I wish I’d known…

Welcome…

Yes, it’s our ever-popular annual events guide issue

ASK A LITERARY CONSULTANT

London Book Fair is the publishing event of the year – Helen Corner-Bryant advises a newbie author how to navigate their first visit

The WOW Factor

What’s it like to go on a high-end writing retreat? Tina Jackson went to Tuscany to find out

It’s fesival time!

Margaret James urges you to consider the benefits of getting yourself on the writers’ festival circuit

FESTIVAL GUIDE 2019

2 February Gladstone’s Library, Hawarden, Flintshire

Have a write good time

Follow writing tutor and conference organiser Kerrie Flanagan’s advice to get the most out of writing events

COURSES GUIDE 2019

Various venues Creative Writing Courses, 46 Beversbrook

FOLLOW THE CONVENTIONS

Author and event organiser Alex Davis is looking forward to a great year of genre events

THE WORLD OF WRITING

Advice from the best, inspiration everywhere and new ways to win – tips and trivia from the wide world of writing, curated by Derek Hudson

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

We want to hear your news and views on the writing world, your advice for fellow writers – and don’t forget to tell us what you would like to see featured in a future issue…

Helpline

Diana Cambridge solves your writing problems

Editorial calendar

Strong forward planning will greatly improve your chances with freelance su

Fine-tuning THE FORMAT

Greta Powell solves your technical queries

Novel Ideas

Lynne Hackles advises keeping calm and carrying on

INTERNATIONAL ZINE SCENE

Fugue is the University of Idaho’s respected literary

On your feet

You travel, you write about travel, but what next? Patrick Forsyth makes a suggestion

Free time

Writers are often asked to donate time or work to charitable causes, but there are things that need to be taken into consideration, advises the Society of Authors’ Nicola Solomon

On Writing

Tony Rossiter explores great words from great writers

From the OTHE SIDE R OF THE DESK

Marketing hooks may dominate publishing’s retail calendar, but Piers Blofeld reflects that wild cards can still change the game

BEHIND THE TAPE

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

Background research

The first step when you start a new writing project is background research. Research expert Tarja Moles helps you do it as efficiently as possible

Shine a light

It’s the hottest fiction genre right now, but what actually is ‘uplit’? Helen Yendall explains

Trash the tropes

Represent real people rather then perpetuate stereotypes, says Brooke Winters in her guide to writing disabled characters

ALTERED EGO

New authors often wonder how much of themselves they should put into their fiction, says Adrian Magson

Under the Microscope

James McCreet puts a reader’s first 300 words under his forensic gaze

Seeing Red

Helen M Walters explores the use of colour in fiction via a short story by Louisa May Alcott

In the frame

Amy Sparkes talks to the winners of the Writing Magazine Picture Book Prize

Home is where the start is

Working class Bermondsey roots inspired a successful saga career for Mary Gibson, she tells Tina Jackson

How I got published

Lucy Treloar tells Dolores Gordon-Smith how winning a major manuscript competition finally led to her historical novel of settlers in Australia

The style & technique of jojo moyes

Tony Rossiter looks at an author who puts herself in the shoes of her protagonists

CIRCLES’ ROUNDUP

If your writing group would like to feature here, whether you need new members, have an event to publicise or to suggest tips for other groups, email Tina Jackson, tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk

SUBSCRIBER SPOTLIGHT

Share your writing success stories. If you subscribe to Writing Magazine and would like to feature here, email Tina Jackson, tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk

WIN! £275 IN CASH PRIZES & PUBLICATION

Fiction or non, it doesn’t matter, but we’re looking

GEORGE GUNN

The Scottish poet and playwright tells Lynne Hackles that he’s working even in his sleep

SUE FORTIN

The bestselling author tells Margaret James how she progressed from romance to suspense

WRITER’S NEWS

Your essential monthly round-up of competitions, paying markets, opportunities to get into print and publishing industry news.

It’s a Funny Old World

Patrick Kidd, compiler of The Times diary, was delighted

Chasing payment

If you want to be paid promptly it may require some work, says Patrick Forsyth

INTRODUCTIONS

Writing Magazine presents a selection of gardening publishers currently accepting contributions. We strongly recommend that you read back issues, familiarise yourself with their guidelines before submitting and check websites, where given, for submission details.

Try different kinds

Be kind to your writing and try these creative workouts from Jenny Alexander

Erin’s Voices

I was fifteen when the voices started. At first, I

Only when I laugh

Tackle tickling your readers’ funny bones in this writing group exercise from Julie Phillips

The Kitchen Door

Born in San Francisco, Mary Ellen Chatwin developed

SMALL, but perfectly formed

The winning poems in our cinquain competition were tiny gems, says judge Alison Chisholm

Shelf life: ELIZABETH MUNDY

The author of unconventional detective novels shares her top five reads with Judith Spelman

A tail of Love

It doesn’t matter how a poem begins – it’s the treatment that matters, says Alison Chisholm

Poetry in practice

Doris Corti considers two ways of telling a story in a poem

Poetry from A to Z

Poet Alison Chisholm guides you through the language of poetry

Copy cat?

Be kind to a new writing group member who is finding her feet and borrowing ideas, advises Jane Wenham Jones

Away from your desk

Get out of your garret for some upcoming activities and places to visit

Brand IDENTITY

When it comes to author branding, Simon Whaley discovers it’s not all about logos and design

The writer in me

Lorraine Mace just can’t help being a writer, no matter what’s going on around her