Resources to Improve Your Writing

Writer’s Market, Writer’s Digest Magazine, The Writer Magazine, and Writer’s Digest Books.

Internet Today, the internet is my primary resource. My personal preference is Yahoo’s search engine, but I use Google Maps for maps and when I have access to Chrome, and I use Google Earth to view places. Wikipedia has an extensive list of search engines divided into useful categories to get more targeted results.

I use Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary and thesaurus when I’m searching for a word. For access to style guides, I use Purdue Online Writing Lab, but they have free basic writing instruction there, too. I haven’t used it yet, but The International Writing Program offers massive open online writing courses (MOOCs) for free – and this is supported by the University of Iowa, which is known for its writing programs, so I would expect the courses to be excellent.

You should go to Writer’s Digest Books and pick out ones that are relevant to your skill level and interests, so I’m not going to list all of mine. For fiction writing, my favorite is Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook. My favorite non-WD book on writing fiction is Stephen King’s On Writing. It’s a memoir and a textbook for writers. I underlined key comments and marked them with sticky notes so they’re easy to find.

Finally, for grant or other technical writing or editing, the Allyn and Bacon Series in Technical Communication is well-designed. Whatever kind of writing you do, keep developing your skill.

www.sherimcguinn.com Amazon Author Page

#TheWriter #SeriesinTechnicalCommunication #OnWriting #StephenKing #purdueonlinewritinglab #WritingtheBreakoutNovel #writersguide #owl #howtowritebetter #WritingProposals #AllynandBacon #writermagazine #Theinternationalwritingprogram #writersmarket #DonaldMaass #writingresources #MOOCsforwriting #Writing #Howtostartwriting

Basic Resources: Selling What You Write

It’s Friday! I lost a day helping with the Gold Country Writers’ booth at the Gold Country Fair in Auburn, CA. All of my books are on sale there and I’ll be available to sign on Friday (today) and Saturday, 4-9 PM. My brochures on writing services are also there. The Fair runs through Sunday.

Today’s blog is about the basic resources for selling what you write. It’s not enough to have these resources on hand – you need to read the book(s) and magazine(s) first, then search in them and online with a specific project in mind, looking for markets that will be interested in that particular work.

Target your submissions for the best results.

Links: Writers’ Market, Jeff Herman’s Writer’s Guide, Writer’s Digest Magazine, The Writer, Submittable, Duotrope

#TheWriter #WritersDigestBooks #marketingwriting #basicresourcesforwriters #writersguide #JeffHeman #Duotrope #Submittable #andLiteraryAgents #WritersGuidetoBookEditors #publishers #writersmarket #writingresources #WritersDigestMagazine #sellingwhatyouwrite

A Writer’s Journey Part 3: Trying to be a Writer

Sorry this is late: as I went to post it, there was a muffled crash and the electricity went out. A car crashed into a nearby utility pole. According to people on the scene, no one was seriously injured, but our electricity is still out more than twelve hours later. Good time to work at the coffee shop!

#jeffherman #runningaway #hobbyvsbusiness #writersguide #writersmarket #beginningwriter #tryingtobeawriter #Writing