New Pages. Lots of stuff--info about different literary journals, conferences, contests, etc. and "Young Writers Guides" to help you make sense of them, but also, this place seems to link to everything--creative writing blogs, literary podcasts, interviews, reviews, publishers, and much more.
Writers and Editors. Another one that has it all--a wealth of resources, from recommended blogs and book clubs to grammar and editing advice to book cover design and info on niche writing and legal issues, and this doesn't even scratch the surface; literally hundreds of resources, organized in a brilliant alphabetical index.
Literary Hub. LitHub is amazing. It boasts "smart, engaged, entertaining writing about all things books," with articles, excerpts, reviews, interviews, although they dip into film and TV and other arts too. Its metacritical approach to reviews of new books--gathering multiple reviews and giving a "grade" to each book based on those reviews--is novel and useful.
Poets & Writers. Another great site, with searchable directories for writers' groups, contests, awards, graduate programs, literary events, and much more.
Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP). The leading professional organization for writers of literary stuff, and another great resource for contests, awards, etc. and particularly good for exploring graduate writing programs with its searchable directory.
AgentQuery. Calls itself "the internet's largest free database of literary agents," and it's easy to use.
Alliance of Artists Communities. A superb searchable directory of artists' residencies in the U.S. and around the world--places lucky writers can call home for a little while, to nurture their work.
VIDA: Women in Literary Arts. This organization does an annual count to assess how well represented women are in prominent journals, magazines, anthologies, book reviews, etc. The results have shown improvement over time! They have expanded to look also at race, ethnicity, and gender identity.
Maryland Writers Association. A good organization with local chapters fostering community and providing resources to writers in Maryland.
Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. An impressive resource for writers and artists in central Maryland, providing funding opportunities, professional development, and more.
BOOKS FOR WRITERS:
The Art and Craft of Fiction by Michael Kardos. The best introductory text on fiction writing in existence. Approachable, concise, smart.
Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway. Widely used, for good reason.
Deepening Fiction: A Practical Guide for Intermediate and Advanced Writers by Sarah Stone. Definitely deepening.
The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself by Susan Bell. Gets into the nitty-gritty and does it very well.
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders. Explores the world of fiction writing by diving deep into some Russian short stories. An unbelievably wonderful book.
The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing and Life by Marion Roach Smith. If you want to write memoir, this small book will get you started.
Writing Life Stories by Bill Roorbach. Likewise, a great book for taking the plunge into memoir.
The Writer's Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life by Priscilla Long. A really special book, full of wisdom, great ideas, practical help.
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose. Insightful and wise. What does it mean to "read like a writer"? You'll know after reading this book.
