Creative Writing Web Link Bibliography
This set of links is here to help my own pursuits as an
aspiring author, as well as providing useful links for any future Creative
Writing classes I may be fortunate enough to teach. The links are here to give
advice, guidance, and that sometimes-priceless springboard to a truly great
work. All links are appropriate for a secondary level except where specifically
mentioned otherwise.
The Writing Process:
Writing.com: This page is best appreciated by becoming a free
member. It offers individual games and exercises as well as ones that require
interaction with other authors. It has some tools available such as writing
workshops and sections devoted entirely to “newbie writers.” Other sites are
probably better for beginning writers, however, this site offers great
resources for people truly interested in having their voice heard. Date last
visited: May 27, 2006. http://www.writing.com/
Creative Writing Process: Just a reminder for those students who perhaps weren’t paying attention in Writer’s Workshop class. This simple to navigate site has a link for each stage of the writing process and an example of how to complete it most effectively. This site and the process it outlines are useful for students who may have trouble organizing their thoughts into coherent and continuous paragraphs. The links progress from brainstorming to the final copy and even a few worksheets on some problem areas. Date last visited: May 27, 2006. http://www.nzcal.com/hp/adk/index.php
About Fiction Writing: This link accesses a page of About.com articles related to fiction writing categorized by topic. These pages are quick reads on various useful aspects of writing such as personal writing space, how to tell if a story is better short or novel length, and descriptions of forms of fiction stories. The section about the Fiction Genre itself is of particular interest to those who are trying to branch away from their normal approach to writing. Date last visited: May 30, 2006. http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/?once=true&
Suite 101: This site provides useful tools for readers and writers of various forms of fiction. The main fiction page has blogs for writers, tips for character creation, and even a link to a realistic view of what it takes to become a writer. Another set of links takes you to specific types of fiction like Mystery, SciFi, and even Graphic Novels with advice on how to write each well. Date last visited: June 1, 2006. http://writingfiction.suite101.com/
One of Us Creative Writing Workshop: A link that contains links to writing tips for plot, dialogue, characters, and other useful aspects of a successful novel. It also directs writers to other useful sites under its Writer’s Directory link. Whether amateur or professional, this site is a great developmental tool. There is even a link to stories by upcoming authors. This site may contain links to material inappropriate for a school setting. Date last visited: June 3, 2006. http://www.oneofus.co.uk/index.htm
Form and Function:
The Elements of Style: This book by William Strunk, Jr. is a well-used resource by many English teachers at the high school and college levels. Provided by Bartleby.com, the sections of interest to the author can be accessed by links. This guide to the correct form for writing covers everything from comma usage to active voice as well as some advice on actual document formatting. Date last visited: May 27, 2006. http://www.bartleby.com/141/
Poetry Forms and Terminology: For those authors who have more of an interest in poetry than fiction, this link offers a set of links to explanations and examples of various poetic forms. The rhythm and rhyme schemes of many types of structured verse are detailed in these links, but mention is given to blank and free verse as well. This is a worthwhile resource for any author experimenting with the classic (and modern) forms of poetry. Date last visited: May 27, 2006. http://thewordshop.tripod.com/forms.html
Fiction: To get the full benefit of this site, be sure to click at the “More on Fiction” link at the bottom of the page. This site allows new authors to explore the elements of good fiction, the types of fiction and how to write to their specifications, and links to related topics like censorship and boycotting. Date last visited: June 1, 2006. http://artzia.com/Arts/Literature/Fiction/
Exploring Different Types of Fiction: This page describes fiction in general as well as more detailed descriptions of genres under the fiction category such as mystery, romance, and fantasy. Many of the genres listed have additional links to organizations devoted to that genre and each genre description has examples of famous authors for that types of novel. Date last visited: June 2, 2006. http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-1843.html
Dictionary and Thesaurus.com: Every good author should have a dictionary and thesaurus handy, and with the growing use of word processors, that resource may as well be online as well. Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com are interconnected resources that are a fantastic tool for any author. Users can switch between the dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia functions by simply clicking on the corresponding
Merriam-Webster Online: Another excellent dictionary and thesaurus resource. This page has two search bars, one for each resource. The site also contains links to word games like crossword puzzles to keep the literary mind sharp. An interesting feature of this page is the “live look-up” feature that shows what words people are looking up that very second! Date last visited: May 30, 2006. http://www.m-w.com/
The Best and Brightest: Published Author Sites
to Inspire You:
Teenreads.com: This site is an excellent source for readers of young adult fiction. It includes reviews of books and a newsletter as well as interviews and chats with popular authors. The author links are alphabetical and include brief biographies and interviews with many YA authors. Date last visited: May 25, 2006. http://www.teenreads.com/index.asp
J.K. Rowling: The official J.K. Rowling web site includes biographical information, a diary kept by the author, news of the author’s upcoming events, and some random extras related to her best selling series of Harry Potter books. This site is obviously designed for the kids who read her books, probably directed more towards middle school aged students, but still fun for adults too. Date last visited: May 30, 2006. http://www.jkrowling.com/
Stephen King: This is the official, authorized Stephen King website. It includes news, a biography, a message board, and information on his past and future works. Aspiring authors will find the FAQ page located under the miscellany link on the homepage of particular interest. In it, King describes some of the issues of being an author. Date last visited: May 30, 2006. http://www.stephenking.com/index_flash.php
Jane Yolen: This is the official Jane Yolen site. It includes links to her works, her bibliography, and her advice and thoughts on writing. There are sections devoted to kids, teachers, and writers. One particular section, her speech about writing “Child of Faery, Child of Earth,” is an interesting run down of her process of writing the poem. Date last visited: June 2, 2006. http://www.janeyolen.com/
Ursula LeGuin: An interesting site with a map for a homepage. By clicking on various continents on the map, the user is taken to pages containing links to articles, reviews, interviews, biographies, bibliographies, and advice from Ursula LeGuin. There are both online and offline links available here as well as links to fan pages. Date last visited: June 2, 2006. http://www.ursulakleguin.com/
Still Need Help Getting Started?:
Creative Writing Prompts: This web page has an interesting set up. Just place your cursor over one of the numbers and a prompt is provided to get you on your way! Date last visited: June 1, 2006. http://www.creativewritingprompts.com/
Getting Started: A Step by Step Guide to Launching Your Writing Career: An excellent page of links to articles and tips on important topics in writing and publishing. The links offered range from simple topics like setting writing goals and beating writer’s block to more complex topics like coping with rejection and knowing the market for your text. There is a lot of information here directed toward the publishing side of writing, however there are beneficial links for beginner writers as well. Date last visited: May 30, 2006. http://www.writing-world.com/basics/index.shtml
Seventh Sanctum: This site is entertaining whether you are writing or not. Great for writers or “gamers,” this site has generators for all types of names, story ideas, and places. Date last visited: June 2, 2006. http://www.seventhsanctum.com
The Quotations Page: Need something to spark an idea? Want an idea to get you going? Want to open that research paper with a bang? How about a quote? Date last visited: June 3, 2006. http://www.quotationspage.com/
College Bound Reading List: Every good writer must first become a good reader. This list is for college bound students, but many of the books listed here are members of the literary cannon. A well-read individual will probably have come across many of the books on this list. How many have you read? Date last visited: June 3, 2006. http://als.lib.wi.us/Collegebound.html