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March 2018
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The prediction business
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12 MIN READ TIME
The prediction business
Patrick Forsyth
I say, I say, I say, what’s the essence of the best comedy?
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This article is from...
Writing Magazine
March 2018
VIEW IN STORE
Other Articles in this Issue
Writing Magazine
Welcome…
Dear Reader
WRITERS’ NEWS
Your essential monthly round-up of competitions, paying markets, opportunities to get into print and publishing industry news.
UK MAGAZINE MARKET
Get some art practice
REGULARS
THE WORLD OF WRITING
Brontës, Blackbeard, Brookside, biografiends, best practice and bad ideas, digested by Derek Hudson so you don’t have to
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…
Daemonic advice
A new book on writing by one of our greatest authors convinces Michael Allen it’s worth every penny of its price
On Writing
Tony Rossiter explores great words from great writers
From theOTHER SIDE OF THE DESK
Piers Blofeld has good reasons to be cheerful about books in 2018
Grin & bear it
Jane Wenham Jones advises a reader not to let the idiosyncracies of peer reviews spoil her pleasure in her first published novel
Helpline
Your writing problems solved with advice from Diana Cambridge
Away from your desk
Get out of your garret for some upcoming activities and places to visit
Editorial calendar
Strong forward planning will greatly improve your chances with freelance submissions.Here are some themes to consider for the coming months.
Additional evidence
Patrick Forsyth suggests a way of making the invisible visible
UK BOOK MARKET
It’s all down in black and white
UK FICTION MARKET
Words flower in spring
And another thing…
‘‘Remember: Plot is no more than footprints left in
GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET
Open the floodgates
INTRODUCTIONS
Writing Magazine presents a selection of health publications currently accepting contributions. We strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with their guidelines before submitting and check websites, where given, for submission details.
GLOBAL ROMANCE MARKET
Love shines
UK ECO MARKET
New indie eco-publisher
Novel Ideas The write age
There’s no right (or wrong) age to be a writer, says Lynne Hackles
GLOBAL LITERARY MARKET
Where there’s copper there’s brass
INTERNATIONAL ZINE SCENE
Craft is on online literary zine, publishing ‘new and
GLOBAL SPECIFIC MARKET
Quarterly anthologies from Third Flatiron
GLOBAL TRAVEL MARKET
From the frontier
GLOBAL MONEY MARKET
Count the pennies
UK FITNESS MARKET
Run this past the editor
DAMNED AGAIN
Has your moment of glory been tainted by faint praise, or worse? Lorraine Mace knows the feeling
CREATIVE WRITING
So close, but …
Author James McCreet reveals the most difficult stage of his latest novel project: seeking publication
SHOWING OFF
Sometimes the old saw ‘show don’t tell’ just won’t do, says Adrian Magson
UNDER THE microscope
James McCreet considers the opening of a reader’s historical novel
FICTION FOCUS Get a GRIP
As grip lit keeps its hold on readers, Margaret James looks at why we love it, and how to write it
I wish I’d known…
‘When I think about what I wish I’d known at the start
The upper hand
Helen M Walters explores the tension between characters in The Lumber Room by Saki
Winning tales
Did you enter WM’s inaugural Picture Book Prize? Amy
Gateways to another dimension
Alex Davis explores portals in science-fiction and fantasy
INTERVIEWS AND PROFILES
How I got published
Tim Baker’s 2016 debut novel, the neo-noir thriller Fever City, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger and the US Shamus Award. His follow up, epic narcothriller City Without Stars, is published by Faber & Faber
Fairytale beginnings
Russia was the motherland of invention for Katherine Arden’s magic realism, she tells Tina Jackson
The style & technique of ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Tony Rossiter shows how he created the world’s most famous detective
Shelf life: ELIZABETH ENFIELD
The author and journalist shares her five favourite reads 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
Ashley Dyer
Chris High asks crime writer Margaret Murphy about taking a darker direction under her new pseudonym
CAROL WYER
Margaret James takes her hat off to the prolific author who writes in several genres
MARK PRICE
The former Waitrose business chief tells Lynne Hackles how he splits his time between writing executive titles and children’s books
ASK THE EXPERTS
Ask a Literary Consultant
A reader who can’t finish her novella needs to ask what her story is trying to tell her, Helen Corner-Bryant
BEHIND THE TAPE
Expert advice to get the details right in your crime novel, from serving police officer Lisa Cutts
Understanding your ALCS statement
Confused with your ALCS statement? Simon Whaley explains how to decipher it.
Primary, secondary & tertiary sources
Choose the right sources for your work with help from research expert Tarja Moles
COMPETITIONS AND EXERCISES
A Girl & Another Girl
Competition Winner ADULT FAIRYTALE
An Unexpected Dine
Competition winner
Weather watch
Explore the effect of weather on the words produced by your writing group in these exercises from Julie Phillips
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 set out below:
POETRY
Braving the ballad
The winners of WM’s ballad poetry competition impressed Alison Chisholm with the strength of their storytelling
Lost homes
A powerful poem about looking back provides Alison Chisholm with food for thought
Poetry in practice
Try something different to give your poetry submissions a lift, suggests Doris Corti
Poetry from A to Z
Poet Alison Chisholm guides you through the language of poetry
2018 EVENTS GUIDE
FESTIVAL GUIDE 2018
Plan your literary year with our definitive listing of literary festivals and events for 2018. Whether you prefer big name talks or family-friendly workshops, find the right event for you here.
StAnza 2018
7-11 March
Swsaenvweicnkt at seventy
Chairman Phil Collins looks back at the history of the much-loved writers’ summer school
COURSES GUIDE 2018
Plan your literary year with our definitive listing of courses, workshops and retreats for 2018. Whether you prefer big name workshops, talks or a personal retreat, find the right event for you here.
WRITERS’ NEWS
GLOBAL TRAVEL MARKET
More than just travel
UK INDEPENDENT MARKET
All sorts of writing for Williams & Whiting
It’s a Funny Old World
The Story of the Greeting Card, written for the Greeting
UK NON-FICTION MARKET
Make a difference
GLOBAL SF MARKET
Future speculative
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