WRITERS' ORGANIZATIONS:

www.pwac.ca (Professional Writers Association of Canada)

Canadian Authors Association (the oldest professional writers' organization in Canada)

www.writers-editors.com (The Cassell Network of Writers, which publishes Freelance Writer's Report)

www.cfunion.ca  The new Canadian Freelance Union, currently under the wing of the huge  Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union of Canada.

www.asja.org  The American Society Of Journalists and Authors has a public section of their website with a great deal of useful information, including explanations of legal wording in contracts

www.the-efa.org/  The Editorial Freelancers Association, and international organization headquartered in New York City, with members who have a wide range of professional skills, and live and work in forty-five of the United States and in Canada, England, France, India, Ireland, Israel, and Japan.

www.nwu.org/nwu/  The National Writers Union, a trade union for freelance and contract writers: journalists, book authors, business and technical writers, web content providers, and poets. They have  nearly 2,000 members in 16 chapters nationwide, and are supported by the United Automobile Workers.

www.AssociationofWriters.com  the International Association of Writers, based in Massachusetts, offers a newsletter, markets, discounts, a speakers' bureau and more

www.fwointl.com    Freelance Writing Organization, contains a vast variety of authoritative writing resources inside a searchable database. Free.

http://washwriter.org/  American Independent Writers, a national organization of freelancers which grew out of the Washington Writers' Group.

www.wga.org/  The Writer's Guild of America is a labor union for those who write television shows, movies, news programs, documentaries, animation, CD-ROMs, and content for new-media technologies

www.cmg.ca  The Canadian Media Guild is a trade union with nearly six thousand members, all of whom work in the Canadian media.

www.thewordguild.com/  An organization for Canadian Christian writers

http://www.scbwi.org   Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators

http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/  free critique group for children's writers; go to Yawrite

Words on Words - American Copy Editors Society (ACES):  Tips on editing and headline writing, comments on cliches and bad writing, offered by editors and journalism professors: 
 http://tinyurl.com/leee2c

For Ottawa authors (in addition to Ottawa chapters of national organizations):

Ottawa Independent Writers meets monthly and offers presentations covering all genres of writing.

The Media Club of Ottawa is an offshoot of the Canadian Women's Press Club, founded in 1906. They meet monthly and offer programs related to writing, publicity, research, and politics.

The Writers' Deadline features pages of resources and links, and hosts a monthly get-together over dinner, called the First Tuesday Network. 

OTHER HELPFUL ORGANIZATIONS:

SOURCES: a searchable deep-indexed database of expert sources, media spokespersons, and news and information sources. Most Canadian corporations and large companies are included, along with organizations, universities, and anyone else who wants to be consulted by the media when they're looking for experts to interview or quote. The site also has lists of members of Parliament, and a long list of articles on media relations, crisis communications, publicity, marketing, and public speaking. These articles can be found at: www.hotlink.ca.

Educational Search Engine: www.aaoparhain.com.pk

People Search Database http://tinyurl.com/ndoe6s  This is a paid database, but you can often obtain a birth date or address (perhaps both) for the celebrities listed.

Canadian Court databases:  www.canlii.org/en/databses.html

www.journalismnet.com/people/canadacrime.htm  

Legal forms for publishers: www.copylaw.com/forms/forms.html
Also www.textbookpublishers.com/contracts.html

LegalDocs.com allows for the simple preparation of personalized, downloadable and printable legal documents and legal forms to your computer instantly.

Peter Shankman hosts a website called Help A Reporter Out. Journalists can register to receive requests from those with a story to offer, including p.r. people and authors. Theres also a registration form for contacts looking for coverage. The site is free, and Shankman sends e-mails with fresh information three times a day. Help A Reporter Out (HARO) is now the worlds largest source repository, with over 100,000 members and journalists matching on a daily basis. Members receive queries via e-mail three times per day. Anyone can join HARO at http://helpareporter.com.

Papel is a program for storing your ideas and observations on a project. There are built-in themes for a Book, or a Movie. You can change these to suit your needs. Icons are used to represent different elements, such as Notes, Plot Outline, Synopsis, or Character. You can move these around onscreen, grouping them as you see fit. In essence, you create a mind map. Each icon points to a text file you create, containing information on that particular element. You can view and print the output, or export the files to a word processor. http://desnnochiri.250Free.com/Papel_Download_Page.htm

http://www.paullima.com   (resources for writers, including e-books offering practical advice)

Luigi Benetton Communications : ClarityOutOfComplexity.  Copywriter -  Technology Writer - Trainer  http://www.luigibenetton.com/

http://www.writers-editors.com (The Cassell Network of Writers, which publishes Freelance Writer's Report)

http://www.the-efa.org/  The Editorial Freelancers Association, and international organization headquartered in New York City, with members who have a wide range of professional skills, and live and work in forty-five of the United States and in Canada, England, France, India, Ireland, Israel, and Japan

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.thewordguild.com  Christian writers

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.anotherealm.com/prededitors/  the inside info on problems

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

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.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

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.ire.org/  Investigative Reporters and Editors: resources for journalists

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.writing-world.com  (Moira Allen's excellent newsletter for writers)
Also check:  www.newbie-writers.com  and www.write-away.biz

http://www.woodenhorsepub.com   (free newsletter, excellent PAID markets' database)

http://www.writersbreak.com  (yet another fine free newsletter)

http://www.writergazette.com  (in addition to resources, more than 400 articles on various topics)

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

http://www.fundsforwriters.com  (several newsletters, some free, to locate paying markets, grants, contests, and more, from SPAWN member Hope Clark

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

Between the Lines, a free writers' e-zine brought to you by The Editorial Department, a 26-year-old freelance editorial firm.

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

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

http://www.absolutewrite.com  (comprehensive, especially useful for self-publishers)

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://www.VegasQuills.com (a site specifically for women writers)

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)