The Freelance Writer's Bible
Written: Dec 28 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Flippin' huge and full of oodles of information
Cons: Nothing that I can see
The Bottom Line: Want to start publishing but don't know where to start? The Writer's Market has always been one of the best and biggest stepping stones for getting into print.
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| ssjakira1's Full Review: Writer's Market 2007 |
Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to the 86th Annual Edition of Writer’s Market. They’re revamped and ready to go. My last book was the 2003 Writer’s Market. Naturally I needed an upgrade. How was I to know who was still in business and who had kicked the bucket? Or who wasn’t taking any more submissions and who had just come into the publishing scene and wanted fresh material?
Writer’s Market is the most comprehensive compilation of publishers out there. It gives 4,000 listings for book publishers, consumer magazines, trade journals, literary agents, and has information on query letters, cover letters, how to’s, and do not’s, contests and awards, and all sorts of other goodies writers may find handy. Here is a list of what you’ll get and some descriptions to go with them:
The Basics - Things to consider before your first sale, how contests can help, information on query letters and critiques.
Personal Views - Chicken Soup type stories about writing and interviews with writers about how they started, how their lives are, and ways to make your writing work.
Beyond The Basics - More information on publishing, such as editor FAQs, various writing jobs, and publishers and their imprints.
Literary Agents - Listings for various literary agents. A total of 50.
Book Publishers - Initial information on publishers (royalties, subsidiary publishers, etc.), and then listings for various book publishers.
Canadian & International Book Publishers - Listings for book publishers outside the United States.
Small Presses - A quick bit of info on who is considered a small press and then listings for publishers who put out a smaller amounts of books.
Consumer Magazines - A gargantuan listing of magazine publishers, organized into various topics ranging from “Animal” to “Women’s.”
Trade Journals - Another huge listing for trade publications, also organized and ranging in topics from “Advertising, Marketing & PR” to “Veterinary.”
Contests & Awards - Listings for various contests and awards along with plenty of information, ranging in subject matter from “General” to the more specific such as “Writing for Children & Young Adults.”
Resources - Lists of professional organizations and a glossary of writing terms.
Indexes - Every listing is indexed, organized by their area (book, magazine, etc.) and usually further categorized into their subject matter (Fiction; Fantasy or Nonfiction; Cookbook). The General Index lists every market in the book, as well as those that were included in the 2006 version of Writer’s Market, even if they are no longer listed (reasons why are given, so don’t panic).
Whew! And that’s just the basics. This book has a lot to offer and demands your close attention. It’s fairly easy to find what you’re looking for just by using the organization the book gives you. For example, I like to write fantasy (ignoring the fact that I suck at writing good short stories), so I would pop on over to page 718, “Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror” under the Consumer Magazine area. Then just take your time and comb through the listings to see if they take in what you want. Some say to find a market first and then write for it, but other say the opposite, in which case I say do whatever makes you most comfortable and confident.
Each of the listings in this book comes with a ton of information itself. Beside the name of the publication there may be several icons or none. On the inside cover all the icons are listed and explain what they mean. This makes it easier to get the info in quickly and efficiently. Example: $$$$ - means the market pays $1 per word or $1,500 per article. Other icons indicate the publisher only accepts agented submissions, or is an online opportunity. These icons can come in handy if you’re curious about certain things.
Other information included depends on what publication you’re looking at – book, magainze, trade journal, etc. Aside from the publication title, contact information, web site information (if applicable), how much is freelance written, how often and how much is published, the information offered can include what the publication is looking for (fiction, nonfiction, photos, poetry, etc.) and more specifics on those (editors, type of fiction/nonfiction, length, etc.), there can be important bulleted information (no electronic submissions), and occasionally tips on getting into the magazine. It’s a lot of stuff, trust me. Basically all they are missing are the guidelines themselves.
Every year they comb through publishers and add or subtract from their past listings. The publishing scene is dynamic, so what might have existed a year ago may be defunct now. A good example is a book publisher I sent a manuscript to. I assume it was in the 2006 Writer’s Market because it is listed in the index of this one. I found the publisher through my 2003 book, but when I found them here, there was an (ED) behind it instead of a page number. I checked the beginning of the index and realized the publication had made an editorial decision to be removed. Interesting and good to know.
Let’s face it – this book has basically everything you’re going to need for a while when it comes to sending pieces out. This is a general covering of publishers, mostly magazines, because there are more specific Market books out there; Poet’s Market, Guide to Literary Agents, but that doesn’t take away from its size. There’s a lot covered in here – if you write about it, good chance you’ll find a place for it.
A handy tool they have for this book that I didn’t have in my 2003 version, the sections are all highlighted gray at the edge of the book, giving it a tabbed look. It makes it much easier to find the section you want instead of flipping through the pages until you get to the right spot, or having to check the contents all the time for the start of a section. It looks nice and is rather effective. It was one of the first things I noticed and got all excited about when I first held this book in my hands.
While Writer’s Market isn’t a guarantee you’ll be published (that’s up to you and the editors!) it is a guarantee you’ll have the best place to start. All you need now is some paper, ink, envelopes, stamps, and of course, your ideas. I know I’ll be digging into this soon, looking for new places to send work and hoping for that magical acceptance letter. I just got it Christmas Day, so I haven’t had the chance yet. But as I look at it, with its more professional-looking cover (as opposed to the semi-advertisement like 2003 version), I see a book full of possibilities awaiting me.
High five Writer’s Market 2007.
NT
Recommended:
Yes
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