Where do you get answers about your writing? How do you look up grammar, punctuation and style questions? Who do you turn to when you want to network? Which professional organization will provide you with support in your career?
Here are some of my favorites. These are unsolicited endorsements. I have not received any payment, product, membership or other services in exchange for including these titles and links.
Please feel free to share your own, and I’d be happy to post them as an ongoing resource for everyone.
The Essentials
Merriam-Webster Dictionary online
Roget’s Thesaurus online
Bartleby.com Quotations
Encyclopedia Britannica
Wikipedia
Grammar
The Random House Handbook by Frederick Crews
The Transitive Vampire: A Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed and The Well-Tempered Sentence by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
Grammar Girl website
Style
The Associated Press Stylebook
The Chicago Manual of Style
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
Writing & Inspiration
Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind by Natalie Goldberg
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
On Writing by Stephen King
Outsmarting Writer’s Block
A Helpful Little Secret about Writer’s Block
(Part 1 focuses on solutions to jump-start your writing.)
Stuck in the Middle with Your Writing
(Part 2 looks at ways to avoid getting stuck in the middle of a piece or project.)
Crossing the Finish Line
(Part 3 offers help for writers who have trouble finishing their work.)
Writing Classes – Live & Online
Gotham Writers’ Workshop
MediaBistro
UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program
The Writers Store
Blogging
Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett
Problogger (the blog)
BlogWorld website and blog
BlogHer
Writers’ Organizations & Associations
National Novel Writing Month
PEN around the World
PEN American
Writers Guild of America West
Writers Guild of America East
Professional Organizations
International Association of Business Communicators
Public Relations Society of America
American Marketing Association
Association for Women in Communications
Ragan
Communications Executive Council
American Library Association
Social Media Club
Film & TV Writing Blogs
Jane Espenson
Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer and Scriptwriter Blog (this blog is a tremendous resource, regularly offering links to new and helpful information and includes a list of the key studio/industry fellowships and contests)
John August
Ken Levine (penned by Emmy-winning writer/director/producer of “MASH,” “Cheers” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” among others, this blog was named one of the Best 25 of 2011 by Time magazine)