Resources

Writing Organizations

Below are places to find a local writing group. Joining a writing organization is a great way to develop your craft and meet other authors. Beyond local chapter meetings, national organizations often offer seminars, conferences, and other resources for members. (Please note that I don't edit books in all of these genres and only have personal experience with a few of these organizations.)

AbsoluteWrite Water Cooler (on-line community) - absolutewrite.com/forums

American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) - www.acfw.com

American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) * - asja.org

The Authors Guild (AG) - www.authorsguild.org

Historical Novel Society - historicalnovelsociety.org

Horror Writers Association (HWA) - horror.org

International Thriller Writers (ITW) - thrillerwriters.org

MeetUp.com (Search "Writers" or "Writing" to find an informal local writing group) - www.meetup.com

Mystery Writers of America (MWA) - mysterywriters.org

Nonfiction Authors Association (NFAA) - nonfictionauthorsassociation.com

Romance Writers of America (RWA) - www.rwa.org

Romantic Novelists' Association - romanticnovelistsassociation.org

Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) * - www.sfwa.org

Sisters in Crime (SinC) - www.sistersincrime.org

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) - www.scbwi.org

Western Writers of America (WWA) * - westernwriters.org

* These organizations require publication to join.

Resources for Finding a Literary Agent

Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) - aalitagents.org

(Formerly the Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc. (AAR))

Literary Marketplace (LMP) - www.literarymarketplace.com

(Also available in print at your local library)

Publishers Marketplace - www.publishersmarketplace.com

(membership required)

QueryManager - querymanager.com

QueryTracker - querytracker.net

Writers Beware - General advice provided by SFWA about literary agents can be found here.

Agents

Resources for Independent Authors

Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) - www.ibpa-online.org

Ingram Spark - www.ingramspark.com

Kindle Unlimited - kdp.amazon.com

Apple Books for Authors - authors.apple.com

BISAC Code List - bisg.org/page/BISACEdition

See my blog post How BISAC Codes Can Help Your Book

ISBNs - Bowker: https://www.myidentifiers.com/

Resources for Traditionally Published Authors

The Authors Guild: Model Book Contract - A resource for understanding common terms in book contracts.

www.authorsguild.org/member-services/legal-services/model-book-contract/

Independent Book Publishers Association: Criteria for Hybrid Publishers - What to expect from a hybrid (author-subsidized) publisher, including what makes hybrid different from self-publishing or vanity presses.

https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/hybrid-publisher-criteria-download

Association of University Presses - A list of university presses with links to their websites and social media accounts. accounts. https://aupresses.org/membership/membership-list/

Book Festivals & Conferences

This is a list of book festivals and conferences for writers in the United States, with hyperlinks to their websites. I have only attended a few of these events personally, but have heard of many of them. I've tried to include a range of locations and genres, including a few genres I don't edit. Most offer panels and workshops where you can learn more about publishing and develop your craft as a writer, as well as opportunities for published authors to promote their books through speaking opportunities and book signings.

January

Rancho Mirage Writers Festival (Rancho Mirage, CA)

Sunshine State Book Festival (Gainesville, FL)

February

Amelia Island Book Festival (Amelia Island. FL)

Black Book Expo: A Conscious Literary Festival (Richmond, VA)

Detroit Book City: African-American Family Book Expo (Detroit, MI)

San Francisco Writers Conference (San Francisco, CA)

Savannah Book Festival (Savannah, GA)

March

Association of Writers & Writer Programs (AWP) Conference (location varies)

Dahlonega Literary Festival (Dahlonega, GA)