Research

As I touched upon yesterday, research has been key for me in both learning how to write and then what to do with a finished product.  There are SO many websites and guides out there for new writers.  Very early on, I stumbled across a website called the Passionate Pen.  Maybe some of you have heard of it, maybe not.  I'm not sure if the author behind the website has updated it recently but it had so much valuable information I felt I had to mention it.  You can still find it by simply googling the title above.  She has links to information for new writers such as articles, agents (mostly in the areas of romance and women's fiction specifically) and publishing companies.  In the links, I discovered Preditors and Editors.  A fabulously wonderful site devoted to protecting writers.  I probably look at this site daily when I'm ready to submit a manuscript.  Essentially every agent and publisher is on their lists which are divided alphabetically.  Each listing is ranked with a number of descriptors such as "recommended" or "not recommended" among others.  Their mission seems to be to personally shut down fraudulent and dishonest persons seeking to take advantage of new and inexperienced writers.  If you do nothing else in your research of agents and/or publishers, check out Preditors and Editors.  You won't be sorry.  There are many other good ones including:  Absolute Write, Writer Beware, and Query Tracker to name a few.  Publisher's Marketplace will provide you with sales histories for agents, what they're seeking and how to contact them.

I know many of you who may stumble across my humble blog already know this stuff, but on the off chance someone like me just starting their career finds it, I hope this is helpful.

Good luck to all you fabulous writers new and experienced and never give up.  I know I won't.  Now, off to play in the snow with my kiddos.  Aren't snow days awesome?