The 10 Best Websites for Aspiring Writers
Before I was a published author, I felt like I was always on the Internet googling things about writing. How many words should my novel be? What contests could I enter? What classes should I take? What was the best writing software? What about the best place to find an agent?
My questions were endless. There are so many sites out there offering advice and services to writers. Today, I want to share with you my ten favorite websites for writers and aspiring authors and why I love them so much. Let’s go!
Website #1: Reedsy
Google pretty much anything about writing, and you’re likely to pull up Reedsy, but there’s a reason for that: it’s good stuff.
My personal favorite thing about Reedsy is their extensive database of literary agents. It’s really good.
If finding a literary agent is tough, just finding agents even to approach is where it begins.
What I love about Reedsy is they have a list of almost 700 agents seeking submissions, and you can filter by the genre of your book. It’s great. Check it out.
https://blog.reedsy.com/literary-agents/
Website #2: LitHub
Also known as Literary Hub, LitHub is where I like to go to read about writing. Writers write about writing there.
There are sections on craft and criticism so you can learn from other working writers.
Reading essays about writing by writers is one way to feel connected to the community of authors out there, even if you don’t personally know them.
And often, LitHub will publish essays by writers who have books coming out about their process of writing the books.
I just took a glance at what’s up there right now, and here are a few headlines I saw:
Writerly Perseverance and Knowing When To Give Up
How One of America’s Most Influential Black Writers Befriended a Pioneering American Aviator
How to Write a Memoir About Family Tragedy (That People Want to Read)
See? It’s great. I actually almost stopped getting ready to write this because I got distracted by wanting to read things.
Finally, they have a really great newsletter each week where they send you a list of things they’ve published during the week and a short description, so you can click on whatever interests you most.
Website #3: Funds For Writers
Remember when I said that I used to google to try to find contests to enter and places to submit things?
Well, I wish I’d known about this site: Funds for Writers.
It was started by mystery novelist C. Hope Clark and aggregates grants and contests with monetary prizes, and submission opportunities.
All the content is free, but if you want a little extra, they also have a paid newsletter option called TOTAL Funds for Writers that gives subscribers bonus content and helps keep the main site free for everyone, so you can check that out, too.
Speaking of opportunities for writers…
Website #4: Poets & Writers
Poets & Writers is another great online resource.
First, the site has an extensive blog that connects writers with publishing opportunities—including writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, and literary agents.
I actually found my agent through this site!
She was interviewed as a new agent looking for new clients, and I loved her interview, so I queried her, and the rest is history.
So I have a particular soft spot for this one.
Website #5: The Rumpus
You have probably heard of Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild.
If you haven’t heard of Cheryl, maybe you’ve heard of Reese Witherspoon? Because she starred in the movie based on the book that Cheryl wrote.
Well, before she was a famous memoirist for Wild, she wrote an advice column called Dear, Sugar, which was phenomenal. That advice column was for this site: The Rumpus.
That column ultimately became a book in which she compiled her letters, called Tiny Beautiful Things, which I highly recommend.
But all of this to say…The Rumpus is great. It has lots of author interviews that I just love. But they publish all sorts of things.
Right now, they also have two book clubs: one for prose, and one for poetry. They mail you a book and then invite you to a discussion with the book’s author. It’s just very cool. It’s a great site to follow.
Website #6: Brain Pickings
Whenever I want the equivalent of really rich, delicious candy for my brain, I go to The Marginalian, formerly BrainPickings.
This place—and yes, I just called it a place, not a site—is hard to describe. It’s like walking into a museum that has an exhibit you didn’t expect but know you’ll never forget.
You feel smarter just five seconds into being there…but also inspired and grateful.
I know this sounds vague, just trust me, check it out.
It’s a wonderful for inspiration.
Website #7: Electric Literature
Electric Literature is another great one, kind of similar to LitHub and The Rumpus. It has great writing about writing on it. You’ll also find excerpts from upcoming books, short stories, flash fiction, and cultural criticism.
Like The Rumpus, they have some really fascinating interviews with authors who have books coming out, tons of reading lists, you’ll never not know what to read next again, and their own two in-house literary magazines.
I also love that every few months, the editors at Electric Lit host a Submissions roulette, where people send in the first few pages of their book, short story, or essay, and the editors respond to it in real time, sharing their immediate thoughts. It’s super fun and illuminating!
I really recommend going to one of these if you see one coming up.
https://electricliterature.com/
Website #8: The Atticus Review
The Atticus Review is probably my favorite online literary journal. Their motto is: “unashamed, unadorned, and unafraid”.
They also have a great newsletter that their editors rotate writing that’s always about writing.
It’s really worth subscribing to. It goes out on Saturdays, at least it does as of when I’m recording this, and it’s always inspiring.
Website #9: KDP for Self-Publishing
This one is just for people who are self-publishing, but I wanted to throw it in here…
If you’re going to self-publish, which admittedly, I haven’t—my publisher publishes my books—I think KDP is the way to go.
KDP is Kindle Direct Publishing, owned by Amazon. I know, Amazon is a dirty word.
But I’m not gonna lie: if I were going to self-publish, after speaking with a number of authors who have, this is what I’d do. It’s the way to go.
Amazon dominates 80% of the ebook market.
So if you publish directly with KDP, you are tapping into their powerful marketing features, which honestly you probably need as a self-publishing author.
So unless you’re already Beyonce and don’t need any marketing help because your book is just going to sell, for self-publishing, I’d go with KDP.
Website #10: Semi-Kolon
As an author who writes my first drafts by hand and teaches other writers to do the same, I’m obsessed with these notebooks.
Obsessed.
They’re so well-made with thick paper and come in all kinds of bright, cheerful colors. The covers feel like linen—just slightly textured.
They’re hardback and hold up really well, but also fold back really easily so you aren’t, you know, unable to write on the insides of the pages because the thing won’t open far enough. Nothing like that.
You can choose whether you want lined or unlined paper.
I get the giant ones—size A4—with blank pages because I like making a mess on the page. But you can get a bunch of different sizes.
Check them out.
https://www.semikolon.us/notebook-classic-a4-with-linen-binding.html
Ready to write your book?
If you made it this far, I’m guessing that you are writing a book, or want to write a book. If so, I want to talk to you.
When I’m not writing, my mission in life is to help talented writers write their dream books. I love it. I live for it.
Because before I published my novels, I first had to figure out how to write one. It wasn't easy because none of the writing classes I was taking showed me how to actually write a novel.
Not until I had a newborn and only a couple of hours to write did I come up with a process. The process worked. I wrote my entire novel during my 8-week maternity leave.
Now, I teach it in my program the Book Incubator and it works for dozens of other writers.
If you're curious to know more, I have a free video walking you through my exact process for writing a book.You can get it by clicking below and answering two questions to apply to the program.
You get the video whether you join or not—no pressure to enroll.
Just click below to tell me a little bit about you and your book—you can fill out a form online. I’m so excited to hear from you!
