7 Online Sources for Free Writing Wisdom
Part VIII in a Series on Favorite Resources to Keep You Writing
Sometimes a quick primer on scene or line breaks is all a writer needs to keep her going, so I often send applicable bits of wisdom from the internet to the writers in my OneRoom novel writing group. Here are some of my go-to places for free creative writing education. Check your local library and arts organizations for other free on-the-ground learning opportunities.
Classy Talk from Hugo House
Teachers at literary arts center Hugo House share their favorite bits of knowledge that they plan to expand on in class.
The Paris Review Interviews
This treasure trove holds hundreds of interviews with writers conducted since the mid-twentieth century, asking them to talk about…the art of writing. Pick a favorite writer and dig in. I’m partial to Eudora Welty’s interview.
AWP Mentorship Program
Apply to work with a mentor for free. This is an excellent way to find a professional reader. One of my group members has gotten a lot out of working with her mentor.
Gotham Writer’s Toolbox
Writing rules laid out. We all know rules are meant to be broken. But we also know you have to know the rules in order to break them with intention.
Selected Tin House Summer Workshop Readings & Lectures
Anthony Doerr’s ideas about defamiliarization in writing will blow your mind like a stoned teenager at a planetarium.
Hugo House’s Word Works Lectures on Writing
20–30 minute lecture on a particular aspect of writing. Pam Houston’s talk on dialog made an impression.
PEN America’s Video Library
Maybe you can make it to all or any of the panels and readings at the excellent World Voices Festival. Some of the best literary events on offer are recorded here. One of my favorites is Toni Morrison’s keynote from 2011.
Other great places to go for a bit of quick inspiration? Let us know in the comments below.
Need more procrasti-links to get you ready to write? Start at the beginning of our 8-part series.
