This is the place for links to programs and databases to help in research and writing! Please introduce anything you think might be helpful to others as they create their stories.
Scott posted this link to Storybook, an open source novel writing software program.
Soterios posted this link to WriteMonkey. I love the retro look of the interface!
This is a personal favorite: Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies deck of cards.
I have an actual deck of the cards that I can bring to meetings, but this site has a link to a program that will "draw a card" for your consultation. In addition, if you have an iPhone or Touch, as do I, an application that performs the same function is available for free on iTunes.
Please add more links here as you see fit! In past years, we've had some wonderful links to historical references and "How To" guides, etc. Knock yourselves out, if you have a handy website of which you are fond which might impress the rest of us!
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God bless the child that's got his own, that's got his own.
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Oct 14, 2009 - 05 22
http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html
yWriter is a free novel writing program that I've found really useful. Great for organizing and moving around scenes, chapters, etc, as well as for storing all those little notes you have lying around!
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Oct 24, 2009 - 10 10
http://www.chaoticshiny.com/
it's not exactly a reference website, rather a random generator of various and sundry things, including characters, animals, gods... there may very well already be links to this site on the forums, but i thought it worth re-posting
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Nov 1, 2009 - 12 40
Oblique Strategies!
By popular demand, this is a link to the web version of Brian Eno's card deck for generating ideas, originated in the early '70's, Oblique Strategies:
http://www.rtqe.net/ObliqueStrategies/
There is also an application for this on the iPod, I swear! I'll try to bring my actual deck of the cards next time we meet!
----------God bless the child that's got his own, that's got his own.
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Nov 1, 2009 - 15 19
Hey Soji,
Here's Neil Gaiman's pep talk from two years ago:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/node/1065561
----------God bless the child that's got his own, that's got his own.
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Nov 1, 2009 - 19 31
Sean, thanks for posting the link to Neil Gaiman's pep talk. I love his books!
-Emily
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Nov 1, 2009 - 20 14
You are very welcome, Emily.
I met Mr. Gaiman at a Dallas Comic Convention in '90 or '91. He's such a nice guy. He signs autographs with silver marker pens and he draws all over the covers of your comics when you hand them to him as he chats with you. It was cute. He gives all the figures silver eyes and traces shapes and borders in silver. It's his book, so why not let him decorate it for you?
He showed me some fax copies of art from an upcoming issue of Sandman, and he watched my face carefully to gauge my reaction to the pre-colorist layouts. I didn't have the heart to tell him that the two-page spread in question was from two or three issues ahead in the current story line, so I didn't really want to study them. I did not want to spoil the surprise for myself! I only glanced at the pencils, sheepish.
He's a good chap, though very easy-going. I think he would have understood my hesitance.
~SeaN
----------God bless the child that's got his own, that's got his own.
36,579 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 20 45
Tip O' The Day:
I just noticed that Wikipedia has a little button on the left under "Navigation" labeled "Random Article."
It's so handy for when I get stuck! Absolutely love it.
----------God bless the child that's got his own, that's got his own.
36,579 / 50,000
Nov 19, 2009 - 18 38
Found a fun one tonight, if you need some random food for your book. (My protagonists eat. A lot.)
Random Food
----------God bless the child that's got his own, that's got his own.