Angela’s Fantastic Finds for Writers

People who follow me in social spaces know I curate A LOT of content–enough to supply 3 twitter accounts, 3 facebook pages, one personal FB profile and then of course a massive database on Pinterest.

And well, I find a lot of neat stuff.

I have a feature in our WHW newsletter called Angela’s Super Six where I share 6 very cool links, articles, or tools I’ve found. This is quite popular, so I thought I’d do a round up of some fantastic finds here.  Hopefully some of these tools and sites will help you as they have helped me!

OneLook Reverse Dictionary: Seriously, I love this one. Whenever I can’t think of the right word but I know the “theme” or “idea” I’m going for, I visit this site. It’s more than a synonym finder, because it looks at words related to the word or phrase you are looking up. This can be great too if you are looking for words that reinforce a certain emotion. (Try typing in Fear and see what you get.)

Word Frequency Counter: Worried that maybe you used the word look 9,007 times? Or maybe the color green appears everywhere? Dump your writing into this text box and it will find the words you use the most. If you are overdoing it on the smiles, grins, shrugs, or frowns, BOOM, you’ll know.

Hierarchy of Human Needs: After writing six books, most of which have deep roots in psychology, I can’t even begin to describe how awesome Maslow’s Human Needs pyramid is for writers. If you need a psych refresher from those blurry college years, have a peek at this post and maybe this post too. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did!

List of Literary Themes: Wondering what to write about? Not any more! Visit this list and you are sure to walk away with an idea or two.

Query Tracker: Full disclosure–it’s been a long time since I used Query Tracker to get an agent, but it is just a terrific site with a supportive community, and I want to highlight that here. If you’re on the hunt for that mystical literary unicorn, check this site out.

The Story Structure Database: A shout out to the brilliant K.M. Weiland for this one. This terrific database of movie structure will help you finally understand story structure no matter how much it might have baffled you in the past.

Weapons, Weapons, Weapons. Do I need to say it again? WEAPONS, people! Pictures, descriptions, terminology, oh yes, and how to fight. Massively good information here.

The Critique Circle: I admit, I have a super soft spot for this online critiquing site, because it’s where Becca and I met, and well, you know how that went. Seeing as I send someone here at least once a week, I figure let’s get all official and make it part of my list. CC works on a tit-for-tat system: you critique someone’s work and get points, and you use those points to submit your own work for critique. If you are ready to jump into the feedback pool, check it out.

Silk: Got a problem you are trying to noodle out? Writer’s block knocking at the door? Or do you just need a pick-me-up and want to let your creativity soar? Whatever the flavor, try this out. It’s fun, and you’ll make something beautiful, guaranteed.

#ontheporch: If you are on Twitter, look into this community if you are searching for a writing tribe. Lots of moral support, conversation, encouragement, and learning opportunities.

click to enlarge this tip sheet

Angela’s Writing Utopia on Pinterest: Are you a pinner? You should check out my Pinterest boards. I have them all broken down by writing topic or genre, so it’s easy to find the information you need. (And of course all your favorite Writers Helping Writers articles and One Stop For Writers Tip Sheets are there too.)

Blogs to Check Out

There are many, many, MANY terrific blogs out there for writers. If I created a list of all my favorites, well, we’d be here all day. So instead I’m going to list a few you may NOT know of that have excellent articles. You might want to go be friends with them, just saying.

Mythcreants: Great articles, many with a Fantasy bent, but applicable to all writers for the most part. The crew over there post topics you won’t find elsewhere that go deep, and you’ll definitely see your writing improve if you apply the advice found there. Head over and subscribe.

Buffer: I’ve been using Buffer for some time now (all that content to curate, remember?) and one thing I like about them is that they really, genuinely want to help people connect with their audience. So, they posts some good articles on how to use social media, and have webinars for new strategies to try. Buffer is successful, and it’s my experience that people who excel with their customer base are ones to listen to when it comes to understanding how to better connect with and reach an audience.

Bang2Write: This blog is a screenwriter’s haven, but has a ton of great articles for novelists too. Lucy cuts it straight, and offers some really good advice, especially in the character creation department. When you have some time, swing by and go on a treasure hunt. This is what I did the first time I visited, and I have been back many times since. This site is uncensored, so be warned.

PsychWriter: This blog is newer, but it’s already a gem. Psychology. Writing. Do you see where I am going with this? Let’s just say that if you want to write complex characters who have real-world fears, needs, and desires, put this blog on your subscribe list.

Have you found anything new and incredibly helpful lately? Let me know in the comments!

And if you like the things I share, come find me online:

Twitter: @angelaackerman @onestop4writers

Facebook: Angela’s Profile ~ Writers Helping Writers Page ~ One Stop For Writers Page

And go find Becca too, so you can hear her complain about me:

@beccapuglisi & Becca’s Facebook

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The Bookshelf Muse is a hub for writers, educators and anyone with a love for the written word. Featuring Thesaurus Collections that encourage stronger descriptive skills, this award-winning blog will help writers hone their craft and take their writing to the next level.