Writing Resources -- Personal and Practical Tips for New Writers

Hope all are having a beautiful summer out there in cyberspace!  I spent my Friday night with this amazing group of teen readers and writers at the Valley Stream, NY public library. For this group I prepared a Tip Sheet of Writing Resources -- it starts off with my disclaimer:

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but represents groups
that I have participated in or taken classes with over the years— from Caroline
Bock, author of LIE.
More for Adults:
 
Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators – (SBCWI)  National
organization for children’s writers, I’m a member of the NYC chapter with
monthly seminars, annual winter meeting in January in NYC offers critiques,
workshops and panels. www.scbwi.org SheWrites  (for women writers only).  As they note, they are the “premier destination for women
writers, providing services and support for women at every stage of their
writing lives.”  Lots of free
information, sharing here.  Also
writing classes for a fee offered on line.  www.shewrites.com 
MediaBistro (on-line and in NYC, www.mediabistro.com): 
daily free email on the media business,  plus some excellent short-term writing classes.  Class with D.B. Gilles on screenwriting
is very worthwhile.  He has a new
book: The ScreenWriter Within – I
highly recommend it.  
Publisher’s Lunch – daily free email on the publishing business.  Key info for serious aspiring writer
about what books have been sold by what agents to what publisher’s, what books
optioned by film or television, and the scope of the deals.   A subscription component of the
site gives more details on deals.  www.publishersmarketplace.com 
AgentQuery – www.agentyquery.com – “the largest and most searchable
database of literary agents on the web.”   Also the “how to write a query” section is very
helpful (a “query” is a sale pitch letter about your project to a literary
agent).  
Long Island Children’s
Writers and Illustrators (LICWI) - a very inclusive Long Island, NY group
meets once a month at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue, and features group
critiques of children –young adult work. 
Editor visits. Extremely
reasonable annual membership. www.licwi.org 

Hofstra Continuing Education (high school and adult
education writing classes year round and a well-run Summer Writers Institute on
Long Island).  If you are an
aspiring children’s writer, try a class with Brian Heinz, very worthwhile. www.hofstra.edu/ucce/summerwriting.edu 
More for Teens:
Figment: Write yourself in.  A community to share writing – no fee
to join.  Teen orientated.  Educator section too. Lots of resources
for teen writers here – and for adult writers interested in young adult
fiction,  Find interview with me on
this site!!  www.figment.com 
Stone Soup: It's a magazine written entirely by
children. Ask your librarian whether she has some copies you could read first.  Check out their website at www.stonesoup.com.If you wish to
submit, send to: Stone Soup Submissions Dept.
P.O. Box 83
Santa Cruz, CA 95063.
Include name, age, home address, phone number, and a self-addressed stamped
envelope.
 
Top Writing Competition for
High School students:   The Scholastic Art
& Writing Awards for grades 7-12. 
Top award for high school students in the country for writing.    Dramatic scripts, Flash
Fiction (1,300 words), Personal Essay, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Story are
among the categories.  DEADLINE for
Northeast regional:  is in early
2013.  Regional and national
winners.  Scholarships for
winners.  More at www.artandwriting.org    Short list of books about
writing on my bookshelf for adults or teens: 
1)    On the art of writing: Bird by Bird by  Anne Lamott about the creative process;
On Writing by Stephen King and The Art of the Novelist by John Gardner.                                                                                     2)    On practical advice:  Immediate Fiction by  Jerry Cleaver, a complete writing course in one book; he Practical Writer from Inspiration to
Publication edited by Therese Eiben and Mary Gannon on the staff of Poets
& Writers Magazine and The Forest for
the Trees: an Editor’s Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner.  Also, Poets&Writers Magazine and its website www.pw.org are essential
resources (I even worked at Poets & Writers for a short, sweet stint as an editorial assistant!).  
If
your school has a literary magazine, get involved. I truly began to think of
myself as a writer when I became involved in Opus, my New Rochelle High School literary magazine.  

Truly,
Caroline Bockauthor LIEa summer of 2012 must-read