Resources & Recommended Reading
We have put together a (growing) list of content we love. As writers, we lean on our support system time and time again. We want to share those supporting characters with you. Check out all of our favorite guides, advice articles, and more below.
Disclaimer: We wholeheartedly recommend these resources as writers ourselves who find them valuable. However, we assume no liability for anyone who reads, participates in, or otherwise engages with these websites or their content. Use your best judgment when navigating these platforms. While they may offer great insights, not all advice is “good advice,” and ultimately, the responsibility to think critically rests with you. We hold no liability for any inappropriate content and we are advising you now that these links lead to external sites over which we hold no control. Please proceed with caution and common sense, and if you are under the age of 18, please only proceed with parental permission. Thank you.
Recommended Reading
Writers often find themselves embroiled in the solitary activity of writing. As such, these links are our friendly little reminder than you are not in fact alone, but surrounded by a fantastic industry full of passionate, caring, and wickedly smart individuals. Please indulge.
- Freelancer Jane Friedman’s Blog – JaneFriedman.com
Jane Friedman’s unbelievably impressive blog. We’ve linked to her section on publishing for 2025. This is a must read for anyone interested in getting published.
We recommend The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editorby Chantel Hamilton as a guest author on Jane Friedman’s blog.
We also recommend The Key Book Publishing Paths: 2025-2026 by Jane Friedman. This is an important topic for many novelists, we think you should check it out! - Author/Novelist Diana Gabaldon’s Blog – DianaGabaldon.com
Not only one of our all-time-favorite authors, but an absolutely astounding teacher when it comes to writing. Even if you haven’t read her books we highly recommend you check out her blog and listen to her interviews on her writing process and how she got started writing novels. - Literary Agent Janet Reid’s Blog – JetReidLiterary.blogspot.com
This is the blog of the late Literary Agent, Janet Reid. Her shared knowledge is invaluable for writers. - Author K.M. Weiland’s Blog – HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors.com
In-depth articles on story structure, writing techniques, and character development – an amazing resource for fiction writers. - Author Joanna Penn’s Blog – TheCreativePenn.com
For those interested, or invested, in self-publishing this is for you! - The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Podcast – theshitaboutwriting.com
A behind the scenes look at the publishing industry. For writers looking to see behind the curtain. - Kate McKean, Agents + Books Substack – katemckean.substack.com
Kate McKean answers questions about literary agents, publishing, and writing. - Manuscript Wishlist – manuscriptwishlist.com
Check this out if you’re looking for an agent. This site has the tools to help you find your match! - The Reedsy Blogs – Blog.Reedsy.com
We happily file this entire site under “Things You Should Be Obsessed With.” - Writer Beware Blog – WriterBeware.Blog
We truly love this blog! They’re doing their best to help writers evade scammers trying to prey on the publishing industry. - Writer’s Digest – writersdigest.com
If it’s not here it probably doesn’t exist. If you’re into info dumps this is your gig. - Copyright Lately Blog – CopyrightLately.com
This website is amazing. It’s got the latest and greatest on Copyrights. - Stanford Library on Fair Use – Fairuse.Stanford.edu
A resource for understanding copyright law, fair use, and licensing.
Forums & Feedback Groups
(Peer Review Hubs)
A word of caution: we find online writers forums to truly be a “double edged sword.” We believe in the undeniable power of community, but we also know not everyone handles online anonymity with grace. We encourage you to participate in forums but only with caution and common sense.
- TheLitForum.com
Our undeniable favorite Writers forum. If you’re looking for peer review and just need to ask a burning question, this is your place! (We ourselves have gotten personal feedback from Diana Gabaldon here! We very highly recommend this forum to allwriters.) - AbsoluteWrite.com
We love this forum! A writing community with forums for critique, publishing advice, and more. - CritiqueCircle.com
A platform for writers to give and receive feedback on their work. - Scribophile.com
A well-established writing critique group where writers exchange feedback.
Unions & Associations for Writers
A variety of very helpful groups that offer amazing professional resources for writers.
- The Authors Guild – authorsguild.org
The Authors Guild supports working authors. They advocate for great contracts, copyrights, and a lot more. The Authors Guild is the nation’s oldest and largest professional organization for published writers. - National Writers Union – nwu.org
The NWU “is the only labor union that represents freelance writers working in all genres, formats, and mediums.” Pretty cool. - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Assoc. – sfwa.org
Self-explanatory! A really awesome group of people doing really awesome things. They sponsor the Writer Beware blog. - Poets & Writers – PW.org
A hub for writers to find contests, literary magazines, and resources.
Tech & Software We Love
We get a lot of questions about tech. Here are our recommendations.
- Scrivener – LiteratureAndLatte.com
Whatever we’re writing, or editing, this is our go-to software. Scrivener is amazing for working on long-form pieces like manuscripts or screenplays. It’s about $60 or so per license, but we find it to be well worth it. We use Scrivener on our Apple devices, and DropBox allows us to save cross platform (desktop, laptop, iPad, iPhone). This is also available as an app on the app store. - Scapple – LiteratureAndLatte.com
Marketed as “mind mapping software,” this is a unique and awesome tool for those that use visuals in their creative process. Think of it like a cork board but digital. Very useful. It’s about $20 or so a license. - Paper Editor App – PaperEditor.app/dev
If you’re using an Apple device or prefer the app store, this is a great editor. It’s free but comes with paid options and has multiple save options. We enjoy this app as a free alternative to other editors. It’s simple and clean, which sometimes is the best option for easily-distracted or busy minds (like ours).
Classes, Courses, & Further Education
Courses or classes we think will do well to aid writers in their craft.
- David Wheeler’s Coursera, Write Your First Novel – Coursera.org
This introduction to writing a novel is geared for beginner writers. It has peer-reviewed assignments that are a great introduction into critiques. I highly recommend this course for anyone that craves structure in their craft or for those who’ve never stuck a toe into the publishing industry. If you’re new to having others suggest edits, and you want a structured experience, this is for you! This class does offer free audits as of our last check-in.
Professional Tools (outside of written word)
One of the more uncomfortable truths of authorship is that publishing, for all its art, is also a business.
Below, we’ve gathered books, blogs, and presentations that have helped us navigate the practical, presentational, and professional sides of the writing life, the parts that happen off the page, but still shape the work and the artists career.
- Jefferson Fisher, The Next Conversation – www.jeffersonfisher.com/book
This book is nothing short of phenomenal. We also recommend Fisher’s Instagram videos, which offer sharp, compassionate insights into communication. His techniques apply not just to dialogue in difficult conversations, but can aid in negotiations around something as personal as your novel.
