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Artist: Исаковский

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Useful free writing resources

This is a slight repost from well over a year ago, and if you somehow manage to find it, idk you get a digital cookie or something. Oh, and btw it’s mainly YouTube channels since that’s where I live. Note that there isn’t right (write) way to write, and all of these channels vary in subject coverage and levels of advice advancement. Hopefully there is something here for everyone! With that out of the way, let’s get into it.

Brandon Sanderson’s YouTube Channel

More specifically his 2020 creative writing lecture at BYU playlist

Sanderson is a massive fantasy author (having written Mistborn, Way of Kings, Arora Rising, and many many other books) and I really enjoy his work. The 2020 lecture series is a free college class (essentially) where he dives into world building, character creation, plot, outlining, and anything you would need to know about writing fantasy. I have found his lectures useful for other genres. And is overall very beginner friendly with his approach to teaching. That lecture series is the perfect place to start if you’re looking to start getting serious about your writing.

Outside of his lecture series, he serves as a massive inspiration for with work ethic and manner in which interacts with his audience. Another video of his would recommend is “Thing I wish I knew as a teenage writer”; it goes into detail about the mistakes and mindsets he had a teenager, which is applicable to those outside of their teen years!

Abbie Emmon’s YouTube Channel

Emmons is an indie YA author known for her book 100 Days of Sunlight. Her videos are short, easy to digest, and jam-packed with information about character building and story structure. Having read her novel, I can attest to the fact she knows what she’s talking about and applies what she teaches into her writing. Along with her videos she provides free worksheets to help you get started.

She also hosts a podcast called “The Kate and Abbie Show” where she and her sister, Kate, dive into various writing topics. It ranges from tactical advice to more discussion based content. You can find the podcast on YouTube (on K.A. Emmon’s channel) or wherever you listen to podcasts. I find these podcasts useful for getting inspiration.

Alexa Donne’s YouTube Channel

Donne is a traditionally published author, having published two YA sci-fi books and a YA thriller (another one is coming out soon). I have read her most recent thriller and one of her sci-fi books, and while I wasn’t blown away by her writing, she has a lot of skill and kept me reading.

Along with general writing advice and advice on writing thrillers (which have helped me so, so much), she also gets into the weeds of traditional publishing. She covers a wide range of topics within trad pub, along with more discussion based videos.

Bethany Atazadeh’s YouTube Channel

Bethany is an award winning self published author, and I have read her YA fantasy book The Stolen Kingdom. I enjoyed it as a light romp and can clearly see where her principles of writing apply.

Her channel is a treasure trove of information about any and everything self publishing. From marketing to outlining, she has it all. She also publishes slice-of-life vlogs, giving insight into the day to day of a professionally published author. If you’re looking to self-publish, check out her channel.

ShaelinWrites & Rachel Writes

Both are separate YouTube channels

Shaelin works with Reedsy and is a published short fiction writer. She provides out-of-the-box advice on the craft of writing, and offers a different perspective on the same old advice you see. She altered my perspective on writing and taught me to think outside my limited perspective of writing. If you’re seeking deeper, more advanced advice on writing, check out her channel.

Rachel hosts discussion and advice based videos on her channel. I love her insight and nuanced takes on various writing subjects. Her channel is more laid back, and is like an older sister chatting with you about writing. It’s really refreshing to see! She also talks about really difficult writing discussion with delicacy and ease. 

Heart Breathings’ YouTube Channel

Sarra Cannon is a very successful and knowledgeable self published romance/YA urban fantasy writer. Having been in the game for a decade, she’s a wealth of information on self publishing, outlining, and inspiration. She taught me how to manage and write a series (see her playlist “how to write and plan a series”), which many authors don’t get into!

Liselle Sambury’s YouTube Channel

Sambury is a traditionally published YA fantasy author of Blood Like Magic and its sequel Blood Like Fate. I found her “Debut Diary” series a useful insight into what it’s like debuting into the trad pub space. Overall, her content is more slice-of-life vlogging, but I find it relaxing to watch. She does have some advice videos sprinkled in, but it’s not the focus of her channel.

Masterclass.com

If you quickly need to know anything about any writing subject, look no further than masterclass articles. While the articles themselves vary in quality and specificity, they’re easy to read and get you started in your research about any writing topic.

And the best channel I’ve found for writing is:

Diane Callahan — Quotidian Writer

This channel single handedly lead to so many breakthroughs with my writing improvement. The channel is professional, covers in-depth and advanced writing advice on so many subjects. She provides concrete examples of all of her advice. I wouldn’t recommend this channel for a complete beginner, seeing as the information can her overwhelming, but if you’re tired of seeing the same three bits of advice and want to take your writing to the next level, check out this channel.

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you found this list helpful, and I wish you the best in your writing journey.