RESOURCES I’VE USED TO GROW
MY WRITING CAREER AND BUSINESS:
These tools and materials are all things I’ve used in the past, often go back to, or am still currently using today. Everything I recommend are resources I truly stand by.
Best part? Some are even free!
Affiliate Disclaimer: This page includes affiliate links, which means I might make a small commission—at no extra cost to you—if you choose to purchase something. This money will go back into Starlight Pages as well as help care for the rambunctious little princess, Onyx, who believes she is a real dragon…
“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
~ Winston Churchill
GRAMMARLY
Of all my recommendations, Grammarly is by far my #1! Every writer needs Grammarly, and that’s not up for debate. Whether it’s fiction, how-tos, blog posts, emails, news articles, etc. — Grammarly works for you.
While premium definitely assists better with in-depth structure or tone, you can go a long way with its free version by letting it proofread for you! (but always proofread yourself, no matter how many eyes help you out!)
BLUEHOST
Bluehost lives up to its reputation of being one of the best hosting sites for beginners. It’s simple to get your website up and running with literally one click to install WordPress. No lie. It’s that easy!
What’s even better? Their 24/7 customer service is always ready and willing to help and answer questions. Tech-ignorant me needed this throughout the entire process, and trust me, the support made the difference. You can also get a FREE domain when you purchase your hosting through Bluehost.
ELEGANT THEMES
The Divi theme is one of the fastest and easiest for long-time use. Starlight Pages and my author website were made with Divi. It’s very customizable, complete with pre-made layouts and a drag and drop feature.
With a few clicks, you can adjust colors, sizes, fonts, and structure to create a website that’s unique to you! Plus, the support is second to none. They were my life saver through this website-making process!
TAILWIND
At first, I didn’t mind having to manually pin to Pinterest. In fact, it was fun. However, once I actually launched, it was hard to balance writing blog posts, emails, working on requests, and logging into Pinterest every day. Tailwind is my legit savior, as I’m able to schedule pins months in advance!
You can have a forever-FREE Tailwind account that you can use to pin 20 times, max, per month. No card information is necessary, so you can see if the scheduler is right for you. If you decide to upgrade to pin more often, you can get a whole month FREE by using my ‘Try Tailwind’ link.
This only works with new accounts, though, so if you already have a free Tailwind account, make a new one to get the credit!
THE SCRIPTWRITER’S BIBLE
Ignore the title. EVERY KIND of writer, especially fiction writers, need to read this book! “Show, don’t tell” is the oldest words any writer will hear in their career/education and learning the rules of scriptwriting will snap any and all ‘telling’ habits out of your system.
This was actually one of my textbooks in college. It was the only one I truly enjoyed and found myself reading far beyond the required section for a few assignments.
I thought I was good at not telling more than necessary, but this book made me realize there’s more to showing anger than flared nostrils or balled fists. Sometimes implication and leaving the reader to make their own assumptions brings more impact, and this book shows how to balance ‘show and imply.’
