the kinds of general advice--legal, copyright, etc.--found here at SeaSource, but with an writer's bent.
Here are some of the better-rounded sites we've found. They contain many of the articles linked to from this site on specific topics. But these are worth exploring more fully. They're well-maintained and updated, so are worth bookmarking and checking on a regular basis. And in many cases they offer features like forums and advice services.
Here's a great overall resource for writers. With job boards and forums, and categories for business topics, free-lance, and others, there's something of value for virtually any working or budding writer.
This membership organization for professional, published authors operates a terrific, full-featured Web site. It contains lots of resources available to the general public like publishing news, legal updates and the like.
But for members, it also provides valuable group benefits, Web design and hosting, and other services. Not everyone can join--you have to have been published. Minimum requirement is having three free-lance pieces published.
As the term "Guild" implies, this is a membership organization--more specifically, a union. As such, members have access to traditional union benefits, like pensions and health plans. But even if you don't meet membership requirements, there's a plethora of good information, particularly regardy your intellectual property rights, under the "For Writers" heading.
Much like the Writers Guild above, this is union/membership organization. However, the membership and membership requirements, are broader, meaning it may be easier for some to qualify. It also offers valuable member benefits like group health, pension, etc. But like the Writers Guild, it offers lots of advice articles and other resources to non members.
Focused on creative writers, P&A offers a forum, advice, newsletters, directories, and even funding for qualified readings and workshops. Membership is by donation, which entitles you to a subscription to Poets & Writers magazine.
Foundation Center: User Aid for Writers
Lots of writers get grants to underwrite their work. The Foundation Center is sort of an uber-agency for grant-making organizations, and for people who seek grants. This section focuses on writers, and provides instructions and tutorials on how to find organizations that make grants to writers, and how to write effective grants.
This site sells its own wares, and you have to make your own decisions about paying for newsletter subscriptions, guidebooks, etc. It focuses on grants and other similar sources of monetary support for writers and writing projects. But it also makes available some useful free articles, such as sources for emergency funds.
Hosted at Virginia Commonwealth University's Artweb site, here's an everything-you-wanted-to-know about playwriting online tutorial. The presentation's a little basic, but the information is first-rate.
This commercial site is a good place for general information on industry trends, with authors' roundtables in various genres. It also offers fee-based Web site development and hosting for authors.
The aptly named Purple Crayon is just what aspiring children's book writers and illustrators are looking for. It's all things children's books. And it's very purple.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
If you're a budding artist interested in this genre, here's as good a targeted resource as you'll find. But even if you're not interested in the genre, check it out. Most of the advice articles apply to writing, and the business of writing, in general.
Like other membership organizations, it has requirements that the new writer might not yet meet, but there's a large volume of good information available to non-members.
Another membership organization--no truth to the rumor that you have to love Fabio to get in. In fact, you don't even have to be published--just trying in the genre.
If you don't dig the romance book thing, stay away. This one's exclusively for fans and writers of romance novels. If you do dig the romance thing, it's a good place to stay up-to-date on the market.
Bay Area Independent Publishers Assoc.