Yes, Google is great.  Really, it’s revolutionized the world.  But the web doesn’t end at Google’s doors.  For the writer, there are some really, really terrific research tools just waiting to be discovered.  So, let’s discover ‘em!

Ms. Freckles – Crisply designed site that puts a boatload of info at your fingertips.  It’s particularly strong for writers needing translations or definitions of non-English words. http://www.msfreckles.com/index.php?lang=en

Questia – Offers access to a huge collection of books and journal articles in the humanities and social sciences, plus magazine and newspaper articles, much of which are unavailable elsewhere.  There’s a monthly cost, but you can get a 72 hour free trial to check it out. http://www.questia.com

Yahoo Kids – OK, you’ve heard of Yahoo, but have you checked out this search tool?  From this page, you’ll be able to dig through pop culture in no time.  Need to know what your readers are into?  Here’s where to turn! http://kids.yahoo.com

Complete Planet - Got some serious research to do?  Have a look at Complete Planet, which provides over 70,000+ searchable “deep web”  databases and specialty search engines. http://aip.completeplanet.com/