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Essential Resources for Writers 2025: Updates and Tools

In this episode of the Killer Pros podcast, Tanner updates listeners on his list of resources for writers in 2025. Tanner discusses valuable tools and platforms he uses for every stage of the writing process, from learning and drafting to editing and marketing. The episode includes his go-to classes, writing communities, and podcasts, as well as essential software and services for writing and publishing, such as Scrivener, AutoCrit, and ProWritingAid. Tanner also provides updates about changes to the podcast schedule and his website, focusing on making more time for Truly Odd and other writing projects.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Updates

02:34 2025 List of Writing Resources

02:44 Recommended Writing Classes

07:51 Podcasts and Blogs for Writers

12:41 Essential Books for Writers

15:51 Writing and Editing Software

19:11 Cover Design Tips

21:19 Marketing Strategies for Authors

26:54 Conclusion and Social Media

My Author Website: https://tannerrutledgebooks.com/

Email the show at killerpenbooks@gmail.com

Links to Resources

Classes

  • Holly's Writing Classes: https://www.hollyswritingclasses.com/
  • Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/
  • Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/

Podcasts

  • Helping Writers Become Authors: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/
  • Writers Ink: https://writersinkpodcast.com/
  • Self Publishing Insiders: https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/category/self-publishing-insiders-podcast/
  • The Creative Penn: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/the-creative-penn-podcast-for-authors/
  • The Writer Files: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-writer-files-writing-productivity-creativity/id984527862
  • Writer's Routine: https://writersroutinedotcom.wordpress.com/
  • Novel Marketing: https://www.authormedia.com/novel-marketing/
  • The Night Crew: https://www.bradricks.com/podcast

Books

  • Successful Self Publishing  by Joanna Penn (free): https://a.co/d/iNH5W97
  • The Anatomy of Genres by John Truly: https://a.co/d/2C0KnE5
  • How to Write A Mystery edited by Lee Childs from Mystery Writers of America: https://a.co/d/gyyUwO5
  • On Writing Horror from HWA: https://a.co/d/agbWqmN

Software

  • Scrivianar: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/
  • AutoCrit: https://www.autocrit.com/
  • Pro Writing Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/
  • Atticus: https://www.atticus.io/

Cover Design

  • Get Covers Design: https://getcovers.com/
  • Melbart: https://miblart.com/
  • Ruth anna evens cover design: https://sites.google.com/view/ruthannaevans/home?authuser=0
  • The cover collection: https://www.thecovercollection.com/

Marketing

  • Book Bub: Author pages: https://authorwebsites.bookbub.com/
  • Tertulia: https://tertulia.com/
  • Story Origin: https://storyoriginapp.com/
  • Kitt: https://kit.com/
  • Substack: https://substack.com/
  • Writer Word Media: https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/
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About the Podcast

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About your host

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Tanner Rutledge

Tanner Rutledge writes small-town mysteries and supernatural thrillers. Before turning to fiction, he spent 15 years as a private investigator, working on everything from missing persons to homicide cases. Those years gave him an intimate understanding of motivation and the quick thinking it takes to crack a case.

Tanner’s love of storytelling started early. He was the kid who wrote spooky tales for his second-grade classmates and stayed was always up late reading Stephen King and RL Stine under the covers. In college, he studied criminal justice but couldn’t stay away from creative writing and literature classes. When the world shut down in 2020, he finally gave himself permission to shift his focus back to writing and hasn’t looked back since.

He also hosts The Killer Prose Podcast, where he talks about the craft of writing, creativity, and the strange overlap between true crime and the paranormal.

When he’s not writing, you can usually find him spending time with his family or hanging out with his little black cat, Broccoli—his constant companion and occasional editor.