The Internet is filled with tons of free writing craft resources for authors at different stages of development. Several writers, communities, organizations, and workshops have pulled together lists or offered valuable articles, podcasts, videos, etc. to help you master different aspects of your craft. Whether you want to learn how to build worlds, hone your dialogue or description skills, or develop better characters, you can find a free, human-powered resource to help you.
You don’t need AI. Check out the list below and use it to guide your own internet searches for more.
10 Free Writing Craft Resources
This list of free writing-related resources is a broad selection of link libraries, playlists, and episodes filled with volumes of wisdom to help you with your craft.
1. Writing the Other Resources to Write Diverse Characters – Curated by Writing the Other’s teachers and experts, we’ve gathered a small collection of resources for creating inclusive fiction and other narratives. Additional resources are offered during classes and for our alumni.
2. Gotham Writers Workshop Resources and Reading List – The Gotham Writers Workshop is both a New York City institution and a virtual home to writers around the globe. This comprehensive list of resources and recommended reading covers multiple forms of writing.
3. SFWA’s Narrative Worlds – Narrative Worlds is a series of vlogs featuring authors such as Zen Cho, Tade Thompson, and NK Jemisin. Hosted by author Kate Elliott, this series is a must for writers interested in speculative fiction.
4. 10 of KM Weiland’s Favorite Craft Writing Sites – KM Weiland, an author who pens fiction and guidebooks for writers, offers a list of craft-related writing sites like Writer Unboxed.
5. Writing Excuses Podcast – Now in its 19th season, the Writing Excuses podcast features free nuggets of wisdom relayed by its hosts and its guests. This season is hosted by Dan Wells, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Howard Tayler, and Mary Robinette Kowal. Previous seasons have featured Writing the Other instructors Nisi Shawl, Piper J. Drake, and K. Tempest Bradford.
6. Writing the Other on YouTube – In addition to our free resources, our Writing the Other YouTube playlists feature videos with instructors as well as recommended video essays from other creators.
7. Player FM Best Writing Podcasts – From Grammar Girl to The Paris Review, this comprehensive featured list of this year’s best writing podcasts has something for every writer.
8. Worksheets for Writers – Author Jami Gold has curated an extremely useful set of worksheets writers can use. These worksheets range from beat sheets to career improvement and so much more!
9. Dive into Worldbuilding – Author Juliette Wade offers a worldbuilding-centric vlog that features a broad range of guests. Listen to the basics of worldbuilding and dive into deeper, nuanced discussions.
10. Writers on Writing – Hosted by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone, this podcast has hosted over 1,500 authors offering multiple insights and perspectives.
This list is just a small sampling of the free resources that exist to level up your writing craft. Have a great resource not listed here? Share it with us on BlueSky, Tumblr, or Mastodon.
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