On some days, like today, I waste half my time browsing for market leads, interesting writing opportunities, and advice. Some sites are a big waste of time, while others always have me coming back for more. My list of bookmarks is all over the place, which is why I'm going to list my fave sites below.

ASJA Contracts Watch. Useful for when you're negotiating a contract or when you want to know what publications are less than writer-friendly. I'm considering membership in this organization, mostly because they have an incredible magazine discount program, and I'm a magazine addict.

Ed2010.com. The "whisper job" listings are interesting. Sign up for their newsletter for even more listings.

Freelance Work Exchange. They require a $2.95 fee for a one-week trial. I've always been dubious of this site, because its layout looks like one of those spam emails exploded on the page. If anyone has had a good experience, I'd like to know.

Freelancewriters.com. For some reason, I took the advice of my mom and signed up for this site's service. I think it was $39 per year. For the first four or five months, I heard nothing. Then I started getting emails out of the blue from random editors. I didn't take on any of those assignments, but I'm still holding out hope that the right one will come along.

Freelance Writers Area on About.com. They sometimes have jobs on here that I can't find elsewhere. Otherwise, they just link to other sites listed here. The freelance writing forum is not so helpful for seasoned journalists/writers.

Media Bistro. What's not to like about this site? They have job boards, frequented bulletin boards, and, if you sign up for their Avant Guild membership ($49 per year, recommended) lots of how-tos for pitching to mags and papers. I'm a bit biased – I've volunteered for some of their cocktail events. I've also taken one class – "How to Be a Travel Writer" – which didn't teach me anything I didn't already know.

PoeWar.com. What the hell kind of name is this? Anyhow, I've found some of the writing tip articles useful.

Society of American Travel Writers. Though I'm a member, I don't find the site all that useful, save for the member directory and bulletin board.

Sun Oasis Job Board. Not as good as some of the other job boards, but I've met a few contacts through their listings.

Travel Writer Marketletter. I've seen a print copy of this, and it seems pretty useful. I've always meant to share a membership with someone. It's $69 per year, so I'm not yet willing to spring for that.

TravelWriters.com. I became a member of this site long ago before they started taking money. The market leads are okay, and their press trip postings inundate my email.

Wooden Horse Publishing. I subscribe to the free email newsletter, which sometimes has good tips. Helpful market news on the web site, but you have to pay to get detailed listings and editorial calendars. Maybe it's worth it, but $89 for six months seems too steep to me.

Writers Weekly. Marginally helpful, with some listings and writing advice.

Writers Digest. A good motivational resource. I read their "Write Better" columns on occasion. Also, "Your Assignment" under the heading "Get Creative" is fun to read, even if I never bother doing the project myself.

Writer's Market. You can buy the book or subscribe to the site. It costs about the same ($30?), though I feel that the book has more content (hmmm…). If you sign up, the best part about Writer's Market is the submission tracker, which lets you keep track of queries you've sent. They have tons of markets, but not some of the bigger names, e.g., Conde Nast Traveler.

Writers Marketplace. Only available with a subscription, and only if you're already a member of an established writing organization. The $19 a year is worth it for the market listings, which seem more comprehensive than others I've seen.

And….one good site to help you market yourself:
The Art of Self Promotion. I get her e-mail tips delivered to my inbox every so often.

I know there are probably a hundred more of these sites out there, so I'll probably update this list as need be. Hope this helps someone!