Writing websites are useful hubs of information for aspiring authors and writers of all types and genres.
Apart from your desire to become an author and determination on this thorny path, what makes a successful writer?
According to veterans of the industry, it’s lots of reading, writing, and a supportive community.
The sites from today’s selection can provide you with all the three. So, without further ado and in no particular order, let me introduce these top writing websites to learn more about the craft, stay up to date with industry news, and find fellow writers in your network.
Best Writing Websites
Here are the Best Writing Websites:
#1 – SelfPublishing.com
What kind of writing website would we be if we didn't include our own in this list?
We're proud of our educational blog, and are always creating new content to help writers turn their dream of publishing a book into reality.
If you're looking to learn not only about how to improve your writing skills, but also how to self-publish a book (along with all the business side of things, like marketing a book or even how to create your own author website), SelfPublishing.com is the ideal place to learn.
#2 – Self-Publishing School
Self-Publishing School is the leading educational self-publishing company (and it's our sister site). It's our second choice for the best writing websites to keep on your radar.
If you're interested in learning all about Amazon self-publishing to how to create an online course and build an author brand, Self-Publishing School produces informational articles, videos, and podcast content on a variety of topics.
In addition, there are several author education programs offered, depending on what your author goals look like.
#3 – Self-Publishing Advice
This writing website is a watchdog community organized by the Alliance of Independent Authors and aiming to protect self-publishing writers from untrustworthy publishers. It also reviews other writing websites (mostly in the independent and self-publishing services space).
The site has a collection of reviews on various publishers, with rating scores ranging from “excellent” to “watchdog advisory”. The authors themselves report dishonest publishers and regularly update their base. However, the site’s usefulness isn’t restricted to that.
There is also a blog with loads of advice on self-publishing (obviously!), audiobook creation, inspiration, and everything that can be interesting to an indie author.
#4 – The Book Designer
The author of this website, Joel Friedlander, is a graphic designer with an extensive background in book design and advertising. This is a treasure-trove of articles on book marketing, self-publishing, and, of course, book design, including book covers, typography basics, and text layout.
His series “E-book cover design awards” is particularly instructive, since every nominated book cover is dissected with respect to genre aesthetics, intended audience, and all the minute details that can make a difference between a bestseller and obscure title no one notices. Even if you don’t create covers yourself, it’s always good to know what to look for when you outsource the task to a designer.
Apart from valuable advice, Friedlander shares free book cover templates, book launch toolkit, and media kit for authors to optimize the marketing of your book.
#5 – Paper Help
Typos are the worst. I am yet to meet a writer who after endless rounds of editing, sweating over every word and rearranging sentences, could be 100 percent sure their text was absolutely typo-free. Because it never is.
Authors are notorious for their typo blindness because by the third draft, they know the text as the back of their hand and familiarization handicaps your ability to pick out mistakes. That’s why we need editors – or at least editing services that will comb their text through for misspelled words and other pesky oopsies.
Paper Help is a service that specializes in writing and editing of all sorts of papers, mostly academic, but if you need a second pair of eyes to go through your manuscript before its debut, it can be a nice low costing compromise between literary editor and doing it yourself.
#6 – Grammar Girl
Of course, to make your editing less of a struggle, it’s better to make fewer mistakes in the first place. That’s why one has to have go-to writing websites for all things grammar. Mignon Fogarty’s blog is just the right sort of resource for that.
Grammar Girl is a section on the Quick and Dirty Tips portal devoted to everything that a writer needs to know about spelling and grammar.
Moreover, here you can read your daily dose of nicely summed up linguistic wisdom building your competency bit by bit and having lots of fun in the process.
From what is the correct plural form for “Mr.” or “Ms.” to ways of showing sarcasm in texts – I bet you didn’t know everything.
#7 – AutoCrit
Okay, with grammar off the table, you still need to edit your drafts with regard to consistency, adverbs, repetition, readability, useless filler-words, etc. Here is where AutoCrit comes in.
Less of a writing website, this is a word processor tool for manuscripts with editing features and guidance based on real-world publishing standards.
AutoCrit analyzes your text and gives recommendations on how to improve it in areas that are often problematic: poor dialogue, use of adverbs, and relying on clichés. This tool has subscription plans with more robust professional features, but they also offer a free option with essentials that every author needs.
Plus, the site has a collection of articles with tips about the craft and the business of writing, from adding depth to your characters to DIY proofreading techniques.
#8 – Janice Hardy’s Fiction University
Janice Hardy, a teen-fantasy novelist and a founder of the site, with the help of fellow writers and guest contributors amassed more than 2,500 articles on fiction writing. They deal with every stage of penning a novel – from brainstorming ideas and developing a story to self-publishing your finished opus. There is also advice on motivation, productivity, together with inspiring success stories. Quite a curriculum!
Starting soon the creators of the website plan to organize workshops where they will introduce some practice to go with the theory. Still, the scope of the material on the website is impressive as is. Moreover, it is comprehensively organized by relevant topics, making Fiction University a true writing encyclopedia and a go-to place for anyone who starts their writing career or simply wishes to improve their skills.
#9 – 750 words
You know what makes you a better writer? More writing. This simple site has just one goal and that is helping you to build a good habit of writing every day.
You have probably heard about the technique called “morning pages”. Morning pages are three pages of text (or 750 words) that you write, preferably in the morning to get everything distracting out of your head and shift focus on putting thoughts into words.
With gamification devices like badges and competitiveness (via anonymous statistics), 750 words encourages you to stick to a schedule and write those pages every day. It’s minimalistic and private – no one will see your texts but you.
#10 – Build Book Buzz
Marketing strategy is often overlooked by self-publishing authors. Too bad, even the best books don’t sell themselves.
This website for writers has some tips on how to prepare the launch and promote your book when it’s already out and about. The blog section is full of detailed how-to guides on working with beta readers, coming up with promotion strategy, boosting sales via various social media channels, partnering up with influencers and more.
Build Book Buzz has just the right ratio of figures and statistics vs. insider tips on how to build an online presence and where to find readers who love writing reviews.
#11 – Language is a virus
With writing games and exercises galore, Language is a Virus makes a perfect playground for words enthusiasts.
It never fails to spark imagination and get your creative juices flowing. From the prompt of the day greeting you on the homepage to avant-garde techniques of Jack Kerouac and Salvador Dali, this writing website is committed to getting you writing.
Poem visualization, surrealistic word definitions, generating reverse poetry from your text or adding your line to a never-ending story by thousands of other writers – not one bizarrely mesmerizing activity here will leave you indifferent. So next time you feel blocked, don’t waste your time and head here straight away.
#12 – Six-Words Memoirs
Six-Word Memoirs is a charming little project with a big goal. It aims to inspire the participants to get to the essence of who they are and what matters most. To do that, they have to answer some pretty existential questions in six worlds – no more, no less.
This can be quite a challenge even for experienced writers who think they are very good with words. Which means it's a great writing tool to get down to the basics. Sci-fi and fantasy stories in six words, seismic shifts in six words, your personal paradise in six words – a nice exercise in eloquence and one of the best writer’s block remedies I’ve seen.
#13 – The Writing Cooperative
This Medium-based community with a telltale name is a diverse resource for writers by writers. A piece of advice on any situation under the sun form writer’s block to existential crisis and burnout… including the advice to take online advice with a pinch of salt (very meta). Everything is specifically tailored for a fellow writer like yourself, so this is a true writing website hub for diverse topics.
There are also some secrets of the craft shared here, from where it is best to share your writing to why digression can sometimes be a boon for your story. Anyone with something to say can submit a post and the community is quite diverse and supportive.
#14 – The Write Life
At first glance, this writing website seems geared more towards bloggers and freelancers, yet it has much to offer to anyone whose livelihood depends on their writing talent. How to come up with great titles, how to find a critic to improve your text, how to self-publish your book, how to market it, how to hire freelance editor, how to prevent burnout, and other secrets of the craft.
In the tools section, there are e-books and courses for writing professionals and some handy tools, such as editing apps, invoicing software, marketplaces, and communities for freelance writers.
#15 – Helping Writers Become Authors
For those of you who have long been creating content for a living but never dipped your toes into long-form prose, this is a perfect boot camp.
Award-winning author K.M. Weiland in bite-sized blog posts on this website for writers tells how to create a compelling character with a story arc, what mistakes authors most often make, how to make readers love every page of your novel, and why even movies falling short of our expectations is always is bad writing problem.
If for some reason blog is not your preferred format, there are instructional e-books, vlogs, and a podcast.
#16 – Association of Ghostwriters
If you want to find a ghostwriter or just curious to know more about this particular specialization, Association of Ghostwriters has answers to your questions. Although it has paid membership plans, lots of valuable information is free for grabs. For example, the blog section offers advice on writing that may come in handy for any writer, ghost or no ghost.
How to write a memoir, what to do when your work on a big project slows down, and why ghostwriting might be an intermediate step between freelancing and getting a good publishing deal on your own book – Association of Ghostwriters got it covered.
#17 – NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo (an acronymic name for National Novel-Writing Month) is an epic creative writing event where participants work towards writing a 50,000-word novel within thirty days of November. Although professional writers are ambiguous about this marathon, it can work for some authors who understand how speed drafts fit into the entire writing process and need a kick to get them writing.
The NaNoWriMo writing website was created especially for the event. Here you can track your progress, set milestones, get pep talks and support from other writers in an ever-growing community. There are online and offline events that help you finish your novel. Whether you are a seasoned writer or an enthusiastic beginner, NaNoWriMo has something for you – inspirational posts year-round, a company of fellow contestants, tips, tools, resources, and encouragement. Just remember, if your word count is lower and you didn’t get that badge – you are still a writer. It’s only a game!
#18 – Scribophile
Every writer needs feedback to improve and it’s always better when this feedback is detailed, informed, and comes from someone who knows what they are talking about. Better still, if you get this feedback before you publish your work and start receiving bad reviews from underwhelmed readers. That’s what beta-readers and writing workshops are for.
At Scribophile you will find a supportive community of writers like yourself. Here, they are willing to give you feedback to improve your text with their critique instead of tearing you down. If you are still tentative, there are writing tutorials and publishing tips available without even signing in. Do clichés and passive voice actually have a place in your prose? How to start writing poetry if you never had done it before? Come and have a look.
#19 – Self Publishing Formula
Mark Dawson is an author who makes a living by self-publishing. On Self Publishing Formula, he shares his journey with other writers who want to take this path.
Blog posts with valuable tips, resources and guides are available for everyone and there are courses to which one may subscribe (either free, paid, or limited-access).
Moreover, together with James Blatch, Mark co-hosts weekly free podcast interviewing million-selling indie authors, successful debutants from traditional publishing, and industry insiders to shed light on the process of publishing and promoting a book independently.
So there you have it! Those are twenty websites for writers that you should be following.
But in the sea of online blogs, there are plenty of other valuable writing websites to follow. We just had to choose our favorites for this specific blog!
Let us know what type of writing websites you love to read… we're always on the lookout for more!
