The author, who admits to being a “series junkie,” offers some key guidelines for doing your own.

Our writer was heartened to find there are book lovers out there—besides agents and editors—who can push a manuscript along.

In experiencing difficulties, we may open ourselves up to our best, most compassionate work.

This month’s opening page mostly meets the challenges of writing in the first person.

A proofreader at a major law firm shares a few tricks for meticulously checking your work.

Novelist Hannah Pittard reads her work aloud to establish a graceful rhythm and evocative mood.

Here are five tips for ramping up your expertise and building your platform and “fan base.”

Here’s a roundup of 10 publishers that might be right for your work.

How her short-story collection from a small press managed to make a very big splash.

Use setting skillfully in your fiction and you’ll avoid creating characters “who seem to be floating in some vague ether,” unanchored to a place or time.

To make the most of your story’s sense of place, answer these 11 key questions.

Bestselling novelist Carla Neggers on using setting effectively—while not wearing your readers out with detail.

Re-spinning old fairy tales in fresh, new ways could help you break into children’s publishing.

Two agents break down what every standout pitch needs.

Use this painless way to drive out your anxious mind and stay in touch with your imagination.

The experience has given our writer many benefits, including quick feedback from actors.

When a prospect wants more than “just writing” for a project, try one of four approaches.

To break in, stay on top of industry news, find a slant, and nail interviews with experts.

This month’s spotlight is on the year-old literary journal Slake: Los Angeles, describing its tone, contributors, and belief in the power of long-form narrative.

On writing in the wake of tragedy, plus Stephanie Dickison’s bimonthly column about the freelancing life, a question for Ask The Writer, reader letters, and other literary notes.

Reviews of three new writing books.

This month, a list of traditional publishers and self-publishers, plus Market Q&A and Conference Spotlight.

When J. California Cooper’s characters are talking, it’s like she’s seeing a movie in her head.