Resources
From Category: Advice for Writers
On Not Noticing
How selective perception distinguishes your fictional characters | Visit source
To Trope or Not to Trope
Stories that self-consciously subvert genre conventions | Visit source
How Novelty Ruined the Novel
Current Affairs essay on worn-out postmodernist tricks | Visit source
Romantic Comedies: When Stalking Has a Happy Ending
Real-life negative consequences of rom-com tropes | Visit source
Don’t Make Violence and Abuse Just Another Plot Device in Your Novel
Bestselling novelist Rene Denfeld's advice on responsible writing about trauma | Visit source
Q&A With Amy King from VIDA, Feminist Watchdog
Tracking gender disparities in publishing and reviewing | Visit source
Writing Better Trans Characters
Science fiction critic Cheryl Morgan's advice on authentic representation | Visit source
The Rejection Survival Guide
Creative resilience for authors | Visit source
A Basic Guide to Getting Permissions & Sample Permissions Letter
Copyright advice for quotes and excerpts from other writers | Visit source
A Literary Agent’s Guide to Publishing Terms Authors Should Know
Basic contract terms explained by Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group | Visit source
What Type of Book Editing Do You Need? And When?
Differences between copyediting, proofreading, and structural edits explained | Visit source
How to Write a Killer Fairy Tale Retelling
Timeless Tales Magazine editor shares advice for an original twist on classic stories | Visit source
Writer Advice
Writers' resource site hosts contests with modest prizes | Visit source
May I Have Several Hours of Your Time?
Poet and professor Karen Craigo talks strategies for balancing writing and mentoring | Visit source
Representation Matters: A Literary Call to Arms
Tips and resources for writing non-stereotypical characters with diverse identities | Visit source
Advice from Judy Juanita, Judge of the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Judy Juanita shares what she likes to see in stories and essays
Reviews of Trans and/or Non-Binary Lit by Trans and/or Non-Binary Reviewers
Blogger Xan West surveys contemporary trans and nonbinary literature | Visit source
Submission Strategies: Advice from The Masters Review
Crafting a submissions strategy to meet your goals and pace of writing | Visit source
How to Be a Good Beta Reader
Quick tips for giving useful manuscript critiques | Visit source
The Tipping Point for Best Selling Authors
Success strategies from top-selling indie and self-published crime/thriller authors | Visit source
Autistic Representation and Real-Life Consequences
A call to move past harmful stereotypes in writing autistic characters | Visit source
Sage Cohen: 2 Keys to Unlock Your Momentum
How to sort out helpful from unhelpful writing advice | Visit source
When Grief Becomes Surreal
Novelist Tobias Carroll on techniques for writing extreme emotional states | Visit source
Erika Dreifus: 13 Questions to Ask Before Submitting to a Literary Journal
Editor of The Practicing Writer newsletter shares advice for targeted submissions | Visit source
The Rest of the Iceberg
Tips for writing outside your own culture | Visit source
Writing Women Characters as Human Beings
Advice on avoiding stereotypes in fantasy, historical, and contemporary fiction | Visit source
Thoughts on Structure
Poet Weston Cutter calls for more conscious choice in the structure of free verse | Visit source
Why Write Characters of Color?
Craft essay by fiction writer Lillian Li | Visit source
“That’s Not How I Remember It”: Creative Nonfiction and the Art of Dealing with Doubters
Essayist Megan Galbraith shares tips for writing about sensitive family stories | Visit source
George Saunders on Storytelling
Video by acclaimed short story writer | Visit source
Advice from Soma Mei Sheng Frazier, Judge of the Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Advice for poetry contestants from Soma Mei Sheng Frazier
The Audacity of Prose
An essay against literary minimalism | Visit source
Jane Friedman’s Writing Advice Links
Archive of articles by publishing expert | Visit source
The Politics of Empathy
Ethical considerations for writing about oppression as an ally | Visit source
New Plays and the Destructive Cult of Virginity
Feminist playwright Carolyn Gage questions the first-publication rule | Visit source
Four Hidden Dangers of Writing Groups
Publishing expert looks at pitfalls of group input in the creative process | Visit source
Resources for Organizing a Poetry Manuscript
Links to books and articles about structuring a poetry collection | Visit source
Book Review Directory
Site matches authors with reviewers by genre | Visit source
Ride the Pen
Analyzing great literature for technique and writing prompts | Visit source
Tim Weed’s Storycraft Blog
Novelist's blog analyzes fiction from a craft perspective | Visit source
Purity and Nonsense
Brian Brodeur's essay on the aesthetics of nonsense verse | Visit source
David Biespiel: Follow Your Strengths, Manage Your Weaknesses
How to focus on your strengths as a writer | Visit source
Christopher Fielden’s Writing Advice and Competitions Listings
British writer-editor's blog links to top fiction competitions | Visit source
Advice from the Judges of the North Street Book Prize
What Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche like to see in self-published books
Amorak Huey on Writing Funny
Musings on the role of humor in poetry | Visit source
Necessary Fiction
Online journal publishes original fiction, book reviews, essays on writing | Visit source
Now What? The Creative Writer’s Guide to Success After the MFA
Book and companion website on opportunities for professional writers | Visit source
Advice from Ellaraine Lockie, Judge of the Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Ellaraine Lockie describes the kinds of work she likes to see in the Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Advice from Arthur Powers, Judge of the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Arthur Powers shares advice on the kinds of stories and essays that win contests
Ingrid Wendt: “The Unknown Good in Our Enemies”
This essay honoring the poet William Stafford reflects on how literature can foster mutual understanding and empathy in order to break the cycle of violence | Visit source
