For Writers
Over the years, I’ve scribbled a lot of things on the back of my business card for folks. This list contains some of the best.
Writers Groups
Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Horror Writers Association
Florida Writers Association
Tampa group meets at the Barnes & Noble Carrollwood, 11802 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa, FL.
Main meeting the third Saturday of the month, 10:00 AM to no
Critique group meets second and fourth Monday, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Tampa Writers Alliance
Meets 1st Wednesday of the month at 7:00 at Jan Platt Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, FL.
Florida Horror Writers Association
Pinellas Authors and Writers Organization
Meets each Saturday from 9:30 to noon at the Largo Recreation Center, 400 Highland Av. NE, in Largo, FL.
Writing Books I Keep Next To My Desk Or On My Ipod
The Chicago Manual of Style
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0226104036/
The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law by Norm Goldstein
www.amazon.com/Associated-Press-Stylebook-Briefing-Media/dp/046500489X
Roget’s International Thesaurus Indexed Sixth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer
www.amazon.com/International-Thesaurus-Indexed-Revised-Updated/dp/0060185759/
Roget’s Super Thesaurus by Marc McCutcheon
www.amazon.com/Rogets-Superthesaurus-Marc-McCutcheon/dp/1582973326/
Writing the Blockbuster Novel by Al Zuckerman
www.amazon.com/Writing-Blockbuster-Novel-Albert-Zuckerman/dp/0615130593/
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass
www.amazon.com/Writing-Breakout-Novel-Workbook-Donald/dp/158297263X/
45 Master Characters: Mythic Models For Creating Original Characters by Victoria Schmidt
www.amazon.com/45-Master-Characters-Victoria-Schmidt/dp/1582975221/
Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon
www.amazon.com/Writer%C2%92s-Sourcebook-Building-Believable-Characters/dp/1582970270/
Babylon Dictionary and Thesaurus Software
www.babylon.com
The Hero’s 2 Journeys by Michael Hauge and Christopher Vogler (Original Staging Audiobook)
Screenwriting for Hollywood by Michael Hauge (Original Staging Audiobook)
Places That Publish Work By Student Writers
Cyberteens – www.cyberteens.com/ab/co/ (13-19)
Frodo’s Notebook – www.frodosnotebook.com/submit.html (13-19)
Imagine – cty.jhu.edu/imagine/guidelines.html (12-18)
Launch Pad – www.launchpadmag.com/ (6-12)
Merlyn’s Pen – www.merlynspen.org/write/submit.php (13-18)
Creative Kids – www.prufrock.com/client/client_pages/prufrock_jm_ck_wg.cfm (8-16)
Skipping Stones – www.skippingstones.org/submissions.htm (8-16)
Teen Voices – www.teenvoices.com/issue_current/tvsubmit_form.php (13-17)
TeenInk – teenink.com/Submissions/ (13-19)
American Library Association’s Quick Picks For Reluctant Readers List
www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/quickpicks
Young Writers’ Clubhouse
www.realkids.com/home4.htm
Standard Manuscript Format
Generally, publishers want 12 pt Times New Roman or Courier New, double-spaced. In the left corner – last name/story title, right corner – page number. Always include a SASE, a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a response.
Market Books (Where To Sell Your Work)
2009 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market by Alice Pope
www.amazon.com/2009-Childrens-Writers-Illustrators-Market/dp/1582975493/
2009 Writers Market by Robert Brewer
www.amazon.com/2009-Writers-Market-Robert-Brewer/dp/1582975418/
2009 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
www.amazon.com/Novel-Short-Story-Writers-Market/dp/1582975434/
2009 Poet’s Market
www.amazon.com/Poets-Market-Editors-Writers-Digest/dp/1582975442
Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents 2009
www.amazon.com/Hermans-Publishers-Editors-Literary-Agents/dp/0977268241
How To Pitch Your Book To An Editor or Agent
1. Introduce yourself and the book title and the genre.
2. Give a brief description of the book.
3. Give more detail about the book. 50 words max.
4. Give the audience for the book.
5. Share any unique marketing angles you have, including any promotion experience you have.
6. Close the deal by asking if you might send the editor sample chapters or the full manuscript.
Example: Hi! My name’s Lynne Hansen and I’d like to talk to you about my young adult historical horror novel The Change. The Change is about werewolves in 1870s frontier Kansas. The Change features a disillusioned pioneer teenager who is bitten by a werewolf. She will do anything to find a cure before those she loves uncover her terrible secret. The Change appeals to middle school students, primarily girls ages 10-14. Since The Change is my second young adult novel, I’ve already developed strong working relationships with bookstores, and more importantly for a YA novel, with schools. I’d be happy to send you sample chapters or the complete manuscript. Does The Change sound like something that might fit with your list?
Favorite Agent Resources
Publishers Marketplace – PublishersMarketplace.com
Preditors and Editors – anotherealm.com/prededitors
Favorite Promo Resources
Online Print House - www.OnlinePrintHouse.com
Vista Print – www.VistaPrint.com
Favorite Conventions & Events
World Horror Convention – worldhorrorconvention.com
Necon – www.campnecon.com
Necronomicon – www.stonehill.org/necro.htm
Deep Carnivale – www.DeepCarnivale.com
Book Expo America – www.bookexpoamerica.com
Barnes & Noble Educator’s Night – Every October
Favorite Authors & Which Book To Read First
Jeff Strand (Pressure) – www.JeffStrand.com
Daniel Waters (Generation Dead) – www.danielwaters.com
G. Neri (Chess Rumble) – www.gregneri.com
Josh Gee (Encyclopedia Horrifica) – www.joshuagee.com
Ellen Hopkins (Crank) – www.ellenhopkins.com
Rachel Cohen & David Levithan (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist) – www.rachelcohn.com & davidlevithan.com
Scott Westerfeld (Peeps) – www.scottwesterfeld.com
Meg Rosoff (How I Live Now) – www.megrosoff.co.uk
Patricia McCormick (Cut) – www.pattymccormick.com
Orson Scott Card (Seventh Son) – www.hatrack.com
Piers Anthony (A Spell For Chameleon) – www.hipiers.com
Favorite Bands
The Dollyrots – www.Dollyrots.com
Foxboro Hot Tubs – www.FoxboroHotTubs.com
Green Day – www.GreenDayAuthority.com
Reel Big Fish – www.reel-big-fish.com
My Chemical Romance – www.MyChemicalRomance.com
The Bouncing Souls – www.BouncingSouls.com
Horrorpops – www.horrorpops.com
Gogol Bordello – www.gogolbordello.com
Kill Hannah – www.KillHannah.com
Favorite Miscellaneous Stuff
Tampa Theatre – www.tampatheatre.org
HairCrazy.Info – haircrazy.info
Tampa Book Buzz – www.tampabookbuzz.com
Tampa Bay Derby Darlins – tampabayderbydarlins.com
