Post by wordy on Aug 31, 2010 23:41:49 GMT 10
Underappreciated Writing Resources
by PeroxidePirate
Writing: you start with an idea and a computer (or a notebook), but at some point, that's not enough. If you find yourself in a quandary, look to this list of resources for help.
Tools
Textalyser Analyzes your work for patterns, word usage, sentence structure, and quantified readability/level of difficulty. Provides a lot of information, and you can customize the analysis a bit.
Wordle Word Clouds A similar function, but much simpler, in graphic form: get a “word cloud” in which words appear bigger or smaller, based on how frequently you use them.
Word Count Tool Exactly what it says on the tin (and more accurate than some word processing programs).
Write or Die Set yourself a timer and a word count goal, and get started. This app will make bad things happen (harmless, but really irritating, bad things) if you don't keep writing.
Blogs & Resource Lists
Goldenlake Writing Resources Our own list of writing resources is a great place to start. Founded by Lindsay, this list includes resources for canon checking, character names, and general references of many kinds. As a message board thread, it's also interactive, making it a great place to ask questions or share other resources you've found.
NaNoWriMo National Novel Writing Month takes place every November; participants are encouraged to write a rough draft novel of at least 50,000 words over the course of 30 days. If you decide to join in, you'll see your writing develop and change as you work through your project. But even if you don't, you can take advantage of the articles and advice on the NaNoWriMo website.
Query Shark For those who are serious about writing, with the aim of being published, this blog is invaluable. Each entry analyzes a query letter (sent by an author to a prospective agent) and details what about it is good and bad. If you're not looking to be published, this blog will still help you with writing fic summaries and learning to tease out the most important parts of any story.
Beauty, Brilliance, and Risk (Note: PG-13 for language.) My self-indulgent addition to the list: author Nicola Griffith reflects on the importance of joy, fun, and writing fiction that people want to read. If you've ever been condescended to because you like fantasy, sci-fi, YA fiction, mysteries, historical fiction, or anything else outside serious “literary” fiction, read this essay!
Thoughts on Present Tense (Note: PG-13 for language.) This blog is written by a publishing insider, and is full of useful writing and editing advice (though sometimes it digresses into articles about other topics, like being a bridesmaid). The link is to a concise piece about writing in present tense, which details why it can work so well in a short story, but is much harder to use successfully in a novel.
Ten Writing Tips I've saved the best for last: this is a fantastic list of tips for every writer. These suggestions will help to improve your writing, and just might help you understand why some stories are so much better than others (hint: plot is only part of the reason). You can also check out other entries on the blog for more tips and advice.