the truth is that I've neglected my own efforts at finishing publishable material (and thus, another 2006 resolution).  In an effort to get you started, might I suggest the following:

• Speculations:  Although it has been somewhat irregular in recent months, this email digest will show a variety of markets and contests, some of which you won't find elsewhere.

• The Gila Queen:  This is another market guide delivered electronically that may jump-start you to publication.

• Writer's Digest:  I'm not really a fan, as although the market guide and some books are helpful, these folks have made quite a good living out of publishing just about any book the insecure writer may want.  Check them out if you like.

• Bird by Bird:  This is a decent book about getting published, not a how-to guide really, but more of a trip through the process.

• On Writing:  Stephen King has had his triumphs, and to be honest, some crummy books as well, but this is a good look inside the life and mind of an individual who has managed to make a good living with the written word.

At the end of the day, though, here is some advice from someone not so qualified to give it.  Keep a journal of your plot and character ideas.  Jot down the random opening paragraphs as they occur to you.  Worry about buying the market guide AFTER you have something to sell.  Lastly, write what you like, what you know - too many authors create a world that is foreign to them as well, and it always shows through.  Hopefully we'll meet on the top ten sometime later this year!  Good luck!

I will be adding to this section over time as I discover publications seeking new fiction and nonfiction.  I can not opine on these markets, as chances are pretty good that I've read only a sampling of what you'll find below.  As always, make certain, before you submit, that you are following the publication's guidelines and that their terms are amenable to you.  Best of luck!