Favorites
Here are some links to some of my favorite blogs, podcasts, websites and other resources about writing
Miss Snark's blog
Miss Snark is the pseudonym or nom de blog of a New York literary agent. You will not only be entertained by her tart style and her charming canine companion, but in the process you will learn a great deal about what literary agents want and the dos and don'ts of submissions and interacting with agents and editors.
http://misssnark.blogspot.com/
Publishers Lunch
The only publishing email newsletter that I read regularly. It has news of the publishing industry and every week it has announcements of the books that have been acquired that week. If you are feeling discouraged, you can read how many books are actually being bought each week. You can also learn a lot about describing books in several phrases or sentences (the "high concept" or the "elevator pitch") by reading the summaries of the books that have sold. There's a free version as well as a paid version.
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/subscribe.html
Agents to avoid
A site devoted to consumer awareness of and protection from bad agents and bad agents practices.
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html [You can also visit: http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/]
Copyright basics
Of course, consult a lawyer before you take irrevocable action, but this will at least give you the lay of the land.
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/copyright.html
Finding and hiring freelance editors and book doctors
You sometimes need help getting your book in good enough shape to be sold. Or if you are going to self-publish or e-publish, you should hire an independent editor. Here's a site that will give you lots of information and some good links to help connect you with these folks.
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/bookdoctors.html
Bill's blog
http://getyourbookwritten.com/blog/
