Hi, we're Wattpad.

The world's largest storytelling community, home to 97 million people¹ who spend over 26 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories, wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse gen z writers and their fans..

¹As of July 2023

websites fiction writing

See Your Story...

websites fiction writing

Your original story could be the next big hit

Wattpad Studios discovers untapped, unsigned, and talented writers on Wattpad and connects them to global multi-media entertainment companies.

Wattpad Studios works with partners such as:

Your voice belongs on bookshelves

Wattpad Books aspires to recognize and reflect diverse voices by taking Wattpad stories to published book and onto bookshelves around the world.

Wattpad Books works with partners such as:

websites fiction writing

Find out more about what we do for writers →

How wattpad works.

Get your story discovered through the power of community and technology on Wattpad.

Share your unique voice and original story on Wattpad. Find the writing resources you need to craft a story only you can tell.

Establish a global fan base as your story gains readership and momentum. Connect with other like-minded writers through storytelling.

Gain Wattpad Star status and get your story published or adapted into film or television with Wattpad WEBTOON Studios!

²Monthly Wattpad Visitors. As of July 2023

/landing/carousel/white-stag.png

Working with Wattpad Studios is like a dream. Not only do they care about your success, but also staying true to your vision.

KARA BARBIERI (@PANDEAN)

Kara Barbieri is a twenty-two year old author with a love for the weird and mystic. Her debut novel, WHITE STAG, will be published by Wednesday Books/Macmillan in January 2019.

/landing/carousel/walter-boys.png

When I joined Wattpad, I gained a second family who were as passionate about reading and writing as I am.

ALI NOVAK (@FALLZSWIMMER)

Ali Novak is a Wisconsin native and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's creative writing program. She started writing her debut novel My Life with the Walter Boys when she was only fifteen. Since then, her work has received more than 150 million hits online and My Life with the Walter Boys has been optioned for television by Komixx Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television.

/landing/carousel/black-eye.png

Being a Wattpad Star is the foundation for everything I do as a writer, from the behind the scenes wrangling to the big, game-changing projects.

BEN SOBIECK (@BENSOBIECK)

Benjamin Sobieck is a Wattpad Star and editor of “The Writer’s Guide to Wattpad,” published in August 2018 by Writer’s Digest Books and featuring contributions by 23 Wattpad Stars, ambassadors, and staff. His stories on Wattpad, such as “When the Black-Eyed Children Knock,” have drawn more than 1.5 million reads.

/landing/carousel/feather.png

Having been active on Wattpad for several years, I knew it would be the perfect platform for a thriller with lots of cliffhangers for readers to discuss. Teen horror is my passion, so I can’t wait to be able to share Light as a Feather with other horror aficionados on Hulu.

ZOE AARSEN (@ZAARSENIST)

Zoe Aarsen is a graphic designer and copywriter. Her first paranormal YA novel, Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, is being published by Simon & Schuster and turned into a television series on Hulu.

/landing/carousel/chasing-red.png

The Wattpad Stars Program gave me opportunities I never thought possible. It connected me to a world that I had only imagined. I don’t know how else to say it. It changed my life!

ISABELLE RONIN (@ISABELLERONIN)

Chasing Red was one of 2016’s most-read stories on Wattpad -- and that was just the beginning for this Winnipeg-Manitoba-based writer. In a single year, her explosive hit has racked up over 127 million reads on Wattpad. Newly edited and expanded, the book was split into two and hit bookstore shelves in 2017.

Get Discovered

websites fiction writing

Writing Contests

Enter writing contests to get published, win awards, and partner with global brands.

websites fiction writing

Wattpad’s annual awards program committed to celebrating the best stories around the world.

websites fiction writing

Wattpad Picks

Get featured on our hand-picked reading list.

The world’s most positive platform for brands to engage Gen Z.

If you’re a business, click below to learn more.

Take Wattpad With You

Read and write anywhere, even offline.

websites fiction writing

Where stories live

Join Wattpad

Be part of a global community of readers and writers, all connected through the power of story.

Google Login

  • Wattpad Originals
  • Try Premium
  • Get the App
  • Brand Partnerships
  • Payment Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • © 2024 Wattpad

websites fiction writing

Best story writing websites in 2022

What are the best storytelling websites? We’ve put together a selection of writing sites offering writing tips, help with plot and character, book publication and promo resources and more.

  • Post author By Jordan
  • 27 Comments on Best story writing websites in 2022

websites fiction writing

Need writing resources? Here are some of the best story writing websites. We’ve updated these resources to include writing tips, story plotting resources, publishing and book promo help, and more.

Fiction writing websites – categories

Writing tips and insights from authors, community and writing critiques, help creating plot and structure, advice on creating characters, worldbuilding and creating story settings, writing tools for planning stories, creativity, inspiration and writing prompts, editing and evaluating your writing, insights from and help finding agents, story and book publishing help, help promoting your writing, writing genres and genre-specific insight.

  • Further writing resources and roundups

Let’s dive in and explore some of the best writing resources on the web. Use the links on the right (if on a desktop device) to go to the section that interests you:

The websites in this section aren’t so much story writing websites as resources offering a peek into authors’ writing process , inspiration sources and advice:

The Paris Review

The Paris Review’s ‘Art of Fiction’ series includes interviews with celebrated authors and editors.

Interviewed luminaries include Toni Morrison, Ernest Hemingway, Ray Bradbury and others. See, for example, Faulkner on why believing you can rewrite better is positive motivation for an artist.

The books section of NPR offers many interesting interviews, podcasts (with transcripts) and book picks.

The New York Times By the Book

The New York Times is an excellent website for writers generally due to the caliber of its writing. The ‘By the Book’ section of this writing website offers illuminating author interviews.

Read Ocean Vuong on bringing books to lunch dates , ‘just in case’. Although the NYT is paywalled, it’s one of the more worthwhile (and cheaper) sites to subscribe to.

Writers & Artists

UK writing platform Writers & Artists has many blog articles and interviews. Their ‘advice’ section is particularly helpful for writers.

See this article by author Michèle Roberts , Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. Roberts shares how to get over writer’s block.

Best writing website quotes - Michele Roberts

The Writer Magazine

Founded in 1887, The Writer magazine offers many illuminating interviews with authors. Here, for example, author Emma Straub talks character development , writing routine, the writing process, and more.

Additional resources

Is there another website whose author interviews you love? Please share your favorites in the comments below. Read advice from eight Nobel-winning authors here .

Writing groups are a fantastic way to develop your story (as our Group Coaching writing course alumni attest). Here are places to get feedback on your writing:

We’ll toot our own horn here: Now Novel’s critique groups are home to first-timers and experienced writers alike. Members who earn our ‘top critiquer’ badge frequently and consistently give thoughtful, considered writing feedback. We’ve regularly featured in Reedsy’s list of top writing communities and other best-of roundups.

Read our article on how to give feedback that rocks here .

now novel community

Develop Your Story With Support

Finishing writing is hard – get help and stay accountable to your goals.

The writing platform Medium is described as an open platform ‘where readers find dynamic thinking’.

You’ll often find interesting thought pieces, such as Katie Lawrence’s piece on writing a bestseller here , as well as readers’ engaging comments.

Absolute Write Water Cooler

Absolute Write is a free writing forum and community. Here, writers share tips on subjects from writing software to approaching agents and editors.

See the full list of writing forums , spanning basic writing questions, how to deal with having stories turned down for publication, and much more.

The /r/writing Subreddit

Reddit is the more verbal of all the social platforms, and thus a natural fit for writers. The /r/writing subreddit currently has over two million members, and there are daily discussions about writing tools and software, and weekly critique and self-promotion threads too.

Creating the plot and structure for a story is hard without a framework. The fiction writing websites below offer plot frameworks, ways to understand story structure, and tips for writing page-turning stories.

To get brainstorming stories right away, start with Now Novel’s browser-based story outlining tool , the Now Novel dashboard.

Now Novel story planning tool example using Cinderella

The Nashville Film Institute provides a useful breakdown of Dan Harmon’s ‘Story Circle’ plot structure template , which itself is derived from Joseph Campbell’s classic The Hero’s Journey story structure concept .

UC Berkeley teaching resources

UC Berkeley has a portal with resources for teachers that includes a wonderfully clear summary of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey . The resource includes deep dives into the hero’s journey in myth and film. Explore various ways this story pattern recurs in different media.

Screenwriting tricks for authors

Author and screenwriter Alexandra Sokoloff’s blog offers many tips on plot and story structure. See a plot structure series Sokoloff wrote for NaNoWriMo on three-act story structure, beginning with the inciting incident .

The Plot Whisperer

Author Martha Alderson offers plenty of advice on how to plot and structure stories on her Plot Whisperer blog.

See, for example, ‘ 15 tips to create a compelling plot for your story ‘.

Aerogramme Writers’ Studio

Although Aerogramme Writers’ Studio has been taking a hiatus since around 2020 from posting new content, there is still a trove of useful story plotting and structure info on this story writing website.

See teacher and author Kenn Adams’ breakdown of the ‘story spine’ , a simple, eight-step ‘fill-in-the-blank’ process to find the core focus of a story.

Plot generator

This plot generator tool churns out some pretty wild plot ideas (‘Bernadette is a killer fuelled by homophobia, who watches teachers and shaves them’.) You may find useful plot tidbits in the midst of the absurdity.

The Learning Network on the NYT

Another helpful part of the New York Times (apart from the author interview section linked above) is its learning network.

See for example 1000 writing prompts for students in this article. These could be interesting questions to ask your fictional characters, too.

The secrets of story structure by K.M. Weiland

Author K.M. Weiland’s blog has many helpful articles on story craft. Her fiction writing website includes multi-article guides such as ‘The Secrets of Story Structure’ here .

ChatGPT by OpenAI

This AI writing generator is a helpful tool for finding writing prompts, synonyms, creating permutations of lines and ideas, and more. See our article on 10 helpful uses of AI writing tools where we explore the tool’s uses and limitations.

Learning how to create characters in an ongoing process of writing, learning more about the psychology of goals, motivations, desires and conflicts, and reading great character studies. Read our best articles on creating characters , and find useful character creation resources below:

Writers Write

Writers Write, originally founded by Amanda Patterson, has many articles on character development. Read this blog post for 350 ideas for character traits .

Ian Irvine’s character how-to’s

Author Ian Irvine has a great selection of character-building advice here , which he has condensed from Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias .

Random motive generator

Random generators are hit and miss, but this character motive generator can give you some ideas for the motive part of goal, motivation and conflict.

See more tips on creating clear goal, motivation and conflict for your characters in this extract from our monthly writing craft webinars with Now Novel coach and HarperCollins-published author, Romy Sommer:

This person does not exist

This AI-driven image creation tool composites a massive sample of images to create images of humans who do not (in theory) exist, generating characterful new people from visual data . Try refreshing the page a few times, then write a paragraph of description imagining who the person in front of you is.

Live Write Breathe

Author Janalyn Voigt offers plenty of writing advice on her blog, including this characte-building worksheet .

Worldbuilding is vital for creating believable settings that feel lived in and plausible. Read our best articles on creating settings and find worldbuilding resources for stories below:

Azgaar’s fantasy map generator

Countless fantasy novels begin with front pages showing fictional maps. Create your own with Azgaar’s fun, free browser-based fantasy map generator .

TED-Ed is the American media organization TED’s (of TED Talks – ‘ideas worth spreading’) platform for educational materials. Among the resources shared, you’ll find this rap from YouTube creator Flocabulary on why setting in stories matters .

TV Tropes offers many succinct wiki-style pages on film, TV and book tropes (motifs or devices that recur in popular culture and literature). See a post on the ‘standard fantasy setting’ that also links to TV Tropes’ page on urban fantasy.

The British national archives

If you are setting your story in England in a specific historical period, the national archives are a great resource for finding information. The collection spans 1000 years plus, including subjects such as the military, census records, famous wills, photographs of famous prisoners and more.

Writing a story set in another non-fictive country? Google for digital archives that may supply texture and detail for your setting.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America has many useful worldbuilding resources. See, for example, Patricia C. Wrede’s comprehensive list of fantasy worldbuilding questions .

Planning stories and creating outlines in advance is one way to ensure that you stay on track and don’t get stuck while drafting.

Read ways to use Now Novel’s story outlining tools and find more tools for planning stories below:

Several Now Novel members have mentioned that they use this well-known desktop-based writing software in tandem with Now Novel’s own online story brainstorming tools, as each compliments the others set of features. Read more about Scrivener’s features .

Although exclusive to Apple devices, this is a popular writing app that includes features such as word count tracking, as well as folders where you can organize writing project snippets by material integrated into your manuscript, material in review and process work or scrapped ideas.

Milanote is note creation tool pitched to story-boarders working in film, advertising and novel-writing as well . Like Evernote, it has a web clipper for saving snippets of articles you read to notes.

One stop for writers – timelines

In addition to offering helpful writing advice on their blog at Writers Helping Writers , Angela Ackerman and co provide a story tool with a timeline-creation tool that you may find useful if the sequence of events in your story is important.

Trello is a flexible browser-based project-management tool with a board-based interface (similar to Milanote) that you can use to organize scene summaries (much like our own Scene Builder, which is more story-oriented). Here’s an article from Trello’s blog on ways to use it to organize your story or story research.

How do you find a story idea ? The resources below include writing prompts, resources for finding story inspiration and more:

The Write Practice blog

The Write Practice has many helpful articles for writers on their blog, including this selection of writing prompts .

The Marginalian

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings) is Maria Popova’s fantastic blog about writers, inspiration, creativity and more. See for example how she unpacks complex ideas about inspiration from Ursula K. Le Guin .

Positive Writer

Bryan Hutchinson offers helpful personal accounts relating to writing and inspiration, such as how creative journaling helped his writing process .

Advice to Writers

Jon Winokur’s writing website offers ‘writerly wisdom of the ages’ in daily quotes, such as this one:

I’ve tried to figure out what good writing is. I know it when I read it in other people’s work or my own. The closest I’ve come is that there’s a rhythm to the writing, in the sentence and the paragraph. When the rhythm’s off, it’s hard to read the thing. Sebastian Junger, quoted by Jon Winokur.

Encyclopedia Mythica

Myths, legends and fables have always been fantastic sources of inspiration for new stories. Encyclopedia Mythica is a helpful wiki all about mythology and famous mythic figures.

Reedsy Plot Generator

Reedsy has a fun tool for generating plot ideas by genre that may help you find initial inspiration for something you can alter and make your own further.

Nonsense Generator

This is another idea generator tool that churns out absurd sentences. More silly than serious, you might find an image that strikes you all the same. Example generated: ‘Two-finger John set a treehouse on fire’.

Bookfox (formerly The John Fox) has many articles with writing prompts and inspiration. Here’s a list of how 50 authors prepare to write and get inspired.

Best writing quotes - Sebastian Junger on good writing

Resources for editing stories will be more important to you perhaps if you are nearer the end of your manuscript. Find out about Now Novel’s editing services here and keep reading for helpful editing tools and resources:

Chicago Manual of Style’s shop talk blog

The Chicago Manual of Style is a trusted style and editing manual. Their ‘shop talk’ blog has helpful tips on grammar, style and punctuation. Also find articles such as this on using Word vs Docs to edit your manuscript.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is ‘an AI-powered writing assistant’ that checks writing for style and grammar issues. See their article on why they’re a good choice of editing plugin to use with Now Novel .

Hemingway App

Hemingway is a simple, browser-based editing tool for checking paragraphs for issues such as sentence structure, reading level, and grammar.

Grammarly is another style and spelling checker that is widely used.

Oxford grammar practice resources

Practice your grammar online with these basic, intermediate and advanced lessons from Oxford University Press.

Grammar Girl

Grammar Girl is a resource that’s part of Mignon Fogarty’s ‘Quick and Dirty Tips’ network. It’s a useful resource for brushing up on grammar. Read about the different types of nouns and their uses , for example.

Once you’ve finished writing a book and edited a draft so it is good enough to send off, where do you find help writing synopses or lists of agents open to submissions? Here are some helpful resources around representation and querying your manuscript:

Writer’s Market guides

Writer’s Market publishes useful annual guides on the publishing industry. You’ll find query letter templates as well as guides to getting agency representation packed with actionable advice.

The Query Shark

Janet Reid’s blog Query Shark provides excellent insight into the parts of query letters that work and pique interest.

Association of Authors’ Representatives

Many agents belong to associations such as the AAR. These agent listing platforms provide a useful way to search for agents interested in your genre and whether they are open to unsolicited submissions or require referrals.

Querytracker

This platform provides a useful list of agents as well as individual agent profiles where querying authors comment their experiences and whether or not they received full or partial manuscript requests. It’s helpful to determine which agents are active and which tend to be more responsive to queries in a specific niche.

Agent and publishing coach Rachelle Gardner

Agent and publishing coach Rachelle Gardner offers plenty of useful advice on writing and publishing, such as this article on whether or not you should write to market .

Curtis Brown Creative’s blog

Curtis Brown Creative, a London-based literary agency established in 2011, offers plenty of advice from agents and agent-represented authors on their blog. Founder and director Anna Davis offers some excellent advice on preparing to submit to agents .

Guide to literary agents

Writer’s Digest’s ‘Guide to Literary Agents’ blog section touches on querying, the importance of perseverance in getting published, and more.

NY Book Editors

NY Book Editors have an excellent blog – the linked article on writing query letters gives plenty of good tips as well as helpful examples of strong openings and more.

Poets & Writers agent database

Poets & Writers magazine has a helpful database of literary agents where you can find agents’ contact details, the genres they’re interested in representing, and further details such as their respective agencies’ websites.

Nathan Bransford’s blog

Nathan Bransford, an author and former agent at Curtis Brown, writes a blog where he offers tips such as how to write a query letter .

Evil Editor

Evil Editor breaks down synopses and explains pitfalls writers should avoid.

Publishing is a vast subject area, from choosing between indie and traditional publishing to understanding market, Kindle store categories, what the publishing process is like, and more.

Watch a video extract from our monthly webinars below where Romy Sommer explores paths to publishing. Then keep reading for useful publishing websites:

Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly is a great resource for all things publishing-related, including weekly information on recent book deals that will help you abreast of what’s happening in publishing.

Writer Beware (the SFWA)

Writer Beware , a subcommunity of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, offers a great resource on dubious publishing tactics and would-be agents and other pitfalls to keep aware of.

Publishers Marketplace

Publishers Marketplace is another useful publishing resource (particularly for US-based writers), including information on agents, their commission rates, recent book deals and more.

Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman’s blog focuses on the publishing industry and helping authors navigate processes such as starting out as an unpublished author. See her beginner’s guide to getting published .

The Creative Penn

Joanna Penn’s blog includes podcasts and interviews with specialists in a range of niches, including book publishing and promo. See for example this podcast interview on going wide with publishing consultant Mark Leslie Lefebvre.

Publishing Perspectives

This publishing portal offers news on recent writing prize winners, news round-ups about events in the book industry, and more.

Hawes Publications

This useful internet resource keeps an updated list of brief plot summaries (loglines) describing popular releases, a two-sentence plot summary or blurb . Reading over succinct summaries could help you tighten your own elevator pitch or logline.

Writing Cooperative

Writing Cooperative is home to many useful resources for writers, such as this list by Austin Hackney of 128 publications that pay for short stories.

BookBub’s blog often features helpful articles on publishing matters, such as this article ‘ 50+ Publishing Resources You Should Know About ‘ by Diana Urban.

Reedsy offers a comprehensive directory of publishers that have been vetted, including data such as location, size, what genres they publish, and whether or not they are indie and open to submissions.

Kindle Publishing Guidelines

If you’re planning to indie publish a book on Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing has a handy knowledge base with information on everything from cover image guidelines to enhanced typesetting tips.

Book marketing is something many authors find challenging. Reading the right resources and putting time into promoting your work (or rather, building relationships with future readers) is key to selling. Find useful resources for book promo below:

Penguin UK’s blog

Penguin’s blog has many articles offering succinct tips, such as this post on ways to promote your book (including video on what a book publicist does).

NetGalley is a book promo platform devoted to helping build your ‘street team’ – readers who may receive advance copies in exchange for honest reviews.

Smith Publicity

Smith Publicity is a book publicity agency that offers helpful guides to doing book promo. See these 110 tips for marketing your book.

Whitefox, a company offering publishing consultancy and other services relating to publishing and distribution, offers helpful tips on book promo on their blog. See this round-up, where nine book industry insiders give advice for creating pre-publication buzz.

Scribe Media

Scribe Media offer, among other services, book launch preparation and assistance getting media exposure. Read their helpful post on thirteen ways to get more exposure for your book .

Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur

Dave Chesson provides useful introductions to book promo (pertaining to selling via Amazon’s Kindle store), such as this guide to choosing the right categories for giving your books maximum visibility.

The Book Designer

The Book Designer, in the same stable as Self Publishing School, has several helpful articles related to book promo, such as this one on how to get reviews for indie-published books .

Self-Publishing School

Self-Publishing School offers various tips on book publishing and promo, and this is a helpful round-up of free and paid sites where you can promote your latest publication .

There are many internet resources that provide insight and help specific to different writing genres. Find resources for romance, fantasy, mystery, crime, sci-fi, historical and more below:

Writing romance

Find our best romance articles here and extra romance writing websites below:

Write for Harlequin

Harlequin has long been a big name in romance publishing. On the ‘Write for Harlequin’ blog, the publisher frequently shares editors’ wish lists such as this summary of stories sought in the historical romance subgenre .

The Mills & Boon blog

Mills & Boon is another big name in romance publishing, and their blog features many interesting romance subgenre and trope discussions, such as authors on why they love writing the ‘enemies to lovers’ trope .

Diana Gabaldon’s blog

Diana Gabaldon, author of the successful romantic historical Outlander series, has an active blog where she shares interviews from the archives, news and more. Here’s an interview where Gabaldon speaks on writing an honest romance book that will ring true regardless of setting, time period, and how much (or little) autobiography it contains.

She Reads Romance Books

Review communities dedicated to specific genres are a great way to delve into the minds of readers in your target market and see what makes readers love the books they do. This romance-focused site offers round ups of the best romance books over the years and more.

Nicholas Sparks’ blog

Some of the tips on romance author Nicholas Sparks’ blog may read a little pat, but in the ‘advice to writers’ section of the author’s website there is this good advice:

Over time, quality work will lead to an audience for your work. In the end, readers always choose. Nicholas Sparks, author’s website.

Romance Writers of Australia

This Australian romance writers’ organization offers a fun ‘three things I learned writing …’ series where romance authors discuss three things they learned while writing their published books. It’s full of motivating lessons from romance writing such as ‘anything is fixable’.

Romance Writers of America

The RWA likewise has an archive of helpful articles on romance writing . Articles range from industry news to tips for building your newsletter.

Writing fantasy

Read all our most popular fantasy-writing articles here , and more on the genre below:

The SWFA’s blog

This has been mentioned already above in a different context, but in addition to its excellent guides and resources, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America also offers articles by guest contributors on topics such as walking the line between good style and too much fantasy jargon and slang .

Ursula K. Le Guin archives

The ‘about writing’ archives on Ursula K. Le Guin’s website are a great selection of the late fantasy and science fiction author’s musings on fantasy-related and more general writing topics. Here’s a good open letter on plausibility in fantasy with interesting discussion of the way Tolkien uses settings.

Neil Gaiman’s blog

Author Neil Gaiman’s career has spanned an eclectic range of genres and formats, from dark fantasy to sci fi, graphic novels and screenplays. The author’s blog is full of interesting insights into fantasy, such as an appreciation post for Sir Terry Pratchett or this essay on where Gaiman gets his ideas .

The Speculative Literature Foundation

The Speculative Literature Foundation is ‘a global nonprofit dedicating to promoting literary quality in speculative fiction’. Resources the organization offers include lists of grants for fantasy and sci-fi writers as well as interviews with speculative fiction writers and deep dives into writing matters .

Fantasy author Brent Weeks

The fantasy author Brent Weeks offers plenty of excellent advice on fantasy worldbuilding , magic systems, writing fight scenes and more on his personal blog.

Writing science fiction

Another complex speculative genre, science fiction has many fantastic writing organizations and story writing websites dedicated to the genre:

Neal Stephenson’s writing advice

Although not a separate story writing website, speculative fiction titan Neal Stephenson’s writing advice on the TED-Ed blog is simple and golden.

Galaxy science fiction magazine archives

Galaxy was a science fiction magazine published from 1950 to 1980 and is thus an interesting time capsule for SF writers. You can read stories by Ray Bradbury in its pages (including his story ‘The Fireman’ which later became his cult novel, Fahrenheit 451 ).

Philip K. Dick on androids and humans

One of the most influential sci-fi authors of all time gave a speech titled ‘The Android and the Human’ at the Vancouver Science Fiction Convention in 1972, available to read here .

Asimov Online

Isaac Asimov, one of the so-called ‘big three’ science fiction authors, is the subject of this internet archive of sci-fi resources , essays and more.

Arthur C. Clarke at 100

On the centenary of Arthur C. Clarke’s birth, Adam Roberts reflects on this ‘big three’ sci-fi author’s legacy and works such as Rendezvous with Rama (1973) and 2001: A Space Odyssey for The Guardian .

Tor, a speculative fiction publishing company, runs a blog featuring interesting science fiction reads such as this article by author Adam Oyebanji on how science ‘nudges fiction towards new frontiers’.

Locus Magazine

Billed as ‘the magazine of the science fiction and fantasy field’, Locus’ fiction writing website has speculative fiction publishing news, reviews, interviews, lists of sci-fi and fantasy conventions, and more.

Writing crime and mystery

The crime and mystery fiction writing websites below include writing organizations, useful crime-writing and mystery resources, and more:

Mystery Writers of America

The Mystery Writers of America writing organization describes itself as ‘the premier organization for mystery and crime writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and folks who just love to read crime fiction’. See their list of vetted publishers of crime and mystery .

The Crime Writers’ Association

Another crime-writing organization based in the UK, member benefits include co-promotion of new crime novel releases, monthly crime fiction -devoted newsletters, and more.

International Thriller Writers

The International Thriller Writers organization like the CWA has a debut authors program , whereby you get extra help with launching and promoting your debut in return for membership.

Agatha Christie archives

This website devoted to the seminal mystery author’s life and work includes interesting information such as this article on how Christie wrote , along with bibliographies, reading lists and more.

Louise Penny’s author site

Mystery author Louise Penny offers tips and encouragement for getting published on her personal author site.

Crime Reads

A crime and mystery-writing website, Crime Reads offers blogs on mystery topics such as the ‘fine art’ of writing riveting plot twists .

Sisters in Crime

Founded in 1986 to advocate for women crime writers, Sisters in Crime offers writing webinars, resources for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and more.

Jungle Red Writers

This blog helmed by seven women who write crime has many interesting reads, such as Hannah Mary Mckinnon’s article on embracing research .

Elizabeth Spann Craig

Cozy mystery author Elizabeth Spann Craig blogs about writing mysteries and also has an well-curated writing guide roundup she shares via Twitter called ‘Twitterific Writing Links’.

Criminal Minds blog

The premise of this story writing website is simple: ‘Each week, we respond to provocative questions about crime fiction, writing, publishing and life.’ Read crime and mystery Q&As .

Crime by the Book blog

Crime by the Book is ‘the result of one girl’s ongoing exploration of crime fiction from around the world’. You’ll find crime book reviews, recommended reading lists and more on this portal dedicated to the crime genre.

Crime Fiction Lover

This crime-focused writing site offers crime novel reviews, author spotlights and interviews, a virtual book club and more.

Author Bryn Donovan’s blog

Author Bryn Donovan offers helpful tips for mystery and crime writers, such as this list of 25 case-solving clues you could use in a story.

The unsolved mysteries subreddit

Reddit is full of interesting topic threads with deep dives and articles shares. A good subreddit or community for mystery authors is the Unsolved Mysteries subreddit .

Here, members discuss unsolved cases and their theories about what happened. [Note that stories may share disturbing elements relating to unsolved police cases].

Writing children’s and YA fiction

Writing for younger readers entails writing to specific reading age norms, knowing what is age-appropriate and more. Find useful writing websites for YA and kids’ lit below:

The Atlantic

The Atlantic is not dedicated to YA and kids’ lit, but has a helpful article here where YA authors share their best tips on writing for and about teens.

The YA Bookshelf

The YA Bookshelf is a useful website for YA book reviews and resources. See their roundup of YA book blogs , for example.

Hannah Holt’s blog

Children’s writer Hannah Holt has an interesting deep dive into YA author stats (though published in 2017, it has all kinds of insights into YA author advances, average submissions until being published and more).

So You Want to Write

So You Want to Write has a comprehensive guide to writing YA by YA fantasy author Mackenzie Belcastro.

John Green Q&A

It’s great when authors give concise answers to complex questions. YA author John Green’s writing FAQs on his website answers interesting questions such as ‘how do you write about adolescents when you aren’t one?’

Vlogbrothers

Writing for younger readers necessitates using platforms younger readers love well and meaningfully. See John and Hank Green’s vlog on YouTube for ideas of how to create meaningful video content for your YA readers.

Sarah Webb’s children’s writing tips

Children’s author Sarah Webb shares great advice for writing for children on her author site.

Michael Morpugo’s teaching resources

Sir Michael Morpugo, one of the best-loved children’s authors and author of War Horse , shares inviting question and quiz resources for parents and educators to go with his books via the author’s website. An inspiring ed-tech format to use with your own children’s writing.

Interview with Maurice Sendak

The Guardian has many fantastic articles mixing essay with interview, such as this biting and fascinating conversation with Maurice Sendak , author and illustrator of the beloved Where the Wild Things Are . His statement ‘I refuse to lie to children’ is an interesting maxim for writing for younger, truth-seeking readers.

The Federation of Children’s Book Groups

This helpful resource for children’s book writers and readers includes interviews with authors, information on the Children’s Book Award, and more.

Writing historical fiction

Writing historical fiction naturally involves research due to stories being based on real events. Here are some of he best internet resources for researching and writing historical books, including museum archives with digital collections and universities’ subject specialist research guides.

British Pathé archives

British Pathé is a fascinating resource for historical footage and photo collections. See, for example, their outline of key events from WWII.

The National Archives (UK)

The National Archives is a vast archive spanning 1000 years of UK history. The searchable collections have many photo albums and articles, on everything from coronations to crime and punishment in specific eras.

The Smithsonian Institute

Across the Atlantic, the Smithsonian Institute offers vast archives of research materials to do with American history, from conservation biology to art history.

National Archives of Australia

Writing books set in Australia? The National Archives of Australia provides research guides for subjects such as first peoples and colonial history, foreign relations, military history and more.

USC Latin America resource guide

The University of Southern California offers a useful, organized guide to resources on Latin American history and archives from this region as well as the Caribbean. Google ‘.edu’ and the area you’re interested in and ‘resources’ to find similar librarian-developed research resources for historical fiction.

Yale’s European history library guide

Yale University has a fantastic library guide to historical research resources about Europe . Includes resources for general Western European history and medieval, early modern and modern Europe.

The Historical Novel Society

Founded in 1997, this organization is devoted to historical fiction and offers a quarterly magazine, information on historical fiction conferences, member directory and more.

A Writer of History by M.K. Tod

Historical fiction author and blogger M.K. Tod shares many interesting historical fiction discussions and interviews on her blog. For example, this deep dive on behind-the-scenes facts from WWII .

Africa is a Country

Africa is a Country (the title is ironic) is a fantastic resource for nuanced journalism and contemporary, left-leaning analysis of African culture and politics, reviews of books about African and diasporic issues, and more. A good research resource for studying African issues and debates.

English Historical Fiction Authors

This history writing blog began in 2011 and shares all kinds of interesting micro history accounts by historical writers from various periods of British history.

Queen Anne Boleyn blog

This site devoted to historical fiction and named after the famously executed second wife of Heny VIII has many interesting blog articles. See, for example, where history authors weighed in on casting decisions and the question of race and representation in adapting historical stories for film and TV.

Jane Austen’s World

This blog offers thought-provoking deep dives into Austen’s writing , the Regency period (such as social customs of the time) and more.

Further writing resources

Mcsweeney’s internet tendency.

A long-standing humor site that publishes biting satire and parody, such as ‘If people talked to other professionals the way they talk to teachers’ by Shannon Reed . A good regular read for aspiring humor writers.

Quora is often a very useful resource when you have a specific writing-related question you’d like to crowd-source answers for (for example, ‘ What is plot development? ‘).

Chuck Wendig’s Terrible Minds

Chuck Wendig’s Terrible Minds blog is full of interesting and profanity-laden articles about the writing process [not for the expletive-squeamish] and now features guest articles on topics such as ‘five things learned while writing a book’.

Writer’s Digest

Writer’s Digest is one of the longest-standing writing sites on the web, with WD having been founded long before the interne in 1920. They offer fiction and non-fiction writing resources, a very broad section on getting published and more.

National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo has a simple premise: Challenging writers to try produce a book draft in a month. Anyone who has written or attempted to write a book knows this is no time at all, but many authors use the write-a-thon as an exercise to see how much they can churn out of a manuscript within 30 days.

Writer Unboxed

This story writing website founded by Kathleen Bolton and current editorial director Therese Walsh offers an engaging blog and also published a writing manual , Author in Progress in partnership with Writer’s Digest. The manual is billed as ‘a no-holds-barred guide to what it really takes to get published’.

Literary Hub publishes a wide variety of material, but their ‘craft and criticism’ section is perhaps the most immediately useful. Read this article by author Vauhini Vara on how to keep a long project alive (with advice from writer and Emeritus Professor of English Tobias Wolff).

What are your favorite literary writing websites? Let us know in the comments below. Start writing a book with structured support and a caring community’s help.

Related Posts:

  • Writing a fantasy novel: 34 must-visit websites
  • Publishing a novel in 2022: 10 useful insights
  • How to get your book published: Detailed 2022 guide
  • Tags writing resources , writing websites

websites fiction writing

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

27 replies on “Best story writing websites in 2022”

Always great content on here! Really impressed at how in depth this list is. Bookmarking it for later.

Thanks so much, Ben.

Great content and we are really impressed with the way of presentations

This was such an awesome article. So awesome in fact I’ve featured it on my top 15 best articles on writing – ever! http://reflectionsfromaredhead.com/the-best-articles-on-writing/

Thank you, Janine! Have shared your post on social media.

That is quite an extensive list. Thank you very much for this comprehensive blog post.

Take a look at Writelight as well.

Thank you for the suggestion, Artem.

Hello, I Like your blog, I wanted to leave a little comment to support you and wish you a good continuation. Wish you best of luck for all your best efforts. Bonobology | Romantic Story

If this list gets update sometime, some sites for Writer Podcasts and Book Cover resources would be good addition.

Hi Adrijus, great suggestions. It’s on my list!

Happy to share some if needed.

P.S. Do you take guest posters on? 🙂

Hi Adrijus, we do when it’s good content relevant to aspiring authors primary challenges (e.g. craft, organization, publishing process, etc.) The best thing to do is submit a pitch to help at nownovel dot com via email including topic and title suggestions and we’ll see if there’s fit.

Thanks for asking.

Sounds good. Thank you!

Hi Bridget, you have done a great work here. I’m really impressed.

This was such an awesome article. You can also publish your story on https://highlightstory.com

Thank you! I’m not sure I’ll check out all these resources, but I’ve already found some useful ones for me. I find great support in writers’ blogs and the block with general tips is very useful for me. In addition, I want to share some interesting articles: https://stacitroilo.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/author-inspiration-writing-links-83/ I read this blog regularly as yours and find many useful ideas.

Thank you, Anna. Thanks for sharing helpful resources you’ve come across too.

[…] Novel: “Story writing websites and resources: 200 of the best,” a comprehensive resource divided into useful categories including everything from plot […]

Some of your links need to fixed. One’s like Deborah Bruch’s Plot Analysis Worksheet leads to a “Forbidden” access page, and you have Reedsy leads to the previous option of Nonsense Generator. You have a shit ton of great links, some just need to be cleaned up a bit.

Thank you, JD. Will do – this one hasn’t had some attention in a while. Thank you for reading our blog.

i love writing stories guys

That’s great, Larric – keep writing them 🙂

Nice collection Jordan! I also have a blog where I share my writing tips for story/book writing.

Hi Pauline, thank you for sharing that. I had to remove your link to your site as there is a lot of advertising on-page and the content that I read had several confusing paragraphs and would benefit from editing. Readers could thus see the site as spammy (a reason we don’t run third-party ads on this blog). I would suggest looking at those aspects if you want your readership to grow.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest

Blurb Blog

Home » Writing » 15 writing websites and online resources to help you write your own story

15 writing websites and online resources to help you write your own story

Just like any craft or task, having the right tools for the job can make writing your own story or short story much easier. There are myriad writing online resources and websites out there to help with every aspect of story writing, from story title ideas and plot development to editing. We’ve picked a few of our favorite websites to help you get started, improve your writing, develop your characters, and learn how to edit your work. Ultimately, we want to help you become a more confident and productive writer. But remember, in addition to writing tools, reading more books is the best way to improve your writing because it exposes you to a wide range of writing styles, vocabulary, and language structures.

Resources for getting started

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of an aspiring author more than the blank page. The endlessly flashing cursor. Even when your head is full to the brim with plot twists and characters, getting it all down on paper in a coherent form is another thing altogether. Luckily, this is a common first hurdle for lots of writers, so hundreds of tools and apps have sprung up—dedicated to helping you gather your thoughts and start writing.

Get Started

1. Evernote

This bookmarking tool is a great way to collect moments of inspiration and ideas for your story together in one place, where they can be filed and organized, ready to be put to good use. It might be a ‘how to’ article you want to read, a quote that reminds you of one of your characters, or an image that would be the perfect setting for your next scene. Inspiration strikes in the most unexpected of places, but as Evernote is available on pretty much every platform, you can collect notes wherever you are. You can choose to have one notebook that you throw everything into, or you can set up separate notebooks to help you organize your thoughts and ideas as you go. If you’re working on a novel, why not set up separate notebooks for each character or each chapter?

2. NaNoWriMo

November is a special time of year for writers. If you are struggling to get started writing your own story, then joining NaNoWriMo is the perfect opportunity. Confident that anyone can write a novel in just 30 days, NaNoWriMo provides tools, advice, and resources throughout November to help writers do just that. Be spurred on by the hundreds of writers around the world who join across social media and NaNoWriMo forums to cheer each other on and share learnings from their own experiences. All you need to start is a draft title for your book.

3. The Time is Now

Check out this section of Poets & Writers Magazine online to get weekly writing prompts—poetry on Tuesdays, fiction on Wednesdays, and creative nonfiction on Thursdays. It’s a great resource to help you build a daily writing practice, get new ideas, and improve your craft. Most prompts are inspired by specific books, so you can also grow your reading list!

4. Underlined

Formerly known as Figment , Underlined is a website that provides story starters, writing inspiration, and advice from published authors . You can also join a community of aspiring writers, share excerpts of your work, and provide feedback to each other—all valuable parts of the creative life.

Sites for improving your writing

Whether this is your first attempt at writing your own story or you have a few books behind you always, there are always new things to learn and more ways to improve your writing.

5. 750 Words

As with any skill, the best way to improve your writing is practice, practice, practice. Story writing websites like 750 Words or Writer’s Digest’s Creative Writing Prompts , provide daily nudges to get your creative juices flowing. By just writing without an agenda and without judgment, you’ll make writing every day a regular productive habit and steadily build your confidence.

6. Helping Writers Become Authors

The Helping Writers Become Authors podcast recourse hosted by award-winning author, K.M. Weiland, offers practical tips and advice on story writing from structure and plot to character identity and honing your craft as a writer.

7. Grammar Girl

Get to grips with the quirks of language and the rules of good grammar with this entertaining and hugely useful podcast. Popular Grammar Girl episodes include “Affect Versus Effect” and “Active Voice & Passive Voice.”

Resources for developing your characters

We’re betting you have more than one favorite character from more than one book. Characters like Elizabeth Bennett, Albus Dumbledore, and Bilbo Baggins live on in reader’s minds long after they’ve turned the final page. Your characters should become like old friends, that you know inside and out, to add depth and humanity to your story.

8. Writer’s Digest – Character Development Sheets

Subscribing to the Writer’s Digest mailing list gets you access to this free worksheet designed to flesh out each of your characters. Working through a series of questions, you’ll develop their key hopes, fears, and skills, their personality quirks, how they might act in different situations, and how all of this will be revealed to the reader throughout your story.

9. The Write Practice – Characterization 101

This free course from The Write Practice guides you through seven key steps to creating memorable characters, covering important character archetypes, character motivations, how not to introduce a character to your story, and much more.

Resources for editing, reviewing, (and repeating it)

In addition to proofreading for spelling, language, and grammar errors, two other forms of editing should form part of your review process. Developmental editing, which is editing for the structure, flow, and consistency of your story, and substantive editing, which is concerned with clarity, accuracy, and reader comprehension.

When your manuscript or first draft is complete, let it sit a while before reviewing. It also helps to have a second and third set of eyes on your work. Even better, if budget allows, employing the skills of a professional editor can give your story the polished finish it deserves.

10. Grammarly

Available as a Google Chrome extension, Grammarly works across your web pages as you write to help you catch common writing errors. It will highlight and fix grammar, punctuation, and contextual spelling mistakes. The premium version can also suggest alternative vocabulary choices.

Remember not to rely on online spell checks alone to proofread your work. Always give your text a thorough sense check yourself, too.

11. Hemingway Editor

As the name suggests, Hemingway Editor is an online editing tool and website that will help make your writing clearer, bolder, and more direct—just like the author it’s named after. Simply copy and paste your text into the tool to check for overly complex sentences, overuse of adverbs, and the passive voice. It will also highlight instances where a shorter word could serve the same purpose.

Every writer needs a good editor, and the Reedsy website only works with the best. Their hand-picked, experienced, professional editors can review your story development, structure, consistency, and style, helping to perfect and polish your manuscript. Reedsy also offers a tool to easily  write and format a book , the same way a professional typesetter would.

Resources for promoting your writing

13. wattpad.

Use this storytelling platform to connect with writers and readers around the world, build an audience, and even get discovered. On Wattpad , you start by sharing a story, and then if you build a big enough fan base, you may have a chance to work with entertainment companies and publishers looking to feature your work.

On this writing and reading hub, you’ll find stories, articles, and inspiration that are curated to your taste, written by people like us. Want to share your own writing, photos, or videos? You can do that on Medium —and potentially earn money. The platform lets you see how your stories are performing and what kinds of readers like your writing, plus it offers tips for starting a newsletter, submitting to publications, and curating your work.

15. FictionPress

If you’re interested in getting feedback on your own work—and browsing an archive of self-published short stories, fiction, and poetry—see what’s happening at FictionPress (a sister site to FanFiction ). You can upload your own writing for free and let other people review it. Sometimes all you need is a little motivation and support from like-minded writers to keep you on track toward your writing goals.

From collecting inspiration to the final finishing touches, there’s a whole world of tools , websites, support, and advice out there to help you with every stage of writing your own story and making your own book. But, when it comes down to it, the thing that will make the most difference is you. You have all the tools you need. Now write!

Novels , Reedsy

This post doesn't have any comment. Be the first one!

This is a unique website which will require a more modern browser to work! Please upgrade today!

This is a modern website which will require Javascript to work.

Please turn it on!

Article type icon

The 28 Best Writing Websites of 2020

#scribendiinc

Written by  Scribendi

Updated in Feburary 2020 to reflect the best writing websites currently online.

Every writer needs a toolbox.

A writer's toolbox is filled with gadgets and gizmos that help a writer craft a story when he or she cannot do it alone. There are literal writers' toolboxes filled with assorted caffeinated beverages, napkins with plot outlines scribbled on them, and USB devices with novels backed up on them, and then there are metaphorical writers' toolboxes packed with character tics, favorite quotes, and—you guessed it—writing websites!

Writing websites are excellent resources to stash away in your toolbox (or browser bookmarks) to whip out in times of absolute distress (e.g., an existential crisis), piled-up excuses (i.e., writer's block), or uncertainty about the stages of writing (e.g.,  the publishing process ).

Scribendi's got a writer's toolbox fully stocked for you right here! Even better, these writing websites are categorized so you can find just what you're looking for at just the right moment. With everything from creative writing advice to publishing guidelines (and everything in between!), this list of the best websites for writers will be perfect for you to stow away in your bookmarks for when you need a helping hand.

Creative Writing Advice

These writing blogs give concrete advice for implementing literary techniques in your writing to help your work reach its full potential.

1. NaNoWriMo

The National Novel Writing Month blog provides inspirational posts year round for when you're stuck with writer's block, and offers guidelines on everything from the publishing process to finding feedback.

2. Write It Sideways

The articles for writers that can be found on Write It Sideways outline real-life advice (like writing grants, author branding, and gift buying) as well as writing tips and tricks, like spotting dialogue mistakes and learning how to build tension in your writing.

3. Helping Writers Become Authors

K.M. Weiland, the writer behind Helping Writers Become Authors, is an award-winning author who shares creative writing advice on story structure, character arcs, common writing mistakes, and much more!

4. Warrior Writers

Warrior Writers is run by the best-selling author Kristen Lamb, who guides writers using comprehensive and detailed posts that have a humorous and easy-to-read tone.

5. The Write Practice

Looking for articles and advice on creative writing? Consider checking out The Write Practice, which offers writing free (as well as paid) courses, and even holds writing contests for aspiring authors. 

Writer's Lifestyle

The following resources are great for writers who have some extra time, or need to take a quick, productive break.

6. Write to Done

Write to Done clearly outlines useful topics for writers, like treating imposter syndrome, recovering from destructive criticism, and finding a pen name.

7. Brain Pickings

Maria Popova's writings on culture, books, and other eclectic subjects are always extremely interesting reading material for any writer with some spare time.

8. Daily Writing Tips

With a blend of fun and fun damental writing topics, this writing website provides the tips you need to succeed.

9. Well-Storied.

Run by Kristen Kieffer, this writing website offers more than just blog articles; it links authors with writing communities on social media, provides tutorials on Scrivener (a word-processing software designed for authors), and offers free courses on a variety of subjects.

10. Writers in the Storm

This blog, written by a group of authors who specialize in different genres, is meant to inspire writers and help them to hone their craft. If you are struggling with the storms that rage internally (e.g., self-doubt) and externally (e.g., the publishing industry), this site will be a haven for you.

Marketing/Blogging

These blogs help writers market their books and create blogging personas to engage an audience more effectively.

11. The Write Life

This writing website offers solid ideas for blogging, including working from home, pitching ideas, guest posting, and much more.

12. Goins, Writer

National best-selling author Jeff Goins shares real-life experiences and reflections on building an audience, shortcuts to success, and engaging a community in the age of Internet fame.

13. The Book Designer

As stated in its tagline, The Book Designer gives "practical advice to help build better books," which includes writing creative disclaimers, choosing the right platforms, and using social media efficiently.

14. Angela Booth

Angela Booth, a copywriter, ghostwriter, author, marketer, and writing coach, writes ample posts to help authors improve book sales and ensure that a book will be a financial success.

15. Create If Writing

Need marketing advice on promoting your writing without coming off as too pushy? Create If Writing "is all about authentic platform building" for writers seeking to sell their work. Kirsten Oliphant, the site creator, offers relatable advice in her blog articles and podcasts.

Find some of the best writing blogs below for help with the publishing process, from behind-the-scenes intel to publishing tips and tricks.

16. Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman has more than 20 years of experience in the book publishing industry. She provides informative articles on both the writing process and the publishing process.

17. The Creative Penn

Run by  New York Times  and  USA Today  best-selling author Joanna Penn, this site offers articles and other resources related to book writing, publishing, and marketing.

18. Writers Helping Writers ®

This one-stop shop for writing resources includes links to informative sites on publishing, marketing, and professional services for writers. You can also find information on protecting your writing from scammers and online plagiarists.

19. Publetariat

Publetariat gives practical information on networking, author websites, and the publishing process. It also shares links to big news stories in the world of publishing.

20. The Independent Publishing Magazine

The Independent Publishing Magazine hosts articles about many different parts of the publishing process, such as growing a following, avoiding authorship problems, and finding the right editor.

21. The Complete Self-Publishing Guide for Authors

Thinking about the self-publishing route? If so, this writing resource is invaluable! Kirkus's free Self-Publishing Guide for Authors, available as a PDF or in print, covers everything you need to know about a book's design, format, distribution, and more.

Writing Inspiration/Prompts

These sites are excellent for writers who are stuck in a rut and need some inspiration or concrete prompts to get them writing again.

22. Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are posted here daily, offering inspiration for writers in all genres. Some of the prompts focus on breaking through writer's block, while others focus on building characters or refining your dialogue-writing skills. If you're feeling as though you're in a writing rut, the site also posts inspirational quotes from famous authors.

23. Positive Writer

Positive Writer was created for writers with doubt—like the website's author, Bryan Hutchinson—to provide inspirational posts that help writers keep on writing.

24. Blots and Plots

The Blots and Plots blog instructs writers to stay in the habit of writing, targeting specific problems and demonstrating how it's possible to write a novel even with a full-time job.

25. Writer's Digest

This well-known and comprehensive site offers all manner of advice and resources for authors. Of particular interest are the site's many creative writing prompts. New prompts are published weekly, and writers post their results in the comments section.

26. Poets & Writers

Poets & Writers is a non-profit organization that fosters creative writers. On this site, you can learn about professional development, connect with other authors in your area, and find weekly writing prompts on poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction.

With Reedsy's list of over 250 writing prompts to get you started on your next creative project, this is one of the best websites for writers to find inspiration. It also offers a search filter to help you find prompts from your writing genre (e.g., romance, fantasy, mystery). If you'd like to contribute to the site and help other aspiring authors, there is an option to submit your own writing prompts, too.

28. Live Write Thrive

Run by C. S. Lakin, an accomplished novelist, copyeditor, and writing coach, Live Write Thrive provides a wealth of information from proficient guest bloggers with the intent to instruct, motivate, and encourage aspiring and veteran writers alike.

We hope these tools are just what you need to continue crafting masterful writing. With a list of writing websites designed to help writers with everything from brainstorming to proofreading to publishing, you'll be unstoppable!

Don't forget about Scribendi’s very own  blog , which provides writers with all the guidance and tools they need to perfect their writing. Our articles cover every stage of the writing process, from planning and drafting any type of academic document to revising and finalizing it. Whether you’re looking for grammar tips, writing resources, or advice on any facet of the written word, Scribendi’s blog is the place for writers to perfect their craft.

Happy reading!

Image source: Lauren Mancke/Unsplash.com

Have Your Writing Edited by a Professional

Hire a professional editor , or get a free sample, about the author.

Scribendi Editing and Proofreading

Scribendi’s in-house editors work with writers from all over the globe to perfect their writing. They know that no piece of writing is complete without a professional edit, and they love to see a good piece of writing turn into a great one after the editing process. Scribendi’s in-house editors are unrivaled in both experience and education, having collectively edited millions of words and obtained nearly 20 degrees collectively. They love consuming caffeinated beverages, reading books of various genres, and relaxing in quiet, dimly lit spaces.

Have You Read?

"The Complete Beginner's Guide to Academic Writing"

Related Posts

9 Great Tools to Help with the Writing Process

9 Great Tools to Help with the Writing Process

So Wrong It's Right: Bending Grammar Rules in Your Fiction Writing

So Wrong It's Right: Bending Grammar Rules in Your Fiction Writing

The 20 Best Book Blogs to Read in 2020

The 20 Best Book Blogs to Read in 2020

Upload your file(s) so we can calculate your word count, or enter your word count manually.

We will also recommend a service based on the file(s) you upload.

English is not my first language. I need English editing and proofreading so that I sound like a native speaker.

I need to have my journal article, dissertation, or term paper edited and proofread, or I need help with an admissions essay or proposal.

I have a novel, manuscript, play, or ebook. I need editing, copy editing, proofreading, a critique of my work, or a query package.

I need editing and proofreading for my white papers, reports, manuals, press releases, marketing materials, and other business documents.

I need to have my essay, project, assignment, or term paper edited and proofread.

I want to sound professional and to get hired. I have a resume, letter, email, or personal document that I need to have edited and proofread.

 Prices include your personal % discount.

 Prices include % sales tax ( ).

websites fiction writing

Become a Bestseller

Follow our 5-step publishing path.

Fundantals of Fiction & Story

Bring your story to life with a proven plan.

Market Your Book

Learn how to sell more copies.

Edit Your Book

Get professional editing support.

Author Advantage Accelerator Nonfiction

Grow your business, authority, and income.

Author Advantage Accelerator Fiction

Become a full-time fiction author.

Author Accelerator Elite

Take the fast-track to publishing success.

Take the Quiz

Let us pair you with the right fit.

Free Copy of Published.

Book title generator, nonfiction outline template, writing software quiz, book royalties calculator.

Learn how to write your book

Learn how to edit your book

Learn how to self-publish your book

Learn how to sell more books

Learn how to grow your business

Learn about self-help books

Learn about nonfiction writing

Learn about fiction writing

How to Get An ISBN Number

A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing

How Much Do Self-Published Authors Make on Amazon?

Book Template: 9 Free Layouts

How to Write a Book in 12 Steps

The 15 Best Book Writing Software Tools

The 25 Best Writing Websites for Authors in 2024

POSTED ON Feb 12, 2024

Linda Cartwright

Written by Linda Cartwright

There are many writing websites that are useful hubs of information for aspiring authors of all types and genres.

Apart from the desire to become an author and a bit of determination, what makes a successful writer? According to veterans of the industry, it’s lots of reading, writing, and a supportive community . 

The writing websites in this blog can provide you with all three. So, without further ado and in no particular order, let me introduce these top book writing websites to learn more about the craft, stay up-to-date with industry news, and find fellow writers in your network.

The blog on the best writing websites will cover:

The 25 best writing websites.

Here are our favorite writing websites that can help you perfect your craft:

1. selfpublishing.com

What kind of writing website would we be if we didn't include ourselves in this list of writing websites?

At selfpublishing.com , we are proud of our educational blog and are always creating new content to help writers turn their dream of publishing a book into reality.

If you're looking to improve your writing skills, learn how to self-publish a book , market a book , or even create your own author website – this is the ideal place to learn.

2. Self-Publishing School

Self-Publishing School is the leading educational self-publishing company . It's our second choice for the best writing websites to keep on your radar.

If you're interested in learning all about Amazon self-publishing to how to create an online course to build your author brand, Self-Publishing School produces informational articles, videos, and podcast content on a variety of topics.

In addition, there are several author education programs offered, depending on what your goals look like.

3. Self-Publishing Advice

Self-Publishing Advice is a watchdog community organized by the Alliance of Independent Authors. It aims to protect self-publishing writers from untrustworthy publishers. It also reviews other writing websites (mostly in the independent and self-publishing services spaces).

The site has a collection of reviews on various publishers, with rating scores ranging from “excellent” to “watchdog advisory”. The authors themselves report dishonest publishers and regularly update their base. However, the site’s usefulness isn’t restricted to that. 

There is also a blog with loads of advice on self-publishing (obviously!), audiobook creation, inspiration, and everything of interest to an indie author.

4. The Book Designer

Joel Friedlander is a graphic designer with an extensive background in book design and advertising. He has created The Book Designer , which is a treasure trove of articles on book marketing, self-publishing, and, of course, book design (including book covers , typography basics, and text layout).

His series “eBook Cover Design Awards” is particularly instructive, since every nominated book cover is dissected with respect to genre aesthetics, intended audience, and all the minute details that can make a difference between a bestseller and an obscure title no one notices.

Even if you don’t create covers yourself, it’s always good to know what to look for when you outsource the task to a designer, which is what makes this one of the best writing websites.

Apart from valuable advice, Friedlander shares free book cover templates, a book launch toolkit, and a media kit for authors to optimize the marketing of your book.

5. Paper Help

Typos are the worst. I have yet to meet a writer who could be 100 percent sure their text was absolutely typo-free, even after rounds of editing. Because it never is.

Authors are notorious for their typo blindness because by the third draft, they know the text like the back of their hand and familiarization handicaps your ability to pick out mistakes.

That’s why we need editors – or at least editing services that will comb through the text for misspelled words and other pesky oopsies. 

Paper Help is a service that specializes in writing and editing of all sorts of papers. If you need a second pair of eyes to go through your manuscript before its debut, it can be a nice low-cost compromise between a literary editor and doing it yourself, which has earned it a spot on our list of the best writing websites.

6. Grammar Girl

Of course, to make your editing less of a struggle, it’s better to make fewer mistakes in the first place. That’s why one has to have go-to writing websites for all things grammar. Mignon Fogarty’s blog is just the right sort of resource for that. 

Grammar Girl is a section on the Quick and Dirty Tips portal devoted to everything that a writer needs to know about spelling and grammar.

You can read your daily dose of nicely summed-up linguistic wisdom and build your competency bit by bit – and have lots of fun in the process.

7. AutoCrit

Okay, with grammar off the table, you still need to edit your drafts with regard to consistency, adverbs, repetition, readability, useless filler words, etc. Here is where AutoCrit comes in.

This is not so much a book writing website, but a word-processing tool with editing features and guidance based on real-world publishing standards.

AutoCrit makes our list of writing websites because it analyzes your text and gives recommendations on how to improve it. For example, it can flag poor dialogue , misuse of adverbs, or relying on clichés. This tool has subscription plans with more robust professional features, but they also offer a free option with essentials that every author needs. 

Plus, the site has a collection of articles with tips about the craft and the business of writing, from adding depth to your characters to DIY proofreading techniques.

8. Janice Hardy’s Fiction University

Janice Hardy, a teen fantasy novelist, is the founder of Fiction University . With the help of fellow writers and guest contributors, she has amassed more than 2,500 articles on fiction writing. They deal with every stage of penning a novel – from brainstorming ideas and developing a story to self-publishing your finished opus.

Starting soon the creators of the website plan to organize workshops where they will introduce some practice to go with the theory. Still, the scope of the material on the website is impressive as is, making it one of the best writing websites.

Fiction University is comprehensively organized by relevant topics, making it a true writing encyclopedia and a go-to place for anyone who starts their writing career or simply wishes to improve their skills.

9. 750 Words

You know what makes you a better writer? More writing. 750 Words is a simple website for writers that has just one goal – helping you to build a good habit of writing every day. 

You have probably heard about the technique called “morning pages”. Morning pages are three pages of text (or 750 words) that you write, preferably in the morning to get everything distracting out of your head and shift focus on putting thoughts into words.

With gamification devices like badges and competitiveness (via anonymous statistics), 750 Words encourages you to stick to a schedule and write those pages every day. It’s minimalistic and private – no one will see your writing but you.

10. Build Book Buzz

Marketing strategy is often overlooked by self-publishing authors. Too bad, even the best books don’t sell themselves.

This website for writers has some tips on how to prepare the launch and how to promote a book when it’s already out and about. The blog section is full of detailed how-to guides on working with beta readers, coming up with promotion strategy, boosting sales via various social media channels, partnering up with influencers, and more.

Build Book Buzz is one of the best writing websites with just the right ratio of figures and statistics vs. insider tips on how to build an online presence.

11. Language is a Virus

With writing games and exercises galore, Language is a Virus makes a perfect playground for word enthusiasts. It never fails to spark imagination and get your creative juices flowing.

From the prompt of the day greeting you on the homepage, to avant-garde techniques of Jack Kerouac and Salvador Dali, this is one of those writing websites that is truly committed to getting you writing.

Poem visualization, surrealistic word definitions, generating reverse poetry from your text, or adding your line to a never-ending story by thousands of other writers – not one bizarrely mesmerizing activity here will leave you indifferent.

So next time you need a little writer's block help , don’t waste your time and head here straight away.

12. Six-Words Memoirs

Six-Word Memoirs is a charming little project with a big goal. It aims to inspire the participants to get to the essence of who they are and what matters most. To do that, they have to answer some pretty existential questions in six words – no more, no less.

This can be quite a challenge even for experienced writers, which means it's a great writing tool to get down to the basics. Sci-fi and fantasy stories in six words, seismic shifts in six words, your personal paradise in six words – a nice exercise in eloquence and one of the best writer’s block remedies I’ve seen. 

13. The Writing Cooperative

The Writing Cooperative is a diverse resource for writers by writers. A piece of advice on any situation under the sun from writer’s block to existential crisis and burnout. Everything is specifically tailored for a fellow writer like yourself, so this is a true hub for diverse topics.

Anyone with something to say can submit a post and the community is quite diverse and supportive. There are also some secrets of the craft shared here, from where it is best to share your writing to why digression can sometimes be a boon for your story. These tips make The Writing Cooperative one of the best writing websites.

14. The Write Life

At first glance, The Write Life seems geared more towards bloggers and freelancers, yet it has much to offer to anyone whose livelihood depends on their writing talent. How to come up with great titles, how to find a critic to improve your text, how to self-publish your book, how to market it, how to hire a freelance editor , how to prevent burnout, and other secrets of the craft.

In the tools section, there are eBooks and courses for writing professionals as well as some handy tools, such as editing apps, invoicing software, marketplaces, and communities for freelance writers.

15. Helping Writers Become Authors

For those of you who have long been creating content for a living but never dipped your toes into long-form prose, Helping Writers Become Authors is a perfect boot camp.

Award-winning author K.M. Weiland tells how to create a compelling character with a story arc, what mistakes authors most often make, how to make readers love every page of your novel, and why even movies falling short of our expectations is always a bad writing problem.

If for some reason blog is not your preferred format, there are instructional eBooks, vlogs, and a podcast.

16. Association of Ghostwriters

If you want to find a ghostwriter or are just curious to know more about this particular specialization, Association of Ghostwriters has answers to your questions. Although it has paid membership plans, lots of valuable information is free for grabs, making it one of the best writing websites.

How to write a memoir , what to do when your work on a big project slows down, and why ghostwriting might be an intermediate step between freelancing and getting a good publishing deal on your own book. If you want to learn how to publish a book traditionally, Association of Ghostwriters has you covered. 

17. NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo (National Novel-Writing Month) is an epic creative writing event where participants work towards writing a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. Although professional writers are ambiguous about this marathon, it can work for some authors who understand how speed drafts fit into the entire writing process.

The NaNoWriMo website was created especially for the event. Here you can track your progress, set milestones, and get pep talks and support from other writers in an ever-growing community. There are online and offline events that help you finish your novel.

Whether you are a seasoned writer or an enthusiastic beginner, NaNoWriMo is one of the best writing websites, with inspirational posts, a company of fellow contestants, tips, tools, resources, and encouragement. Just remember, if your word count is lower and you didn’t get that badge – you are still a writer. It’s only a game!

18. Scribophile

Every writer needs feedback to improve, and it’s always better when this feedback is detailed, informed, and comes from someone who knows what they are talking about.

Better still, if you get this feedback before you publish your work and start receiving bad reviews from underwhelmed readers. (That’s what beta-readers and writing workshops are for.)

At Scribophile , you will find a supportive community of writers like yourself. Here, they are willing to give you feedback to improve your text with their critique instead of tearing you down.

If you are still tentative, there are writing tutorials and publishing tips available without even signing in.

Do clichés and passive voice actually have a place in your prose?

How to start writing poetry if you never had done it before?

Come and have a look at one of the best writing websites.

19. Self-Publishing Formula

Mark Dawson is an author who makes a living by self-publishing . On Self-Publishing Formula , he shares his journey with other writers who want to take this path.

Blog posts with valuable tips, resources, and guides are available for everyone and there are free, paid, or limited-access courses you can subscribe to.

Mark also co-hosts weekly free podcasts with James Blatch where they interview top-selling indie authors, successful debutants from traditional publishing , and industry insiders to shed light on the process of publishing and promoting a book independently.

20. Almost An Author

Almost An Author provides a wealth of resources for writers at various stages of their careers. It has new content every day, from writing tips and craft advice to publishing insights and author interviews. You can get genre-specific advice or emotional support to get you through your publishing journey.

21. Creativity Portal

As the name suggests, Creativity Portal is a treasure trove of inspiration and resources for writers looking to tap into their creativity. It offers writing prompts, exercises, and articles on topics like mindfulness and overcoming creative blocks, making it an invaluable resource for writers and one of the best writing websites around.

22. Writer's Digest

Writer's Digest might just have more resources than any of the other writing websites on this list. It's like an encyclopedia of knowledge for writers, after all, the magazine has been around for almost a century! You'll discover a plethora of articles, events, competitions, webinars, templates, tutorials, and various other resources neatly organized by genre and vocation.

23. Insecure Writer's Support Group

Writing can be a solitary and often daunting endeavor, and the Insecure Writer's Support Group aims to provide a supportive community for writers grappling with self-doubt and insecurity.

Through blog posts, forums, and online events, members of the group can connect with fellow writers, share their experiences, and receive encouragement and advice, creating a nurturing environment for writers to grow and thrive.

24. LitReactor

With its focus on the craft and business of writing, LitReactor offers a range of courses, workshops, and articles designed to help writers hone their skills and navigate the publishing industry. Whether you're looking to improve your writing craft, learn about the latest trends in publishing, or connect with other writers, LitReactor provides a valuable platform for writers at all levels.

25. Now Novel

Now Novel is a comprehensive platform that helps writers plan, outline, and write their novels. With tools like step-by-step writing courses, personalized feedback from experienced coaches, and a supportive community of fellow writers, Now Novel provides the structure and guidance that writers need to turn their ideas into finished manuscripts.

Make use of the best websites for writers

So there you have it! Those are 25 writing websites that you should absolutely be following.

Of course, in the sea of online blogs, there are plenty of other valuable writing websites to follow. We just had to choose our favorites.

websites fiction writing

Related posts

Reviews, Marketing

BookBub Review for Authors: A Complete Guide

Business, Marketing, Writing

Amazon Book Marketing: How to Do Amazon Ads

Writing, Fiction

How to Write a Novel: 15 Steps from Brainstorm to Bestseller

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect marketer for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Guides • Book Marketing

Last updated on Oct 25, 2022

13 Author Websites That Get It Right

Most professional authors will have their own website , both as a way to market themselves and connect with their readership. It's the one corner of the internet that the author fully controls — without interference from publishers or social media rules.

In this short guide, we'll show you some examples of effective author websites before giving you a step-by-step process for building your own. By the end, you'll be ready to take on the world (wide web).

Here are 13 examples of excellent author websites: 

1. Austin Kleon

Austin Kleon's website; on the left is a column displaying his published works, in the middle is a recent blog post, and to the right is a column with the author's portrait photo, his social media handles, and an option to sign up for his newsletter

New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon identifies himself as “an author who draws” and uses his website to talk not only about his own books, but also about art and writing in general, offering creative inspiration to fans and casual visitors alike. 

Simple to navigate, and signposting all the relevant information — from blog posts, to his books, a newsletter mailing list , an author bio , and contact information — one of the main advantages of Kleon’s website is that it’s kept up-to-date with seasonal posts and frequent life updates. 

FREE COURSE

FREE COURSE

How to Build Your Author Mailing List

Learn how to connect with your audience and sell more books with email.

Takeaway: Keep your website up-to-date

Knock, knock. Who’s there? You should be. Unless you’ve got a ghostwriter on your team or you can uncannily churn out quality books constantly, you probably won’t always have new bookish updates. However, when people visit your site, you don’t want it to seem like it’s been idly collecting dust for years between publication dates. You want it to seem as though someone is home.

Austin Kleon’s website achieves this with fresh blog posts displayed front and center. Straight away, you know that he’s active behind the keyboard. Not only does it feel like he’s talking directly to you, but it also incentivizes you to come back, which can be handy for your next book launch . Studies confirm this: businesses that run blogs have 55% more website visitors than those that don’t.

Something as simple as an up-to-date Twitter feed or a list of upcoming events can keep your website fresh and show that you’re committed to interacting with your readers. If you're able to blog regularly, all the better! If your blog gets popular enough, it could become the foundation for your next book . 

FREE COURSE

How to Build an Amazing Author Blog

10 lessons to help you start your blog and boost your book sales.

2. Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur holds up her latest book under the headline

You’d expect nothing less than a well-designed website from the queen of Instapoetry herself, Rupi Kaur . Her elegant homepage immediately exudes “Rupi Kaur” and the message she wants her readers to receive. It’s on brand — aesthetically pleasing, with short guiding phrases, and creative with form (here through typography ) — and much like her poetry, it sticks to the essentials to deliver a core message in just a few words.

Rupi Kaur's website links out to her shop with photos of a chair and a print of her poetry

But make no mistake; this is no minimalist, bare-bones version of a website. With customized stickers, an integrated webshop for merchandise, and links to both an Amazon Prime special and a world tour, it’s clear that Kaur has invested some time and dollars on making this a comfortable browsing experience for her readers.

Takeaway: Invest in branding and user experience

Two envelopes with hearts as seals and an invitation to sign up to Kaur's newsletter that says "I also send love notes. Be the first to know what I'm up to."

Granted, not every author can inject cash into a website like social media sensation Rupi Kaur. However, her online presence features several practices that are good takeaways for any author website. Kaur, for instance, doesn’t send her subscribers “newsletters” like Kleon does. Instead, she sends “love notes”. Readers can also follow the journey of her third book, Home Body , as it travels across the US, “sisterhood of the traveling pants” style. These touches make her website feel authentic and true to her brand. 

Paying a bit extra to get a custom-made website that fits your needs perfectly and appeals to your target audience can improve user experience significantly, making it not only pleasing to the eye, but also easy to navigate.

Tell us about your book and we'll match you with a website style!

It'll only take a minute!

LJ Ross's website background picture features a castle in sunlight and mist rolling in. It announces Ross's bestselling series.

You can make your website stand out from the crowd by adding dynamic and interactive elements, and self-published author LJ Ross is no stranger to this strategy. Just like in her bestselling mystery series DCI Ryan, LJ Ross’s website takes inspiration from the atmospheric landscape of Lindisfarne (also known as Holy Island), located on the northeast coast of England. 

This eye-catching website is brought to life with some well-chosen dynamic elements: a bird flying across the landing page, mist rolling in as you hover your cursor, and a hamburger menu that folds out to direct you where you need to go, to name a few. 

LJ Ross also gets a bonus point for subverting the expectations for what a crime and mystery author’s website should look like, with a sunny background picture and a lighter color scale throughout the site. 

Takeaway: Bring your site to life

If your site is a pretty-but-static thing, you may be missing an opportunity. With some simple dynamic elements that draw the eyes, you can elevate your website and give visitors a reason to extend their session on your site. And the longer they stay, the more likely they are to engage with what your website offers. 

Start by capturing people’s attention with cool visuals, highlighting what you want visitors to see first (in this case: Ross’s different books series and a link to an audio drama production on Audible), and then invite them to engage by linking to your social media.

4. Miquel Reina

Another author who incorporates some movement into their author website to really bring it to life is Miquel Reina . This can be a risky maneuver — more often than not, flashy gifs and scrolling text scream “tacky.” But when it pays off, it creates a beautiful effect that will impress and entrance readers who stumble upon your page.

Upon first glance at the homepage of Miquel Reina's author website, nothing appears out of the ordinary... until the first image begins to change. As you can see, each translation ( and gorgeous new cover ) of Reina's book Lights on the Sea morphs into the next, providing a beautifully comprehensive sense of his accomplishments.

If you’re not a web designer , this tactic could easily go awry, but Reina ensures that all his images are carefully sized and timed to create a calibrated effect. The transitions are calmly paced to give you enough time with each cover, but not so slow that you risk missing the effect entirely. He also wisely avoids cluttering the rest of his homepage with additional text and images, so the viewer focuses solely on the slow-moving book covers.

Takeaway: Keep it simple (but sophisticated)

Again, it's easy to go overboard with this tactic; you don't want your author website to look like a carnival. To keep things interesting yet professional, bring your site to life with just one or two smoothly transitioning GIFs.

Fun fact: You can find Miquel Reina, who designed his own website (!), right here on Reedsy. Click here to check out his other projects .

💡Pro tip: Keep site speed in mind! On the technical side, a simple setup will help your site load faster. Heavy images will slow a site down and frustrate visitors. They came to find out about your book, not wait around watching their fingernails grow.

5. David Sedaris

David Sedaris' latest book, Happy-Go-Lucky, and a description of what the book is about.

Authors sometimes make the mistake of thinking that people visit their websites just to read their bio. Are you, the author, important? Sure, but your books are way more important. Let people know they’re on an author’s website by making your product the star of the show, as David Sedaris does. A minimalist setup makes it impossible not to notice the main event: Sedaris’ newest book.

Takeaway: Put your book front and center

If a reader visits your site and doesn’t immediately realize that you’re an author with a book to sell, you’re probably doing something wrong. Placing your book front and center announces that, whatever else you may be offering through your site, you’re first and foremost an author who wants to share their stories with the world. 

Also important: are the buttons that urge people to buy your book and steer folks to their retailer of choice. To build the perfect author website , it’s important to generate retailer links to your books and make sure people can easily add them to their basket.

6. Brit Bennett

Bennett's bestselling book 'The Vanishing Half' and praise from reviewers.

Another author who has embraced the idea of putting their book front and center is Brit Bennett . Her hugely successful upmarket fiction novel The Vanishing Half is clearly the star of the show as you enter her landing page, and unlike David Sedaris’ lengthy book description, Bennett focuses on some strong endorsements in the form of quotes to sell her book. 

Takeaway: Include testimonials and reviews

There’s nothing quite as effective as word-of-mouth marketing when it comes to book sales. With a well-chosen quote from the right person, you may see your book sales soar, so it would be wasteful not to use the prime real estate of your website to let others highlight your writing prowess through testimonials and reviews. 

💡Pro tip: Testimonials and reviews are a great way to market your work and authorship so make sure to leave some space for that on your website.

For more marketing insights, check out our course on the fundamentals of book marketing:

FREE COURSE

Book Marketing 101

Learn seven tried-and-true strategies for boosting book sales.

7. Lesley M. M. Blume

A photograph of the bombing of Hiroshima held up by yellowing tape and a short text about the event to the right of the picture.

When you first land on Lesley M.M. Blume’s website , you are met with an old, faded picture of an atomic bomb, held up by tape and a short journalistic description This documentary approach quickly envelopes readers into the topic material that Blume — an award-winning journalist — has written about in her latest book, Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover-up and the Reporter Who Revealed it to the World . 

Within moments of arriving on Lesley’s site, you become aware that she is a writer and journalist. This quick preview of her book grabs your attention and sets the tone.

Takeaway: Give readers a visual taste of your book

As an author, your medium of choice is often the written word, but your website is an excellent opportunity to expand on the imagery you’re trying to capture and make your messaging more vivid. By focusing on the visual aspects of your website rather than the textual, you allow readers to get an idea of what your book is all about straight off the bat — and you can present it in a way that is quicker and easier to consume than a full synopsis. 

Is your book a fluffy romcom, or is it hard facts? Offer a glimpse of what readers can expect of your writing, and don’t fall for the temptation to clutter your website with too much text; instead, use the power of images to elevate your message.

8. Maggie Stiefvater

A pop-up that features a photo of Maggie Stiefvater and an invitation to sign up to her newsletter.

Your author website should always include a good reason or two for visitors to offer up their email addresses. When you navigate your way to Maggie Steifvater’s website , you’re immediately presented with the opportunity to sign up for her newsletter. But the opt-in choices on her email list are plenty. For instance, you can sign up for an 8-hour seminar to improve your writing craft, led by Stiefvater herself! 

In marketing, this is known as lead magnets 一 offering something of genuine value in return for an email address — a marketing strategy we highly encourage authors to use..

Takeaway: Use a lead magnet

In publishing, a lead magnet usually means offering free content in exchange for an email address, such as downloadable PDF prints, exclusive interviews, or bonus chapters of your upcoming release. This helps you build your mailing list so that when you publish another book, you already have a group of people to advertise it to. 

💡Pro tip: A free sample does more than just incentivize people to offer their contact info. If you’ve read our Reedsy Learning course on how to run a price promotion , you’ll know that offering a free book is also a great way to hook readers and create a loyal fanbase for future publications. A free preview can work similarly, giving readers a commitment-free chance to get drawn into your book, leaving them more likely to pay to read the rest.

9. Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds (Judy Moody)

An illustration of the character Judy Moody over a tiger pattern and white circles that link out to parts of the website.

Using images is perhaps even more essential when you’re in the picture book genre. The illustrative style on the Judy Moody website gets the brand across almost immediately: fun children’s books! And if there were ever any doubts, it cements the message that the best author websites are extensions of the author’s novels and wider brand. 

The creators of the website know the Judy Moody audience, with nudges and winks in the direction of teachers and parents, as well as younger readers with playful phrasing such as “Way-Not-Boring Stuff,” which links to several fun lead magnets, in the shape of games and downloadable PDFs, perfect for kids’ birthday parties. 

Takeaway: Speak to your target audience

When designing your own website, some of the questions you should ask yourself, like Judy Moody’s publicist clearly has, are all about personal branding: 

  • Are you branding yourself or a series? 
  • What’s the voice and tone of your book?
  • Who is your target audience ; and 
  • Would your site resonate with them? 

Judy Moody's authors have chosen to highlight the eponymous character of the series rather than themselvces, but whichever way you lean, there should always be a recognizable red thread that runs between your books and your website. Keep the voice and tone of your website distinctive and consistent, so people immediately recognize the relation to your work. 

🎨 If you’re thinking about how you can develop your own author brand, check out this article about how Lara Coates enlisted a Reedsy designer to help establish hers.

10. Fonda Lee

Fonda Lee's logo and the book 'Jade City' on a dark background. The logo and book title are in neon green, together with some complimentary elements in the background picture.

One way to ensure that you’re speaking to your target audience is to match your website to the genre you’re writing in. Fonda Lee leaves no room for doubt with her Y2K style logo and dark color pallet. But just in case you missed it, she makes sure to signpost herself as a “science fiction and fantasy author,” and uses a gallery of pictures to highlight her catalog of published works. 

Takeaway: Signpost your genre

While many visitors to your website may already know what genre you’re working in, it’s always a good idea to make sure you match your website to the content you’re publishing. This goes hand in hand with author branding, but the visual elements of your website can also add another dimension to the worlds you’re building in your books. 

11. Neon Yang

The upper half of Neon Yang's website is set against a backdrop of the book cover of their 'Tensorate series.' The lower half features a photo of the author and a short bio on a lime green background.

Whether you’re a maximalist or a minimalist when it comes to design, the use of bold or contrasting colors is another way to make your website pop and highlight something particularly important you want to draw attention to. And you don’t have to have a name like Neon Yang in order to do so. But choose your colors wisely, and stick to one or two for the best effect.

Takeaway: Be selective in your use of colors

The psychology of color can have a big impact on how people perceive something, but don’t make the mistake of trying to catch ‘em all; using all of the colors of the rainbow together at once is unlikely to have the desired effect of drawing the eye to one thing. Instead, too many colors can be distracting and more confusing than helpful, making the message you want to communicate murky and sometimes even hard to read. 

When using bold colors, one or two is enough to draw visitors’ focus toward the most important things. Neon Yang fittingly uses neon lime green to contrast against a darker background, which effectively highlights key information, fits their unique brand, and adds a tongue-in-cheek touch to the whole website. 

💡Pro tip: When using accent colors, choose them carefully, and avoid writing huge chunks of texts in colors that are hard to read to make your website more accessible to all visitors.

12. Brené Brown

A photo of the Brown recording a podcast or audiobook together with the text

Speaking of accessibility, no matter how beautiful and well-crafted your homepage is, or how nicely your logo fits on the corner of that picture you’ve chosen, here’s your official reminder to make your website compatible with all types of devices. Brené Brown has made sure her website will meet everyone’s needs, regardless of their browsing weapon of choice:

Takeaway: Optimize for mobile navigation

Nothing is as frustrating as a clunky website that you can’t read, especially when you’re on the go. Today mobile traffic accounts for almost 60% of all web traffic , so your website should be made to fit all devices to make it as easy as possible for visitors to explore.

13. Angie Thomas

A photo of Thomas together with the words

Finally, one of the biggest reasons people visit author websites is to get a better sense of who the person behind the words on the page is, so don’t be afraid to show your face. Angie Thomas goes straight for the kill with a beautiful, professional headshot that is both inviting and confident. This, paired with some hand-picked words to the left, is a strong introduction to Thomas both as a person and as an author. 

Takeaway: Show your face

Whether you want your brand to focus on you as an author or on your books, it’s a good rule of thumb to use your website to introduce yourself to the world. Unless, of course you’re a ghostwriter or writing under a pen name and prefer to work in anonymity. But even then, your writing website should include an avatar at the very least.

You don’t have to place your author photo front and center, but your site should contain some indication that your work was written by an actual human and not an AI . Your ‘About’ section is a good place to start, but sprinkling a few photos that show who you are throughout your different sections is a good way to make your readers feel connected to you. 

In the next part of this guide, we'll show you how to create your very own website using some of the most popular tools in the internet.

11 responses

Brent Jones says:

02/06/2017 – 12:29

Well, never did I ever think I'd appear on the same list of authors as JK Rowling for something. Wow! You guys over at Reedsy made my day. Thanks!

Kristen Steele says:

21/06/2017 – 15:29

Great examples! Branding is a powerful element, but works best if all of your books follow a specific theme.

arushi says:

30/08/2018 – 05:47

Nice Article www.booksoul.in

Zain Khan says:

06/12/2018 – 09:28

Thanks for the awesome blog post. keep it up. Recycling Media

Michael Barrett says:

05/03/2019 – 15:00

mbbarrett.com

christopher sparacino says:

08/05/2019 – 12:28

I wrote a book i'm trying to get out there, feel free to read it! it's free, about 70 pages... http://bit.ly/evolveordiebook enjoy

Oohgirlbybk says:

Good info! Thank you! My website is live, but I will be contacting my web designer :)

Sayli@digitalmarketing says:

22/05/2019 – 10:25

This the list every digital marketer and web designer should have! Thanks for this amazing list!

Paul Nieto says:

23/05/2019 – 17:00

Thank you for the ideas and examples. I signed up for the checklist also.

amber says:

05/09/2019 – 09:50

wow, what a great example. branding is the most powerful tool. I am also an author

David Evans says:

17/11/2019 – 10:05

The Lesley M. M. Blume site and the Austin Kleon site are pretty good , i often find that alot of sites go for design over typography which mostly doesnt work , your right about having blog posts front and centre , problem is most authors ive encountered never want that ( customer is always right etc ) .. which is a shame

Comments are currently closed.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Only on Reedsy

View their portfolios and get free quotes today when you create your account.

Reedsy Marketplace UI

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

  • Lost Password
  • Lost Username
  • Online Writers
  • Self-Publishers
  • Literary Agents
  • Literary Magazines

Writers to Watch

Maaike van Walderveen

Maaike van Walderveen

Words are the only thing that make sense sometimes..

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

websites fiction writing

  • Facebook Group
  • Facebook Page

Spring Sale: Get 15% off selected writing courses, only through April 19! Learn more »

Writers.com

Whether you’ve been struck with a moment of inspiration or you’ve carried a story inside you for years, you’re here because you want to start writing fiction. From developing flesh-and-bone characters to worlds as real as our own, good fiction is hard to write, and getting the first words onto the blank page can be daunting.

Daunting, but not impossible. Although writing good fiction takes time, with a few fiction writing tips and your first sentences written, you’ll find that it’s much easier to get your words on the page.

Let’s break down fiction to its essential elements. We’ll investigate the individual components of fiction writing—and how, when they sit down to write, writers turn words into worlds. Then, we’ll turn to instructor Jack Smith and his thoughts on combining these elements into great works of fiction. But first, what are the elements of fiction writing?

Introduction to Fiction Writing: The Six Elements of Fiction

Before we delve into any writing tips, let’s review the essentials of creative writing in fiction. Whether you’re writing flash fiction , short stories, or epic trilogies, most fiction stories require these six components:

  • Plot: the “what happens” of your story.
  • Characters:  whose lives are we watching?
  • Setting: the world that the story is set in.
  • Point of View: from whose eyes do we see the story unfold?
  • Theme: the “deeper meaning” of the story, or what the story represents.
  • Style: how you use words to tell the story.

It’s important to recognize that all of these elements are intertwined. You can’t build the setting without writing it through a certain point of view; you can’t develop important themes with arbitrary characters, etc. We’ll get into the relationship between these elements later, but for now, let’s explore how to use each element to write fiction.

1. Fiction Writing Tip: Developing Fictional Plots

Plot is the series of causes and effects that produce the story as a whole. Because A, then B, then C—ultimately leading to the story’s  climax , the result of all the story’s events and character’s decisions.

If you don’t know where to start your story, but you have a few story ideas, then start with the conflict . Some novels take their time to introduce characters or explain the world of the piece, but if the conflict that drives the story doesn’t show up within the first 15 pages, then the story loses direction quickly.

That’s not to say you have to be explicit about the conflict. In Harry Potter, Voldemort isn’t introduced as the main antagonist until later in the first book; the series’ conflict begins with the Dursley family hiding Harry from his magical talents. Let the conflict unfold naturally in the story, but start with the story’s impetus, then go from there.

2. Fiction Writing Tip: Creating Characters

Think far back to 9th grade English, and you might remember the basic types of story conflicts: man vs. nature, man vs. man, and man vs. self. The conflicts that occur within stories happen to its characters—there can be no story without its people. Sometimes, your story needs to start there: in the middle of a conversation, a disrupted routine, or simply with what makes your characters special.

There are many ways to craft characters with depth and complexity. These include writing backstory, giving characters goals and fatal flaws, and making your characters contend with complicated themes and ideas. This guide on character development will help you sort out the traits your characters need, and how to interweave those traits into the story.

3. Fiction Writing Tip: Give Life to Living Worlds

Whether your story is set on Earth or a land far, far away, your setting lives in the same way your characters do. In the same way that we read to get inside the heads of other people, we also read to escape to a world outside of our own. Consider starting the story with what makes your world live: a pulsing city, the whispered susurrus of orchards, hills that roil with unsolved mysteries, etc. Tell us where the conflict is happening, and the story will follow.

4. Fiction Writing Tip: Play With Narrative Point of View

Point of view refers to the “cameraman” of the story—the vantage point we are viewing the story through. Maybe you’re stuck starting your story because you’re trying to write it in the wrong person. There are four POVs that authors work with:

  • First person—the story is told from the “I” perspective, and that “I” is the protagonist.
  • First person peripheral—the story is told from the “I” perspective, but the “I” is not the protagonist, but someone adjacent to the protagonist. (Think: Nick Carraway, narrator of  The Great Gatsby. )
  • Second person—the story is told from the “you” perspective. This point of view is rare, but when done effectively, it can create a sense of eeriness or a personalized piece.
  • Third person limited—the story is told from the “he/she/they” perspective. The narrator is not directly involved in the lives of the characters; additionally, the narrator usually writes from the perspective of one or two characters.
  • Third person omniscient—the story is told from the “he/she/they” perspective. The narrator is not directly involved in the lives of the characters; additionally, the narrator knows what is happening in each character’s heads and in the world at large.

If you can’t find the right words to begin your piece, consider switching up the pronouns you use and the perspective you write from. You might find that the story flows onto the page from a different point of view.

5. Fiction Writing Tip: Use the Story to Investigate Themes

Generally, the themes of the story aren’t explored until after the aforementioned elements are established, and writers don’t always know the themes of their own work until after the work is written. Still, it might help to consider the broader implications of the story you want to write. How does the conflict or story extend into a bigger picture?

Let’s revisit Harry Potter’s opening scenes. When we revisit the Dursleys preventing Harry from knowing about his true nature, several themes are established: the meaning of family, the importance of identity, and the idea of fate can all be explored here. Themes often develop organically, but it doesn’t hurt to consider the message of your story from the start.

6. Fiction Writing Tip: Experiment With Words

Style is the last of the six fiction elements, but certainly as important as the others. The words you use to tell your story, the way you structure your sentences, how you alternate between characters, and the sounds of the words you use all contribute to the mood of the work itself.

If you’re struggling to get past the first sentence, try rewriting it. Write it in 10 words or write it in 200 words; write a single word sentence; experiment with metaphors, alliteration, or onomatopoeia . Then, once you’ve found the right words, build from there, and let your first sentence guide the style and mood of the narrative.

Now, let’s take a deeper look at the craft of fiction writing. The above elements are great starting points, but to learn how to start writing fiction, we need to examine the craft of combining these elements.

Jack Smith

Primer on the Elements of Fiction Writing

First, before we get into the craft of fiction writing, it’s important to understand the elements of fiction. You don’t need to understand everything about the craft of fiction before you start keying in ideas or planning your novel. But this primer will be something you can consult if you need clarification on any term (e.g., point of view) as you learn how to start writing fiction.

The Elements of Fiction Writing

A standard novel runs between 80,000 to 100,000 words. A short novel, going by the National Novel Writing Month , is at least 50,000. To begin with, don’t think about length—think about development. Length will come. It is true that some works lend themselves more to novellas, but if that’s the case, you don’t want to pad them to make a longer work. If you write a plot summary—that’s one option on getting started writing fiction—you will be able to get a fairly good idea about your project as to whether it lends itself to a full-blown novel.

For now, let’s think about the various elements of fiction—the building blocks.

Writing Fiction: Your Protagonist

Readers want an interesting protagonist , or main character. One that seems real, that deals with the various things in life we all deal with. If the writer makes life too simple, and doesn’t reflect the kinds of problems we all face, most readers are going to lose interest.

Don’t cheat it. Make the work honest. Do as much as you can to develop a character who is fully developed, fully real—many-sided. Complex. In Aspects of the Novel , E.M Forster called this character a “round” characte r. This character is capable of surprising us. Don’t be afraid to make your protagonist, or any of your characters, a bit contradictory. Most of us are somewhat contradictory at one time or another. The deeper you see into your protagonist, the more complex, the more believable they will be.

If a character has no depth, is merely “flat,” as Forster terms it, then we can sum this character up in a sentence: “George hates his ex-wife.” This is much too limited. Find out why. What is it that causes George to hate his ex-wife? Is it because of something she did or didn’t do? Is it because of a basic personality clash? Is it because George can’t stand a certain type of person, and he didn’t realize, until too late, that his ex-wife was really that kind of person? Imagine some moments of illumination, and you will have a much richer character than one who just hates his ex-wife.

And so… to sum up: think about fleshing out your protagonist as much as you can. Consider personality, character (or moral makeup), inclinations, proclivities, likes, dislikes, etc. What makes this character happy? What makes this character sad or frustrated? What motivates your character? Readers don’t want to know only what —they want to know why .

Usually, readers want a sympathetic character, one they can root for. Or if not that, one that is interesting in different ways. You might not find the protagonist of The Girl on the Train totally sympathetic, but she’s interesting! She’s compelling.

Here’s an article I wrote on what makes a good protagonist.

Also on clichéd characters.

Now, we’re ready for a key question: what is your protagonist’s main goal in this story? And secondly, who or what will stand in the way of your character achieving this goal?

There are two kinds of conflicts: internal and external. In some cases, characters may not be opposing an external antagonist, but be self-conflicted. Once you decide on your character’s goal, you can more easily determine the nature of the obstacles that your protagonist must overcome. There must be conflict, of course, and stories must involve movement. Things go from Phase A to Phase B to Phase C, and so on. Overall, the protagonist begins here and ends there. She isn’t the same at the end of the story as she was in the beginning. There is a character arc.

I spoke of character arc. Now let’s move on to plot, the mechanism governing the overall logic of the story. What causes the protagonist to change? What key events lead up to the final resolution?

But before we go there, let’s stop a moment and think about point of view, the lens through which the story is told.

Writing Fiction: Point of View as Lens

Is this the right protagonist for this story? Is this character the one who has the most at stake? Does this character have real potential for change? Remember, you must have change or movement—in terms of character growth—in your story. Your character should not be quite the same at the end as in the beginning. Otherwise, it’s more of a sketch.

Such a story used to be called “slice of life.” For example, what if a man thinks his job can’t get any worse—and it doesn’t? He started with a great dislike for the job, for the people he works with, just for the pay. His hate factor is 9 on a scale of 10. He doesn’t learn anything about himself either. He just realizes he’s got to get out of there. The reader knew that from page 1.

Choose a character who has a chance of undergoing change of some kind. The more complex the change, the better. Characters that change are dynamic characters , according to E. M. Forster. Characters that remain the same are  static  characters. Be sure your protagonist is dynamic.

Okay, an exception: Let’s say your character resists change—that can involve some sort of movement—the resisting of change.

Here’s another thing to look at on protagonists—a blog I wrote: https://elizabethspanncraig.com/writing-tips-2/creating-strong-characters-typical-challenges/

Writing Fiction: Point of View and Person

Usually when we think of point of view, we have in mind the choice of person: first, second, and third. First person provides intimacy. As readers we’re allowed into the I-narrator’s mind and heart. A story told from the first person can sometimes be highly confessional, frank, bold. Think of some of the great first-person narrators like Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield. With first person we can also create narrators that are not completely reliable, leading to dramatic irony : we as readers believe one thing while the narrator believes another. This creates some interesting tension, but be careful to make your protagonist likable, sympathetic. Or at least empathetic, someone we can relate to.

What if a novel is told in first person from the point of view of a mob hit man? As author of such a tale, you probably wouldn’t want your reader to root for this character, but you could at least make the character human and believable. With first person, your reader would be constantly in the mind of this character, so you’d need to find a way to deal with this sympathy question. First person is a good choice for many works of fiction, as long as one doesn’t confuse the I-narrator with themselves. It may be a temptation, especially in the case of fiction based on one’s own life—not that it wouldn’t be in third person narrations. But perhaps even more with a first person story: that character is me . But it’s not—it’s a fictional character.

Check out my article on writing autobiographical fiction, which appeared in  The   Writer  magazine. https://www.writermag.com/2018/07/31/filtering-fact-through-fiction/

Third person provides more distance. With third person, you have a choice between three forms: omniscient, limited omniscient, and objective or dramatic. If you get outside of your protagonist’s mind and enter other characters’ minds, you are being omniscient or godlike. If you limit your access to your protagonist’s mind only, this is limited omniscience. Let’s consider these two forms of third-person narrators before moving on to the objective or dramatic POV.

The omniscient form is rather risky, but it is certainly used, and it can certainly serve a worthwhile function. With this form, the author knows everything that has occurred, is occurring, or will occur in a given place, or in given places, for all the characters in the story. The author can provide historical background, look into the future, and even speculate on characters and make judgments. This point of view, writers tend to feel today, is more the method of nineteenth-century fiction, and not for today. It seems like too heavy an authorial footprint. Not handled well—and it is difficult to handle well—the characters seem to be pawns of an all-knowing author.

Today’s omniscience tends to take the form of multiple points of view, sometimes alternating, sometimes in sections. An author is behind it all, but the author is effaced, not making an appearance. BUT there are notable examples of well-handled authorial omniscience–read Nobel-prize winning Jose Saramago’s Blindness  as a good example.

For more help, here’s an article I wrote on the omniscient point of view for  The Writer : https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/omniscient-pov/

The limited omniscient form is typical of much of today’s fiction. You stick to your protagonist’s mind. You see others from the outside. Even so, you do have to be careful that you don’t get out of this point of view from time to time, and bring in things the character can’t see or observe—unless you want to stand outside this character, and therein lies the omniscience, however limited it is.

But anyway, note the difference between: “George’s smiles were very welcoming” and “George felt like his smiles were very welcoming”—see the difference? In the case of the first, we’re seeing George from the outside; in the case of the second, from the inside. It’s safer to stay within your protagonist’s perspective as much as possible and not describe them from the outside. Doing so comes off like a point-of-view shift. Yet it’s true that in some stories, the narrator will describe what the character is wearing, tell us what his hopes and dreams are, mention things he doesn’t know right now but will later—and perhaps, in rather quirky stories, the narrator will even say something like “Our hero…” This can work, and has, if you create an interesting narrative voice. But it’s certainly a risk.

The dramatic or objective point of view is one you’ll probably use from time to time, but not throughout your whole novel. Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephants” is handled with this point of view. Mostly, with maybe one exception, all we know is what the characters say and do, as in a play. Using this point of view from time to time in a longer work can certainly create interest. You can intensify a scene sometimes with this point of view. An interesting back and forth can be accomplished, especially if the dialogue is clipped.

I’ve saved the second-person point of view for the last. I would advise you not to use this point of view for an entire work. In his short novel Bright Lights, Big City , Jay McInerney famously uses this point of view, and with some force, but it’s hard to pull off. In lesser hands, it can get old. You also cause the reader to become the character. Does the reader want to become this character? One problem with this point of view is it may seem overly arty, an attempt at sophistication. I think it’s best to choose either first or third.

Here’s an article I wrote on use of second person for  The Writer magazine. Check it out if you’re interested. https://www.writermag.com/2016/11/02/second-person-pov/

Writing Fiction: Protagonist and Plot and Structure

We come now to plot, keeping in mind character. You might consider the traditional five-stage structure : exposition, rising action, crisis and climax, falling action, and resolution. Not every plot works this way, but it’s a tried-and-true structure. Certainly a number of pieces of literature you read will begin in media re s—that is, in the middle of things. Instead of beginning with standard exposition, or explanation of the condition of the protagonist’s life at the story’s starting point, the author will begin with a scene. But even so, as in Jerzy Kosiński’s famous novella Being There , which begins with a scene, we’ll still pick up the present state of the character’s life before we see something that complicates it or changes the existing equilibrium. This so-called complication can be something apparently good—like winning the lottery—or something decidedly bad—like losing a huge amount of money at the gaming tables. One thing is true in both cases: whatever has happened will cause the character to change. And so now you have to fill in the events that bring this about.

How do you do that? One way is to write a chapter outline to prevent false starts. But some writers don’t like plotting in this fashion, but want to discover as they write. If you do plot your novel in advance, do realize that as you write, you will discover a lot of things about your character that you didn’t have in mind when you first set pen to paper. Or fingers to keyboard. And so, while it’s a good idea to do some planning, do keep your options open.

Let’s think some more about plot. To have a workable plot, you need a sequence of actions or events that give the story an overall movement. This includes two elements which we’ll take up later: foreshadowing and echoing (things that prepare us for something in the future and things that remind us of what has already happened). These two elements knit a story together.

Think carefully about character motivations. Some things may happen to your character; some things your character may decide to do, however wisely or unwisely. In the revision stage, if not earlier, ask yourself: What motivates my character to act in one way or another? And ask yourself: What is the overall logic of this story? What caused my character to change? What were the various forces, whether inner or outer, that caused this change? Can I describe my character’s overall arc, from A to Z?  Try to do that. Write a short paragraph. Then try to write down your summary in one sentence, called a log line in film script writing, but also a useful technique in fiction writing as well. If you write by the discovery method, you probably won’t want to do this in the midst of the drafting, but at least in the revision stage, you should consider doing so.

With a novel you may have a subplot or two. Assuming you will, you’ll need to decide how the plot and the subplot relate. Are they related enough to make one story? If you think the subplot is crucial for the telling of your tale, try to say why—in a paragraph, then in a sentence.

Here’s an article I wrote on structure for  The Writer : https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/revision-grammar/find-novels-structure/

Writing Fiction: Setting

Let’s move on to setting . Your novel has to take place somewhere. Where is it? Is it someplace that is particularly striking and calls for a lot of solid description? If it’s a wilderness area where your character is lost, give your reader a strong sense for the place. If it’s a factory job, and much of the story takes place at the worksite, again readers will want to feel they’re there with your character, putting in the hours. If it’s an apartment and the apartment itself isn’t related to the problems your character is having, then there’s no need to provide that much detail. Exception: If your protagonist concentrates on certain things in the apartment and begins to associate certain things about the apartment with their misery, now there’s reason to get concrete. Take a look, when you have a chance, at the short story “The Yellow Wall-Paper.” It’s not an apartment—it’s a house—but clearly the setting itself becomes important when it becomes important to the character. She reads the wallpaper as a statement about her own condition.

Here’s the URL for ”The Yellow Wall-Paper”: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/theliteratureofprescription/exhibitionAssets/digitalDocs/The-Yellow-Wall-Paper.pdf

Sometimes setting is pretty important; sometimes it’s much less important. When it doesn’t serve a purpose to describe it, don’t, other than to give the reader a sense for where the story takes place. If you provide very many details, even in a longer work like a novel, the reader will think that these details have some significance in terms of character, plot, or theme—or all three. And if they don’t, why are they there? If setting details are important, be selective. Provide a dominant impression. More on description below.

If you’re interested, here’s a blog on setting I wrote for Writers.com: https://writers.com/what-is-the-setting-of-a-story

Writing Fiction: Theme and Idea

Most literary works have a theme or idea. It’s possible to decide on this theme before you write, as you plan out your novel. But be careful here. If the theme seems imposed on the work, the novel will lose a lot of force. It will seem—and it may well be—engineered by the author much like a nonfiction piece, and lose the felt experience of the characters.

Theme must emerge from the work naturally, or at least appear to do so. Once you have a draft, you can certainly build ideas that are apparent in the work, and you can even do this while you’re generating your first draft. But watch out for overdoing it. Let the characters (what they do, what they say) and the plot (the whole storyline with its logical connections) contribute on their own to the theme. Also you can depend on metaphors, similes, and analogies to point to the theme—as long as these are not heavy-handed. Avoid authorial intrusion, authorial impositions of any kind. If you do end up creating a simile, metaphor, or analogy through rational thinking, make sure it sounds  natural. That’s not easy, of course.

Writing Fiction: Handling Scenes

Keep a few things in mind about writing scenes. Not every event deserves a whole scene, maybe only a half-scene, a short interaction between characters. Scenes need to do two things: reveal character and advance plot. If a scene seems to stall out and lack interest, in the revision mode you might try using narrative summary instead (see below).

Good fiction is strongly dramatic, calling for scenes, many of them scenes with dialogue and action. Scenes need to involve conflict of some kind. If everyone is happy, that’s probably going to be a dull scene. Some scenes will be narrative, without dialogue. You need some interesting action to make these work.

Let’s consider scenes with dialogue.

The best dialogue is speech that sounds natural, and yet isn’t. Everything about fiction is an artifice, including speech. But try to make it sound real. The best way to do this is to “hear” the voices in your head and transcribe them. Take dictation. If you can do this, whole conversations will seem very real, believable. If you force what each character has to say, and plan it out too much, it will certainly sound planned out, and not real at all. Not that in the revision mode you can’t doctor up the speech here and there, but still, make sure it comes off as natural sounding.

Some things to think about when writing dialogue: people usually speak in fragments, interrupt each other, engage in pauses, follow up a question with a comment that takes the conversation off course (non sequiturs). Note these aspects of dialogue in the fiction you read.

Also, note how writers intersperse action with dialogue, setting details, and character thoughts. As far as the latter goes, though, if you’ll recall, I spoke of the dramatic point of view, which doesn’t get into a character’s mind but depends instead on what characters do and say, as in a play. You may try this point of view out in some scenes to make them really move.

One technique is to use indirect dialogue, or summary of what a character said, not in the character’s own words. For instance: Bill made it clear that he wasn’t going to the city after all. If anybody thought that, they were wrong .

Now and then you’ll come upon dialogue that doesn’t use the standard double quotes, but perhaps a single quote (this is British), or dashes, or no punctuation at all. The latter two methods create some distance from the speech. If you want to give your work a surreal quality, this certainly adds to it. It also makes it seem more interior.

One way to kill good dialogue is to make characters too obviously expository devices—that is, functioning to provide background or explanations of certain important story facts. Certainly characters can serve as expository devices, but don’t be too heavy-handed about this. Don’t force it like the following:

“We always used to go to the beach, you recall? You recall how first we would have breakfast, then take a long walk on the beach, and then we would change into our swimsuits, and spend an hour in the water. And you recall how we usually followed that with a picnic lunch, maybe an hour later.”

This sounds like the character is saying all this to fill the reader in on backstory. You’d need a motive for the utterance of all of these details—maybe sharing a memory?

But the above sounds stilted, doesn’t it?

One final word about dialogue. Watch out for dialogue tags that tell but don’t show . Here’s an example:

“Do you think that’s the case,” said Ted, hoping to hear some good news. “Not necessarily,” responded Laura, in a barky voice. “I just wish life wasn’t so difficult,” replied Ted.

If you’re going to use a tag at all—and many times you don’t need to—use “said.” Dialogue tags like the above examples can really kill the dialogue.

Writing Fiction: Writing Solid Prose

Narrative summary :  As I’ve stated above, not everything will be a scene. You’ll need to write narrative summary now and then. Narrative summary telescopes time, covering a day, a week, a month, a year, or even longer. Often it will be followed up by a scene, whether a narrative scene   or one with dialogue. Narrative summary can also relate how things generally went over a given period. You can write strong narrative summary if you make it specific and concrete—and dramatic. Also, if we hear the voice of the writer, it can be interesting—if the voice is compelling enough.

Exposition : It’s the first stage of the 5-stage plot structure, where things are set up prior to some sort of complication, but more generally, it’s a prose form which tells or informs. You use exposition when you get inside your character, dealing with his or her thoughts and emotions, memories, plans, dreams. This can be difficult to do well because it can come off too much like authorial “telling” instead of “showing,” and readers want to feel like they’re experiencing the world of the protagonist, not being told about this world. Still, it’s important to get inside characters, and exposition is often the right tool, along with narrative summary, if the character is remembering a sequence of events from the past.

Description :  Description is a word picture, providing specific and concrete details to allow the reader to see, not just be told. Concreteness is putting the reader in the world of the five senses, what we call imagery . Some writers provide a lot of details, some only a few—just enough that the reader can imagine the rest. Consider choosing details that create a dominant impression—whether it’s a character or a place. Similes, metaphors, and analogies help readers see people and places and can make thoughts and ideas (the reflections of your character or characters) more interesting. Not that you should always make your reader see. To do so might cause an overload of images.

Check out these two articles: https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/the-definitive-guide-to-show-dont-tell/ https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/figurative-language-in-fiction/

Writing Fiction: Research

Some novels require research. Obviously historical novels do, but others do, too, like Sci Fi novels. Almost any novel can call for a little research. Here’s a short article I wrote for The Writer magazine on handling research materials. It’s in no way an in-depth commentary on research–but it will serve as an introduction. https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/research-in-fiction/

For a blog on novel writing, check this link at Writers.com: https://writers.com/novel-writing-tips

For more articles I’ve published in  The Writer , go here: https://www.writermag.com/author/jack-smith/

How to Start Writing Fiction: Take a Writing Class!

To write a story or even write a book, fiction writers need these tools first and foremost. Although there’s no comprehensive guide on how to write fiction for beginners, working with these elements of fiction will help your story bloom.

All six elements synergize to make a work of fiction, and like most works of art, the sum of these elements is greater than the individual parts. Still, you might find that you struggle with one of these elements, like maybe you’re great at writing characters but not very good with exploring setting. If this is the case, then use your strengths: use characters to explore the setting, or use style to explore themes, etc.

Getting the first draft written is the hardest part, but it deserves to be written. Once you’ve got a working draft of a story or novel and you need an extra set of eyes, the Writers.com community is here to give feedback: take a look at our upcoming courses on fiction writing, and check out our talented writing community .

Good luck, and happy writing!

' src=

I have had a story in my mind for over 15 years. I just haven’t had an idea how to start , putting it down on print just seems too confusing. After reading this article I’m even more confused but also more determined to give it a try. It has given me answers to some of my questions. Thank you !

' src=

You’ve got this, Earl!

' src=

Just reading this as I have decided to attempt a fiction work. I am terrible at writing outside of research papers and such. I have about 50 single spaced pages “written” and an entire outline. These tips are great because where I struggle it seems is drawing the reader in. My private proof reader tells me it is to much like an explanation and not enough of a story, but working on it.

' src=

first class

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

websites fiction writing

Ebooks, Publishing, and Everything in Between

  • Downloads & Pricing
  • Advertising

Best 14 Websites for Aspiring Writers

  • on May 17, 2022
  • in Writing Tips
  • Last update: October 8th, 2023

According to Benjamin Franklin, you should “either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”. But for writers out there, that is easier said than done. Thankfully, technology has helped us in this aspect, as now you can find lots of blogs and websites that are tailor-made for helping writers. 

In this article, we will tell you about the top blogs and websites for writers to get your creative juices flowing. So make sure to keep a pen and paper (or an old-timey typewriter, we won’t judge) next to you, to prepare yourself for your next writing masterpiece. 

a typewriter surrounded by plants

Top 9 Blogs for Writers That You Need to Check Out

Although some might think that blogs are more of a 90s platform, they are still an up-and-coming phenomenon. Writers definitely can benefit from the many blogs that have writing advice from pronounced writers and authors. 

We have compiled a list of the top 9 blogs for writers that you should definitely check out. From how to use quirky, dark humor and incorporate it into your dialogue, to tricks of the trade to self-publish your book, you will find in these blogs any writing advice you’re looking for! 

Beemgee for writers

Beemgee is a story development and storytelling blog that can help all types of writers out there. You can also find a Beemgee story development tool that can help you work on your new fantasy novel, even if you will not publish it. Through the tool, authors can write novels, screenplays, narrative video games, and drama scripts; all kinds of writers out there will find a good thing to use on Beemgee! 

You will also find that there is a wide range of topics, from Chinese literature to James Bond-themed plots. When you are writing the first draft of your story, Beemgee will help you form the content in your fictional world. This blog focuses on the development of your story’s plot and characters, which will turn your story into a bestseller in no time. You can use Beemgee before, after, or during your first draft, as reading their content will help you along the way. 

2. SelfPublishing

selfpublishing.com for writers

Don’t worry; this blog is not just for self-publishing tips and advice only. You will also find a lot of writing topics covered in immense detail. Whether you are a writer who wants to publish your book or a novice writer who does not know where to start, SelfPublishing is the right blog for you. 

This blog will give you all the advice you need, such as character bios and in-depth advice on book writing. Additionally, once you subscribe, the blog offers guidebooks and writing tools that will give you everything you need to self-publish your book, including self-confidence in your writing. 

3. The Write Life

The Writer Life for Writers

If you have been looking at writing blogs for a while, then you have probably stumbled upon The Write Life. This blog has a lot to offer and it is a great resource for all kinds of writers. 

If you are looking to write a book as a first-time author or you want to become a freelance writer, then you will find that The Write Life is the right place to go. You can also find advice and tips on blogging and marketing. 

The articles on this blog cover many writing aspects, so you do not need to look elsewhere! Additionally, you can look through their comment section for feedback from the writing community, which can be extremely helpful.

4. Writer’s Digest

writer's digest blog for writers

Who is the best person to give writing tips? Someone in the writing industry, of course. This is why you should definitely check out Writer’s Digest, which is one of the best writing blogs out there. Amy Jones, the editor-in-chief of Writer’s Digest, is also the managing editor for North Light Books and IMPACT Books. 

This blog will help you discover or rediscover your creative potential through simple, yet insightful posts. These posts transform complicated writing issues into simple solutions, which will make the writing process much easier for you. 

Moreover, The Writer’s Digest hosts competitions and provides in-depth information on different writing events they host. You can even find blog posts that are featured by editors and writers alike. If you are the type of writer who is looking for a support group in the writing community, then you should give the Writer’s Digest a whirl. 

5. The Write Practice

The Write Practice blog

The Write Practice is an extensive writing resource that offers all forms of helpful information for writers. This writing blog covers writing posts on a wide range of topics, including writing exercises to writing prompts that will get your creative juices flowing. With the Write Practice bookmarked on your browser, you will never feel helpless when it comes to writing.

Furthermore, The Write Practice offers free tips through their blog posts, which will help you evolve your writing style and restructure your writing process. It also offers writing programs and contests. 

Evolving your author platform is important, which is exactly what the Write Practice can help you with. 

6. Terribleminds

TerribleMinds blog

Chuck Wendig, the person behind the TerribleMinds blog, has a unique taste that screams dark humor. This author is brutal in his writing and adds a touch of humor to his writing advice for aspiring writers, and his blog is one of the best writers’ blogs to follow.

Terribleminds offer a wide range of topics that are extracted from Wending’s personal work and the writing of other writers to help you out. The best part is that you will never get bored with Wendig’s unique delivery of writing advice. Since Chuck Wendig is a published author, you will find that he has the best insight into any writing obstacle you might face. 

7. Write to Done  

WritetoDone Blog

There are many different aspects that writers need to be aware of in order to build a successful career path in writing. That is exactly what Write to Done will help you with. This creative writing blog gives tips and advice on nonfiction writing, as well. It is the best of both writing worlds, regardless of what type of writing you want to tackle. 

Write to Done, which is considered one of the best blogs by writers, will also help you master several writing techniques and habits that you need to fulfill your writing dreams. Make sure not to miss out on all the writing tips that Write to Done has to offer, along with the motivational posts that will help you during tough writing times.  

8. Well-Storied

websites fiction writing

Kristen Kieffer is the author and genius behind Well-Storied. She is also a well-known author and writing coach who gives advice to all aspiring authors that need help. This writing blog offers great writing tips, as Kiffer has dedicated her time to helping writers unleash their true abilities. 

When visiting this blog, you will be able to access her free courses, listen to her podcast, and join her community chats. You will also find that Well-Storied has a wide range of topics to help you improve your writing style. Thanks to her great tips and advice, you will find yourself turning to her blog every once in a while!

9. The Creative Penn

The Creative Penn Blog

If you are planning to transform writing into a full-time job, then you should have a look at  The Creative Penn. This writing blog discusses a lot of topics from genre-specific advice to publishing tips. Joanna Penn, who is responsible for managing this blog, is a bestselling author, which makes her advice both practical and beneficial.

The main aim of this blog is to educate writers on how to improve their writing. Penn has several self-help books for the writing community that are available for purchase. You can also access her podcasts, courses, writing tools, and anything else you need to help your writing process move forward; and the best part is that it’s free of charge! 

Top 5 Websites for Writers

Blogs can be a great source of writing advice, but sometimes writers need a tool that helps them with the process, and this is where writing websites come in. We have compiled a list of 4 of the top websites for all aspiring writers out there. You will be able to tap into your true potential through these writing websites. 

1. The Book Designer

the book designer

The Book Designer will help you with writing creative disclaimers and using social media in an efficient and effective manner. As mentioned in their tagline, this writing website offers practical tips on how to build better books and how to choose the right platforms for your book.

Inklyo writing blog

Inklyo is a writing website that offers tips for writers, bloggers, entrepreneurs, and students alike. This website will give you writing inspiration, along with practical tips that will help you develop your writing skills. 

One of the main concerns for writers is remaining productive, which is exactly what Inklyo will help you with. If you are in the mood for getting some writing insight and instruction, then Inklyo offers several writing courses and e-books that help you learn how to write absolutely anything. 

3. Kristen Lamb

Kristen Lamb writing blog

Chosen as one of the “Best Websites for Writers” by both The Write Life and Writer’s Digest, Kristen Lamb’s website is the go-to for authors looking for consultations or on-demand classes. Lamb is a bestselling author with non-fiction books about writing on social media and blogs, as well as her fiction book, The Devil’s Dance.

Besides the writing classes and videos, this website also offers guidance to writers through comprehensive posts that are seriously detailed. You will find that these posts are funny and easy to read, which is great for writers who do not have the energy to think too hard about their writing style. 

4. Warrior Writers

warrior writers blog

Warrior Writers is a community of military veterans, service members, artists, allies, and healers dedicated to creativity and wellness. Some of the programs they offer highlight turning your pain into art. After all, writers put the ache in heartbreak, right? 

If you feel like you are in a writing rut, then you will find this writing website offering inspirational stories that you need to hear about. Here is a review from a veteran who used this platform:

“It has been an amazing experience. It’s a collaborative project and it’s not something any of us could have done alone. I used to write before I went to Iraq, but when I got over there, I wasn’t able to write. So through the Warrior Writers Project, I have been able to slowly begin to find my words again and share my experiences and what happened over there. It’s been a healing experience.” – Eli Wright, Iraq Veteran and Artist

5. Jane Friedman

websites fiction writing

From paid and free online classes and newsletters to blog posts and resources for writers, this website has it all. The one behind all of this is the published author Jane Friedman, who has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She has also written and contributed to many books that guide the authors through the process of writing and publishing.

Friedman is especially interested in how the digital age is transforming the writing and publishing industry. She aims to help authors find new business models in the internet era. Moreover, she has worked with many prominent institutions, such as IngramSpark , PublishersWeekly , and Authors Guild .

Final Thoughts

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor; there is an entire writing community that can help you out in any conundrum you may face. These writing blogs and websites will develop your writing skills and show you how to work on your writing style. When you visit these platforms, you will also find writing exercises, writing prompts, and many more tools to help you out! 

Download Kotobee Author

7 Steps You Need to Follow to Write Your Ebook

6 Fun Writing Strategies to Help You Write More

500+ Online Writing Courses to Join in 2022

' src=

Bellinda Porterman

Thanks for the compilation! I totally agree, and I’d also throw in a few more awesome tools for automation and information storage: – If you’re all about structuring your character info and diving deep into plotting, Notion https://www.notion.so/ is a game-changer. The customization options are almost limitless, making it a real powerhouse. – And don’t forget about this name generator https://instausername.com/fake-name-generator for first and last names, and other character data. They’re a lifesaver when it comes to creating characters. You can filter by country, gender, or age, making brainstorming a breeze. – Oh, and speaking of character development, there’s another fantastic tool https://bookraid.com/ai/book-character-generator for generating character biographies. You can tweak the settings for gender, genre, and comments, which makes it super convenient. It’s a real time-saver!

' src=

Hi Bellinda!

Thank you for the awesome input! 💡

Notion is indeed a powerhouse for structuring characters and plotting, and that name generator and character biography tool sound like fantastic resources. Collaboration like this makes our writing community stronger. Feel free to share more gems if you come across them!

Happy writing! 🚀📝

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Kotobee

Kotobee is the complete end-to-end ebook solution for you and your business. Export multiple formats. Deliver securely.

Create, publish, and sell ebooks with ease

Kotobee es la solución completa de ebooks de extremo a extremo para usted y su empresa.

Cree, publique y venda libros electrónicos con facilidad

websites fiction writing

Recent Posts

  • How to Edit a Book for Publishing: Tips & Best Practices
  • Book Royalties: What They Are and How to Earn the Best Rates
  • Game-Based Learning: What It Is, and How to Apply It
  • How to Publish a Book for Free and Maximize Your Profit
  • How to Become a Best-Selling Author: 5 Secrets for Success
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

33 Best Author Websites Examples (2023 Update)

February 2023.

websites fiction writing

I am going to show you EXACTLY how to create your own best author website.

We will address for you the “Dos” and “Don’ts” of creating an author website.

Examples of effective and ineffective author websites will be shared and how to improve the ineffective components as well. 

In the end, you will know for certain that you can create an effective author website that will enhance your image and branding!

The Purpose of this Article

In this article, we will see some nicely done author websites. These websites can provide inspiration and guidelines to make the best author websites.

By the way, to learn how to create, manage and market your author website, you have to read more articles on our blog .

Characteristic of best author websites

These are the things your author site must have no matter what genre or type of writer you are.

Your Website’s Landing Page Should :

  • Include a list of your published work (books, novels, eBooks, articles etc)
  • Promptly shows upcoming and new releases
  • Have a separate page about yourself
  • Provide a way to contact you or hire you.
  • Include links to your social media accounts.
  • Easy to navigate
  • A blog to showcase your personality and/or writing process
  • Has a unique, clean and eye-catching design
  • Must run perfectly on Mobile and PC

We analyzed 500+ authors’ sites!

We have analyzed more than 500 author websites on the net to write this article.

We update this post in the future by adding new author sites to this list. We may remove some of them though. There’s no guarantee!

But did you really analyze 500+ sites?!

Yes, we did. Here’s the proof!

Let’s start with the list of best author websites

Simple and minimal examples of authors websites, lindatharpink.com.

websites fiction writing

Linda Tharp

Children's Books

Shadows Into Light, Karla

What they did well:

  • She utilizes an attractive background.
  • The minimalist design keeps the user focused on the imagery and tab options.
  • Website upload speed is quick, allowing for ease of use. (the image speed is different)
  • Author name is the central focus of the page driving her brand.
  • Her bio adds to the focus of her branding.
  • The focus lies on the author and not the books.
  • Upcoming works are included leaving the reader in anticipation of the next book.
  • Blog section is included allowing for media integration.
  • Social media is included at the bottom of the website.
  • Along with social media is a contact me section located in the same area.

What to consider changing:

  • The format is best for authors: more than one book published and established fans.
  • Books published are limited in their appearance on the site.
  • If a new author, not having books advertised can be hurtful to your branding.
  • There’s no link to buy books on Amazon or other book stores.
  • Blog isn’t up-to-date.

shelsilverstein.com

websites fiction writing

Shel Silverstein

Children's Books and Poetry

Bookman Old Style, sans-serif

  • The design according to book types plays in favor of the author’s theme.
  • Library editions and hardcovers available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart.
  • Image gallery on about page enhances the appearance.
  • Logo could be at the center of the header on the desktop version.
  • No contact form nor social media links on the site. (The author died many years ago though.)
  • CTA buttons should be in red as this draws the focus.
  • Book reviews can be added to the books pages.

annvoskamp.com

websites fiction writing

Ann Voskamp

Parenting & Families and Religion & Spirituality

Cinzel, Merriweather, Montserrat

  • Theme of the author is conveyed.
  • Background provides a feeling of this being an author’s website.
  • Promotes current work and upcoming books.
  • Interactive tabs for short reading material/blog posts to pull in new audiences.
  • Seamless and fluid transitions from one section of the website to the next.
  • Author bio could include a bit more information about the genre of writing.
  • Images start to blend together, it could use fragmentation for easier reading and interpretation.

william-golding.co.uk

websites fiction writing

William Golding

Literature & Fiction

Merriweather, Flareserif 821

  • Minimalist website at its best.
  • Interpretation of author is easy with less to navigate.
  • Menu tab allows for seamless navigation.
  • Limited menu options allows for quick decisions on where to next travel to.
  • News and articles section can be easier to navigate as it is based on date of news.
  • Social media links need to be more noticeable, the gold blends in with the white.

rolfpotts.com

websites fiction writing

Playfair Display, Lato

  • Minimalistic design of the website filled with informative blogs make this website a perfect Author website.
  • The About Me and Bio link is present on the Homepage of this website which helps readers to have a full understanding of the author.
  • Direct purchasing links are present on each section of the book plus the audiobook format is present along with translated versions and international orders.
  • The speed of the slider on the home page is not smooth and the quality of images aren’t captivating to make viewers enamored.
  • The footer doesn’t have navigation links to Homepage, Contact, Books.

jackkerouac.com

websites fiction writing

Jack Kerouac

Biographies & Memoirs, Fiction, and Poetry

Futura, ITC Clearface

  • Website domain name is the same as the name of author and the overall style is smooth, pleasant.
  • The site has browser push notifications plus a newsletter signup option.
  • More navigation links can be added to the footer.
  • The homepage doesn’t have any information related to the books.

Jamesclear.com

websites fiction writing

James Clear

Continuous Improvement, Decision-Making, and Habits

Europa, Minion Pro

  • Bewitching website with fluid UI design filled with attractive colours and font style.
  • Numerous articles are present on the website , divided into respective categories which are really helpful for readers to feed minds with proper information.
  • Testimonials are uploaded for books and those can be purchased directly from different platforms in numerous languages.
  • Smart email marketing strategy by sending a free chapter of the book to visitor’s email address.
  • Contact page is not present which is a must for an author website.

sallythorneauthor.com

websites fiction writing

Sally Thorne

Playfair Display, Avenir, Lato

  • The website domain is on the same name of Author, Sally Throne.
  • Colour scheme and loading speed are well maintained.
  • Books can be purchased from different platforms including Amazon and reviews are also given on the website.
  • The Blog Section isn’t present on the website . Footer does not contain the navigation menus.
  • Homepage is very short and it doesn’t have any info about the author, Sally Throne.
  • The newsletter sign-up form can be added to the footer.

jenniferlarmentrout.com

websites fiction writing

When you talk about contemporary romance and adult fantasy, you cannot miss out on mentioning Jennifer L.

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Young Adult

Raleway, Suranna

  • The books section is very simple yet attractive. It gives you an easy browning experience.
  • A good range of “where to buy” platforms are incorporated with the description of each book.
  • The homepage says nothing about the author herself. It may leave a not-so-good impression on the potential buyers.
  • The website should include an active contact page to reach out to the author.

veronicarothbooks.com

websites fiction writing

Veronica Roth

Science Fiction & Fantasy and Young Adult

Montserrat, Roboto Condensed

  • A website for a book should always have the latest release on the homepage like this website.
  • The homepage shows the author signing a book copy at an event which feels so wonderful.
  • The books could be displayed in a more appealing manner.
  • The biography of the author should be a little more detailed.

jasonwritesbooks.com

websites fiction writing

Jason Reynolds

Fiction and Poetry

Futura PT, Minion Pro

  • The contemporary design of the website is very eye-catching and interesting.
  • The initials of the author’s name look very classy on the main page.
  • The best websites for authors like this should avoid lengthy descriptions.
  • Social media links should be more noticeable with bigger fonts or icons.

oceanvuong.com

websites fiction writing

Ocean Vuong

Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

Georgia, Palatino

  • The sections for novels and poems are displayed individually, making it one of the best book website samples.
  • There is a reading tour for the book time is a mother, which all author websites should have.
  • The homepage is only limited to the information of one book, which is not taken as a good impression for websites for authors.
  • The lack of literature gives the initial impression that this might not be an author’s website.

timothykeller.com

websites fiction writing

Timothy Keller

Christian and Religion & Spirituality

Proxima Nova, Adobe Garamond

  • The loading speed and the layout are well maintained.
  • Books are placed individually instead of creating categories which is a less-seen thing among other websites for authors.
  • There is no navigation menu at the footer, and the social media links are also missing.
  • There should be a newsletter sign-up option at the end of the website.
  • A contact page is necessary for all author websites.

angeladuckworth.com

websites fiction writing

Angela Duckworth

Decision-Making and Self Help

  • The author’s interpretation is placed with the video on its left, making it a great book website sample.
  • The homepage layout is very basic and needs a lot of work.
  • The purchase option of the books is missing on the homepage.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Modern, graceful and iconic author website examples, miriammonfredo.com.

websites fiction writing

The first look on Miriam Monfredo’s website shows a picture of a dark forest with mist surrounding the area. This gives a sense of mystery to the reader and tells the writing style of the author. The first image on the landing page is the most important. It can be a slider but most often we see a still image. Marketing experts’ advice for authors is to set the mood of the website according to their writing style.

Miriam Grace Monfredo

History and Mystery & Thrillers

Barlow, Open Sans

  • Miriam provided an excellent background in hero which sets the mood and tone for mystery as her focus is on historical mysteries.
  • The layout is easy to follow and flows from the reader’s perspective.
  • The tag line for Miriam within the hero is excellent and provides a succinct summary of her work.
  • Miriam draws the reader’s attention to the books by utilizing images
  • Economy of language is utilized well here.
  • There’s a specific page for each book with reviews and links to buy the book on Amazon and Smashwords.
  • 3-D book design enhances website appearance, drawing attention to her books.
  • There could be a greater focus on the books that Miriam has produced as its location is distant from the focal point of the website.
  • Website upload speeds can be improved with limited images and features. Miriam’s books could also be larger in their image and her about me section should follow.
  • The focus needs to be on promoting a book or books in general.
  • Miriam should promote an upcoming book if she has one in the works because this will build anticipation for her fans and audience.
  • She must keep the blog up-to-date.

seussville.com

websites fiction writing

  • The background design is visually appealing and speaks to the brand.
  • Navigation Links draw the user to the characters, books, and experiences tabs.
  • The news & events add more extensions to interact with the author’s works.
  • The shop option allows for further advertising and exposure of the author.
  • Parents and Educators have a special link just for them.
  • The design is cluttered, this works for this author as it is characteristic of them.
  • The books and author are not the focus and the focus is entirely on the brand.

peterrabbit.com

websites fiction writing

Beatrix Potter

  • The flow of design is key and this site has a natural flow from start to end
  • The minimalist design in the beginning sets the tone for a children’s book
  • Four navigation links makes choosing simple and direct
  • Highlights special events/topics such as nature events linking kids to nature.
  • Highlights upcoming book as well as film giving fans excitement for what’s to come.
  • Social media is linked at the end of the site with contact information as well.
  • Bring the focus of upcoming works to the beginning as this is an established author.
  • The crafts are a fun concept but should be placed after upcoming work.
  • Meet the characters could also be placed higher up to draw in more fans.

loislowry.com

websites fiction writing

Children's Books, Literature & Fiction, and Young Adult

Playfair Display, Open Sans

  • Beautiful design in the beginning which draws you in with slides of new events.
  • Highlights upcoming works and also includes netflix adaptations of books.
  • Navigation links are in a proper sequence of importance with contact being last.
  • The books section uses the covers in a collage formatting to draw in readers.
  • Biography section is detailed and styled well conveying a sense of familial ties.
  • Welcome section is very plain and uninviting even though she is inviting us in.
  • Welcome section could be improved with warmer text.

raybradbury.com

websites fiction writing

Ray Bradbury

Horror, Literature & Fiction, and Science Fiction & Fantasy

  • Including a banner helps to promote the author and works.
  • Sectioning of the website allows for the transition from one part to the next.
  • Theme of the author is conveyed throughout using the orange writing and images.
  • Scrolling banner is often confusing and takes up far too much space.
  • Scrolling banner content should be conveying the author or the product.
  • There is randomness to the sequence on the website content on the homepage.
  • The navigation bar needs to decrease options.

ransomriggs.com

websites fiction writing

Ransom Riggs

Arts & Photography, Mystery & Thrillers, and Young Adult

Europa, FilosofiaOT

  • Background is beautiful and leads to the author’s adventure and explorer genre.
  • Navigation bar is specific in where the user will be taken and less options is better.
  • Footer contains social media links.
  • Slow upload speeds for both computers and mobile devices.
  • The home page lacks advertisements of upcoming books and past works.
  • Very minimalist and lacks conveying this as author’s website instead of personal blog.

taylorjenkinsreid.com

websites fiction writing

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Tungsten Comp A, Georgia, Gotham SSm A

  • Advertising of upcoming books is phenomenal and eye-catching.
  • Author’s name is the first segment of wording to be seen by the viewer.
  • Navigation bar is easy to use, simplistic but efficiently directs the user.
  • Shopping access for the books is easily seen below the upcoming book’s intro.
  • Social media links are included at the bottom of the site and accessible.
  • About the author is short, succinct, and complete.
  • Negative space is used perfectly to bring focus to the key elements of the site.
  • Excessive book advertising by including the “Also from Taylor” section on homepage.
  • No blog post is on the website and no links available to a blog site either.

ynharari.com

websites fiction writing

Yuval Noah Harari

History and Nonfiction

  • Very inclusive of the various aspects of Yuval Noah Harari.
  • Rolling banner allows for continual advertising of Yuval and his events and books.
  • Social Media is easily accessible next to the navigation bar.
  • Upload speeds are quick for desktop and mobile versions.
  • Events are provided in chronological upcoming order.
  • The homepage is cluttered and starts to blend together not in a cohesive manner.
  • Initial impression is not that this is an author’s website due to the lack of literature.
  • Books are not presented in any particular order.
  • No upcoming books are being advertised, only events are current.

stephenking.com

websites fiction writing

Stephen King

Horror, Literature & Fiction, and Mystery & Thrillers

Source Sans Pro, Spectral

  • Scrolling banner advertises upcoming works and other events.
  • Navigation bar provides key choices to navigate to.
  • Background is changeable in the bottom right corner from light to dark to set the mood.
  • Mood of the webpage is consistent with Stephen King’s persona and works.
  • Upload speeds on both mobile and desktop are very fast allowing for ease of use.
  • The background of the site is relatively simple and could have more to draw in a reader.

maggiestiefvater.com

websites fiction writing

Maggie Stiefvater

Exlibris, Mackinac, Avenir

  • Blog section is added in the website which contains some phenomenal content to feed the brain and get pleasure.
  • Direct link for purchasing Novels is available which is an admirable functionality to save time for readers.
  • The layout of the website is great and all of the books are classified into different genres.
  • The News section isn’t up to date and readers really want to listen, grasp their favorite Author’s newest updates.
  • T he loading speed of the website isn’t fast enough which can be more fluid and responsive.
  • More testimonials or reviews can be uploaded as readers can have a look at those reviews and finalize if they want to purchase the Novel or not.

Brenebrown.com

websites fiction writing

Brené Brown

Health, Mind & Body, and Nonfiction

Helvetica Neue, Georgia

  • The loading speed is really negligible though so many books, podcasts, and blogs are running on the website.
  • Visitors can purchase their favorite books easily by using the drop downs in the hero.
  • Some brilliant videos are also present on the website including TED TALK and many other inspirational programs.
  • Novels aren’t divided into respective genres which is a downside for visitors coming to take a look at numerous books/novels.
  • Blogs aren’t regularly updated.
  • There’s no contact form on the site.

msrachelhollis.com

websites fiction writing

Rachel Hollis

Chick Lit, Cookbooks, and Self Help

DIN Condensed, Essonnes, PT Sans Narrow

  • This author website has a proper format in respect of colour and section-wise breakdown of topics in each page layout.
  • Rachel has uploaded lots of blog posts on different niches which are great to read.
  • Sticky social media links on all pages of the site helps followers to get engaged with Author.
  • Top Menu Bar can be well-formatted , make brighter and font size should be increased.
  • The promotion of books isn’t admirable with respect to other author’s sites.

chrismcdougall.com

websites fiction writing

Christopher McDougall

Roboto Slab, Roboto Condensed

  • There is a picture of the author that makes it more interesting as compared to other authors’ websites.
  • About section of the website does all the justice to the writer.
  • It could be made the best author website design with a books relevant theme.
  • There is a lot of blank space on the home page that could be otherwise utilized beautifully.

awtozer.org

websites fiction writing

Christian and Religion

  • The quotation of the author on the main page makes it a captivating website for a book.
  • The color scheme of the website is very soothing to the eyes.
  • There’s a large picture of the author in the hero section on the home page.
  • The email newsletter is not visible in the footer and it pops up by clicking on subscribe link which isn’t good for conversion rate.
  • The contact details and social media handles are missing.

markwaid.com

websites fiction writing

The website can be counted as one of the best author websites 2022 for comic fans.

Comics & Graphic Novels

Oswald, Raleway

  • This author’s website has a huge variety of content which is always updated from time to time.
  • The most important pages of the site are visible in the hero on the home page.
  • The footer has no newsletter forms, quick links, or social media buttons.
  • The layout is very common among author website examples.

becomingmichelleobama.com

websites fiction writing

Michelle Obama

Biographies & Memoirs, Nonfiction, and Social Sciences

GT Eesti, Earth Rich

  • The word “Becoming” is so beautifully incorporated throughout the website.
  • The most unique thing about this website is it includes an audio clip which is found very rarely on authors’ websites.
  • The website is more focused on the books than the author.
  • She could consider shortening the paragraphs on the main page of the website.

helenhoang.com

websites fiction writing

Helen Hoang

Chick Lit and Romance

Montserrat, Lora

  • The Author’s signature added more value to the page.
  • The boxed layout made this website different from other authors’ websites.
  • The site includes links to all translations of the books.
  • There are no blog posts or any links to the blog site available on the website.
  • A contact form works better than sharing email addresses.

Beautiful Dark Authors Websites for Inspiration

Radical.net.

websites fiction writing

David Platt

Montserrat, Roboto Mono

  • Video banner draws the audience in with an easy to access video.
  • The navigation bar stands out using the white text against a dark background
  • Consistent color patterns created continuity on the site.
  • Mobile and PC upload speeds remained consistent and high.
  • The focus of the website is evident, it is a site for christian fellowship not just books.
  • Accessibility and navigation on the site is easy to follow and natural for the user.
  • Books could be advertised more if that is the focus, but here it is not.
  • The theme of this does not appeal as an author site.
  • Imagery is portraying an experience, in this case a christian experience.
  • The focus of the site is not on literature or the author.

annefrank.org

websites fiction writing

Biographies & Memoirs

Graphik, Merriweather

  • Simplicity in design is used well as the images are the navigation bar.
  • As a Holocaust icon , having a change language option is crucial.
  • Color use keeps with the theme of history and feeling of the holocaust.
  • Limited information is provided on the website’s homepage.
  • As a minimalist style , it is missing substance to draw in new audiences.
  • For an author’s website it does not advertise any text such as her famous diary.

robert-galbraith.com

websites fiction writing

Robert Galbraith

Crime, Suspense, and Thriller

Merriweather

  • Homepage is well-made in a very creative manner and while using this website viewers will feel like they are flying in the sky due to the smoother experience.
  • Newsletter section is present at the bottom with social media links too .
  • Website domain is created according to his name , where he has described different characters too which make his website unique from other author websites.
  • The news section is not up to date.
  • Placement of purchasing links for books is troublesome.
  • The contact page is absent.

hawking.org.uk

websites fiction writing

Stephen Hawking

Nonfiction and Science

Bebas Neue, InterFace

  • The animation of the book covers makes this website one of the best author website designs.
  • The website is very easy to use and has no unnecessary options.
  • The background of the site is relatively very dark and gloomy.
  • The menu options should be made brighter, and the font size of the text should be increased a little.

After Thoughts

These were some great looking best author websites which can provide inspiration for your future websites. Check out our more helpful guides to learn how to make your author website from scratch or about important ingredients to rank it on top of Google. Furthermore, you can contact us, our skillful team can help you design and market a perfect author website for you.

Related Posts

Blogging for Authors – Why Keeping a Blog is Good for Your Author Website?

Blogging for Authors – Why Keeping a Blog is Good for Your Author Website?

Creating a cool author website design is one thing but adding in all the necessary elements is more important. And a blog on your author website is a part of that element. In this article you will learn some benefits of keeping a blog also how you can promote it and...

Email Marketing For Authors: How to Grow Your Email List with Opt-In Forms?

Email Marketing For Authors: How to Grow Your Email List with Opt-In Forms?

This article is a complete guide for authors and self-publishers to integrate an email opt-in form on their websites. These forms are the important part of conversion strategy which is explained greatly in our blog post on 19 Author Website Tips To Earn Money. Why...

How to Sell Books Online from Your Author Website?

How to Sell Books Online from Your Author Website?

This article is for authors with a website who are looking for ways to sell their books at maximum profits with very little effort. You can easily sell, print and publish books on your author website. You can earn great profits just by optimizing your website. This...

Laurie Neumann

You have chosen some beautiful author websites! As I looked through many of them, it’s interesting to note the difference in style. Your website style will depend on what type of books you are selling and who your audience is that you are marketing to.

I also found some new authors I want to check out! Thanks for sharing this.

David Evans

The kevin hearne site is close to being perfect except for a couple of issues like the logo top being cut off on opera browser , great image though and a nice example of design apart from that

Love the tigner site too , nice to see people having well designed sites and no the usual garbage , nice list

Ric Colter

Excellent looking sites and reflect on the quality of the author and writing skills. Besides a beautiful site, good reviews are essential and a critique of the author would be good to post on the first page. TeamGolfwell does free book or author reviews > https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html

Jeffrey

Your activity and inspirational work are good. Authors have to see this article only once to increase their knowledge of writing skills.

mary

Hi How can we improve this site and what would be the cost. Thank you. Mary

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  • 19 Author Website Tips To Earn Money - Situdio - […] this is not a hard and fast rule to be always simple, it depends what type of author you…
  • Website For Authors: The ultimate guide for 2022 - Situdio - […] not an easy task at all. Because it depends on the genre of the books. The best thing you…
  • 15 Best Author Websites of 2022 | Complete Guide to Creation | Templates - […] situdio.com/ […]
  • author website design – dataala - […] 33 Best Author Websites Examples (2022 Update) – Situdio […]
  • Preparing to Build a Brand-New Author or Illustrator Website – Susan Uhlig - […] Do you like simple, whimsical, serious, modern, retro, silly, or ? Here’s a great article analyzing 33 author websites.…

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Your request has been submitted successfully. You'll receive an email in less than 30 minutes. Please keep reading the post while we are processing your request.

UI UI Light User Interface Dark User Interface

Theme Type Theme Type Simple and minimal design Quirky and unconventional Modern, graceful and iconic

Filter & Send to my email!

Rocket Expansion

Want help with your author marketing? Get our FREE ebook and cheat sheet: 6 Steps To Getting More Readers.

By subscribing, you agree to get emails from me, Matt Ziranek. I’ll respect your privacy and you can unsubscribe any time.

30 Nonfiction Author Websites That Inspire Action

websites fiction writing

Nonfiction authors usually write books to promote their business and other services. This can include speaking opportunities, consulting, or any other type of business offer.

Your author website is a perfect opportunity to take your customers and fans on a journey to build authority, trust, and credibility with your business.

We’ve featured some non-fiction author websites that do this well. We’ll explain what’s working in each.

Some of the websites below were built by us. If you’d like a stunning website that establishes your online presence as a professional, grows your audience, and is uniquely your own, take advantage of our author website services .

Nonfiction Author Website Categories

Jump to the category you’re most interested in:

  • Business and Speaker
  • Your Website

1. Business and Speaker

A business author’s website needs:

  • A strong CTA (call to action) that makes visitors want to take their next steps in building their relationship with your business
  • Authority building content and resources. You want to use your website as an opportunity to establish your reputation in your space. Content that educates your audience is a proven way to do this.
  • Personal branding. Show who you are and why this makes you worth reading.
  • A clear user journey for your visitors. Usually, this will be to sign up for your mailing list, buy your books, and get offers for your other services.
  • Clear navigation and design. You want to make sure all of your great content is easy to find and consume.

Below are some examples of our favorite websites that include these.

Simon Sinek

websites fiction writing

Simon’s website is clear and to the point. He uses an easy-to-read font and his CTAs (calls to action buttons) are obvious and makes you want to click them.

He makes use of bold and contrasting colors that are eye-catching without being overwhelming.

It’s clear what he is selling and what his books are about the moment you land on his website.

Mike Michalowicz

websites fiction writing

Mike’s brand strikes a balance between being entertaining, authoritative, and authentic. 

Each book you hover over has a call-to-action telling you exactly what it’ll help you with. There are also funny, engaging images of him that change with each book. It’s entertaining but also helps frame each book’s theme.

As soon as you land on the home page the call to action tells you exactly what to do and where you are. You can tell he wants you to “Get The Free Tools” and join his mailing list.

You can learn a lot from this website.

websites fiction writing

Chunka is an optimistic futurist and innovation advisor. We wanted these aspects to come through in his book brand when we built his website. To do this we pulled aspects of his book branding through to the website and enhanced it with other complementary images.

The second you are on the website, you are met by his bright futuristic book cover that is well contrasted with his calm banner image. The less obvious but on-theme background image draws you into the site and makes you feel you could be looking forward to “a perfect future.”

We also created a book site for Chunka: Perfect Future Book Website which uses many of the same elements but is more focused on the book than the author.

The book site will remain much the same over time, but Chunka’s author site will update as he releases new books so that the focus remains on his latest work.

Tim Ferriss

websites fiction writing

As soon as you enter Tim’s website, you know exactly what he wants you to do. He wants you to join his newsletter. This is effective as it’s the first thing you see.

Pro Tip: Make each page (especially your homepage) only focus on one action you want the user to take. With fewer options, they’re more likely to choose the one you offer them.

websites fiction writing

Tim also has an enticing lead magnet. He offers “15 Things I’ve Been Loving, Using, and Reading” to encourage signups to his email list. You know each week what you’ll be getting as a subscriber!

Jim Collins

websites fiction writing

Jim Collins uses a good choice of colors to engage his audience without being overly bold. The colors complement each other but also offer good contrast.

He also animated graphics paired with motivational business quotes on his homepage which is an attention-grabbing introduction to his key concepts. 

However, the one issue with Jim’s site is that there is no clear call-to-action and his books are displayed at the bottom of the page making them hard to find. 

Malcolm Gladwell

websites fiction writing

Malcolm Gladwell makes use of plain but effective colors that have a strong contrast to his white background. 

His CTA is immediate and you know exactly where you are and whose site this is the second you arrive.  

He also offers a podcast and events page on his site for those who would like to learn more about him. 

Charles Duhigg

websites fiction writing

Charles’ website opens with a white background with a strong contrast of a bright orange book that catches your eye immediately. 

You know exactly what Charles wants you to do when you arrive on the site, he wants you to buy his book.

Previously, when clicking the “Buy the Book” button it gave me an error. But it’s been patched since.

Pro Tip: Be sure to visit your own website regularly and behave as a new user would. Click around on the different buttons and menu items and ensure everything is working properly. You could be losing potential book sales from one broken button!

Charles makes use of testimonials from other business authors to give that extra push of social proof and authority to his work.

websites fiction writing

Jeff’s website is clear, bold, and smooth to browse through. 

The second you land on the site you are greeted with his name in strong text and bold letters. 

His most recent book is beautifully displayed next to his name with an interesting background that draws you in.

It’s a nicely designed, aesthetic site that makes him come across as professional and worth reading or hiring.

James Altucher

websites fiction writing

James Altucher’s website opens with clever copy that urges the reader to take action – ‘Click To Reserve Now.’

This button sends you to a page that does a great job of selling his book. It discusses what benefits the reader will reap but most importantly it has a dialogue that goes into depth on the book’s topic, intriguing the target audience well.

The text used throughout the website is conversational and makes the reader feel a part of the conversation.

Altucher font choice and use of color make this site feel fresh and inviting to explore and interact with.

websites fiction writing

Pat’s website is vibrant, with bold colors and a bold font making the website memorable.

There’s also a strong contrast between the colors and the text. This makes it easy to focus on what you should read while you’re on the site. However, because there are so many colors and contrasting elements, the CTAs he has don’t always stand out. They somewhat blend into the design of the website.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind the contrast of light and dark, colorful and black and white when you design your site. You should always choose readability over what simply looks good. Your website is there to both present you professionally and get visitors to take action on what you have to offer.

Matterhorn Business Development

websites fiction writing

We designed this website for the team at Matterhorn. We wanted to carry the idea of climbing a mountain (their brand) into their entrepreneurship consulting message.

The first thing you see here is the benefit of working with Matterhorn: “stabilize, grow and enjoy your business” through their business mentorship.

If you are seeking business development advice, immediately you will know that you are on the right site.

websites fiction writing

You’re offered a mini-course in addition to a Free Profit Assessment. These two calls to action give a low-pressure route for new users to take to get to know them better without having to pay.

Want To Give Your Readers An Engaging Online Experience?

Get an author website that showcases your books, grows your list, and attracts publishers and promoters.

2. Self-Help

When thinking of a self-help book, you are more often than not looking for something in a particular aspect of self-help. Whether it be finance, mood, or motivation. The few things a self-help author website should have include: 

  • An obvious theme as to what the book is about and which aspect of self-help it refers to
  • A good lead magnet such as a course or a self-help newsletter
  • Great content that is actually helpful. This signals to the users that you will actually be able to help them!

The list of self-help authors below shows how these tools are effective and how they can be used well. 

Rich Dad Poor Dad

websites fiction writing

Rich Dad Poor Dad’s message is clear. The site (and the book) is about improving financial well-being. 

The site uses clear colors that are different from plain black but are still easy to read and understand. 

They open with a clear direction offering two actions the first being a quiz or the second and more fun option of buying the board game, something very different from other self-help websites and authors.

Celestine Vision

websites fiction writing

The Celestine Vision website makes use of a great CTA, offering online events, coaching seminars, and more for those who sign up to the mailing list, allowing them to expand their mailing list, therefore, getting more leads. 

They also make use of calming colors that make sense for the books and the genre of the site.

The only drawback is that the top banner slider on the homepage takes ages to load. Many users would simply scroll on missing it altogether.

Pro tip: If you’re going to design a beautiful header banner, ensure it loads quickly, otherwise many of your site visitors will never even see them. They’ll end up leaving or scrolling on before the banner loads. Sliders especially should be avoided as they are notorious for making sites very slow.

Brene Brown 

websites fiction writing

Brene Brown’s website opens with a great picture of her talking alongside strong messaging, this is very eye-catching and makes the viewer want to know more.

websites fiction writing

Her website has helpful articles and blogs that are available without having to sign up but she also has a newsletter that is available if you put in your email address.

Her website uses bright colors, is very easy to navigate, and loads fast.

websites fiction writing

Jay Shetty’s website is a design and content masterpiece.

When you enter the site, you are welcomed with a picture of Jay holding his book with a brief description and a button saying to order now. The banner scrolls through a carousel of different interesting newsworthy items you can engage with.

He makes use of many lead magnets, including free courses and videos when you sign up with your email address and even a free life coaching course!

He has options to book him for speaking events, learn about his podcast, and view his interviews on his website.

Gary John Bishop

websites fiction writing

His Books page is very different from the other book pages that I usually come across.

The contrast between the black, the yellow, and the book image stands out. The feeling matches the titles of the book, and shouts “brutally honest”.

Rachel Hollis

websites fiction writing

The blog page carousel feed on the homepage looks great and is still functional.

Initially, it looks as though it is just a row of images. But, when you hover over the image the blog details appear.

Arthur C. Brooks

websites fiction writing

Having a video as the main background banner on the homepage made me want to see more of his site and see some of the things he’s done.

Immediately when you get on the site, you are assured that this person knows what they’re talking about. He shows the credible news sources he’s featured in such as The Wall Street Journal.

Pro Tip: Adding well-known logos of featured media platforms you’ve appeared on is a quick way to establish your credibility. This only works if you actually have been on these platforms of course.

Ramit Sethi

websites fiction writing

Ramit Sethi is known for his book “I Will Teach You To Be Rich” so he uses the title of his book as his website URL and logo. So when you know this book or have heard about it, you immediately know that you are in the right place.

This is a simple and neutral site that is filled with a ton of resources. Having a lot of value-added resources increases the time people spend on your site and helps them get to know you.

And when someone feels like they’ve gained valuable information on your site, they are most likely to sign up for your email newsletter and come back to get more.

A good travel author website should include the following to get the attention of the audience 

  • Captivating images
  • Helpful local travel tips and advice
  • Information about your books (of course!)

Below are some great examples of authors who get this right…

Kate Harris

websites fiction writing

Kate Harris uses her striking photos from traveling to capture her audience’s attention. 

She does this by placing her photos as page breaks in her site between different sections. This makes the audience want to continue scrolling on her website to see her photos and learn more about her and what she does in the process.

websites fiction writing

She places her book in a beautiful display with the cover contrasting the plain white background next to all of the accolades the book has received.

websites fiction writing

The first thing Rolf Potts wants you to see and explore when you enter his site is the fact that he is an accomplished author.

With ‘more than 100,000 copies sold’ you’re immediately reminded that this book has already gained wide appeal. 

As most travel authors do, he makes use of his pictures from his travels to add depth and context to the site. 

He also includes a podcast where he speaks about things he, and others, have learned while traveling.

Nomadic Matt

websites fiction writing

Nomadic Matt clearly wants people to focus on his blog.

The first thing you see when you go onto his website is a little search box asking you to type in a destination that you want to visit, once you’ve typed that in it leads you to a blog post about how to travel in that location cheaply.

He also makes good use of photos that he has taken on his travels. 

Matt offers a newsletter where he sends you his best tips and travel advice in return for your email address. 

Alex Messenger

websites fiction writing

Immediately when you enter the website you will be met by pictures from Alex’s travels. His distinctive photography style sets the mood for the whole website.

websites fiction writing

On his book page, your eyes are first drawn to the CTA “Buy Direct from the Author”. And then he gives the different affiliate links where you can purchase his book.

This is a good idea if you want to encourage clicks to a certain button over others (which clearly Alex does).

A good history author website should include 

  • A true-to-the-genre style 
  • Good book display showing the subject 
  • Strong imagery that contextualizes the period(s) you specialize in.

Below are some examples of excellent history author websites

Ron Chernow

websites fiction writing

Ron Chernow’s website uses a slider to display all of his books as soon as you enter his site. 

He lets visitors listen to a sample of his audiobook and hopefully entice them to buy the full book. 

His website has clear images and is very easy to navigate and understand.

websites fiction writing

Elaine F. Weiss

websites fiction writing

Elaine F. Weiss’ website is one of the few history websites I came across that is very true to the genre but still up-to-date and modern. She puts her book on the landing page and it’s the first thing you see when you open the page which shows that she is using the website to try and sell her book.

She uses images in the background that fit in with the themes of her books (women’s rights). She also includes a gallery of historical images 

Humor author websites are generally funny. They tend to be different from the other non-fiction websites to stand out. One of the key aspects of humor is the use of the unexpected. Lean on this when thinking of your author website in this genre.

While not set in stone, they should include:

  • Fun or contrasting colors
  • A display of your books and why they’re worth reading
  • Content to show off your brand of humor

The list below shows two websites that have done an outstanding job of this!

Jen Lancaster

websites fiction writing

Jen’s website makes use of light and airy colors and designs, making it true to the genre.

It feels fresh and fun, inviting you to explore it more deeply. 

Her book is brightly displayed in contrast to the background, yet still fits in with the color scheme.

Next to the book is a “publisher’s review” which gives readers a clear insight into what the book is about. 

Her biggest CTA is to get people to follow her on her social media accounts which are displayed right under the navigation bar in bold and clear writing with quick links to each account.

This is a great way to encourage followers if you focus on social media.

websites fiction writing

Trevor Noah

websites fiction writing

Trevor Noah includes a new call-to-action on almost every product advertised, his book display says to buy now, his podcast says to listen now and his Netflix show says to watch now.

This simple, but obvious, use of the right nudge at the right time shouldn’t be neglected in your website. Tell your visitors what to do!

websites fiction writing

His website does not favor just one thing about him but rather shows how well-rounded and productive he is.

He also uses a new picture of him on each tab allowing the audience to see each different aspect of him and his talents. 

The website is true to the genre with the fun, bright colors throughout the site.

6. Journalism

A great stand-out journalist website should capture the attention of an audience and show how the stories the author has told have made an impact on the world.

  • Strong imagery and headlines
  • A list of media outlets’ stories published in
  • Display your books with links to buy
  • Articles are written by the journalist

The below websites are great examples of two completely different styles of journalists who have done all the right things on their websites.

Amanda Little

websites fiction writing

Amanda Little’s website uses bold and contrasting colors to encourage you to order her featured book. 

She includes some of her latest articles on her site for people to read for free. 

websites fiction writing

Her site is easy to navigate with clear, bold text so the reader doesn’t get confused.

websites fiction writing

Kim’s website opens with a great display of her eye-catching book cover.

Her website includes images from her journalist travels and a video of what inspired her to write the book in the first place. 

The one fault of her website however is that her menu is hard to read when you are on certain pages of the site.

websites fiction writing

Your Nonfiction Author Website

websites fiction writing

Is it time you got an author website that belongs on this list as well?

Our author website services help authors establish a professional online presence, grow their audience, and sell more books.

Reach out to us if you’d like to see how we can help you with your author website.

websites fiction writing

Similar Posts

Top 20 Author Websites Every Author Must See (in 2024)

Top 20 Author Websites Every Author Must See (in 2024)

Building the Perfect Author Website: A Step-by-Step Guide

Building the Perfect Author Website: A Step-by-Step Guide

15 Inspirational Christian Author Websites

15 Inspirational Christian Author Websites

12 Spine Chilling Horror Author Websites (Images, Links and Tips)

12 Spine Chilling Horror Author Websites (Images, Links and Tips)

15 Science Fiction Author Websites That Are Out Of This World

15 Science Fiction Author Websites That Are Out Of This World

The Perfect Website For A Book (and How To Build Yours)

The Perfect Website For A Book (and How To Build Yours)

  • Skip to main content
  • Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

One of these novelists will receive the $150K Carol Shields Prize

Elizabeth Blair 2018 square

Elizabeth Blair

websites fiction writing

Here's the shortlist of authors for the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. The winner will be announced in Toronto on May 13th. McClelland & Stewart/Random House/Doubleday Canada/SJP Lit hide caption

Here's the shortlist of authors for the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. The winner will be announced in Toronto on May 13th.

The Carol Shields Prize is a newcomer in the world of literary awards. It's also one of the most generous. The winner will receive $150,000 and a residency with Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland, Canada. Each of the four runner-ups will receive $12,500.

The winner of the 2024 Carol Shields Prize, the second annual award, will be announced on May 13. Here's shortlist:

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

In this eco-thriller, a guerilla gardening collective named 'Birnam Wood' (after Macbeth) meets an American billionaire. In his review for WHYY's Fresh Air , John Powers writes, "this New Zealand-set book is a witty literary thriller about the collision between eco-idealism and staggering wealth."

Daughter by Claudia Dey

Protagonist Mona Dean is a playwright, actor and daughter of an insecure man who is famous for one great novel. The Carol Shields Prize describes Daughter as "exposing painful truths about art, family, and systemic inequities" and "a study of intimate manipulations and the trope of the male genius."

Coleman Hill by Kim Coleman Foote

Foote's debut novel is partly based on her own family history. In the early 1900s, two Black women quit the Jim Crow south and head for New Jersey. "Gripping, poetic, and with a big heart," writes Publishers Weekly , "it's a memorable work of grim determination and surprising optimism."

A History of Burning by Janika Oza

Oza's historical fiction draws from President Idi Amin's forced expulsion of more than 50,000 South Asians from Uganda in 1972. Her debut novel follows four generations of one family over continents and the course of nearly a century. "An ambitious family drama skillfully explores the bonds of kinship and the yearning for peace and security," writes Kirkus Reviews .

Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan

"What makes a person become a terrorist?" writes Emiko Tamagawa, senior producer of Here & Now. " This book explores that question through the eyes of Sashi, a young Tamil woman growing up in a Sri Lanka on the edge of civil war. I was completely engrossed in this novel; reading it made the story of the Tamil Tigers and the bloody conflict in Sri Lanka real to me in a way they hadn't been before."

Celebrating women and non-binary writers

The winner of the second Carol Shields Prize will be announced on May 13 during a live event in Toronto hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, writer, and Carol Shields Prize Foundation board director Natasha Trethewey.

Named for Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Carol Shields, the award recognizes "creativity and excellence in fiction by women and non-binary writers in Canada and the United States" according to its website . Shields, who died in 2003 at the age of 68, was best known for The Stone Diaries .

The first recipient of the prize was Fatimah Asghar for their debut novel When We Were Sisters.

This story was edited by Meghan Sullivan.

  • literary prizes

websites fiction writing

click here to read it now

Read this week's magazine

websites fiction writing

2024 Whiting Awards Recognize Emerging Writers

The 10 winners of the 39th Whiting Awards, each of which comes with a $50,000 prize, were announced at a ceremony at the New-York Historical Society on April 10. The event featured a keynote by Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Natalie Diaz, and a reading by this year's winners, emceed by New Yorker staff writer and book critic Parul Sehgal, will be held at McNally Jackson Seaport on April 11.

The 2024 Whiting Award winners are:

  • Aaliyah Bilal (Fiction)
  • Yoon Choi (Fiction)
  • Shayok Misha Chowdhury (Drama)
  • Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig (Drama)
  • Elisa Gonzalez (Poetry)
  • Taylor Johnson (Poetry)
  • Gothataone Moeng (Fiction)
  • Charif Shanahan (Poetry)
  • Javier Zamora (Nonfiction and Poetry)
  • Ada Zhang (Fiction)

The Whiting Awards are given annually to emerging writers of drama, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and a total of $10 million has been awarded to 390 fiction and nonfiction writers, poets, and playwrights to date. Previous winners include Elif Batuman, Jen Beagin, Anne Boyer, Jericho Brown, Rita Bullwinkel,Hernan Diaz, Michael R. Jackson, Catherine Lacey, Yiyun Li, Ling Ma, Alice McDermott, Sigrid Nunez, Lucy Sante, Ocean Vuong, and Colson Whitehead.

“As the world opens up, these brilliant writers open up our world,” said Courtney Hodell, director of literary programs, in a statement. “From fresh cultural criticism to poems of place and personhood and appetite to fiction that brings surreal wit to compassionate portraits, their work is the spring thaw of the mind."

websites fiction writing

  • You are a subscriber but you have not yet set up your account for premium online access. Contact customer service (see details below) to add your preferred email address and password to your account.
  • You forgot your password and you need to retrieve it. Click here to retrieve reset your password.
  • Your company has a site license, use our easy login. Enter your work email address in the Site License Portal.

an image, when javascript is unavailable

site categories

‘the gentlemen’ stars theo james, kaya scodelario & daniel ings talk prospect of second season for guy ritchie’s netflix series — contenders tv.

  • Writers Guild Awards: ‘The Holdovers’, ‘American Fiction’, ‘The Bear’, ‘Succession’ & ‘Beef’ Among Winners – Full List

By Erik Pedersen

Erik Pedersen

Managing Editor

More Stories By Erik

  • 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
  • Eleanor Coppola Dies: ‘Hearts Of Darkness’ Emmy Winner & Wife Of Francis Ford Coppola For 61 Years Was 87

Writers Guild Awards 2024 winners

The David Hemingson scripted Alexander Payne dramedy The Holdovers and Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction were the big film winners at the strike-delayed 2024 Writers Guild Awards , which were handed out Sunday in Los Angeles and New York.

Related Stories

websites fiction writing

“As A Union We’re Irreplaceable”: WGA Awards Full Of Strike Talk As Guild Takes Victory Lap

Oscar statues

The 2025 Oscars: Everything We Know So Far About The Nominations, Ceremony, Date & Host

The latter script, however, wasn’t eligible for a Writers Guild Award . That’s because, unlike other guilds, the WGA deems ineligible any scripts for movies not produced under its Minimum Basic Agreement or a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with various affiliated countries. 

Later, the Documentary prize went to Errol Morris for his Apple film The Pigeon Tunnel.

The Oscars came and went last month , leaving the WGA as the last entity to present 2023-24 awards.

RELATED: 2024-25 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For Oscars, Tonys & More

On the small screen, HBO’s Succession, FX’s The Bear and Netflix’s Beef completed their awards-season sweeps with respective wins for Drama Series, Comedy Series and Limited Series. All grabbed trophies from the Emmys, SAG Awards, Golden Globes and Critics Choice in recent months.

Succession also took the prize for Episodic Drama for the “Living+” episode after Peacock’s Poker Face took the Episodic Comedy trophy.

The WGA Award for New Series went to HBO’s The Last of Us, and Fox’s The Simpsons again won the Animation prize, this time for the episode “Carl Carlson Rides Again.”

The guild presented a slew of honors and tributes Sunday night.

In a previously unannounced tribute, The WGA East ’s Richard B. Jablow Award was presented to the members and leadership of IATSE, the Teamsters, SAG-AFTRA and American Federation of Musicians for their support and sacrifice during the WGA’s 148-day strike last year.

The WGA West gave its highest honor — the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement — to Designing Women  and  Evening Shade  creator  Linda Bloodworth Thomason . Chris Keyser and David A. Goodman picked up the the WGAW Morgan Cox Award, and its Laurel Award for lifetime achievement went to Walter Hill , who wrote and/or directed and produced such films as  48 Hrs., The Warriors, The Getaway  and many more.

Niecy Nash-Betts hosted the Los Angeles ceremony from the Hollywood Palladium, and Josh Gondelman emceed the New York show at Edison Ballroom in Manhattan. Here are the winners at the 2024 Writers Guild Awards:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY The Holdovers , Written by David Hemingson; Focus Features

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY American Fiction , Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, Based upon the novel  Erasure  by Percival Everett; Amazon MGM Studios

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY The Pigeon Tunnel,  Written by Errol Morris; Apple Original Films

DRAMA SERIES Succession,  Written by Will Arbery, Jesse Armstrong, Miriam Battye, Jon Brown, Jamie Carragher, Ted Cohen, Nate Elston, Francesca Gardiner, Callie Hersheway, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Susan Soon He Stanton, Will Tracy; HBO | Max

COMEDY SERIES The Bear,  Written by Karen Joseph Adcock, Joanna Calo, Kelly Galuska, Rene Gube, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Alex Russell, Catherine Schetina, Christopher Storer; FX Networks

LIMITED SERIES Beef,  Written by Joanna Calo, Bathsheba Doran, Jean Kyoung Frazier, Niko Gutierrez-Kovner, Lee Sung Jin, Alice Ju, Carrie Kemper, Mike Makowsky, Marie Hanhnhon Nguyen, Kevin Rosen, Alex Russell; Netflix

NEW SERIES The Last of Us , Written by Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross, Craig Mazin, Bo Shim; HBO | Max

ANIMATION “Carl Carlson Rides Again” ( The Simpsons ), Written by Loni Steele Sosthand; Fox 

EPISODIC DRAMA “Living+” ( Succession ), Written by Georgia Pritchett & Will Arbery; HBO | Max

EPISODIC COMEDY “Escape From Shit Mountain” ( Poker Face),  Written by Nora Zuckerman & Lilla Zuckerman; Peacock

COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES    Last Week Tonight with John Oliver , Senior Writers Daniel O’Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Seena Vali Writers Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofia Manfredi, John Oliver, Taylor Kay Phillips, Chrissy Shackelford; HBO | Max

COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love,  Written by Sarah Silverman; HBO | Max

COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES  I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson , Writers Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin, John Solomon, Gary Richardson, Reggie Henke, Brendan Jennings, Patti Harrison; Netflix

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION The Chase , Head Writer David Levinson Wilk Writers Erik Agard, Kyle Beakley, Micki Boden, Megan Broussard, Jonathan Daly, Brian Greene, Robert King, Jason Lundell, Sierra Mannie, Amy Ozols, Bobby Patton, Ellen Teitel, Ari Yolkut; NBC

CHILDREN’S EPISODIC, LONG FORM AND SPECIALS “Romance Dawn” ( One Piece ), Written by Matt Owens & Steven Maeda; Netflix

TV & NEW MEDIA MOTION PICTURES Quiz Lady , Written by Jen D’Angelo; Hulu

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA Carpool Karaoke , Written by Casey Stewart, David Young; Apple TV+

NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY “Healing and Hope” ( 60 Minutes ), Written by Scott Pelley, Nicole Young, Kristin Steve; CBS News

NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT  “Surprise Attack!” ( CBS Weekend News ), Written by J. Craig Wilson, Ambrose Raferty; CBS News

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT “Episode One: Blood Memory” ( The American Buffalo ), Written by Dayton Duncan; PBS

DIGITAL NEWS “The Persuaders: A 5-Part Investigation into the Union-Busting Industry,” Written by Dave Jamieson; HuffPost

RADIO/AUDIO DOCUMENTARY “The Call” ( This American Life ), Written by Mary Harris; Slate

RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT “World News This Week – Week of March 17, 2023,” Written by Joy Piazza; ABC News Radio

RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY “The Diagnosis Was Fatal. She Couldn’t Get an Abortion” ( What Next ), Written by Madeline Ducharme and Mary Harris; Slate

ON AIR PROMOTION “WCBS AM Promos,” Written by Bill Tynan; WCBS Newsradio 880

Katie Campione and Anthony D’Alessandro in Los Angeles and Jill Goldstein in New York contributed to this report.

Must Read Stories

What to know as hush-money trial begins; trump rails as he enters court.

websites fiction writing

‘Holdovers’, ‘American Fiction’, ‘Succession’ & ‘The Bear’ Among Winners

Ex-amazon exec chris brearton joins russo brothers’ company agbo as partner, ‘civil war’ takes weekend spoils with $25.7m opening, best ever for a24.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Quantcast

Writers Guild Awards 2024: ‘The Holdovers,’ ‘American Fiction’ Win Top Film Awards

TV awards go to “The Bear,” “Succession,” “The Last of Us” and “Beef”

Cord Jefferson WGA

“The Holdovers”and “American Fiction” have won the top film awards at the Writers Guild Awards, which were handed out in ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York on Sunday evening.

David Hemingson won the original screenplay award for “The Holdovers” a month after losing to “Anatomy of a Fall” in that category at the Academy Awards. Cord Jefferson won the adapted screenplay award, which he also won at the Oscars. Jefferson was also presented with the honorary Paul Selvin Award, which goes to a writer whose screenplay “best embodies the spirit of the constitutional and civil rights and liberties that are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere,” according to the WGA, West.

The top television winners included “The Bear” for comedy series, “Succession” for drama series, “Beef” for limited series, “The Last of Us” for new series and “Quiz Lady” for TV or new media movie.

In addition to giving out awards for entire seasons of comedy and drama shows, the WGA Awards also single out individual episodes. In those categories, the “Escape From S— Mountain” episode of “Poker Face” won for episodic comedy and the “Living+” episode of “Succession” won for episodic drama.

Other television awards went to the long-running animated program “The Simpsons,” the daytime drama “Days of Our Lives,” the sketch series “I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson,” the talk series “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” the variety special “Sarah Silverman: Someone to Love” and the children’s program “Romance Dawn.”

Sarah Snook -75th Primetime Emmy Awards

Documentary prizes went to Errol Morris for “The Pigeon Tunnel” in the theatrical category and “The Call” in radio.

The Writers Guild of America, West held its ceremony at the Hollywood Palladium in L.A., with Niecy Nash-Betts hosting. The WGA, East held its show at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan, with Josh Gondelman hosting. The separate shows meant that winners were announced at different times on different coasts — with, for instance, “American Fiction” winning the adapted screenplay award in Los Angeles before it was announced as the winner in New York, and “Succession” winning the drama series award at the East Coast show before the WGA, West show got to that category.

Because of the writers strike, the WGA had opted to delay its awards, which normally take place a couple of weeks before the Academy Awards, until a month after the Oscars. Because of WGA rules restricting eligibility to films written under the guild’s minimum basic agreement or similar agreements from international guilds, the two awards often have distinctly different groups of nominees.

This year, six of the WGA nominees were also Oscar nominees, including the adapted screenplay winner at both shows, “American Fiction.” But “Air,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Nyad” and “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.” were nominated by the guild but not the Academy, while Oscar nominees “Maestro,” “Poor Things,” “The Zone of Interest” and the Best Original Screenplay winner “Anatomy of a Fall” were either ineligible or not nominated for the Oscars.

Academy Award

In honorary awards from the WGAW, Jefferson received the Paul Selvin Award, Walter Hill received the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement, Linda Bloodworth Thomason received the Paddy Chayevsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement and David A. Goodman and Chris Keyser received the Morgan Cox Award for service.

In WGAE honorary awards, Tony Gilroy received the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement, Ron Nyswaner the Walter Bernstein Award and a group of “Labor Allies” — I.A.T.S.E., the Teamsters, SAG-AFTRA and AFM — won the Richard B. Jablow Award.

Here is the list of nominees. Winners are indicated by *WINNER.

FILM NOMINEES

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Air , Written by Alex Convery; Amazon MGM Studios                       Barbie,  Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Warner Bros. Pictures The Holdovers , Written by David Hemingson; Focus Features *WINNER May December , Screenplay by Samy Burch, Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik; Netflix       Past Lives , Written by Celine Song; A24

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY American Fiction , Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, Based upon the novel Erasure by Percival Everett; Amazon MGM Studios *WINNER Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. , Screenplay by Kelly Fremon Craig, Based on the book by Judy Blume; Lionsgate        Killers of the Flower Moon , Screenplay by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Based on the book by David Grann; Apple Original Films Nyad,  Screenplay by Julia Cox, Based on the book  Find a Way  by Diana Nyad; Netflix    Oppenheimer , Screenplay by Christopher Nolan, Based on the book  American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer  by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin; Universal Pictures  

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY   Bella!,  Written by Jeff L. Lieberman; Re-Emerging Films It Ain’t Over,  Written by Sean Mullin; Sony Pictures Classics The Pigeon Tunnel,  Written by Errol Morris; Apple Original Films *WINNER Stamped from the Beginning,  Written by David Teague, Based on the book  Stamped From the Beginning  by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi; Netflix What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?,  Written by John Scheinfeld; Abramorama 

TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA AND NEWS NOMINEES

DRAMA SERIES The Crown , Written by Peter Morgan; Netflix           The Curse,  Written by Carmen Christopher, Nathan Fielder, Alex Huggins, Carrie Kemper,Benny Safdie; Showtime  The Diplomat , Written by Eli Attie, Debora Cahn, Mia Chung, Anna Hagen, Amanda Johnson-Zetterstrom, Peter Noah;Netflix             The Last of Us , Written by Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross, Craig Mazin, Bo Shim; HBO | Max Succession,  Written by Will Arbery, Jesse Armstrong, Miriam Battye, Jon Brown, Jamie Carragher, Ted Cohen, Nate Elston, Francesca Gardiner, Callie Hersheway, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Susan Soon He Stanton, Will Tracy; HBO | Max *WINNER

COMEDY SERIES Abbott Elementary , Written by Quinta Brunson, Ava Coleman, Riley Dufurrena, Justin Halpern, Joya McCrory, Morgan Murphy, Brittani Nichols, Kate Peterman, Brian Rubenstein, Patrick Schumacker, Justin Tan, Jordan Temple, Garrett Werner; ABC Barry,  Written by Emma Barrie, Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Nicky Hirsch, Taofik Kolade, Liz Sarnoff; HBO | Max The Bear,  Written by Karen Joseph Adcock, Joanna Calo, Kelly Galuska, Rene Gube, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Alex Russell, Catherine Schetina, Christopher Storer; FX Networks *WINNER Jury Duty , Written by   Tanner Bean, Lee Eisenberg, Marcos Gonzalez, Cody Heller, Mekki Leeper, Katrina Mathewson, Kerry O’Neill, Ese Shaw, Gene Stupnitsky, Andrew Weinberg, Evan Williams; Amazon Freevee Only Murders in the Building , Written by Matteo Borghese, Madeleine George, Sas E. Goldberg, Joshua Allen Griffith, John Hoffman, Elaine Ko, Noah Levine, Tess Morris, J.J. Philbin, Ben Philippe, Jake Schnesel, Ben Smith, Siena Streiber, Pete Swanson, Rob Turbovsky; Hulu

NEW SERIES The Diplomat , Written by Eli Attie, Debora Cahn, Mia Chung, Anna Hagen, Amanda Johnson-Zetterstrom, Peter Noah;Netflix             Jury Duty , Written by Tanner Bean, Lee Eisenberg, Marcos Gonzalez, Cody Heller, Mekki Leeper, Katrina Mathewson, Kerry O’Neill, Ese Shaw, Gene Stupnitsky, Andrew Weinberg, Evan Williams; Amazon Freevee The Last of Us , Written by Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross, Craig Mazin, Bo Shim; HBO | Max *WINNER Poker Face , Written by Christine Boylan, Wyatt Cain, Chris Downey, CS Fischer, Rian Johnson, Alice Ju, Joe Lawson, Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Peppers, Lilla Zuckerman, Nora Zuckerman; Peacock Shrinking , Written by Wally Baram, Rachna Fruchbom, Brian Gallivan, Neil Goldman, Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, Annie Mebane, Bill Posley, Jason Segel, Sofia Selig; Apple TV+

LIMITED SERIES A Murder at the End of the World,  Written by Zal Batmanglij, Cherie Dimaline, Brit Marling, Melanie Marnich, Rebecca Roanhorse; FX Networks Beef,  Written by Joanna Calo, Bathsheba Doran, Jean Kyoung Frazier, Niko Gutierrez-Kovner, Lee Sung Jin, Alice Ju, Carrie Kemper, Mike Makowsky, Marie Hanhnhon Nguyen, Kevin Rosen, Alex Russell; Netflix *WINNER Daisy Jones & The Six,  Written by Susan Coyne, Jihan Crowther, Harris Danow, Charmaine DeGraté, Will Graham, Nora Kirkpatrick, Jenny Klein, Liz Koe, Judalina Neira, Scott Neustadter, Stacy Traub, Michael H. Weber; Prime Video Fargo,  Written by Thomas Bezucha, Bob DeLaurentis, Noah Hawley, April Shih; FX Networks Lessons in Chemistry,  Written by Victoria Bata, Lee Eisenberg, Hannah Fidell, Emily Jane Fox, Susannah Grant, Rosa Handelman, Elissa Karasik, Boo Killebrew, Mfoniso Udofia; Apple TV+

TV AND NEW MEDIA MOTION PICTURE Finestkind , Written by Brian Helgeland; Paramount + Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie,  Written by Andy Breckman; Peacock No One Will Save You , Written by Brian Duffield; Hulu Quiz Lady , Written by Jen D’Angelo; Hulu *WINNER Totally Killer,  Screenplay by David Matalon & Sasha Perl-Raver and Jen D’Angelo, Story by David Matalon & Sasha Perl-Raver; Prime Video 

ANIMATION “A Mid-Childhood Night’s Dream” ( The Simpsons ), Written by Carolyn Omine; Fox “Carl Carlson Rides Again” ( The Simpsons ), Written by Loni Steele Sosthand; Fox  *WINNER “Homer’s Adventure Through the Windshield Glass” ( The Simpsons ), Written by Tim Long; Fox “I Know What You Did Next Xmas” ( Futurama ), Written by Ariel Ladensohn; Hulu “Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story” ( The Simpsons ), Written by Rob LaZebnik; Fox

EPISODIC DRAMA “Crown Jewels” ( Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story ), Written by Shonda Rhimes; Netflix “Kill List” ( Succession ), Written by Jon Brown & Ted Cohen; HBO | Max “The Last Generation” ( Star Trek: Picard ), Written by Terry Matalas; Paramount+ “Living+” ( Succession ), Written by Georgia Pritchett & Will Arbery; HBO | Max *WINNER “Our Black Shining Prince” ( Godfather of Harlem ), Written by Chris Brancato & Michael Panes; MGM+  “Sleep, Dearie Sleep” ( The Crown ), Written by Peter Morgan; Netflix

EPISODIC COMEDY “Escape From Shit Mountain” ( Poker Face),  Written by Nora Zuckerman & Lilla Zuckerman; Peacock *WINNER “Fishes” ( The Bear ), Written by Joanna Calo & Christopher Storer; FX Networks    “Forks” ( The Bear ), Written by Alex Russel l ; FX Networks      “House Made of Bongs” ( Reservation Dogs ), Written by Tommy Pico and Sterlin Harjo; FX Networks “Ice” ( The Great ), Written by Tony McNamara; Hulu “Pride Parade” ( What We Do in the Shadows ), Written by Jake Bender & Zach Dunn; FX Networks

COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES The Daily Show,  Head Writer Dan Amira Senior Writers Daniel Radosh, Lauren Sarver Means Writers David Angelo, Nicole Conlan, Devin Delliquanti, Anthony DeVito, Zach DiLanzo, Jennifer Flanz, Jason Gilbert, Dina Hashem, Scott Hercman, Josh Johnson, David Kibuuka, Matt Koff, Lenny Marcus, Joseph Opio, Randall Otis, Zhubin Parang, Kat Radley, Lanee’ Sanders, Scott Sherman, Ashton Womack, Sophie Zucker; Comedy Central  Jimmy Kimmel Live! , Sketches by Rory Albanese Writers Jamie Abrahams, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Bryan Cook, Blaire Erskine, Devin Field, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Eric Immerman, Jesse Joyce, Jimmy Kimmel, Greg Martin, Jesse McLaren, Molly McNearney, Keaton Patti, Danny Ricker, Troy Walker, Louis Virtel; ABC         Last Week Tonight with John Oliver , Senior Writers Daniel O’Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Seena Vali Writers Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofia Manfredi, John Oliver, Taylor Kay Phillips, Chrissy Shackelford; HBO | Max *WINNER Late Night with Seth Meyers,  Head Writer Alex Baze Writing Supervised By Seth Reiss, Mike Scollins  Closer Look  Writing Supervised By Sal Gentile Writers Jermaine Affonso, Karen Chee, Bryan Donaldson, Matt Goldich, Dina Gusovsky, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, Amber Ruffin, Mike Shoemaker, Ben Warheit, Jeff Wright; NBC Universal Television            The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,  Head Writers Ariel Dumas, Jay Katsir WritersDelmonte Bent, Michael Brumm, Aaron Cohen, Stephen T. Colbert, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Michael Cruz Kayne, Eliana Kwartler, Matt Lapin, Caroline Lazar, Pratima Mani, Carlos Felipe Torres Medina, Opus Moreschi, Carley Moseley, Asher Perlman, Michael Pielocik, Tom Purcell, Kate Sidley, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux, Steve Waltien; CBS Studios The Problem with Jon Stewart , Head Writer Kris Acimovic Writers Henrik Blix, Rob Christensen, Jay Jurden, Alexa Loftus, Tocarra Mallard, Maria Randazzo, Robby Slowick, Jon Stewart, Kasaun Wilson; Apple TV+

COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES History of the World, Part II , Writers Ike Barinholtz, Emmy Blotnick, Guy Branum, Owen Burke, Adam Countee, Lance Crouther, Ana Fabrega, Fran Gillespie, Janelle James, Jennifer Kim, Nick Kroll, Sergio Serna, David Stassen, Wanda Sykes; Hulu How To with John Wilson , Written by John Wilson, Michael Koman, Allie Viti; HBO | Max I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson , Writers Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin, John Solomon, Gary Richardson, Reggie Henke, Brendan Jennings, Patti Harrison; Netflix *WINNER Saturday Night Live , Head Writers Kent Sublette, Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell Writers Rosebud Baker, Dan Bulla, Megan Callahan-Shah, Michael Che, Mike DiCenzo, Alex English, Jimmy Fowlie, Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, Steve Higgins, Vannessa Jackson, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Steve Koren, Ben Marshall, Dennis McNicholas,  Lorne Michaels, Jake Nordwind, Ceara O’Sullivan, Josh Patten, Gary Richardson, Pete Schultz, KC Shornima, Ben Silva, Will Stephen, Bryan Tucker, Asha Ward, Auguste White, Celeste Yim; NBC

COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS Adam Sandler: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor,  Written by Jon Macks, Rita Brent, Jeff Stilson, Meggie McFadden; CNN Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love,  Written by Jon Macks, Carol Leifer; NBC Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark , Written by Marc Maron; HBO | Max Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love,  Written by Sarah Silverman; HBO | Max * WINNER

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Baking It,  Writers Chad Carter, Neil Casey, Jessica McKenna, Zach Reino, Nicolle Yaron ;  Peacock The Chase , Head Writer David Levinson Wilk Writers Erik Agard, Kyle Beakley, Micki Boden, Megan Broussard, Jonathan Daly, Brian Greene, Robert King, Jason Lundell, Sierra Mannie, Amy Ozols, Bobby Patton, Ellen Teitel, Ari Yolkut; NBC *WINNER Jeopardy!,  Writers Marcus Brown, Michael Davies, John Duarte, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Billy Wisse; ABC Weakest Link , Head Writer Ann Slichter Writers Chip Dornell, Ryan Hopak, Walter Kelly, Stuart Krasnow, Jon Macks, Meggie McFadden, Rylee Newton, Ryan O’Dowd, Scott Saltzburg, Doug Shaffer, Aaron Solomon, Grant Taylor, Mia Taylor; NBC

DAYTIME DRAMA Days of Our Lives , Head Writer Ron Carlivati Creative Consultant Ryan Quan Writers Sonja Alar, Jazmen Darnell Brown, Joanna Cohen, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Cheryl Davis, Kirk Doering, Christopher Dunn, Jamey Giddens, David Kreizman, Henry Newman, Dave Ryan, Katherine D. Schock; Peacock *WINNER General Hospital,  Head Writers Dan O’Connor, Chris Van Etten Writers Ashley Cook, Emily Culliton, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Shannon Peace, Stacey Pulwer, Dave Rupel, Lisa Seidman, Scott Sickles; ABC

CHILDREN’S EPISODIC, LONG FORM AND SPECIALS “The Ballad of the Last Men” ( Sweet Tooth ), Written by Jim Mickle & Bo Yeon Kim & Erika Lippoldt; Netflix “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher” ( Percy Jackson and the Olympians ), Written by Rick Riordan & Jonathan E. Steinberg; Disney+ “Romance Dawn” ( One Piece ), Written by Matt Owens & Steven Maeda; Netflix *WINNER “Say Cheese and Die!” ( Goosebumps ), Written by Rob Letterman & Nicholas Stoller; Disney+ “What Guy Are You” ( American Born Chinese ), Written by Kelvin Yu & Charles Yu; Disney+

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA Carpool Karaoke , Written by Casey Stewart, David Young; Apple TV+ *WINNER Command Z , Written by Kurt Andersen, Larry Doyle, Emily Flake, Akilah Hughes, Jiehae Park, Chloe Radcliffe, Nell Scovell, Roy Wood, Jr.

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT “The Busing Battleground” ( American Experience ), Written by Sharon Grimberg; PBS “Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power and the Supreme Court” ( Frontline ), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS “Episode One: Blood Memory” ( The American Buffalo ), Written by Dayton Duncan; PBS *WINNER

NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN OR BREAKING REPORT “Black History Month – Hall Of Fame Hero” ( CBS News New York ), Written by Joe McLaughlin; WCBS-TV “Deadly Tornadoes Unleash Terror Across the Central U.S.” ( CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell ), Written by James Hutton, Rob Riviell e ; CBS News “Surprise Attack!” ( CBS Weekend News ), Written by J. Craig Wilson, Ambrose Raferty; CBS News *WINNER

NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE OR COMMENTARY “Convoy of Life” ( 60 Minutes ), Written by Scott Pelley, Kristin Steve, Nicole Young; CBS News “Healing and Hope” ( 60 Minutes ), Written by Scott Pelley, Nicole Young, Kristin Steve; CBS News *WINNER “Hide and Seek” ( 60 Minutes ), Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News “Put To The Test” ( CBS Sunday Morning ), Written by Richard Buddenhagen, Lesley Stahl; CBS News “Targeting Seniors” ( 60 Minutes ), Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Emily Gordon, Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News

DIGITAL NEWS “How Paris Kicked Out the Cars,” Written by Henry Grabar; Slate “The Persuaders: A 5-Part Investigation into the Union-Busting Industry,” Written by Dave Jamieson; HuffPost *WINNER “The Rise of ‘Gas Station Heroin,’” Written by Manisha Krishnan; Vice News “Want to Stare Into the Republican Soul in 2023?,” Written by Alexander Sammon; Slate “The Woman on the Line,” Written by Aymann Ismail and Mary Harris; Slate

RADIO/AUDIO NOMINEES

RADIO/AUDIO DOCUMENTARY “America’s Blackest Child” ( Slow Burn: Becoming Justice Thomas ), Written by Joel Anderson; Slate “The Black Box: Even AI’s creators don’t understand it” ( Unexplainable ), Written by Noam Hassenfeld; Vox  “The Call” ( This American Life ), Written by Mary Harris; Slate *WINNER “Emmery” ( Party Crews: The Untold Story ), Written by Janice Llamoca; Vice “Expecting: Pregnancy Souvenirs” ( Unexplainable ), Written by Byrd Pinkerton; Vox

RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN OR BREAKING REPORT “The Ballad of Tucker Carlson” ( What Next ), Written by Paige Osburn and Mary Harris; Slate “World News This Week – Week of March 17, 2023,” Written by Joy Piazza; ABC News Radio *WINNER “World News Roundup Late Edition – October 9, 2023,” Written by Spencer Raine; CBS News

RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE OR COMMENTARY “The Diagnosis Was Fatal. She Couldn’t Get an Abortion” ( What Next ), Written by Madeline Ducharme and Mary Harris; Slate *WINNER “Lacrosse – Spirit of the Land” (ABC News Radio), Written by Robert Hawley; ABC News “Stephen King Is Just as Confused About Blue Checks as You Are” ( What Next: TBD ), Written by Lizzie O’Leary and Evan Campbell; Slate

PROMOTIONAL WRITING NOMINEES

ON AIR PROMOTION “Cross Walk, Cyber Bullying, VR Meditation” ( KCAL News ), Written by Adam Thiele; CBS News “Strange New Promos,” Written by Molly Neylan; CBS / Paramount+ “WCBS AM Promos,” Written by Bill Tynan; WCBS Newsradio 880 *WINNER

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

An Update on Battlefield 2042 and Welcoming Motive Studio to the Team

The team expands as we set our sights on what’s next.

Battlefield Community –

When Battlefield 2042 launched, we promised to bring four seasons of content to the game, including new maps, additional specialists, weapons, vehicles, and more. As our seasons continued, the feedback we received made it clear your appetite for more Battlefield 2042 remained strong. We took the opportunity to evolve the game to make it even better for you and continue to learn valuable lessons for our own developmental processes.

Last month, we released the seventh season of Battlefield 2042 – Turning Point, which added an intense new urban map set in Chile as well as several weapons and a new gadget, with a revamped map based on the Stadium location from Hourglass, two themed events, and a new weapon and vehicle to come.

While we’ve enjoyed and are proud of creating these seasons of additional content for Battlefield 2042, it is now necessary for us to turn from the present to the future. What this ultimately means is that Season 7 will serve as the final season for Battlefield 2042. After Season 7 concludes, we will continue to support the game with new in-game challenges, events, modes, and of course, ongoing maintenance, but we are moving away from delivering official seasons.

We know this news may be disappointing.  However, as we looked at what the future of the series required, it became clear it was time for us to shift our resources and focus to be fully dedicated to what comes next.

As I’ve mentioned in previous updates, we have an ambitious vision to embrace and unlock the vast potential of the series’ class-based squadplay and immersive, intense battles.

To that end, Motive Studio – the talented developers known most recently for their work on the critically acclaimed remake of Dead Space and Star Wars: Squadrons – are building a team focused on Battlefield at their studio.  We’re tremendously excited for Motive, as they are bringing their expertise with Frostbite and compelling storytelling to the fold, joining DICE, Criterion, and Ripple Effect in building a Battlefield universe across connected multiplayer experiences and single-player.

Battlefield 2042 has been an important chapter of the series we all know and love, and your feedback has been important in helping us build this game into something special while also assisting us in laying the foundation for the future. Battlefield is an experience that is defined by the passion of its community as much as its team-driven tactics and explosive battles, and I look forward to the day that we can tell you more about what’s coming next.

Byron Beede (General Manager, Battlefield) 

Your browser is not supported

Sorry but it looks as if your browser is out of date. To get the best experience using our site we recommend that you upgrade or switch browsers.

Find a solution

  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to navigation

websites fiction writing

  • Back to parent navigation item
  • Digital Editions
  • Screen Network
  • Stars Of Tomorrow
  • The Big Screen Awards
  • FYC screenings
  • World of Locations
  • UK in focus
  • Job vacancies
  • Distribution
  • Staff moves
  • Territories
  • UK & Ireland
  • North America
  • Asia Pacific
  • Middle East & Africa
  • Future Leaders
  • My Screen Life
  • Karlovy Vary
  • San Sebastian
  • Sheffield Doc/Fest
  • Middle East
  • Box Office Reports
  • International
  • Golden Globes
  • European Film Awards
  • Stars of Tomorrow
  • Berlin jury grid

CROPPED COVER  April

Subscribe to Screen International

  • Monthly print editions
  • Awards season weeklies
  • Stars of Tomorrow and exclusive supplements
  • Over 16 years of archived content
  • More from navigation items

‘The Holdovers’, ‘American Fiction’ triumph at 2024 Writers Guild Awards season finale

By Jeremy Kay 2024-04-15T05:15:00+01:00

  • No comments

2_IC_The Holdovers ⓒ

Source: Universal Pictures

‘The Holdovers’

David Hemingson’s The Holdovers at Focus Features won original screenplay and Cord Jefferson’s Oscar-winning American Fiction from Amazon MGM Studios took adapted honours at the strike-delayed Writers Guild Awards on Sunday.

This was a second major adapted screenplay award in relatively short order for Jefferson after last month’s Oscar win.

The Holdovers prevailed in an original screenplay  category that included Barbie and May December , but not the Oscar winner  Anatomy Of A Fall, rendered ineligible here because it was not produced under a Writers Guild of America (WGA) contract.

The best documentary screenplay award went to Errol Morris for The Pigeon Tunnel .

The show took place at simultaneous ceremonies for the West and East and chapters at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and the Edison Ballroom in New York City.

WGA announced last November it was delaying the show, making this something of an asterisk year as the Academy Awards telecast usually marks the end of awards season.

A select list of feature and TV winners appear below in bold.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Air , Written by Alex Convery; Amazon MGM Studios

Barbie,  Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Warner Bros. Pictures

The Holdovers , Written by David Hemingson; Focus Feature

May December , Screenplay by Samy Burch, Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik; Netflix

Past Lives , Written by Celine Song; A24

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

American Fiction , Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, Based upon the novel  Erasure  by Percival Everett; Amazon MGM Studios

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. , Screenplay by Kelly Fremon Craig, Based on the book by Judy Blume; Lionsgate

Killers Of The Flower Moon , Screenplay by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Based on the book by David Grann; Apple Original Films

Nyad,  Screenplay by Julia Cox, Based on the book  Find A Way  by Diana Nyad; Netflix

Oppenheimer , Screenplay by Christopher Nolan, Based on the book  American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer  by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin; Universal Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Bella!,  Written by Jeff L. Lieberman; Re-Emerging Films

It Ain’t Over,  Written by Sean Mullin; Sony Pictures Classics

The Pigeon Tunnel,  Written by Errol Morris; Apple Original Films

Stamped from the Beginning,  Written by David Teague, Based on the book  Stamped From the Beginning  by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi; Netflix

What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears?,  Written by John Scheinfeld; Abramorama 

TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA, AND NEWS NOMINEES

DRAMA SERIES

The Crown , Written by Peter Morgan; Netflix

The Curse,  Written by Carmen Christopher, Nathan Fielder, Alex Huggins, Carrie Kemper, Benny Safdie; Showtime

The Diplomat , Written by Eli Attie, Debora Cahn, Mia Chung, Anna Hagen, Amanda Johnson-Zetterstrom, Peter Noah; Netflix

The Last Of Us , Written by Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross, Craig Mazin, Bo Shim; HBO | Ma

Succession,  Written by Will Arbery, Jesse Armstrong, Miriam Battye, Jon Brown, Jamie Carragher, Ted Cohen, Nate Elston, Francesca Gardiner, Callie Hersheway, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Susan Soon He Stanton, Will Tracy; HBO | Max 

COMEDY SERIES

Abbott Elementary , Written by Quinta Brunson, Ava Coleman, Riley Dufurrena, Justin Halpern, Joya McCrory, Morgan Murphy, Brittani Nichols, Kate Peterman, Brian Rubenstein, Patrick Schumacker, Justin Tan, Jordan Temple, Garrett Werner; ABC

Barry,  Written by   Emma Barrie, Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Nicky Hirsch, Taofik Kolade, Liz Sarnoff; HBO | Max

The Bear,  Written by Karen Joseph Adcock, Joanna Calo, Kelly Galuska, Rene Gube, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Alex Russell, Catherine Schetina, Christopher Storer; FX Networks

Jury Duty , Written by Tanner Bean, Lee Eisenberg, Marcos Gonzalez, Cody Heller, Mekki Leeper, Katrina Mathewson, Kerry O’Neill, Ese Shaw, Gene Stupnitsky, Andrew Weinberg, Evan Williams; Amazon Freevee

Only Murders In The Building , Written by Matteo Borghese, Madeleine George, Sas E. Goldberg, Joshua Allen Griffith, John Hoffman, Elaine Ko, Noah Levine, Tess Morris, J.J. Philbin, Ben Philippe, Jake Schnesel, Ben Smith, Siena Streiber, Pete Swanson, Rob Turbovsky; Hulu

The Last Of Us , Written by Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross, Craig Mazin, Bo Shim; HBO | Max

Poker Face , Written by Christine Boylan, Wyatt Cain, Chris Downey, CS Fischer, Rian Johnson, Alice Ju, Joe Lawson, Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Peppers, Lilla Zuckerman, Nora Zuckerman; Peacock

Shrinking , Written by Wally Baram, Rachna Fruchbom, Brian Gallivan, Neil Goldman, Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, Annie Mebane, Bill Posley, Jason Segel, Sofia Selig; Apple TV+

LIMITED SERIES

A Murder At The End Of The World,  Written by Zal Batmanglij, Cherie Dimaline, Brit Marling, Melanie Marnich, Rebecca Roanhorse; FX Networks

Beef,  Written by Joanna Calo, Bathsheba Doran, Jean Kyoung Frazier, Niko Gutierrez-Kovner, Lee Sung Jin, Alice Ju, Carrie Kemper, Mike Makowsky, Marie Hanhnhon Nguyen, Kevin Rosen, Alex Russell; Netflix

Daisy Jones & The Six,  Written by Susan Coyne, Jihan Crowther, Harris Danow, Charmaine DeGraté, Will Graham, Nora Kirkpatrick, Jenny Klein, Liz Koe, Judalina Neira, Scott Neustadter, Stacy Traub, Michael H. Weber; Prime Video

Fargo,  Written by Thomas Bezucha, Bob DeLaurentis, Noah Hawley, April Shih; FX Networks

Lessons IN Chemistry,  Written by Victoria Bata, Lee Eisenberg, Hannah Fidell, Emily Jane Fox, Susannah Grant, Rosa Handelman, Elissa Karasik, Boo Killebrew, Mfoniso Udofia; Apple TV+ 

TV & NEW MEDIA MOTION PICTURES

Finestkind , Written by Brian Helgeland; Paramount +

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie,  Written by Andy Breckman; Peacock

No One Will Save You , Written by Brian Duffield; Hulu

Quiz Lady , Written by Jen D’Angelo; Hulu

Totally Killer,  Screenplay by David Matalon & Sasha Perl-Raver and Jen D’Angelo, Story by David Matalon & Sasha Perl-Raver; Prime Video.

CinemaCon 2024 wrap: studios sidestep corporate speculation as show goes on  

  • United States

Related articles

Queens Of Drama

Charades takes on Critics’ Week queer musical ‘Queens Of Drama’ (exclusive)

2024-04-15T13:31:00Z By Rebecca Leffler

Alexis Langlois’ debut feature will play as a special screening in the Cannes sidebar.

HKFA 2024

‘A Guilty Conscience’ wins best film at Hong Kong Film Awards, ‘The Goldfinger’ banks six

2024-04-15T11:37:00Z By Silvia Wong

Further winners included ‘Mad Fate’ director Soi Cheang and three actors from ‘In Broad Daylight’.

Amir El-Masry_3598_Credit Peter Searle

Pierce Brosnan, Amir El-Masry to star in AGC’s ‘Giant’; shoot moves to UK for new indie tax credit

2024-04-14T23:23:00Z By Jeremy Kay

True Brit has acquired UK distribution rights.

No comments yet

Only registered users or subscribers can comment on this article., more from news.

film fests 2024

2024 film festivals and markets calendar: latest dates

2024-04-15T15:31:00Z By Ben Dalton

Bookmark this page to keep track of all the latest festival dates.

2024 releases

UK-Ireland film cinema release dates: latest updates for 2024

2024-04-15T15:30:00Z By Ben Dalton

Bookmark this page for the latest updates in the territory.

Clare Binns, Picturehouse

Clare Binns to receive UNIC achievement award at CineEurope

2024-04-15T14:16:00Z By Claudia Cox

Binns will receive the award during CineEurope in June.

  • Advertise with Screen
  • A - Z of Subjects
  • Connect with us on Facebook
  • Connect with us on Twitter
  • Connect with us on Linked in
  • Connect with us on YouTube
  • Connect with us on Instagram>

Screen International is the essential resource for the international film industry. Subscribe now for monthly editions, awards season weeklies, access to the Screen International archive and supplements including Stars of Tomorrow and World of Locations.

  • Screen Awards
  • Media Production & Technology Show
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • Copyright © 2023 Media Business Insight Limited
  • Subscription FAQs

Site powered by Webvision Cloud

IMAGES

  1. 100 Best Writing Websites: 2020 Edition

    websites fiction writing

  2. The 25 Best Writing Websites for Authors in 2024

    websites fiction writing

  3. The 17 Best Writing Websites to Become a Better Writer

    websites fiction writing

  4. How To Write Fiction Better

    websites fiction writing

  5. Best Writing Websites for Fiction, Nonfiction, and Bloggers

    websites fiction writing

  6. 100 Best Writing Websites: 2017 Edition

    websites fiction writing

VIDEO

  1. Webinar 8 : Using Fiction Writing Techniques to Make Your Classrooms more Engaging

  2. Writing Fiction Lesson 101 Video

  3. Fantasy is the PERFECT genre! #writing #writing community

  4. How to write great fiction that's based on real life

  5. Write Fiction using a Visualization Technique when all you’re sure of is your SETTING

  6. Fact Or Fiction: Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum Disappearances

COMMENTS

  1. The 50+ Best Writing Websites of 2024

    24. Writing.com. This is an absolutely all-inclusive community for writers. It's open to all levels and provides a creative, supportive environment for all members, as well as portfolios to store and display their writing. Like most writing websites, it also includes a plethora of writing tools, contests, and rewards.

  2. Wattpad

    KARA BARBIERI (@PANDEAN) Kara Barbieri is a twenty-two year old author with a love for the weird and mystic. Her debut novel, WHITE STAG, will be published by Wednesday Books/Macmillan in January 2019. When I joined Wattpad, I gained a second family who were as passionate about reading and writing as I am.

  3. Novlr: the creative writing workspace designed with your writing goals

    Join them to thrash out ideas, share your struggles, get advice, or just hang out with a likeminded community. Get involved. Write for free. With Novlr, you can achieve your writing goals. Built by writers and owned by its writing community, Novlr helps you progress along every stage of your writing journey.

  4. The 100 Best Websites for Writers in 2021

    Post you'll like: Writing The Second Half Of The Second Act. ⭐️ 3. The Freelance Beat. Chicago-based freelance journalist Tatiana Walk-Morris has written for notorious magazines like The New York Times, Vice Magazine, Harvard University's Nieman Reports and more — that, alone, tells you she's an expert to learn from.

  5. Best Writing Websites for Fiction, Nonfiction, and Bloggers

    Teen Ink is a literary magazine and website for teens that helps them use their voice and make a difference through writing. This great site is devoted entirely to writing, art, and photos by teens. This site is best for teens who are interested in writing nonfiction essays, articles, poems, and short stories. 3. One Teen Story.

  6. The Best Story Writing Websites in 2022

    The fiction writing websites below offer plot frameworks, ways to understand story structure, and tips for writing page-turning stories. To get brainstorming stories right away, start with Now Novel's browser-based story outlining tool, the Now Novel dashboard.

  7. Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers 2021

    Sep 8, 2021. Over the past several weeks, we've shared our 101 Best Writing Websites for 2021. Originally featured in our May/June 2021 issue, these websites will help inspire, educate, and connect you to other writers as you start or continue on your writing journey. Click each image to be taken to the respective lists.

  8. 15 Writing Websites & Online Resources │Blurb Blog

    4. Underlined. Formerly known as Figment, Underlined is a website that provides story starters, writing inspiration, and advice from published authors. You can also join a community of aspiring writers, share excerpts of your work, and provide feedback to each other—all valuable parts of the creative life.

  9. The 28 Best Writing Websites of 2020

    27. Reedsy. With Reedsy's list of over 250 writing prompts to get you started on your next creative project, this is one of the best websites for writers to find inspiration. It also offers a search filter to help you find prompts from your writing genre (e.g., romance, fantasy, mystery).

  10. 15 Websites And Apps For Creative, Fiction, and Short Story Writers To

    If you've heard of Fanfiction.net (# 8 on this list), this website is the original fiction sister site of that website. It's a fairly active community of people writing mostly novellas and novels.

  11. 100 Best Writing Websites: 2020 Edition

    Fiction Writing. Fiction Writing helps writers with all things related to writing/publishing: outlining, writing, editing, query letters, formatting, artwork, blurbs, self-publishing, and marketing. With nearly 97,000 members, there's plenty of new writing to review and writers to provide feedback on yours.

  12. Top Websites for Writers: 10 Online Writing Communities

    Each year we scour the web for our annual 101 Best Websites for Writers, a comprehensive collection of online resources for writers. Year after year, we review dozens of reader nominations, revisit sites from past lists, consider staff favorites and search the far-flung corners of the web for new additions—aiming for a varied compilation that will prove an asset to any writer, of any genre ...

  13. Top Websites for Fiction Writers to Share Their Writing

    Twilight, 13 Reasons Why, The Notebook) Stories that rank in the top 1-30 in a genre do well and are very visible to readers. New stories compete with old stories. A story that is posted this year (2018) and has 100 reads will compete with a story that was posted in 2012 and has generated 5,000,000 reads.

  14. The 25 Best Writing Websites for Authors in 2024

    Build Book Buzz is one of the best writing websites with just the right ratio of figures and statistics vs. insider tips on how to build an online presence. 11. Language is a Virus. With writing games and exercises galore, Language is a Virus makes a perfect playground for word enthusiasts.

  15. Websites for Writers: 20 Sites with Great Writing Advice

    A rigorous weekly schedule—from Writing Tip Monday to Writing Prompt Sunday—makes the site ideal for those trying to develop discipline. The cumulative result is more than 1,000 articles on all aspects of the fiction writing process, from mapping a novel to editing, submitting and more. [15 Ways to Earn Your Audience as a Writer] 7. FICTORIANS

  16. 13 Author Websites That Get It Right

    Start quiz. Author websites tip #2: Invest in branding and user experience. Click to tweet! 3. LJ Ross. (Screenshot: ljrossauthor.com) You can make your website stand out from the crowd by adding dynamic and interactive elements, and self-published author LJ Ross is no stranger to this strategy.

  17. WritersCafe.org

    WritersCafe.org is an online writing community where writers can post their work, get reviews, befriend other writers, and much more.. Post your poetry, short stories, novels, scripts, and screenplays. Get reviews and advice from thousands of other writers. Enter hundreds of free writing contests. Join writing groups or start your own.

  18. How to Start Writing Fiction: The 6 Core Elements

    Let the conflict unfold naturally in the story, but start with the story's impetus, then go from there. 2. Fiction Writing Tip: Creating Characters. Think far back to 9th grade English, and you might remember the basic types of story conflicts: man vs. nature, man vs. man, and man vs. self.

  19. Best 14 Websites for Aspiring Writers

    Top 5 Websites for Writers. Blogs can be a great source of writing advice, but sometimes writers need a tool that helps them with the process, and this is where writing websites come in. We have compiled a list of 4 of the top websites for all aspiring writers out there. You will be able to tap into your true potential through these writing ...

  20. 33 Best Author Websites Examples (2023 Update)

    lindatharpink.com. Linda Tharp's website is the best example of a minimal author's website. Unlike other writers' websites, Linda's website shows the author's bio before going into book links. The landing page is composed of a still image with the author's names, and then we see the author's bio and in the end, we see her works.

  21. 30 Nonfiction Author Websites That Inspire Action

    simonsinek.com. Simon's website is clear and to the point. He uses an easy-to-read font and his CTAs (calls to action buttons) are obvious and makes you want to click them. He makes use of bold and contrasting colors that are eye-catching without being overwhelming.

  22. The shortlist for the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction has been

    The award recognizes "creativity and excellence in fiction by women and non-binary writers in Canada and the United States." Culture. One of these novelists will receive the $150K Carol Shields Prize.

  23. 2024 Whiting Awards Recognize Emerging Writers

    The 2024 Whiting Award winners are: The Whiting Awards are given annually to emerging writers of drama, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and a total of $10 million has been awarded to 390 fiction ...

  24. Writers Guild Awards: 'The Holdovers', 'American Fiction', 'The Bear

    Alexander Payne's The Holdovers and Cord Jefferson's American Fiction were the big film winners at the strike-delayed 2024 Writers Guild Awards, which were handed out Sunday in Los Angeles and ...

  25. Writers Guild Awards 2024: 'The Holdovers,' 'American Fiction' Win Top

    April 14, 2024 @ 4:05 PM. "The Holdovers"and "American Fiction" have won the top film awards at the Writers Guild Awards, which were handed out in ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York on ...

  26. An Update on Battlefield 2042 and Welcoming Motive Studio to the Team

    Last month, we released the seventh season of Battlefield 2042 - Turning Point, which added an intense new urban map set in Chile as well as several weapons and a new gadget, with a revamped map based on the Stadium location from Hourglass, two themed events, and a new weapon and vehicle to come. While we've enjoyed and are proud of ...

  27. Writers Guild Awards 2024 Winners List in Full

    2024 Writers Guild Awards Winners List (Updating Live) 'American Fiction,' 'The Last of Us' and 'Beef' are among the winners so far. Follow along as this year's film and TV trophy recipients are ...

  28. 'The Holdovers', 'American Fiction' triumph at 2024 Writers Guild

    David Hemingson's The Holdovers at Focus Features won original screenplay and Cord Jefferson's Oscar-winning American Fiction from Amazon MGM Studios took adapted honours at the strike-delayed ...