Writer’s Resources – A list of useful sites for writers

Writer’s Resources
By Ben Marroquin
StoryMask.com

Just thought I’d post some resource websites that I find helpful when I’m writing. (Last updated on 10-3-06)

1) Need help coming up with character names? Try Baby Names Garden and Baby Names World

2) If you need help coming up with last names for your characters you may want to use Search For Ancestors Surnames Origin

3) (Just Added 10-3-02) Just found some real fun name generators over at Paperback Writer and Serendipity. They have name generators for Places (Streets, Taverns, Towns, and Cities), Realms, and Planets. You can even choose English, German, and Pseudo-Elizabethan sounding name generators. Go on over and give it a try.

4) Need inspiration for your story? Then try viewing some art and photos from: Fred Miranda Galleries and Deviant Art and Elfwood

Quick Note: When using the FredMiranda.com site, you can browse the galleries by simply clicking on the hosting button on the top right of the site. You’ll be shown random set of thumbnail pics. If you like one, simply click on the pic to be taken to that photographers gallery. Or hit the refresh button on your browser to be shown a new random set of thumbnail pics.

5) Need help coming up with story ideas? I wrote an article listing five methods I use to create ideas for my stories. It’s a quick read and gives some examples. You can read it at Writing Step 1: Story Ideas. I also came across an interesting and fun article that may inspire you to write at 35 Reasons.

6) This tip was provided by Jim Stitzel of Flashes of Speculation: Wikipedia is also a good place for some quick and dirty research. It’s not something I’d ever use as the final, authoritative source, but it is a good place to get started.

7) Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable comprises over 18,000 entries that reveal the etymologies, trace the origins and otherwise catalog “words with a tale to tell.”

Dictionary.com is a great online dictionary that offers a very useful Thesaurus.

9) The following is a list of Articles that focus on writing errors: Ten Common Writing Mistakes Your Spell Checker Won’t Find, The Standard Deviations of Writing, and Some Common Mistakes.

10) Seth Godin has written a solid article that you may want to read titled Advice for authors. Also, if you’re into writing fan fiction, then you may want to read Rewriting the Rules of Fiction.

There you go. This is the list of resource sites I use when writing stories. If you know of any sites or articles that would be of use to writers, feel free to post them through the comment box