We are currently working to build a terrific section of resources for you. Please check back soon to see our progress.
Resources for Writers
WEBSITES:
Awakening Artistry
Tama Kieves is an inspiring author and career coach. Tama's newsletter is full of encouraging words and practical advice that helps you replace negative beliefs about what is possible with compassionate, alternative messages that give you permission to follow your dreams.
http://www.awakeningartistry.com/
Mediabistro
A little more hip than Publishers Weekly, Mediabistro is a good resource to find out what's going on in popular culture as well as in the media. Galleycat is their free daily newsletter.
http://www.mediabistro.com/
Publishers Weekly
PW is a great resource for writers wanting to keep up on the latest news in the publishing industry. In their free daily newsletter, you get the scoop on what's happening in the publishing world and who's suing whom.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Writers Digest
Writers Digest is an in print and online publication aimed towards writers. They have lots of resources and classes to help you improve your writing skills and offer publishing advice. You'll find contests, calls for submissions, conferences, and self-publishing opportunities listed on this site.
http://www.writersdigest.com/GeneralMenu/
HARO-Help a Reporter Out
Journalists and other media professionals list the articles or shows they are working on and the “experts” they are looking for to interview. The list comes out several times a day, and it is a free to sign up. The pitches cover a wide variety of venues and topics. This is a great resource if you want to establish yourself as an expert in your field, gain experience responding to queries, and increase your interviewing skills.
http://www.helpareporter.com/sources
Shelf Awareness
This free online newsletter began in 2005. Shelf Awareness is an excellent resource to learn about the retail side of selling books. They recommend books for libraries, booksellers, and consumers.
http://www.shelf-awareness.com/
Publishers Websites
Join the mailing lists of publishers that you want to write for and publish books in your area. You can view their upcoming releases, read the bios of their authors, see how they present and package their books to retailers and readers, and learn which of their backlist titles have been successful. In addition, you may receive promotional discounts and coupons on their products.
Author Websites
Visit the websites of authors, experts, and practitioners that are adept in your subject or genre. Sign up to receive updates and attend events and readings when possible. Post thoughtful and positive comments on their blogs. Be genuine. Many authors are willing to share their stories of publication with new authors. Pay attention to the people they thank in their book. They often mention the names of their agents and editors. When your book is accepted by a publisher, you’ll have a list of authors that might be willing to write a blurb or recommend your book to their fans.
OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES
Amazon Author Central
Once your book is on Amazon, you can set up an Author Page that has your photo, bio, and links to your website and blog. Amazon has added a new feature that allows authors to track the sales of their book(s) only using Nielson BookScan data. Keep in mind that BookScan numbers are not entirely accurate. Some venues and retailers don’t report their sales numbers to BookScan. To learn more about BookScan, check out this article: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2010/12/amazon-gives-nielsen-bookscan-to-authors.html.
Amazon Author Central web site:https://authorcentral.amazon.com/
Facebook and Twitter
You can set up a Facebook Page to promote a product or service. Pages are different from personal accounts. They don’t require you to accept friend requests. Everyone can post on your page, but you can remove any unwanted content. Twitter accounts are easy to set up and are useful for updating others on your current events and for following the people and products that interest you.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/
Google Alerts
If you want to track a trend, topic, person, or book, you can sign up for free and get emails that notify you whenever something new is posted on the Internet or Twitter. Make sure the key word(s) you enter are as specific as possible otherwise you will have to sort through a large amount of emails. Put in your own name and the title of your book, and you’ll find out what others are saying about you and your book.
http://www.google.com/alerts
Novel Rank
This free service tracks the sales of books on Amazon in the US, Canada, and the UK. Although it only counts books sold through Amazon, you can track the sales of any book listed on their site.
http://www.novelrank.com/
BOOKS:
Writers Market by Robert Brewer (Current year)
The Writers Market is an annual publication and comes in many editions and formats. There is even an online edition. Usually, Half-Price Books has copies for 50% off. I am not convinced that you need to buy the edition every year unless you are actively submitting. The publishing industry is in constant flux and people move around all the time. Authors must verify current contact information before submitting their work. I use mine as a reference and then go online to check with the publisher or agency directly for up-to-the-minute submission guidelines, new releases, phone numbers, addresses, and contact information.
The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner
If you ever wonder what it's like to be an editor and want to make a good first-impression as an author, then, you must read this book. Some of the things would-be authors do, thinking that it will increase their chances of getting published, are hilarious.
Spiritual Writing: From Inspiration to Publication by Deborah Levine Herman.
Written in 2002, this book gives the mind body spirit writer a "how to" approach on writing, sending submissions, finding agents, and selecting publishers. Since the publishing industry changes quickly, it is important to make sure the information regarding agencies and publishers is still accurate.
This Time I Dance!: Creating the Work You Love by Tama Kieves
I am a huge fan of Tama Kieves. She started out as a Harvard Law School graduate and had a lucrative career as an attorney. Unhappy, she left law and began a journey to become a published author. Her words inspire me. Tama's wisdom on how to live the lives we were meant to live, come in gentle bite-size pieces that truly transform.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
A creativity coach recommended this book to me. Why do we resist that which gives us so much joy when we finally allow ourselves to do it? You'll have to read the book to find out! Of course, you'll have to overcome your resistance to actually get the book and read it.
The Writer's Book of Hope: Getting From Frustration to Publication by Ralph Keyes
In this book, you discover the realities of the business of writing -- rejection, frustration, self-doubt, fear.....But, we write anyway, and Ralph manages to make you feel hopeful about doing it. It is worth the read just for that!
Word Painting: A Guide to Writing More Descriptively by Rebecca McClanahan
Although her audience is fiction writers, I find the ideas and exercises useful for non-fiction writers as well. In her book, Rebecca teaches writers how to look at things differently so they can describe them in new ways, and ultimately help the reader see and feel what the author is trying to convey. It is a great resource for mind body spirit writers where words such as "spiritual" have lost their meaning.
Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st Century Writer by Jeff VanderMeer
This book has valuable and practical information for writers. VanderMeer covers almost every aspect of an author’s life including: online book promotion, what to look for in agent, goal setting, self-publishing, how to work with publishers, and how to stay positive when you receive those nasty rejection letters.
From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction by Robert Olen Butler
Although this is a book for fiction writers, Butler’s methods and ideas support the creative process and are applicable to mind body spirit authors. A Pulitzer Prize winning author, he shows the reader how to tap into the intuitive, formless place where stories originate.
If you have the time, it is worth viewing the series of sessions where Butler demonstrates his method by writing a story from a postcard. Here’s the link: http://www.fsu.edu/~butler/
Writing Spiritual Books: A Bestselling Writer’s Guide to Successful Publication by Hal Zina Bennett
This is a great book for mind body spirit authors. Hal helps you formulate your ideas, avoid the common pitfalls of spiritual writing, decide on a format for your book, and provides a list of publishers and other helpful resources for authors in this genre. Again, because the publishing industry is always changing, always check for the most current information before you submit your book proposal.
