These are some of my favorite resources and tools I use in my writer business.
To jump to a section, click here for podcasts, books, writing tools, publishing tools, image generation, business tools, and website.
To get this list as a clickable PDF, click here.
Here are some of my favorite podcasts, video channels, and books for writers. While I divided them into screenwriting and fiction, story is story. No matter what kind of project you are working on, you will benefit from learning about both.
Listen 🎧
Screenwriting:
Happier In Hollywood - Two TV writers who are also best friends discuss screenwriting and life in Hollywood.
Screenwriters Rant Room - A revolving group of screenwriters have free wheeling discussions about craft and the business.
Scriptnotes with John August - Prolific screenwriter discusses craft and the business.
Story Nerd - Breaks down popular movies.
The Screenwriting Life - Two screenwriters interview other screenwriters.
Two Writers Talking Shit - Two screenwriters interview other screenwriters.
The Story Series Podcast– A screenwriter interviews screenwriters and novelists.
Fiction Writing & Publishing:
Bookfunnel Podcast - Craft and marketing for authors.
Creative Penn Podcast - Interviews, inspiration, and information on writing and author business.
Fiction Author Business School – Craft
Fiction Writing Made Easy - Craft
Novel Marketing Podcast - Craft and marketing for authors.
The Dialogue Doctor – Join Jeff Elkins for a live coaching session with a novelist.
The Indy Author Podcast – Writing craft and publishing for indie authors.
Wish I’d Known Then - Two authors interviewing other authors.
Worldcraft Club – Worldbuilding for writers.
Watch 📺
Many of the podcasts have videos on YouTube, if you prefer watching to listening.
Author Update - Weekly publishing news. They also cover AI and entertainment.
CinemaStix - Breaks down filmmaking and stories of movies.
Producer Patrick - News about the state of the entertainment industry.
The Nerdy Novelist - How to write and market books using AI.
Write for the Screen - Writing advice on Instagram
Read 📖
Most of the podcasters and authors also have newsletters. Look on their websites and the back of the books to subscribe.
Screenwriting:
Audrey Knox Newsletter - Audrey is a literary manager who writes about how to build a professional screenwriting career.
Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field
Writing the Pilot: The Streaming Series by William Rabkin
Fiction Writing:
How to Turn Your Screenplay into a Novel by Lindsey Hughes
Ines Johnson is Having a Breakdown - newsletter - Ines Johnson talks craft and shares her own writing business techniques.
The Dialogue Doctor Will See You Now: How to Write Dialogue & Characters Readers Will Love by Jeff Elkins
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi
Three Story Method: Foundations of Fiction by J. Thorn with Zach Bohannon
Write Your Hero: How to Create Fan-favorite Protagonists by Lewis Jorstad
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness into Words by Joanna Penn
AI
The Neuron – free daily newsletter covering all things AI
Life
Never Eat Lunch Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi
The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future by Ryder Carroll
Writing: Word Processing 💻
Scrivener - Designed for long form writing projects. Allows you to see your project's scenes and chapters at once, drag and drop sections, see your sections as notecards, and more.
Atticus - is word processing and book formatting in one.
Autocrit - a tool to plan, write, analyze, and edit your book that includes word processing.
ProWriting Aid - Proofreading
Writing: AI & Writing Tools 🖥️
Everyone has his own writing process with AI. While you may use it to write prose (no judgement), try: brainstorming, synopsizing your work, writing book blurbs and cocktail pitches, writing social media posts (and creating images), writing query letters to agents, pitch letters to podcasts, creating story bibles, analyzing your story for tropes and themes, finding plot holes, and more!
The two I use the most are Chat GPT & Claude.
Google Notebook LMN - Can summarize podcasts and videos, take notes, and create a podcast. out of your material.
Autocrit - a tool to brainstorm, write, and analyze your story.
ProWriting Aid - Proofread and analyze your story.
Plottr - visual planning, outlining, and story bible software.
Publishing: Ebooks & Print 📖
For more information on publishing, check out Part 4: Publish Your Book in How to Turn Your Screenplay into a Novel.
Places to Sell Your Book:
Ingram Spark - to get your book in libraries and brick and mortar stores, print on demand, and selling direct.
Draft to Digital (D2D) - Upload your ebook and paperback (using Ingram Spark) to all the stores.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP - Amazon)
Kobo - Ebooks and audiobooks
Google Books - Ebooks and audiobooks
Apple Books - Ebooks and audiobooks
Payhip - sell your print, e and audio books directly to customers. Perfect if you have under 20 items.
Shopify - sell your print, e and audio books directly to customers. Recommended if you have over 20 items.
Publishing Tools:
Book Vault - print on demand (POD)
Lulu - print on demand (POD)
Atticus - e and print book formatting all platforms
Vellum - e and print book formatting for Mac
Bookfunnel - deliver your reader magnet, e and audio books directly to customers.
ScribeShadow - AI translation
Image Generation 🖼️
For social media, marketing, and brainstorming.
Canva - Graphic design for the non-professional. Has its own image generator.
Midjourney - Hosted on Discord
Opus Clips – turn longer videos into short clips for social media.
Descript – video creation and making short clips for social media.
Your Writer Business 💼
Kit - Send your email newsletter to build your audience. Create landing pages (one page websites).
Bookfunnel - Grow your email list with promotions. Deliver your reader magnet. Create landing pages for your books.
Metricool – social media scheduler. You can link to your blog to track website traffic.
Canva - Graphic design
Mockup Shots - Marketing. Your book in hundreds of photographs.
BackBlaze - Automatic computer backup. A life saver!
Email Signature Rescue - Make your signature clickable with graphics and links to your book, website, & socials.
Otter.ai - Take notes during in person and Zoom meetings and at conferences. Makes story meetings a breeze.
Your Website 💻
SiteGround - WordPress website hosting
Divi - WordPress theme for your website
Pretty Links - Link shortener.
Kit - Use Kit's Creator Profile instead of a website. It includes your bio, newsletter posts, and links to social media.
Gear⚙️
Ergonomic Desk:
Working In Bed:
Lapdesk - supports your arms while you type
Flippy – hold your Kindle and Ipad while you read
Content Production:
Selfie stick with remote and control tripod
For podcast guesting:
For conferences and expos:
Rolling bag – to save your back
TP– Link WiFi router – for private, safe, secure internet
Pocket Charger Nitecore Pocket – battery pack to recharge your phone
Plaud Note Recorder – Let AI take, transcribe, and organize your notes.
USB C to HDMI Adapter – to connect your laptop to the screen when speaking.
Presentation Remote – to click through your slides when speaking.
AI Filmmaking🎥
For trailers, pitch decks, ads, films, and series.
ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude - to write prompts
Midjourney – character and location design
Nano Banana, Higgsfield, Freepik – shots compositing
Let’s Enhance, Magnific, Leonardo, Higgsfield – upscaling
Veo3, Kling, Seedance, Omni Creator, Runway, Veed.io - for animation
Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut – editing
Motion Array and Veo3 - sound design
Suno – music
Some of these are affiliate links. I only recommend products and services I use.
Check it Out!
Ever wonder what it’s like to work with me? Watch me evaluate pitches on The Dialogue Doctor podcast!
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