There are many online resources available for writers. From writer's markets to references, here are the best resources available for writers.
Dictionaries and Thesauruses
An online dictionary and thesaurus is a must for web writers. Merriam-Webster.com is the best online dictionary and thesaurus available and is used by most magazines and publishing houses. They also have an online toolbar available for download. At Cambridge Dictionaries Online, you can search in five dictionaries, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Cambridge Learner's Dictionary, Dictionary of American English, International Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs and International Dictionary of Idioms.
Synonym.com is a great resource for writers. With their online thesaurus, one can find synonyms, antonyms and definitions. Wordsmyth is another great online thesaurus. Their is a dictionary and thesaurus, as well as audio presentations. This site also offers a toolbar. Reference.com has a dictionary and thesaurus as well as medical, legal and reverse dictionaries and an almanac.
Orangoo.com is a free online spell checker that checks for spelling mistakes in 27 different languages. To spell check an entire website, type the url into the search box. Jspell.com also offers a free spell checker without all of the bells and whistles of Orangoo.
Keywords
Having strong keywords is essential to bring readers to your articles. There are a few resources to help writers find the best keywords. Textalyser.net has a free online text analysis tool. Simply copy and paste your test into this tool and it will analyze your word count and keyword density.
Google has two tools for finding new keywords. Google Adwords Keyword Tool is a great way to find out which keywords have the most advertiser competition and receive the most searches. Google Search-based keyword tool provides keywords based on Google searches. Top keywords for specific topics can also be found here.
Writing Markets
Many websites charge fees for access to their writer's market listings, but there are a few that offer them for free. Marketlist.com has a list of 328 markets, as well as a classifieds section for writers. Duotrope's Digest at Duotrope.com has a free directory listing of more than 2500 fiction and poetry publications. Registered users can take advantage of the free online submissions tracker.
Writer's Weekly is a freelance writing e-zine that offers market listings, book reviews and writing contests. Listings are updated weekly. The Whispers and Warnings section lists complaints about unprofessional publications and those that don't pay.
Writing Workshops and Courses
Writer's Digest offers writing workshops and conferences. The site also includes writing prompts, a community forum and lots of resources for writers. Freelancewriting.com is a treasure trove of information for freelance writers or those who would like to become freelance writers. This site is full of articles, contests, podcasts and newsletters about writing. There is also a listing of freelance writing jobs and a writer's forum.
Poynter Online is a blog for writers and journalists, written by Poynter Institute faculty. This site offers tips on such topics as ethics, photojournalism, writing and leadership. News University, a project of the Poynter Institute offers free courses for journalists with title like "Reporting Global Issues Locally", "Online Media Law: The Basics for Bloggers and Other Online Publishers", and "Get Me Rewrite: The Craft of Revision". The site also offers webinars on a variety of topics for a small fee.
References
Refdesk.com calls itself the "Fact Checker for the Internet". This site offers a plethora of resources for writers and students. From this site, a writer can search all of the major search engines, news sources and several major dictionaries.
TheFreeLibrary.com offers free full text versions of more than 5 million articles and books. The Free Library began in 2003 and offered full text versions of classic works. They have since expanded to include articles from newspaper, magazines, reference articles and journals. New articles are added daily.
These are just a few of the online resources available to writers. With the many resources available online, writers of all genres can improve their writing skills.
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