Does anyone subscribe to…

[yui]

Does anyone subscribe to any writing-trade magazines? If so, may I ask, which ones and do you find the magazine to be helpful or a waste of money?

Thank you for you time.

Yui

 

[tolyk]

I bought a single issue of "Guide to Writing Fiction Today" magazine, published by Writer's Digest.. It is a decent magazine, but I've still yet to read every article (dull) and I've owned it for 4 years....

 

[Guest]

For years I subscribed to Poets and Writers but eventually had little time to read it. Now they have some stuff online. It's excellent, very good interviews with a wide assortment of writers (not all mainstream), and a monthly listing of deadlines for contests, special submittals, etc. It's definitely worth a year's tryout.

Perdita

 

[yui]

I bought a single issue of "Guide to Writing Fiction Today" magazine, published by Writer's Digest.. It is a decent magazine, but I've still yet to read every article (dull) and I've owned it for 4 years....

Thanks for replying, Tolyk! Yeah, some of the articles in these magazines are so bleeding dull. I would love to find a magazine that is both intelligent and accessible. Don't want much, do I?

For years I subscribed to Poets and Writers but eventually had little time to read it. Now they have some stuff online. It's excellent, very good interviews with a wide assortment of writers (not all mainstream), and a monthly listing of deadlines for contests, special submittals, etc. It's definitely worth a year's tryout.

Perdita

Thanks for the link Perdita. What an interesting site! I like the fact that it is at least partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. I've signed up for the news letter and the "Top Six Questions Writers Ask" has already provided me with lots of info.

Again, thank you!

Luck,

Yui

 

[KarenAM]

Most of the magazines and books I've encountered were focused toward getting published and paid. I didn't find them terribly useful in my development as a writer (instead I wrote a lot a read a lot from writers whose work I liked, trying to figure out how they had done it).

But every writer is different, and what worked or didn't work for me may not apply to you. Keep at it, either way.

 

[sweetnpetite]

I don't know about "Guide to Writing Fiction" but I am a big fan of "Writer's Digest" and always have been.

When I was in HS, I used to skip class and go sit in the school library and read back issues of WD. I learned a lot. Both about sales and about writing. They also have a book club (and even a mail order school) from which you can order books on the specific topics you want to learn more about.

I always read mine cover to cover and keep them forever. On the other hand, that might speak more to my own neroses than the the quality of the publications, but I always did feel that Writer's Digest was the gold standard for these things.

BTW- check out your local library as well as finding out if you can use any college libraries that might be nearby and even HS. (Maybe they will give you access in exchange for volunteering, or maybe they won't at all but it never hurts to ask.) For some reason Writer's Digest was not in my towns library, but was in my school library. I got the librarian to give me old copies too.

 

[Boota]

I bought a years subscription to Writers Digest and found it totally useless and mostly dull. Occasionally there was a good interview, but I don't think I learned one single thing about the craft of writing from that magazine.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I don't subscribe, but do buy most issues of Poets & Writers. It can be a little dry, but it's worth the price, IMHO.

If you like to read author interviews, check out the Powells bookstore site, Powells.com.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[yui]

Most of the magazines and books I've encountered were focused toward getting published and paid. I didn't find them terribly useful in my development as a writer (instead I wrote a lot a read a lot from writers whose work I liked, trying to figure out how they had done it).

But every writer is different, and what worked or didn't work for me may not apply to you. Keep at it, either way.

Thanks for replying, Karen! I read from a large, eclectic pool of writers myself, so I absolutely agree with you on the value in being widely read.

 

[yui]

I don't know about "Guide to Writing Fiction" but I am a big fan of "Writer's Digest" and always have been.

When I was in HS, I used to skip class and go sit in the school library and read back issues of WD. I learned a lot. Both about sales and about writing. They also have a book club (and even a mail order school) from which you can order books on the specific topics you want to learn more about.

I always read mine cover to cover and keep them forever. On the other hand, that might speak more to my own neroses than the the quality of the publications, but I always did feel that Writer's Digest was the gold standard for these things.

BTW- check out your local library as well as finding out if you can use any college libraries that might be nearby and even HS. (Maybe they will give you access in exchange for volunteering, or maybe they won't at all but it never hurts to ask.) For some reason Writer's Digest was not in my towns library, but was in my school library. I got the librarian to give me old copies too.

Hi Sweets,

Thanks for your suggestions about Writer's Digest Magazine. My library does carry it and I try to flip through it when I am there. I like the Writer's Digest reference books. "A Writer's Guide to ______". I think there is even one that is a guide to prison slang! I don't know why that impresses me. I am an idiot.

 

[yui]

I bought a years subscription to Writers Digest and found it totally useless and mostly dull. Occasionally there was a good interview, but I don't think I learned one single thing about the craft of writing from that magazine.

Gotcha, Boota; don't subscribe to Writer's Digest! I did that "two free copies" thing just the other day to try it, but I am glad to know you were not satisfied with your subscription.

I don't subscribe, but do buy most issues of Poets & Writers. It can be a little dry, but it's worth the price, IMHO.

If you like to read author interviews, check out the Powells bookstore site, Powells.com.

Rumple Foreskin

I am definitely going to check out a copy the next time I am at the bookstore. The website impressed me. Thanks for the Powells info, too!

Yui

 

[carsonshepherd]

I am an idiot.

No, you're too bloody cute and I really would lick you all over.

I might have to check out those books. I need something like that on the rare occasions I bother to do my own research instead of farming it out to one of my, ahem, staff. *runs*

 

[SeaCat]

"A Writer's Guide to ______". I think there is even one that is a guide to prison slang! I don't know why that impresses me. I am an idiot.

No yui you are not an idiot. You just haven't found a need for a book of that kind yet. Just like w riter of erligeos (sp) texts most likely wouldn't need a guide to slang terms for a female or male sexual organ. (Although that might spice up their writing a touch.)

Cat

 

[sweetnpetite]

I like the Writer's Digest reference books. "A Writer's Guide to ______". I think there is even one that is a guide to prison slang! I don't know why that impresses me. I am an idiot.

I'm just the same!

In fact, I will admit to you (here and now only) that I had an unhealthy interst in the different racial slurs (as discussed on cloudy's thread about the GB thread) I'm especially intersted in how they are formed (but then I'm an etemology buff). For example some are corupted forms of foreign words, some come from the countries own name for itself, some come from a common name in that culture (I think Dago is a bastardization of Diago or something)

I'm not hateful, but its sickly fascinating the way that humans find to hate each other.

Here's a bad traight- when I read something really horible, my eyes automatically scan back to the top and re-read it! I can't stop them. I think it's because I just can't believe it the first time, but maybe it's jsut some kind of masocistic (or who knows, even sadistic) tendancy.

#####shudder#######

I think most writers have facinations with oddball bits and ends of information. Besides- you can't be the only one; they never would have printed the book without a market.

 

[yui]

No, you're too bloody cute and I really would lick you all over.

That actually made me quiver.

I might have to check out those books. I need something like that on the rare occasions I bother to do my own research instead of farming it out to one of my, ahem, staff. *runs*

You have staff? Me, too. Though officially they are employed by Google.

 

[sweetnpetite]

speaking of writer's digest- since some of you weren't satisfied with your subscriptions, if you have old issues you'd like to get rid of and be willing to send me, let me know. Esp. if it's the last few years. I let my subscription laps some time ago

 

[yui]

No yui you are not an idiot. You just haven't found a need for a book of that kind yet. Just like w riter of erligeos (sp) texts most likely wouldn't need a guide to slang terms for a female or male sexual organ. (Although that might spice up their writing a touch.)

Cat

Might spice it up indeed, Cat!

Thank you for saying I'm not an idiot despite all the evidence to the contrary.

 

[carsonshepherd]

That actually made me quiver.



You have staff? Me, too. Though officially they are employed by Google.

Others do my Googling for me and I sure hope they don't see this thread. Or my Lucky Charms are on a plate.