WRITING RESOURCES AT THE LIBRARY

Terressa Jefferson
Ridgeview Branch Manager

            Some people have a gift for using words and can write anything very eloquently; others have learned the mechanics and basics of writing and know how to pull a writing piece together.  Still others approach writing like it is torture and dread any type of writing project.  In addition, some people would like to write as a profession or hobby, but do not know how to go about getting their work published or even how to get started.  Whatever category one may fit into, the Hickory Public Library has many resources that can help you pull together any writing project that you may be facing. 
For starters, we have books on how to write and how to prepare and submit a manuscript to a publisher, such as The Everything Creative Writing Book:  all you need to know to write a novel by Carol Whiteley, The African-American Guide to Writing and Publishing nonfiction by Jewell Parker, and The ASJA guide to freelance writing: a professional guide to the business, for nonfiction writers of all experience, edited by Timothy Harper. 

Perhaps you are looking for someplace to sell what you write or the proper guidelines to submit your work – check out The Writer’s Market.  This book lists hundreds of book publishers, magazines, trade journals and literary agents along with the writer’s guidelines on what their requirements are.  This book also lists writer’s contests and awards and professional organizations for writers.  Also, there is The Christian Writer’s Market Guide, which is similar to The Writer’s Market, but is geared toward inspirational and Christian writing. 

Some additional books on the writing process include Writing for Quick Cash:  turn your way with words into real money by Loriann H. Oberlin, An Introduction to Christian Writing by Ethel Herr, Creating Poetry: how to begin a poem, use word combinations and new forms……. by John Drury, This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley, Negotiating with the dead: a writer on writing by Margaret Atwood and Writing for the Soul: instructions from an extraordinary writing life by Jerry Jenkins.
These are just a few of the many writing resources that we have at the library that can help you pull together any project that you may be facing.

            Hickory Public Library is a department of the City of Hickory.  Patrick Beaver Memorial Library is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.   Ridgeview Branch Library is open the same hours, but is closed on Sunday.