Resources
Listed below are active websites that provide tools and resources for writers. VCWC encourages all visitors and members to review the terms of sites promoting job opportunities very carefully.
Brainy Quote
Free, famous quotes organized by subject and by author.
California Writing Project
Because writing matters for success in the school and university, in the community and workplace, the California Writing Project has a central mission – to improve student writing and learning by improving the teaching of writing. Provides links to resources and local projects. Primarily for teachers, but does give resources to boost writing skills.
http://www.californiawritingproject.org/
Creative Writing Prompts
CreativeWritingPrompts.com is a Writer's Digest Magazine 101 BEST Web Sites for Writers - 2006 & 2007! Select a creative writing prompts and creative writing ideas to create stories, poems and other creative pieces from your imagination.
http://creativewritingprompts.com/
Dictionary.com
Free online dictionary and thesaurus
http://dictionary.reference.com/
Financial Dictionary
Free site for financial terms
http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/
For Writers
Links to references, market sites, conferences and workshops, and groups.
Freelance Writing
Links to jobs, resources, and aid for freelance writers.
http://www.freelancewriting.com/
Freelance Writing Gigs
One of the leading website for freelance writers to learn, grow, and discuss issues, questions, and more. Today, author and marketing professional Susan Gunelius is the editor of Freelance Writing Jobs, and a team of highly experienced writers from around the world contribute to content and conversations you'll find here.
http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/
Freelance-Zone
Freelance-zone.com topics include social media, writing and career resources, getaways for writers and great ideas on how to spend time off. It also covers gear, computers and other essentials. Are you a full-time freelancer or trying to get there, working for some extra cash or trying to change careers? Freelance-Zone has something for you.
Freelanced
One of the leading website for freelance writers to learn, grow, and discuss issues, questions, and more. Today, author and marketing professional Susan Gunelius is the editor of Freelance Writing Jobs, and a team of highly experienced writers from around the world contribute to content and conversations you’ll find here.Grammar and Writing Guide
Free guide to grammar and writing is sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
GrammarCheck.net
An online grammar check, which reviews writing for spelling, style, and grammar hosted by an English teacher and tutor, Jennifer Frost.
How to Write for Major Magazines
About.com's article for writing for magazines.
http://freelancewrite.about.com/od/getpublished/a/magazineswalker.htm
Idioms
The idiom dictionary is compiled from the Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms and the Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/
Joe's Goals
Joe's Goals is a simple yet powerful tool to make tracking your goals the easiest part of accomplishing them. Use the simple single page interface to setup daily goals and track them with just a click. Watch your daily score to gauge your success.
Legal Dictionary
The main source of TheFreeDictionary's legal dictionary is West's Encyclopedia of American Law, Edition 2, which contains more than 4,000 entries detailing terms, concepts, events, movements, cases, and individuals significant to United States law.
The legal dictionary also incorporates The People's Law Dictionary, by renowned authorities Gerald and Kathleen Hill. It includes definitions, context, and usage for more than 3,000 terms. Regarded by scholars, jurists, leading attorneys and reviewers as one of the most practical works of its kind, The People's Law Dictionary is a comprehensive source of meanings and use for thousands of today's most common legal terms. It has gained widespread praise for its scope and clarity.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/
Literary Liaisons
An educational site for research, primarily for historical/romances.
http://www.literary-liaisons.com/resources.html
Media Bistro
Subscriptions site -- Information about the publishing world.
Medical Dictionary
Free medical terms
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/
National Writing Project
The National Writing Project focuses the knowledge, expertise, and leadership of our nation's educators on sustained efforts to improve writing and learning for all learners. The site provides tools for teaching writing, and writing prompts.
Photobucket
Free image hosting that enables users to upload pictures and use a url link to post them to the web or email.
Plagiarism Today
Information on content theft and copyright infringement.
http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/
Purdue English Writing Lab
The Purdue OWL offers more than 200 free resources including:Writing and Teaching Writing, Research, Grammar and Mechanics, Style Guides, and Job Search and Professional Writinghttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Red Room
Red Room builds on a successful, trusted brand: The Red Room Writers Society. For years, writers have joined the Red Room Writers Society to get their writing done in a supportive environment. Most people don't need more instruction; they need to write. The Red Room Writers Society is the only writers society or school focused on writing rather than focused on reading and talking.
Rick Ladd & Associates
Editing services from a VCWC member
http://www.google.com/profiles/rickladd
Slang Site
A dictionary of slang, webspeak, made up words, and colloquialisms.
StoryToolz
StoryToolz is dedicated to providing high-quality web-tools for authors. Whether you're tracking your word counts or checking the readability of your prose for readability, you'll find the tool there to use. They also provide a goal tracking application.
The Tongue Untied
Tongue Untied offers instruction in basic grammar, sentence structure and word choice, as well as rules for punctuation. The menu on the left provides links to explanations in each of the major components of English grammar and syntax. The top menu offers links to quizzes and curriculum and discussion.
http://www.grammaruntied.com/Toni Lopopolo Literary Management
Toni Lopopolo Literary Management partners with authors for the duration of their literary careers and includes development of fiction projects, creation of nonfiction book proposals, and editing when needed. Toni has helped bring many first-time and published authors to print including Sol Stein, Lee Silber, Lillian Glass, Steve Duno, Nancy Baer, Flo Fitzgerald, Judith Smith-Levin, Howard Olgin, Jeanette Baker, Larry Seeley, and many others. Publishers include St. Martin's Press, Simon and Schuster, Crown, Dell, HarperCollins, Kensington, and many others.
UCLA Extension Writers' Program
As the largest and most comprehensive continuing education writing program in the United States, the UCLA Extension Writers' Program is committed to providing the highest quality writing courses possible to a broad-based and culturally diverse community. It offers an extraordinary variety of on-site and online courses (over 475 annually), as well as certificate programs, script and manuscript consultations, and a feature film and television competition to meet the needs of students.
http://www2.uclaextension.edu/writers/
Urban Dictionary
Free slang site, terms are compiled by visitors.http://www.urbandictionary.com/
The Web of Language
Dennis Baron's go-to site for language and technology in the news
http://illinois.edu/blog/view/25
Winning Writers
Resources and contest information for poets and writers.
http://www.winningwriters.com/
Wooden Horse Publications
Site collects and publishs contact information for magazines, such as addresses, phone numbers, editor-in-chief and managing editor, website URL, email addresses, circulation, frequency, subscription price. It also publishs editorial concepts, writer’s guidelines, reader demographics and editorial calendars. It is available by subscription.
http://www.woodenhorsepub.com/
Word Web
Downloadable English dictionary, thesaurus and word finder. Free and Deluxe (paid) versions available.
http://www.wordwebsoftware.com/
Writer's Dream Tools
Compiled by writer/editor Larry Belling over 25 years, the historical databases and a section on web humor are free. Lists, Clichés, Slang and Quotes are offered on a one-time only subscription fee of $20 for individuals or $99 for small companies. These useful Writer's Tools enhance creativity, spark ideas and help fight writer's block.
http://writersdreamtools.com/guest.aspWriter's Market
Site assists with the publication process and sales. It's mission tag is "Where and How to Sell What You Write."
Writer's Relief
Writer’s Relief was started in 1994 to help creative writers make well-targeted, professional submissions to literary agents and editors. It is not a literary agency, publisher, publicist, self-publisher, or marketing company.
The Writers Magazine
Online writing magazine with multiple resources. It also provides links to writing groups by genre.
http://www.writermag.com/en.aspx
Writers Resources
A one-stop online resource site for both aspiring and professional writers, journalists and editors. The site provides you with useful information, writing tips, tutorials for beginers, and even news in the field of writing.
Writing Classes
Assortment of online (and in NYC) classes in different genres. Some paid and some free.
http://www.writingclasses.com/
Writing Fix
The Home of Interactive Writing Prompts. A resource for teachers, but also good for beginning writers.
GROUPS
California Literary Arts SocietyIts mission is to promoteliteracy, the art of writing, the joy of reading, and the value of the writtenword. They host the annual Ventura Book Festival, conduct writing andpublishing seminars, and administer the Young Authors and Artists Project.
http://www.literaryarts-ca.org/
California Writers ClubOne of the oldest writer'sorganizations in continuous operation in the nation. Its members are poets,journalists, essayists, technical writers, and creators of genre and literaryfiction, as well as editors, booksellers, and others involved in relatedfields, all joined together for the common goal of educating its members andthe community on the craft of writing and the realities of getting workpublished.
Deadline Junkies
A small group focused onscreenwriting, connected to the LA Writers Group (15 members)
IWOSC - Independent Writers of Southern CaliforniaThis group provides writerswith several opportunities to get together with other writers each month. IWOSChas casual satellite get-togethers in various areas, holds a seminar mostmonths, and meets regularly which usuallyincludes a panel discussion about awriting-related topic.
The LA Writers GroupEstablished in 2003, the siteruns several writers groups and creative writing workshops throughout the LosAngeles, California area. It providesimprovisational writing exercises that writers can apply to their currentproject or use to create new stories, and host a safe place for writers tocreate new work and exchange critique on works in progress.
http://www.lawritersgroup.com/
Los Angeles Romance AuthorsLos Angeles Romance Authors (LARA) provides educational andmotivational support for published and aspiring romance writers. LARA isaffiliated with the Romance Writers of America®. Both the LARA Chapter and RWAare Nonprofit Organizations.
Mystery Writers
Mystery Writers of America, Inc. (MWA) wasestablished in 1945 by a dozen or so like-minded mystery writers for thepurpose of promoting and protecting the interests and welfare of mysterywriters and to increase the esteem and literary recognition given to the genre.
http://www.socalmwa.com/Ojai Writers Conference
The Ojai Writers Conferencewas created by writers for writers. The Ojai Writers Conference (OWC) presentsprograms, workshops and events for writers of all levels and genres. OWClaunched in the Spring of 2011 when it offered professional writing classesduring Ojai WordFest.
Sisters in Crime
Sisters in Crime (SinC) is an international organization founded in 1986 to promote the professional development and advancement of women writing crime fiction. Today, SinC is made up of more than 3,000 members in 48 chapters worldwide — authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians, and others who love mysteries.
http://www.sistersincrime.org/Ventura Fiction Writers
A Meet-Up group geared towards fiction writers, whethersci-fi, fantasy, horror, mixed genre or something else. Meetings held at the Ventura Barnes &Nobles.
http://www.meetup.com/Ventura-Fiction-Writers/
Women's Artistic NetworkWomen's Artistic Network encourages women to connect withother women to achieve success in the artistic world. WAN is a group formed in Ventura County, with members fromthe San Fernando Valley, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, NewburyPark, Simi Valley, and Running Springs. WAN inspires writers,poets, artists, composers, speakers, and journalists.
http://www.womensartisticnetwork.org/index.html
