Internet Resources
The following list contains websites that may be useful to writers.
Agents
Association of Authors’ Representatives: (www.aar-online.org)
This the primary professional organization for literary agents in the United States. Agents must have a record of sales and agree to abide by ethical guidelines prior to becoming members.
Booksellers
Amazon (www.amazon.com)
The online bookseller with the most comprehensive information about books.
American Booksellers Association (www.bookweb.org)
The major trade organization for booksellers.
Barnes & Noble (www.barnesandnoble.com)
Another major online bookseller.
Books-a-Million (www.booksamillion.com)
Another major online bookseller.
Powell’s Books (www.powells.com)
One of the preeminent independent booksellers in the United States.
Legal Sites
About the Freedom of Information Act (nsarchive.gwu.edu/nsa/foia/aboutfoia.html)
Useful and timely information on using the Freedom of Information Act.
American Civil Liberties Union (www.aclu.org)
A major organization promoting the protection of the freedom of expression.
Lumen (formerly Chilling Effects Clearinghouse) (www.lumendatabase.org)
A site devoted to the protection of free speech.
US Copyright Office (www.copyright.gov)
A well-designed government website that provides useful information about copyright law.
What is the FOIA? (www.foia.gov)
The US Government’s Freedom of Information Act website.
Publisher Directories
Directories of publishers are helpful in finding leads since many established publishers are not well-known outside their specialties.
Academic Books (www.socialpsychology.org/acadpub.htm)
Audio Publishers Association (www.audiopub.org)
Children’s Books Council (www.cbcbooks.org)
Colossal Directory of Children’s Publishers (childrens-publishers.com/)
Computer Publishers’ Directory (publishersglobal.com/directory/subject/computer-publishers)
Literary Market Place (www.literarymarketplace.com)
Military History Books (www.simonides.org/users/bibliotheca/)
Publishers’ Catalogues (www.lights.ca/publisher)
University Presses (www.aaupnet.org)
Young Adult Books (publishersarchive.com/young-adult-book-publishers.php)
Publishing Industry Information
Keeping track of developments in the publishing industry is important for writers because professionals are expected to be knowledgeable about the major players and current conditions. The sites described below provide information about market conditions and the demand for various properties.
Publishers Marketplace (www.publishersmarketplace.com)
Provides information on agents and publishers as well as recent acquisitions by publishing houses and their acquiring editors.
Publishers Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com)
Website for the leading trade publication for the publishing and bookselling industry.
Publishing Trends (www.publishingtrends.com)
Information about changes and developments in the publishing industry including personnel changes.
Self-Publishing & Ebooks
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (kdp.amazon.com)
Authorlink (authorlink.com)
Blurb (www.blurb.com)
Book Baby (www.bookbaby.com)
The Book Designer (www.thebookdesigner.com/getting-ready-to-publish/)
CreateSpace (Amazon) (www.createspace.com)
Nook Press (Barnes and Noble) (www.nookpress.com/)
iUniverse (www.iuniverse.com)
Writers’ Information and Forums
The Internet has many sites and forums that offer information for writers. Some of these sites provide excellent information about market conditions and scurrilous practitioners in the industry. Others provide fee-based services that have dubious utility. Caveat emptor.
Author Link (www.authorlink.com)
Online service for catering to writers, agents, and editors. Offers a writer’s registry.
Book Market (www.bookmarket.com)
Information about book promotion, free publicity, self-publishing, e-publishing, and print-on-demand publishing.
Market List (www.marketlist.com)
Information source about potential markets for fiction.
Print-on-Demand Database: (www.dehanna.com/database.html)
Online resource regarding the fee-based print-on-demand industry. Excellent summaries of fee and rights information of individual publishers.
Southern Scribe (www.southernscribe.com)
Clearinghouse of information for writers in the South and those writing about the southern United States.
Writer’s Net (www.writers.net)
Forum site dedicated to various aspects of the writing business.
Writer’s Weekly (www.writersweekly.com)
Information for freelance writers with a forum on which writers post reports of bad publishing and agent experiences.
Writers’ Organizations
Participation in a writer’s organization can help you keep current on recent developments regarding market conditions and your legal rights. Most organizations provide opportunities for valuable networking with other writers. Many of these organizations have made major contributions to addressing abusive practices by publishers.
American Society of Journalists and Authors (www.asja.org)
This organization provides very useful information regarding the rights of nonfiction writers. Its “Contracts Watch” page monitors ongoing developments regarding rights practices among major American publishers.
Authors Guild (www.authorsguild.org)
A major advocate of writers’ legal rights and provider of contract information and health benefits. Membership is limited to book authors published by an established American publisher and freelance writers with at least three works published by a periodical of general circulation.
Garden Writers Association (www.gwaa.org)
An organization of professionals who write about horticulture and gardening.
National Association of Science Writers (www.nasw.org)
An organization dedicated to the needs of professional science writers.
National Writers Union (www.nwu.org)
A labor union that represents freelance writers in all types of media.
Romance Writers of America (www.rwa.org)
A large professional association for romance writers. It provides networking, advocacy, and support services for its members.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (www.sfwa.org)
An active organization promoting the rights and better treatment of science fiction and fantasy writers, it also presents the prestigious Nebula Awards for the best short story, novelette, novella, and novel of the year.
Society of American Travel Writers (www.satw.org)
An organization for writers, photographers, editors, journalists, film lecturers, and public relations representatives who deal with travel and tourism topics. In addition to the standard services provided by other writers’ organizations, it provides information on travel destinations, facilities, and services.
Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (www.scbwi.org)
An international organization that provides a variety of services to people who write, illustrate, or edit children’s literature. It acts as a network for writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers, and others involved with the children’t literature market.
Society of Environmental Journalists (www.sej.org)
An organization for working journalists in the field of environmental reporting.
Text and Academic Authors (www.taaonline.net)
Organization for textbook and academic authors oriented to the creation of educational materials.