Writing Resources
I get questions from aspiring writers and those just interested in the publishing process. Here are some who have inspired, educated, and guided me along my path. Clicking on the person or company’s name will take you to their website and clicking on the image will take you to their book, set of books, or podcast channel.
An immense thank you to all.
I’m a huge fan of his thrillers because they contain nuggets of lost history. So, he inspired me to pursue writing historical novels on little known events and intriguing theories. He and his wife Elizabeth are founders of History Matters, which helps cities worldwide with historic restoration and preservation. A very special thank you.
Editors
Thou shalt have an editor. Let me repeat that: thou shalt have an editor. You need someone to analyze your work. Tell you what you’re doing wrong. Tell you what you’re doing right. Here are two terrific women who can help you on that path to terrific writing.
Book Cover
You’ve heard the old saying “You don’t judge a book by its cover.” That’s a crock. People do judge a book by its cover. So, go get a good one that knocks their socks off. Here’s an excellent company that can design you one.
Experts in the field of formatting and layouts. The go-to place for getting your manuscript and cover in tip-top shape.
Authors
Deepen your writing. These two women, the co-founders of Writers Helping Writers, joined forces to create a series of books and articles which reveal how to define and describe the inner lives of your characters. These are essentials for your tool belt when sitting down in front of that blank sheet/screen.
Organize your story. Unconsciously, your readers want a structure, especially depending on your genre. Blake Snyder originally wrote the “Save The Cat!” for screenplays. Jessica took those concepts and adapted them for writing novels. And what a revelation it is.
Explore Romance structure. Struggling with constructing that romance due to all those details? Through her analysis of Korean romantic dramas (Kdrama), she developed an outline approach which will help you write that next Hallmark movie or that epic romantic novel.
The Historical Fiction genre. Being a historical fiction writer, I entered the profession with a lot of misconceptions. Let’s break some of these, shall we? Here Ms. Darwin examines the genre and reveals the do’s and don’ts.
Improve your technique. Incisive and entertaining, she offers a host of tips on her YouTube channel. Ms. Emmons will guide you down the path on improving your writing. Listen up.
Expand your technique. Ms. Hall’s Writer’s Craft series of books is the no-nonsense way of how to write as a professional. I lost count of the number of books I’ve read of hers and each one gets down to the nitty-gritty. Want to cut through a lot of the murkiness out there, here’s the way.
A close examination of technique. Author and speaker, she’s traveled the world helping others create compelling stories. Her podcasts cut right to the bone, leading the way to deeper revelations on how to construct your novels.
The path to publishing. Although the book is entitled “Self-Publishing Book Camp Guide,” it’s more than just that. It gives you a soup to nuts understanding of the entire publishing process.
Editing – where the rubber meets the road. A book really gets written during the editing process where the slap on the side of the head is not only expected but desired. Ms. Martin’s book is an incisive look into the process, which leads to your writing packing a punch.
Delve into technique with examples. Like Rayne Hall, Brandon McNulty jumps into the details of the craft with a series of podcasts that gives the needed knowledge in storytelling and a host of other topics. Click on his picture to go to his YouTube channel.
Understanding the craft. A dark fantasy romance writer, Ms. Moreci covers the writing and publishing journey in an intense and absolutely hilarious fashion. And yes, she is a cyborg.
At the top of every outline, I put this quote from the great Yogi Berra: “You’ve got to be very careful. If you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.” A great book coach, Ms. Nash provides a blueprint which distills the basics of your story and guides you through the process of developing your ideas into something with depth and meaning.
Deepen your writing skills. You sit there frustrated that you can’t find the right word. You look in your thesaurus and nothing is good enough. Have no fear! Kathy’s here! Her Lexicon books offer you the right words, and now even the right expressions. Your writing will soar.
No financial remuneration has been received for these recommendations.