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WRITING LINKS
Cat-Jumps:  Agents  Articles  Artists  Associations  Authors  Beware  Blogs  Bookstores  Chat  Contests  Copyright  Courses
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Last Updated: Thursday, 24 March 2022
Featuring 450 Links

Categorized & Alphabetized
***Please report any broken links you find***

Robert Laughlin's 2022 Biennial Writing Links Update Progress: IS FINISHED - 24Mar22!
A BIG THANK YOU TO ROBERT FOR DOING THESE UPDATES AGAIN!


All these links were operational and 'as described' at the time they were added. The very generous Robert Laughlin does a biennial check of all the links, so they are pretty up-to-date. These links are provided in good faith with the belief the info is correct, but I accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions in them. Each visitor assumes all risk associated with their use or misuse. Please let me know if you encounter any difficulties, disappointments, etc. These links to websites are provided for informational purposes only. Inclusion does not imply any endorsement of the products, services, information, or resources provided. Ralan.com does not make any claim as to the quality or content provided by the owners of these links.
Please note that all email addresses (printed in italics) on this site are protected to avoid abuse by spammers.
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[Top]
Agents (see also: "Beware"):
  • FirstWriter.com searchable & category list of literary agents
  • QueryTracker: online tracker/organiser for agent queries; includes searchable database of agents
  • The Safest Way to Search for an Agent: article by Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware
  • Writers Guild of America, East: list of signatory agents
  • Writers Guild of America, West: list of signatory agents
  • WritersNet: discuss literary agents and agenting, get help with your query letter
    [Top]
    Articles about Writing (articles are the main fare):
  • Blog Where Writers Meet - Omnipapers.com: Ways to Organize Your Home Writing Cabinet (infographic)
  • Nann Dunne's Just About Write: no longer active, but the article archive is fantastic
  • Elizabeth Engstrom's Writing Tips: handouts given out in her sf/h classes over the years
  • The Expert Editor: a comprehensive guide to editing versus proofreading
  • John is Content: writings by John Hewitt
  • Lori L. Lake: novelist, anthology editor, short story writer; many helpful articles about the writing craft
  • Learn How to Get Published and Make a Living as a Writer: great advice from seasoned pro Marcia Yudkin
  • WritersServices.com: workshop, great articles, links, message boards
    [Top]
    Artists:
  • M.W. Anderson: artist & writer, fine art & illos, has done covers for Lone Wolf Pubs & others
  • Artstopper: UK/Canary Island artist Teresa Tunaley; all genres, nature, landscapes, people, humor, e-cards
  • The Dragon Charmer: custom dragons, fantasy & wildlife art, needle felting, photos
  • Jesse Bunch: American artist; fine art & illustrations
  • Patricia Hartman's Original Art: cover images; 3D modeling really lends itself to sf & f art
  • Illustratum: Elena Betti, a versatile Italian sf/f/h illustrator
  • Frank Wu: Hugo Award Winner of Best Fan Artist & 13th Best Science Fiction Artist in the World
    [Top]
    Associations for Authors & Fans:
  • Australasian Horror Writers Association: Home, About, Events, Photos, Community, Posts, Midnight Echo magazine
  • Australian SF Foundation: sponsors & encourages the creation & appreciation of SF in Australia through a variety of activities
  • British Fantasy Society: info, links
  • Canadian Authors Association (CAA): oriented towards beginning writers
  • Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP): the name says it all
  • European Science Fiction Society (ESFS): organisation of SF fans/pros committed to promoting SF in Europe & European SF worldwide
  • Horror Writers Association (HWA): for dark fiction writers, editors, publishers, etc.
  • Mississippi Writers Guild: provides information & guidance on the craft of writing; upcoming literary events
  • National Writers Union: contract advice, grievance resolution, health/dental, education, Job Hotline, networking
  • Novelists Inc.: a network of successful authors helping each other manage successful writing careers
  • Quebec Writers' Federation: represents English-language writers in the majority French-speaking province
  • SF Canada: "how-to" articles, links, membership info
  • SFPA: Science Fiction Poetry Association, founded in 1978 for poets and readers of sf poetry
  • SFWA: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer's of America, Inc.
  • Women Who Write
  • The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC): for novelists and short story writers; good website, many contests, etc.
    [Top]
    Authors (all websites listed here offer significant and free writing help material):
  • Piers Anthony: still active and one of the greats, lots of help for writers here, be sure to visit!
  • Daniel Arenson: author of fantasy novel "Firefly Island," several good, original articles on writing
  • Hatrack River - The Official Web Site of Orson Scott Card: need I say more?
  • Stephen Coonts: "Tips For Writers," a sobering, and true, article for hopeful writers
  • Susan Hanniford Crowley: sf & f author, editor, & writing teacher
  • Simon Haynes: "Hal Spacejock" series author; excellent "How to" articles: ...Write a Novel, ...Get an Agent, etc.; free writer's software
  • JA Konrath: thriller/h/erotica/comedy writer, good writing tips, links, his blog, somewhat dated
  • Holly Lisle: SpecFic writer with LOTS of writer help online
  • Scott Nicholson: thriller writer (The Red Church); several great articles on writing
  • Jason Sanford: illuminating sf/f/mys writing blog by creator of storySouth & the Million Writers Award
  • Douglas Smith: Canadian sf/f writer, info on foreign markets
  • Robert J. Sawyer: simply the biggest writer/writing website, bar none
  • Marcia Yudkin: great writing articles & advice from a seasoned pro
    [Top]
    Beware (see also: "Agents"):
  • Federal Trade Commission: main page, look for link
  • Fraud.org comprehensive site by the National Consumers League
  • Fraud Resources: list of government agencies, professional associations, other resources
  • Marcaria.com: Trademark & Other Intellectual Property Resource Guide: plagiarism and trademark resource guide
  • SFWA "Writer Beware": warnings for writers by SFWAs Victoria Strauss
  • The Short & Concise Plagiarism Guide for Students: but great info for all writers
  • 13 Warning Signs of a Bad Literary Contest: watch out before you send a check
  • Writer Beware Blogs: sponsored by the SFWA & the MWA
  • You Too Can Sniff Out Scams: Marcia Yudkin's good advice
    [Top]
    Blogs:
  • Politics for Worldbuilders: many blogs by Oren Litwin, political science PhD & writer
  • Reedsy: free industry insights, publishing news, , articles, courses, contests, book design/marketing
    [Top]
    Bookstores:
  • Atomic Books: legendary Baltimore weird indie bookstore, also online magazine distributor with many hard-to-find sf titles
  • Bakka-Phoenix: Toronto bookstore
  • Biblio.com: works with 1000s of worldwide independent bookstores/sellers; 100 mil. used/rare books
  • The Book Depository: huge range, reasonable prices, free worldwide shipping on all books
  • BooksPrice.com: free, find the best price on a purchase of several books
  • Booksrun: an eco-friendly online bookstore
  • Bookwire: by Bowker
  • Borderlands Books: San Francisco sf/f/h/mys new/used bookstore
  • Cengage: new textbooks, eBooks, single eChapters, & study tools (MindTap); at a savings
  • Chegg: sells and rents textbooks & eTextbooks
  • Cobblestone Books: Sacramento store specializing in collectible/out-of-print crime & SF
  • Dark Delicacies: online presence of the famous Burbank horror book shop
  • Direct Textbook: find books/textbooks; searches 30 online stores & 1000s of U.S. libraries
  • DreamHaven: Minneapolis mail order & physical (hours limited) bookstore; also sells comics/graphic novels
  • Flights of Fantasy: Book & RPG store in Albany NY (bricks&mortar store on hiatus; still doing online business)
  • Forbidden Planet: SF-oriented megastore serving London and 8 other UK cities
  • Galaxy Bookshop: genre specialty store of Abbey's, a large general bookstore in Sydney, Australia
  • IndieBound: a great alternative; get books online from independent bookstores near you
  • Mysterious Galaxy: Crime & SF bookstore in San Diego CA
  • Pandemonium Books & Games: Book & RPG store in Cambridge, Massachusetts (renovations: floor space partly closed)
  • Porcupine Books: used books in London, UK
  • Powell's Books: online U.S. book store
  • Project Gutenburg: free bookstore; over 50K epub or kindle out-of-copyright books; download forever or read online
  • Science Fiction Bokhandeln: Stockholm bookstore (website in Swedish)
  • Uncle Hugo's: and Uncle Edgar's both burned down by rioters, inventory destroyed, closed... GoFundMe to help
  • VitalSource: large online catalog of eTextbooks, eResources & other digital course materials to student & faculty
  • White Dwarf Books: a Vancouver, BC, CA bricks-and-mortar store specializing in sf/f
    [Top]
    Chat for Writers:
  • BellaOnline.com, Fiction Writing Forum: message boards & chat
    [Top]
    Contests & Awards:
  • SFWA's Contest Beware: contests & anthologies to avoid
  • Winning Writers: finds & creates quality resources for poets & writers; WD Best 101
    [Top]
    Copyright & Contract:
  • American Society of Journalists and Authors: ASJA
  • Creative Rights for Writers of Theatrical & Long-Form TV Motion Pictures: Writers Guild of America, West
  • Copyright Basics: copyrights made easy for kids... and us grown ups too
  • University of Rochester; Copyright and Fair Use: resources on fair use & permission to use copyrighted material
  • Intellectual Property Rights Office: Copyright Registration Service; online registration
  • Patent, Copyright & Trademark: copyright, plagiarism, & online protection
  • Printable Contracts: sample author contract
  • ScrivenersError: blog; law & reality in publishing from the author's side
  • SecureYourTrademark.com: Preventing Plagiarism and Copyright and Trademark Infringement
  • SFWA Model Contract, Magazines: for short fiction published in a magazine
  • SFWA Model Contracts, Hardcovers & Anthologies : for author/agent agreements, hardcover & anthology publications
  • SFWA Rights & Copyright: helpful article
  • Stanford University Libraries: Fair Use article
  • Trade Book Publishing Agreement Checklist: overview of a book publishing agreement
  • Understanding Rights, Copyright, Permissions & Plagiarism: on Moira Allen's Writing-World.com
  • United States Copyright Office: info, forms, online registration
    [Top]
    Courses, Classes, & Schools:
    (Some of these are free, some require a fee.)
  • Ace Reader: learn to read faster
  • Cascade Writers: world class workshops featuring top New York editors, agents, & authors like: John Scalzi & Ellen Datlow
  • Centauri Arts Camp: ages 8-18; day camps in Toronto & summer virtual camps; no overnight camp; writing, acting, moviemaking, drawing, photographing, etc.
  • Clarion: the famous Clarion workshop (scroll down for info)
  • Clarion blogs, journals, articles & interviews: author Liz Argall's excellent Clarion resource (LAST UPDATED IN 2016, BUT STILL SOME GOOD STUFF)
  • Clarion West: 6-week summer program for writers who pursue sf/f/magical realism professional careers
  • Lars Eighner's Writers' Workshop
  • HollyLisle.com: free online writing classes
  • The New School: a vital center for writing & the instruction of writing for almost 80 years
  • Odyssey Online Writing Classes: online classes adapted from effective Workshop techniques; top instructors
  • Odyssey Writing Workshop: Jeanne Cavelos' SpecFic workshop —
  • Odyssey Writing Workshop Free Podcasts: excerpts from lectures given by guest writers, editors, & agents
  • Purdue University Online Writing Lab: 200+ free resources: writing/teaching writing, research, grammar/mechanics, style guides, ESL, job search, professional writing
  • Seton Hill University: one of few U.S. institutions offering a MA degree in "Writing Popular Fiction"
  • Writers' Village University: free writers' course, links, bulletin board, group, chats
  • Writing the Other: Nisi Shawl & Cynthia Ward; diversity fiction writing workshop & book
    [Top]
    Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, etc. (for translation engines, see also: "Services."):
  • Acronym Finder: web's largest acronyms & abbreviations searchable database
  • alphaDictionary.com: with links to foreign dictionaries, grammar, & related resources
  • Cambridge History of English & American Literature: "Non-English Writings: Aboriginal," free 18 vol. encyclopedia
  • C.J. Cherryh's Antique Words: or words of changed usage (DATED, BUT STILL RELEVANT; WELL, IT IS ABOUT ANTIQUE WORDS)
  • Dictionary.com: free online dictionaries, word games & reference directory
  • DOD Dictionary of Military Terms: military words, phrases, abbreviations, acronyms, NATO terms
  • The Encyclopedia Mythica: mythology, folklore, legends, super beings, legendary creatures/monsters
  • TheFreeDictionary.com: dictionary, thesaurus, literature reference library & search engine
  • FreeThesaurus.com: a comprehensive (145,800+ unique entries) online thesaurus of synonyms, antonyms, & related words
  • Gaelic Dictionaries Online: links to many resources (A COUPLE OF LINKS DON'T WORK)
  • Merriam-Webster: searchable dictionary, thesaurus, Spanish/English, & medical; also word games, language links
  • OneLook Dictionary Search: searches 300 online dictionaries, multiple definitions
  • OneLook Thesaurus: when you don't know the word, but you know something about it -- great!
  • Oxford Languages: tips, origin of words & dictionaries, word games, crosswords, jargon buster, email questions
  • The Phrase Finder: phrases, sayings & idioms
  • The Phrontistery: 17k word obscure & rare word dictionary
  • Rhyme Desk: a rhyming dictionary and other English language tools for creative writing
  • RhymeZone: rhyme, synonym, antonym, definition, related/similar words, Shakespeare, quotations, spell, pics
  • Rhymer: free online rhyming dictionary
  • Roget's Thesaurus: an online older version (but free) of the genuine, original thesaurus
  • Semantic Atlas: thesaurus & translator; English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese
  • The Septic's Companion: British slang dictionary with audio pronunciations
  • Thesaurus.net: quickly provides possible synonyms, antonyms, dictionary definitions, & other info
  • Travlang Translating Dictionaries: free, lots of languages including Esperanto (LAST UPDATE WAS IN 2007, SOME LINKS BROKEN)
  • Urban Dictionary.com: user contributed slang dictionary
  • Visual Thesaurus: entertaining visual tour of the English language
  • Wikipedia's List of Online Dictionaries: with links to grammar & related resources
  • WordDB.com: search database for certain letters & similar words, or unscramble words
  • Word Finder: can't recall the right word?--get help here... also for word gamers
  • Word Plays: love to play with words? — here you go
  • you go WORDS!: word site used by teachers and writers to research various word combinations
  • Your Dictionary: huge index of multi-lingual, specialty, thesauri, language ID & indices
    [Top]
    Events: book fairs, conventions, etc.:
  • Ansible UK Events & Conventions List: fully covers only British Isles events plus all Eurocons & Worldcons
  • Eurocons (ESFS): the next, future, & past Eurocons; Eurocon reports; & "How to Run a Eurocon"
  • Locus Convention: list of most major conventions
  • Publishers Weekly Book Events & Conferences: dates & info for book events worldwide
    [Top]
    Film - TV - Theater - Radio: (I have no personal experience with this topic, so be extra careful with these links)
  • Box Office Guru: release dates for films & more
  • CBC Radio: how to pitch a radio show idea to the CBC
  • "Daily" Script: a collection of movie scripts & screenplays (NO LONGER DAILY, LAST UPDATED 2020)
  • Done Deal Professional: script sales, agents, query/contract examples, & more
  • Drew's Script-O-Rama: links to 100s of TV & film script samples (LAST UPDATED 2020)
  • E-gor's Chamber of TV Horror Hosts: indexed biographical info on worldwide TV horror program presenters
  • E-Script: the Internet's scriptwriting workshop
  • Film Script Writing: guides, getting started, screenplay format, character development, how to sell, and much more
  • Guide to Finding/Reading Scripts Online: brief history & types of scripts, tips for new writers, film analysis, & where to find screenplays
  • The Hollywood Reporter: film industry general info
  • Independent Film Channel: site of the TV channel, festival & coming film news
  • IndieWire: the leading source on independent film since 1996
  • International Centre: for women playwrights
  • International Screenwriters' Association: promotes & encourages films
  • Internet Movie Database: general info
  • Movie Bytes: screenwriting contests; free newsletter, news & deadlines
  • Nielsen: provides clients the most complete understanding of what consumers watch & buy in 100+ countries
  • Playbill: the magazine for the Broadway theatre scene
  • Screenwriter's Utopia: portal for screenwriting, some commerciality, but lots of free articles & advice
  • ScreenwritingU.com: articles, classes, newsletter, discussions
  • Scriptapalooza: contests, agencies, producers, news, buyers, more
  • Script Magazine: a magazine for screenwriters
  • Script Secrets: screenwriting links (OUT-OF-DATE, BUT STILL LOTS OF USEFUL LINKS)
  • Scriptwriting 101: by E. Russell Henninge; the nuts & bolts of writing a script
  • TVWriter: Larry Brody's tips & tricks
  • Variety: general info
  • The Writers Guild Foundation Blog: various topics, including formatting sitcoms
  • Writers Guild of America, West: you'll find just about everything here
  • Robert E. Yahnke's Cinema History: covers films of the silent era to films of the 1960s
    [Top]
    Fun With Words:
  • alphaDictionary.com: Fun With words
  • Cliché Finder: search engine that returns clichés using your phrase
  • Crossword Guru: stumped?--find the answer here; 2.5 million clues, updated daily from top puzzles like LA Times/NY Times, etc.
  • Crossword Quiz Answers: find all crossword quiz app solutions; categories & latest questions
  • Daily Celebrity Crossword: shares daily updated answers for the PuzzleSocial, Inc. Daily Celebrity Crossword
  • FunWithWords.com: 500 pages of word puzzles, games, amazing lists, & fun facts.
  • Hanging Hyena: cryptography tools, puzzles, word scrambles, anagram puzzles, word jumbles, word games, encode/decode secret messages, & study helpers
  • Richard Lederer's Verbivore: fun for wordaholics
  • Merriam-Webster Word Games: Today's Game, More Word Games, and Daily Crosswords
  • New York Times Crossword Answers: new content each day, plus links to other crossword puzzles
  • Word Central, for kids: by Merriam-Webster
  • Wordplays.com: various word games
    [Top]
    Genre Specific:
  • Chronos: The Future of Time Travel: time travel, teleportation, temporal phasing, & 9-dimensional theory
  • Crime Magazine: award winning encyclopedia of true crime/crime-related issues (NO NEW CONTENT, BUT STILL A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • Crime Writers of Canada: the name says it all ... or does it?
  • Dragon Writing Prompts: 1k+ prompts, inspired by John VanSickle's SF list below (LAST POST SINCE 20 JANUARY 2019, BUT STILL A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • Firearms Tutorial: firearms, ammunition, nature of injuries...
  • History World: articles by period & theme, tours through time, timelines of historical events
  • Horror World: horror's #1 community on the web; Stoker Award finalist
  • Thistles & Pirates: Cindy Vallar's Favorite Research Links; huge resource, many subjects
  • Vision: a Resource for Writers; ezine edited by Lazette Gifford (LAST POST 01Oct15, BUT STILL A GREAT ARCHIVE)
    [Top]
    Grammar, Proofreading, & Style Help:
  • alphaDictionary.com: with links to foreign dictionaries, grammar, & related resources
  • The Blue Book of Grammar & Punctuation: current rules, with examples & quizzes
  • The Chicago Manual of Style Online: the must-have reference for everyone who works with words; 17th edition, 2017
  • Common Errors in English Usage: (what it says)
  • Daily Grammar: emailed grammar lessons & quizes
  • EnglishGrammar.org: free video lessons, exercises, and much more
  • Excelsior College Online Writing Lab: includes Locating Info/Writing Process/Grammar/Essays/Digital Writing/Paper Capers/Avoid Plagiarism/ESL WOW/Argument
  • The Farlex Grammar Book: all the rules of English grammar, explained in simple, easy-to-understand terms
  • Garbl's Writing Center grammar, style, references, wordplay
  • Get It Write: articles about grammar, punctuation, mechanics, & word usage
  • GrammarNow!: grammar, composition, editing, & proofreading NO NEW CONTENT, BUT A GOOD ARCHIVE
  • How Good Grammar Saves Lives and Other Reasons It's Still Important by Julia Olech: article about punctuation & contractions
  • Linguapress.com Online English Grammar: free with clearly explained grammar rules & examples
  • My English Teacher: lessons, help, answers NO NEW UPDATES, BUT STILL USEFUL FOR ENGLISH STUDENTS
  • The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): offers over 200 free resources: writing/teaching writing/research/grammar/style/ESL/job search
  • The Slot: by Bill Walsh - copy editing, grammar, & style (CONTINUES AS A MEMORIAL ARCHIVE TO BILL WALSH, lots of good knowledge & advice!)
  • Student's Grammar Resource Guide: long link list of really cool grammar websites; geared to students, but great for all
  • 39 English Grammar Resources, etc.: link page for what it says in the title
    [Top]
    Groups (communities, critiques, & online workshops):
  • Broad Universe: membership group supports & promotes women writing sf/f/h; online mag, discussion list
  • Critique Circle: free membership, open to all genres, secure full control posting
  • Critique.org workshops for serious writers only, all genres and other related workshops
  • DFW Writers' Workshop: helping North Texas writers hone their craft for 32 years, genres, nonfiction & poetry
  • fantasy-writers.org: free online critique group; private messaging, large forum, links, downloads
  • Holly Lisle's Forward Motion for Writers:all genres; free boards, critique groups, workshops
  • International Women's Writing Guild (IWWG): founded 1976; network for personal & professional empowerment of women through writing; open to all
  • TheNextBigWriter Writing Workshop: fee workshop providing detailed feedback, support, & motivation
  • Online Writing Workshops for SF/F/Horror: high quality workshop for serious aspiring writers of speculative fiction
  • SF Writers Meetups: meet other SF writers in your home town
  • Scribophile: a community where serious writers share feedback and experience and learn about the writing craft
    [Top]
    Help For Your Writing:
  • Absolute Write: a comprehensive informational Website and community for writers of all levels
  • Advice on Novel Writing: by Crawford Kilian; plotting, narrative voice, scene construction, & marketing(NO LONGER UPDATED, BUT A USEFUL ARCHIVE)
  • Beating Writer's Block: infographic with 11 awesome tips that work
  • Britannica, the Novel: the essential elements of the novel, including mood, motivation, characterization, & style
  • The Creative Penn: The Ugly Truth About Writer's Block (And Its Cure): by Joanna Penn
  • 18 Ways to Find & Fix Typos: every typo finding & fixing technique you'll need
  • English Tools: 25 learning tools, designed for teachers & learners, but some helpful to writers, like the Alphabetizer
  • Esther Luttrell's Creative Writers Think Tank: m300+ free story ideas, prompts &: challenges for writers/clubs/classes (free Pinterest registration required)
  • The Grinder: submission tracker & market database for writers; weekly & monthly newsletters
  • Richard Harland's Writing Tips: good habits, elements, characters, story, language, getting published (OUT OF DATE, BUT STILL A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • How Well Do You Know Your Characters?: article by Wilfred Bereswill
  • Just About Write: a resource for lesbian writers (NOW CLOSED, BUT STILL SOME GOOD ARTICLES)
  • Make Your Story a Movie (or series): by John Robert Marlow, free book (2019 update) for those who want to adapt stories from other mediums for Hollywood
  • Reedsy Short Story Ideas: a super list of over 200 writing prompts, searchable by genre
  • QuitDay: Smoking and Artistry: Overcoming Addiction (focus on artists but applies equally to writers)
  • Rhyme Desk: an interactive writing tool for poets, songwriters & copywriters
  • The Scriptorium: Sherry D. Ramsey's excellent writer's site: info/exercises/tools/more (NO UPDATES SINCE 2013, BUT GOOD ARCHIVES)
  • Seventh Sanctum: various writing, inspiration, & name generators for all genres; also writing generators
  • Storyfix2.0: no motivational B.S., just the truth about what it takes to get published, by Larry Brooks
  • Submitting to the Black Hole: submit/search response times for various speculative fiction markets
  • The Ten Types of Writer's Block: and how to overcome them
  • Wordiness, Wordiness, Wordiness List: how to cut the writing fat
  • Writers Write: interviews, reviews, news, job listings, all genre writing links, GLs
    [Top]
    Hired Help:
    (The appearance of any product or service here does not imply endorsement. I urge you to use your best judgment & shop carefully. Ralan.com cannot be held responsible for anything you experience related to these sites, or your use or misuse of their services. Unless, of course, you make millions because of it, in which case I'll naturally want my share.)

  • Book Editing Associates: a network of professional editors, writers, book designers, indexers, & publishing/self-publishing consultants
  • Cindy Davis, The Fiction Doctor: much published author, strong editing experience; editing/critiquing/ghostwriting
  • Editage: manuscript editing services; some editors are published sf authors
  • Help.Plagtracker: find and edit accidently plagiarized content, edit spelling & grammar
  • International Writers' & Artists' Residency: year round; work alone or in groups in Val David, Quebec, Canada
  • Dave King: free articles; fee advice & editing from Writer's Digest contributing editor
  • TheNextBigWriter: private community; guaranteed feedback (novels, shorts, & poems), recognition & rewards
  • Now Novel: online writing community, free articles, can provide paid one-on-one mentorship to writers
  • Brad Schreiber: general editing/ghostwrting services, book/script consulting, teaching, etc.
  • Scribendi.com—Professional Proofreading Editing Services: also good articles in the Resources section
  • Stickler Editing: professional editing, proofreading, & copywriting services
  • WriteItNow: from 1st idea to final manuscript, it will organize & inspire your writing; free demo
  • Writers.com: since 1995, 24-7 online courses, tutorials, editing from published, working writers with teaching experience
  • Writer's Relief Inc: mss preparation & submission targeting
    [Top]
    Interviews:
  • Duotrope Interviews: with magazine and book editors
  • Six Questions For...: where editors, publishers, agents, educators, and writers discuss writing
  • D.L. Snell's Market Scoops: editor interviews; what they want to see in submissions (NO UPDATES SINCE 2015, BUT THE ARCHIVES ARE STILL WORTH WHILE)
  • Writers Write/Readers Read: author interviews from before 2009
    [Top]
    Jobs:
  • FlexJobs: job opportunities for writers and others
  • HireMinds: jobs for writers, reporters, editors, etc. in the MA, NY, & New England area
  • Mediabistro: writing, editor, & creative jobs (among others)
  • Neuvoo.ca: centralize all jobs available on the web, including writer, editor (other countries=.com, .co.uk, .de, .es, etc.)
  • Red Flag Phrases To Avoid In Freelance Help Wanted Ads: by Angela Hoy
  • Sunoasis Jobs: job announcements for writers
  • Trovit: classifieds search engine operating in 46 countries, also for writers, editors
  • Workopolis: search site for Canadian writing jobs
    [Top]
    Libraries:
  • Bartleby.com: unlimited free access to books & info for students, researchers, & the curious
  • The British Library: biggest library in the world, 14M books & 170M total items
  • J. Lloyd Eaton Collection: UC Riverside; one of the two biggest bricks & mortar sf collections in the world
  • eLibrary: diverse digital archive
  • Internet Archive: oodles of sf-related video, audio and textual material
  • IPL (Internet Public Library): online serials, newspapers, search tips, & more (CLOSED, BUT THE ARCHIVES ARE STILL WORTH WHILE)
  • The Library of Congress: the official site for U.S. federal legislative information
  • Merril Collection: Toronto Public Library; one of the two biggest bricks & mortar sf collections in the world
  • Project Gutenberg: the oldest and largest online library of out-of-copyright texts, and you can loan them forever
  • PublicLibraries.com: list of online local U.S. branches
  • Refdesk.com: categorized collection of resource links
  • WorldCat: connects you to the collections and services of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide
    [Top]
    Link Pages for Writers:
  • EnhanceMyWriting.com: a guide to indispensable writing resources (©2018)
  • Guide to Grammar & Style: by Jack Lynch; grammar, style, & usage, including references to alt. usage (NO UPDATES SINCE 2011, BUT STILL USEFUL)
  • Internet-Resources.com: writing links & links for writers writers' resources on the web and more (NO UPDATES SINCE 2014, BUT STILL USEFUL)
  • Learn to Write: genre leaning links to buy books, subscribe to mags, etc.
  • Litline: resource links to "all things literary" (CLOSED IN 2020, STILL A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • 150 Resources to Help You Write Better, Faster & More Persuasively: what it says, covers fiction & nonfiction
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    Magazines, print & electronic:     (* for publications with fiction, see my market pages)

  • American Folk: no new content in a long while, but good archives and still "just for folks"
  • Funny Times: just for fun
  • Locus: good web extension of the long-standing print source for sf/f publishing
  • Tangent Online: online short story reviews of Classic SF/F, Pulp Magazines, & SFWA qualified maga & e- zines only
  • Vision: A Resource for Writers: writers magazine; some articles are sf-oriented (CLOSED, BUT ARCHIVES STILL ONLINE)
  • Writer's Digest: 1000+ searchable markets, tips, market 'Hot List', more
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    Marketing Help:
  • bizfluent: article about book promotion
  • Book Marketing Tips: book marketing tips or other information on writing, publishing, and marketing your books
  • Duotrope: searchable database of mainstream & genre markets, plus a submission tracker; fee required
  • Foreign Language Market List: compiled by Canadian sf/f writer, Douglas Smith, 2001 John W. Campbell finalist
  • The Grinder: submission tracker & market database for writers; weekly & monthly newsletters
  • How to Promote Your Book on the Internet - 10 Great Ways: on Bob Baker's FullTimeAuthor.com
  • MoneyPantry: Make Money Writing Greeting Cards
  • NetRead: marketing solutions that publishers access through their web browsers
  • Proper manuscript format: by William Shunn, presented as a sample manuscript
  • The Publicity FAQ: great advice from a seasoned pro, Marcia Yudkin
  • Publishers Weekly: online version of the publishing industry's main source of info
  • Ralan's Specfic & Humor Webstravaganza: - pro, semipro, pay, token, anthos, books, flash/poetry/audio/twitter/humor, contests, & writing links
  • Submitting to the Black Hole: response times for SF/F/H markets, regular updates
  • Writer's Digest: 1000+ searchable markets, tips, market 'Hot List', more
  • Writers Weekly: the highest-circulation freelance writing ezine in the world
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    Names:
  • BabyNames.com: your #1 source for baby names, meanings, and advice
  • Babynology: baby names with meaning around the world
  • BellyBallot: useful info about names: origins/usage/backgrounds; choose by region, aristocratic, biblical, royal, romantic, etc.
  • Best little Baby: over 70,000 baby names & origin meanings; name generators & games
  • Character Name Generator: 1M+ character names, filtered by Fantasy, Language, Archetype, and Mythology, with meanings
  • Codex Nomina: name generators with over 68K fantasy names for games or universes
  • Fantasy Name Generator: serious, fun, and specialized names
  • Name Generator Fun: names for characters of all types & genres
  • RPGinspiration.com: name generators of all types and species, plus other random generators
  • Seventh Sanctum: various name generators for all genres; also writing generators
  • Think Baby Names: meaning, origin, history, religious significance, & popularity of first names
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    Publishing:
  • Bookselling This Week: ABA's latest news on book sales & the bookselling industry
  • ePublishing, Inc.: all types of electronic publishing covered
  • Piers Anthony's Internet Publishing: huge list of e-publishers, with ratings (like who pays & doesn't)
  • Trade Book Publishing Agreement Checklist: the Law Offices of Lloyd J. Jassin
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    Reference Sources:
  • Alien Planet Designer: a brief discussion of the techniques used
  • Antique Words: C. J. Cherryh's list of words commonly used prior to the 1900's
  • Basic Prose Style & Mechanics: booklet on the basic principles of prose style & mechanics by Craig Waddell
  • The Best of British: the American's guide to speaking British
  • Biography: people, nostalgia, celebrity, history & culture, black history, crime & scandal, video, hip-hop; 25,000+ bios
  • Brainy Quote: quotes by topic, author, & type
  • Casebook: Jack the Ripper: just about everything you want to know about the Whitechapel Killer
  • dMarie Time Capsule: On This Day in History: details of any period in history
  • Don't Lose The Plot: by Isabelle King, all in one formula to completing your first draft
  • Exploring English: Language & Culture: free course, British life & culture, improve English language skills & knowledge
  • Handbook of Space Astronomy & Astrophysics by Martin V. Zombeck
  • iTools Research Tools: online reference & research tools
  • Lib Quotes: all quotes are sourced; Authors/Topics/List/Pictures/Resources
  • MAD Sci Network: science question answers, Wash. U. Medical School
  • Manuscript Format: Introduction by William Shunn
  • MapQuest: lots of great maps
  • NewspaperArchive.com: searchable from the late 1800s to now, US/Canada/UK
  • Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection online maps of general interest (ARCHIVED 2021, SOME EXT. LINKS MAY NOT WORK)
  • Physics & Astronomy Directory: university/college departments, online technical schools, institutes/national labs, professional societies, etc.
  • Project Gutenberg: definitive reference for any pre-20th and many 20th century books
  • Publishing Business Group links to resources for magazines, newsletters & online publishing companies (NO UPDATES SINCE 2008, BUT MOST LINKS WORK)
  • Quotery.com: growing number of quotes; categories: quotes, authors, topics, pictures, lists, & search
  • Refdesk.com: "the single best source for facts on the Net"
  • SFWA Manuscript Preparation by Vonda N. McIntyre
  • Thesaurus.com: dictionary, thesaurus, word dynamo, quotes, reference, & tranlastor
  • Twists, Slugs and Roscoes: A Glossary of Hardboiled Slang - compiled by William Denton
  • Union Pacific Railroad: history & maps
  • USNO Naval Oceanography Portal: critical info from ocean depths to distant space for military, scientific, & civilian needs
  • The Word Detective: Evan Morris' word Q/A column (LAST POST 27Feb17, BUT AN ARCHIVE OF OVER 1500 COLUMNS)
  • World Factbook: the CIA's "snapshot" of the world, updated regularly
  • World Wide Words: words & phrases - what, where, how & misuse of; also grammar, style & punctuation (CLOSED EARLY 2017, BUT A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • Writing Realistic Courtroom Scenes: article to help you write the best courtroom scene
  • Zeluna.net: a comprehensive resource for fantasy writers & artists interested in fairies & fairy tales

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    Resources:
  • AcademicInfo - Subject Guides: over 25,000 resources, every subject you can name
  • The Balance: Freelance Writing - writing, consulting, or another individual freelance pursuit
  • Book Lover Resources: links to publishers, reviewers, authors, bookstores, & more
  • The Book Of Zines: many links of interest to ezine owners or want to be one; also has print zine content (NO UPDATES IN A WHILE, BUT STILL USEFUL)
  • Castles of Wales: history, building techniques, biographies, locations, background, & photographs (LAST UPDATED 2017)
  • Dave Wilton's Wordorigins.org: for anyone (like me) who is into word origins
  • Dictionary of Psychology and Mental Illnesses: 25k psychological definitions, search or browse by letter
  • The 80 Best Tools for Writers in 2016: categories: Writing, Brainstorming, Inspiration, Organisation, Productivity, Reference, Editing & Proofreading, Publishing
  • FearOf.org Phobias List: complete list of phobia names and what that phobia is about
  • FindLaw: online legal resource library
  • Jane Friedman - How to Publish an e-book: helping authors & publishers flourish in the digital age
  • Guide to Writers Conferences & Writing Workshops: free listings
  • HorrorNet: horror search engine & directory
  • HowToDoThings.com: unbiased, authoritative information on a wide range of topics (TEMP. DOWN)
  • How to Get a Book Published: in 10 not-so-easy steps
  • The Information Research FAQ: guide to doing Internet research (FROM 2002; MUCH INFO IS DATED)
  • The Institute of Historical Research: resources for historians; articles, free event advertising, MA/PhD study, training courses, an open-access library, and more
  • Internet Speculative Fiction Database: effort to catalog works of science fiction, fantasy, & horror
  • The Locus Index to Science Fiction: Site Directory: catalog of authors, genre stories, magazines, collections, & anthos, 1984 to 2007
  • Mammal Names: terms for animal groups & infants
  • New Advent: almost everything about Catholicism
  • Publishing Law Center: downloadable (with a free 30-day Scribd membership trial) document from the law offices of Lloyd L. Rich
  • ResearchBuzz: for newsletter on latest research news send
  • Resources for Mystery Writers: links for forensics, law, guns, poisons, police & org. crime... whatever (NO RECENT UPDATES, SOME LINKS ARE DEAD)
  • Internet Research Resources for Science Fiction Writers: article and links by Greg Knollenberg
  • Science Fiction Studies: from DePauw University
  • SFWA's Author's Information Center: help to perfect your craft & protect your interests
  • Univ. of Illinois Writers Workshop: grammar handbook, tips, critique info, help for writing teachers
  • Univ. of Michigan Fantasy & Science Fiction Website: assisting scholars of all types all over the world
  • U.S. Newspaper List links to U.S. newspapers
  • The Victorian Web: a continually expanding collection of interlinked documents & images
  • World SF Blog: various bloggers (NO NEW CONTENT SINCE Jun 2013, BUT STILL INTERESTING)
  • WOW! Women On Writing: all genre writing resource for women - guys OK too!
  • The Write Path: journal-writing workshops by Susan Reuling Furness
  • Writing Mythology: interviews, ideas, humor, events, reading lists for mythology lovers
  • The Writer's Center: workshops, links, articles
  • Writing-World.com: huge site for all writing, articles, links, tips, markets... whatever (SITE ABANDONED Dec 2015, BUT ARCHIVES ARE USEFUL)
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    Reviews:
  • The Bedlam Files reviews of film, fiction, nonfiction, & commentary by Adam Groves
  • The Book Smugglers: Hugo nominated British review site of speculative & genre fiction for all ages
  • Errant Dreams: Heather Grove's genre book reviews
  • SFBook Reviews: providing speculative fiction book reviews since 1999, plus news and more...
  • SFF180: SF & F book reviews ENTIRE ARCHIVE BEING MOVED HERE; SOME LINKS ARE TEMP. DEAD
  • SF Reader: science fiction books, fantasy books, horror books, book reviews
  • SF Reviews: the best, the worse, alphabetical; no-name, everyman's reviewer
  • SFRevu: US/UK books, graphic novels/manga, media, zines, Blu-ray/DVD reviews & news
  • SF Site: book reviews, related resources links, news (NO NEW CONTENT SINCE 2015, BUT STILL A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • Tangent Online: online short story reviews of Classic SF/F, Pulp Magazines, & SFWA qualified maga & ezines only
  • Weird Fiction Review: weird fiction reviews/news/essays by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer (NO NEW CONTENT SINCE 31Jul18, BUT STILL A GOOD ARCHIVE)
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    Services: (may not be free)
  • Authorlink: award-winning publishing industry news, information, & marketing service
  • Canada's Postal Rates: rates within Canada, to the USA, & international destinations
  • Google Translate: free web-based language translation service
  • How Stuff Works: find out here
  • NJ Creatives Network: freelance communication talent; writers, artists, designers, photographers, film/video producers, more
  • U.S. Postal Service: order U.S. stamps online
  • Webopedia Country Domains: different countries use different domain suffixes; here they are!
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    Software (free):
  • Freeware Web: download share- & freeware programs
  • MacUpdate: download share- & freeware programs for Apple/Mac
  • Nisus Writer: full-feature word processor (Mac only), Pro & Express versions, 15-day free trial
  • PDFConverter.com: online tool for creating or converting PDF files from or into several types of files
  • Script Maker: MSWord add-on to format screenplays (Windows/Mac)
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    Songs & Songwriting:
  • AZLyrics: large, legal, growing universe of lyrics in all genres and ages
  • SongLyrics: know the words; free song lyrics
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    Writing for (or by) Youths:
  • Aaron Shephard's Kidwriter Page: articles on children's book market writing & publishing, young writers section (DATED, BUT A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • Children's Book Council: resource for writers & illustrators of children's literature
  • College Grants.org: A College Student's Guide to Citation Styles (DATED, BUT A GOOD ARCHIVE)
  • Colossal Directory of Children's Publishers: also articles & related links
  • Institute of Children's Literature: offers a paid course in children's writing, but also has a wealth of free articles, tips, etc. (TEMP. DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE)
  • NaNoWriMo: Young Writer's Program: supports under 18 writers/K-12 educators participate in the November event & enter smaller writing challenges year-round
  • The Purple Crayon: articles, children's literature/writing links & more
  • Real Life at Home: article: Wrtiing Prompt Ideas to Inspire Young Writers
  • This Reading Mom: hands on learning for home and school
  • UK Children's Books: reviews, books, authors, reluctant readers, publishers
  • Write for Kids.com: the children's writing supersite; articles, interactive tools & cool freebies
  • WriteGirl: pairs girls in grades 9-12 with practicing writers
  • Writing Corner: Young Adult/Children: info & tried and true tips for breaking into the market & expanding
  • Young Writers Society: an online social network for young people ages 13+ to share their creative works ()

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    If you are unfamiliar with the TOU, go to my Market Notes page.

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