Writer Resources

38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Jack M. Bickham, 1992

Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript
Chuck Sambuchino

From First Draft to Finished Novel
Karen S. Wiesner, 2008

Guide to Literary Agents
2010

How NOT to Write a Novel – 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – A Misstep-by-Mistep Guide
Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman, 2008

Manuscript Makeover – Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to Ignore
Elizabeth Lyon, 2008

Novel Shortcuts – Ten Techniques Than Ensure a Great First Draft
Laura Whitcomb, 2009

Revision & Self-Editing
James Scott Bell, 2008

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – How to Edit Yourself Into Print
Renni Browne and Dave King 2nd Edition, 2004

Shimmering Images
Lisa Dale Norton, 2008

Thanks, But This Isn't For Us – A (Sort Of) Compassionate Guide To Why Your Writing Is Being Rejected
Jessica Page Morrell

The Complete Guide to Editing Your Fiction
Michael Seidman, 2000

The Forest for the Trees
Betsy Lerner, 2000

The Writer’s Digest Guide to Query Letters
Wendy Burt-Thomas, 2008

Writing for Children and Young Adults
Dr. Marion Crook, 2nd Edition, 2008

Writing Great Books for Young Adults - Everything You Need to Know From Crafting the Idea to Landing a Publishing Deal
Regina Brooks

Writing the Memoir
Judith Barrington, 2002

Online Writer Resources

World's Toughest Proofreading Quiz

A Simon & Shuster Writing Editor Tells - "What I Expect When You Submit Your Manuscript"

Anica Mrose Rissi, Executive Editor for Simon Pulse, has created a checklist of things to do to help keep your manuscript from being rejected.

• Revise, revise, revise! I don't want to read your first draft, ever. (Tip: Your novel isn't ready to send me until you can describe it in one sentence.)
• Start with conflict and tension to raise questions, arouse curiosity, and (like musical dissonance) create the need for resolution.
• Start with the story you're telling, not with the backstory.
• Throw people directly into a conflict and let her get to know your characters through their actions. (Yes, this is another way of saying, "Show, don't tell.")
• Give people something to wonder about and a sense of where the story is going—of what's at stake.
• Avoid explaining too much too soon. Don't be obvious. Trust people. Trust your characters. Trust your writing. If you find that long chunks of your story need to include long explanations, go back in and write those chunks better, until the story explains itself.
• Make sure your story has both a plot arc and an emotional arc. Cross internal conflict with external conflict. Give your characters moral dilemma, and force them to deal with the consequences of their choices.
• Read your dialogue aloud. When revising, ask yourself, "What is the point behind this dialogue?" Make every scene and every sentence count. You should also be asking, "What's the point of the sentence?" What is the point of this scene?"
• Use adjectives, adverbs and dialogue tags only sparingly. Make sure your details matter.
  
  (Writer's Digest, May/June 2010)