Between author websites, blogs, publishing sites, news, literary magazines, genre sites, resource databases, and online writing newsletters and magazines, there are hundreds of sites for writers. It would be difficult to list them all.
Here are the sites I frequently visit because they have publishing resources that I use for my own nefarious purposes. (Like getting my work published.) Some of these sites you probably will already know about. Others are hidden gems, providing great resources for aspiring authors, as well as writing tips and insights from industry professionals and authors.
Agent Query is the first place you should look to find an agent. Their database allows you to search for agents by fiction genre, nonfiction topic, by name or by keyword. In addition to their database of 900 reputable agents, Agent Query has great resources for writers: How to write a query, what to do if an agent offers representation, lists of major and mid-size publishers, small presses (many of which do not require an agent), literary magazines, literary organizations, resources for self-publishing, and a lot more. This is a site aspiring authors can live on.
John Kremer is the book marketing guru. (I read his books when I was publishing my first book, which was quite a while ago.) In addition to helpful marketing articles, his site has a TON of resources: Lists of hundreds of publishers by genre, best independent book publishers, intellectual property rights attorneys, publicity resources, internet marketing resources, it goes on forever. If you are thinking of self-publishing, you want to go to this site.
Back when Duotrope was free, I spent a lot of time perusing the thousands (no exaggeration) of literary magazines in its database. Duotrope has everything - journals of every genre, response rates and times, payscale, type of publication (print, electronic), frequency of publication, whether they accept reprints, and so on. Now that Duotrope charges, I go to The Grinder for submission information. (But, if I want to check out a journal quickly I type the name of the journal and "Duotrope" into a google search. The basic information comes up.) You can sign up for a one-month free trial if you want to try their site. If you are consistently submitting stories or poems to literary journals, I highly recommend Duotrope.
Erika Dreifus is an author, reviewer, and "resource maven." Every Monday she publishes a fresh batch of no-fee writing contests, competitions, and calls for submissions on her blog, Practicing Writing. Resources on her site include: A list of MFA programs, conferences, where to publish your work, grants and fellowships, awards, jobs for writers, and interviews with published authors. (Dreifus has conduced an impressive number of interviews.)
Mica Scotti Kole had a great idea. Why not put all the free writing contests and events on a monthly calendar? Nothing could be more convenient. In addition to her monthly list of contests, Mica has assembled a handy list of more than 80 agents who represent science fiction and fantasy. She also blogs about conferences she has attended, which is very useful if you are planning to attend one.
Get Published Weekly Roundup is a weekly blog post (Mondays) by Grad Student Freelancers that features new agents, agents changing agencies, contests, and interviews. I have found their roundup very useful because it contains details not readily available on other sites. For a fee, Grad Student Freelancers will compile a list of agents in your genre. But if you go to Agent Query, you can find agents in your genre for free, and compile your own list. It just takes a little more work.
When Duotrope decided to start charging, up sprang the submission Grinder. Essentially, the Grinder does everything Duotrope does. It tracks submissions to literary markets, and it provides a search engine to find markets by genre, submission type (electronic or postal), word counts, whether the magazine is a paying market or accepts reprints and simultaneous submissions, etc. You can also look up individual journals for information on their average response times, whether they are open, and exactly what they pay. The Grinder also allows you to keep track of your submissions. This is a fabulous resource for short form writers.
Jae runs one of the best sites on writing I have found. Every aspect of writing is covered, from plot structure to characterization, to pace and point of view. She also talks about the nitty gritty - grammar points, sentence structure, and word choice. Jae delves into the practical considerations as well, hiring an editor, how much you should pay for one, the difference between beta readers and critique partners. All in all, Jae does a great job of explaining the nuts and bolts of writing in clear, concise language.
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