Useful support resources for Writers
Okay *cracks knuckles, I've had a request from a facebook friend... apparently I've mentioned a writing a resource, and could I remind him who it was?
Umm, I talk a lot, especially about writer things, and my memory, well, it can be hit or miss. So, I'm putting it all here ~ as much as I can remember at any rate :D
Let me start by getting my disclaimer in, as this is me, and we all know I feel an unavoidable need to apologise before I start. But I am a romance writer, so some of my resources will have a romance writer leaning, but not all of them. So even if you don't write romance, you're still likely to find something useful here. (I know, i'm bad at this. Moving on->)
It used to be that writing resources broke down into two categories; whether you were intending to traditionally publish or self publish. But (thank goodness) it's not that simple any more. So if I list someone who is independently published, they'll still have lots of great tips no matter which route you intend to take.
Let's start with podcasts;
Joanna Penn, of The Creative Penn, is one of the longest running writer-help podcasts out there. Here back catalogue is EXPANSIVE, and her website if packed full of information, resources and even a blueprint to get you started. I love Jo Penn, and have been listening to her for years.
Sarah Painter, of The Worried Writer, is a warm hug of writerly support. She's taking a podcasting break at the moment, but all her previous episodes are still available, her website is fantastic and she has the most gentle way of chivvying us writer-types along. She interviews traditional, indie and hybrid authors for the pod, so there's something for everyone.
Fated Mates - if you could just wait a minute until i've finished fan-girling. Ta-Muchly......... Sarah and Jen are THE best pod duo, in my opinion, they're fabulously sweary, intelligent and passionate about romance. They talk about romance in all forms, from the feminist angle to how much work romance does in society, and as Sarah is in fact romance writer Sarah MacLean, there's lots of lovely writer talk in there too. It's where I spend my Wednesdays.
If it's legal and all that comes with it, the Alliance of Independent Authors website is a one stop shop, they are just a mine of information.
I have to talk about David Gaughran; he has books, he has a website, he does all. the. things. But, he's also funny and has a lovely Irish accent, and he recently moved into youtube; he's got vlogs on how to self publish, marketing, creating covers... the list is looooong, and you're bound to find something you need.
On to books, and let's get to the Big One that most people have heard of.
Stephen Kings On Writing is his personal thoughts on what it takes to be a writer. You can find some great videos of him being interviewed on YouTube too, and he's always got something insightful to say.
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg is another oldie-but-goodie, very emotive and supportive. Which, let's face facts, we sometimes need. As writing tends to bash the confidence.
For getting the words down and actually getting finished, it would be remiss of me not to mention Save The Cat. Both the Novel and screen writing edition have great advice.
A thesaurus is never far from my reach, in hardback and an online tab, but for romance I use emotion A LOT, and this little beauty... well, I have no words. The Emotion Thesaurus.
If you're looking for something personal, put 'writers group' and your area into google/facebook and something will come up, I promise. There's at least three within twenty minutes of me, and they're very welcoming, and all they want to talk about is writing; can't be bad. It's always worth checking your local councils website too, just put 'literary' in the search bar, and if they're running or supporting any events they'll be listed there. (And often with ways you can get involved.) Do the same with your local library.
If you're lucky enough to have Masterclass (and you haven't already,) go watch the interviews with Margaret Attwood, Neil Gaiman, James Patterson and so on ~ just listening to other writers talk about their journeys makes anything seem possible.
If you're looking for fanfic feedback, and just want to be with other writers who write all the time, Wattpad and AO3 are the places to start. But be warned, expect to get lost down a rabbit hole. Dramoine, JohnLock, ClinTasha... there really is something for everyone.
Now beta reading... this is tricky. Finding a beta reader can be more about magic, because there's so many variables. A good beta reader will need to be honest but not brutal, constructive not judgmental, and you'll need to reach an agreement that works for both of you. There's nothing like emailing your work-in-progress and wanting feedback so you can keep writing, and then being greeted by radio silence. You can pay for beta reading services, but we're often writing on the side to begin with, so that comes with its own financial considerations, as well as knowing what you're paying for. A good system is to find someone who wants to swap work ~ my beta reader is my very good friend, who also writes. We write under the romance umbrella, for different tropes but close enough that we understand our audience and industry. And this is a very important point when looking for a beta reader; they have to know your genre, if you're writing sci-fi and they only read literary fiction, their feedback is going to based from that standpoint. If you don't have someone in mind, use the #betareader on twitter and see what people are asking for, and put your own request out there. There are lots of useful writer hashtags on twitter requesting and offering services, surf about and see what jumps. Instagram is another great resource, knowing what agents and editors wanted used to be more about guess-work, but now you'll find IGTV videos with submission calls and editorial advice - so helpful when trying to work out who to pitch.
There's a big #authortube community on youtube too, it's largely YA based, but definitely worth a look.
If you're looking for editorial - do your research; if you're going to pay for services, check reviews. Check feedback. Ask who they've previously worked with, is the work clean? If you're going to pay for marketing, do the same thing, as well as go to facebook and IG; if it's only the same few people liking and sharing posts, don't get involved. Paying for services can be a minefield, because it's so easy to set up social media and make it look like more than it is.
.... and breathe.... I appreciate this is a wall of text, and i've thrown so much at you, and if you've got this far through then I hope you've found some helpful ideas. If you have questions or suggestions (always welcome) please leave a comment :)
Jo x
I also waffle on about it on youtube from time to time too...