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Dear fellow writers,
Hello and welcome to the madness! I've been writing for many, many years - far longer than I've been published - and I can still honestly say I'm learning something new about the craft, and the business, every day. I get regular emails from writers wanting writing and publishing advice, so I thought I'd pull together some of my favorite resources, blogs, podcasts and sites that I've found really helpful in my journey as an author. Nothing is more important than doing your own research, whether you are looking for a traditional publisher or self-publishing. But before you get to that point, my key piece of advice is to FINISH THE BOOK FIRST! So many of us start off great guns with the first three chapters, and then come to a grinding halt. It's very tempting to fall into the habit of not finishing a manuscript and believing those voices in your head that say "this idea is silly, why not start something else!?" Don't listen to that voice - the best way to learn how to write, is to just DO IT and keep doing it! Once you've got a finished manuscript, then you can start listening to those critical voices in your head while you edit it. We all learn in different ways: some of us prefer videos (I'm a YouTube junkie!), some like attending classes, and others prefer a printed "how to" book. Just like with learning "how to write", there is no One Best Way (and beware of anyone who spouts there is!). Each week I podcast about self-publishing and writing with three other author pals on the SPA Girls podcast (Self Publishing Authors Podcast) and we welcome questions, so don't hesitate to contact us there. Trust in the process. And remember that everyone, no matter how famous or best selling, has times of self doubt. Keep going! Love, Wendy x |
from left: Authors Cheryl Phipps, Mark Dawson, Wendy Vella
from left: Authors Wendy Vella, Trudi Jaye, Eloisa James
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Useful Websites For Writers
Romance Writers of America Romance Writers of Australia Romance Writers of New Zealand Author EMS Self Publishing Resources Nalini Singh's Writing Advice Joanna Penn's The Creative Penn Romance Diva's Forum Susan Kay Quinn’s For Authors Blog Marie Force's Author Support Network Facebook Group Mark Dawson's SPF Community Facebook Group SFWA's Writers Beware Kboards Writers Cafe The Passive Voice |
Favorite PodcastsSpa Girls Podcast (c'mon, I'm on it, so it has to go to the top of the list!) Rocking Self Publishing The Creative Penn SPF Formula The Smarter Artist Story Grid Podcast Tools For Writers |
Recommended Reading
Full disclosure here, I'm not a big reader of "how to" books, but all the books listed below I've either read and love, or they come highly recommended from my writing friends. (Click on covers to read descriptions on the Amazon store.)
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