Welcome…

There’s a common misconception – especially among our

THE WORLD OF WRITING

Over-wrought doggerel, well-judged advice, ill-advised alliteration and finely-tuned phrases… Derek Hudson casts an amused eye over the wide world of writing

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… I have read

Helpline

Your writing problems solved with advice from Diana Cambridge

Editorial calendar

Strong forward planning will greatly improve your chances with freelance submissions. Here are some themes to consider for the coming months.

Present tense

This month, Greta Powell looks at presentation software useful to writers

Busy, busy

Patrick Forsyth is a busy man, but somehow he has written another column

Patience is a virtue

Don’t get over-excited and send stories out too soon, advises Lynne Hackles

Dangerous territory

Patrick Forsyth explores getting up close and dirty to the action you intend reporting.

Protecting writers’ rights with the Society of Authors

There are ways to help your writing life start smoothly

On Writing

Tony Rossiter explores great words from great writers

From the OTHE SIDE R OF THE DESK

It’s amazing how fortunes can change when you write something wonderful, says Piers Blofeld

ASK A LITERARY CONSULTANT

Helen Corner Bryant considers the right time to let

BEHIND THE TAPE

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

Historical crime

Historical crime is a broad topic area. Regardless

Welcome Rejection

Having work turned down is one of the hardest aspects of the writing life. But you can learn from it, and move on, with Sophie Beal’s advice

10 ways to make yourself more PUBLISHABLE

Present yourself well and give editors what they need

TALK IT OVER:RSVP… anyone?

Having the confidence to put your work out there for feedback is one hurdle, but what do you do if nobody responds? Jane Wenham-Jones suggests some solutions

Can you afford a job?

Will part-time work save or suffocate your writing career? Simon Whaley looks at the pros and cons of juggling writing with other employment

Away from your desk

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

The sound of hopes being dashed

Lorraine Mace delves into her postbag and finds writers whose nearest and dearest can’t bring themselves to be charitable about their work

FROM CHASING CROOKS TO WRITING BOOKS

When police constable Alice Vinten enrolled on a home-study course with The Writers Bureau, she never dreamed she’d end up leaving the Met’ to write full time. She’d always wanted to be a police officer but now in her latest book, Girl on the Line, she tells us what it was really like for a woman on the front-line of London’s constant battle against crime

DEATH IN VENICE

Award-winning, bestselling, author of 27 novels in 25 years, all set in her beloved Venice, Donna Leon has no interest in fame or fortune, as Tina Jackson discovers

JENNY QUINTANA

The debut author tells Dolores Gordon Smith how she made the transition from writing education books to fiction

Start strong

Jeff VanderMeer, Nebula Award winning author of Annihilation, explains how to suck readers in with your opening, and set up the story that follows

The style & technique of HG WELLS

Tony Rossiter looks at a founding father of science fiction who was nominated four times for the Nobel Prize in Literature

ANTHONY SELDON

Political biographer and historian Anthony Seldon highlights five inspiring works from his collection, with Judith Spelman

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

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

DAVID JACKSON

The bestselling author tells Chris High how he got his inspiration for his latest crime thriller

ANNE YOUNGSON

Adrian Magson meets a writer whose debut novel, written after her retirement, looks at people reflecting over their lives

ED JAMES

The crime novelist talks Lynne Hackles through his frenetic writing schedule

Bowl ‘em over

Writing fiction should be like playing a game of skittles

Under the Microscope

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

Show them a good time

Always remember your fiction needs to reward your reader, says novelist Margaret James

Mind Your Language

Language is the heart of short story writing in this month’s creative writitng masterclass from Helen M Walters

In the picture

Have you got what it takes to write a winning picture book? Amy Sparkes launches this year’s Writing Magazine Picture Book Prize

STICK or twist?

A twist ending can give a real edge to a story if it’s done well. Alex Davis tells you how to perfect the fine art of the twist

Red Editing Pen

Each month, we give you a few sentences which would all benefit from some careful use of your red editing pen. As writers, and regular readers of Writing Magazine, you should not find any of these too difficult. But if you would welcome a little help, you can always check out Richard Bell’s suggested solutions below:

An Unhappy Medium

David has been writing short stories of varying quality

FREE RANGE writing through the year

Take a holiday from your usual writing routine with these creative writing exercises from Jenny Alexander

THE HEART OF IT

Get to the all important core of your writing with a group exercise, tried and tested by Julie Phillips

WIN! £250

IN CASH PRIZES & PUBLICATION

ECLIPSE

Sumana Khan is a research student by day and a struggling

Fertile ground

Alison Chisholm looks at three new poems produced in response to an exercise in WM

Poetry in practice

Doris Corti suggests some simple rhyme patterns to prompt new poems

Poetry from

Poet Alison Chisholm guides you through the perenially popular sonnet form

Take five

Get to grips with the cinquain to give your poem a real chance in our competition with advice from Alison Chisholm

WRITERS’ NEWS

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

INTRODUCTIONS

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

INTERNATIONAL ZINE SCENE

Rag Queen Periodical is a stroppy ‘femmecentric’ and