Last Updated: Thursday, 15 November 2018                 Featuring 536 Links

Categorized & Alphabetized                 ** Please report any broken links you find **
New/Changed Writing Links:
(Names) Character Name Generator: 1M+ character names, filtered by Fantasy, Language, Archetype, and Mythology, with meanings

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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.

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Please note that all e-mail addresses (printed in italics) on this site are protected to avoid abuse by spammers.
For some. however, you will need a JavaScript-enabled browser to see the e-mail addresses.

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Agents (see also: "Beware"):

Agent Query: a searchable treasure trove of reputable, established literary agents

Association of Authors' Representatives: list of approved agents

FirstWriter.com searchable & category list of literary agents

Preditors & Editors: new staff on board; new content coming; email list open

QueryTracker: online tracker/organiser for agent queries; includes searchable database of agents

The Safest Way to Search for an Agent: by Victoria Strauss on SFWA's site

Writers Guild of America, East: list of signatory agents

Writers Guild of America, West: list of signatory agents

WritersNet: finding an Agent in their Directory of Literary Agents

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Articles about Writing (articles are the main fare):

Blog Where Writers Meet - Omnipapers.com: Ways to Organize Your Home Writing Cabinet (infographic)

Eclectics.com Articles: synopses, characters, settings & sensual romance (DATED & MANY BROKEN LINKS, BUT STILL SOME GOOD ONES)

The Editorial Department: "Guides for Writers" - articles, interviews for writers, editors, & publishers

The Expert Editor: a comprehensive guide to editing versus proofreading

Just About Write: a resource for lesbian writers & readers; articles, newsletter, promotion

Learn How to Get Published and Make a Living as a Writer: great advice from seasoned pro Marcia Yudkin

Novelists Inc.: sample articles from the newsletter

PoeWar.com Writer's Resource Center: articles, resources, and links

Storyfix.com: no motivational B.S., just the truth about what it takes to get published, by Larry Brooks

WritersServices.com: workshop, great articles, links, message boards

Writing Fiction: topical articles by Crawford Kilian

You Too Can Sniff Out Scams: Marcia Yudkin's good advice

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Artists:

M.W. Anderson: artist & writer, fine art & illos, has done covers for Lone Wolf Pubs & others

Illustratum: Elena Betti, a versatile Italian sf/f/h illustrator

Jesse Bunch: American artist; fine art & illustrations

Jennifer Carson: custom dragons, fantasy & wildlife art, needle felting, photos

Patricia Hartman's Original Art: cover images; 3D modeling really lends itself to sf & f art

Teresa Tunaley: UK/Canary Island artist: all genres, nature, landscapes, people, humor, e-cards

Frank Wu: Hugo Award Winner of Best Fan Artist & 13th Best Science Fiction Artist in the World

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Associations for Authors:

Australian Horror Writers Association: Home, About, Events, Photos, Community, Posts, Midnight Echo magazine

The Author's Studio: dedicated exclusively to interviews with authors; the good, the bad and the ugly of writing (NO UPDATES SINCE 30Nov12)

Backspace - The Writer's Place: advice, how-to articles, news feeds, current conference & contest info, links, reviews, & more. (NO DATED UPDATES SINCE 2012)

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

The Golden Crown Literary Society & Convention: organization for lesbian writing professionals & fans

Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers: a multi-genre group catering to writers from all walks of life

Horror Writers Association (HWA): for dark fiction writers, editors, publishers, etc.

International Women's Writing Guild: non-profit; serving the writing community since 1976

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

PEN Center USA: non-profit literary/human rights org. for professional writers

Professional Writers Association of Canada: avoid scams, tips, advice, sample contracts, articles, etc.

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; good website, many contests, etc.

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Authors (all websites listed here offer significant and free writing help material):

Piers Anthony: one of the greats -- lots of help for writers here too, be sure to visit

Jerry Aragon's humordoctormd: to share, inform, educate, motivate, entertain, & encourage humor (DATED, BUT MOST LINKS WORK)

Daniel Arenson: author of fantasy novel "Firefly Island," several good, original articles on writing

Marion Zimmer Bradley's: biography, bibliography, e-books, info, & articles for writers

Orson Scott Card: need I say more?

Stephen Coonts: "Tips For Writers," a sobering, and true, article for hopeful writers

Victory Crayne: lots of writing hints and tools

Susan Hanniford Crowley: sf & f author, editor, & writing teacher

Carol Anne Davis: crime fiction & true crime author; extensive crime, horror, & literary links

Lars Eighner: writer's info page

Simon Haynes: "Hal Spacejock" series author; excellent "How to" articles: ...Write a Novel, ...Get an Agent, etc.; free writer's software

Emily Hanlon - The Fiction Writer's Journey: articles on writing, prompts, exercises from a novelist & writing coach

J.A. Konrath: mystery writer ("Whiskey Sour"), good writing tips, links, his blog: A Newbie's Guide to Publishing

Lori L. Lake: novelist, anthology editor, short story writer; many helpful articles about the writing craft

Mary Soon Lee: professional sf/f writer; (NO UPDATES IN 7 YEARS, BUT STILL GOOD STUFF)

Holly Lisle: SpecFic writer with LOTS of writer help online

The McNeil Variations: links & commentary by Dan McNeil

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

Lisa Silverthorne: lots of info here

Marcia Yudkin: great writing articles & advice from a seasoned pro

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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, and other resources

Preditors & Editors: new staff on board; new content coming; email list open

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

Writers Weekly: check that publisher before you submit

Writers Weekly Newsletter: a scam report in each issue

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Blogs:

Nann Dunne's Just About Write: no longer active, but the article archive is fantastic

Futurismic: for people interested in the future & the effects of science/technology on the present (NOTE: DATED CONTENT!)

Reedsy: free industry insights, publishing news, videos, articles, courses, contests, book design/marketing

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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

Bookwire: by Bowker

Borderlands Books: San Francisco sf/f/h/mys new/used bookstore with own cafe next door

CengageBrain: new textbooks, electronic, print, & individual chapters; just what you need at low prices

Chegg: sells and rents textbooks

Chegg: sells and rents eTextbooks

Cobblestone Books: Sacramento store specializing in collectible/out-of-print crime & SF

Dark Carnival: Berkeley bookstore

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

Flights of Fantasy: Book & RPG store in Albany, New York

Forbidden Planet: SF-oriented megastore serving London and 8 other UK cities

Galaxy Bookshop: new books in Sydney, Australia

IndieBound: a great alternative; get books online from independent bookstores near you

Infinitas Bookshop: Bookstore in Sydney, Australia

Mysterious Galaxy: Crime & SF bookstore in San Diego CA

Mystery and Imagination: Collectible/out-of-print crime & SF store in Glendale CA

The Other Change of Hobbit: a science fiction & fantasy mail order book seller based in El Cerrito CA

Pandemonium Books & Games: Book & RPG store in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Porcupine Books: used books in London, UK

Powell's Books: online U.S. book store

Project Gutenburg: over 50K free epub or kindle books, download or read online

Science Fiction Bokhandeln: Stockholm bookstore (website in Swedish)

SlugBooks: save on textbooks by comparing prices on various websites

Uncle Hugo's: Minneapolis SF bookstore on the same property with Uncle Edgar's, a crime bookstore

VitalSource: large online catalog of eTextbooks, eResources & other digital course materials to student & faculty

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Chat for Writers:

BellaOnline.com, Fiction Writing Forum: message boards & chat

- e-mail for info about this group

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Contests & Awards:

FreelanceWriting.com's Writing Contests: contests, grants, & fellowships

SFWA's Contest Beware: contests & anthologies to avoid

Winning Writers: finds & creates quality resources for poets & writers; WD Best 101

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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

Epic Authors: sample contract (model for all publications)

International Property Rights Office: Copyright Registration Service; online registration

Ivan Hoffman: Attorney at Law (several articles)

Patent, Copyright & Trademark: copyright, plagiarism, & online protection

ScrivenersError: blog; law & reality in publishing from the author's side

SecureYourTrademark.com: Preventing Plagiarism and Copyright and Trademark Infringement

SFWA Rights & Copyright: helpful article

SFWA - 5 Resources on Public Domain: copyright, fair use, public domain, etc., issues critical for writers to understand

SFWA Model Contract - Magazines: for short fiction published in a magazine

SFWA Model Contracts : for author/agent agreements, hardcover & anthology publications

SFWA Rights & Copyright: helpful 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

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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: summer camp for ages 8-18, 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

Clarion West: 6-week summer program for writers who pursue sf/f/magical realism professional careers

Lars Eighner's Writers' Workshop: (COMPLETE COURSE SEEMS ABANDONED, BUT STILL A FEW USEFUL ARTICLES)

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

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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

The Alternative Dictionaries: slang, profanities, insults and vulgarisms from all the world; !!SITE DOWN!!

Word Finder: word site used by teachers and writers to research various word combinations

AskOxford.com: tips, origin of words & dictionaries, word games, crosswords, jargon buster, e-mail questions

Biographical Dictionary: 20,000+ notable people who have shaped our world throughout time

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)

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 (SOME LINKS DON'T WORK)

Memidex: free online dictionary/thesaurus; extensive cross-referencing, complete inflections, simple interface, & frequent updates

Merriam-Webster: searchable dictionary, thesaurus, Spanish/English, & medical; also word games, language links

OneLook Dictionaries: searches 300 online dictionaries, multiple definitions

OneLook Thesaurus: when you don't know the word, but you know something about it -- great! (DATED, BUT STILL FUNCTIONING)

The Phrase Finder: phrases, sayings & idioms

The Phrontistery: 14k 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

Roget's Thesaurus: the original thesaurus, online

Rhymer: free online rhyming dictionary

Semantic Atlas: thesaurus & translator; English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese

The Septics Companion: British slang dictionary with audio pronunciations

Thesaurus.net: quickly provides possible synonyms, antonyms, dictionary definitions, & other info

Travlang's Translating Dictionaries: free, lots of languages including Esperanto

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

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

Your Dictionary: huge index of multi-lingual, specialty, thesauri, language ID & indices

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Editors (Independent):

Cindy Davis: much published author, strong editing experience; editing/critiquing/ghostwriting

Dave King: free articles; fee advice & editing from Writer's Digest contributing editor

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Events: book fairs, conventions, etc.:

Ansible International Events List: comprehensive list of international events

Ansible UK Events & Conventions List: fully covers only British Isles events plus all Eurocons & Worldcons

Locus Convention: list of most major conventions

Publishers Weekly Book Event & Conferences: dates & info for book events worldwide

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Film - TV - Theater:

Box Office Guru: release dates for films & more

CBC Radio: how to pitch a radio show idea to the CBC

Daily Script: screenwriting contest info

Done Deal: script sales, agents, query/contract examples, & more

Drew's Script-O-Rama: links to 100s of TV & film script samples

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 Scriptwriting: guides, getting started, screenplay format, character development, how to sell, and much more

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

The Lonely Keyboard: John Robert Marlow's extreme-depth interviews with working screenwriters

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

ScreenwritingU.com: articles, classes, newsletter, discussions

Scriptapalooza: contests, agencies, producers, news, buyers, more

Script Magazine: a magazine for screenwriters

Script Secrets: screenwriting links links; (OUT-OF-DATE, BUT STILL LOTS OF USEFUL LINKS)

Scriptwriting 101: by E. Russell Henninge; the nuts & bolts of writing a script

Sitcom Format Margins & Spacing: how to format a sitcom

TVWriter: Larry Brody's tips & tricks

Variety: general info

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

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Fun With Words:

alphaDictionary.com: Fun With words

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 Answers: clues to different dates of different crossword companies

Steven Friedman's Cliché Finder: search engine that returns clichés using your phrase

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

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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

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 28Nov16, BUT STILL A GOOD ARCHIVE)

Firearms Tutorial: firearms, ammunition, nature of injuries...

The Grand List of Overused SF Clichés: what it says, by John VanSickle

History World: articles by period & theme, tours through time, timelines of historical events

Horror-Web: horror writing, movies, games, & fun stuff

Horror World: horror's #1 community on the web; Stoker Award finalist

Monster Kid Classic Horror Film Board: discussion for fans of classic horror, sci-fi, & fantasy films

Thistles & Pirates: Cindy Vallar's Favorite Research Links; huge resource, many subjects

Vision: a Resource for Writers; e-zine edited by Lazette Gifford (LAST POST 01Oct15, BUT STILL A GREAT ARCHIVE)

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Grammar, Proofreading, & Style Help:

Accredited Online Colleges Writing Center: geared for students, but good common grammar mistakes & areas of confusion for all writers

alphaDictionary.com: with links to foreign dictionaries, grammar, & related resources

Australian Help Grammar Guides: unique link list to guides (with articles) for grammar, math, plagiarism, citation, & more

The Blue Book of Grammar & Punctuation: current rules, with examples & quizzes

C.C.C.F. Guide to Grammar & Writing: brush up the technical aspects of writing (LAST UPDATED 2004)

The Chicago Manual of Style Online: the must-have reference for everyone who works with words

Common Errors in English Usage: (what it says)

Custom-Writing.org Punctuation Guide: colon, semicolon, quotation marks, question mark, exclamation point, comma, apostrophe

Daily Grammar: e-mailed grammar lessons& quizzes

The Elements of Style by Strunk & White: the writer's bible

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 Resources Online grammar, style, references, wordplay

Get It Write: articles about grammar, punctuation, mechanics, & word usage

Good Grammar, Good Style Archive: formerly the Ask Miss Grammar website (LAST UPDATED 2010)

GrammarNow!: grammar, composition, editing, & proofreading; NO NEW CONTENT, BUT A GOOD ARCHIVE

Guide to Grammar & Style: by Jack Lynch (LAST UPDATED 2011)

Linguapress.com Online English Grammar: free with clearly explained grammar rules & examples

Literary Education Online (LEO): St. Cloud State's style & grammar topics (LAST UPDATED 2004)

My English Teacher: no updates since 2000, but still a very useful website for English students; lessons, help, answers

100 English Grammar Resources for Effective Learning and Fun: link page for what it says in the title

ProWriting Partner Guide to Grammar and Writing: a helpful list of grammar resources

Punctuation Made Simple: a guide by Gary Olson, Eng. professor, U. of S. Florida (LAST UPDATED 1980 - SO, PUNCTUATION HAS CHANGED SO MUCH?)

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

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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

Odyssey Critique Service: in depth critiques from Jeanne Cavelos' Odyssey Writing Workshop

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

SFNovelists: hard science SF novel critique group offering free 6-month trial membership

Scribophile: a community where serious writers share feedback and experience and learn about the writing craft

Whisper from the Heart Poetry Club: online, South African poetry club, free membership; contests, tours, newsletter, etc.

WNC Mysterians: writing group for serious mystery, suspense & thriller writers in Asheville & Western North Carolina

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Help For Your Writing:

Absolute Write: articles, interviews, columns for freelance, screen & play writing, novels, non-fiction

Advice on Novel Writing: by Crawford Kilian; plotting, narrative voice, scene construction, & marketing(NO LONGER UPDATED, BUT A USEFUL ARCHIVE)

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

FictionAddiction.Net: articles, publisher lists, contest, workshops, author showcase, more

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 to Critique Fiction: by Victory Crayne; everything you need to know

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)

Learn the Elements of a Novel: by Peder Hill; articles, excerpts, blog, links

Reedsy Short Story Ideas: a super list of over 200 writing prompts, searchable by genre

PoeWar, Writing Career Center: articles, craft tips, more

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 THE ARCHIVES ARE WORTH WHILE)

Self Editing Blog: John Robert Marlow's free advice on editing one's own novel (WAS TO MOVE LAST AUGUST, STILL NO WORD)

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

Thoughts on Web Design: website building tips by Elliot Chabot

Wordiness, Wordiness, Wordiness List: how to cut the writing fat

WriteAway: writing related articles, book lists, links, etc.

Writers Write: interviews, reviews, news, job listings, all genre writing links, GLs

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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

The Editorial Department: offering free 5 page critique

Elizabeth Engstrom's Writing Tips: tips from a 'ferocious' writer of SF/H

The Expert Editor: an Australian company that helps students, businesses, and authors from around the world improve their work

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

ManuscriptEditing.com: Lynda Lotman, serving writers, agents, & publishers since 1976; focus sf/f/h

TheNextBigWriter: private community; guaranteed feedback (novels, shorts, & poems), recognition & rewards

The New WritePro: by Sol Stein, free demo at website, also useful writing tips

Now Novel: online writing community, free areticles, can provide paid one-on-one mentorship to writers

Clive Pyne Book Indexing Services: reference/scholarly/trade nonfiction; on time, your specs, competitive rates

Scribendi.com—Professional Proofreading Editing Services: also good articles in the Resources section

Stickler Editing: professional editing, proofreading, & copywriting services

The Working Writer's Coach: writing coach, but lots of free content, including 5-day/week e-mail list with writing tips

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

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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)

Screenwriter's Utopia: interviews with folks in the screenwriting business

Writers Write/Readers Read: author interviews

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Jobs:

FlexJobs: job opportunities for writers and others

HireMinds: jobs for writers, reporters, editors, etc. in the MA, NY, & New England area

Mediabistro: writing, editing & journalism 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

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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

DagonBytes: the most famous texts & authors, with a flashy intro

J. Lloyd Eaton Collection: UC Riverside; one of the two biggest bricks & mortar sf collections in the world

The eLibrary: up-to-date & family safe info

eLibrary: diverse digital archive

FreeFictionBooks.org: a collection of free, legally published, fiction books that can be read online

Gizmo's Freeware: links to Free Science Fiction & Fantasy Books Online

Internet Archive: oodles of sf-related video, audio and textual material

ipl2 (Internet Public Library): online serials, newspapers, search tips, & more (CLOSED, BUT THE ARCHIVES ARE STILL WORTH WHILE)

The Library of Congress

Library Spot: spotlights new web resources

Literature Online: library of over 250k works of UK & US literature

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

PublicLibraries.com: list of online local U.S. branches

ReadPrint: offers thousands of free books for students, teachers, and the classic enthusiast; search within the books

Refdesk.com: categorized collection of resource links

WorldCat: connects you to the collections and services of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide

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Link Pages for Writers:

EnhanceMyWriting.com: a guide to indispensable writing resources

Guide to Grammar & Style: by Keith Ivey; grammar, style, & usage, including references to alt. usage; (NO UPDATES IN 5+ YEARS, BUT STILL USEFUL)

Internet-Resources.com: writing links & links for writers writers' resources on the web and more

Learn to Write: links to buy books, subscribe to mags, etc.

Litline: resource links to "all things literary"

150 Resources to Help You Write Better, Faster & More Persuasively: what it says, covers fiction & nonfiction

State Of Writing: Writing Resources; Dictionaries & Thesauruses, Style Guides, Grammar and Punctuation, etc.

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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

media.info: lists magazines, newspapers, radio & TV stations

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: book promotion ideas

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

Preditors & Editors: new staff on board; new content coming; email list open

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, humor, contests, links

Bill Stoller's Publicity Insider: lots of free info &/or subscribe to "Free Publicity" newsletter

Submitting to the Black Hole: response times for SF/F/H markets, regular updates

WebWombat: Online Magazines: worldwide search engine; English & otherwise

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:

Baby Name Guide: in 28 different categories

BabyNames.com: your #1 source for baby names, meanings, and advice

Babynology: baby names with meaning around the world

BabyHold: extensive resource for character names & meanings, categorized by ethnic & cultural backgrounds

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

Fantasy Name Generator: serious, fun, and specialized names

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

The Vampire Name Generator: for dark/ominous characters of all types not just the undead, plus many links to other name generators

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Publishing:

Bookselling This Week: ABA's latest news on book sales & the bookselling industry

ePublishing Resource Center: all types of electronic publishing covered

EmailUniverse.com; Ezine-Tips: if you're starting an e-zine, start here

ParaPublishing.com: book planning & free e-newsletter

Piers Anthony's Internet Publishing: huge list of e-publishers, with ratings (like who pays & doesn't)

Publishers' Catalogues: covers 16.5k+ publishers worldwide; by city, state, country, topic, or type

Trade Book Publishing Agreement Checklist: common terms

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Reference Sources:

Alien Planet Designer: a brief discussion of the techniques used

AnagramSite.com: a word or phrase formed by reordering the letters of a word or phrase

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

Biography: people, nostalga, celebrity, history & culture, black history, crime & scandale, video, hip-hop; 25,000+ bios

Brainy Quote: quotes by topic, author, & type

BritSpeak: common language uses and turns of phrase native to the United Kingdom

Casebook: Jack the Ripper: just about everything you want to know about the Whitechapel Killer

Crime and Clues: crime scene, physical evidence, death, DNA, etc.

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: anatomy of the English language

Forensic Science Resources on the Internet: links to everything you want to know ... and some you don't

Handbook of Space Astronomy & Astrophysics by Martin V. Zombeck

iTools Research Tools: online reference & research tools

LegalEngine.com: info & help for writing courtroom scenes

Lib Quotes: all quotes are sourced; Authors/Topics/List/Pictures/Resources

Literary Resources on the Net: a collection of links by Jack Lynch of Rutgers, Newark (OUT-OF-DATE, BUT MOST LINKS WORK)

MAD Sci Network: science question answers, Wash. U. Medical School

Manuscript Format: Introduction by William Shunn

MapQuest: lots of great maps

Media Finder: search magazines, catalogs, newsletters/papers & mailing lists

Military History Resources: huge, but never updated & many external links no longer work

NewspaperArchive.com: searchable from the late 1800s to now, US/Canada/UK

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection online maps of current & general interest

Physics & Astronomy Directory: university/college departments, online technical schools, institutes/national labs, professional societies, etc.

Preditors & Editors: new staff on board; new content coming; email list open

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

Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus: type in a word to get a map of synonyms, antonyms, & definitions with your word in the center

Twists, Slug and Roscoes: A Glossary of Hardboiled Slang - compiled by William Denton

Union Pacific Railroad: history & maps

USNO Astronomical Applications Department: complete solar/lunar data for 1 day

The Word Detective: word Q/A column (LAST POST WAS 27Feb17, BUT STILL A USEFUL ARCHIVE)

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)

Zeluna.net: a comprehensive resource for fantasy writers & artists interested in fairies & fairy tales

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Resources:

About.com - Freelance Writing: all about freelance writing

AcademicInfo - Subject Guides: over 25,000 resources, every subject you can name (SOME LINK BROKEN, BUT STILL USEFUL)

Book Lover Resources: links to publishers, reviewers, authors, bookstores, & more

The Book Of Zines: loads of links of interest to e-zine owners and those who want to be one; also has print zine content

Castles of Wales: history, building techniques, biographies, locations, background, & photographs

DarkTales: resource for horror & dark fantasy writers, artists, & fans; also publishes fiction (pay not mentioned)

Dave Wilton's Wordorigins.org: for anyone (like me) who is into word origins

The 80 Best Tools for Writers in 2016: categories: Writing, Brainstorming, Inspiration, Organisation, Productivity, Reference, Editing & Proofreading, Publishing

Eyewitness to History: history through the eyes of those who lived it, presented by Ibis

FindLaw: online legal resource library

Freelance Writing Organization-Int'l.: free online database; just about all you need

Jane Friedman - How to Publish an e-book: helping authors & publishers flourish in the digital age

The Fright Site what is their goal? — to scare the pants off you!

Guide to Writers Conferences & Writing Workshops: free listings

HorrorNet: horror search engine & directory

HowToDoThings.com: unbiased, authoritative information on a wide range of topics

How to Get a Book Published: in 10 not-so-easy steps

The Information Research FAQ: guide to doing Internet research

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 of SF & F: catalog of authors, genre stories, magazines, collections, & anthos, 1984 to 2007

Mammal Names: terms for animal groups & infants

New Advent: Catholic doctrine, practices (fx: exorcisms/churchyard blessing), & history

The Publishing Law Center: a good collection from the law offices of Lloyd L. Rich

Reinventing the Wheel: Quick Resources for Fantasy Writers, by Brenton Tomlinson (LAST UPDATED 2010, BUT STILL USEFUL)

ResearchBuzz: for newsletter on latest research news send

Resources for Mystery Writers: links for forensics, law, guns, poisons, police & org. crime ... whatever

Resources for Science Fiction Writers: plenty of useful info by Keith P. Graham

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

Victorian websites: 300 links to Victorian topics (NOT UPDATED; SOME LINKS BROKEN, BUT STILL USEFUL)

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

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 Book Smugglers: Hugo nominated British review site of speculative & genre fiction for all ages

Errant Dreams: Heather Grove's genre book reviews

IROSF: Internet Review of SF, last issue Feb10; archives back to 2004 still online

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 (NOTHING NEW SINCE Oct13)

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 & e- zines only

Weird Fiction Review: weird fiction reviews/news/essays by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer

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Services: (may not be free)

Altavista BabelFish Online Translator: drop in English; out comes Spanish, or whatever

Authorlink: award-winning publishing industry news, information, & marketing service

Canada's Postal Rates: rates within Canada, to the USA, & international destinations

Free Translation: 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 Home: download share- & freeware programs

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: tools for creating or converting PDF files from or into .PPT, .XLS, or .DOC files

Script Maker: MSWord add-on to format screenplays (WIN/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 Shepherd's Kidwriter Page: articles on children's book market writing & publishing, young writers section

Children's Book Council: resource for writers & illustrators of children's literature

Book Editors & Book Publishers: Children's & Parenting Books learn how to submit to book publishers before sending them anything

College Grants.org: A College Student's Guide to Citation Styles

Colossal Directory of Children's Publishers: also articles & related links (CLOSED 2011, IGNORE PUBLIHER'S LIST, BUT THE REST IS A GOOD ARCHIVE)

Help Your Child Learn to Write Well: US Dept. of Education tips

Institute of Children's Literature: offers a paid course in children's writing, but also has a wealth of free articles, tips, etc.

The Purple Crayon: articles, children's literature/writing links & more

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: grade 7-12, public/non-public U.S., territories, sponsored schools, & Canada

Verla Kay's Website for Children's Writers & Illustrators: the wonderful world of children's books

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 Writers: writing for the young for writers of all ages & genres

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