February will be a month of firsts — Biden’s first full month in office and the very first biracial woman vice president. With a new presidency, Black History Month, and Valentine’s Day around the corner, we have a lot to celebrate as a nation. So for this Writing Resource Round-up, we’ll be saluting some amazing Black female authors. Grab yourself a cup of tea and a snack, and get ready to learn about some truly remarkable women who are making waves in the literary community.
Blogs
Blackwomenauthors.com
Blackwomenauthors.com is a terrific resource website for discovering and supporting female authors of color. Here you’ll find lesser-known authors that you likely won’t come across in your local library. My personal favorite, Silvia Hubbard, is actually featured below! Take a look, and you might just uncover your new favorite indie author!
Reedsy Blog
If you’re looking for real-world advice on publication, the Reedsy blog has you covered. This blog has tons of articles on self-publishing, traditional publishing, and helpful tips to get your book on shelves. Even if you’re nowhere near ready to publish, the Reedsy blog still serves as a fantastic educational resource for the writing tips they didn’t teach you in college lit.
Stephie Smith
Author-turned-blogger Stephie Smith has turned her professional expertise on writing and publication into an educational database for romance writing enthusiasts. This easy-to-maneuver site has info on literally everything you could think of — with articles on monetization strategies, writing contest links, and historical reference material for period pieces. Whether you need info or inspo, this site has it all.
Now Novel
Now Novel is a comprehensive brainstorming and story building website with coaching services, writing webinars, and paid course features — but you don’t have to spend a dime to get access to the site’s most useful information.
There is so much to gain from the blog posts alone, which offer advice on troublesome subjects like plot structuring and creating realistic dialog. With so many offerings, it was hard to put Now Novel in one category. It’s so much more than that.
- 7 Dialogue Rules for Writing Fantastic Conversations
- How to Develop a Story: 10 Steps to a Winning Plot
Courses
How to Outline Your Romance Novel – Fast! Udemy
Let me preface this segment by saying I LOVE Udemy courses — they’re cheap and have a course for nearly anything you want to learn. With that being said, this romance writing course is a great starting point when plotting out your novel. The curriculum goes over everything from scene-setting to mapping the emotional storyline The best part? This program retails for $30, but they’re constantly running sales up to 60% off.
Writing Romance Fiction Course — Write Academy Online
If you’re looking to supercharge your romance writing, this course is it. Academy Online is a terrific and trusted resource for online learning — they even have classes for kids. This course in particular covers every type of romantic plot you could think of, from comedic love stories to full-fledged steam fests. This 14-module course will walk you through every step of the writing process, from getting your ideas on paper to publication. And since the course was developed by best-selling romance novelists, you can rest assured you’re learning tried-and-true techniques.
Margaret Atwood’s Creative Writing Masterclass
Margaret Atwood, the creative genius behind The Handmaid’s Tale, now offers a creative writing course through Masterclass! When I saw this class while researching for this article, I immediately had to sign up. The course includes invaluable information on story structuring, narration, sensory imagery, and pushing through those mental blocks we tend to find ourselves in. For just $16 a month, you can gain access to this course and many others just like it.
Authors
Silvia Hubbard
Silvia Hubbard is a best-selling author and self-proclaimed “cliffhanger queen” who fuses romance and mystery for some super-steamy page-turners. Her newest book Black’s Innocence has rave reviews on Goodreads and is definitely worth a grab if you like suspense! When this literary diva isn’t busy writing, she offers literary coaching to aspiring authors.
K.J. Charles
K.J. Charles is the absolute queen of LBGT+ romance. Charles weaves juicy romance plots among historical fantasy for a truly riveting reader journey. Her series A Charm of Magpies is a fan favorite, but her series Society of Gentlemen is an excellent choice for m/m romance lovers. Give her books a try, and we promise you won’t be disappointed.
Lorisa Bates
Lorisa Bates is a newcomer to the literary scene, but she came in full-force with her debut novel Benita Renee Jenkins: Diva Secret Agent, a sexy thriller that grips readers from the very first chapter. Bates has been working for years writing for the film industry and that expertise in film rolls over into her writing. We’re sure this won’t be the last seductive read you’ll see from this talented lady!
Chantal Jennings
Chantal Jennings is a local author from my neck of the woods. She recently published her first book *A Relentless Decade,* a truly moving work on the racial inequality and systemic failures of the American justice system. She encourages up-and-coming writers to never give up on their dreams, no matter how long it takes. She’s currently working on her new book, and we can’t wait to see what’s next from Mrs. Jennings!
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2 Responses
Great roundup, Emily. Thank you for including Now Novel.
Thank you so much for reading—we’re glad you found it helpful! Keep producing that awesome content! 🙂