Free Services

Resources for Every Stage of the Craft

The internet is a flood of conflicting advice. We’ve done the manual labor of filtering the noise, curating a definitive collection of links to guide you from your first word to your final contract—entirely free.

Explore our Free Resources

Writing is both a process and a craft. We've curated links to resources grouped by your stage in the process.  These resources are designed to help you grow your craft, learn the landscape, and build confidence as you move forward.

General Resources

Before You Start

  • Nonfiction
  • How To Write A Book Proposal 
  • Read. Many more people want to write than want to read. Reading is key to understand both good writing and the publishing marketplace.
  • 6 Tips for Reading Like a Writer (Writer's Digest)
  • HOW TO READ LIKE A WRITER (Career Authors)
  • How to Read Like a Writer (Medium)
  • How to Read Like a Writer (The Center for Fiction)
  • How to Read to Elevate Your Writing Practice (Jane Friedman)
  • Plan. No story was ever written without the author having both an idea and a plan. The idea's role is to drive the muse. The plan's role is to drive the author.
  • Developing a Writing Plan (Writer's Digest0
  • How to Plan a Novel: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide (Story Grid)
  • The Writer's Plan (Medium)
  • Write. Like so many skills, writing improves with practice. Writing alone can be helpful, but it is more helpful to get feedback on your writing. Many people's initial writing reads just like the textbooks they knew and loved. The more we write and rewrite, the more our creative juices get flowing and the voices of our characters come out, our settings become alive, and our situations become lived.
  • Connect with other writers. Writers know. They understand. They share your journey. Some have been there. They can help trigger your muse. They can provide feedback to push your character or plot to the next level.
  • Continue to learn about writing. The Internet is full of article, blogs, videos,..., etc. about writing craft. Some of these resources are excellent. Others must be taken with a grain of salt. The more the writer learns, the more distinguishing the writer will be about the resources consumed.
  • Set expectations. Write for personal enjoyment. Write for release. Write as a gift to someone else. The publishing is an industry built on rejection. It is more likely than not that, unless you self publish, you and a handful of friends and family will be the only readers of your work. Don't give up. Just find satisfaction in the writing process.

Improving Your Work

  • Critique Circle. (Free with optional paid plan) "Improve your writing skills in one of the largest and longest-running writing communities on the web."
  • ProWritingAid. (Free with optional paid plan) "ProWritingAid helps you craft, polish, and elevate your writing."
  • Jane Friedman. "I report on the book publishing industry and help authors understand the business."
  • One Stop for Writers. (Free trial/paid plans). "With the right tools, your writing career can soar. Spellbinding worlds, unforgettable characters, and powerful storytelling are just a click away.
  • Storyteller’s Roadmap " is your writing GPS, helping you navigate your way to a publish-ready novel. It guides you to what you need as you need it, too, pointing out tools, resources, and advice that help make your job easier. "
  • Writers Helping Writers: I need help with...Characters, Plot and Structure, World Building and Setting, Show-Don't-Tell, Other story Elements, Creativity Mindset, Business of Writing


Ready to Publish

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