Join now! Operation Agent Ink

Fantastic things are going on over at Ink in the Book, and it's not too late for you to join in. It's called Operation Agent Ink, and it's a great way to work on your WIP and possibly nab an agent, too!

The event runs from November 1st through February 8th, with breaks for the holidays. It's a workshop-style event, and culminates in February with a pitch session with some amazing agents. Best of all, you'll know what the agents are looking for.

Check out all the details of what Operation Agent Ink will do for you so you can decide if it's a good fit for your needs. It doesn't matter if you're starting a new novel, in the editing stage, or all finished.

The workshops running through the event include:

Novel Writing From the Beginning
Novel Writing: Wading Through the Middle
Creative Inspiration
Revisions and Edits
The Submission Process
Agent Interviews and Thoughts

Check out the links to workshop downloads and a list of literary agencies already committed to participate.  And here is the first wish list from some of the participating agents.

If you're interested, you can sign up now, until November 7th. Only those who sign up will be able to pitch to the agents in February. This is a great opportunity that goes hand-in-hand with NaNoWriMo, for those participating. Since it's spread over several months, it won't eat all your time.

Are you up for Operation Agent Ink?

Free writer's magazine: Southern Writers Magazine

Fire update: The Waldo Canyon Fire is still burning, but firefighters are well on their way to getting on top of it. Just today, our area was released from pre-evacuation orders. Now it's time to put away all the photos and important papers, but I feel like we should keep them in one place in case of another fire. The smoke is thick today, but hopefully the wind will shift so we can open our windows.

Today's resource is a free digital magazine. Southern Writers Magazine is celebrating their anniversary by giving away the July issue. It looks like this may be available only through the end of July.

I had not heard of the magazine before, but I paged through the free issue (which only requires an email address for access), and found several articles I'm looking forward to reading. Things like:

Book Signing Success
Taking My Blog from Good to Great
Multitasking Mysteries
Word Count Sweet Spot
Where Do I Begin?
The Lasting Legacy of William Faulkner
Book Proposal Boot Camp

Those are only a few of the many articles and features. There are author interviews and columns on craft. Take a look at it while you can. Information on subscribing is posted, as well.

What are your favorite writing magazines to read? Or do you rely on online content?

Shelf Unbound: Free Magazine for Writers

Well, another snowy day at my mountain home. Yesterday it was in the 70s, and today we've got several inches of snow on the ground. Spring should resume again tomorrow.

It's been an amazingly busy week and a half. Three of my children have been in no less than six performances in that time, coupled with prom and visiting parents and in-laws. Not to mention preparing my agent submission in the middle of everything. So today, I'll keep my post short.

Today's resource is a free magazine for writers. Shelf Unbound is an electronic magazine with more than 100,000 readers in the US and abroad. I had never heard of it before I received an email last week. Here's what it said:

Why do successful writers
subscribe to Shelf Unbound?

	It's free
	It keeps you on top of the latest trends in writing from small press and independent authors.
	It’s more than a magazine--it's a community of writers, readers, and editors enthusiastically championing self-published and small press books.
	It’s a 2012 Maggie Award finalist for Best Digital-Only Magazine.
	Still need another reason? Well, we’ll let Shelf Unbound speak for itself--read the latest issue here.

Page through the sample magazine and let me know what you think. See you back here on Wednesday. Here's the link to subscribe: ShelfUnbound

Get Ready for ScriptFrezy!

There are some serious connections between good movies and good fiction. That's why so many novels get made into films. Screenplay writers cultivate the ability to pull the best and most visual elements from a story and translate them into 100 pages of script. 

If you're a novelist, learning to write a screenplay is important for two reasons. One, the skills you learn will help you write a better book. The second, though less likely is this. If your book is published, and gets optioned for film, you may have the opportunity to write the screenplay yourself.

The month of April is the perfect time for a screenplay education. The same folks that bring you NaNoWriMo every November also offer ScriptFrenzy each April.

The goal is to write a script of 100 pages during the month of April. Besides screenplays, writers are welcome to work on stage plays, TV shows, short films, and graphic novels. Also included are novel adaptations and radio scripts. Sign up is free.

Like NaNoWriMo, the ScriptFrenzy site offers tons of support. You'll set up a profile, and can message back and forth with those you meet. There's an active forum, where participants can discuss the particular genre of script they're working on, get questions answered, and find help when they're stuck.

The best part of the free site, which can be accessed even if you don't sign up, is the Writer's Resource page. Once you scroll through the long list of resources, you'll be as impressed as I was. Even if you never write a screenplay, the resources can help you in outlining, figuring plot twists, and creating realistic dialogue, just to name a few. Jump over there and at least bookmark the page. It's full of invaluable tools for writers of any type. And if you've never written a screenplay before and want to learn, all the info is in the resource section.

Though I'm not planning to write a script in April, I'm still considering a personal challenge to write 100 more pages on my manuscript. Three pages a day doesn't sound like much, but it would bring me to the end of my current novel.  

Anyone else up for the challenge?

An Easy Way for Writers to Learn AND Get Published

Earlier this week, one of my posts was picked up by a site called inkPageant. I had not come across it before, but ended up spending some time browsing. inkPageant is a website offering a collection of writing articles sorted for easy reading.

Readers can browse articles by genre, date, category, or popularity. And the best part is that writers can submit their own blog posts for possible inclusion.

All it takes is to fill out a brief registration, and then peruse the submission guidelines. The site is looking specifically for blog posts, including the following: 

* Writing/publishing tips and advice
* Writing-related opinion pieces or essays
* Book reviews
* Upcoming events and news in the writing community (i.e. signings, conventions, new releases, etc.)
* Author/editor/agent interviews
* Movie reviews, if your analysis is applicable to writers

The links posted take users directly to the author's web page. As an added bonus, each post accepted gets entered for a monthly prize drawing. Check out the prizes offered for the month of February.

Even if you're not interested in submitting to the site, there are so many helpful articles, you'll probably want to spend some time looking around.

Do you know of other sites like this one? I'd love to highlight more of them.

Resources for Romance Writers

I write young adult novels. They're historicals, set in unique European locations, and each of them have an element of fantasy. There aren't nearly enough novels in this little genre slice for me to read. So I read historicals set in all periods and locations. Recently I read an e-galley by author Tracey Devlyn. It's a Regency with a twist: a thriller filled with spies, weapons, and a super-tough heroine.

At the end of the book, Devlyn thanked the members of Romance University, so I checked it out. I discovered it's a group blog designed for writers of romance. I love the site's tagline:  

Empower Writers ~ Entertain Readers ~ Understand Men

The seven-member faculty post three times a week, covering craft and career for writers. Even if you don't write romance, you'll likely find some great writing advice here.

A few examples:

Extreme Makeover: Writer's Office Edition Find out what kind of writing room you need depending on your personality.

Dark Matters: Cultivating Cruelty in Romance Fiction Read all about torturing your characters and why "love stories are unleashed not by license, but limitations".

When your critique partner's career is on the move and yours is standing still Feel left behind by the success of your writing friends? Read how three close friends rode the emotional highs and lows.


When Indie Publishing is a Viable Option Winning a major contest doesn't always translate into a publishing contract. Read about one author's journey through the ups and downs: ". . . in spite of my head telling me I was a solid writer, my heart felt like something you’d scrape off your shoes."

What not to do with a bad review Wendy S. Marcus shares what she went through with a particularly nasty review. Those of us on the journey to publication worry about the feedback from contest judges and agents, but think about it: we're exposing our work in a small pond, not the ocean of Amazon.

How "once upon a time" can lead to a happy ending for your manuscript Three tests your romance novel's first page must pass.

Subtext: Adding hidden layers to your story Find out what subtext is, and how it can make your manuscript more compelling.

Beta Readers: Saints or Sinners How to choose beta readers that will give you encouraging feedback, instead of bruising your ego.

You might want to put Romance University in your blog reader. I just did. Did any of these posts jump out at you?

Writing Groups: Scribophile

 For some reason, this post is one of the most searched-for on my blog. I thought it worth running again, for those that haven't heard of this great group.

Writing is a solitary profession. But even the most introverted writer needs encouragement. To battle the ever-present negative comments in their head. To share ideas when they're stuck. To commiserate over rejections. And to celebrate the successes.

Joining an in-person writer's group is wonderful, and nothing beats meeting face to face. But maybe you live in a remote place. Or you're an expat who can't find writers who speak your language. Perhaps you write at odd hours.

This is where an online group shines.

It doesn't matter the hour. Someone, somewhere in the world is awake, and ready to connect.

I've highlighted quite a few writers groups so far, but I haven't come close to exhausting them. I hope that one of them is just the right fit for you.

Today's group is Scribophile (Thanks to member Joshua Morris for cluing me in!). Scribophile is a warm and welcoming group of writers who aim to connect and critique each other's work.

Sign up is free, and even if you've never critiqued someones writing before, you'll learn quickly with Scribophile's templates. When you critique, you earn "Karma Points", which can be redeemed when you post your own work for review. The site guarantees at least three well-thought-out critiques for each of your submissions.

Beyond the critique aspect, you can join "circles" of writers with similar interests, or those that share your geographical area. There's also an active forum, where all the members discuss a variety of topics relating to writing and publication.

Check out the Scribophile Blog for posts on all aspects of writing (a recent post was entitled "9 Things To Do While Waiting For a Response To Your Query"). The folks at Scribophile also host regular contests for members.

Do you prefer an online or in-person group, or both? I'd love to hear what makes you lean towards one or the other.

Writing Groups: David Farland's Writer's Groups

It's funny how I come across resources some days. The other day I was perusing Deana Barnhart's blog. I love reading her "Firsts Fridays" interviews. She recently interviewed Robin Weeks, and in that interview I learned about David Farland.

David Farland is a bestselling science fiction and fantasy author, and a writing instructor, who counts authors like Stephanie Meyer (of Twilight fame) among his students. He founded a forum, David Farland's Writer's Groups, where writers could join together for feedback and encouragement.

Writers who join the group get to specify the type of group they'd like, depending on size, genre and sub-genre, the audience they write for, how frequently they'd like critique, experience, length of submissions, and content. This helps to fashion a group that specifically meets that writer's needs. Members can ask to join an existing group, or recruit for a new one. Beyond critique groups, there are many other topics: compare your first page to others, discuss writing software, daily writing prompts, and many more.

But that's not all. Connected to the forum is another website (not requiring a sign-in), called Farland's Author Advisory Conference Calls. On this site, once or twice a month, an author is interviewed via conference call. Readers can dial in and listen live, asking questions if they want. If you've missed a call, the highlights are posted on the site, along with a recording of the entire call. 

I spent a wonderful hour the other day, listening to an interview with author Aprilyyne Pike. I had some papers to organize, so I played the interview while I worked (interviews can also be downloaded to your computer for playing on an iPod). You might be interested in this particular interview, as Pike explained in detail how she learned to plot and outline her books from a master author. Highly recommended.

I can't wait to listen to more of the interviews. The right side of the site lists the upcoming interviews through December. Several of them are going on my calendar.

So thank you Deana Barnhart and Robin Weeks! It would have taken me a lot longer to find these sites without you!

Are you a member of an online writing group? If so, which one?

Get a Free Education at Pitch University

I'm surprised I hadn't come across Pitch University in my internet browsing. What a wealth of information! Even if you're not ready to pitch right now, you're probably ready to learn. And the folks at Pitch University have worked incredibly hard to provide you the tools you need.

The amount of articles, videos, and audios is amazing. Start at the home page, and scroll down to Pitching 101 You'll want to do some browsing on the site to get familiar with all they offer.

Begun by Diane Holmes, Pitch University is a safe and comfortable place for writers--no matter how hesitant or shy--to learn to verbalize their story. Holmes grew up in a family of salesmen, and even majored in marketing, but she confesses, "I suck at pitching." Makes you feel better, huh?

One of the events at Pitch University is a monthly "PitchFest". The organizers host an agent or editor who is currently looking for books. Participants are encouraged to pitch to the professional, via query letter, audio, or video.

Among the many offerings at Pitch University are:

The Pitch U Blog

The Pitch U Writers Manifesto (which will ease your mind)

What if I'm totally nervous?

The first of 27 lessons on pitching. Scroll down on the right to see the list.

Even more pitching education.

Columns on pitching from the experts.

The free Monthly Pitch newsletter (signing up gets you the free bonus "10 Reasons You Suck at Pitching Your Book")

Do you feel comfortable with your pitch? Have you pitched in the past? How did it go?

Writing Groups: QueryTracker

One of the January posts focused on your personalized query plan. It may seem daunting to sort through hundreds of agents, and tracking submissions and requests can be equally overwhelming.

That's where a site like QueryTracker comes in. Once you set up a free profile, the site allows you to search for agents based upon their preferences, and add them to your own list. When you send a query, it's easy to track on the QueryTracker site. You'll be able to note if you get a response, and whether you sent a partial or full manuscript.

Because the site contains updates from its many users, you'll know the average response times of the agents you query. You can even set up an alert to remind you to check the status of a submission at a particular time.

Even if you're not ready to query right now, QueryTracker can help you get there. The forums on the site have groups for every genre, and for critiquing queries and first pages. Reading through the posts on the forum will help you glean information from writers who have learned things the hard way and are willing to share their knowledge.

Are you curious about the top ten agents who receive the most queries? The top ten agents who issue the most rejections? How about the most non-responsive agents, or the most accepting agents? If these kinds of statistics sound like they could help you narrow down your search, check out the Top 10 page.

Perhaps you have a favorite author who writes in a genre or style similar to yours, and you've considered querying his or her agent. QueryTracker will help you find that agent with its who represents whom listing (in helpful alphabetical order).

Beyond agents, QueryTracker also has a database of publishers, in case you'd like to skip querying altogether. Yes, there are some publishers who still take unagented submissions.

Does QueryTracker really work? Read through some of the 462 success stories to find out for yourself. And keep up with their blog for great tips on querying, as well as periodic contests.

If you're not part of some kind of online writing group, you're missing out on information and support. Which ones have been helpful for you?

Writing Groups: Savvy Authors

Our next writing group is Savvy Authors, a group for both published an aspiring writers. The free version of membership allows users to enjoy the forums and articles on the site. Many more options are available for a membership fee.

Whether you join or not, here are a few articles that will give you an idea of the information offered. I'll definitely be back to read more from Savvy Authors.

How to Build a Hero. A great article on how to make your hero easy to sympathize with, yet exciting. It comes with some great lists for must-have qualities in your hero.

Learn to Be a Careful Critic. Learning to critique the writing of others is an important skill. The author gives tips on thoughtful analysis.

Things I've Learned from Writing Contests. Believe it or not, you can learn more about your writing if you "lose" a contest, than if you win.

When Words Get In the Way. Is your manuscript bloated with too many words? Does touching the delete button put you into a cold sweat?

Getting the Joy Back. Have you lost your drive to write? Maybe the break you took over the holidays is threatening to extend into a major writing hiatus. The articles' author details seven ways to get back on track.

It's Not a Competition. Honest. For writers who feel threatened by the success of others, a great perspective.

These articles are just a small sample of what Savvy Authors has available. Check them out. 

Writer's Groups: Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Allstory

This is truly fascinating. I recently stumbled upon the website of a filmmaker, who supports the arts in all kinds of ways. Francis Ford Coppola not only makes films and wine, runs restaurants and a travel agency, he also supports a literary magazine and a virtual film studio.

Zoetrope: Allstory is a magazine that publishes short fiction. It is a winner of the National Magazine Award for Fiction. Coppola began the magazine in 1997, "to explore the intersection of story and art, fiction and film", according to the website.

Each year, the magazine holds contests for short fiction and screenplays, and finalists are considered for representation by ten different literary agencies. Not to mention the thousand-dollar prize.

One of the best things about Zoetrope: Allstory, is their commitment to writers. They offer free memberships to Zoetrope Virtual Studio, a community with workshops dedicated to writers of fiction, screenplays, poems, and songs. They also include photographers, storyboard artists, and filmmakers. It sounds like a great place to find a supportive community to critique your work.

The nice thing about the Virtual Studio, is that they create a "virtual private office" for you. In your office, you have ten megabytes of file space, which you can share only with those members you select (or everyone, if you choose).

If you are interested in submitting a story to Zoetrope, read the submission guidelines. You may also want to order a few back issues, or read some of the stories posted online, to get an idea of what they publish.

Interested in more writing groups? Check them out here.

Your Writing Career: Are You Waiting Passively or Actively?

Let's face it. Writing involves a lot of waiting. We wish we could hurry up parts of the process, since it took so long to actually write the book. Yet we face waiting for critique group feedback, beta readers, contest results, agent and then editor responses.


It's almost enough to make a writer give up. The dreams of rapid publication vanish like the mist they are. Writers wonder if they should even bother starting another book if they can't interest anyone in the first.


But it's good for each of us to hear a dose of reality. That first books are rarely sold first, if at all. That writers ought to have a "practice" book in the drawer before trying for publication. That at least five years will pass from the moment we really imagined we might become published writers.


Why? Because with reality, comes the decision. Work hard, or give up. And years of waiting is the fertile soil for the hard work of becoming a published writer. Yes, you could sit back and wait passively for someone to recognize the genius of your writing. Or, you can wait actively, improving your writing to the point that the wheels of publication begin to turn in your direction.


Start your next project. Novel, article, short story--it doesn't matter. Start something. Don't be content to rest on the project you've completed, even if you believe it's your best. And if you're worried you don't have what it takes, keep writing anyway. It's the only way to get better. Remember, writing can be learned. They say it takes a million words to become an accomplished writer. How far are you to finishing a million?


Pull out a book. Make it a habit to always have a writing book that you're working through. Leave it on the nightstand, or in the bathroom (for busy moms). Even reading just a page or so a day will help to strengthen your writing. Tackling a few of these books a year is like going to a writing conference. If you need some suggestions, I've got a few.


Find a group. Whether you try an online group, or one that's in-person, joining a critique group is one of the best ways to become a stronger writer. You'll learn to write better from the feedback of others, but giving critique will teach you even more. Not every group will be perfect for you, so try some out before you settle in.


Consider a conference. I can't tell you how much I've learned from each of the conferences I've attended. Learning, in person, from agents, editors, and authors is inspiring, but so is being part of a large group of writers who have the same mindset. Save up, apply for scholarships, and go. There are some free online conferences (check here and here), but if you can manage a live one, go for it.


How many of these are you doing right now? Is there a way you're waiting actively that I haven't listed?

Writer's Groups: Writers Cafe, The Online Writing Community

The next writer's group is yet another good one. It boggles the mind how many excellent writing groups exist in cyberspace. Writers Cafe bills itself as "an online writing community where writers can post their work, get reviews, befriend other writers, and much more".


No matter whether you write poetry, novels, short stories, novels, scripts, or screenplays, you'll find similar-minded writers at Writers Cafe. And it's free.


Connect. You can join one or more of a dizzying number of groups in every genre you can imagine. Or hang out in the forums, chatting about craft, publishing, and genres. Search their list of publishers, literary agents, and literary magazines.


Craft. Choose from a variety of free courses on everything from dialogue to defeating writer's block. Post your work for critique, or sharpen your skills by critiquing others.


Contests. There are hundreds of free writing contests available at Writers Cafe. Poetry. Short story. Graphic novel. You name it. The list of contests is searchable by genre so you can find exactly the one you want.


Want to check out the many other writing groups we've featured so far? Click here. If you've joined an online group worth checking out, let us know in the comments. 

Writer's Groups: Critique Circle.com

Don't be a lonely writer. Why? Lone Ranger writers can't look at their work objectively. They clutch their manuscripts in fear of a negative word, which means they'll never submit the project they've poured their heart into. That definitely lowers the chances of publication.

Joining a critique group makes for a stronger writer. A writer who hones his craft. Who learns to take criticism, and discovers how to analyze the work of others. Writers in critique groups are training for the day their words will land in the hands of agents, editors, . . . and readers.

Critique Circle is one option for writers looking for an online group. With over 2500 members of the free site, each submission of your work will garner between seven and ten critiques.

If you're just beginning to see the need for a critique group, the site has links to all the training you need to be an excellent critique group member. Like How to Cope With Critiquing, and How To Critique Fiction.

I believe it's worth it to join Critique Circle just for the amazing free tools they offer members. There's a storyboarding tool to help you plan your story. Writing exercises and writing prompts to get your brain moving. Progress meters to keep track of your word count. A fantastic outlining workshop, plus a name generator, and submission tracker.

Of course, the site maintains an active forum for members to talk about everything to do with writing. But there's also a page of links that kept me busy for a while. There are too many to list here, but you'll just have to check the links out for yourself.

And if this group isn't the perfect one for you, don't worry. There are lots more.

Writer's Groups: AgentQuery.com

Thanks to my writing friend Anna L. Walls, I've discovered a great writer's group. It's called AgentQuery.com, and whether you write fiction or non-fiction, online or in print, there's something for everyone. The site has been recognized as one of Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers six years in a row.

I like it best because it's free.

Why should you consider joining AgentQuery? Let me count the ways.

Agents. Literary agents are encouraged to create their own profile. Consider the site one-stop shopping for agents. Often in the forums, if the subject turns to a particular agent, the agent will chime in on the discussion.

Browse the searchable database of agents to find the individuals who may be interested in your work. Subscribe to Agent Updates to keep track of new agents, and agents who open or close submissions.

Writers. Learn about finding the agent who fits what you write. How to submit to an agent, including the specifics of writing a query. What to do if an agent makes an offer, and how to recognize a scammer.

Network. AgentQuery's AQ Connect is a social networking site for writers. The forum has a unique visual way to show writers who have similar interests to yours, making it easier to connect.

Publishing. AgentQuery provides information on all aspects of publishing, from major publishers to small presses, from literary journals to ezines.

Resources. In addition to all the other content on the site, you'll find links to websites for writers, lists of contests and conferences, literary organizations, and grants for writers.

AgentQuery is touted as a writer's "one-stop shop" for information. Check it out for yourself.

And if you want your own copy of the Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers, it's free when you sign up for the informative Writer's Digest Newsletter.

Writer's Groups: Nanowrimo Forums

Before you whip me with a wet noodle for mentioning Nanowrimo yet again, hear me out. I've featured quite a few writers groups in the last year, and this may very well be the one that's a perfect fit for you.

And whether you participate in Nanowrimo or not, you'll find an amazing group of like-minded writers, and might even solve some of your writing issues at the same time.

And remember, you don't have to wait for November to access the forums.

Here are some of the highlights in the forums:

The Reference Desk: this is the place to ask all the questions you can't find answers to yourself. Remember, Nanowrimo participants live all over the world, and you could connect with a person who has the exact first-hand knowledge you need.

Recent questions about college in a socialist country, colorblindness, and Australian beach towns are answered.

Plot Doctoring: This section gathers creative minds to solve writers' plot issues. Questions range from creative ways to kill a husband in the 1800s, to pickup lines during a zombie apocalypse.

There are "word wars", where participants race to rack up words, a coffee house, and threads for every possible genre and age group imaginable. You really have to check it out to get the full effect.

Need more incentive? Nanowrimo recruits top novelists to email pep talks to participants during November. The lineup this year is impressive, as usual. Sometimes, when I'm hitting a wall with my writing, I read through the archived pep talks from previous years. You'll be surprised at the list.

Neil Gaimon or Sue Grafton, anyone?

One final lure is the bonus offers for Nanowrimo winners. Amazon's CreateSpace gives winners a free proof copy of their book. You'll get a 50% discount on Scrivener writing software (20% off if you're just a participant). And you can take 25% off Storyist software (try it out by taking advantage of the free Nanowrimo trial version).

Have I convinced you yet?

Writer's Groups: Crimespace

I don't write crime novels, but I figure there are some of you who don't want to be left out in the cold when it comes to free resources. So, if  the police blotter in the paper is the first thing you turn to, and you figure out the whodunit on CSI halfway through the show, and you inhale crime novels, I've got the perfect spot for you.


Crimespace is an online network of readers and writers of crime fiction. Think of it as Facebook for crime addicts. On this free site, members can talk about their favorite books, share what they're writing, and discover authors they haven't heard of yet.


On Crimespace, there are forums for readers and writers on all kinds of topics of interest to crime fans. You'll find photos of recently released books, and dozens of video trailers to view. There's also a list of events, from conferences and workshops, to book signings and the latest news. Members may also post their blogs on the site for others to read. If you blog about crime, this is the place to advertise it.


My favorite page on the site is the resource page (go figure). It would have taken me days of searching to find even half of the links posted on this one page. What will you find there? Links to news, podcasts and ezines for crime writers. Lists of print magazines, conferences, and competitions. A collection of awards, organizations, and other discussion forums. And I didn't even touch on everything on the page.


Here are some of the links posted under "research"(because not everyone is born with a full knowledge of forensics):


Mystery Writers Resources
In Reference To Murder
Blood at the Source: Research Tips for Mystery Writers
DSM IV Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders
DNA Forensics
Handbook of Forensic Services-FBI
Computer Forensics
The Writer's Medical and Forensics Lab
Crime Scene Investigation
Crime and Clues
The Merck Manual Medical Library
Private Investigator Magazine


Also of interest to crime writers are these posts: Suspense Techniques and Links for Mystery Writers.

Writer's Groups: Scribophile.com

Writing is a solitary profession. But even the most introverted writer needs encouragement. To battle the ever-present negative comments in their head. To share ideas when they're stuck. To commiserate over rejections. And to celebrate the successes.

Joining an in-person writer's group is wonderful, and nothing beats meeting face to face. But maybe you live in a remote place. Or you're an expat who can't find writers who speak your language. Perhaps you write at odd hours.

This is where an online group shines.

It doesn't matter the hour. Someone, somewhere in the world is awake, and ready to connect.

I've highlighted quite a few writers groups so far, but I haven't come close to exhausting them. I hope that one of them is just the right fit for you.

Today's group is Scribophile (Thanks to member Joshua Morris for cluing me in!). Scribophile is a warm and welcoming group of writers who aim to connect and critique each other's work.

Sign up is free, and even if you've never critiqued someones writing before, you'll learn quickly with Scribophile's templates. When you critique, you earn "Karma Points", which can be redeemed when you post your own work for review. The site guarantees at least three well-thought-out critiques for each of your submissions.

Beyond the critique aspect, you can join "circles" of writers with similar interests, or those that share your geographical area. There's also an active forum, where all the members discuss a variety of topics relating to writing and publication.

Check out the Scribophile Blog for posts on all aspects of writing (a recent post was entitled "9 Things To Do While Waiting For a Response To Your Query"). The folks at Scribophile also host regular contests for members.

Free Resources from Author Verla Kay

Verla Kay writes children's picture books. In rhyme. She's sold eleven of them so far, and they're wonderful. But another amazing thing about Verla Kay is the popular community she's created for writers. How popular? Try a million visitors per month.

That's right.

Twice named on Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers, the "blueboards" are worth checking out. Verla Kay's forum is geared toward writers and illustrators of children's books, from picture books to magazine articles to poetry. Most evenings, there are live chats where you can talk with other writers and illustrators, and visit with agents and editors who sometimes stop by.

But Verla Kay doesn't stop there. She has a blog with information geared toward children's writers (check out her series on how to do school visits). Her links page is filled with helpful links on writing, and research (Kay's books are historical).

I'm amazed at all she shares on her Writers & Illustrators page. You'll find links to her advice on Getting Started as a writer, and a huge page of Writers' Tips. There is information for published writers in Beyond the Basics and Helpful Resources. Kay has also designed her own comprehensive Character Chart for writers to take advantage of. And to top it all off, she offers free transcripts of dozens of writing workshops on a huge array of topics.

And she doesn't forget about her readers. Verla Kay has a special web page just for kids who like to write.

Next time you're in the library, take a detour to the children's section, and page through a few of her books. I guarantee her rhymes will make you smile.