The Gift of Writing
Free Resources from Generous Authors
I wanted to write a post highlighting authors who generously give back to the writing community by offering free resources to help others learn and grow. These giveaways include tools, templates, and advice that I've been fortunate enough to discover and use myself. With the holidays upon us, I thought it would be the perfect time to share these wonderful finds with you. After all, who doesn’t love a free resource that can help make writing a little easier?
Jami Gold, a talented paranormal author, offers an abundance of resources for writers, especially her extensive collection of beat sheets. These tools are invaluable, and I’ve personally found them incredibly helpful. But her generosity doesn’t stop there—her website is packed with additional resources that you’ll likely find yourself exploring for quite a while.
Writers Write. This website offers a treasure trove of resources, including a list of 101 romance tropes, writing prompts, 350 character traits, and even cheat sheets for body language.
Jane Friedman. Her website is packed with valuable resources, no matter your genre or publishing path. You’ll even find tips on getting your novella out into the world. For those interested in even more insights, she offers a paid newsletter for authors who wish to subscribe.
Robert Bidinotto. An investigative journalist and then a successful fiction author of suspense. I strongly recommend his presentation on How to Structure an Un-Put-Downable Story. It’s excellent, no matter which approach you choose to use, he hits them all.
Career Authors. This site has it all. Great articles on craft, marketing, publishing and life. Yes, life. What I liked best, the articles were informative and short and sweet.
WriteforHarlequin. While not an author but a publisher, they generously share free articles and provide submission guidelines for aspiring writers. You can also sign up for their newsletter to stay updated. They are offering a Happily Ever After Writing Week, January 27-31, and it’s free.
Brandon Sanderson, has provided a whole course on writing on Youtube. I have not listened to all of them, but when I shifted into writing a romantasy book for the first time, I decided to check him out. What he has made available for free on YouTube is a gift to writers, worth checking out, especially if you have just started on your journey. You can find out more about the author here.
A fantastic read on Catapult, by Nichole Perkins, Once I Publish This Romance Novel, Please Don’t (Slow Burn Me) at the Stake is not only an article about writing her novel, but a delightful defense of romance books and their readers. It was a refreshing change of pace, and Ms. Perkins had me not only rolling with laughter, but also shedding a few tears. If her novel is anything like this article, I have no doubt it will be absolutely fabulous!
Now it’s your turn! Share your favorite authors or websites that provide valuable freebies for writers in the comments below. Let’s keep the generosity flowing!
Wishing you a joyful holiday season! See you again on January 12, 2025.
Thank you for this excellent post about writers giving to writers. As always, Kay, you keep us in the know. I will be visiting a couple of those sites that are new to me.
I must tell everyone about Emily Harstone. She sends me regular email updates in her publication, Author's Publish. In it, she gives writers information about publishers and which ones are open to submission and what they want.
Here is a link to check it out. https://authorspublish.com/#optin Like Substack, this link allows us to check it out before surrendering an email.
Thank you, Ellen, for adding Emily Harstone, looks like a good one!