Ever had a great idea for a story, but couldn't find the right way to go about putting it all together? Have you ever asked yourself, "How do I create believable characters? ?What is a genre? How do I submit my manuscript to a publisher? How do I market my books?" If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're not alone. The good news is that there are many resources available to help answer these any many more of your unsettling questions. Keep in mind that every author, whether you're in the beginning stages of your first "baby" or a full-fledged writing professional, goes through various phases of their work and will undoubtedly require some form of assistance at some point. The challenges of just starting out, looking for the right agent, editor or publicist, negotiating contracts and overcoming writer's block have plagued every successful writer at one time or another during their career. What do you do when these challenges arise? Where do you go for answers?

   

Finding the right resources for your needs is simple.

www.inkspot.com (Great source of information, including a special section for young and aspiring writers.

	www.authorsguild.org (Get legal advice from the people who know all the ins and outs of the industry. Contract negotiations, electronic rights, etc.) $$
	www.iwwg.com (The International Women's Writing Guild. Network with other women writers in the U.S. and overseas. Holds year-round seminars and conferences. Annual Skidmore conference held in New York.) $$
	www.blackwriters.org (Online organization for uprising African-American authors. Great forum for networking and showcasing your work.) $$
	www.aa-aha.com (African-America Authors Helping Authors. Online organization for aspiring and established authors.) $$
	www.georgiawriters.org (A well-established writing organization for authors who live in the state of Georgia. This group sponsors many annual book events within the state of Georgia and is also the host of the annual GAYA awards.) $$
	www.teenink.com (A site written by teens, for teens. Includes writing contests, interviews, stories and a host of fun stuff for teen writers.)
	www.parapublishing.com (A wealth of information for first time writers, including marketing tips, establishing yourself as a first-time author and more...)

Things you'll need to help you get started: A good, complete dictionary. (Just about any one will do.) A large, thorough thesaurus. (Lists words with identical or similar meanings.) This will            prevent you from using the same words over and over again to relay the same idea. An easy-to-use guide to the rules of the English language. The Gregg Reference            Manual by William Sabin and Harbrace College Handbook by John C. Hodges are            great tools to keep handy. At least one reference volume of general information. World Almanac and Encyclopedia Britannica are nice choices. Some are available on CD-Rom anywhere from $40 - $100.     If you're a magazine buff, a good one to subscribe to is Writer's Digest. This magazine is full of useful information, including helpful hints from successful authors, editors, and publishers. Includes contest information and more.