What are some good online resources for writers?

Question

I've bumped around the internet for awhile, and I've come to the

Conclusion that, well, it's time to load some more artillery into the arsenal.

I use such sites as Fictionfactor.com (Love the people there), SFWA.org and even Writing.com. I'm somewhat disappointed in writing.com, considering you have to pay a fee to use half their resources.

As you can imagine that kind of bummed me out.

I've joined a yahoo group or two, but I have to admit, I find sharing my work over the internet bothersome. Yes, ok, the likelihood of someone stealing your work is slim, but I can't help it. I've poured a lot of energy and time into my work, and to become that small percentage, well that would just put a damper on everything now wouldn't it? The luck of the Irish really, really loves me, and I can say that love in unrequited.

Does anyone know of any other places that have decent useful information? Do you have a favorite site?

Answer 1

I like a writing site called AbsoluteWrite. The site is well-moderated, so little time’s wasted by trolls, spammers, personal attacks, petty rivalries, and such. There are boards for writing in a great many genres, including some that are hard to come by, like freelance and erotica, boards for all writers, boards about agents and publishers, boards about technical information or problems, even boards for goofing around, movies and TV, cooking, and arguing politics and social issues.

The level of professionalism there is excellent. Many of the more active members have books you can find at the local Barnes & Noble. However, there’s no elitism or snobbery between the published, the wanna-be, and the ones whose goal is to pay to be published or just have a better blog.

At the Share Your Work boards writers can get critique from people who know what they’re talking about. (It’s far more useful than feedback from friends and family, who tend to praise because you’re you.) The SYW boards are separated by genre, so your vampire story won’t be critiqued by western writers, or your screenplay by poets. Criticism is honest but never cruel, and limited to the writing, not the writer. Most people offer not just negative feedback but note positives, too, plus instruction and encouragement to try again.

All SYW boards are protected by a password, so your work's appearance there doesn't count as publishing, isn't picked up by searches, and is far less likely to be stolen and posted elsewhere.