Welcome to the first edition of 5 on the 5th! This is a new monthly meme where, on the fifth day of the month, I’ll share five of something. It could be a group of items (books, writers, tea, websites, etc.) with a common theme, or a a list of five items (again, all sharing a common theme) that doesn’t fall under other post categories at this blog.

To kick things off, I’ll start with Five Awesome Websites for Writers. They’re all blogs I visit regularly, and each has a unique spin on the tips and resources they offer. Most importantly, the content they offer absolutely blows my mind! Their breadth of knowledge, and how well they understand the important aspects and minor details of writing… I don’t know how these ladies do it, and so I want to express my gratitude and admiration – by telling you about them. 🙂

If you’re interested in visiting any of these sites, you can click on the site’s respective logo or any of the article links provided.

One of my most recent discoveries is Ink and Quills, run by aspiring YA fantasy writer Kaitlyn. (She’s also the proud owner of a hedgehog named Camilla, hence the website’s name. *wink*) Kaitlyn’s purpose for Ink and Quills is to equip writers with the tools and tips they need to write spectacular stories. Her posts range in topic from a writer’s lifestyle and publishing advice, to writing for a YA audience and elements such as dialogue and character development. Two of my favorite articles at Ink and Quill, though, zero on unique world-building details: the importance of flaws in your story’s world – and horses! Yes, “one-stop shopping” for information on horses, with a trove of links. Kaitlyn also offers editing services for Middle Grade, YA, New Adult, and select adult manuscripts (especially fantasy or historical fiction) that fit her criteria.

Launched earlier this year, She’s Novel encourages young women to be confident and fearless in their creative writing. Kristen A. Kieffer (who’s writing a New Adult fantasy novel) brings all kinds of advice to the table: settings, antagonists, writing in deep point of view, creating novel outlines, and much more. She’s also working a special series devoted to using Scrivener for your novel-writing. Best of all, each article at She’s Novel is massive! They’re so thorough and informative, and I learn at least one new thing each time I read a post.

She’s Novel also offers free guides and worksheets with each post, a periodic newsletter featuring exclusive content you won’t find at the website, and an online shop that will soon include e-books and e-kits to help with different aspects of your writing. (Oh, and Kristen’s a sweetheart! You’ll find that out if you chat with her on social media.) She’s Novel promises to be a force to be reckoned with the writing resource world, so head on over, absorb, and tell Kristen I said “Hi.”

And to the guys reading this: Don’t feel left-out. Kristen welcomes all visitors to She’s Novel. 😉

WriteOnSisters.com is run by Heather Jackson and Robin Rivera, and offers straightforward, fun advice on the craft of writing, the road to publication, and the writer’s life. The two “writing sisters” share their knowledge, experiences, successes, and failures – and random bits outside of writing. Along with new articles from Heather and Robin each week, WriterOnSisters.com features occasional guest posts from other writers and the weekly #WeekendCoffeeShare meme, where Heather and Robin alternate on chats about things like grilled cheese parties and battling blueberries. 🙂

And this past April, WriteOnSisters.com participated in the A To Z Challenge, posting writing-related advice all 26 weekdays of the month (!!!!), with each advice representing one of the 26 letters of the alphabet (again – !!!!). Two of my favorite posts from their mission accomplished include Heather’s on writer well-being and Robin’s on dialogue.

Writerology may be one of the most intriguing writing resource sites because of its purpose: merging the science of psychology with the art of storytelling. Faye Kirwin explores these connections through two article series: Mind of the Character, which focuses on character development, relationships between characters, and a character’s emotional or psychological conditions; and Mind of the Writer, which centers on developing good writing habits, building motivation, and maintaining productivity. To get a good idea of Faye’s unique approach, start with her articles on determining whether a character has PTSD or how writers can build strong emotional connections with their readers through storytelling.

Writerology also features periodic guest posts; the Writember Workshop, a workbook and e-course package that helps writers develop a daily writing habit within 30 days; and the Write Chain Challenge, where writers can set daily writing goals and earn “links” on their Write Chain for every consecutive day they meet their goals.

I’ve mentioned Writers Helping Writers before here, and I knew I couldn’t leave it off this list. This stunning joint effort between Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi offers a basketful of advice for writers, from myriad aspects of the writing craft to social media and author platforms. Looking for ways to convey emotion besides facial expressions? Check! Trying to find a silver lining after your work has been rejected? Right here! Want to develop a better understanding of emotional wounds and their impact on characters? You’ve got it. 😉

The most amazing offering from Writers Helping Writers, however, is its thesaurus collection. Each thesaurus is a compilation of details that are essential for story-writing. Physical attributes, talents and skills, weather and earthly phenomena – and the list keeps growing. Angela and Becca have also self-published three of their thesauri: The Emotion Thesaurus (for character expressions), The Positive Traits Thesaurus, and The Negative Traits Thesaurus. I have copies of all three books, and I don’t know what I would do without them now. If – no, when – The Keeper’s Curse is published, I may have to include Angela and Becca in the Acknowledgments section, because my novel-writing and character development methods have truly benefited from their incredible work. Thank you SO much, ladies!

Are you a fan of any of the websites listed above? What are some of your favorite websites for writing advice? Share your answers in the Comments section below. Also, feel free to share suggestions you may have for future 5 on the 5th posts!