THE 22ND ANNUAL 101 BEST WEBSITES FOR WRITERS
Writer’s Digest has been assembling this list of the best resources for writers for nearly as long as I have been alive. With so many great websites to choose from and so many different genres of writing and aspects of the writing and publishing business to cover, the task of compiling this feature was intimidating to say the least.
But not impossible. In addition to annual staples that make this list every year, I found more than 40 new sites that I’m excited to share with WD readers. New fixtures include YouTube channels and Twitch streams about writing, plus websites for my favorite genres—poetry, humor, and creative nonfiction—and so much more. This list will help you find your writing community, discover agents and track your submissions, get creative, uncover markets that pay writers, and meet all your other writing needs. It’s no wonder this feature—now in its 22nd year—is a perennial reader favorite. All resources on this list are free unless otherwise noted.
First Appearance on Our Annual 101 List
1-7 CREATIVITY
1. CLICHÉ FINDER
We all know to avoid clichés in writing. But what if something sounds familiar, and you’re not sure if it’s been used before? Type it in to this search engine, which indexes more than 3,000 clichés.
2. ELECTRIC LITERATURE
Procrastinate getting your work-in-progress done by browsing through Electric Lit’s insightful essays examining the role of literary experience in our lives, author interviews, lists of books and literary journals that you need to read now, publishing news, and Electric Lit’s own weekly literary journals: Recommended Reading and The Commuter.
3. FIGHT WRITE
Why should authors pay careful attention to crafting the fight scenes in their stories? “Because it’s in your book!” says Carla Hoch, author of Fight Write from WD Books. Hoch uses her experience as a martial artist to give authors expert advice on the dos and don’ts of writing engaging, realistic fight scenes in fiction with the Fight Write blog and podcast. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Ask Carla your questions, and you’ll get some answers.
4. LANGUAGE IS A VIRUS
With this site, you’ll never again have to ask yourself the question “What should I write about?” Language is a Virus features writing prompts, creative exercises, and word games to get you started. Browse articles about the writing techniques of many experimental authors if you’re looking to write something a little more avant garde.
5. LIT HUB
Lit Hub has all the writing inspiration you’re looking for in one place: essays on craft and the writing life from today’s most celebrated authors, reviews and excerpts from new book releases, author interviews, and publishing news.
6. THE NEW YORKER CARTOON CAPTION CONTEST
Entering this weekly contest is a good way to get your creative juices flowing. Or, warm up your creative muscles by reading the recent winners and finalists. I get my best humor writing done after flipping through the cartoons and the Shouts and Murmurs section of The New Yorker.
7. TALL POPPY WRITERS
Tall Poppies is author Ann Garvin’s project to unite authors and readers. Join this bouquet of 42 women authors for blogs about writing, giveaways, and author news. The Bloom With Tall Poppy Writers Facebook group hosts weekly takeovers, when a Tall Poppy author shares insights about their books and life and answers questions from readers.
8–11 LIVE STREAMS AND YOUTUBE CHANNELS
8. BOOKISHPIXIE
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: BOOKISHPIXIE
In the five years that the Beyond the Red trilogy author Gabe Cole has been blogging as bookishpixie, they have answered all the questions you can think of about writing and publishing your book. The freelance book
