Is there a book or a story you want to write in 2020 but aren’t sure how to approach the whole writing/publishing jazz? Here is my list of my favorite teachers and sites from 2019. I didn’t cover books, but I may write about that in a future blog post.

Please be aware that your experience with a particular site or teacher is just that: your experience. I’ve found that some teachers speak to me in a particular way or meet me at the moment I need what they can offer.

Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch have a prodigious amount of content in their digital WMG workshops on Teachable, Dean’s books, Kris’ books (I especially liked The Freelancers Bible and Writing With a Chronic Illness), in-person classes, and even blog posts. If you follow me at all you know that I am a complete Deaniac. I love their courses. They’re expensive but a few times a year they seem to have a Kickstarter for something else and you can get their courses for a very reasonable price. They also offer a lot of free material through their website. Their blogs are a good source of writing/publishing information. Dean Wesley Smith updates his daily. Kristine Kathryn Rusch is on a weekly timetable. I go back to Dean time after time for practical, compassionate solutions. But they are not for everyone. That’s why I recommend reading their material first and perhaps trying to get involved with one of their Kickstarters.

Mary Robinette Kowal, current president of the SFWA, is a master storyteller, puppeteer, and teacher. She cares about her students and about the world around her. She teaches a personal class each month for her patrons on Patreon ($25 a month, which is a bargain). The price also includes a Write with Mary Robinette session that functions as an Ask Me Anything. You can sign up for the Write with Mary Robinette separately as well. She also teaches one-off classes throughout the year that you can sign up for. I recommend the Patreon option. I’ve been a patron of hers since 2017 and it seems as if I learn more each time I hear her talk. She also has a lot for free on her website. I recommend her Debut Author Lessons and her Reading Aloud Tutorials.

20BooksTo50K Facebook group is a great source of information on Indie publishing. The founders of the group are extraordinarily experienced in this and are generous with their information. In addition to the value from being part of the conversation, you’ll find an extensive FAQ that answers just about every question you might have about how to Indie publish. Also, they have sample contracts in the files. Lots of value there.

GenCon is a gaming convention but it has a surprisingly robust and impressive Writers Symposium that operates like a convention in its own right. Plus they give out free books.

Superstars Writing Seminars was life-changing for me. It is a small convention of mostly published writers. The founders and guest instructors are all best-selling writers or prominent people in publishing. It’s focus is hybrid, seeing value in both Indie and Traditional publishing with plenty of expertise in doing both. I will be going back in February 2020 and plan to attend regularly.

I left out a few things that I have just started, so if they’re good and important to me next year I’ll let you know.

Let me know of any educational opportunities that have been meaningful to you. I’m always looking for new places and ways to learn.

Be well friends!