Selected Resources & Organizations for Writers, Editors, and Other Freelancers — Part 1

(www.inkthinkerblog.com) — I’ve been meaning for months to post a list of professional organizations and resources for writers, but somehow haven’t had the time to get it together. Here are some I use or have used. To follow: recommendations from other.

American Independent Writers (www.aiwriters.org) – Disclosure: I am a Board member. Paid membership, paid job bank, free e-mail discussion list (which I am currently improving and preparing to relaunch, so don’t miss it!), monthly events (members get discounted admission), fantastic annual conference.

Council of Science Editors (www.councilscienceeditors.org) – I’ve been a member for 3 or 4 years and just decided not to renew my membership, which expires in May. I get a lot of value out of the bimonthly journal, but not so much so anything else. And the prices just went up. It’s very geared toward journal editors (both manuscript editors and managing editors/editors-in-chief).

American Medical Writers Association (www.amwa.org) – Great monthly newsletter, excellent resources through the website, great journal, very active e-mail discussion lists. Excellent value for the money, IMO.

Virginia Press Women / National Federation of Press Women (www.virginiapresswomen.org) – Great conference, great monthly newsletter, wish there were more ways to interact with the members online. Maybe there are and I’ve just missed them.

DCPubs (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dcpubs/) – “DCPUBS is a list for editors, designers, production folks and other people in the Washington DC area working on publications who want to discuss anything related to editing: sticky style issues; newspaper, technical, and other specialized editing; reference books; production and desktop publishing; marketing and distribution issues; client relations; Internet resources; electronic editing and software; freelance issues; and so on.” Member since 2004, highly recommended.

DC Web Women (http://www.dcwebwomen.org/) – Free membership org, outstanding e-mail discussion list, very supportive and interesting group and excellent events. Ladies only.

Copyediting-L (http://www.copyediting-l.info/) – Active and interesting e-mail discussion list “for copy editors and other defenders of the English language who want to discuss anything related to editing: Sticky style issues; philosophy of editing; newspaper, technical, and other specialized editing; reference books; client relations; Internet resources; electronic editing and software; freelance issues; and so on.” Member on and off for about 4 year, find it extremely valuable when I need help and very interesting the rest of the time.

HARO (www.helpareporter.com) – Free e-mail list distributed 3x/day by PR dude Peter Shankman. Great for finding sources and BEING a source. Don’t know how I ever lived without it.
I have many, many more to share, so look for several more posts along this vein over the next week or so.

Contents Copyright © 2006-2014 Kristen King

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Katharine Dec 18, 2008 Link

    I have to report that my membership in the Council of Science Editors has been very profitable to me: Several now long-term clients found me through my ad on the CSE web site’s Manuscript & Publications Services page of its Job Bank section.

  • Wilson Pon Dec 19, 2008 Link

    This is a nice list, and I will check it out right away. Thanks for the useful resource! :)

  • answers to questions Dec 21, 2008 Link

    Thanks for the great information and those are some great sources for writers. Thanks again for the great article, I definitely will be back to read more.

    answers to questions´s last blog post..Can telephone and network signals be put on a single cat 5 wire?

  • Stephen Gobel Jun 8, 2021 Link

    Do you know any lawyers with whom I could discuss liability issues related to self-help books?

    • Kristen King Jun 9, 2021 Link

      I don’t, but you could contact the state bar association to ask for a referral. Good luck!