A Writer’s Starter Pack
What I recently shared with a new grad (and what I wish I’d had)
A few weeks ago, a friend reached out to ask if I’d chat with her niece who had just graduated from college with an English degree and had some questions about writing as a capital-j-Job. The whole how do I actually do this? question was starting to come up, which isn’t (in my experience) something that gets answered in most writing programs.
I said of course, I’d tell her everything I know. This space can feel impossible to navigate, like setting out to sea in a jerrycan raft, and it helps to have even one person arrive with an armful of supplies and say, “Here’s what worked for me. Take what’s useful, toss the rest.”
Let me offer the appropriate caveat: I don’t yet have a book out in the world. I’m still in the thick of it— writing, revising, submitting, waiting— so I shy away from offering any book-specific expertise and instead defer to the experts I’m still learning from. What I have done is taken classes, written for national publications, studied under industry pros, and gotten rejections (so many rejections.) In all the mess and uncertainty of it, I’ve begun to find my footing, and I want to be generous with what information I do feel qualified to share.
I compiled a list of the resources that were most helpful to me over the last year— books, podcasts, courses, newsletters, websites. It’s not comprehensive and it’s not prescriptive. It’s a mix of encouragement and practicality, designed not to overwhelm but to give someone a solid place to begin, and I figured if I’m sharing it with one, why not share with all.
Consider this my unofficial writer’s starter pack. Whether you’re fresh out of school, pivoting careers, or looking to take your writing to the next level, I hope something here helps you move forward.
1. Books on Writing That Don’t Suck the Life Out of You
Black Women Writers at Work by Claudia Tate — one of the first books on writing I ever read, has a permanent place on my desk.
The Situation and the Story by Vivian Gornick — a brief and powerful guide to the art of personal writing
Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum — a stunning, comprehensive publishing guidebook. See also: Courtney’s newsletter of the same name (included below), a gold mine of information.
The Byline Bible by Susan Shapiro — on crafting and selling short nonfiction pieces
Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses — great resource for fiction writers reimagining craft and workshopping
How We Do It by Jericho Brown and Darlene Taylor — reflections on writing from Black writers covering every possible corner of the writing life, from poetic form to plotting a story.
Body Work by Melissa Febos – this book gives you permission (and insight into how) to tell the stories you think are too shameful or too raw.
1,000 Words by Jami Attenberg — instant inspiration when you’re struggling with focus and creative flow
Save the Cat! books — geared toward fiction and screenwriters, but the structure advice is useful for all storytelling.
2. Substacks and Newsletters Worth Reading
. Her website and newsletter are a stunning resource for writers trying to better understand the publishing industry.
by
- — informative interviews with nonfiction professionals across the industry, published by a literary agent (and author of a forthcoming writers’ guidebook!)
(see also: podcast, Deep Dive series)
by
, of course.by
— a mix of emerging writers, book club discussions, and moving, thoughtful, can’t-miss essays by Roxane Gay.by
— Personal, warm, writer-focused.(also Sari Botton, what can’t she do) — A roundup of great memoir pieces every week, plus tons of original publications.
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— see also: 1,000 Words of Summer: join for the writing, stay for the community!— in-depth, gorgeous lessons about the craft of writing with a supportive, engaged community.
with — insight into cookbook publishing from a senior literary agent, including nonfiction proposal guidelines.
3. Classes and Workshops That Actually Helped
An important note here: you can spend so much money on writing classes and workshops. I absolutely encourage you to pay people for their work and hard-earned insight, but I also encourage writers— especially early-career writers— to be discerning. There are so many classes and workshops out there and many of them are going to claim to revolutionize your writing. Know that, first and foremost, your writing begins within yourself, so be sure that the classes you take are worth the investment you’re making.
I wrote a Substack about the best writing courses I took in 2024 and it still holds true.
VONA (Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation) — multi-genre workshop for BIPOC writers
Writing Co-Lab (please everyone do their Summer Camp and let me live vicariously through you, I will be at Sewanee (!!!) and I’m having extreme FOMO)
Courtney Maum’s Masterclasses (offered through her website, very focused and packed with useful information)
’s workshops — one of the foremost voices on humor writing, classes covering comedic memoir, traumedy, and finding your voice and style as a writer.
’s workshops — great classes on starting a newsletter, writing for columns, and building a platform (most writers will need to do at least one, if not all, of these things over the course of their career!)
Write or Die workshops — often genre-specific, lovely instructors.
Writing Workshops — ranges from one-off virtual classes to full international retreats. I teach for them, as do a number of my friends, and they’re wonderful to work with (also, they offer discounts!)
Narratively Academy — offers, among other classes, great multi-week workshops for writers working on long-form projects.
Turning Points (career-changing)
4. Podcasts for Writers
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing — especially great for those querying agents.
Write Now with Sarah Werner — for when you need a “writing therapist.”
Black Writers Read with Nicole M. Young-Martin — interviews with Black writers spanning craft, inspiration, and the writer’s life.
Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton and Zoraida Córdova — on hiatus but plenty of past episodes, all well worth a listen.
First Draft with Mitzi Rapkin – long-form interviews with authors about process.
Publishing Rodeo with Sunyi Dean and Scott Drakeford — on hiatus but huge library of episodes, fiction and mostly sci-fi/fantasy focused.
5. Platforms and Communities
Substack – If you’re reading this, you're here already! Good on you. Substack is great for finding your voice, building an audience, and connecting with and learning from other writers.
Bianca Marais's beta reader match-up — great for getting feedback on 3k words, and many of the groups evolve into full manuscript swaps.
Slack Groups/Discords from workshops or courses – Some of my closest writer friends have come from class-based communities. Most instructors will offer a class directory to help facilitate ongoing connections and support between their students. Better yet, offer to put together a workshop group once class is finished!
6. Pitching + Publishing Resources
Study Hall’s Opportunities of the Week – a newsletter listing calls to pitch, submission opportunities, and gig/part-time/full-time open positions, plus a searchable database.
— lit mags, contests, and a submission tracker.
— pitch calls, jobs, internships, and agent round-ups.
— has a directory! Monthly round-ups, pitch calls organized by type/topic, and lots of tips and guest essays.
Who Pays Writers – Transparency about rates.
The Manuscript Academy — consultations with editors and agents, classes, panels, live events, and a podcast!
QueryTracker and Manuscript Wish List — where you want to go when you're ready to query agents. Questions about querying? See: Courtney Maum, Jane Friedman, The Shit No One Tells You About Writing.
The Author’s Guild — worth the membership, especially now as they fight to protect all of our IP.
Freelance Solidarity Project and their rate-sharing database.
7. Conferences + Events
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Deep Dive Series — two days, virtual, and generous with scholarships.
AWP — the big guy. Held annually, switches cities. Overwhelming but super informative (go to the off-sites!)
U.S. Book Show — one day, always in NY, publishing-focused, great if you want to better understand the industry and where things are headed.
This is not a roadmap. It’s a backpack— stuff you can carry with you and pull from when you need some encouragement or a way forward. Remember: you don’t have to wait for permission to call yourself a writer. You just have to start writing.
If you’re reading this and you’re just getting started— welcome! I’m so glad you’re here.
And if you’re further along and have something you’d add to this list, hit reply or leave a comment. Let’s keep building the kind of community we all need.
I'm putting this in my out-of-office-- it's so great! if you think about it email me a social square and the article link and I'll put on the TP Instagram....Thank you for the shout out!
Thank you for including me and my magazines in this incredible list of resources, Elizabeth!! <3