WELLBEING for writers: THE WRITE DIRECTION

New Series

The way TO WIN

PART TWO In Part One, experienced writing competition

THE grand PLAN

In 2024, how are you going to manage your writing projects? Author Helen Stockton looks at how planning ahead can turn you into an effective writer who sees projects through to completion

THE THRILLER KILLER KING

Linwood Barclay writes fast-paced thrillers that keep you guessing until the end. He tells Tina Jackson about how he keeps stakes high and readers turning pages

Planting seeds

Do you have a big writing project in mind and wonder how you can make it grow? Make it happen, with advice from Deborah Alma, who dispenses advice as the Emergency Poet

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Welcome to the first Writing Magazine of 2024!

Your writing critiqued

James McCreet applies a forensic micro-critique to the beginning of a reader’s thriller manuscript

THE FIRST BUILDING BLOCK: PLOT AND STORY

(PART ONE)

The house that story built

YA author Emily Bain Murphy explores the beginning of her debut novel for adults, and the nuances of difference between it and the opening of her YA fiction

A FORMAL FAREWELL

Alison Chisholm explores the way poetic structure can be used to craft a measured response to the theme of separation

Perfect partners

Two is company, in writing as in life. Margaret James looks at the possibilities of using partnerships in your fiction

Five quick questions

1. When and where did your journey as

Time and place

TO READ THE STORY writ.rs/willacather

Beat the blues

Amy Sparkes offers some sure-fire ways for you to keep loving your writing when challenges crop up along the way

Embrace THE STRANGE

Do you have unsettling stories to tell that don’t fit neatly into any horror category? Follow Alex Davis’s advice on defining and writing weird fiction

KATE BRODY

The author of exciting new literary thriller Rabbit Hole connected with her seven-year-old self when she first held her new book in her hands

Tidy desk, clear mind

Decluttering can open the way for new ideas, says Lynne Hackles

SHELF LIFE

The murder mystery author picks five books that offer clues to his interest in developing unputdownable detective fiction

The world of writing

What goes through a writer’s brain? Readers’ letters and dispatches from the wide world of writing

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: YOUR WRITING UNRELIABLE NARRATOR

We weren’t a bit surprised that we had

Subscribers’ news

To feature in Subscribers’ News contact: tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk Chris

A backwards glance

In her final Free Range Writing column, Jenny Alexander encourages you to draw on the past to write in the present

SPORTING SHOTS

Kick off your writing group to a great start with these sports-themed exercises from Julie Phillips

GET THE write idea

Explore people in various situations in these character-based creative writing exercises

RACHEL HORE

The bestselling novelist tells Lynne Hackles about the importance of creating a writing routine, and working in an actual garret

An open field

Are you ready to send in your best poems? asks Alison Chisholm, as she launches WM’s Open Poetry Competition 2024

POETS ON BOARD

Alison Chisholm goes on an poetic journey to find treasures in the winners of WM’s Explorer Competition

WINNER

A New World “Hey Jack,” calls his dad.

Cleaning the Step

SHORT STORY WINNER

Building a back story

Tales of writerly woe will come in handy when your talent is finally rewarded with fame and fortune, right? muses Gillian Harvey

Selling DIRECT

Why set up your own bookstore when Amazon does everything for you? Simon Whaley chats to two authors who have cut out the middle man

Investigating with AI

AI isn’t going anywhere – so learn to make it work for you. Tarja Moles looks at using artificial intelligence for research

Behind the tape

Expert advice to get the details right in your crime fiction from serving police officer Lisa Cutts

JULIET PICKERING

Simon Whaley chats to Juliet Pickering of the Blake Friedmann agency about the opportunities and challenges of the memoir market

GET PUBLISHED

You’ve read the advice – now get into print! Find the most up-to-date calls for submissions, writing competitions to enter and publishing opportunities to suit you and your writing in our easy-to-navigate news pages

Am I ready to submit?

If the beginning of the year feels like the best time for you to start submitting to agents, Cornerstones’ Monica Chakraverty runs through a checklist so you can ensure you’re ready to press ‘send’

WRITING FOR CHILDREN COMPETITIONS

The Paul Cave Prize for Children’s Literature 2024

FICTION COMPETITIONS

The Bath Novel Award 2024 Win a £3,000

HUMOUR OPPORTUNITIES

Poisonous wit Women of all kinds are invited

NON-FICTION OPPORTUNITIES

Undercover agents The London Spy describes itself as

ANTHOLOGIES OPPORTUNITIES

Critical Blast Critical Blast is published by a

OD Ekpeki Presents

OD Ekpeki Presents is accepting submissions of fiction,

Shrinking margins

GET PUBLISHED

POETRY COMPETITIONS

The 2024 International Book & Pamphlet Competition Two

SMALL PRESS OPPORTUNITIES

Orbit Works Orbit Works is the new digital

SCRIPT OPPORTUNITY

Sky Blue Theatre British Theatre Challenge 2024

INDIE MAGS AND WEBSITES

FICTION Headed by editor-in-chief Mark J. Mirsky, the

PRINT OPPORTUNTIES

Stories about sportswomen win here

It’s not all good

Patrick Forsyth highlights some problem areas on which writers might focus

LITERARY OPPORTUNTIES

Books by moonlight Moonstruck Books is a new

THE BOOK BARBARIANS

From the OTHE SIDE OF THE DESK