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Whether you're a beginning writer seeking craft advice and basic information about breaking into publishing, or a mid-career professional thinking of expanding into a second genre or switching agents, this page contains a wide variety of resources that may be useful to you. |
| What follows is a list of books and websites that I can recommend. I am only personally familiar with some of the resources on this page. However, all of the others were recommended to me by professional writers who generously pitched in when I asked for help putting together this page. I've listed all books alphabetically by author name and all websites alphabetically by author, site, or organization name. |
This page is intended to be a good starting place, not a comprehensive listing. This isn't everything available, or even everything that's good; but everything here is personally recommended either by me or by working writers whom I know. |
| Books That I Recommend |
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Queries and Submissions |
Interested in selling some magazine articles? This 1995 Writer's Digest book covers an important and neglected area: how to find, query, and submit to such markets. The book is out-of-print and out-of-date now, but it nonetheless offers sensible advice and many concrete examples for beginning writers, as well as for experienced professionals who are new to the magazine market. Until/unless the author releases a revised-and-updated version of this book, at least the old one is easy to find via second-hand resources online, such as Half.com or Bookfinder.com.
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How to Be Your Own Literary Agent |
Good guide to how the business works, by a longtime literary agent. I recommend reading this and the Maass book (Career Novelist). Repeating information helps it sink in. More to the point, no two people have exactly the same opinions about the business, so you need to seek information from a variety of good sources.
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How I Write |
A friendly, casual book in which one of the most successful novelists of the decade talks about her craft. (It's been years since one of Evanovich's novels was not a New York Times bestseller, and a number of her hardcovers have made #1 on The List.)
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How To Publish Your Articles: A Complete Guide to Making the Right Publication Say Yes |
The author gives solid, methodical advice on writing and selling freelance articles, which she did for years before also becoming successful novelist Shirley Jump.
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Every Writer's Guide to Copyright |
Does this sound really boring? Well, suck it up and tough it out! If you're serious about working in this profession, you need to learn this stuff.
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The Career Novelist |
This book by a well-known agent is a good starter-guide to how the publishing business works, covering subjects such as how you go about selling a book, finding an agent, negotiating a contract, etc.
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Writing the Breakout Novel |
I must caution against treating any craft book like the ultimate toolbook. Every writer is different, every book is different, and I'm not actually a fan of how-to-write books. Having said that, this book offers sensible, solid craft observations and advice.
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Thinking Like Your Editor |
A very solid book about writing and selling non-fiction, written by a longtime editor and an agent. The focus is fairly narrow, i.e. "serious" non-fiction, but the broader principles here apply not only to other kinds of non-fiction, but also to selling fiction (ex. the author must think about the market if she wants to sell a book).
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Rejection, Romance, & Royalties |
This is a collection of columns and essays I've written for various publishing trade journals on living and working as a professional novelist. Using anecdotes from my own career and the experiences of dozens of writers who shared their stories with me, the book explores creative and professional strategies and adventures, surviving numerous publishing mishaps, what it's really like to do booksignings and public appearances, and many other topics.
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I Have This Nifty Idea, |
What does a professional synopsis, proposal, or pitch look like? This book shows you real examples. Contributors include Robert Silverberg, Kevin J. Anderson, Walter Jon Williams, Robert J. Sawyer, Joe Haldeman, Kathleen Ann Goonan, Katherine Kerr, me, and many others.
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Putting It Together |
Hugo and Nebula Award-winning science fiction writer Mike Resnick (my dad) walks you through the process of writing and revising a short story. Good material even if you're strictly interested in novels.
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Word Work |
Sensible advice and amusing anecdotes from a working writer.
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The Elements of Style (Fourth Edition) ISBN: 020530902X by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White Buy it online |
The classic, indispensable style guide.
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The Writer's Journey
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Vogler combines the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell with his own experience as a screenwriter in this highly readable discussion of storytelling and structure. Not a how-to manual; rather, good food for thought. A favorite of mine.
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Writing the Blockbuster Novel |
| This book is out-of-print now, but worth hunting down. The material is dated, but there's a very educational section where this longtime literary agent presents and analyzes the successively-improving drafts of outlines that Ken Follett wrote for what became his first international bestseller. | |
On Agents
How do you hire an agent? Should you hire an agent? What makes an agent good—or good for you? To find the answers to these and other burning questions, check out my 3-part series on agents, posted elsewhere on this site. And for more views on the writing life, go to my Non-Fiction page and scroll down; you'll find links there to a few more of my articles and columns.
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On Packaging
How does a book get a cover? What makes a cover good—or good for your book? How can the writer productively influence the cover process? To find the answers to these and other burning questions, check out A Book By Its Cover, my 5-part series on cover art, cover artists, and the cover process.
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Some online posts & pieces I recommend reading |
On Agents * The Safest Way To Search For An Agent |
On Earnings |
On Writing Your Memoirs |
On Pitching |
On Publishing Scams |
On Rejection |
On Submitting |
| Recommended Resources On the Web |
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Agent Query |
AgentResearch.com |
Association of Authors Representatives |
The Cherry Forums |
Contract FAQs |
Richard Dooling Writers Page |
Forward Motion |
Gila Queen's Guide to the Markets |
Karen Harbaugh's Writing Archives |
Tara K. Harper Homepage |
Lawrence Watt-Evans' So You Want To Be A Writer Page |
Literary Markets |
Vonda N. McIntyre's Resources for Writers |
Novelists, Inc. |
Preditors and Editors |
Publishers Lunch |
Quintamid |
Ralan's SpecFic & Humor Webstravaganza |
The Romance Writers of America |
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America |
The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators |
Speculations |
Story Pilot |
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Blogs |
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Nelson Literary Agency
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The Word Wenches
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Writing Workshops and Courses |
Alpha Youth Workshop |
Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer's Workshop (Eastern US) |
Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer's Workshop (Western US) |
Critters Workshop |
Crusie-Mayer Writing Workshop |
Novels in Progress Workshop |
Odyssey |
Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror |
Shared Worlds |
Uncle Orson's Writing Class |
Viable Paradise |
The Writers Center |
Writers College |
Writers.com |
Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy
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Want Someone To Read, Edit, Critique Your Manuscript? |
| Freelance editing is a profession plagued by scam artists. The freelance editors listed here may or may not suit you as individuals, but they are all reputable, respected professionals. |
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Linda Au |
Maya Bohnhoff |
DYMK Productions, Laura Anne Gilman |
Editorial Freelancers Association |
Lesley Marshall |
| Hilary Ross www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/hross/ Ross was an editor as Penguin USA for over 25 years. The writers she edited include Stephen King and Ken Follett, as well as my friends Catherine Coulter, Mary Jo Putney, Patricia Rice, and Edith Layton. |
Morning Storm Books |
Sherman Editorial Services |
Write By You |
If you'd like to recommend a resource for this page, |
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