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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. Here’s what’s in our current issue.

Hear myself & I

By Jen A. Miller

Listening to your life, as read by someone else.

Features

Working out

By Jennifer L. Blanck and Michael Klein

Writing exercises help strengthen your craft.

Tear off the labels

By Jack Smith

Authors speak out about writing great genre fiction (even if you never set out to write a genre book in the first place).

Learning as you laugh

By Melissa Hart

Graphic nonfiction books convey facts in full color.

Game day

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

Eight pro tips for success in the tabletop game-writing industry.

Story rules, plot drools

By Philip Martin

The three crucial storytelling elements every novel needs to succeed.

Departments

WRITER AT WORK

Reading for a literary journal

By Linda Lowen

How wading through someone else’s slush pile can improve your own chances at publication.

FREELANCE SUCCESS

Parallel work

By Pete Croatto

What to do when the words won’t come.

LITERARY SPOTLIGHT

The Forge Literary Magazine

By Melissa Hart

This inclusive journal offers a wealth of opportunity for both writers and editors.

CONFERENCE INSIDER

Kauai Writers Conference

By Melissa Hart

Want a little Hawaiian vacation with your writing education? This is the conference for you.

Also in Every Issue

From the Editor

Take Note

Featuring Jen A. Miller, Leslie Jamison, and more.

Markets

How I Write

Malinda McCollum: “A great short story is urgent, insistent, and propulsive. It’s like a whirlwind or a whoosh!”