Resources For Writers

I thought I might take a moment to link you all to some super resources I've used on the net for writing purposes. Some of them are exclusive to Paranormal. Some are more generic, so you should be able to find something helpful. I hope.

1. For naming my characters. Well sometimes I just KNOW. And the creepiest thing is that when I look up the meaning it generally works a little too well. But for those other characters, I use this site. I like it because you can search by letter, year of popularity, meaning, origin, etc. Just about anything.

2. For paranormal and fantasy research. When I'm looking for inspiration or just doing a little research, I like to use Monstropedia. I find it a great resource for both well known and not so well known creatures.

3. For tips on craft. I know you probably all know this one. But If you don't - where have you been?? Marissa and Martina have the most fabulous blog for writers on this planet. You'll find Adventures in Children's Publishing here. Now go visit.

4. Need Support? Have Questions? If you aren't a member of Verla Kay's Blueboards, you should be. Warning though, you can get lost over there, because there's so much to explore.

5. Obvious but imperative. Google. Okay, I know, right? But SERIOUSLY. If anything pops in my head. ANYTHING. I go to Google to search for it. Researching the geography of a town you've never been in? Google maps. Looking for visual inspiration? Google images.

6. If you write for children - teens. Then you must be a member of SCBWI. If you aren't, you are short changing yourself. And while you are there, make sure to take advantage of all of their resources because they are plentiful. That's where I learned everything about the business side of things when I started out. That's where I found my critique group. That's where I became active on the message boards and soaked up unbelievably useful information and other resources like a sponge. That's where I found the first conference I went to. That's where I took the workshop that taught me how to do this. Okay I'll stop. You get the idea.

So there are some of my favorites. How about you? What sites do you have to pass along?