We all hit obstacles when writing. I either take a break and go for a walk, or I wander to some of these websites, hoping an idea will hit me.

Armen Shieb. Some pretty astounding artwork you can write an infinite number of stories around.

Behind the Name. Great for looking up names and their meanings, origins, and namesakes.

Fantasy Name Generator. I love name generators. Even if I can’t find anything useful, they’re entertaining.

Geonames. A Celtic glossary; I use it when thinking of language patterns and sometimes when I want to make up a name.

Pene Menn. Wonderful concept art that’s really great to look at for inspiration or just to appreciate.

Peter’s Evil Overlord List. No matter what you’re writing, you’ll want to read over this list of cliches and overused scenarios. You will laugh hard enough to cry.

Rites of Submission: Cover Letters and Query Letters. A nice guide for when you’re ready to submit your writing for publication.

Seventh Sanctum. A ton of fun generators for everything from names and settings to plots and thematic elements. I’ve found it’s more entertaining than helpful in most cases.

William Shunn: Manuscript Format: Short Story. Want to know how to format your manuscript when you’re ready to send it off? Take a look. Most formats don’t stray too much from these guidelines.

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