Dear O'Abby: What are some useful writing resources to help me build a career?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm fairly new to this writing gig and am looking for some resources to help me along the way.  Obviously I've found this site (which is super useful, thanks - I especially love the Pass and Pages contests although I haven't entered one yet) but am wondering what other sites you might recommend.

Can you point me toward some sites I might find useful?

Best wishes,

Resourceless

Dear Resourceless,

There are so many wonderful sites out there that cover all kinds of different aspects of the writing journey.  I'm sure you will find many of them on your own as you continue on your journey, but here are some of the sites I personally use regularly and find useful.

If you're querying, I think this site, MS Wishlist, is among the most useful.  Agents put up profiles and list what they are actually looking for and you can search for agents that are likely to want books like yours.  I also like Query Tracker although I think a lot of the best features are behind a paywall now.

If you're interested in small presses or looking for places to publish short fiction, Authors Publish is a great resource.  Sign up for their newsletter to get regular tips sent to your inbox.

If you're interested in self-publishing, get some useful how-to information at Ingram Spark and find out more about how it works at Self-Publishing School.

If you're looking for a community to write with, I have been with Writing.Com for over 10 years now and have found almost all my critique partners and beta readers there.  They also have regular contests and challenges to keep you creatively on your toes.

Hopefully those will give you a good starting point.  If you search the web, you will find thousands of other great sites that might suit you better.

Best of luck with your writing journey.

X O'Abby