I know if I were a great blogger I'd have all these links out there in those lovely rose-colored margins, and I'd quote from the New Yorker and give links to all the witty articles I find out there, and on and on. But I'm not a great blogger.
I had a great time yesterday critiquing some work of other writers though, and was pretty shocked at some of the basics they didn't know. So I thought maybe I'd pull out some of the links in my bookmarks lists. But I think though, rather than putting them all in one entry, I'll tease a bit. You like to be teased don't you? It is Friday after all….
My favorite place for writers on the web is Zoetrope. Go and join it. I mean it. Even if you don't want to critique or submit stories for critique, there is more information in that site that is easier to find than any other place I've found, and you'll see I've found a few. If you do, and you know my real name, which is how most of us are listed there, send me a zmail and I'll show you around. There is erotica in my private office right now, so you might not get in there, but there are places you want to know about.
If you don't read Writers Digest, or Poets and Writers you are missing a lot of real world info too. They send out email newsletters. One of those things I don't always read when it hits my email, but I always keep to read.
Angela Hoy spoke at a conference I went to once, and is wonderfully personable, energetic and knowledgeable. Writers Weekly is a good place to kill time. You might get perturbed at some of the promotional information for their products, but just work around it. Lots of free information, especially if you want to make money writing. This is where the addictive 24-hour short story contest is held quarterly. I've made Honorable Mention a few times, but more importantly, each time I write for one, I end up with the skeleton of something I eventually develop, usually for the. Horror Library (some of it is that horrible!) But really, it is fun. Why else would I write?
Allison Joseph at CROWPPS is a saint in my opinion, because if I ever feel like submitting something, all I have to do is open the email folder and there is always a contest or call for submissions. Once I even submitted an ...ahem… poem. It was summarily rejected, as it should have been (what the heck is a poem anyway?) But it was easy. You don't have to sign up for the emails, just get on the list.
Another list that is important if you take your writing seriously at all is Publishers Marketplace. The closer you get to wanting to see your novel bound and wearing those nifty "25% off Bestseller" stickers, the more you will want to pay attention there.
My current writing professor turned me onto The Writers Almanac … I'd listened to it on the radio whenever I was on the right side of town at the right time of day… I can't pick up NPR from home, sadly. I was thrilled to be able to get it online.
That is only a drop in the bucket I'm afraid, but I am out of time for now. This weekend I get to put my volunteer hat…er… t shirt I guess … on and sell tickets or something…. Here Bayou City Arts Festival . I suppose it would be appropriate to link one more organization, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts especially for the local readers, because it is with this group that I am volunteering.
It is 74 and sunny here right now, so it's definitely time to walk away from the computer. What was that we like to do on Friday again?
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