Becoming a Better Writer
Workshops, teachers, articles, and reference books...
D. Dina Friedman: My first writing teacher! (That is, when I decided to take a whack at writing fiction.) A patient and supportive teacher, Dina offers workshops for writers of all ages.
Write from the Heart by
Leslea Newman: The writing workshops I took with Leslea were wonderful--she's a talented teacher and amazing writer.
Write from the Heart is a collection of exercises that walk you through just about every element of fiction writing.
Darcy Pattison's Revision Notes: Lots of helpful essays to get you through those terrifying revisions.
Pat Schneider: Although I've never met Pat, she's had a great influence on my writing. My earliest writing teachers and workshop facilitators came out of Pat's Amherst Writers & Artists program, which provides a wonderful model for nurturing new writers and building their self-confidence. Her philosophy is that "every person is a writer, and every writer deserves a safe environment in which to experiment, learn, and develop craft."
Directories
Want more readers to find you? Below is a list of directories where you can post your name and contact information.
Author School Visits by State: Children's book author
Kim Norman has created a state-by-state listing of authors who do school visits.
Matchbook.org: A searchable directory of New England-based writers, artists, and performers available for school visits and other events.
Literary Agents
Writer Beware!: There are a lot of sharks out there in the literary ocean--the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America provides information on how to tell whether an agent is legit--and how to recognize the ones who aren't.
Professional Organizations
The Authors’ Guild - Authors banding together to protect their rights. The Authors' Guild also provides reasonably priced web hosting, legal services, and health insurance.
National Writers Union - Solidarity for writers - Union reps will help you review your contract, file grievances if neeeded, get health insurance if you're self-employed, and more. Also features a Job Hotline, Agent Database, and numerous informative publications on contracts.
PEN America : Advocates for literary and intellectual freedom and human rights, sponsors public literacy programs, writing awards, and assistance for writers in need.
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators - SCBWI is a network for authors and illustrators, and is the largest children's writing organization in the world. SCBWI sponsors conferences, grants, and awards, and many local chapters provide forums for members to workshop their works in progress.
Words, Words, Words
Wordorigins.org: Dave Wilton, author of
Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends gives you the lowdown and debunks the myths about the origins of familiar words and phrases.
More to come!
