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Find Background Information
General Background Sources:
- Credo Reference Academic Core (This link opens in a new window)
A comprehensive collection of subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and reference handbooks. Also included are short reference videos and high-resolution images. Useful background information source.
- Oxford Reference Online: Premium (This link opens in a new window)
A comprehensive collection of scholarly encyclopedias and dictionaries published by Oxford University Press. A useful background information source for starting your research. Simultaneous user limit: 5.
- Britannica Academic (This link opens in a new window)
Provides access to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, an interactive world atlas, a world data analyst tool, images, timelines, videos, and primary sources.
Discipline-Specific Background Sources:
MasterplotsCall Number: Reference Stacks Main Level PN44 .M33 2011ISBN: 1587655683Publication Date: 2011
Next Word, Better Word: The Craft of Writing PoetryCall Number: Stacks Upper Level PN1059.A9 D63 2011ISBN: 9780230621800Publication Date: 2011
The Oxford Companion to Modern Poetry in EnglishCall Number: Online and Reference Stacks Main Level PR601 .O9 2014ISBN: 0198704852Publication Date: 2014
The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and PoeticsCall Number: Reference Stacks Main Level PN1021 .N39 2012ISBN: 0691154910Publication Date: 2012
Story Logic and the Craft of FictionCall Number: Stacks Upper Level PN3355 .B68 2010ISBN: 9780230580558Publication Date: 2010
Use Additional Online Resources
Professional Resources
- Poets & Writers MagazineServes the professional interests of poets, authors, and writers of creative non-fiction. Poets & Writers publishes essays on the literary life, writer profiles, and practical information for poets and authors, including guidance on how to submit work for publication and listings of literary grants and prizes. Published bi-monthly.
- Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of AmericaSFWA is a professional organization for authors of science fiction, fantasy and related genres.
Where/How to Publish
Writer's Market 100th EditionCall Number: Reference Main Level PN161 .W83ISBN: 0593332032Publication Date: 2021
- DuotropeDatabase with statistics on more than 4,000 publishers' response times, acceptance rates, etc. Subscription required.
- Poets & Writers: Literary AgentsListing browsable by theme.
- Poets & Writers: Literary Magazine DatabaseDatabase of literary magazines sortable by genre and subgenre. Includes information on simultaneous submissions, reporting times, and more.
- Poets & Writers: Small Press DatabaseDatabase of small presses sortable by genre and subgenre. Includes information on simultaneous submissions, reporting times, and more.
Contests and Awards
- Fairfield MFA Book Prize‌Fairfield's MFA program is one of the very few MFA programs in the country to offer its students the unique opportunity of entering a book-length manuscript to its contest. The Fairfield Book Prize is open only to Fairfield MFA students and alumni and is awarded once every two years.
- New Pages ClassifiedsBrowse the most recent calls for submissions, writing contests, writing conferences and events, and writing program information.
- Poets & Writers: Contests, Grants, and AwardsIncludes details about the creative writing contests that were published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year
Literary Magazines
- Conjunctions
Publishes innovative fiction, poetry, criticism, drama, art and interviews by both emerging and established writers. - Paris Review
A literary magazine featuring original writing, art, and in-depth interviews with famous writers. - Ploughshares
Fiction, poetry, essays, commentary and reviews guest-edited serially by prominent writers, who explore different and personal visions, aesthetics and literary circles. - The Southern Review
Publishes fiction, poetry, critical essays, and excerpts from novels in progress by established and emerging writers and includes reproductions of visual art.
Writing from Diverse Perspectives
- We Need Diverse Books: OurStory appHighlights diverse books for children and teens.
- We Need Diverse Books: Resources for writersArticles to read and opportunities to pursue.
- We Need Diverse Books: Where to find diverse booksA list of places to start looking for diverse books to read.
- We Read Too appA directory of children's and young adult's diverse books.
Cite Your Sources
Working on a big project and need help with citations? Try Zotero, a citation manager that connects with your browser to save full text, organize sources, and create citations. Don't have a lot of time? You can safely generate a citation using ZoteroBib!
Find Other Resources in the Academic Commons
The Library isn't the only resource available to you! The following departments are housed in the Library, but provide different services than the Librarians do:
- The Office of Accessibility
- The Fredrickson Family Innovation Lab
- Global Fairfield
- The ITS Help Desk
- The Math Center
- The Science Center
- The Writing Center
Creative Writing Course Guides
Below is a list of this semester's Course Guides for this subject:
