Writing Resources

Scrivener
Writing something longer than about 5,000 words is hard to keep straight in your head. Scrivener is half word processor and half project manager, so it helps you keep track, and rearrange your work when necessary. Plus you can keep all your relevant research inside your file and don’t need to remember where you left it.

Learn Scrivener Fast
Scrivener is the least intuitive software I have ever come across. You will need help from The Scrivener Coach to get to grips with it. And the best part is, that you get lifetime access, so you can refresh your memorry wheneerf you need to.

ProWriting Aid (Affiliate Link)
When you get in the flow of writing, it’s really important to keep going and not stop to correct spelling and what-not lest Calliope and her sister Muses desert you. Software like ProWriting Aid is useful for a quick run through when you finish. There is a free version, but with the paid version, you can choose your language and style of writing so that it reviews academic and business writing more rigorously than creative and casual. You still need to proof of course!

Alliance of Independent Authors (Affiliate Link)
Writing can be a lonely business, particularly when you are doing it all on your own without the “support” of a traditional publishing house. And there are a lot of organisations ready and willing to take advantage of your naivety so it’s good to have an organisation like the Alliance of Independent Authors to fall back on fore reliable advice. Not to mention of a community of other self-employed authors to test your ideas against.

Australian Society of Authors
The Australian Society of Authors represents the interests of Australia’s authors and illustrators, providing advocacy, support and advice.

Writers Victoria
Similarly, Writers Victoria supports and connects writers wherever they are in their careers. And as it’s based in Melbourne, supports Victorian writers more directly with local courses, events and a magazine.

Dean Wesley Smith
One of the best ways to learn any craft is from a Master Craftsman. Even if you don’t like their fiction, they can teach you a lot about developing your craft, and growing your business.

By which I mean a person who has a long and distinguished career in the craft you’re looking to develop. Dean Wesley Smith is a USA Today bestselling author who’s published hundreds of novels and hundreds of stories over a career spanning more than 40 years. Traditionally, as well as independently.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Kristine Kathryn Rusch is an award-winning (Hugo, Le Prix Imaginales, the Asimov’s Readers Choice award, and the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Readers Choice Award), New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.

Website Resources

Chemicloud
If you want to make a splash on the internet, you need your own property to work from, and that means a self-hosted website. There are many platforms, but this site uses WordPress, and I use Chemicloud web hosting. They offer cloud and shared hosting, with fast and reliable service across seventeen server locations, unlimited bandwidth, NVME storage, Litspeed caching, and CDN service.

Artisan Themes
Once you’ve bought your domain, organised your hosting and installed WordPress, you need a theme (free or paid), to make it look pretty and provide functionality that doesn’t need a great deal of coding knowledge. This site uses Pepper+ by Artisan Themes. Like most things WordPress, there’s a bit of a learning curve, but I think we can all agree the site looks great.

Mailerlite
It’s hard to stay on top of international SPAM law, so I use MailerLite for both my RSS Blog Subscription and Newsletters to keep me honest. It has an easy to use drag and drop interface that makes sending newsletters a breeze.

Image Resources

State Library of Victoria
I’m a proud Victorian, and I like to showcase our history, so my first stop for copyright-free images is the State Library of Victoria. There is almost always something relevant whether it comes from the newspaper collection, private donations from or about significant historic figures, or government department collections.

Unsplash
Another good source of images is UnSplash. As well as unlimted royalty free images, you can subscribe for additional members only images.

Canva
Once you’ve selected an image, you may need to apply some effects and reformat it, and Canva is a good, easy to use free editor, and it’s good for social media formats, stationery and marketing materials as well. No need to worry if you don’t already have an image of your own, you can buy them on site.

depositphotos
For curcumstances where you don’t want any doubts over the copyright/royalty status of an image, (e.g., your book covers) there are sites you can buy images in a variety of formats and sizes. I’ve used some wonderful fantasy and science fiction images from depositphotos.

Kristian Gerhradte Photography
As well as having a “good” outfit for public appearances, it’s useful to have some decent photos for publicity purposes. When I started thinking about getting some of my own, I started paying attention to other people’s. One day I saw a striking, beautifully constructed picture of a woman, and decided that was the photographer for me. Kristian is very comfortable to be around and makes a difficult process easier.

Business Resources

NGNG Enterprises
Amber Ludwig-Vilhauer and the NGNG (No Guts No Glory) team offer business-building services including website and social media support, marketing, and mentoring. She’s not the cheapest, but she’s efficient as well as effective, so provides excellent value. Even if all you do is join her email list, you will get heaps of practical customer-focussed advice to improve your business.

Business Made Simple
Donald Miller, author, podcaster, and founder of Business Made Simple, believes there are six important compenents for growing a business, and he provides a systematic way to get them all under control.

Mike Michalowicz
I first came across Mike Michalowicz through his Profit First, and was a little impressed by his advice – essentially to translate personal budgeting into your business. He has a great writing style, and down to earth business advice, which is what you need when you’re just starting out.

Rescue Time (Affilliate Link)
When you’re running a business, things can get pretty hectic, and you find yourself “wasting” time on stuff that has no impact on what you’re trying to achieve. I use RescueTime to track what I’m working on, to set goals and focus sessions, and, (ahem) to remind me it’s time to stop working…