The Mysterious Subplot post takes the mystery out of writing subplots, or maybe puts them into mysteries. You’ll have to keep reading to find out!
Subplots can be intimidating, but they don’t have to be. The key to solving any mystery is information. Let’s follow the clues and solve the mystery of subplots.
What is a Mysterious subplot?
A mysterious subplot is a subplot that you can’t figure out how to make work. When I was plotting out my urban fantasy series I ran into this problem. I’ll share what worked for me later in this post, but I’ll give you a clue. It can be hard to see the nature of something when it’s complex.
What is a subplot?
To understand something complex you must break it down into smaller, simple parts. Simply put, a subplot is a smaller story within a larger story.
If you picture them like Matryoshka dolls it can help you understand some of the complexity of subplots. Just like the mother doll holds her children, a good subplot is the child of the larger story. It will have the characteristics of the main story it is related to. However, subplots are also different stories because they have a purpose in the story all their own.
A subplot is also a tool to make a story wonderfully complex and satisfying to read. It does this by mimicking some of what happens in real life through layering. This is the scary part, a poorly crafted subplot can confuse a reader and break a story. If the story breaks the reader may put down the book and you could lose them as a reader forever. I’ll tell you how to avoid this once you understand the basics makeup subplots.
What can you use a Subplot for?
Subplots work just like main stories do for the most part. However, they must play a supporting role in the story or they will break the story’s flow. You can use a subplot to explore themes, deepens character development, share complex ideas or feelings, and add more tension through conflict. It’s their job to add layers to a single storyline, and pull the reader interest in deeper.
Subplots should not steal the spotlight away from of the main story’s plot points. So, its best to have them end before the main story’s climax. However, romantic subplots are an exception. In romance the the theme is always love conquers all, and readers expect a “happily ever after” or “happy for now” ending.
Two Types of Subplots
To make it easer to understand how subplots we will break them down into the two basic types. Yes, you can define subplots into more groups, but this makes it easy to understand. The first, an Affinity subplot helps the protagonist to reach the story goal in the climax. The second type of subplot is an opposition subplot, it works against the protagonist reaching their goal in the climax scene.
However, even this can be confusing because subplots have their own story arc. Both types support and deter the protagonist from reaching their climax goal at different points in the story. The key is to look at what they do in the end. Dose the subplot bring your protagonist closer to reaching their story goal or further away from it?
I like to think of subplot stories in music terms to separate them from the main story. Your mains story is the melody and your subplots are countermelodies. Each have their own its own independent musical line with a “trough” (the lowest point) and the “peak” (the highest point). What happens in the peak (the subplot’s climax) tells you what type of subplot it is.
Affinity Subplots
Affinity subplots are small stories about the positive relationships in the protagonist’s life. The relationship may be with a protagonist’s friend, a sidekick, a love interest, or a mentor. Though they can also be an animal, object, the weather, or a place depending on the type genre you’re writing in.
Opposition Subplot
Opposition subplots are the negative relationship stories in the protagonist’s life. Some examples of this are a jealous rival, a storm, the political structure of a particular place and time, corruption within organizations, a sick relative, an abusive partner, or any other outside inflicts that impede the protagonist from reaching their climax goal.
Can You Vanquish The Mysterious Subplot
Can you vanquish the mystery behind subplots? Yes you can, if you are talking about the confusion many writers have over how to create, use, and fix them when you break your story! However, if you are talking about reading a mystery the answer is no, or rather you shouldn’t. By definition a mystery is something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain, and the best way to create a complex story is with subplots. (wink)
As I promised, here is how I made my subplots work. What worked for me was writing down the basic bare bones of each subplot’s five arc plot points and the five plot points of my novel. I placed each one in the order they occur in, writing a single sentence with the protagonist their goal and the consequences if the goal fails. Then I placed read it and that helped me see what the root of the problem was.
My solution is basically plotting in revers. If you prefer to outlining a story first, you can write the plot points scene as one sentence skeleton blurbs each until they work. Next, do the same with your subplots, adding the subplots skeleton blurbs into the framework of our story one at at time, adapting them, and moving the order around as needed. Once you’ figurer’s sure the first subplot structure is sound you can add in a second and even a third if you want to.
Plot Holes
When you first start writing subplots, it’s beneficial to keep the number subplots low until you get the hang of interweaving them into a cohesive whole. Making sure your story structure is sound is the best way to keep your readers happy, and this is important because happy readers keep reading. You’ll get better at finding and removing inconstancies (plot holes) the more you practice. And you’ll figure out what methods work best for you as a writer the more you practice.
Thank you so much for reading my post. I hope this helps you write some amazing and deeply interesting stories.
P. A. Harper writes about sustainability in all its many forms, is the founder of the Brooklyn Writer’s Exchange, loves to read, drinks too much tea, and writes fiction.
Hire or stalk her online at PAHarper.com, Goodreads, on Facebook @AuthorPAHarper, Twitter @AuthorPAHarper, or Instagram @P.A.Harper
Image of origanal cover for The Yellow Fairy Book, a book of Fairy Tales by Andrew Lang.
There are many fariy tales by Andrew Lang. He compiled 798 stories and 153 poems in his 12 fairy book volumes. I have a little over half of the books he published listed. You can see more titles on his wiki page. As, this is not a complete list of his he works.
How to use this list of “Fairy Tales by Andrew Lang”
Because this list is a resource, if you are looking for a particular story, it is helpful to use the search box on my site, it’s to the upper right side. And the command + find function on your keyboard to save time scrolling through the long list of titles. Note, some stories are in more than one book.
Please let me know if you find “Free Fairy Tales to Read” helpful! I love hearing from other storytellers and story readers alike! And if you twist a tale, feel free to share a link to your story in the comments.
The fairy books are also available to download individually on Project Gutenburgh. And I have provided individual links to each of his fairy books below, as well as a couple of other of his books, with a list of the stories in each book.
The Green Fairy Book
The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Langincludes the following tales: The Blue Bird, The Half-Chick, The Story of Caliph Stork, The Enchanted Watch, Rosanella, Sylvain and Jocosa, Fairy Gifts, Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla, Prince Featherhead and the Princess Celandine, The Three Little Pigs, Heart of Ice, The Enchanted Ring, The Snuff-box, The Golden Blackbird, The Little Soldier, The Magic Swan, The Dirty Shepherdess, The Enchanted Snake, The Biter Bit, King Kojata, Prince Fickle and Fair Helena, Puddocky, The Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarfs, The Story of the Three Bears, Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida, Little One-eye, Little Two-eyes, and Little Three-eyes, Jorinde and Joringel, Allerleirauh or the Many-furred Creature, The Twelve Huntsmen, Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle, The Crystal Coffin, The Three Snake-leaves, The Riddle, Jack my Hedgehog, The Golden Lads, The White Snake, The Story of a Clever Tailor , The Golden Mermaid, The War of the Wolf and the Fox, The Story of the Fisherman and his Wife, The Three Musicians, and The Three Dogs.
The Blue Fairy Book
The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: The bronze ring, Prince Hyacinth and the dear little princess, East of the sun and West of the moon, The yellow dwarf, Little Red Riding-Hood, The sleeping beauty in the wood, Cinderella; or, the little glass slipper, Aladdin and the wonderful lamp, The tale of a youth who set out to learn what fear was, Rumpelstiltzkin, Beauty and the Beast, The Master-Maid, Why the sea is salt, The Master cat; or, Puss in boots, Felicia and the pot of pinks, The white cat, The water-lily, The gold-spinners, The terrible head, The story of pretty Goldilocks, The history of Whittington, The wonderful sheep, Little Thumb, The forty thieves, Hansel and Grettel, Snow-White and Rose-Red, The goose-girl, Toads and diamonds, Prince Darling, Blue Beard, Trusty John, The brave little tailor, A voyage to Lilliput, The princess on the glass hill, The story of Prince Ahmed and the fairy Paribanou, The history of Jack the giant-killer, The black bull of Norroway, and The Red Etin.
The Red Fairy Book
The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: The twelve dancing princesses, The princess Mayblossom, Soria Moria Castle, The death of Koschei the Deathless, The black thief and knight of the glen, The master thief, Brother and sister, Princess Rosette, The enchanted pig, The Norka, The wonderful birch, Jack and the Beanstalk, The little good mouse, Graciosa and Percinet, The three princesses of Whiteland, The voice of death, The six sillies, Kari Woodengown, Drakestail, The ratcatcher, The true history of Little Golden-hood, The golden branch, The three dwarfs, Dapplegrim, The enchanted canary, The twelve brothers, Rapunzel, The nettle spinner, Farmer Weatherbeard, Mother Holle, Minnikin, Bushy bride, Snowdrop, The golden goose, The seven foals, The marvelous musician, and The story of Sigurd.
The Yellow Fairy Book
The Yellow Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: The cat and the mouse in partnership, The six swans, The dragon of the North, Story of the emperor’s new clothes, The golden crab, The iron stove, The dragon and his grandmother, The donkey cabbage, The little green frog, The seven-headed serpent, The grateful beasts, The giants and the herd-boy, The invisible prince, The crow, How six men travelled through the wide world, The wizard king, The nixy, The glass mountain, Alphege, or The green monkey, Fairer-than-a-fairy, The three brothers, The boy and the wolves, or The broken promise, The glass axe, The dead wife, In the land of souls, The white duck, The witch and her servants, The magic ring, The flower queen’s daughter, The flying ship, The snow-daughter and the fire-son, The story of King Frost, The death of the sun-hero, The Witch, The hazel-nut child, The story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus, Prince Ring, The swineherd, How to tell a true princess, The blue mountains, The tinder-box, The witch in the stone boat, Thumbelina, The nightingale, Hermod and Hadvor, The steadfast tin-soldier, Blockhead Hans, and A story about a darning-needle.
The Vilolet Fairy Book
The Vilolet Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: A tale of the Tontlawald, The finest liar in the world, The story of three wonderful beggars, Schippeitaro, The three princes and their beasts, The goat’s ears of the Emperor Trojan, The nine pea-hens and the golden apples, The lute player, The grateful prince, The child who came from an egg, Stan Bolovan, The two frogs, The story of a gazelle, How a fish swam in the air and a hare in the water, Two in a sack, The envious neighbour, The fairy of the dawn, The enchanted knife, Jesper who herded the hares, The underground workers, The history of Dwarf Long Nose, The Nunda, eater of people, The story of Hassebu, The maiden with the wooden helmet, The monkey and the jelly-fish, The headless dwarfs, The young man who would have his eyes opened, The boys with the golden stars, The frog, The princess who was hidden underground, The girl who pretended to be a boy, The story of Halfman, The prince who wanted to see the world, Virgililus the sorcerer, and Mogarzea and his son.
The Olive Fairy Book
The Olive Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and H. J. Ford includes the following tales: Madschen, The blue parrot, Geirlaug the king’s daughter, The story of little King Loc, ‘A long-bow story’, Jackal or tiger?, The comb and the collar, The thanksgiving of the Wazir, Samba the coward, Kupti and Imani, The strange adventures of Little Maia, Diamond cut diamond, The green knight, The five wise words of the guru, The golden-headed fish, Dorani, The satin surgeon, The billy goat and the king, The story of Zoulvisia, Grasp all, lose all, The fate of the turtle, The snake prince, The prince and princess in the forest, The clever weaver, The boy who found fear at last, He wins who waits, The steel cane, The punishment of the fairy Gangana, and The silent princess.
The Crimson Fairy Book
The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: Lovely Ilonka, Lucky Luck, The Hairy Man, To your Good Health!, The Story of the Seven Simons, The Language of Beasts, The Boy who could keep a Secret, The Prince and the Dragon, Little Wildrose, Tiidu the Piper, Paperarello, The Gifts of the Magician, The Strong Prince, The Treasure Seeker, The Cottager and his Cat, The Prince who would seek Immortality, The Stone-cutter, The Gold-bearded Man, Tritill, Litill, and the Birds, The Three Robes, The Six Hungry Beasts, How the Beggar Boy turned into Count Piro, The Rogue and the Herdsman, Eisenkopf, The Death of Abu Nowas and of his Wife, Motikatika, Niels and the Giants, Shepherd Paul, How the wicked Tanuki was punished, The Crab and the Monkey, The Horse Gullfaxi and the Sword Gunnfoder, The Story of the Sham Prince, or the Ambitious Tailor, The Colony of Cats, How to find out a True Friend, Clever Maria, and The Magic Kettle.
The Lilac Fairy Book
The Lilac Fairy Book by Andrew Langincludes the following tales: The Shifty Lad, The False Prince and the True, The Jogi’s Punishment, The Heart of a Monkey, The Fairy Nurse, A Lost Paradise, How Brave Walter Hunted Wolves, The Ring of the Waterfalls, A French Puck, The Three Crowns, The Story of a Very Bad Boy, The Brown Bear of Norway, Little Lasse, ‘Moti’, The Enchanted Deer, A Fish Story, The Wonderful Tune, The Rich Brother and the Poor Brother, The One-Handed Girl, The Bones of Djulung, The Sea Ring’s Gift, The Raspberry Worm, The Stones of Plouhinec, The Castle of Kerglas, The Battle of the Birds, The Lady of the Fountain, The Four Gifts, The Groac’h of the Isle of Lok, The Escape of the Mouse, The Believing Husbands, The Hoodie-Crow, The Brownie of the Lake, and The Winning of Olwen.
The Brown Fairy Book
The Brown Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: What the Rose did to the Cypress, Ball-Carrier and the Bad One, How Ball-Carrier finished his Task, The Bunyip, Father Grumbler, The Story of the Yara, The Cunning Hare, The Turtle and his Bride, How Geirald the Coward was Punished, Habogi, How the Little Brother set Free his Big Brothers, The Sacred Milk of Koumongoe, The Wicked Wolverine, The Husband of the Rat’s Daughter, The Mermaid and the Boy, Pivi and Kabo, The Elf Maiden, How Some Wild Animals became Tame Ones, Fortune and the Wood-Cutter, The Enchanted Head, The Sister of the Sun, The Prince and the Three Fates, The Fox and the Lapp, Kisa the Cat, The Lion and the Cat, Which was the Foolishest?, Asmund and Signy, Rubezahl, Story of the King who would be Stronger then Fate, Story of Wali Dad the Simple-hearted, Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey, and The Knights of the Fish.
The Grey Fairy Book
The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: Donkey Skin, The Goblin Pony, An Impossible Enchantment, The Story of Dschemil and Dachemila, Janni and the Draken, The Partnership of the Thief and the Liar, Fortunatus and his Purse, The Goat-faced Girl, What came of picking Flowers, The Story of Bensurdatu, The Magician’s Horse, The Little Gray Man, Herr Lazarus and the Draken, The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles, Udea and her Seven Brothers, The White Wolf, Mohammed with the Magic Finger, Bobino, The Dog and the Sparrow, The Story of the Three Sons of Hali, The Story of the Fair Circassians, The Jackal and the Spring The Bear, The Sunchild The Daughter of Buk Ettemsuch, Laughing Eye and Weeping Eye, or the Limping Fox, The Unlooked for Prince, The Simpleton, The Street Musicians, The Twin Brothers, Cannetella, The Ogre, A Fairy’s Blunder, Long, Broad, and Quickeye, Prunella.
The Orange Fairy Book
The Orange Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and H. J. Ford includes the following tales: The story of the hero Makóma, The magic mirror, Story of the king who would see Paradise, How Isuro the Rabbit tricked Gudu, Ian, the soldier’s son, The fox and the wolf, How Ian Direach got the blue falcon, The ugly duckling, The two caskets, The goldsmith’s fortune, The enchanted wreath, The foolish weaver, The clever cat, The story of Manus, Pinkel the thief, The adventures of a jackal, The adventures of the jackal’s eldest son, The adventures of the younger son of the jackal, Three treasures of the giants, The rover of the plain, The white doe, The girl-fish, The owl and the eagle, The frog and the Lion Fairy, The adventures of Covan the Brown-haired, The Princess Bella-Flor, The bird of truth, The mink and the wolf, Adventures of an Indian brave, How the Stalos were tricked, Andras Baive, The white slipper, and The magic book.
The Violet Fairy Book
The Violet Fairy Book by Andrew Lang includes the following tales: A tale of the Tontlawald, The finest liar in the world, The story of three wonderful beggars, Schippeitaro, The three princes and their beasts, The goat’s ears of the Emperor Trojan, The nine pea-hens and the golden apples, The lute player, The grateful prince, The child who came from an egg, Stan Bolovan, The two frogs, The story of a gazelle, How a fish swam in the air and a hare in the water, Two in a sack, The envious neighbour, The fairy of the dawn, The enchanted knife, Jesper who herded the hares, The underground workers, The history of Dwarf Long Nose, The Nunda, eater of people, The story of Hassebu, The maiden with the wooden helmet, The monkey and the jelly-fish, The headless dwarfs, The young man who would have his eyes opened, The boys with the golden stars, The frog, The princess who was hidden underground, The girl who pretended to be a boy, The story of Halfman, The prince who wanted to see the world, Virgililus the sorcerer, and Mogarzea and his son.
The Red Romance Book by Andrew Lang and H. J. Ford
The Red Romance Book by Andrew Lang and H. J. Ford includes the following tales: How William of Palermo was carried off by the Werwolf, The Disenchantment of the Werwolf, The Slaying of Hallgerda’s Husbands, The Death of Gunnar, Njal’s Burning, The Lady of Solace, Una and the Lion, How the Red Cross Knight slew the Dragon, Amys and Amyle, The Tale of the Cid, The Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance, The Adventure of the Two Armies who turned out to be Flocks of Sheep, The Adventure of the Boiling Lights, The Helmet of Mambrino, How Don Quixote was Enchanted while guarding the Castle, Don Quixote’s Home-coming, The Meeting of Huon and Oberon, King of the Fairies, How Oberon saved Huon, Havelok and Goldborough, Cupid and Psyche, Sir Bevis the Strong, Ogier the Dane, How the Ass became a Man again, Guy of Warwick, How Bradamante conquered the Wizard, The Ring of Bradamante, The Fulfilling of the Prophecy, The Knight of the Sun, and How the Knight of the Sun rescued his Father.
The Magic Ring and Other Stories by Andrew Lang and H. J. Ford
The Magic Ring and Other Stories by Andrew Lang and H. J. Ford includes the following tales: The magic ring, The white duck, Lovely Ilonka, Clever Maria, The language of beasts, The cat and the mouse in partnership, The six swans, The story of the Emperor’s new clothes, The golden crab, The iron stove, The dragon and his grandmother, The donkey cabbage, Lucky luck, and To your good health!
This post is part of my “Free Fairy Tales to Read” listing, where you can find over a thousand fairy tails to read and share for free!
P. A. Harper writes about sustainability in all its many forms, is the founder of the Brooklyn Writer’s Exchange, loves to read, drinks too much tea, and writes fiction.
Hire or stalk her online at PAHarper.com, Goodreads, on Facebook @AuthorPAHarper, Twitter @AuthorPAHarper, or Instagram @P.A.Harper
Free Fairy Tales to Read: Illustration by Virginia Frances Sterrett, image is public domain.
I’ve compiled a list of over a thousand “Free Fariy Tales to Read. Fairy tales have a powerful magic all their own. They can transport us to a land of make-believe and open us up to new experiences.
They can also teach us life lessons or turn an ordinary day into a precious memory to cherish for the rest of our lives. Reading a good story can also help us develop our attention spans, something many people are in short supply of these days.
Who is the is “Free Fariy Tales to Read” for?
Story Lovers
I’ve compiled this list for story lovers everywhere. A good fairy tale has the power to transport adults back to a time when our lives were more simple and full of innocent wonder.
Parents, Grandparents, and Children
Fairy tales are a powerful tool for parents. They spark the creative imagination, instill an early love of reading, and create precious memories between you and your child.
A word of caution to parents and grandparents, some of these tales are dark in nature and may not be suitable for younger children. So, you will want to screen them before you share them with them.
Storytellers and Writers
For writers looking to twist a fairytale into a new modern-day classic will find this list a wonderful timesaving resource. Please feel free to dive in and recreate the myths into a new story of your own twisting or fracture, as fantasy icon Jane Yolen calls it in her book: How to Fracture a Fairy Tale.
How to use this list of “Free Fariy Tales to Read”
Because this list is a resource, if you are looking for a particular story, it is helpful to use the search box on my site, it’s to the upper right side. And the command + find function on your keyboard to save time scrolling through the long list of titles. Note, some stories are listed in more than one book.
Please let me know if you find “Free Fairy Tales to Read” helpful! I love hearing from other storytellers and story readers alike! And if you twist a tale, feel free to share a link to your story in the comments. Also here’s a link to Fair Tales by Andrew Lang to read and try to twist into your own tale. Enjoy!
P. A. Harper writes about sustainability in all its many forms, is the founder of the Brooklyn Writer’s Exchange, loves to read, drinks too much tea, and writes fiction.
Hire or stalk her online at PAHarper.com, Goodreads, on Facebook @AuthorPAHarper, Twitter @AuthorPAHarper, or Instagram @P.A.Harper
Welcome to my list, where you can find free and discounted books in 2023. If you find yourself spending more money than you would like on reading material, this list is for you. I read for pleasure, education, and research for work, so having places I can find the books I need at a price I can afford is important. If I missed a good source, drop me a line, and I’ll add it.
Libraries
Your local library is one of the best resources for using and reading books for free. Whether you need books for reference or want a story to enjoy, your library should be one of the first places you look. Fun fact: libraries also pay royalties to writers, but it is a one-time fee and not paid each time the book is checked out. There are also digital libraries available online. Most local libraries have a digital version available where you can borrow and download digital copies to your computer or a digital reader.
Digital Libraries
Internet Archive
Internet Archive has over a million free books, movies, music, and more. If you’re looking for out-of-print books in different languages and formats, this non-profit digital library has you covered. The Internet Archive is also where you can find historical and academic books.
OverDrive
OverDirve is used by over 43,000 libraries and schools worldwide. If your library participates, you can check out ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from its digital bookshelves. And if you’d rather read on your phone, be sure to download OverDrive’s mobile app, Libby.
World Public Library
World Public Library is the world’s biggest repository of free digital ebooks. Books can be read online or downloaded in a multitude of formats. Book genres range from classics to some of the hottest fiction of the millennia and include academic research articles. All you need is your library card!
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a digital library of over 60,000 documents and books. It may be freely used in the United States because most are not protected by U.S. copyright law. (Note, they may not be copyright-free in other countries.)
International Children’s Digital Library
The International Children’s Digital Library is a free online library for children ages three to thirteen. The site offers its titles in over 59 languages. It’s also a good source of reading material for adults who are learning a new language.
Sister Libraries
Most avid readers know their local library is one of the best places to read books for free, but did you know some libraries also offer free cards to resident cardholders of ‘sister’ libraries in their area? Using sister libraries is a great way to gain access to more free books.
Pratt Library in Maryland
Anyone who lives or owns property in Maryland is eligible for a free Pratt Library card! In addition to checking out books and other materials, your Pratt Library account gives you access to a range of online resources and services. https://www.prattlibrary.org/library-cards/standard-library-card
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library will issue cards to any person who lives, works, attends school, or pays property taxes in New York State free of charge. Use of a New York Public Library card is non-transferrable, i.e., it can only be used by the person whose name appears on the card. https://www.nypl.org/help/library-card/terms-conditions
Other States
You can find out more about your state library and sister library programs by contacting your state library directly. https://www.lib-web.org/united-states/state-libraries/
And there are libraries that issue non-resident library cards to US citizens for a flat fee. I love that I can check out digital copies from most of these libraries online and don’t have to return them. Some even let you check out books through the mail!
Non-Resident Library Cards For US Residents
If your local library and its sister libraries have a limited selection of books available you can pay for a non-resident library card. Here is a list of libraries that issue non-resident library cards.
Florida
Orange County Library System $75/3 months, $100/6 months, or $125/year. Note: To stop spammers, they ask a question on the form about what county OCLS is in. The answer is “Orange” since OCLS stands for Orange County Library System.
Maryland
Non-Maryland residents can still enjoy access to books, audiobooks, DVDs, and other materials in the Pratt Library’s physical collection. Use the forms below to apply for an out-of-state Pratt Library Card. A $50 annual fee is required. To apply, email crc@prattlibrary.org, fax (866) 676-0061, or mail a completed Library Card Application
Non-Resident Library Cards For Residents Outside of the US
I’m thrilled I was able to find two library systems that allow people from outside the US the chance to borrow books.
Florida, Orange County Library System $75/3 months, $100/6 months, or $125/year Note: When applying, select the check box next to “Out of Country” to enter your address. They may ask a question on the form about what county OCLS is in to stop spammers. The answer is “Orange” since OCLS stands for Orange County Library System.
While libraries are the best places to find reference materials and many do offer digital copies, they don’t always have all the latest indie author titles. Below are some of the best places to find free and discounted books.
Amazon Kindle Store
Amazon’s Kindle Store has some of the best online selections of free and discounted books. It has two sections listing free kindle books: its Free Popular Classics page and its Top 100 Free Best Sellers. If you don’t own a Kindle, you can download the Kindle app for free. Note, Kindle Unlimited is a monthly subscription, so it’s not free, but you can try it out free for 30 days. I didn’t find it worth it, and I read from 4-6 books per month. Most books I read are not part of the Kindle Unlimited, but were available from my library.
Apple Book Store
Apple Books’ free section is a great option if you’re looking for free fiction, suspense books, and speculative fiction.
Baen Books
Baen Books is a wonderful hub for SFF readers and writers. Many writers list the first book in their series on Baen Books’ free ebook list, making it a great place to find a new favorite author.
Barnes & Noble Online
Barnes & Noble’s online store carries plenty of free and discounted books. It also has a “Staff Picks” list at the top of B&N’s Free eBooks page. This list includes children’s books and magazines. Note, some books can only be read on Barnes & Noble’s NOOK Reading App. It’s free to download.
BookBoon
BookBoon is a great resource for students site that provides free e-textbooks. Their free ‘Student Plan’ offers 1,000+ full-length textbooks.
BookBub
BookBub has a great selection of Free and Discounted Books. It is also an excellent promotional tool for authors and a quality source of free and discount books for readers. Authors list books for free to expose their work to new readers. You can access BookBub’s page here: Free Ebooks. Their free titles have links to download on retail sites like Amazon for free. BookBub’s category pages mix both 100% free and discount promotions.
BookRix
BookRix is a popular self-publishing platform and hosts thousands of book freebies. Most works in BookRix’s online library are original stories from brand-new authors. BookRix is more like Wattpad since ebooks can be of any length, and fanfiction is allowed.
Ebooks.com
Ebooks.com has a large collection of free books, mostly classics. Note, Ebooks.com requires you to install Adobe Digital Editions first (It’s a free program, but it takes up a good deal of storage space).
Free-Ebooks.net
Free-Ebooks.net has thousands of ebooks available to download. The site has many lesser-known indie authors.
Feedbooks
On Feedbooks, you will find ebooks to purchase, free public domain ebooks, and free original books. Feedbooks offers some books that mainstream retailers do not. Like PDF Books World, Feedbooks allows those who sign up for an account to download many free e-books.
Freebooksy
Freebooksy is a popular book promotion site for authors. It’s a hub, linking to free books on various retailers’ websites. What makes Freebooksy unique is that it only features free ebooks.
Get Free Ebooks
Get Free Ebooks isn’t an ebook hosting platform, but a website that links to other sources. However, this is the place to be if you’re seeking helpful literary lists divided by genre and subject. Check out their top compilations of ebooks for tons of interesting titles, or select a genre under the “Top Categories” list at the bottom of the page.
Google Play Bookstore
Google play carries both free and discounted books. You can find free books by searching for them on Google Play. They have lesser-known authors as well as a good selection of test prep and self-help books.
Kobo Bookstore
Kobo offers free and discounted books, some titles you won’t find anywhere else. They have a great selection of romance, thrillers, and a list of #ownvoices authors. The term #ownvoices refers to books about characters from underrepresented or marginalized groups in which the author shares the same identity.
Lit2Go is a free online archive of stories and poems in Mp3 (audiobook) format.
ManyBooks.net
All of the more than 29,000 plus ebooks on ManyBooks are free.
The Online Books Page
Speaking of academic resources, the University of Pennsylvania’s Online Books Page is a clean, accessible hub for over three million ebooks and digitized papers — some originally published more than two centuries ago. For the historically inclined, this site (which also has a pretty good search engine) is a veritable fountain of knowledge.
Open Culture
Open Culture is another good source for classic novels. Note Open Culture doesn’t host ebooks; they’re a hub promoting free online resources.
Open Library
Open Library is a division of the long-running Internet Archive. Any ebook on Open Library can be borrowed with a single click; however, the site has a narrower selection, and most recent releases aren’t available.
PAHarper.com
Readers can also find free short stories by me here on my site.
PDF Books World
PDF Books World has a vast collection of classic public domain books in PDF format.
Planet Ebook
If the refreshingly minimalist design of Planet Ebook doesn’t instantly convince you of its merits, its sizable catalog of public domain books certainly will. And because it’s based in Australia, Planet Ebook pulls from a wider public domain than in the US, so you may be able to find titles there that you couldn’t find elsewhere. To survey its full list of books, click here.
Radish
Radish is an app that offers serialized fiction from established bestselling authors and emerging new voices. Users can purchase “coin” to read the latest chapters at their time of publication or wait a week and read them for free. With so many amazing titles in every genre imaginable, you might find it hard to wait that week!
Reedsy Discovery
For those who like to properly digest their free ebooks and then share your thoughts with an audience, consider becoming a reviewer on Reedsy Discovery! You’ll receive a free ebook copy of every title you pick up for review, plus you’ll gain followers and can even get tipped for your work. If that’s not a great bargain, we don’t know what is.
Riveted
Riveted, a young adult imprint of Simon & Schuster, offers one full-length title each month that visitors can read for free on its website. In addition, several multi-chapter excerpts are available for its new releases. You might find yourself spending hours perusing these engaging titles, ranging from laugh-out-loud romantic comedies to action-packed dystopian sagas. This is a great place to read free books online for kids.
Smashwords
Many authors use Smashwords as an aggregator to distribute their ebooks; it hosts 86,000+ books available for free. You can browse them all here and select a category to make your search easier.
Standard Ebooks
Standard Ebooks is another site that’s easy on the eyes, mainly for the beautiful book covers that accompany each title in its library — perfectly in line with the project’s mission to provide free ebooks that “meet or exceed the quality of commercially produced ebooks.” Indeed, here are 500+ books that aren’t just “standard,” but exceptionally formatted. Readers in constant search of nice-looking classics, make sure to bookmark this site.
Swoon Reads
Swoon Reads is devoted to discovering new writing talent. Readers can create a free account and access hundreds of free, unpublished books. You vote for your favorites, and highly rated authors have a chance at a book deal from Macmillan Publishers!
Tor
Tor offers free original science fiction, reprints, and comics on its website. New material is added weekly. Their blog brings fans the latest science fiction and fantasy genre news.
Wattpad
Wattpad is an inviting community of 65 million users who love all things books! Amateur and professional writers across the world publish their short stories and full-length novels on the platform. There’s also a community feature where you can interact with your favorite authors, enter writing contests, and more.
For Indie Writers
Many places listed here are also good places for indie authors to offer a few of their book titles for free to open their work up to new readers.
P. A. Harper writes about sustainability in all its many forms, is the founder of the Brooklyn Writer’s Exchange, loves to read, drinks too much tea, and writes fiction.
Hire or stalk her online at PAHarper.com, Goodreads, on Facebook @AuthorPAHarper, Twitter @AuthorPAHarper, or Instagram @P.A.Harper
Wether you’re a writer, an artists, a businesses, or other grant seeker, find out how to keep track of your submissions here.
Jamie Todd Rubin’s Free Story Submission Tracker Spreadsheet
I love this free submission’s tracker, and not because it’s free, but because you can adapt it to your needs no matter what your submitting and need to keep track of because it is customizable. I use it for tracking fellowship, grant, publishing submissions. It’s my top choice.
Query Tracker, is a free online tool dedicated to helping writers find literary agents. If you’re a writer, this is a great tool for the shared collective knowledge.
Access to the searchable database of agents and publishers
The ability to track queries
Basic Search Filters
The benefit from the collective knowledge of thousands of other writers, enduring the query process just like you.
The premium is $25 per year, and version includes all the benefits of the free version plus:
Advanced Search Filters
Filter Your Query List based on the Status of the Query
Number of folders available
Number of projects available
Assign priority values to queries
Add private agents and publishers to the database
Access to the Data Explorer
Access to the Agent Query Timeline
Access to the Member Timeline
Access to the Agent Reply Data
Access to the Comment Feed
Access to Premium Reports
Archive old queries to keep your query list clean and organized
Export Query Lists
Print Query Lists
Duotrope
Duotrope is another submissions tracker, it doesn’t have a free version, but do offer a free trial period. However, you can also use it find publishers of visual art, including photography, and poetry. The cost of an annual subscription is $50.00 for your. https://duotrope.com
They also run a contest of sponsorship, consisting of two-year Duotrope Gift Certificates (a USD $100 value) for the First Place winners in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art categories (excluding translations and scripts/plays). They promote the contest while it is running in both the weekly (members-only) and monthly (non-member) versions of their e-mail newsletter, which currently have over 54,000 subscribers combined. https://duotrope.com/sponsorship/
P. A. Harper writes about sustainability in all its many forms, is the founder of the Brooklyn Writer’s Exchange, loves to read, drinks too much tea, and writes fiction.
Hire or stalk her online at PAHarper.com, Goodreads, on Facebook @AuthorPAHarper, Twitter @AuthorPAHarper, or Instagram @P.A.Harper
