7 Invaluable Digital Resources for Authors and Freelance Writers
No matter your niche, the writer’s market is
saturated with competition. It’s a race to stay ahead of the game and make sure
your book sells and you can land the highest paying clients. If you want to
know everything about writing, editing, and publishing, and successfully sell
your words, these resources are exactly what you need. Here are six websites
packed with invaluable tools and information for writers and authors.
7: Grammarly
If you haven’t heard of Grammarly, this is a
tool you need to check out. Either use it to improve the quality of your online
writing in real-time or copy and paste your offline work to check for grammatical
mistakes. The more you use the tool, the more you will learn about punctuation,
word use, and more.
Upgrade to the paid version of the product to
see advanced issues with your work, one chapter at a time. Make sure that
everything you write is mistake-free, effective, and easy to read. This tool
was built by the world’s leading linguists, so it’s like having a professional
editor at you fingertips... literally.
6: edX
Do you wish you had an education from MIT,
Harvard, or Berkeley? Well, with edX online, you can leverage free writing
courses from some of the world’s top schools. You can even take a
“MicroMasters” course to earn a certificate and advance your career.
Writing courses available through edX include
“How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft,” “Writing Case Studies: Science of
Delivery,” and “Incarceration's Witnesses: American Prison Writing,” but there
are so many more to choose from.
5: Coursera
Another place you can gain free writing
education is Coursera, which includes classwork from accredited Universities
(Vanderbilt and University of Sydney, to name a couple). Learn basic Grammar
and Punctuation, Academic English Writing, English for Career Development, and
more through this source.
4: Writers’ Treasure
Idrees Patel started this informational site
in 2010 when he was disappointed that there was no clear-cut guide on how
to start with creative writing. Although the website was originally intended to
focus on only creative writing, since then it has branched out into technical
writing, academic writing, and how to improve your writing skills. This is a
great place for beginning and intermediate writers to find helpful information
on the science of writing.
The cornerstone content of Writer’s Treasure is Creative Writing 101: A Beginner's Guide to Creative Writing. It's a
7500-word resource on creative writing, with articles on fiction writing,
nonfiction writing, and creative writing mistakes. Another resource to check
out is Writing Tips: How to
Write Better, as it includes a continuously-growing selection of
tips and valuable contributions by guest authors.
3: The Hot Sheet
@janefriedman’s Hot
Sheet is a must-have for writers and authors who are serious about their craft.
The writers of this newsletter attend, present at, and report on all of the
major writing industry events around the world -- they know exactly what’s
trending with agents, publishers, and professional authors. These are the
experts you want to learn from.
Though the information you receive will end up
costing $59/ month, you can subscribe for a 30 day trial of the publication
sent out every other Wednesday to see why it’s worth the price. Then, you’re
sure to want to continue receiving it. If you want a taste of what Jane is all
about, check out her Writing and Publishing website.
2: Shopify
This CMS platform is in competition with Wix,
Weebly, and all the other website builders. What makes Shopify stand out is
that many of their built-in themes are designed specifically for authors who
want to sell books and ebooks. So, if you plan on showcasing your books
anywhere besides Amazon and Barnes & Noble, this is where you want your
website hosted.
Try out their ready-to-go eCommerce templates for free. You will be impressed
with the ease of use of the product management tools, simple design interface,
and 24/7 support. The best part is that you won’t have to hire a designer to
create your site for you - easily build it yourself to maintain creative control.
1: The Creative Penn
New York Times and USA
Today bestselling thriller author, Joanna Penn, started The Creative Penn in 2008 as a way
to share her own lessons learned through the writing and publishing journey.
Before becoming a full-time authorpreneur
in 2011, Joanna spent 13 years as a business IT consultant for corporations
worldwide. She has since gone on to write 21 books and sell over 500,000 copies
in 84 countries and 5 languages. You need hands-on experience to help pave the
path toward your own successful ventures, so you cannot afford to leave this
arsenal of knowledge off your study list.
When you download the Author 2.0 Blueprint, you’ll be signed up for a free mini-course packed with
insanely useful information about finding success in your craft. Joanna’s podcast will provide you with over 250 free interviews to listen
to. Check out The Creative Penn to learn more about writing and editing,
publishing, book marketing, and how to make a living from your passion.
Final Thoughts
These resources are just a drop in an ocean of
options. Learn to harness the web to your advantage. Check out the above
resources you haven’t tried and see how they skyrocket your writing and book
sales. Share your favorite digital marketing and educational resources in the
comments.
Ashley Kimler is the content dynamo at Heroic
Search Tulsa. She is certified in New Media Communications, Inbound
Marketing, and SEO 2.0, and has a decade of hands-on experience
with online business
promotions.
Follow @ashleykimler on
Twitter to see what she and her team get into next.
7 Invaluable Digital Resources for Authors and Freelance Writers
Ashley Kimler
Coursea
edX
Grammarly
Heroic Search
Shopify
sponsored post
The Creative Penn
The Hot Sheet
Writers Treasure
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