Useful Resources for Writers 1.

The web is full of fascinating resources for writers, and from time to time, I'll point you to some of the ones that I've found useful. Today, I'll give three that cover the spectrum from writing your thoughts down, to writing them well, to making money from your writing.

Writing Down

If you never write down your ideas, you'll never be a writer, but perhaps you have an internal critic who stops you from writing. If so, read what Ellen Kushner writes about "Fooling the Watcher"

She gives many tips about how to counter the activities of your internal critic that prevents you from writing. It's a fine essay, based on a fruitful metaphor—the Watcher at the Gates.

The essay reminded me of Juvenal's question: "Who watches the watchers?" For me, I often forget to watch my watcher, but I have an agreement with my first reader—Dani, my wife—to keep her eyes open for me playing watcher games. (I do the same for her.) This technique has kept me writing for more than 40 books, and her for four. It works.


Making Money from Your Books

When you publish a book, you're in a partnership with your publisher. It's a business relationship, and every writer should understand the business of writing. A good place to start your education is Anna Genoese's fascinating look at how one publisher does profit/loss analysis

When you submit a manuscript, this is the kind of analysis the publisher will do before they decide whether or not to offer you a contract. They may love your writing, but if the project won't make money, they won't buy it.


Writing Better

Speaking of publishers, Stranger Horizons editors, Susan Marie Groppi, Jed Hartman, and Karen Meisner run a rich website called, not surprisingly, Strange Horizons

Naturally, the website is designed to sell their product, but it also has lots of helpful articles and opinions for writers at all levels, all written clearly and in good humor.