Guest Post: Veronica Hunt shares her favorite websites for writers.
By Veronica Hunt
The web is an endless source of information, inspiration, and everything else we wish we had more time for. Which is why I’ve cut through the noise to create a list of the top 10 writing sites every author should know. These include informative sources to keep up with the latest trends, overcome procrastination, beat writer’s block, find fresh ideas, expert advice and more.
Top Writing Websites #10
Aerogramme Writers’ Studio
Aerogramme Writers’ Studio is an amazing source of news from the writing world. This website publishes writing opportunities, contest information, and MFA programs regularly. There is also an informative blog that contains thousands of articles about creative writing.
Top Writing Websites #9
Bane of Your Resistance
Bane of Your Resistance is perfect for those writers who experience fear of failure and cannot stop procrastinating, even when deadlines are nigh. Bane of Your Resistance belongs to Rosanne Bane, whose journalistic research focuses on creative processes in neuroscience and human behavior. Rosanne focuses on the problem of writing resistance in its different forms, like perfectionism, procrastination, writer’s block and more.
Top Writing Websites #8
Student Share
Need a little inspiration? Designed for students, Student Share features a great range of academic papers in different disciplines, including creative writing. A limited selection of papers are available for free download and students can also submit their papers for publication to get a free access to the writing base.
Top Writing Websites #7
Brain Pickings
Created by Maria Popova, Brain Pickings originally developed as a way to document Popova’s spiritual, intellectual, and creative development. Popova explores brilliant discoveries in various disciplines, profiles great writers and curates some of the world’s most creative ideas and concepts to inspire and engage her loyal band of readers.
Top Writing Websites #6
Fiction University
Founder of Fiction University Janice Hardy knows how to write “right”. Her approach to writing is quite unique – she doesn’t offer advice on how writers should change their craft, but instead illustrates how to make the industry work for them.
Top Writing Websites #5
Creative Indie
As the name suggests, Creative Indie encourages you to be a creative genius, without having to become a starving artist. Founder Derek Murphy is an author who painstakingly details his own experiments and experiences in the wild world of self-publishing, including fantastic articles about book marketing, like this one.
Top Writing Websites #4
Live Write Breathe
Write with passion, live with passion and don’t forget to breathe! At Live Write Breathe, these principles are expressed best by Janalyn Viogt, a professional author who shares the insights she’s gleaned from years of working, and living, as a successful creative. At this site you’ll define your writing life, learn to write with skill and artistry, and manage the most precious commodity of all: your time.
Top Writing Websites #3
The Write Practice
It’s universally agreed that the more you write, the better you write. With a team from The Write Practice you will be able to develop your own writing voice, rhythm and style and create a daily practice you can stick with. Check out their blog for lots of writing tutorials and articles that are updated regularly.
Top Writing Websites #2
Ink and Quills
Explore a ton of helpful guides at Ink and Quills, including articles on how to avoid cliches in your writing, develop characters and plot, create sequels and structure novels. Want to make writing for a living your reality? Try the free seven-day writing challenge and get ready to be re-inspired.
Top Writing Websites #1
Positive Writer
All writers share one common problem – those lovely creative juices dry up for a spell, and then it’s only natural for the doubts to start creeping in. When you need something to help you get back on track visit Positive Writer. This resource offers a host of inspiring and motivating posts to help beat back writer’s block and finish your project.
Know a site that deserves a mention? Please feel free to comment below!
Veronica Hunt is a true edtech expert and freelance writer. She loves traveling and science fiction. Follow Veronica on Google+ and Linkedin.
This looks like an excellent list of writing resources! I know Brain Pickings well, but the rest are new to me, so many thanks.
Definitely some gems in there Jason; Creative Indie is a personal favorite of mine. Any blog that can make book marketing interesting wins my tick of approval!
Excellent post! Bookmarking! 🙂
Thanks Karen! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thanks so much for including me!
Thanks for sharing your wisdom with the world Derek! Creative Indie rocks.
I’m just starting out myself, my first book which I will self publish is nearly complete. This is the kind of help I’m looking for, so thank you 🙂
Our pleasure Gary! It’s a jungle out there, but thankfully there are a lot of great resources to help guide the way as well.
Too cool! Thanks for including Positive Writer. Will share!
Stay awesome.
Bryan
Our pleasure Bryan! Thanks for making the writing world a more positive place. 🙂
Great recommendations! I cannot recommend Positive Writer enough, but then I did win a blogging contest with them recently!
I’m now following many of the other sites listed – such a useful article.
Congrats on your win Lisa! Well deserved I’m sure. 😉
Thanks Cate!
I’m honored and delighted that BaneOfYourResistance is among your Top 10 Writing Websites. However, I must clarify that I am not a scientist. I do journalistic research, not scientific research. I am a brain geek, I read a lot about the brain and creativity, and I do my best to translate the amazing discoveries neuroscientists make for the benefit of non-sciencist writers and readers. Thanks!
We love to have you, Roseanne! And thanks for that clarification; the article has been updated.
Added several of these to my RSS reader. Thanks so much for the resources.
Happy to share! Thanks for reading.
Great stuff! May I recommend Writers Helping Writers, and the Facebook group FARG (Fiction Authors’ Resource Guild)?
Great suggestions, thanks Angela. Here is the link for anyone interested in WHW: Writers Helping Writers. Unfortunately I couldn’t find FARG?
Thanks, Cate! Here is a link to the FARG group (closed membership, but requests to join are quickly approved): https://www.facebook.com/groups/239838636360276/
They also have a website: http://www.onestopfiction.com , which just went live a month or so ago and allows readers and authors to connect …. think of it as Pandora for books.
Fantastic. Thanks!
Nice list. I’d add a Facebook group by Michael Anderle called 20Booksto50K, it’s a great resource for marketing. It’s at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/781495321956934