Free resources for writers

There are so many websites, blogs and newsletters for writers out there now it can be really hard to find the quality among all that quantity. Most wrters' websites will offer some information for free, but most of them, understandably, are also selling something, whether it's free ebooks, courses, or other writer's services.

This is my personal list of the ones that offer value for no money (ie. They actually provide useful information without you providing them with your credit card number). If you are at the stage where you want to invest something in your writing, unsurprisingly many of these websites also offer value for money in their products/services as well, but you really can get started on writing commercially just using the free resources provided by genuine websites.

Writers Relief is a great site for writers. It functions as an author's submission service but is actually so much more, with really useful, regularly updated blog posts and a free weekly newsletter with articles covering everything from tricky grammar issues to how to organise a successful book signing. Sign up for the newsletter on the homepage or check out their blog at www.writersreliefblog.com

WritersGiveaway.com: Go to this site to pick up a huge range of free writing tools. By signing up for their Smart Writers newsletter, you not only receive a regular free newsletter full of writing tips, but have access to a page offering free downloads of writing e-books, audio files of interviews with successful writers, novel writing and idea generating software, and mini guides and reports on various aspects of being a writer. They claim to be offering almost $4,000 worth of products for free, although there is actually such a wide range of products available you're unlikly to want/need all of them unless your writing life is extremely diverse. This offer sounds like one of those 'too good to be true' situations but all I can say is that I was able to download all products easily and have not been spammed or scammed in any way by this site.

Change The World With Words: Download the free report 52 Tips For Freelance Writers when you sign up for the free monthly newsletter. You can check what you get in your free report here.

Writing World is a website offering articles on writing topics divided into sections such as beginner's world, the business of writing, freelancer's world, the writing life, children's writing and promoting your writing. You can sign up for a free twice monthly newsletter, and take advantage of a huge amount of free information on the site, including articles highlighting specific writing markets and paying writing contests.

Funds For Writers is aimed at writers who want to make money from their art. They specialise in grants for writers and, in their own words, "contests and markets that only pay in cold hard cash, too". Although they offer some premium newsletters on a paid subscription basis, and have ebooks you'll have to pay for too, they also offer some free newsletters, plus a selection of free listings for writing contests and markets where you can submit your work.

Writeaholics is a site that offers a free resources section where you can download free ebooks about writing related topics and free writing software. They also send out a free monthly newsletter and are currently offering a free ebook, Become a Freelance Writing Success, for all new subscribers.

About.com is not so big on actually giving anything away, in my experience, but this site is a great source of free information, with a really extensive archive of articles on a huge range of writing related topics. Covers copy writing, creative writing and lots of writing related business issues, from how much to charge, to tax tips for freelance writers. You can also ask writing related questions (and expect an answer) and there's the chance to sign up for yet another free newsletter.

The Travel Writers Life is a great site for travel writers with tons of free articles on travel writing, a free newsletter and links to a great sister site for photographers that's full of tips if you want to improve your photography skills and offer better packages to editors and websites. This site will try to sell you courses/workshops etc. but interesingly enough, the editor recently made the comment in an email that everything you need to succeed is right there on the site. Their courses/workshops just tend to pull it together in a way that's really convenient for those of us too time-starved to spend time surfing the site to find all the available info. The free e-letter regularly identifies new markets for travel writers and photographers, complete with submission guidelines and a link to the site.

If you know of other good genuine free resources for writers, feel free to share in the comments.