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March 2010 |
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 Get Started: Stay positive to keep writing on track By
Jennifer Lawler Are you discouraged right now by your progress in the writing game? It may be time to perform some cognitive therapy on yourself. Here's some back talk. |
pg. p.13 |
Breakthrough: Pre-studying her targets before querying was key By
Joan Brown The author found that carefully analyzing a target publication and tailoring her writing accordingly before approaching an editor opened the door to a second career. |
pg. 14 |
By
Janet Pocorobba How an MFA graduate and teacher set her books aside to gain confidence in her skills. |
pg. 15 |
The big three By
David Kohner Zuckerman A Hollywood producer describes what's essential for a screenplay to be successful. |
pg. 17 |
'Excavating' for the idea By
Gabriel Packard For Booker Prize-winning author Peter Carey, a new novel begins with lots of notes and "what ifs," as well as reading and "threads of logic." |
pg. 18 |
Step by Step: What's your story really about? By
Terry Bain The theme is the unifying idea in your story that gives it focus. Or, to put it another way, it's the container that will try to hold all the elements of your story in place. Sound important? It is. |
pg. 21 |
Archive: 8 ways to bring your story to life By
Norma Fox Mazer An award-winning author shared her writing process and offered tips for adding heft and sinew to a manuscript. |
pg. 24 |
How to get your play read By
Gwen Orel An experienced play-reader offers inside advice on how to win an audition, and perhaps an audience, too. |
pg. 26 |
Travel writing: Mastering the historical travel article By
Roberta Sandler An award winner in the field advises on how to communicate the "excitement of discovery," enticing readers--and editors. And see Linda DuVal's sidebar for more tips from a travel writer with 25 years in the field. |
pg. 28 |
Travel writing: How to land press trips By
Roy A. Barnes If sponsored "press trips" are a part of travel writing that has appealed to you, our writer offers you some advice on how to break into this area, including how to find out about them. |
pg. 31 |
Travel writing: Write travel articles without traveling By
Jack Adler An authority on the technique describes how to sell an array of service and consumer-advice stories without leaving the comforts of your home. |
pg. 32 |
Step by Step: Character goals: a crucial part of your story By
Martha Alderson Build your writing around them, add some obstacles, heighten the stakes, and you'll engage your readers. |
pg. 34 |
Writer at Work: Two lives, and one secret journal By
Diana M. Raab How a memoir writer struggled with a dual story line. See how she met the challenge. |
pg. 36 |
Business Freelancing: Writing white papers for fun and profit By
Robert W. Bly In the copywriting arena, white papers, which blend elements of articles and brochures, are a plum assignment. Here's a primer on how to break in. |
pg. 38 |
By
Ty Treadwell Want to crack this popular niche? We show you how to hit the mother load. Plus, see a sidebar by Renee Roberson on targeting regional parenting markets. |
pg. 44 |
Literary Spotlight: North American Review By
Melissa Hart The spotlight is on the venerable literary journal North American Review, describing its tone, preferences and contributors. |
pg. 47 |
Departments Letters Take Note Got 'pitch-slapped'? Here's how to shake off the shame By
Janene Mascarella, others On the pain of being "pitch-slapped" by a curt rejection message, plus other literary notes, Stephanie Dickison's regular bimonthly column about the freelance life, and an excerpt from a new writing book. |
pg. 8 |
WriteStuff Writers sing praises of their mentors By
Chuck Leddy, Steve Weinberg, Suzanna E. Henshon, Erika Dreifus Reviews of Mentors, Muses & Monsters: 30 Writers on the People Who Changed Their Lives, edited by Elizabeth Benedict; two new titles from Larry McMurtry, Books: A memoir and Literary Life: A Second Memoir; Writing It Right! How Successful Children's Authors Revise and Sell Their Stories by Sandy Asher; and Teaching Writing Online: How and Why by Scott Warnock |
pg. 40 |
Market listings Writers associations; agents; book publishers; literary magazines; and playwriting opportunities By
Compiled by Martha Lundin |
How I write By
Susan Agee For Cary Holladay, fictional ideas develop when hardship and struggle interact with character desires. |
pg. 58 |
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