My Favs--A Short List of My Go-To Resources for Craft Skills, Inspiration, and Writing Community

For years, I've collected best resources for writers. I've used these in my teaching and coaching, and for my own education, inspiration, and craft refinement. Most of you already have sites bookmarked or books dog-eared in your writing library. Here are a few you might consider adding.

If you've been in my classes or read this blog for a while, you may recognize some of them. Worth a review, so set aside an hour or two today or over the weekend to browse these wonderful places and fill up on ideas and encouragement.

Elizabeth Gilbert made this video on creativity quite a while ago, but I love watching it. It's a TED Talk she gave and often listed in other writers' "best of" lists.

Charles Baxter's first of a three-part essay on one-way gates in writing. Sadly, the other parts are no longer available from Colorado Review, but this is worth the read.

Galley Cat's helpful list of 25 agent queries that worked, gathered by Jason Boog. Much to learn from reading these.

NPR's The Reading Life podcast directory. This one will keep you busy for, say, a few decades.

Anne Lamott's TED Talk on the best things she learned from writing. Love Lamott's irreverence and honesty.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk on the dangers of a single story. An amazing writer with a global perspective on the power of writing.

A favorite interview with Robert Boswell, about the pathways into story and how to work with the mystery inherent in that process.

A great article on the use of backstory by Eleanor Henderson from Poets & Writers. May change everything you've learned about it.

Colson Whitehead's article in the New York Times on writing. (This link can be glitchy--the NYT might as you to log in as a subscriber--if you don't care to, skip it.)

A thought-provoking article on protecting the inner creative life by Samantha Lan Chang from Lithub.

Another great Lithub article by George Saunders on the best writing advice he's ever received. Saunders is always worth listening to on anything to do with writing.

Nelly Reifler's discussion of endings and her preference for those that hover from fsg's website. Very thought-provoking as well.

The Breadloaf (writers' conference) archives of talks and presentations from past years. Again, a resource that can distract you (and delight you) for a long time.

Isabel Allende's TED Talk on tales of passion. Always a treat to hear her.

If all goes well, the links above will work. If they hiccup on you, search for the person's name and the venue in your browser.

Happy reading, viewing, exploring!