RESOURCES-TIPS: For writers of all genre who want to write, and the readers who love them.

If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn't matter a damn how you write.
- Somerset Maugham

All the words I use in my stories can be found in the dictionary -- it's just a matter of arranging them into the right sentences.
- Somerset Maugham

Anecdotes don't make good stories. Generally I dig down underneath them so far that the story that finally comes out is not what people thought their anecdotes were about.
- Alice Munro

If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor.
- Edgar Rice Burroughs

Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil -- but there is no way around them.
Isaac Asimov

To write fiction, one need a whole series of inspirations about people in an actual environment, and then a whole lot of work on the basis of those inspirations.
- Aldus Huxley

Get it down. Take changes. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good.
- William Faulkner

Books aren't written, they're rewritten. Including our own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't quite done it.
- Michael Crichton

Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he'll eventually make some kind of career for himself as a writer.
- Ray Bradbury

Research Links

RESOURCES-TIPS, Writer's Block-Tools

Writing Corner is striving to be the “Resource of Writers’ Resources”. This is essentially a links page but you will only find links to reference or research tools here.

Don’t be bashful – if you know a good link that should be added EMAIL us and we will check it out. We know you have one or two trade secrets online you won’t mind sharing with the rest of us.

ADVERTISING

Author Self-Promotion – In addition to some beautiful promo items like magnets and bookplates, there are some really great articles of self-promotion, book promotion etc., Earthly Charms.

BABY NAMES, MEANINGS OF NAMES, NAMES

Whats In Your Name?

Belly Ballot – A large list of baby names, origins and ethnicity. Can be broken down by boy or girl names.

BIBLE REFERENCES

Bible Answers

CALENDARS / ALMANACS

Information Please: Online Almanac Reference

Earth Calender

CASTLES AND KNIGHTS

British Titles of Noblity

The Castles of Wales – need historical inspiration? How about the names of the various parts of a castle? This site has links to pictures for the definitions (loads slowly at times) This is the place to visit.

dMarie Time Capsule find out what happened the day you were born, or the day your hero/heroine was born.

Knighthood, Chivalry and Tournament Glossary of Terms

Odin’s Castle of Dreams & Legends – another great place to take a tour of castles and learn more about them.

COPYRIGHT LINKS

Basic Copyright Concepts for Writers — *Writers Write — The IWJ*(article)

CopyrightAct 1968 (Australian)

SUL: Copyright & Fair Use (Stanford University Libraries)

EBLIDA umbrella association of national library, information, documentation and archive associations and organisations in Eu(European information)

DICTIONARIES

RefDesk.com – This is the place to look first for the information you need. A gigantic selection of links to dictionaries, thesauruses, language translators, almanacs, history, grammar, formatting and other information of great value to writers.

Aussie Slang Dictionary – an invaluable tool to the non-Aussie writer with the Aussie character. Try not to get too carried away though.

Dictionary of Ballet Terms

Martindale’s “The Reference Desk”

Yahoo Reference – Dictionaries – Slang – you will find more of the above here for various countries (mostly ex-British colonies) but you will also find sub-cultures here too (i.e. mountain bikers, gays etc…)

Semantic Rhyming Dictionary – an invaluable tool for the poet – or anyone else who gets the urge to rhyme. Allows you to search various levels of rhyme i.e. exact match, end sounds etc.

A Glossary of Hardboiled Slang – an everything slang dictionary.

High – Tech Dictionary – Technical Terminology

Information Please: Online Dictionary and Encyclopedia

EDUCTION FOR WRITERS

Free Education on the Internet

ENCYCLOPEDIAS

RefDesk.com – This is the place to look first for the information you need. A gigantic selection of links to dictionaries, thesauruses, language translators, almanacs, history, grammar, formatting and other information of great value to writers.

Encyclopedia.com – a free online encyclopedia.

Encyclopedia Mythica – a great fantasy/fiction writer’s reference. Full of myth, legend and folklore information.

GAMERS JARGON

There many different types of gamers jargon. Below are some useful links to help you find the right terms for you manuscripts.

Computer Gamers Jargon

GENERAL REFERENCE

The Internet Public Library Wikipedia

The Internet Public Library Reference Center

GRAMMAR AND STYLE

Elements of Style – the well-known grammar and style aid now online.

Guide to Grammar and Writing – This is the Internet’s solution to Strunk and White.

GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING

Grants.gov – Finding funding and grant resources on the Internet.

HISTORY

Archiving Early America – Digital Library, world of early America, great site

LAW REFERENCES

Oxford Handbooks Online

MEDICAL INFORMATION
(Great for researching that medical mystery fiction story)

The Virtual Dental Center

Web MD

MISCELLANEOUS

DillWeed ~ The Online Media Resource ~ Dictionary, radio, film, museums, engines, television, telephone, and so much more.

John Hewitt’s Writer’s Resource Center

Page ONE Lists Of Resources – Incredible list of links.

Writer’s Toolbox – Internet Resources for Writers

Literary Trivia Links

Poets and Writers – tools, funding, jobs and more

Shakespeare Trivia

Sports Trivia

QUOTATIONS

Quoteland – just what it sounds like.

Cyber Quotations: Cyber Quotes from BrainyQuote, an extensive collection of quotations by famous authors, celebrities, and news makers.

The Movie Quotes Database

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Information Please: Weather and Climate

TALENT

Talent Development Resources – A wide variety of information available here, articles and snips about creativity, talent, personality, giftedness, including quotes from any famous and talented people.

THESAURI

Roget’s Thesaurus – old, faithful basic English Language thesaurus.

Think Map – allows you to search words and create visual word maps from that word. I haven’t tried it yet but it sounds good (BTW this is a recommended writing “warm up”)

WORD ORIGINS

Word Wizard – a great site full of word origins, quotes, insults and more. Stop by if for nothing else but the fun of it.

WRITING REFERENCES

Best Reviews – Best Reviews from Leena Hyat

Freelancewriting.com

Georgia Writers (wonderful people to work with)

John Hewitt’s Writer’s Resource Center

National Writing Project WWW Resources – Finding funding and grant resources on the Internet.

Occupational Outlook Handbook – a great place to find information about different occupations for your characters and other research.

RhymeZone – Rhyming and word search – great source for finding that “other” word.

The Dabbling Mum.com – The on-line magazine for busy parents.

The Olive Tree Genealogy – find your ancestors or a long lost knight.. The Olive Tree Genealogy is dedicated to bringing you primary sources such as passenger lists, muster rolls, church records and more, FREE of charge.

Writing by Genre and Form

Writer’s Way – This site is full of well organized links. If you want to find something it won’t be hard here – all links are categorized.

WritersWeekly – writer’s online newsletter, has markets and tips.

I would like to thank David M. Somerfleck who unbeknownst to him gave me many of the links you see here. “Thanks for sharing with Writing Corner!”

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