Here you’ll find sites for writers, readers, and all sorts of fun and weirdness. This list will be ever growing and ever changing. Come back and check it out.
- Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) – specifically their Career Mentorship Program, “an all-volunteer service provided free of charge. We aim to connect writers who have questions, whether they are emerging writers or have expansive career experience, with each other with the objective of providing community, sharing knowledge, and offering networking opportunities. This endeavor is focused on professional development rather than artistic development.”
I did this in 2023 and it helped me get the confidence and motivation to complete the first draft on my novel. An excellent program, I can’t recommend it enough.
That brings me to the mentor I was paired with… - Patrick Dugan – fantasy author extraordinaire, and just a great guy.
- Mystery Writers of America – Midwest Chapter – they too have a mentor program, Mystery Mentors, and as my novel is an urban fantasy mystery, I did this one too. Slightly different format. You submit the first 25 pages of an unpublished work and “have your work read and evaluated by a published crime fiction author, including one round of follow-up conversation”. This was beneficial to get the mystery writer’s point of view.
That brings me to the mentor I was paired with here… - Mindy Mejia – excellent mystery writer
My three most important writing tools.
- Scrivener – word processor, research notebook, digital corkboard, this software has it all, and all in one place.
- ProWritingAid – editing software. Very handy.
I will admit that I don’t often agree with their AI generated suggestions for “simplifying” my sentence structure, which often misses the point of the sentence entirely.
Sign up for their newsletter as they host a number of genre weeks, 5 days of free webinars about writing one type of genre fiction: fantasy, crime, romance, and more. - SOMAFM – 44 channels of internet only radio and my go to soundtrack while writing. Some of my instrumental favorites are: Groove Salad, Deep Space One, Space Station Soma, Secret Agent, and Illinois Street Lounge.
Lately I’ve become addicted to Bossa Beyond while baking or just needing to feel good.
More authors….
- Kurt Vonnegut – I had the privilege of seeing him speak here in Madison. His first words when walking on stage were “Hmmm, I thought there’d be more blondes.”
More music…
- King Crimson – THE best band in the world
- Kate Bush – my ultimate favorite, truly amazing
- Future Folk – Hondo!
Everything else that occupies a space in this crowded brain…
- Wallace the Brave – the best comicstrip out there right now
- Forward Madison FC – the Mingos! Madison’s own pro soccer team
- Caledonian Braves FC – Around the beginning of August I purchased a small share in “a wee Scottish Football club”. Being 23% Scottish (according to ancestry.com) and loving the game, I said why not. The team is very good, and well placed in their league. It’s great fun following their progress along with the thousand or so other owners in the US alone.