Market Databases
Writer’s Digest https://www.writersdigest.com
This website offers countless writing tips and databases for fiction and nonfiction writers.
Poets and Writers https://www.pw.org
This site also offers writing tips and databases of markets, slightly more targeted to literary fiction writers
Duotrope https://duotrope.com/
This one is fee-based, but you can sign up for a free trial of this website listing information on an extensive and carefully managed listing of publishers and agents.
Submittable https://discover.submittable.com
The Submittable website allows you to browse through possible markets and opportunities. Some markets require a submission fee.
The Submission Grinder https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com
A quirky version of Duotrope and Submittable.
Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association https://www.sfwa.org
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Association provides a monthly market report on the availability of various short fiction markets.
Mystery Writers of America https://mysterywriters.org/how-to-become-a-member-of-mwa/approved-publisher-list
The Mystery Writers of America website provides a list of reputable publishers and publications for mysteries.
The Romance Writers of America https://www.rwa.org
This site provides some free resources, but the list of publications is only available to paying members.
Agent Search Information
Query tracker https://querytracker.net
This helpful database of agents is free with the option of subscribing for access to more in-depth data on response times and members’ comments. The system allows authors to create specific lists of agents to query and to track the process. Success stories are also included, often with the query that worked for that author.
SFWA’s Advice on Finding a Legitimate Agent https://www.sfwa.org/real
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America website provides tips on how to get an agent and how to be sure the agent is legitimate. Important reminder: legitimate agents never charge authors a fee to read or represent their work.
Susan Dennard’s How I Got My Agent https://susandennard.com/2010/11/29/how-i-got-my-agent-part-1-the-prep
Author Susan Dennard tells the story of how she got her agent. She is very generous and transparent in providing tips and resources on her website as well as on a free email newsletter.
Self-Publishing
Self-publishing has become a more viable and less expensive process, quite different from what was once called vanity publishing. These companies offer services to authors to publish print and e-books.
IngramSpark https://www.ingramspark.com
Lulu Press https://www.lulu.com
BookBaby https://www.bookbaby.com
Amazon’s service KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US
Marketing Tools
The Author’s Guild website offers some free and some fee-based marketing tips (though the link changes, but this one seems to work for now:) https://authorsguild.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-book-marketing
The following are options that may help you build your audience.
Newsletters, blogs, micro-blogs, video-logs, podcasting
Substack newsletters https://substack.com
Medium https://medium.com
WordPress.com https://wordpress.com
Blogger https://www.blogger.com/about
Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login
Threads https://www.threads.net
Facebook https://www.facebook.com
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com
YouTube https://www.youtube.com
Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/en
SoundCloud https://community.soundcloud.com
Anchor https://anchor.fm/
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Marketing strategy: Choose one of the above as your primary site and use other options to steer readers back to the content on your main site.
Helpful podcasts
Recently, I have discovered that there is an ocean of podcasts I find helpful, so I almost gave up on listing any here because maybe you should just take a look for yourself to find what fits you best. In fact, that is my main advice–search for podcasts on books, writing, even specific genres or literary magazines, and you will have endless options. Note: I don’t always have time to listen but I now take advantage of the transcript option if I’m especially curious about a topic.
Still, I will mention that these two podcasts are ones I’ve listened to almost every episode, and I am always eager to hear more.
PrintRun Podcast: This podcast by two agents has taught me so much about the traditional publishing option (none of it terribly encouraging, but good to know nonetheless). They aren’t posting new shows very often these days, but if you are new to the show, it is worth it to go back and listen to the old ones. They offer additional support for patrons. https://www.printrunpodcast.com
The First Draft Club: Lately, I have enjoyed this podcast by book coach /author Mary Adkins. Her focus is to help authors complete the first draft, which isn’t actually my concern, but her episodes are always insightful and encouraging, and a half hour or less each time. https://thefirstdraftclub.podbean.com
reader. writer. 