I do a lot of writing. Having “made my bones” in the days of
typewriters and carbon paper, I probably appreciate more than most the
incredible differences that word processors, the Internet, and Web have
made for people who aspire to putting down words for others to read.
Even Notepad is amazingly versatile compared to any mechanical tools,
and writing today encompasses many of the things that printers dealt
with back in “the day”: selection of fonts, columns, foot- and
endnotes - even printing itself (or publishing to the Web, which
amounts to the same thing).

Even more mind-boggling is the easy availability of references.
Perhaps you think you don’t need them for blogging or casual writing.
You do if you want to impress readers, instead of just two-fingering
your idle thoughts into the little box at Blogger. That’s what I want
to do here: share with you the references that I use most frequently
(or, in the case of the first one, that are important for other
reasons). No details. If you want more info, it’s as close as
clicking on the links.

The Elements of Style -
essential details of English usage.

Bartleby.com - access to works
of literature in the thousands, for inspiration and relaxation.

The Lockergnome
Encyclopedia - because I’ve begun to realize I don’t know
everything.

The CIA World
Factbook - detailed info on every country in the world, from flags
to number of deaths in childbirth.

Google Images
and Print, along with the host
of other Google
innovations.

Now, go write something worthy of you.