As we look ahead to a new year and a new opportunity to write and learn, I wanted to pull together a list of resources for writers. Wherever you might be in your writing journey, it is always worth reading about the industry and craft, and these sites are some of the best I have found.
Writer Life/Community:
Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators:
The largest society for children’s writers and illustrators in the US, SCBWI has chapters in nearly every state and hosts conferences on a national and regional scale. For an annual membership fee, members get access to tons of events, critique opportunities, and online book sales. SCBWI is a hub of activity for children’s writers and artists – be sure to visit their blog for interviews with editors, agents, artists and authors and to keep tabs on what’s moving in the industry. The SCBWI message boards are a fantastic place to post questions and learn from established writers.
A growing community for writers focused on the clean or Christian market, Serious Writer hosts conferences and contests, offers a wide range of classes, and provides an active social media forum for writers to connect. Serious Writer Club has both a free option as well as a membership-based option.
A longtime one-stop-shop for writers that offers resources and community.
Searching for an Agent/Editor:
Manuscript Wish List: manuscriptwishlist.com and #mswl on Twitter
This site connects agents and publishers to writers by doing exactly what it says – collecting wish lists of what agents and publishers are looking for and posting it online. The list is updated regularly, and it is a fabulous way to find industry insiders who might be interested in your project.
Query Tracker: www.querytracker.com
This site appeals to my spreadsheet-making sensibilities. It’s essentially an online method of organizing and tracking your queries and manuscript submissions. You can also post questions and interact with other writers.
Publishers Marketplace: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/
For a $25/month fee, you can access agent and publisher research – lists of who is acquiring what and for how much. If you are researching places to query, it’s well worth a one-month subscription (be sure to cancel!) to find out whether the agent you’ve had your eye on is truly selling middle grade work.
Books about writing:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King
Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
Finally – it’s not a book about writing but if you want to write and sell middle grade (or other children’s books), pick up a copy of the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market.
Keep in mind that this is a highly abbreviated list, not a definitive list of resources, and that a site that one writer might consider a good resource may not fit another writer’s sensibilities.
If you’ve found a favorite go-to resource that you’d like to share, please post it in the comments below. Happy New Year, and Happy Writing!
Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.
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