You Can't Have Too Many Resources

Resources are something we all need as writers. I have loads of tabs, websites, books, and newsletters that I use for my writing, and here are two that I'd like to share with you. (Some more of my favorites are listed on my Resources page.)

The first website, www.rhymezone.com, I use mainly as a thesaurus, searching for that just-right word to take the place of my original less-precise word. But you can also search for rhyming words, phrases, definitions, and get this - you can even search for words found in Shakespeare.

The second website, I use for naming my characters, www.behindthename.com.

It has an enormous database of the etymology and history of first names. You can search by first letter, heritage, gender, and popularity by country. There are even lists of mythological and medieval names. I had a lot of fun when I needed a name with a particular meaning. YES, you can search by meaning and keywords! Or translate your name from one language to another. And if you like the element of surprise, use the random name generator. Just beware, it's way too easy to lose track of time with this one.