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Acronyms, Initialisms, Alphabetisms and other Abbreviations
This site is a great writing tool. An author can search for specific acronyms with the search engine, or search for alphabetically by category. The website contains a large number of acronyms, from military to technology to modern slang. Fairly easy to use, and a large source of information regarding acronyms and abbreviations.
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The Internet's most trusted database of literary agents
This website is one of the better search engines for literary agents on the web. I have discovered that not all the agents listed here are completely up to date, which isn't surprising considering the job field. Agents come and go, switch agencies, form their own agencies, quit the business, change tastes or submission guidelines... the reasons are almost endless. This website is an incredibly solid resource for authors in need of an agent. I strongly recommend that you check out any potential agent's website, the agency's website, their blog, and any other related site before submitting, but this is a very good place to start your search.
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Welcome to the American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara
This website was established in 1999 as a collaborated effort at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and contains many documents related to the study of the Presidency of the United States of America. It is a great resource for researching anything involving former Presidents, their lives, electoral campaigns, publications and administrations.
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Baby Names Finder
This is a good character naming site that allows you to filter results by popularity as well as origin and meaning. The "starts with" and "ends with" feature is good if you have an idea of what you're looking for but haven't quite nailed one down that works. Easy to use with lots of names in the database.
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Naming the world...one baby at a time
This site is not just for prospective parents who don't want to name their offspring after Uncle Joey and can't think of a decent alternative. This is the perfect resource for writers who often have to come up with more names for a single novel than parents do for an entire family, with notable exceptions, of course. There are a large number of baby name sites out there, but this one is especially useful as it has a large number of names neatly categorized by ethnicity. This makes it much easier to narrow down a great name for that character that you can picture completely, but for whom you just can't think of a good name.
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This site has reference material for classic texts, including book notes, biographies, and summaries. Also has many other resources such as dictionaries, quotation database, and study guides.
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Doing Research
The university library at Cal State LA has a very good compilation of links, pages, articles, essays and such pertaining to writing research. References include links to partner libraries, collections of online research, research guides, style manuals and many other sources of reference material.
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The World Factbook
The World Factbook is a compilation of notes and statistics about nearly any country or region in the world. It provides general research information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for every recognized country in the world. Country pages also include maps, flags and other country statistics and comparisons. Also has world political and physical maps, as well as a flags of the world page and a world time zones chart.
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This site has a huge compilation of useful posts for new and experienced authors alike. From business writing to fiction, it covers the bases. Based on the amount of times I regularly see "there", "their" and "they're" grossly misused nowadays, I'd say it's a pretty invaluable resource. In fact, bookmark it and refer back often!
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Dictionary | Thesaurus | Flash Cards | Quotes | Reference | Translator | Spanish
When I was an aspiring author at about eighteen years of age, I bought the latest unabridged dictionary and the mother of all thesauruses. This website renders both of them virtually obsolete. Printed references are nice, but they do not keep up with the English language, which is constantly evolving and growing. Dictionary.com and its companion sites do that, and in addition to containing a number of other great resources, are a much easier set of references than that five pound monstrosity now collecting dust on my bookshelves. After all, most people write with computers nowadays, and this reference is just a click away.
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U.S. Copyright Office Summary
The official United States copyright law. A good reference for anyone wanting to clarify what the exact law is concerning copyright. A publisher will obtain all necessary copyrights for your work, but should you want to obtain an official copyright, you may do so. It is not necessary to do so as all work is expressly copyrighted the moment it is created. Copyright can be applied for online at http://www.copyright.gov.eco for a $35 dollar credit card fee. You can also obtain documents and instructions for paper filing at http://www.copyright.gov/.
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This is a very cool site primarily designed for role playing games and gamers, but easily adaptable to authors' needs. It has a variety of random generators, from fractal and sci-fi worlds to names to dungeons and encounters. A good reference to turn to for overcoming writer's block.
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New Cars, Used Cars, Car Reviews, and Pricing
This site at first sight might not seem like a writer's resource, but it can be. You can use it to find out all sorts of information about cars, statistics, prices, makes, models, news, terms, and many other auto-related information.
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Mythology, Folklore, and Religion
This site contains articles relating to anything mythology. It's divided into subsections by geographical region for easier searching. The bestiary, legendary heroes, image gallery, and genealogical tables sections make it easier to search for what you're looking for. Lots of cool stuff here for the fantasy writers.
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This site is a collection of everything contained within the Smithsonian Museum. It has images, video and sound files, electronic journals and other resources from the Smithsonian's many museums, libraries and archives. A great research tool.
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Every Writer's Resource
This site is a compilation of resources, links and products for writers. It has a number of links to magazines, book publishers and presses, as well as workshops, interviews and lists. A great deal of good information and resources for writers, including a great list of science fiction magazines.
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Where results make sense
Factbites is a cross between a search engine and an encyclopedia. It provides full sentences about a search topic, rather than sentence fragments. The engine determines how meaningful the text is for each result and bases its results on content rather than hits.
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A Project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center
This site monitors the US politics and political processes for accuracy by fact-checking what prominent political figures say or do. While it's not a website designed for authors, it is a great place for research on political topics and figures.
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FindLaw
Lawyers, Attorneys, Law and Legal Information
Lawyers, Attorneys, Law and Legal Information
FindLaw is a legal site with a wide range of legal-related matter. Good source for general research on legal matters.
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Google Maps is just one of many great Google resources. Good for not only geographical research, but also for the little things, like making sure you change the duration of that character's trip from Portland to Seattle to about three hours instead of an hour like you had in the first draft.
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University of Michigan Library
This site is a great research tool. It is an exhaustive database containing U.S. government statistics and factual documents. Also has research guides to allow easier searching for what you need to find.
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This site contains articles, books, essays, documents, historical photos, and links for a broad range of historical subjects. It is divided into three sections containing articles, e-books and links to other resources.
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Over 2,000 files covering 3,000 years of world history
This site allows you to surf interactively through 3,000 years of world history with timelines, graphics, and maps. Click through various time periods and use menus on either side to manipulate the data.
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The Internet Movie Database
The authority on movies, television series, actors, directors, and anything to do with film production, this site is a great place to check facts for writing. In addition to archived records, it also has the current news and gossip from the industry.
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Information You Can Trust
The Internet Public Library 2 is the second generation of this website. It's been merged with the Librarians' Internet Index (LII) and is a collection of resources in a variety of subjects to provide yet another good site for research.
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Online bilingual and multilingual dictionaries
This site is a directory of online bilingual and multilingual dictionaries and glossaries available on the Internet. It's intended for translators, linguists, language students and all those interested in foreign languages and is a fantastic writer's resource. It has links to over 7500 dictionaries and glossaries, many of which have been created by translators working in specialist fields. I always recommend, however, you find a real linguist or language expert to aid in any translations you want to be absolutely correct, as languages are hardly straightforward in translation.
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Find a Literary Agent
This is a new search engine for literary agents and agencies. In addition to listing literary agents and agencies, the site has a "Crib Sheets" blog-style section that posts the latest news and information, as well as "inside tips, tricks, advice and accounts of the literary world." It's a new site, still under construction, but another good resource for finding agents and for cross referencing information to determine the best fit for you and your book.
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Write Place Catalog
St. Cloud State University has an awesome list of editorial type links in their Write Place Catalog. The whole site is a series of essays and instructional handouts on grammar, punctuation, organization, research papers, resumes, cover letters and many other topics. A huge amount of information not only for authors but anyone involved in a variety of writing tasks.
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The U.S. Library of Congress is one of the largest American cultural repositories, and is available online via their Online Catalog. You can browse through over 14 million documents on the site, including books, serials, computer files, manuscripts, maps, music and sound recordings, visual materials, and more. Excellent for research. Also contains the Virtual Reference Shelf, a compilation of online resources for research.
This site provides the researcher with a list of online libraries, newspapers, magazines, podcasts, poetry, archives, maps, current events, dictionaries, and more.
Map Resources
A site containing downloadable maps from around the world in a variety of different formats. Individual maps are for purchase, but the site contains a wide variety.
Online Catalog
The U.S. Library of Congress is one of the largest American cultural repositories, and is available online via their Online Catalog. You can browse through over 14 million documents on the site, including books, serials, computer files, manuscripts, maps, music and sound recordings, visual materials, and more. Excellent for research. Also contains the Virtual Reference Shelf, a compilation of online resources for research.
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This site provides the researcher with a list of online libraries, newspapers, magazines, podcasts, poetry, archives, maps, current events, dictionaries, and more.
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Royalty Free Vector Maps
A site containing downloadable maps from around the world in a variety of different formats. Individual maps are for purchase, but the site contains a wide variety.
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Martindale Center
The Reference Desk
The Reference Desk
This site contains a huge amount of topical information on just about every subject one can think of. "Centers" of information are included on language, internet, business, computers, cars, entertainment, fashion, travel, science, mathematics, agriculture, archaeology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, engineering, geology, and many others.
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Trusted Health Information for You
This site is a service run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. It's got not only a medical dictionary, but general and specific health information on a number of topics and the latest news in the field. Good source for topical research.
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For Health Care Professionals
The Merck Manual is a comprehensive medical database that serves as a reference site for health care folks, but can be very useful to an author as well. Medicine is one of those areas where lots of research probably isn't enough, and any additional information you can get is a good idea.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT offers a huge list of course material from previously taught classes, available for free download. This is an awesome way to research something via a near-classroom environment, instead of compiling the resources and knowledge on your own Want to research rocket propulsion for that science fiction book you're writing? Go through their rocket propulsion or space propulsion courses. Need to create a realistic cyborg? Go through any one of their mind-boggling bioengineering courses.
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Generate Names
This is a giant database of names, but more comprehensive, because it includes last names, and is completely interactive. You can search names beginning or ending with certain letters or combinations of letters, search based on a particular first or last name, and even assign tags to the name to generate names associated with certain feelings, topics, ideas or whatever else you wish. You can see what other authors have generated or make yours according to your own criteria. It was designed specifically for authors, with a first and last name generator, making it much easier for use in finding great character names.
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November 1st to 30th. Thirty days and nights of literary abandon!
NaNoWriMo, as it is called, is an American national writing contest held every November. The goal is to write 50,000 words in the span of one month. It's a fun way to churn out a novel, focusing more on getting words down on paper rather than adding obscure references from research and making sure your prose is perfect the first time.
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NOLO Legal Dictionary
LAW for ALL
LAW for ALL
NOLO's Legal Dictionary is a great source for legal answers. It's a free online resource for information on hundreds of commonly used legal words and phrases. Perfect for that new legal thriller you're working on.
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Useful, with a pleasant degree of humor
The Old Farmer's Almanac has been an information staple for centuries. This online version is too, containing information on a variety of topics, from astronomy to gardening to cooking.
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OneLook
Dictionary Search
Dictionary Search
OneLook is a dictionary search engine that indexes over 1000 different dictionaries in a meta search when looking for answers. It can be used for definitions, related words, related concepts, phrases that contain certain words, translations to some languages, and more.
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One web page for every book
Open Library's goal is to compile a web page for every book ever published. To date, they have amassed over 20 million records, all of which are freely accessible. The documentation is open and the creators welcome contribution to the project.
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Online Writing Assistant
This is an online tool for grammar, spelling and other such editing needs. There are many useful essays on style and correct usage as well as articles on other aspects of writing such as creating emphasis, organization, voice and many such topics. This is a useful tool for any type of writing, not just fiction. There are large sections that address essay and thesis writing.
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A guide to publishers and publishing services for serious writers since 1997
This website is invaluable to the author looking for an agent or publisher or really anything else in this field of work. From conventions to workshops and everywhere in between, this site has the scoop on the legitimacy of those with which you're considering doing business. No need to wonder if they're on the up and up or if they're just scam artists. Preditors & Editors lists all sorts of such entries and lets you know if there is any red flags with their business ethics or whether they are an established, trustworthy member of the industry.
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This site provides a large accurate database on literary agents and publishers. You can search a particular author to find out who represents them, find out representation of works similar to yours, and what kind of new deals certain genres are garnering in the market. The site also publishes book reviews which allow you to screen particular books, and provides a book tracker which lets you find out information about specific book sales and compare them to other books. There is a free section in this site as well as a pay site which offers the premium features. All in all, a very good resource for an author.
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How To Write Query Letters ... or, really, how to revise query letters so they actually work
Literary Agent Janet Reid, from FinePrint Literary Management runs the Query Shark blog in addition to her own blog. Query Shark is probably the best resource I've seen anywhere to refine and hone queries. Her premise is simple: authors send their queries in for her to critique and she she picks one out of the pile to tear to shreds. She provides excellent advice on how to fine tune your query to something that will actually attract the attention of an agent or publisher. That's all this site is - week after week of queries critiqued, and often re-critiqued several more times. The site is simple, but incredibly effective. I highly recommend anyone who thinks they're ready to submit a query visit her site again and again.
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Organize and track your query letters to literary agents and publishers
This is another large database of literary agents and publishers. As of the date I'm writing this, they list 1,247 literary agents and 131 publishers. It also generates reports about agents and publishers, including who represents whom, among other types. I suggest using this resource in addition to others to fine tune your search for an agent and find out exactly what they want and how they want it formatted.
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Popular Baby Names
From a fairly unlikely source comes a neat source to research character names for a novel. The Social Security Administration catalogs names registered every year and have compiled an official database of the most popular names throughout history. You can search for the most popular names each year since 1879, up to the top 1000 names. The database also tracks the popularity of a name throughout history so you can find a name popular in a certain time in history. An interesting way to find the name you need, especially for a historical context.
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Paying markets for short science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories
This site contains links to magazines, webzines and other markets that pay for short works of speculative fiction. Also contains links to other resources for writers.
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Sports Statistics and History
This site is a compilation of research links for sports information. It has links to stats, box scores, game logs, playoffs, whatever, for baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and the Olympic Games. Great research site for sports and sports events.
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This site is catalog for the tricks of writing fiction in the application of tropes. Tropes are devices and conventions that are present in the minds or expectations of readers or viewers. The more commonly used, of course, the less original the work. Researching your particular trope on this site will give you an indication of how original or rare your concept is compared to what's already out there in the market.
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The Visual Thesaurus is a little different than a regular thesaurus in the way it works. It links synonyms visually allowing you to click through linked words until you find the perfect match for what you're trying to find. It is a subscription site with a limited trial period to test drive it.
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Common Errors in English Usage
This site has a compilation of often misused English words or phrases, and is very useful to a writer. Contains a text version for those who wish to read it as a book.
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Web MD
Better Information. Better Health.
Better Information. Better Health.
Sure, you use it when you get sick. Or your kid does. Or you have strange symptoms you're unsure about. But you can also use it as a writer, when you need to research some scary epidemic in your latest dystopian paradise, or when you need to find out how the body reacts to some long-forgotten plague.
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The free encyclopedia that anyone can edit
Everyone knows about Wikipedia. There's not much I can say here that you don't already know, but could probably say even better, but I would be remiss if I didn't include it, as it's a wealth of information for research.
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Wolfram Research
This library site contains thousands of downloadable resources and references in most areas of university and college subject matter. Good resource for writing research.
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The Search Engine for Writers
This simple search engine is tailored specifically for writers. It locates the best writings on writing, and references about writers and what they wrote.
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More entries will be posted here as I find further resources I find valuable enough to share.
