Help for Writers—in Case You Missed It

Is it just me, or did this week go by in a blur?

In case you missed it (and I think a lot slipped by me this week), here are three different helps for writers:

Critique sites. Clarissa Draper focused on critique groups this week on her blog, Listening to the Voices. She talks about what it means to be a critique partner/beta reader, launched a critique partner match-up feature for her blog, and linked to six other sites that match writers with crit partners.

Alex J. Cavanaugh is launching the Insecure Writers Support Group. As he explains in this post :

I’ve noticed a lot of posts lately about doubts, concerns, and a lack of confidence. Insecure is a term most writers use to describe themselves….

I thought it would be cool if one day a month, everyone involved in the Insecure Writers Support group posted either:

A situation where they need some encouragement

Words of encouragement for others about to face a situation

Alex is working out the logistics of this project and was looking for feedback in his post on Friday.

I applaud Alex for setting this up because I think if a writer is confident (and maybe even stubborn), they’re going to go far with their writing and stick with it.

And, this week, I opened up a free directory for writers looking for cover designers, ebook formatters/converters, freelance editors, etc. It’s not pretty (my spreadsheets always look clumsy), but all the information is there to get you started if you’re in the process of looking for a pro to help you with your ebook.