Resources For Writers

Greetings, fellow writers! On this page you’ll find some of my favorite resources I’ve consulted over the years to improve my writing craft and help me on the road to publication. I hope you find them useful!

Please keep in mind this list is subjective and by no means exhaustive. I plan to update it from time-to-time as I make new discoveries, so be sure to check back on occasion.

And when in doubt, just remember: writing is a marathon, not a sprint. The world needs your story, so don’t ever give up on your dreams!

Best of luck on your writing journey,

Angie

The Craft of Writing

Here are some of my favorite resources and books on writing:

• Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
• Woe is I: the Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O’Connor
• Finding Your Writer’s Voice: A Guide to Creative Fiction by Thaisa Frank & Dorothy Wall
• Now Write! Fiction Writing Exercises From Today’s Best Writers & Teachers edited by Sherry Ellis
• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
• Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron
• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: the Last Book on Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
• The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Becca Puglisi
• Beat Sheets & Worksheets for Writers from Jami Gold (lots of terrific tools/resources!)
• The Fiction Writer’s Guide to Dialogue: A Fresh Look at an Essential Ingredient of the Craft by John Hough, Jr.

Publishing 101

So you want to share your writing with the world but you’re not sure where to start? From self publishing to small presses to “Big Five” publishers, there are many paths you can take to publication. For a comprehensive overview, check out Jane Friedman’s article “The Key Book Publishing Paths 2021-2022” as a phenomenal place to start.

Querying Agents

You’ve finished your book baby, you’re looking to get traditionally published with a large or mid-size press, and you’re ready to query literary agents. Huzzah! Now, where to begin? Here are a few resources to help as you dive into the querying trenches:

• The Complete Guide to Query Letters (from Jane Friedman—a nuts and bolts step-by-step guide)
• Manuscript Wish List (see what agents and editors are looking for in real time)
• Writers Digest: Successful Queries (examples of successful agent queries across genres)
• The Anatomy of the Perfect Query Letter (advice from BooksEnds Literary Agency)
• QueryTracker.net (a free online database of literary agents; full resources unlocked with a paid membership)
• Publishers Marketplace (monthly membership required, but a useful tool to research agent sales before querying)

The Book Deal

You’ve landed an agent and signed a contract with a publisher…now what? I highly recommend reading Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum.

For Young Writers

Looking for a one-stop-shop list of resources for skills development, online courses, college scholarships for writers, possible career paths, publishing, and more? Check out this article: The Money Saving Guide for Authors and Writers (shout out to Anna for the suggestion!).

Looking Inward

Finally, here are some books that I’ve found personally instrumental in helping me overcome imposter syndrome and cultivate a stronger mental game. Because believing in yourself—and your ability to improve and grow as a writer—is half the battle!

• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
• Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 

Ahoy, authors! Do you have any writing resources you’d recommend that aren’t on my list? Shoot me a message via the Contact page and let me know!