10 Budget Friendly Resources for Emerging Authors

Writing is a journey filled with creativity, inspiration… and, let’s be honest, more than a few challenges.

Personally, I feel like “Do I need to buy this stupidly expensive stuff?” shouldn’t be one of them.
Luckily, there are plenty of budget-friendly options out there that can help you hone your craft and make your writing path that little bit smoother. Here are ten fantastic resources, all of them with an accessible price tag. (Some of them are even completely free.)

1. Scrivener (under £60)

Okay, this is probably not a big surprise to anyone — I’ve written plenty about how much I love Scrivener. And, yes, that’s an affiliate link below, but I don’t recommend Scrivener because I’m an affiliate. I’m an affiliate because I recommend Scrivener all the time. It’s been my favourite tool for almost 20 years, and it’s still one of the most powerful pieces of writing software you can get without an eye-watering purchase price.

Scrivener is designed specifically for authors and offers an array of organizational features—from corkboards to folders—that help you manage complex projects with ease. While there’s a one-time purchase price after the free trial (£55/$49 at time of writing), the hill that I will die on is that it’s worth every penny.

2. Authors Publish (free)

If you’re a querying author, you need Authors Publish in your life. From the website: “The initial mission of Authors Publish was to help writers find homes for their short creative work without paying a fee.” More than a decade on, the mission is still going strong.

Founded in 2014 by authors Caitlin and Jacob Jans, Authors Publish will deliver vetted and curated submission opportunities directly to your inbox when you subscribe on the website—and the website itself is a resource-rich goldmine of articles, free lectures, and expert workshops. Okay, the workshops, you pay for (and the price tag is not small), but you’ll get so much value from this website even if you don’t spend a single penny.

“If you’re a querying author, you need Authors Publish in your life.”

Writers & Artists (free with paid options)

I’m old enough to own multiple copies of The Writers & Artists Yearbook on my shelves, but these days I tend to direct emerging authors to the website instead. You can spend money on Writers & Artists—you can spend quite a lot of money on their various different resources, if you like—or you can sign up for an account for free and gain access to their community forum, their huge library of advice articles, their competition lists… And for just £22, you can get access to their searchable database of agents and publishers (which is less than you pay for the book).

4. The Creative Writer's Notebook by John Gillard (under £10)

Let’s throw in a couple of books, because there’s no bookshelf so heaving that you can’t squeeze in another worthy tome. The Creative Writer’s Notebook is a practical guide packed full of prompts and exercises designed to spark creativity. If you’re ever feeling stuck or in need of inspiration, this book will become your best friend—think of it as your personal creativity coach, at a fraction of the price.

5. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody (under £10)

Yes, I know—I’ve written about Save the Cat! Writes a Novel elsewhere, but I really rate this book. If you’re looking for a practical guide to storytelling that breaks down the complexities of novel writing, look no further.

Building on Blake Snyder’s original screenwriting method, Brody adapts the principles of Save the Cat! specifically for novelists, making it accessible and applicable to prose. She provides a step-by-step approach to help you structure your plot, and illustrates her techniques with real-world examples from popular novels. Want character development advice? Save the Cat! Writes a Novel” has character development advice.

Not every writer is going to resonate with the level of advance plotting and structuring this method promotes, but if that sounds like your thing? This is the book.

“StoryGraph actively promotes underrepresented authors and diverse narratives through curated lists and themed recommendations.”

7. The StoryGraph (free)

Launched (in several iterations) between 2019 and 2021 by founder and CEO Nadia Odunayo and co-founder Rob Frelow, The StoryGraph aims to create a more inclusive and user-friendly alternative to traditional book tracking apps. It’s a powerful and growing alternative to Goodreads, and I love that for us.

But we’re here to talk specifically about things that help emerging authors, and The StoryGraph also provides resources for authors looking to connect with audiences. This includes promotional opportunities for new releases and features that highlight indie authors alongside traditional publishing houses.

One of the standout aspects of The StoryGraph is its commitment to diversity and inclusivity in literature. The platform actively promotes underrepresented authors and diverse narratives through curated lists and themed recommendations. It’s basically the force for good we want to see in an increasingly corporate literary world. (Also, you can import your Goodreads library directly, so there’s that.)

8. The Writer's Digest Website (free)

Writer’s Digest offers a wealth of articles covering everything from crafting compelling narratives to understanding the publishing landscape—all available for free.

My extra special favourite resource is their Successful Queries series, in which literary agents share real query letters for manuscripts they accepted, and explain (in detail) what it was about the cover letter that caught their eye.

But, honestly, it would be really hard to think of an aspect of the craft that’s not covered on this website. Their Free Downloads section is also a treasure trove of cool stuff like How to Impress Literary Agents with Your 30-Second Pitch and Memoir Writing: Legal Issues You Need to Know. It’s an invaluable resource packed with insights from seasoned professionals.

“Writer’s Digest’s Free Downloads section is also a treasure trove of cool stuff like How to Impress Literary Agents with Your 30-Second Pitch and Memoir Writing: Legal Issues You Need to Know.”

9. Reedsy Learning (free with paid options)

Full disclosure: I have no experience of working with Reedsy as either an author or a freelancer, so I can’t speak to any of the paid services they offer. But I have used the absolute life out of the Reedsy Blog resources, and they have a mean line in infographics.

Reedsy Learning also boasts an impressive collection of free courses taught by industry professionals on various aspects of writing and publishing. And they also have a new, completely free, writing app now available for download. Basically, just lots and lots of high-quality content without hidden costs.

10. 750 Words ($5-$10 per month)

Want to build a consistent writing habit? 750 Words is an online tool that sets daily word count goals to encourage regular writing sessions. If you’re anything like me, intrinsic motivation is the enemy of productivity, and anything that gamifies the process is a massive plus. That’s effectively what 750 words does: it tracks your word count as you write and lets you know when you’ve hit the magic 750 mark (or three published pages). Now, it’s not specifically geared towards fiction writing—it’s actually for private journaling of the sort that The Artist’s Way’s morning pages routine encourages. But it’s a great way to get incentivised to make writing a regular part of your routine.

There’s a free month-long trial period for this resource, after which you’ll need to sign up for a monthly subscription to continue. But at $5 (standard) or $10 (fancy) per month, it’s a super affordable option.

Your Writing Adventure Awaits…

No doubt about it: the writing journey can be a bewildering one sometimes—especially when you’re just starting out and it seems like every way you turn, there’s a new opportunity to spend a bunch of money on something that sounds like it’s essential. Bottom line? The only “essential” tool is something that makes words appear on paper. But there are lots of “nice to haves” that make it a little bit easier—without requiring you to remortgage your house to afford them.

Your story matters, and the world is waiting to hear it. And you don’t have to empty your wallet for that to happen

What’s your favourite budget friendly writing resource? Let me know in the comments!