Resources for Newer Writers | Links Resources for Newer Writers Over the years, I've written several articles about writing and the mechanics of manuscript preparation and submission. Here are a few that you can read for free. They're all in PDF format; Windows users, just right-click on the link, and then choose Save Target As from the pop-up menu to save to your hard disk. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 or greater. You can obtain Acrobat Reader 5.0 now, FREE from the Adobe website. Baiting the Hook   From Speculations Issue 17, October 1997.   How do you craft the opening of a story? Read this and find out.   See Editor Run: A Cover Letter Primer For Short Fiction and Poetry   From Speculations Issue 12, December 1996.   Not sure how to go about writing the cover letter that you want to send out with your brand new short story? This article will tell you.   I Am Spam. Spam I Am.   From Speculations Issue 21, June 1998.   You have a unique voice. You are not Spam unless you think you are.   Rubber Retrospective   From Speculations Issue 25, February 1999.   Who is that masked man in the rubber suit? On writers and editors, and why you need to take what editors says with a giant grain of salt.   Links Some of my favorite websites, both personal and professional. For Writers Speculations A must-have webzine for serious writers of genre fiction. Filled with market reports, rumors (er, I mean, news), and useful articles on writing. You can see some of the Tables of Contents of some of the issues I edited here, and an article I co-wrote with Alice Fiish.   Story Notes If you need help with screenwriting, seek it here.   Spicy Green Iguana A useful market resource for writers.   Clarion Boot camp for science fiction writers, and a whole lot more.   Science Fiction Writers of America Center of gravity and professional organization for speculative fiction writers. For Technical Writers Society For Technical Communications, Silicon Valley Chapter Networking hub and professional organization for technical writers.   Paint Shop Pro Users Group Lots of useful tutorials and interesting tips for Paint Shop Pro devotees.   To Writers Denise Lee's Newsgroup Come visit my newsgroup online at sff.net! Hang out with me and my friends.     Adrienne Gormley The Furboy's new mamma, also a writer, of course. On the photos page, there's a picture of my Furboy.   Paul Melko Mr. May, Occipital Lobe, draped in a Silk Robe. If you want to know more about Paul "Occipital Lobe" Melko, check out his web page and newsgroup.   Vera Nazarian A fun, cool lady, and a gifted writer.   Kevin O'Donnell, Jr. One of my favorite skiffy writers. He's one of the kindest people I've ever met. Author of the McGill Feighan series and over 70 published short stories.   Tim Pratt An up and coming young sf and horror writer. I like his stuff a lot.   Deborah J. Ross Author of The Fall of Neskaya and many wonderful short stories of fantasy and science fiction, and a delight to know.   Dave Smeds My con buddy and a full-time writer (Denise gawks in awe).   Dave Trowbridge Co-author of the Exordium books and major stoogelator. Read his blog!   Leslie What Love her work. She's fun, too. People   Lileks.com Dig around in the mind of James Lileks, an astute observer and critic of popular culture. There are worse places you could go.   For Fun The Inscrutable Kung Fu Hamster! This gerbil's got game! Check him out, man.   Galapagos Vogue It's turtles and madonnas all the way down.   Sexy Rex He's too sexy for his shirt, too sexy for his shirt, so sexy, yeah-ah....   Tales of the Plush Cthulhu "Wait, you plush fools!" cried Professor Blue Smush DinoBaby. "In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming. Do not disturb Him, or you will doom us all!"   Bizarre American Holidays Why celebrate Flag Day when you can celebrate Rubber Eraser Day (April 15)?      DHMO.org “DHMO is a constituent of many known toxic substances, diseases and disease-causing agents, environmental hazards and can even be lethal to humans in quantities as small as a thimbleful...” Learn more about this hazardous substance before it's too late.   Babel Fish Bored? Nothing to do? Translate your telephone bill into Icelandic at Babel Fish.   Vistar's Weird Site of the Day A Sargasso Sea of strange. A bottomless pit of bizarre. You'll get buttsores from all the time you’ll spend surfing this site.      Surrey Stick Figure Theatre of Death I don’t know why this is funny, but it is.      Bitter Physics Best to read this before declaring physics as your major.      And The Bride Wore.... Gee whiz, it's a wedding gown AND a cup holder, too!      Bad Cookie Help, I really am being held hostage in a fortune cookie factory. Really!      When Office Supplies Attack Has your stapler had a lean and hungry look lately?      The UberPage of the First Church of Shatnerology! All hail the Most Holy Shatner! Boink! All hail the Holy Glowing (TM) Form of the One Toupeed and Gloriously Bloated Shatner! Boink!      The Ultimate Website Absolutely the ultimate web site ever.      The Really Big Button That Doesn't Do Anything A refreshing oasis of a button. A true rarity on the Internet. top of page