Writers need help too… luckily, there are many resources online which can help writers with many parts of the writing process. Author Peter Mulraney has collected many of these resources and shares them with you in this guest post.
Writing may be a solitary task but that does not mean you should be doing it in isolation.
Gone are the days when you had to work out everything for yourself – the world is full of resources for writers.
Here is a list of 10 resources I find useful – in addition to Book Marketing Tools.
1. The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of story structure any writer can master by Martha Alderson
A writing course in a book, for those of us that didn’t get around to enrolling in creative writing at university. This is the reference guide that got me through the writing of my first novel: After.
2. The ARVON book of Crime and Thriller Writing by Michelle Spring and Laurie R. King
Another course I self-administered. It’s full of tips from best selling crime writers.
This is the home of Scrivener, the application that can only be described as a writer’s best friend.
I do all my writing in Scrivener: novels, non-fiction, blog posts, email newsletters. Scrivener allows you to convert your work into all the file types required by the different publishing platforms, including mobi files for Kindle using the KindleGen tool from Amazon.
4. Joseph Michael – the scrivener coach
Joseph has an online video course that makes mastering Scrivener easy – a lot easier than trying to work it out yourself. He is also great for introducing you to other people sharing skills of interest to writers.
Kristen Joy, aka the book ninja, has published a range of short self-help guides for writers, covering just about every topic you’ll ever need to consider. She runs a ‘write a kindle book in 30 days’ course – primarily for non-fiction writers.
6. Joanna Penn at The CreativePenn
Joanna’s Author 2.0 Blueprint (free) is a useful introduction to the world of self-publishing. On her website you can read an interesting blog, listen to podcasts of interviews with other writers and access her writing, publishing and marketing courses.
7. Bob Baker
Bob’s on a mission to ‘awaken the boundless creative potential that resides within you, and to remind you of the incredible value you bring to the world through your artistic skills.’ His website is well worth a visit for the wealth of resources he has available.
Shawn Coyne is an experienced editor. The Story Grid provides insights into structural editing, which I find useful. It will push you beyond copyediting.
9. Bublish
I discovered Bublish listening to a Book Marketing Tools hangout. It’s a great platform for constructing unique marketing messages based on your content, as it gives you the opportunity to embellish snippets of your work with personal insights for sharing across social media.
10. Writing Groups
I realize we are all looking for online resources but don’t overlook the resources in your local area.
I’m a member of the South Australian Writers Centre (SAWC).
The SAWC offers workshops and masterclasses, supports a range of writers groups, like the Crime Writers of South Australia, and organizes the annual Adelaide Writers Week as part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts – an event not to be missed in Adelaide.
Being part of a group of like-minded people willing to share ideas, help each other and socialize is just as important as being able to interact with fellow writers online.
Peter Mulraney is based in Adelaide, Australia, where he works as a public servant. He is the author of 7 books including the Inspector West series of crime/romance novels, the Living Alone series of self-help books for men who find themselves living alone, and Sharing the Journey: Reflections of a Reluctant Mystic. In August 2015 he released 2 coloring journals and 2 adult coloring books under the Sharing the Journey banner. You can find out more about Peter and his books at www.petermulraney.com and follow him on Twitter @PeterMulraney1