What are some of the best writer's resources?

If you're an aspiring or published author looking for some great resources, I highly recommend the following books. Some will be genre specific as this comprises a large part of my own library.

General writing resources:

• Writer's Market (the holy grail for writers)
• The Canadian Writer's Market (ditto for Canadian writers)
• The Canadian Writer's Guide
• The Writer's Digest Guide to Manuscript Formats
• Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
• The Writer's Guide to Character Traits (excellent for building your characters)
• Characters and Viewpoint (great for improving POV) - published by Writer's Digest
• Writing Dialogue - published by Writer's Digest
• Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things
• How to Write a Children's Book and Get Published
• Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel
• Forensics for Dummies (no dead bodies included)

Book marketing books:

• What Writers Need to Know About Publishing (by Jerry D. Simmons, a great friend of mine)
• The Book Publisher's Handbook (Eric Kampmann)
• How to Sell What You Write
• Beyond the Bookstore (Brian Jud)
• Plug Your Book (Steve Weber, another friend)
• 1001 Ways to Market Your Books (John Kremer, another author friend)
• Web Site WOW (Jeniffer Thompson)

Like any craft or skill, you have to learn it first, then take the time to hone and perfect it. These books will only help you become that much better and even more attractive to an agent or publisher.

I invite my fellow writers to add to this list and share their favorite writer's resources.

All the best in your writing endeavors. :)

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,

bestselling author of Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention