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January 2009 |
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 How to solve 6 interview quandaries [Get Started] By
Debbie Swanson Should you get the interview first and then pitch, or vice-versa? Scribble your subject's answers, or tape-record them? Here's some advice on these and other issues. |
pg. 13 |
Move abroad opened up her world of freelancing [Breakthrough] By
Sara Polsky How a change in scenery and strategy opened the freelancing doors to a young graduate student. |
pg. 14 |
Is a writers group right for you? By
Stephen Delaney Our author offers a balanced look at what it can do for you—and what it shouldn't do to you. Plus, a sidebar by Julie Compton on a specific critique method that helped get her novel published. |
pg. 30 |
How to obtain sharp, useful critiques By
Eric Witchey How can you improve your group readers and avoid wishy-washy responses? Our writer offers some concrete suggestions. |
pg. 32 |
A 'lone wolf' meets the pack By
Anne Spollen How one author concluded writing groups are not for her. |
pg. 34 |
My writing mantra: Total risk, freedom, discipline [Off the Cuff] By
Constance Hale The title of an art show gave our accomplished author the words she's learned to write by. |
pg. 15 |
A 'crossover' success By
Jamie Pietras On her way to a Pulitzer Prize, biographer Debby Applegate studied suspense techniques, while managing to straddle the fine line between academic and popular writing. |
pg. 18 |
Write a poem in three phases [Archive] By
James Applewhite To gain confidence in your work, know when to apply pressure—and when to relax and enjoy the writing process. |
pg. 22 |
Moats, stars & ducks: My year in a castle [Winner of the 2008 Sylvia K. Burack Award] By
Julia Pearse Smith A year of study in England offered our latest Burack-scholarship winner an unforgettable experience—and a vision of pure contentment. |
pg. 24 |
5 articles I wish I'd written By
Gary Shea Struck by the writers' fresh, engaging approaches to their subjects, our author set out to learn some things from them. |
pg. 26 |
Tantalizing warm-ups [Excerpt] In our final excerpt from Naming the World, edited by Bret Anthony Johnston, a group of fiction writers offers you some exercises sure to stir your creative juices. |
pg. 29 |
Get the most out of your MFA program By
Nick Mamatas Here's one writer's personal list of do's and don'ts to help keep you on track. |
pg. 37 |
How to succeed in business writing [Business Freelancing] By
Robert W. Bly Our new bimonthly columnist, an expert (and well-paid) copywriter, lists eight money-making strategies to expand your reach as a freelancer. |
pg. 40 |
Writing for airline magazines [Market Focus] By
Ty Treadwell Freelancers who wish to break into this lucrative market need to follow some simple rules. |
pg. 46 |
The Threepenny Review [Literary Spotlight] By
Melissa Hart This month's spotlight is on the literary journal "The Threepenny Review," describing its tone, preferences and contributors. |
pg. 48 |
Departments Letters Letters from our readers |
pg. 7 |
Take Note Authors face pressure to commit to one-book-a-year schedule By
Chuck Leddy, others How some authors are feeling the pressure to write more books faster, plus other literary notes, a tricky-word quiz, an excerpt from a new writing book, and information on contests and conferences. |
pg. 8 |
WriteStuff Book reviews Reviews of 'How to Do Biography: A Primer' by Nigel Hamilton; 'How to Say It: Marketing with New Media—A Guide to Promoting Your Small Business Using Websites, E-zines, Blogs, and Podcasts' by Lena Claxton and Alison Woo; and 'Secret Lives of Great Authors: What Your Teacher Never Told You About Famous Novelists, Poets, and Playwrights' by Robert Schnakenberg |
pg. p. 42 |
Markets Animals/pets, fitness, science and sports/recreation magazines By
Compiled by Martha Lundin |
pg. 49 |
How I write Kristin Landon By
Candy Davis To create whole new worlds, to decide which physical laws you're going to violate—is science-fiction writing fun or what? Just ask Kristin Landon. |
pg. 58 |
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