Resources
From Category: Advice for Writers
The Creative Independent
Emotional and practical advice for artists | Visit source
Cultural Appropriation for the Worried Writer
Novelist Jeannette Ng on writing other identities responsibly | Visit source
Layering Place: In Ourselves, in Our Writing
Craft essay by Catherine Hervey | Visit source
Art Has an Effect (Make Sure It’s the Effect You Want)
Fiction editor May Peterson on the purpose of sensitivity readers | Visit source
So You Wanna Write a Black Person
Romance author Sharita Lira polls readers and writers for advice on avoiding stereotypes | Visit source
Finding Communion in Disability Poetics
Poet Lizz Schumer surveys important texts of the movement | Visit source
Write an Artist Statement People Will Want to Read
Grant application advice from the Massachusetts Cultural Council | Visit source
The Romance Novelist’s Guide to Hot Consent
How to write responsible, consensual scenes of intimacy | Visit source
The Handy, Uncapped Pen
Blog for neurodivergent and disabled writers | Visit source
Transcending Flesh in Fiction and Fantasy
How to write body-modification speculative fiction that is sensitive to transgender issues | Visit source
The Art of Invisible Movement
Novelist Maggie Stiefvater's advice on making your scenes do double duty | Visit source
Readerly Privilege and Textual Violence: An Ethics of Engagement
Poet/critic Kristina Marie Darling analyzes the ethics and politics of book reviewing | Visit source
On Not Noticing
How selective perception distinguishes your fictional characters | Visit source
To Trope or Not to Trope
Stories that self-consciously subvert genre conventions | Visit source
How Novelty Ruined the Novel
Current Affairs essay on worn-out postmodernist tricks | Visit source
Romantic Comedies: When Stalking Has a Happy Ending
Real-life negative consequences of rom-com tropes | Visit source
Don’t Make Violence and Abuse Just Another Plot Device in Your Novel
Bestselling novelist Rene Denfeld's advice on responsible writing about trauma | Visit source
Q&A With Amy King from VIDA, Feminist Watchdog
Tracking gender disparities in publishing and reviewing | Visit source
Writing Better Trans Characters
Science fiction critic Cheryl Morgan's advice on authentic representation | Visit source
The Rejection Survival Guide
Creative resilience for authors | Visit source
A Basic Guide to Getting Permissions & Sample Permissions Letter
Copyright advice for quotes and excerpts from other writers | Visit source
A Literary Agent’s Guide to Publishing Terms Authors Should Know
Basic contract terms explained by Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group | Visit source
What Type of Book Editing Do You Need? And When?
Differences between copyediting, proofreading, and structural edits explained | Visit source
How to Write a Killer Fairy Tale Retelling
Timeless Tales Magazine editor shares advice for an original twist on classic stories | Visit source
Writer Advice
Writers' resource site hosts contests with modest prizes | Visit source
May I Have Several Hours of Your Time?
Poet and professor Karen Craigo talks strategies for balancing writing and mentoring | Visit source
Representation Matters: A Literary Call to Arms
Tips and resources for writing non-stereotypical characters with diverse identities | Visit source
Advice from Judy Juanita, Judge of the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Judy Juanita shares what she likes to see in stories and essays
Reviews of Trans and/or Non-Binary Lit by Trans and/or Non-Binary Reviewers
Blogger Xan West surveys contemporary trans and nonbinary literature | Visit source
Submission Strategies: Advice from The Masters Review
Crafting a submissions strategy to meet your goals and pace of writing | Visit source
How to Be a Good Beta Reader
Quick tips for giving useful manuscript critiques | Visit source
The Tipping Point for Best Selling Authors
Success strategies from top-selling indie and self-published crime/thriller authors | Visit source
Autistic Representation and Real-Life Consequences
A call to move past harmful stereotypes in writing autistic characters | Visit source
Sage Cohen: 2 Keys to Unlock Your Momentum
How to sort out helpful from unhelpful writing advice | Visit source
When Grief Becomes Surreal
Novelist Tobias Carroll on techniques for writing extreme emotional states | Visit source
Erika Dreifus: 13 Questions to Ask Before Submitting to a Literary Journal
Editor of The Practicing Writer newsletter shares advice for targeted submissions | Visit source
The Rest of the Iceberg
Tips for writing outside your own culture | Visit source
Writing Women Characters as Human Beings
Advice on avoiding stereotypes in fantasy, historical, and contemporary fiction | Visit source
Thoughts on Structure
Poet Weston Cutter calls for more conscious choice in the structure of free verse | Visit source
Why Write Characters of Color?
Craft essay by fiction writer Lillian Li | Visit source
“That’s Not How I Remember It”: Creative Nonfiction and the Art of Dealing with Doubters
Essayist Megan Galbraith shares tips for writing about sensitive family stories | Visit source
George Saunders on Storytelling
Video by acclaimed short story writer | Visit source
Advice from Soma Mei Sheng Frazier, Judge of the Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Advice for poetry contestants from Soma Mei Sheng Frazier
The Audacity of Prose
An essay against literary minimalism | Visit source
Jane Friedman’s Writing Advice Links
Archive of articles by publishing expert | Visit source
The Politics of Empathy
Ethical considerations for writing about oppression as an ally | Visit source
New Plays and the Destructive Cult of Virginity
Feminist playwright Carolyn Gage questions the first-publication rule | Visit source
Four Hidden Dangers of Writing Groups
Publishing expert looks at pitfalls of group input in the creative process | Visit source
Resources for Organizing a Poetry Manuscript
Links to books and articles about structuring a poetry collection | Visit source
Book Review Directory
Site matches authors with reviewers by genre | Visit source
