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February 2004 |
The Writer
The essential resource for writers
Join thousands of successful writers when you subscribe to The Writer magazine. Each month The Writer is full of features you can use to improve your writing, including before-and-after examples of improved writing, more literary markets than ever before, practical solutions for writing problems, selected literary magazine profiles, tips from famous authors and hands-on advice.
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Features The joy (and fear) of writing about sex By
Sharon Oard Warner Writing about sex can make you feel like an insecure 13-year-old again, but what are you to do when your characters--and your story--insist on it? Here are some tips on getting naked. |
By
Sarah Anne Johnson For the acclaimed author of The Gangster We Are All Looking For, part of writing is hearing the voices within you, and following where your characters lead. |
Make your characters talk like real people By
Patricia McLinn You can do everything else right when writing a romance, but if your characters talk unnaturally, you'll lose your reader. |
By
Marilyn Ross If you've given any thought to self-publishing, you won't want to miss these practical tips on making yours a successful experience. Plus, sidebars by Cal Orey and Magdalena Ball offer self-publishing success stories and advice on how to get your book reviewed. |
Never underestimate the power of a good contest By
Rhonda Bartle The odds may be steep, but writing contests can bring discipline, focus--even a theme and a deadline--to your work. |
Departments Off the cuff Writers in good company By
Benjamin Cheever Yes, writing can be a tough business, but it's not an exclusive club. Consider all the wonderful, intimate guides you have to getting better and gaining admittance. Plus, the author's wry look at the pros and cons of the writing life. |
Syntax The new and improved adverb By
Arthur Plotnik The lowly adverb has gotten a bad rap over the years, but the smart use of 'ly' words by some writers these days may give you pause. |
Dear Writer This month, advice on how to find an agent who is compatible with you and your project, from the members of WritersX4. Miscellany Daniel Handler--aka Lemony Snicket--on his surprising success, John Fowles on the virtues of writerly seclusion, and other literary notes. Net//Working Bragging rights By
Moira Allen An e-mail newsletter can be an easy, effective way to promote your work, but if you want it to succeed, there are some key questions to answer first. |
Breakthrough Scout out ideas in your local paper By
Melanie Verbout A casual glance through the local newspaper gave the writer a story idea that helped her land twice in a national publication. |
Bottom line Custom magazines offer lucrative market niche By
Kelly James-Enger If you're a freelancer, you probably know your consumer pubs from your trade pubs, but you'll want to bone up on a third category: custom publications. |
WriteStuff Reviews of Ralph Keyes' The Writers Book of Hope and Steven Frank's The Pen Commandments. Market focus What's new, pussycat? Writing about animals By
Carol Ekarius There's an awful lot of pets and other animals around--and an awful lot of publications writing about them. Here's a primer. |
Market update Imprints seek black and Latino voices By
John F. Baker Most of the big publishers now have imprints for specialized areas. Here's a closer look at the opportunities imprints are providing for African-American and Hispanic writers. |
How I write Allison Pearson tackles the plight of the modern woman: juggling work and family life. |
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