The following is a list of websites that I have come across over the years that are particularly useful for writers. Most have appeared as a “Site of the Week”.
General resources for writers
Awesome search engines for writers: When Google just doesn’t cut it
Flogging The Quill: An editorial service and advice page.
Internet Resources links: Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, columns for magazines or writing for business you will find something useful here.
Writerswrite.net: A page full of resources
Creative Writing Now: Ideas, prompts and advice for getting started as a writer
Write or Die: Creative writing sadism with punishments for not keeping up
Reading and writing communities
Good Reads: A reading community dedicated mostly to book reviews. Share your thoughts, join a group and make new friends.
Red Room: Where the writers are. A community for avid readers and writers. Post your own work, contribute to a blog, discuss your favourite authors or sell your own work through the site
WeBook: The site that promises to get your writing noticed by people in the business. Submit your work to PageToFame (entry fee) to get a shot at a publishing deal. Join a project to hone your skills or comment on the work of others
Which book shall I read next? Use the criteria to choose your next read. Sign up and make recommendations to others
Worlds Without End: Mostly a book database in the tradition of IMDB but has recently expanded to become more of a community
You Write On: A writer’s community that gets input from some of the largest publishing houses.
Competitions / Making money
The James White Award: UK based sci fi competition
The L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Competition: International science fiction competition judged by the big names
Prize Magic: Resource page for competitions of every genre
DuoTrope: A database of competitions and publishers so you can fit your work to a market
Words and language resources
Confusing Words: Sometimes we get stuck with words. Do you know whether from weather? Stationary from stationery? There, their or they’re? Okay, what about when to use “less” and when to use “fewer”? Or what about “its” from “it’s”? This website is just for you then.
Synonym Finder (and antonyms) for all of your word finding needs
VisuWords is a clever dictionary/thesaurus/wordfinder/word association tool that uses a graphical interface
Wordnik: An encyclopaedia of words. Antonyms, synonyms, etymology, demonstrated use. Create lists of your favourites
Writing tools
AutoCrit a tool for finding common errors, cliches and bad grammar
Storybook: a writer’s freeware programme for plotting and planning your novel
FreeMind: a brainstorming tool
yWriter: similar to Storybook
Evernote: A cloud application that makes for a good tool for storing and sharing research and notes across multiple devices
Writing prompts
Creative Writing Prompts
Writing Forward: Prompts for Science Fiction and Fantasy
Timothy McSweeney’s 13 Writing prompts
With Painted Words: Picture prompt. Earn money too!
eBooks
Full Text Archive for free ebooks. Read in html or pdf format.
Project Gutenberg has a wider selection of ebooks than FTA and formats tailored to several commercial ebook readers
Daily Science Fiction: An ezine of new science fiction. Read online for free or purchase a monthly anthology for your ebook reader
Other
Book Crossing: Give a book away but first put a label on containing a unique code from this website. Then watch it travel the world.
Rare Book Room: HQ digital photographs of some of the rarest books on the planet. Examine them without having to visit the national library in another country and more importantly, without damaging them
Read It Swap It: Have lots of books in storage that you don’t want to give away, can’t sell and will never likely read again? How about swapping it for another book? Simple premise and it works. I’ve acquired three books through this site already.
Librivox: Download free audiobooks voiced by volunteers. Or perhaps you might want to volunteer yourself