Writing Toolbox

Writing has done more for my life than I could have ever imagined. It has made me a better person, a better friend, and a better husband. It has even helped me to provide for myself and my family. And it can do the same for you, too.

Please feel free to submit suggested additions. This Toolbox is meant to be a resource for anyone interested in writing.

TOP WRITING SCHOOLS IN THE US

Boston University
https://www.bu.edu/
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-2000
admissions@bu.edu

Brown University
www.brown.edu/
Providence, RI 02912
401-863-1000
admission@brown.edu

Colorado College
www.coloradocollege.edu/
14 E Cache La Poudre St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
719-389-6000
admission@ColoradoCollege.edu

Columbia University
www.columbia.edu/
116th St & Broadway, New York, NY 10027
212-854-1754
askcuit@columbia.edu

Cornell University
www.cornell.edu/
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-254-4636
info@cornell.edu

Emory University
www.emory.edu/
201 Dowman Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322
404-727-6123
admission@emory.edu

Hamilton College
www.hamilton.edu/
198 College Hill Rd, Clinton, NY 13323
315-859-4011
admission@hamilton.edu

Johns Hopkins University
www.jhu.edu/
Baltimore, MD 21218
410-516-8000
gotojhu@jhu.edu

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
www.mit.edu/
77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
617-253-1000
admissions@mit.edu

New York University
www.nyu.edu/
70 Washington Square S, New York, NY 10012
212-998-1212
admissions.ops@nyu.edu

University of California, Irvine
http://uci.edu/
Irvine, CA 92697
949-824-5011

University of Iowa
www.uiowa.edu/
Iowa City, IA 52242
319-335-3500
webmaster@uiowa.edu

University of Michigan
https://www.umich.edu/
500 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
734-764-1817
info@umich.edu

University of Texas
www.utexas.edu/
Austin, TX 78712
512-471-3434
hello@utexas.edu

University of Virginia
www.virginia.edu/
Charlottesville, VA
434-924-0311
undergradadmission@virginia.edu

Washington University in St. Louis
www.wustl.edu/
1 Brookings Dr, St Louis, MO 63130
314-935-5000
admissions@wustl.edu

 

ADDITIONAL WRITING SCHOOLS
http://study.com/writing_schools.html

 

10 UNIVERSITIES OFFERING FREE WRITING COURSES ONLINE
http://education-portal.com/articles/10_Universities_Offering_Free_Writing_Courses_Online.html

 

WRITING SCHOLARSHIPS / CONTESTS 

EduBirdie College Scholarship Guide
https://edubirdie.com/blog/college-scholarship-guide

Top Fornite Settings Offers Scholarship
https://topfortnitesettings.com/annual-scholarship/

Sentence House Scholarship
https://sentencehouse.com/sentence-house-scholarship/

Outdoor Hunt Scholarship Awards 2019
https://outdoorhunt.net/annual-awards/

Brill Essay Writing Contest 2019
https://www.brillassignment.co.uk/brill-essay-writing-contest-2019/

AussieWritings Scholarship Contest
https://www.aussiewritings.com/writingcontest/

Jaxfoodcritic Essay Scholarship
http://jaxfoodcritic.com/scholarship/

The Best Scholarship Search Platforms of 2017
http://www.reviews.com/best-scholarship-search-platforms/

Poets and Writers: Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database
http://www.pw.org/grants

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
http://www.artandwriting.org/

A-1 Auto Transport Scholarship
https://www.a1autotransport.com/a-1-auto-transport-scholarship/

 

GENERAL WRITING GUIDE FOR AUTHORS AND WRITERS

Money-Saving Guide for Authors and Writers
https://couponfollow.com/research/money-saving-guide-authors-writers/

Road Trip Activities for the Car: Poetry Writing
https://www.titlemax.com/articles/road-trip-activities-for-the-car-poetry-writing/

Resource Guide to Writing Basics
https://www.wristbandexpress.com/content/hand-hobbies-a-resource-guide-to-writing-basics/

 

NOVEL WRITING SOFTWARE

Power Structure
http://www.powerstructure.com/

Scrivener
https://www.literatureandlatte.com/

Storyist
http://storyist.com/index.html

WriteItNow
http://www.ravensheadservices.com/

Writer’s Cafe’
http://www.writerscafe.co.uk/index.htm

 

LIST OF FREE WRITING SOFTWARE

Best Novel Writing Software in 2018
https://www.editionguard.com/blog/best-novel-writing-software/

The best free software for writers 2018
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/best-free-software-for-writing-10-programs-to-unleash-your-creativity-1141280

Writing Software you should know about
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/writing-software/

 

WRITING SCREENPLAYS/SCRIPTS

https://www.theaterseatstore.com/writing-for-theater-film

http://www.screenwriting.info/

http://www.writersstore.com/how-to-write-a-screenplay-a-guide-to-scriptwriting/

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Script

 

SCRIPT WRITING SOFTWARE

Adobe Story
https://story.adobe.com/en-us/

Celtx
https://www.celtx.com/index.html

Fade In
http://www.fadeinpro.com/

Final Draft
https://www.finaldraft.com/

Montage
https://marinersoftware.com/products/montage/

Movie Magic Screenwriter
http://www.screenplay.com/

Movie Outline
http://www.movieoutline.com/

Scrivener
https://www.literatureandlatte.com/

Slugline
http://slugline.co/

Storyist
http://storyist.com/index.html

Trelby (FREE!)
http://www.trelby.org/

 

OTHER SOFTWARE

Dragon (Speech Recognition Software)
http://www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm
Various pieces of software that turns TALK TO TEXT

Dramatica
http://dramatica.com/
Story Development Software

Read Through
https://www.readthrough.com/
Have computer voices or REAL actors perform your script, for FREE!

 

PUBLISH YOUR BOOK (HOW TO)

Amazon
http://www.amazonkdp.com/ (ebook publishing)
https://www.createspace.com/pub/l/diy.do?ref=1383688&utm_id=6072 (paper print)
http://www.acx.com/?utm_source=amzn&utm_medium=w&utm_content=cta&utm_campaign=selfpub (audio book)

Apple’s iBooks
http://support.apple.com/kb/ph2808 (overview)
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12101 (how to)

Archway Publishing
http://www.archwaypublishing.com/

Bookbaby
http://www.bookbaby.com/

Instant Publisher
www.instantpublisher.com/‎

Lulu
http://www.lulu.com/publish/books/

Smashwords
http://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords

 

RECOMMENDED READING

25 Tips on Self Publishing
http://www.cnet.com/news/self-publishing-a-book-25-things-you-need-to-know/

25 Tips on Writing Nonfiction
http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/25-tips-to-make-you-a-better-nonfiction-writer

How Do Literary Agents Fit In?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremygreenfield/2013/08/02/how-do-literary-agents-fit-into-the-new-book-publishing-ecosystem/

Nonfiction Writing Forms
http://thoughtcatalog.com/david-miller/2013/02/16-nonfiction-forms-and-how-to-write-them/

On Writing
By Stephen King
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-10th-Anniversary-Memoir-Craft/dp/1439156816

Plotters vs. Pantsers: Storyboarding Tips
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/jan-29

The War of Art
By Stephen Pressfield
http://www.stevenpressfield.com/the-war-of-art/

Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
By Roy Peter Clark
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Tools-Essential-Strategies-Writer/dp/0316014990/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469477236&sr=1-1&keywords=Writing+Tools%3A+50+Essential+Strategies+for+Every+Writer

 

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

Difference Between Writing a Screenplay and a Novel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7J-eOR4dJQ

Screenplay Structure: The Five Plot Points (great examples)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2-E7pENfKE

So You Want to Write a Novel (funny/stupid but informative cartoon)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc-crEFDw

Short Story Writing by Stephen King
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIehHxcEuGM

Top Ten Writing Rules From Famous Writers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLIGZEBmBUk

Quentin Tarantino on Writing a Script
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5NI7kN7P3o

Why a three-act screenplay?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FS0YvnCoj8

 

POPULAR AUTHORS (PER GENRE)

Dan Brown (thriller)
http://www.danbrown.com/

Michael Crichton (science fiction)
http://www.crichton-official.com/

Agatha Christie (crime/detective)
http://www.agathachristie.com/

Charles Dickens (literature)
http://www.biography.com/people/charles-dickens-9274087
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens

Victor Hugo (literature/poetry/plays)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Hugo

Stephen King (horror)
http://stephenking.com/index.html

Dean Koontz (thriller)
http://www.deankoontz.com/

C.S. Lewis (children’s/religious)
https://www.cslewis.com/us

J.K. Rowling (young adult fantasy)
http://www.jkrowling.com/

Dr. Seuss (children’s stories)
http://www.seussville.com/

William Shakespeare (poetry/plays)
http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/home.html
http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/

Ultimate Shakespeare Resource Guide
http://www.freebooknotes.com/shakespeare-guide/

Danielle Steel (romance)
http://daniellesteel.com/

R.L. Stine (young adult horror)
http://rlstine.com/

J.R.R. Tolkien (fantasy)
http://www.tolkiensociety.org/
http://www.tolkien.co.uk/index.html

Leo Tolstoy (literature/philosophy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Tolstoy

Jules Verne (adventure)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne

List of the best selling authors of all time
http://the-best-selling-books.com/the-best-selling-authors-of-all-time/