Last updated on March 26th, 2023 at 05:29 pm
The purpose of this page is to provide an author and writer resource that covers all aspects of writing and publishing a book. This page is non-sponsored and does not particularly endorse the websites listed here.
This page is intended to help aspiring writers who dream of publishing their writing and serve as a place to pass on the latest information in the publishing industry.
This page is updated as time permits, and we welcome any suggestions that you might have.
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Writing Classes and Coaches
1. Writing Coach Ellen Sussman’s Novel in a Year
Ellen Sussman is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel, French Lessons, published by Ballantine in 2011. Her first novel, On a Night Like This, was a San Francisco Chronicle Best-Seller. Ellen offers writing and coaching lessons from San Francisco, California. This is who Lisa Powell Graham of 8 Women Dream spent a year writing with to complete the first draft of her novel.
2. The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center empowers writers and those who aspire to write through workshops, events, and creative collaboration. They also support and celebrate those who publish and provide a list of writing coaches, editors, and personalized support throughout the writing process.
3. Gotham Writer’s Workshop
Gotham Writers’ Workshop is the leading private creative writing school in New York City and online. Professional writers present workshops in more than a dozen forms of writing. The school’s interactive online classes, selected as “Best of the Web” by Forbes, have attracted thousands of aspiring writers from across the United States and more than one hundred countries.
4. Writing Fix
A website filled with techniques strategically designed to “fix” reluctant writers.
5. Steven Pressfield Online
The website of best-selling author Steven Pressfield discusses his struggles to earn a living as a writer (it took seventeen years to get the first paycheck) as detailed in The War of Art. With the publication of The Legend of Bagger Vance in 1995, he became a writer of books once and for all. From there, the historical novels Gates of Fire, Tides of War, Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign, and Killing Rommel followed. His website is full of advice and inspiration for writers.
6. CopyBlogger
The premiere resource for how to write online by Brian Clark
7. Grammar Girl
Quick and dirty tips for better writing.
8. Grammar Bytes Grammar Exercises
Fun exercises to help improve your grammar.
General Writer Resources
1. Writers Helping Writers
This site has many one-of-a-kind tools and resources for writers, editors, and teachers, so they encourage you to poke around their site. They are strong believers in innovation and always try to consider what writers need most.
2. Novel Rocket
Novel Rocket is a website thrice named one of Writers Digest’s best websites for writers (formerly known as Novel Journey). The site features daily interviews and writing tips from today’s best novelists, from popular writers like Dean Koontz and Nicholas Sparks to Pulitzer and National Book Award winners like Geraldine Brooks.
3. Writer Beware
Writer Beware® is a publishing industry watchdog group sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers. A great place to check on scams in the industry.
4. Writer’s Digest
For more than 90 years, the experts at Writer’s Digest have been publishing books, magazines, competitions, conferences, and distance education materials for writers who want to polish their skills and hone their craft.
5. Book Market
Book marketing resources and book promotion tips.
6. Writer’s Market
The online edition to where writers learn to publish, market, and sell their writing and work.
7. Book Marketing Tools
Book marketing tips, advice, tools, and guides to help you market your book and a community of like-minded authors striving to sell more books and engage with more readers.
8. Writer’s Weekly
Free listing of paying markets for freelance writers. Also includes links to various resources for writers.
Editing
1. How To Edit Your Writing So Your Readers Can’t Stop Reading
By the Creative Writer’s Desk, a site that is intended to be a resource for writers in many fields. This is an ever-growing collection of articles.
2. 5 Easy Steps to Editing Your Own Work
By Copyblogger, a site for copywriting and writing on the Internet.
3. The Elements of Style
Principal requirements of plain English style. Focuses on the rules of usage in literature, composition, and grammar.
4. The Chicago Manual of Style
The website of The Chicago Manual of Style, a style guide for American English by the University of Chicago Press. Each edition prescribes writing and citation styles widely used in publishing. It is “one of the most widely used and respected style guides in the United States.” Deals with aspects of editorial practice, from American English grammar and usage to document preparation.
5. Editing for the Web
North Dakota State University offers some special tips for editing web-based content.
6. Grammarly
Grammarly is a free online Writing Assistant with the option to customize style, tone, and context-specific language, and there’s a pro version with more editing capabilities.
7. Capital Community College Guide to Grammar and Writing
A comprehensive, searchable grammar guide resources list from Capital Community College.
8. Common Errors in English
An explanation of standard English usage errors and how to avoid making them.
Book Covers
1. Fotor Free Online Book Cover Maker
A free online book cover maker. With an extensive library of premade, free book cover templates for all genres and styles, you can easily find the right cover design for your book.
2. DIY Book Design
DIY Book Covers swears you’ll love using their 3D Book Cover Creator.
3. The Book Cover Archive
The largest archive of book cover designs on the Internet for book design inspiration.
4. 99 Designs
Host your own “design contest,” and the 99 Design community of talented designers will compete to create the perfect book cover design for you.
5. Book Cover Design Tips With Book Cover Designer Anthony Puttee
Anthony Puttee is a designer, co-author of the YA novel Dream Raider and founder of BookCoverCafe.com. He specializes in helping authors with book cover design and other aspects of marketing.
6. 3 Secrets to e-Book Cover Design Success
Book cover design tips from Joel Friedlander, the book designer.
7. Canva Free Book Cover Designs
Canva’s free book cover maker makes designing book covers amazingly simple – even for non-designers.
8. Adobe Express
The Adobe Express free online book cover creator helps you easily create your custom book covers that attract readers.
Literary Agents
1. Publisher’s Marketplace: Agents
Publisher’s Marketplace features listings on more than 700 current agents who are registered members of Publisher’s Marketplace.
2. Agent Query
Agent Query offers the largest, most current searchable database of online literary agents–a treasure trove of reputable, established literary agents seeking writers like you. And it’s free.
3. Poets & Writers Database of Literary Agents
The Literary Agents database list includes agents and agencies representing poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. It includes details about the kind of books they’re interested in representing, their clients, and the best way to contact them.
4. 3 Tips for Finding an Agent
MasterClass’ tips to finding a literary agent.
5. NY Book Editor’s Tips for Finding a Literary Agent
Finding the right agent, convincing that agent to represent you, and working diligently with that agent to get your name on a publishing contract is the most difficult process you’ll ever attempt. The process can be as challenging as searching for the love of your life.
6. Finding and Choosing Literary Agents
A basic guide to finding the right literary agent.
7. Undercover Literary Agent
Founded by former book agent Mark Malatesta, Literary Agent Undercover provides resources for authors to get literary agents.
8. Query Tracker
Organize and track your query letters to literary agents and publishers.
Getting Published
1. A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing
The blog by JA Konrath, the author of 10 novels and more than 70 published short stories and articles, offers his unique view on the world of publishing.
2. How Can I Get Published?
A Penguin/Random House guide to demystifying the publishing process and provide you with resources.
3. How to Get Your Book Published
Self-proclaimed “book marketing nut” Dave Chesson’s website Kindlepreneur helps authors sell more books and to help you with your author journey.
4. Harper Collins Publishing
HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children’s books, cookbooks, mystery, romance, reference, and religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history, HarperCollins has published some of the world’s foremost authors and won numerous awards, including the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Newbery Medal, and the Caldecott.
5. Schiel and Denver Publishing
Schiel & Denver is an international book publishing services company dedicated to enabling independent writers to become published authors with the support of a professional book publishing infrastructure. They provide expert ISBN book publishing, editing, book marketing, book printing, and global book distribution at an affordable cost.
6. List of English-language Book Publishing Companies by Wikipedia
A list of English language book publishers. It includes imprints of larger publishing groups, which may have resulted from business mergers. Included are academic publishers, technical manual publishers, publishers for the traditional book trade (both for adults and children), religious publishers, and small press publishers, among others. Some of these publishers may be out of business entirely. It does not include businesses that are exclusively printers/manufacturers, vanity presses (publishing and distributing books for a fee), or book packagers.
7. Publisher’s Weekly
Publishers Weekly is the international news website of the book publishing and bookselling industry.
8. Turner Bookstore Publishing
Turner Publishing Company is an award-winning, independent publisher of books. The company is in the top 101 independent publishing companies in the U.S.
Self-Publishing
1. Self-Publishing a Book: 25 Things You Need to Know
Tips on self-publishing by CNET.
2. Outskirt’s Press Self-Publishing News
The latest news from the world of self-publishing
3. Mill City Press Self-Publishing
Articles from Mill City Press about Self-Publishing.
4. Self-Publishing Resources
The Self-Publishing Resources is run by an experienced group of professionals who are passionate about self-publishing.
5. The Book Marketing Network
A community for book authors, self-publishers, publishers, publicists, ebook authors, and others involved in writing, publishing, and marketing ebooks.
6. 30-Day Books
A book studio for self-published and indie authors.
7. Lulu
The Self-publish website of Lulu where services can help you with your cover, formatting, editing, and everything you need to get your book ready for publishing.
8. Writer’s Digest Self-publishing
Writer’s Digest’s resources and articles about self-publishing.
Marketing and Promotion
1. Self Publishing School: Effective Book Marketing
Effective Book Marketing Strategies for Consistent Sales by Self Publishing School.
2.89 Book Marketing Ideas That Will Change Your Life
Author Media is a team of expert web designers, social media managers, and coders who are dedicated to making online platform building easier for writers.
3.7 Ways to Develop an Affordable Book Marketing Plan
Advice from Writer’s Digest on book marketing.
4.119 Book Marketing Ideas to Help Authors Increase Sales
Whether you’re an author, a marketer at a publishing house, a publicist, or anyone else looking to sell books, you can use a wide array of book marketing tactics to amplify a book’s exposure and reach more readers. To spark inspiration and get those creative juices flowing, BookBub put together 119 book marketing ideas.
5. 110 Book Marketing Ideas to Sell Your Book
Smith Publicity, Inc. offers many ideas and tips to urge you to push the limits, get outside your comfort zone as it relates to promoting your book, and remember that all of the ideas they offer are only a starting point.
6. The Ultimate Book Marketing Plan: What To Do Before, During, and After Your Launch
TCK Publishing offers a checklist/book marketing plan to guide what you must do before, during, and after your book’s release to attract the most readers and sales.
7. 9 Ways to Use Social Media to Launch a Book
Tips from Social Media Examiner on leveraging social media to market your book.
8. FSB Associates
The premier Internet marketing firm specializing in creating online awareness for books and authors. Since the company’s inception in 1995, FSB has been a trendsetter in developing integrated online marketing campaigns for authors and publishers alike.
Social Media Engagement
1. 44 Essential Twitter Hashtags Every Author Should Know
Author Media offers a comprehensive list of Hashtags every author should get to know and use with Twitter.
2. Social Media for Writers: The Complete Guide
Reedsy covers everything you need to know: how to choose which platform(s) to prioritize, build your following, and ultimately use social media for marketing your book.
3. Writers Net
Writers-Net is a writing community providing a place for writers to share their writing, get constructive feedback, and interact with other writers who share their same passion.
4. The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Writers
Kindlepreneur founder Dave Chesson offers advice on the better social media platforms for writers, how to approach them best, and which writers are doing it right so you can see what it looks like when done to a level that will bring real success.
5. Using TikTok to Sell Books
TikTok makes it incredibly easy to go viral with minimal effort. Just one fifteen-second video can get you tens of thousands of followers; you only need a decent strategy. Here are some tips from Writers Helping Writers.
6. 34 Strategic Ways You Can Use Pinterest to Market Your Book and Your Author Brand
From Your Writer’s Platform’s valuable resources, tips, and strategies for building a strong and successful author platform, their advice for using Pinterest to market you and your book.
7. 19 Author Hacks on How to Promote a Book on Social Media
Writer’s Republic warns before signing up and flooding everyone’s feeds with posts about your book; you may want to create a marketing plan to monitor your social media activities with their hacks on how to promote your book on social media.
8. 5 Ways Authors Alienate Readers on Social Media Sites
Jody Hedlund has been writing for years, and here she shares tips with writers looking to get published and navigate the world of marketing and publishing a book.
Recommended Books
Coming soon
