RESOURCES
    for WRITERS

Clipmate, the popular clipboard extender holds hundreds of clips, across reboots, with powerful editing, re-formatting, combining, change case, drag and drop, etc.  It has many Internet features - save and revisit web pages, launch URLs , even view HTML tags as actual HTML, and even includes a spell checker!  Order from:  http://www.thornsoft.com/index.htm?referrer=SimonTeakettleInk Please note that this is not an advertisement, but an honest endorsement of a product that has been making my life easier for many years.

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BOOKS by Barbara Florio Graham:

Five Fast Steps to Better Writing,  20th anniversary edition (2005)
Five Fast Steps to Low-Cost Publicity,  2nd edition (2003)

URL SHORTENERS: http://tinyurl.com/   http://bit.ly/  http://ow.ly/url/shorten-url

A free calendar to help you pitch ideas for specific holidays:
www.directcontactpr.com/files/files/Publicityplan2010.pdf 

HELP WITH SPELLING & GRAMMAR:  

 www.myspellit.com

THE TEN MOST MISSPELLED WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:

ecstasy, embarrass, exhilarate, harass, hypocrisy, indispensable, liquefy, rarefy, sacrilegious, supersede

All Experts (volunteers answer grammar, usage and spelling questions): http://tinyurl.com/2vp4pk5

PHRASE FINDERS:  meanings and origins of common phrases and sayings: www.phrasefinder.co.uk  www.phrases.org.uk/meanings

An excellent selection of slang dictionaries, including links to sites on street slang, Internet slang, hip hop, sports slang, international English slang and much more.
http://www.realisticdiplomas.com/The-List-Of-Slang-Dictionaries.aspx

Alphabetize any list. The Alphabetizer is free, and offer many options, including capitalization, removing HTML, and removing duplicates. It's free at: http://alphabetizer.flap.tv/

ALSO SEE:   RESOURCES re PUBLISHING

ALSO SEE:   RESOURCES re CREATIVITY

ALSO SEE:   RESOURCES for ENTREPRENEURS

CANADIAN LIBRARIES DATABASE

More than 90 Canadian Libraries with purchasing power, covering all provinces and territories,
available in both database format (EXCEL) and in Word, with addresses in  block format
so you can  print labels immediately. See full description by clicking above.  Only $25.

INTERVIEW TIPS & A SHORTHAND   METHOD FOR WRITERS

Capture all the details and every quote by taking notes with a type of shorthand
that's easy to decipher later. This  9-page handout  contains a shorthand method based on
Speedwriting, adapted by Barbara Florio Graham over many years as a professional
journalist. Tips on how and when to use a tape recorder are also included.  $10. postpaid.

USEFUL SITES for Research, Copyright Info, etc.

(See separate pages for Copyright Resources, Marketing Resources)

Librarian's Internet Index: http://tinyurl.com/nuwfub Searchable, annotated subject directory of more than 14,000 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their value to users of public libraries. Entries organized into 14 main topics and nearly 300 related topics.

http://www.WhereTheMapEnds.com  a great site for science fiction and fantasy from a Christian perspective

http://www.ContractsWatch.com  from The American Society Of Journalists and Authors

http://www.internet-resources.com/writers/

http://www.writers-free-reference.com/  resources for writers and researchers

http://www.independentlibraries.org    a consortium of Quebec libraries offering resources in English

http://www.acqweb.org/pubr.html    publishers in all genres

http://www.newpages.com/litmags   directory of magazines

http://bestezines.com/  http://ezine-universe.com and http://newsletteraccess.com  electronic magazines and newsletters

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES for magazine guidelines, information about writing

http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/  the inside info on problems with editors & publishers

Booksquare at http://booksquare.com/. An informative site relating more to the traditional book publishing industry rather than self-publishing. Carol Denbow calls it a “what’s hot, what’s not” reference.

Write and Publish Your Book at http://www.writeandpublishyourbook.com/. Lots of articles by published authors who promote their own books at the end of each article, but give useful info regardless.

http://www.poynter.org  reliable information and tools for professional journalists, including helpful newsletters, articles about writing, useful links.

http://www.freelancewriting.com/guidelines/pages/Regional/   lists more than 150 magazines, along with writer's guidelines and specifics about editorial needs.

http://www.writerswrite.net/pubbrws.cfm?category=regional&payingstatus=yes    Writers Write – a database for writers' guidelines

www.WritingRaw.com - a great site for beginning writers, where they can post their work, get tips and help on getting started

Ruth Barringham is a writer and author from Brisbane Australia. She runs a web site for writers at http://writeaholics.net, and is the co-author of the popular e-book for writers, The Wealthy Writer: How to Earn $100k+/Year Writing For the Internet.

Maria Carlton is a award-winning business and publishing coach, pro-speaker, author and book shepherd. She's currently writing a guide for speakers and writers showing how to take your professional expertise to market.  Her site is full of useful information. Go to: www.marukibooks.com

http://quick-brown-fox-canada.blogspot.com/  Brian Henry's site contains many resources, including contests

http://www.agentquery.com/   information about agents, editors,  as well as a paid newsletter

http://www.litmatch.net/AgentBlogs.asp  agent blogs

http://www.sources.com/  Canadian sources, including corporations, organizations, agencies, for information and interview subjects.   Also see: http://www.nserc.ca/partners/chairs_e.asp

http://www.J-Source.ca  The Canadian Journalism Project, a project of the Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) in collaboration with leading journalism schools and organizations across Canada to promote excellence in journalism.

http://freelanceswitch.com/  an eclectic site with lots of information for freelancers

http://www.npr.org   National Public Radio offers podcasts of author interviews, book reviews, etc.

http://www.ccna.ca/  Canadian Community Newspaper Association, 743 members, mostly weeklies

http://www.freelancesuccess.com  (excellent website and discussion list)

http://www.WriterL.com  (another excellent discussion list for professional writers)

http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog   (Patricia Fry's blog contains excellent advice)

Sites which list freelance jobs: www.freelanceswitch.com  www.elance.com  www.guru.com  webworkerdaily.com www.freelancefolder.com

http://freepages.writing.rootsweb.com/~petersplace/new.htm   (Peter's Place Of Freelance Journalism)

http://www.anthologiesonline.com  (anthology markets)

http://www.publicityhound.com  (excellent resource for publicity and promotion)

http://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx  (advice about how to find an agent)

http://www.mentors.ca/mp_writers.html;  www.peers.ca  (for and about mentoring)

http://www.readerviews.com  (an interesting book review site)

http://therenegadewriter.com   (The Renegade Writers, which includes excellent info about queries)

General sites for writers:  www.Scriptorium.ca

http://www.aucc.ca/  Canadian universities and colleges, a source of experts in various special fields
as well as for magazines published by these institutions

http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/links.html  (resources for writers and writing instructors)

http://www.silverdonaldcameron.ca   (inspiration from one of Canada's pre-eminent  writers)

http://www.adrianblake.com/ (Adrian offers coaching and workshops in corporate writing)

http://www.johnwatkis.com  (John is an actor, motivational speaker, and writer who offers great advice about public speaking; also check http://www.wellwrittenwellsaid.com/podcast.html

http://www.sharasmock.com/  (Shara's book on writing openings is a useful resource for freelancers)

http://writeaholics.net  Australian Ruth Barrington offers advice and a free newsletter

SPECIFIC GENRES

WRITING FOR CHILDREN: 

 www.write4kids.com offers a free eZine, message board, articles, tips

 POETRY & FICTION: www.1000-poetry-and-writing-contests.com

            www.thepoetrymarket.com offers a monthly ezine; interviews with poets, publishers and editors as
            well as contest listings 

NewPages: a directory of close to 200 print and online literary magazines:
http://www.newpages.com/litmags

http://saltpublishing.com/  and  www.sourcebooks.com  publish poetry books

Poets & Writers: www.pw.org

Academy of American Poets: http://www.poets.org/

The Poetry Foundation: www.poetryfoundation.org

Poets House: www.poetshouse.org

FILM & TV: 

Turn your book into a movie. Award-winning screenwriter Derek Klaus can provide this service at a very reasonable cost. Check out his website at: http://yourbookintoamovie.com

InkTip Newsletter lists requests for specific kinds of scripts

Scriptapalooza periodically offers a discount on their script analysis services. 

The Slamdance Feature Screenplay Competition is held every years, with a June deadline.
Information at: http://slamdance.com/writing/feature.html

SONGWRITING & LYRICS:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/

Ultimate Songwriting.com: Hundreds of pages of advice on how to write a song, song-writing tips, ideas and techniques. The site also has a step-by-step tutorial on song-writing and a free newsletter.
http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com/

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OF INTEREST:

http://www.forcopywritersonly.com/  information for those writing advertising copy

FilmScriptWriting.com: Useful articles and tips on script writing, including issues of content, format, and more.  http://www.FilmScriptWriting.com

RoughDraft: a word processor, with special settings for Prose, Radio Plays, and Screenplays. In Screenplay Mode, formatting is achieved by pre-set tabs: Scene Heading (Slug Line), Character, Dialogue, Transition, or Parenthetical. Just keep hitting the [TAB] key until you get the setting you want, then type in your text. A Status Bar at the bottom of the program window echoes the current tab setting. Each document you create comes with an associated set of smaller files, including a scratch pad for casual notes, a library of special symbols, and a list of AutoWords. This last can be used to store boilerplate text, such as names of main characters, principal locations -- even DAY and NIGHT. Capitalization of character names is done automatically. The Dialogue tab set is selected by default, if you press [ENTER] at the end of a character name. http://www.salsbury.f2s.com/rd_download.htm

The Ultimate Writing Guide offers help geared primarily to students writing essays.

COURSES:

GRAMMAR FOR WRITERS AND EDITORS,  an online course by Irene Davis.
E-mail irenehd@rogers.com for details.

Workshops sponsored  by Writer's Digest:  www.WritersOnlineWorkshops.com

Online courses and coaching, along with a free newsletter: http://www.justforwriters.vpweb.ca/default.html

Capital Community College in Hartford, CT offers a useful site for those interested in things relating to grammar. This site, Guide to Grammar and Writing, allows you to ask specific grammatical questions or to research abbreviations, acronyms, possessives, punctuation, tense and spelling.

The Alphasmart  http://www.alphasmart.com/Retail/  is a simple, light-weight and reliable word-processor, ideal for taking outdoors, to a venue where you need to take notes, or when you're traveling. No Internet, no e-mail, no CD or other add-ons. Long battery life, good memory capacity in several different files, easy to download to any computer program (including e-mail, your word-processor, a database, or spreadsheet).

Mentoring for Writers

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