SF/F resources

[HollyB]

How about a thread that lists some of the numerous SF/F resources on the web?

This one was posted on the Short Fiction board, but it's fun:

The Grand List of Overused Science Fiction Cliches
enphilistor.users4.50megs.com/cliche.htm (http://enphilistor.users4.50megs.com/cliche.htm)

A great portal into the SF/F world:

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
www.sfwa.org/ (http://www.sfwa.org/)

[HConn]

One of the magazines covering the field. (http://www.locusmag.com/)

Good market listings (http://www.ralan.com/)

Home to lots of pro writers, including Uncle Jim (http://www.sff.net/)

A magazine everyone should subscribe to (http://www.sfwa.org/bulletin/)

Agent list with query example (http://www.sfwriter.com/agent.htm)

That's a start.

[MacAl Stone]

heh--Awesome, HConn, thank you!

[MThomas2003]

This is a bit of self-promotion, but since I *did* design this website specifically for fantasy/sci-fi writers, I'd be pleased if people were able to get some use out of it. :) It is intended to be an "all on-line" resource.

Found Things -- Website for Writers (http://www.found-things.com)

In the "Writer's Resources" section you will find links for medieval research for the High Fantasy writer, a very large selection of mythology websites, Market and publisher Listings, on-line articles that address various elements of writing (plot, character, etc.) by category, and more.

My monthly updates are out of whack right now because I'm transitioning from a WYSIWYG program to something a little better, but there is some interesting reading there as well. I hope you will stop by and take a look and find something useful!

[HConn]

I bookmarked it, MT. I'll go back to read it again when the text doesn't overlap. That makes it a bit hard to read. :)

As for those links I provided above, I suggest everyone subscribe to The Bulletin. It's well worth it.

And next time you're killing time on the internet, why not put that time to good use by studying the classics? (http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/lit.htm)

(Thanks, Uncle Jim.)

[MThomas2003]

I'll go back to read it again when the text doesn't overlap. That makes it a bit hard to read.

Dangit. Sigh. I'd hoped I had that fixed for the transition period. OK. Gimme a week or two. :)

[TravellerRose]

Hi, I've been away and I come back to find all these spiffy new boards!
Here's a resource I think everyone should know about:

engine.freeshell.org/ (http://engine.freeshell.org/)

Have fun with it.

Travellerrose (better known as Gail)

[Ravenlocks01]

I don't know to what extent this is a resource per se, but it's funny and it does cover a lot of cliches:

The Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became an Evil Overlord (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html)

[ChunkyC]

That's great, Raven, thanks! :thumbs

[HConn]

A companion to the Evil Overlord list is The Evil Overlord devises a plot. (http://www.sff.net/paradise/plottricks.htm)

I like to use the randomly generated link.

[ShinyPenguin]

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>
Found Things -- Website for Writers<hr></blockquote>

Thanks for posting this! I had found this a while ago, but lost the link. I've been looking for it again!

Laura

[MThomas2003]

Thanks for posting this! I had found this a while ago, but lost the link. I've been looking for it again!

My pleasure, and thank you so much for visiting. I've just begun the changeover, so it's a little raw right now, but the medieval resources are up, as well as market listings. More to follow soon. Should have it all back up by this weekend.

[HollyB]

For all you writers of short fiction, here's a site that tracks submission times:

Submitting to the Black Hole
www.critique.org/users/cr...tdata.html (http://www.critique.org/users/critters/blackholes/sightdata.html)

(It's also handy for realizing everyone else is getting rejected, too.)

[robertquiller]

The single resource I've used most often during my brief forays into fantasy (and maybe it holds something for sfer's too?) is:
MythingLinks (http://www.mythinglinks.org/home.html). Absolutely great place for fantasy writers, 'though it's not geared for them at all.

[HConn]

That's pretty good, Robert. Here's a couple from me:

www.pantheon.org/mythica.html (http://www.pantheon.org/mythica.html)

That's a little thin, but it's pretty comprehensive. It also cites the reference material they used to compile each entry, so people can find further resources.

www.sacred-texts.com/neu/ (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/)

A collection of "sacred texts"--hero sagas, old legends, overall weird stuff. A great place to waste some time.

[ChunkyC]

For those who are curious, just how big are those spaceships anyway?

Jeff Russell's Starship Dimensions (http://mirror.wolffelaar.nl/zardalu.sytes.net/index.html)

Warning: you could lose a few hours persusing this site.

[vstrauss]

Absolutely amazing historical map collection:

www.davidrumsey.com/ (http://www.davidrumsey.com/)

Great resource for period clothing:

www.costumes.org/history/...stpage.htm (http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/costhistpage.htm)

Tons of ethnic and historical names--good for fantasy characters:

www.lowchensaustralia.com/Names.htm (http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/Names.htm)

- Victoria

[DragonHeart]

Bumping this because it's a great source of resources, and also adding links from the other aging threads that will most likely disappear when the forums get pruned. All the links I've listed so far are from page 5 back. Hope someone finds these useful. ^^

Edit: Whew, that took awhile. I just went through and reorganized them so it's easier to find resources. I'm also adding in some resources I've found that might be useful. Enjoy!

Science Fiction Resources:

Center for the Study of Science Fiction http://www.ku.edu/~sfcenter/
Dr. Debra's Doyle's Science Fiction Genre Rant http://www.sff.net/people/DoyleMacdonald/genre2.htp
Dr. Debra Doyle's view on women writing science fiction. http://www.sff.net/paradise/girlcooties.htm
Science Fiction and Fantasy in the New Millenium http://www.sfwa.org/bulletin/articles/linville.htm
Science Fiction: The Literature of Ideas http://www.writing-world.com/sf/sf.shtml
Starship Dimensions http://www.merzo.net/index.html
Subgenres of Science Fiction http://www.writing-world.com/sf/genres.shtml
Writing Soft SF http://www.writing-world.com/sf/softsf.shtml

Fantasy Resources:

Creating a Realistic Fantasy World http://www.writing-world.com/sf/world.shtml
Encyclopedia Mythica http://www.pantheon.org/
Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions http://www.sfwa.org/writing/worldbuilding1.htm
The Grand List of Fantasy Cliches http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/8584/stuff/cliche.html
Getting Started in Fantasy Writing http://www.fmwriters.com/Visionback/issue13/Issue13/fantasyi.htm
Holly Lisle Official Author Website http://www.hollylisle.com/
How to Write a Best Selling Fantasy Novel (Humor) http://members.ozemail.com.au/~imcfadyen/notthenet/fantasy.htm
What is Magical Realism, Really? http://www.writing-world.com/sf/realism.shtml
What's the Magic Word: Defining the Sources, Effects and Costs of Magic http://www.writing-world.com/sf/magic.shtml

General Resources:

Auto-Realm Map-Making Program - Free Download http://www.gryc.ws/autorealm.htm
Beautiful Wallpapers http://www.beautifulwallpapers.com/fantasy.shtml
The Evil Overlord Devises a Plot http://www.sff.net/paradise/plottricks.htp
Fantasies of Homelessness http://anitraweb.org/books/sffh/homeless-sf.html
Fantasy Art Gallery http://www.epilogue.net/cgi/database/art/list.pl?gallery=2446
Profantasy Map Builder http://www.profantasy.com/
Science Fiction and Fantasy: A Genre with Many Faces http://www.sfsite.com/columns/amy26.htm
Science Fiction and Fantasy Wallpapers http://www.wallpapervault.com/SciFi_and_Fantasy/
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America http://www.sfwa.org/
Slushkiller http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/004641.html
The Theory and Practice of Titles http://www.sfwa.org/bulletin/articles/clough.htm
The Turkey City Lexicon http://www.sfwa.org/writing/turkeycity.html
The Well-Tempered Plot Device http://news.ansible.co.uk/plotdev.html
(http://</p><p%20style=)World Builder Projects http://hiddenway.tripod.com/world/
The Writers of the Future Contest http://www.writersofthefuture.com/
Writing Advice from Fantasy Author Lawrence Watt-Evans http://www.watt-evans.com/writingadvice.html

Name Generators and Resources:

20,000 Names.com http://www.20000-names.com/
Alfabette Zoope Name Lists http://www.zoope.com/about/about_names.html
Baby Names.com http://www.babynames.com/
Behind the Name http://www.behindthename.com/
Elvish Name Generator http://www.chriswetherell.com/elf/
Hobbit Name Generator http://www.chriswetherell.com/hobbit/
Medieval Naming Guide http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/english.shtml
Random Name Generator http://www.kleimo.com/random/name.cfm
Random Town Name Generator http://www.geocities.com/terrorsmartyr/boe/citynames.html
The Seventh Sanctum Name Generators http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php

~DragonHeart~