There comes a time in every budding author and/or writer’s life when we realize we don’t know everything. Sometimes we need a hand, whether it’s advice from a friend, sharing writer’s block hacks with a trusted writing compadre, or getting some fab writing and publishing advice from our friends at the Kirkus Writers’ Center (cough). Other times, we might turn to the internet for advice, recommendations, help, or information.
Every author and writer has their own set of favorite online resources. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had to look up cowboy lingo or research racing cars, the medical profession, and even deadly poisons. But there are also a few sites that every author or writer should know and use judiciously to help them refine their craft, educate themselves, and heed warnings of dangerous scams and rip-off artists.
Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com
Every author or writer should have a dictionary and a thesaurus, and know how to use them. When flipping through pages seems like such a hassle, we have the internet to quickly provide insight into words, their definitions, etymology, and how they’re used. Plus we can look up exciting new words like toxoplasmosis, horripilation, and tawpie. Some folks prefer the Cambridge, the Oxford, or Merriam-Webster, and those are just as useful.
More importantly, many of these dictionaries also offer a thesaurus. Thesaurus.com, for example, has long been my go-to source for playing with words.
It’s occasionally frustrating but easy and quick to use in those moments when you don’t want to waste any time.
Idiom Dictionary at The Free Dictionary
Do you like to get clever with words? Do you enjoy wordplay and changing old phrases into something new and amusing or weird? If so, then the Idiom Dictionary is the place for you and your word nerdery. Simply plug in the word you want to use, and lo and behold, a veritable smorgasbord of well-known and lesser-known idioms. Just yesterday, I needed to help a publishing client rename a book about an earl (historical romance, of course) and so off I went to find hilarious titles using earl idioms.
A bonus is that the Free Dictionary also provides a “starts with” and “ends with” option for further word crafting or cheating at your crossword or Scrabble.
Into every writer’s life, a little poetry must fall. Whether you’re crafting some scintillating iambic pentameter, writing song lyrics for a character in your book, or even writing hilarious poems about mustard for your friends, this site is a quick way to find not just rhymes but similar-sounding words if you want to be extra clever.
This one is a personal favorite, but it’s not for the faint of heart. While it can be offensive in hilarious ways, it can sadly also be just plain offensive. However, it’s a great resource for identifying and contextualizing slang and modern expressions, and it can also be a source for adding some creative wordsmithing to your characters’ dialogue.
For some folks, this site is something of a rank toilet. For others, it’s a fascinating rabbit hole. Discretion advised.
Sometimes you just need a quick explanation in modern parlance, and Wikipedia is certainly that. By no means an entirely reliable or quotable piece of information, it is a quick glimpse into history, basic scientific principles, biographies, and anything else that you need to quickly look up for clarity or a shallow bite of information. Not sure what a Maillard reaction is? Wikipedia has you covered. Need an in-depth and accurate bio on Jane Fonda for your next book or an exhaustive paper? Maybe find a source of information that’s not crowdsourced.
Source something from Wikipedia and you’ll be the recipient of eye rolls. The Encyclopedia Britannica, on the other hand, is a far more recognizable source of information with far more credibility.
When you need a little extra inspiration, sometimes your best bet is to explore the writing of others, and Medium has pretty much an eternity’s worth of writing, essays, and articles to not only inspire ideas but your writing as well. (I also like the New Yorker, Wattpad, and the Atlantic.)
It’s happening right now! Join the hundreds of thousands of authors who have undertaken the challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in thirty days. Filled with resources, support, and incentives, this might be just the challenge you’ve been waiting for.
The site is currently under construction, but when it returns, it has a reputation for being a valuable place to look up editors and agencies that might compromise your work or your reputation, or even try and charge you to read or publish your book.
Much like Predators and Editors above, Writer Beware aims to protect writers and authors from less-scrupulous people looking to take advantage of ambitious and optimistic—and occasionally desperate—writerly folks who are just trying to find a break. From contests to awards, editors, writing services, and vanity publishers, this is the go-to site whenever something seems too good to be true. Because sometimes, it sadly is.
ThinkWritten’s 365 Writing Prompts
Feeling stuck? Need a break from your book? Want to stretch your writing muscles with something different? There are enough writing prompts here for every day of the year. You could even do this instead of NaNoWriMo. Or you may stumble upon a truly unique or compelling story idea (or character) that might just kick off the best book you write. Choose from prompts such as Liar, Liar (“Make up a poem or story of complete lies about yourself or someone else”), In the Clouds (“Go cloud watching for the day and write about what you imagine in the clouds”), or even Promise to Yourself (“Write about a promise you want to make to yourself and keep”). There’s plenty of fodder for the imagination and even your next project.
We all say we’re here for the writing community, and we are. But we are also here for the delicious, delicious distraction. (Now get back to work.)
Some of the best parts of this site are subscription-based, but this is a fantastic means of getting all the latest insight into what publishers are doing, what books they’re publishing, and all the latest book industry news.
It’s a shocking inclusion, but we’re pretty darn proud of our site. Find your next great read, get your book reviewed, and most important of all, visit the Kirkus Writers’ Center for your weekly blog fix of writing, editing, publishing, and marketing advice. Tons of useful information and tips, all delivered by our fantastic team. Great site. Recommend.
Hannah Guy lives in Toronto and is a professional writer and copywriter who specializes in books, books, and more books. Follow her on Twitter at @hannorg.
