April 2008

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.

This issue is currently out of stock and will not be reprinted.
Features
A small-town writer finds national success
By Kurt Chandler
An industrious freelancer, Michael Perry pens wry memoirs and essays that capture slices of rural America and his surprisingly varied life
pg. 20
Archive: How to keep and feed the muse
By Ray Bradbury
One of America's prominent authors offers lessons in accessing your memory 'storehouse' and adding new material to draw upon in your writing
pg. 24
Please, leave a message
By Todd Powell
2007 Short-Story Contest winner
pg. 27
Step by Step: How to write a how-to
By Deborah Bouziden
6 tips to help you break into a magazine and book market popular with both readers and editors
pg. 30
The Inside Track: Increase your odds of fiction success
By Patrick LoBrutto
A veteran of the publishing industry offers his top reasons why editors and agents reject novels
pg. 34
The Inside Track: Build an effective strategy for short stories
By Tom Miller Juvik
A veteran fiction writer offers some tips for literary writers on finding intrinsic motivation in the material world
pg. 37
The Inside Track: The do's and don'ts of agent queries
By Maya Rock
A representative of a big New York literary agency offers some helpful tips from the trenches
pg. 40
The Inside Track: How to get past writer's block
By Staton Rabin
An experienced writer and coach on what's often at the source of this common affliction--and how to root it out and keep moving forward
pg. 42
The Inside Track: 14 mistakes to avoid at your next writers conference
By Allison Young
Learn to get the most out of your time with seminars, agents and peers
pg. 46
The Inside Track: How to win a novel contest
By Lenore Hart, David Poyer
Two veteran judges offer you inside tips on improving your odds
pg. 48
Step by Step: An approach to discovery that can enrich memoir
By Gary Fincke
A process of association can take you beyond simple recollection
16 Web sites to try for new ideas
By Courtney E. Martin
There's stimulating material for fiction and nonfiction writers alike at some places you may never have heard of
pg. 53
Departments
Letters
Popular vs. literary fiction, and other letters
pg. 7
Take Note
Book authors play the game of 'blurbs'; and other stories
By Chuck Leddy, others
pg. 8
Get started
Scare the heck out of your readers--and other horror-writing tips
By G.W. Thomas
pg. 15
Breakthrough
A willingness to switch genres leads to memoir
By Kim Reid
pg. 16
Poet to poet
Brainstorm to begin a list poem
By Marilyn Taylor
Focus on one aspect of your subject to reveal associations--and often a surprise
pg. 17
Freelance Success
How to save money at tax time
By Holly A. Johnson
Even if freelance writing is your second job, you may qualify for certain deductions
pg. 56
WriteStuff
Veteran author gives solid fiction tips
By Chuck Leddy, Tim W. Brown
Reviews of Let's Get Creative: Writing Fiction That Sells! by William F. Nolan, and Into the Woods and Back Out Again: An Inspirational Guide to Writing (and Finishing!) Your First Novel by Michael Matheny
pg. 58
Market focus
Feminist markets show a playful side
By Melissa Hart
Smart, edgy publications present an alternative to mainstream women's magazines
pg. 61
Literary spotlight
Creative Nonfiction
By Melissa Hart
Real life, research and reflection tell a compelling story
pg. 64
Markets
Writers conferences
By Compiled by Martha Lundin
pg. 65
How I write
Bernard Cornwell
By Dick Christianson
pg. 82
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