I’ve linked the best free resources I’ve found (so far 😉) for everything from craft through to book marketing below. Feel free to scroll the page, or use the quick links to jump to the section most relevant to you.
Quick Links
Editing🖍… Querying📨… Publishing📚… Author Platform🏗… Book Marketing 💰…
Character Crafting
Character Arc Guide -blog series by @KMWeiland
8 Types of Character, by Jerry Jenkins.
Personality Test by 16 Personalities
Character Craft Blogs by @AmeliaWiens. Character Craft through to PublishingCrawl.com
Writing Diverse Characters
Homophobia Index -LGBTQI+ stereotypes to avoid
Writing Trans Characters -youtube series by @AuthorDrost
Writing Characters With Autism, a 3 part blog by Elizabeth Bartmess.
9 Tips For Writing Characters Unlike You, by Michael Gallant
Writing With Colour -avoiding racial stereotypes.
White Authors Writing Poc. If you’ve heard the phrase ‘stay in your own lane’, this unpacks the why’s of that. It also details the research white author’s can do to include POC characters authentically and respectfully.
Writing the Other’s Resource Page is a fantastic collection of resources for writing a range of diverse characters.
Plotting & Story Structure General Advice
Story Structure -blog series by KM Weiland.
6 Scene Dilemas, by KM Weiland.
KM Weilan’s Story Database -popular films and books for which she’s outlined major plot points, handy for understanding story structure.
How to Write an Insanely Good Ending, drawing on Emotional, External and Philosophical Arcs -learning from screenplays by screenplay writer Michael Arndt.
Overcoming Writers Block and managing Self Discipline by Custom Writing Org (scroll down about 1/3)
3 Act Structure Introduction -youtube video.
Plotting Methods
Bringing Structure to Pantsing -blog (with language warning) by @jaelrbakari
The Snowflake Method, a Plotting Technique by Randy Ingermason.
The One Page Plot Formula -an outline template and blog post on using it.
Save the Cat (by Blake Snyder), is plotting beats illustrated with Avengers Infinity War in a video by Studiobinder. Save the Cat beats defined by NYC Screenwriters Collective.
Story and Scene level Beat Sheets by Jamie Gould, including Save the Cat, for Scrivener and others.
Podcasts & Youtube Channels Covering All Things Craft
iwriterly is a youtube channel by Meg Latore. It covers a range of writing craft (+querying and other) topics
Campfire Technology (Yeah, random name but I promise it’s about writing craft). This is a youtube channel with Hero’s Journey & Character videos, plus a great one on pacing.
Editing & Critical Readers
Self Editing Chapter Checklist by K.M. Allan
Basic Self Editing Tips, by Editor Karin Cox. Comma Usage.
Self Editing for Fiction Writers (a book you’d need to purchase) has been recommended to me again and again.
5 Compelling Ways to Begin a Chapter, by the Historical Quill.
4 Dialog Editing Tips, by Cheryl Burman.
Finding and Working with Beta Readers by @LombardEmma
Critical Reader Checklists from Chapter One to Act 3, by yours truly.
The First 5 Pages Workshop -MG & YA Only, runs monthly, participation by ballot
Sensitivity Readers
What are Sensitivity Readers? explains the benefits and process of working with a sensitivity reader, from Reedsy.
Confessions of a Sensitivity Reader, gives insight into how a sensitivity reader will work with you, from Salt & Sage Books blog.
Editors
5 Things Author’s Need to Know Before Hiring an Editor, an interview with editor Staci Frenes by Mixtus Media
Different Levels of Critical Reader & Editing Services, by Amelia Wiens
World Building
Brandon Sanderson’s Free Lectures five & six
Magic Systems: Power Escalation and Character Development, Hard Magic, Soft Magic -youtube videos.
Social Class Systems -youtube videos.
Why Orcs & Evil Races can be problematic, by Salt & Sage Books
Querying Resources
Alexa Donne’s Youtube Channel gives thorough coverage of all things querying (+writing advice)
Literary Agency BookEnds Youtube Channel
iwriterly has a few great querying videos, including top reasons agents reject queries
All Things Querying Links: My blog of resource links for Query Letter & Synopsis Advice, Successful Query Examples. It also includes Resources to Find and Advice on Communicating with Literary Agents.
Twitter Pitch Parties
Which parties can I pitch my novel in? blog of ever-growing number of pitch parties listed by type, with 10 Tips for Optimal Pitching and 3 mentoring program links.
Crafting a Pitch -another blog by yours truly
Party Tips & Info -blog (language warning) by @StorySorcery
Publishing Information
Avoiding Dodgy Operators
Writer Beware’s Thumbs Down Publishers List of infamous publishers
Writer Beware’s definitions and pros and cons of Hybrid Publishers v.s. Vanity Publishers (the latter being on my blacklist)
Choosing a Type of Publisher
Publishing Paths; Big 5, Traditional, Indie, Self Publishing, by Jane Friedman.
Types of Publishers/ Publishing & Choosing One by Joanna Maciejewska.
Self Publishing
How to Get Your Book Self Published by Jane Friedman
Self Publishing & Promo Steps -youtube series by D.C. Ferguson
Self Publishing Advice Podcast by the Alliance of Independent Authors
Why Self Publishing Authors Should Consider Having Their Own Imprint (best considered before you do book promo)
Facebook Group 20 Writers to 50k has an All Star Thread packed with marketing tips for self published authors.
General Info & Publishers Taking Un-agented Submissions
Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity has a comprehensive list of publishers accepting unsolicited submissions (in multiple countries). It also features a long list of articles about self-publishing and other useful resources like contests, and where to get reviews.
Author’s Publish is a mailing list. One of their regular emails is a comprehensive, free ebook guide to publishing. Their emails contain reviews and lists of publishers and magazines accepting unsolicited submissions. They also have querying and general writing advice.
Profit and Loss –How Publishers Decide What to Publish, by Jane Friedman.
Small Presses
Small Presses defined, their pros and cons by Writer Beware
3 Unique Research Methods for Identifying Small Publishers by Jane Friedman
If you publish directly with a publisher, The Society of Authors and Authors Guild both offer legal advice on publishing contracts to their members.
Building an Author Platform
General Resources
Finding Your Target Audience by Marc Guberti
Building a Platform as an Unpublished Writer by Jane Friedman
Building an Author Platform by @LombardEmma
Author Platform Action Plan Worksheets by Jane Friedman
Marketing Without Social Media by Carol Michel.
Author Newsletter
Author Newsletters: the Basics, by me.
Unpublished Author Newsletters -blog by @LombardEmma
Social Media
Social Media Tips by Marc Guberti
Facebook for Authors by Jane Friedman
Social Media for Writers, by yours truly
#WritingCommunity Hashtag Guides -Twitter & Insta, by yours truly
10 Ways to Promote without tweeting links, by Lee’s Hall of Information.
Book Tok Ideas by Never Enough Novels
Website & Blog
Author Site Set Up Tips, by me
Blog v.s. Newsletters, pros & cons plus Jane Friedman articles on developing both.
Site SEO Optimisation, Thomas Umstattd Jr.
Visitors Your Author Site Needs To Thrill, podcast by Novel Marketing.
NB: you’ll need to enrol in the course for access, b enrolment is free.
100 Blog Ideas for Unpublished Authors by @mixtusmedia
Growing Your Blog and Tips to Make Readers Continue Reading, 3 More Blog Tips & Being a Guest Blogger by Marc Guberti
Graphic Tools
canva.com is great for making author related graphics. (I use it for posts, newsletter headers, Pinterest pins ect.)
unsplash.com has high resolution photos (the main source of photos illustrating this blog), and makes it easy to credit the photographers for their work.
bookbrush.com allows you to design 20 book marketing images for free, and paid designs after.
Help with Book Marketing
Where Do I Start?
50 Book Marketing Ideas Every Author Needs to Know, by Reedsy
Book Marketing 101 by Jane Friedman (see her blog for more marketing advice posts)
KDP Select or go Wide? Another Reedsy blog linked to more resources to help you decide whether to distribute ebooks exclusively with Kindle Select or not.
Writing Attention Grabbing Promo Copy by Bookbub
24 Things David Kadavy Learnt From Self Publishing, including about KU
How to Develop an Indie Author Marketing Plan, by Emma Lombard.
Book Marketing FB Groups
20booksto50k -marketing strategies discussion and support for self published authors
Wide for the Win -dedicated to marketing strategies for going wide
Free Marketing Courses
Starting From Zero, course by David Gaughran
Amazon Webinar by Brian Cohen
Amazon Add Challenge, 7 Day Course by Brian Cohen
5 Day Amazon Add Course, by Dave Cheeson (Kindleprenuer)
Promo Tools & Advice
127+ of the Top Free and Paid Book Promo Sites, by Kindleprenuer
Shout My Book, offers 21 days of book promos on Twitter & Facebook
Free & Paid Book Promotion Services, curated by Reedsy
How to Market your Book to Get World Wide Exposure, by BookBub.