writer's block
Need some inspiration so you can finish your novel? Or do you want tips on how to improve your writing skills? No matter what aspect of writing you are interested in, this section of inSITES will cover it.
Featured in this Issue
Writer's Block Resources
- Helpful Links
- Writing Books I Recommend
- Current Bestsellers in Literature & Fiction
- Current Bestsellers in Non-Fiction
- Marketing for Artists CD
- Share Your Ideas
top of page Online Research for Writers
Word Nerds Unite!
Grammar & vocabulary
- Grammar Slammer - info on style and usage, common mistakes and pronunciation
- Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tricks - fun site that answers common questions on grammar
- Learning Vocabulary Fun
- Vocabulary: The Tower of English
FUN WITH WORDS
- The Linguistics Fun Page - wonderful site full of language resources including links to Linguistic Phenomena/Devices and Shakespearanisms (you won't believe how many things we say these days came from Willy himself). Tons of fun for word nerds!
- Barrel Full of Words - A look at American word humor. Read only when in a silly mood.
- 10 Blogs Word Nerds Will Love
etymology
- Online Etymology Dictionary - I could spend all day here. Spend first used circa 1300. Day meaning originally, in Eng., "the daylight hours," expanded to mean "the 24-hour period" in late O.E. Daydream is 1685 (n.), 1820 (v.).
- Behind the Name - The Etymology and History of First Names - (Example: Susan Lee = Lily Meadow)
DICTIONARIES & THESAURUSES
- Dictionary.com - Dictionary, Thesaurus, Reference and Translator
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary & Thesaurus
quotes
Story Mechanics
PlotS, TWISTS & TURNS
Characters
Novel Writing
- How to Write a Novel: The Snowflake Method
- Justine Labastier: How to Write a Novel: Outlining
- Writer's Digest Novel Idea Summary Sheet
- From First Draft to Finish Novel
In Our Next Issue: Part 3 of Online Research for Writers: Online Writing Communities and the Business of Writing
Upcoming Writing Contests
Red Hen Press
Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award
Deadline: August 31, 2009
Entry Fee: $25
Web site: www.redhen.org
A prize of $3,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a $25 entry fee by August 31. Call or visit the Web site for complete guidelines.
Red Hen Press, Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award, P.O. Box 3537, Granada Hills, CA 91394. (818) 831-0649. Kate Gale, Managing Editor.
Glimmer Train Press
Very Short Fiction Award
Deadline: August 31, 2009
Entry Fee: $15
Web site: www.glimmertrain.org
A prize of $1,200 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories is given twice yearly for a short story. Online submissions are encouraged. Submit a story of up to 3,000 words with a $15 entry fee by August 31. Visit the Web site for complete guidelines.
Glimmer Train Press, 1211 NW Glisan Street, Suite 207, Portland, OR 97209. (503) 221-0836. Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda Swanson-Davies, Coeditors.
The Writer's Digest 10th Annual Short Short Story Competition
Deadline: December 1, 2009
Entry Fee: $15
Website: http://writersdigest.com/short
PRIZES: First Place: $3,000, Second Place: $1,500, Third Place: $500, Fourth Through Tenth Place: $100, Eleventh Through Twenty-Fifth Place: $50 gift certificate for Writer's Digest Books. We're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant...but brief. Send us your best in 1,500 words or fewer. The names and story titles of the First-through Tenth-Place winners will be printed in the May/June 2010 Writer's Digest, and winners will receive the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market and Agents, Editors, and You: The Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book Published. Plus, all First through 25th place winners will receive a free copy of the 10th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection.
Full list of Grants & Writing Contests from Poets & Writers Magazine
Helpful Links for writers
- Grants & Awards: Your Guide to Writing Contests
- Writer's Digest-101 Best Websites for Writers
- New York Foundation for the Arts
- University of Chicago Writing Program
- Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Reference
- Guide to Literary Agents Blog
Writing Books I Recommend
Screenwriting Books I Recommend
Current Fiction Bestsellers
Current Non-Fiction Bestsellers
Marketing for Artists CD
Based on Susan Lee's successful Marketing for Artists presentation, this highly informative CD can be viewed on your pc or printed. It includes the following sections:
- Marketing for Visual Artists
- Public Relations for Visual Artists
- Marketing & PR for Writers (information for published and non-published writers)
- Photoshop Tutorials
- How to Photograph Your Artwork
- Portfolio Creation and Organization (hard copies and online galleries)
- Complete clickable links to recommended instructional videos, marketing books and software
- Clickable links to artists resources on the web including grants, mailing lists, benefits for artists & more
Order your Marketing for Artists CD now for only $15 (+$5 S&H)
Share Your Ideas
Have an idea for an article or have a cool site or video you'd like to share? Please fill out this form and you may see your idea in the next issue!