Writers' Resources

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The journey to becoming a published author can sometimes be quite daunting, no matter how good your writing skills. But there are resources out there to help you along your writing and publishing journey and here are just some of those I found helpful, not just in terms of advice, but also support. I believe there are two things a budding author needs to succeed, apart from the ability to write well, and these are: the discipline to write and re-write until the novel is the very best it can be, and someone who believes in you and encourages you. I am afraid I can't help with the last two, but I can suggest helpful resources:

The Writers' Studio

http://www.writerstudio.com.au/

Varuna The Writers' House

http://www.varuna.com.au/

The Australian Writer's Marketplace

http://www.awmonline.com.au/Home.aspx

Australian Society of Authors

http://www.asauthors.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=ASP0016/ccms.r

Sisters in Crime

http://www.sistersincrime.org.au/

Ian Irvine's The Truth About Publishing

http://www.ian-irvine.com/

A Decent Proposal - this book will guide you through the pitch process

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=pfZKZHLxapsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=a+decent+proposal&source=bl&ots=DEzRcsQv0q&sig=etBG6P5jFsPOMW1WJYYHRWhB5iw&hl=en&ei=EkYMTK--A8Krcd-wtaQO&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false

If, like me, you are writing thrillers, then there is nothing better than to learn your craft from the masters themselves. Here are a few of my favourite thriller / crime authors:

John Le Carre

http://www.johnlecarre.com/

Michael Robotham

http://www.michaelrobotham.com/

John Grisham

http://www.jgrisham.com/

Robert Ludlum (sadly no longer with us)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ludlum

Lee Child

http://www.leechild.com/

Michael Connelly

http://www.michaelconnelly.com.au/

Dan Brown

http://www.danbrown.com/