Article Index

Begin at the Beginning...

What Is a Writer? - Moira Allen

A Beginner's Guide to Writing Terminology - Dawn Copeman

Planning Your Writing Career - Dawn Copeman

Should You Specialize or Generalize? - Moira Allen

Take Your Specialty for a Spin - Moira Allen

Setting Effective Writing Goals - Moira Allen

Goals Are Worthless If... - Brian Jud

Getting the Most from Online Writing Classes - Moira Allen

How to Read 'How To Write' Books, by Sean McLachlan

Learning the Craft - Dawn Copeman

Should You Write for Free? - Moira Allen

What Kind of Writer Do You Want to Be? - Terje Johansen

Finding Ideas

Five Unusual Places to Look for Article Ideas - Chryselle D'Silva Dias

Where Oh Where Are All the Good Article Ideas? - Patricia Fry

Finding Markets

Bread and Butter Markets - Moira Allen

Exploring New Markets - Moira Allen

Finding Sample Magazines - Without Breaking the Bank - Moira Allen

How to Study a Magazine You've Never Seen - Mridu Khullar

Researching Markets: Looking Beyond the Obvious - Karen Luna Ray

A Smorgasbord of Markets - Penny Ehrenkranz

Targeting the Wrong Markets: The New Writer's Most Common Mistake - Moira Allen

Queries and Submissions

Queries vs. Articles: Which is Best? - Moira Allen

How to Write a Successful Query - Moira Allen

E-mail Queries and Submissions: How to Keep Editors Happy - Moira Allen

What to Do if You Don't Have Clips - Moira Allen

A Quick Guide to Manuscript Format - Moira Allen

Cover Letters: When, How and Why to Use Them - Moira Allen

Cover Me - I'm Going In! - John Floyd

Pros and Cons of Simultaneous Submissions - Moira Allen

Who's Who on the Magazine Masthead - Moira Allen

Writing Your Bio - Terje Johansen

Conducting Research and Interviews

A Beginner's Guide to Interviewing - Dawn Copeman

Conducting Interviews - Moira Allen

Conducting E-mail Surveys and Interviews - Moira Allen

Creating an Expert File - Kathryn Lay

Expert-Finding Strategies Every Writer Needs to Know - Mridu Khullar

Don't Reach for Any Old Quote - John Rains

It's Interesting -- But Is It Accurate? (The Perils of Online Information) - Moira Allen

Searching the Web - Moira Allen

Why Libraries Still Matter - Ellen Metter

Crafting Your Article

Avoiding Comma Confusion - Moira Allen

Becoming Your Own Editor - Moira Allen

Death by Revision - Kristin Camiolo

Facing the First Draft - Moira Allen

Five Fatal Flaws that Can Lead to Rejection - Moira Allen

Five Tips to Writing Great Subheads - Kristina Springer

Grammar Gaffes and How to Avoid Them - Marg Gilks

How A Good Editor Can Help You (including 20 mistakes writers commonly make) - Patricia Fry

How to Craft a Great Article, Part I: Structure, Focus, Unity and Flow - Dawn Copeman

How to Craft a Great Article, Part II: Hooks, Leads, and Endings - Dawn Copeman

How to Outgrow "Write What You Know" - Jenna Glatzer

How to "Show Don't Tell" - Dawn Copeman

How to Sit Down and Write an Article - Dawn Copeman

How to Write Like an Expert - Moira Allen

The Outline Demystified - Moira Allen

Proofread Your Article Professionally! - Janis Butler Holm

Tapping Your Innate Creativity - Barbara Florio Graham

What Every Writer Needs to Know About Article Titles - Julie K. Cohen

When "First Person" Is the Last Person You Need - Moira Allen

Why You Can't Rely on Your Spellchecker - Jan K. the Proofer

Networking

The Benefit of Critique Groups - Michele Acker

The Buddy System - Carol Sjostrom Miller

How Online Critiquing Can Help Your Writing - Moira Allen

How to Give and Receive Critiques - Dawn Copeman

Ten Great Reasons (Plus One) to Attend a Writers' Conference - by Susan Denney

Using Informational Interviews to Advance Your Career - Terri Mrosko

Should You Quit Your Day Job?

Balancing Act: Ten Reasons to Keep Your Day Job - Denene Brox

Making the Leap from a "Real Job" to Freelancing - Kathy Sena

To Plunge or Not to Plunge? - Moira Allen

Fifty Tips on Taking the Plunge - Moira Allen

Ready to Quit Your Day Job? - Hasmita Chander

General Freelancing Tips

As Easy As ABC: Writing List Articles - Theresa O'Shea

Eight Things that Can Go Wrong for a Freelance Writer - Patricia Fry

Expert-Finding Strategies Every Writer Needs to Know - Mridu Khullar

How to Write Effectively for a Cause - Mary Emma Allen

Make an Extra $1,000 a Month - Mridu Khullar

Newspapers: A Great Source of Freelance Opportunities - Sue Fagalde Lick

The Newspaper/Blog Connection - Sue Fagalde Lick

Organizing and Maintaining Your Market Notes - Hasmita Chander

Participatory Journalism for Magazines and Newspapers - Larry Atkins

Six Tips on Selling Lists Articles - Kathryn Lay

Writing for (not by) the Ear - Donnell King

What's Your Writing IQ? (Fillers and Quizzes) - Marie E. Cecchini

Why Write for Newspapers? - Sue Fagalde Lick

Writing for the General Public: It's Not as Easy as it Sounds - Mary J. Breen

Writing to Trends - Susan Sundwall

Targeting Specific Markets

Christian:

Break Into the Religious Market With a Devotion - Tatiana Claudy

Environment:

Going Green: Green Markets, Green Topics - Wenona Napolitano

Family History/Genealogy:

Writing for Family History Magazines - Rosemary Bennett

Health:

Here's to (Writing About) Your Health! - Jenna Glatzer

Writing about Diet, Nutrition and Food - Kelly James-Enger

Writing for US and UK Health Publications - Rachel Newcombe

History:

Local History: A Lucrative Niche Market - Patricia Fry

Making Your Future Out of the Past: How to Break into the Burgeoning History Market - Sean McLachlan

People and Steeples: Writing Church Histories - Wendy Hobday Haugh

Misc.:

Writing Comic Books - Barry Lyga

Writing for the Gaming Industry - Melissa Brewer

Lights, Camera, Action! How to Get Paid to Write About Motion Pictures - Paul Armentano

Five Steps to Writing Great Quizzes - Kelly James-Enger

Music:

Writing for the Music Market - C.J. Chilvers

Writing for Music Magazines - Ruth McHaney Danner

Personal Experiences:

Fifteen Paying Markets for Personal Essays and Life Stories - Chryselle D'Silva Dias

How to Turn "First Experiences" into "First Sales" - Moira Allen

Mastering the Personal Experience Article - Deborah Newton

Writing (and Selling) Personal Experience Articles - Moira Allen

Pets:

How to Write for Pet Magazines - Moira Allen

Writing for Pet Markets: An Interview with Moira Allen - Kelly Milner

List of Paying Pet Markets - Moira Allen

Profiles:

Crafting the Perfect Profile - John Rains

Procedures, Perks and Pitfalls of Profile Writing - Shirley Byers Lalonde

Six Tips for Writing Celebrity Profiles - Kayleen Reusser

Writing Mini-Profiles for Maximium Profit - Lisa Beamer

Regional:

State Magazines: Ten Tips for Landing Great Features in Your Home Area - Sean McLachlan

Increase Your Income by Writing Close to Home - Patricia Fry

Teaching:

Teaching Writing Online - Moira Allen

Tips on Conducting a Successful Workshop - Moira Allen

Tips on Teaching Creative Writing - Shirley Kawa-Jump

Travel:

The Business of In-flights - Tim Lehnert

Bylines from Near and Far: Travel Writing in 2009-2010 - Myrna Oakley

Do's and Don'ts of Travel Writing - Jennifer Stewart

How to Organize Sponsored Travel - Susan Miles

Looking for Travel Sidebars - Jack Adler

To Job or Not To Job: A Writer's Question - Antonio Graceffo

How Writers Can Score Press Trips, by Roy A. Barnes

Tourism Authorities: The Travel Writer's Best Friend - Susan Miles

Travel that Pays - Kayleen Reusser

The Untraveled Travel Writer - Isabel Viana

What's a Press Trip? A Travel-Writing FAQ - Kathryn Lemmon

Writing Opportunities on the Road - Susan Miles

Writing the World: Ten Tips to Breaking into the Guidebook Market, by Sean McLachlan

Creating, Selling and Syndicating a Column

How to Self-Syndicate Your Column - Moira Allen

How to Write a Book Review - Bill Asenjo

How to Write an Op-Ed - John McLain

Syndicating Your Weekly Column - Elizabeth Laden

Selling Reprints

Can I Sell a Previously Published Article? - Moira Allen

Making the Most of Your Inventory (Selling Reprints) - Dana Cassell

Marketing Reprints Through International Syndication: An Interview with Sheila O'Connor - Moira Allen

One Article, Many Checks: Selling Reprints - Kelly James-Enger

Selling Reprints - Moira Allen

Photography

Eight Steps to Professional Travel Photos - Bob Difley

Picture Perfect: Using Photos to Sell Your Articles - Christine Ridout

Coping with the Writing Life

Excuses, Excuses... How to Guarantee Failure as a Writer - Lee Masterson

Feeling Guilty about Writing Too Much for Too Little? Shed the Guilt, Discover the Rewards - Susie Yakowicz

Making Your Writing World Safe - Jane Anne Staw

Recharging the Writer Battery: Six Ways to Keep Going When Times Get Tough - Mindy Hardwick

Ten Tips on Beating the Writing Blues - Lynn Alfino

What To Do When the Writing Motivation Wavers - Susan Miles

When Fear Gets in the Way - Moira Allen

Write What You Want to Write! - Dawn Copeman

Rejection

Coping with Rejection - Moira Allen

Why You Get Form Rejection Letters - Jenna Glatzer

Writer's Block

Beating Writer's Block and Honing Your Skills - Dawn Copeman

Facing Down Life Block - Donnell King

Fighting Writer's Block, Part I: Causes and Cures - David Taylor

Fighting Writer's Block, Part 2: Block Writing and Speed Writing - David Taylor

Writer's Block: Is It All In Your Head? - Leslie What

The Healthy Writer

Avoiding Repetitive-Stress Injuries: A Writer's Guide - Geoff Hart

Music to Write By - Indra Sena

RSI: A Danger to Chronic Computer Users - Radhika Meganathan

Yoga, Stretching and You - Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz

Time Management

A Writing Plan for the New Year - by Shaunna Privratsky

Finding Time to Write - Moira Allen

Making Sure Others Respect Your "Right to Write" - Kristi Holl

I Could Be A Writer, Too - If I Only Had The Time - Roberta Roesch

Organizing Your Writing Time - Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz

Take Control of Your Time! - Kelle Campbell

How Writing Every Day Keeps You Writing... Every Day! - Dana Mitchells

Tips from the Procrastination Princess - Mridu Khullar

Using Footpower to Boost Your Brainpower: How Walking Away Can Improve Your Writing, by Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant

Coffee on the Deck - Ramblings on the Writing Life - by Moira Allen

A Letter from Nigeria, by John Conclivè

We Never Think It Will Happen... (Protecting Your Work and Photos from a Disaster)

What Do You Know?

The Disappearing Writer

Seeking the Muse

Bite-Size Resolutions

Permanence vs. Accessibility (or, Books vs. Web)

Grammar Matters!

Remember Summer Vacation?

Feeling Like a Dinosaur

Our Reach and Our Grasp

But First...

Stirring the Nest

Why We Do What We Do

Wish You Merry... (Happy Holidays in Not-So-Happy Times)

Are You Doing What You Love?

Prophets Without Honor

Does Your Work "Deserve" Copyright Protection? Just Ask Google!

Koziol vs. Booksurge -- Cause for Cheering... or Head-scratching?

How Do You Define Success?

Have We Changed How We Use and View the Internet?

Handling Income, Expenses and Records

Back Up Your Writing - And the Rest of Your Life! - Moira Allen

Handling a Windfall Profit - Moira Allen

Handling Writing Income and Expenses - Moira Allen

How to Make Sure You Get Your Check - Felicia Hodges

Keeping Records - Moira Allen

When Clients Don't Pay - Melissa Brewer

Increasing Your Income

Boost Your Bottom Line - Mridu Khullar

How Much Should a Freelancer Charge? - Moira Allen

Internet Want Ads: Finding Writing Jobs Online, by Julie Bloss Kelsey

The Key to Success: Write More! - Lee Tobin McClain

One Dozen Unique Ways to Make More Money - Patricia Fry

Recession-Proof Your Writing Business - Patricia Fry

Ten Tips to Reaching Financial Success as a Freelance Writer - Bev Bachel and Jennifer Lawler

There's No Free Lunch -- But There Is Free Software! - Des Nnochiri

Twenty Ways Writers Can Save Money - Mridu Khullar

The Worth of a Freelancer's Work - Donald Denier

Writing in a Recession - Dawn Copeman

Rights and Contracts

"First Sale" Mistakes Every Writer Can Avoid - Moira Allen

Five Magic Phrases: Tips for Negotiating Contracts Like a Pro - Jenna Glatzer

Rights: What They Mean and Why They're Important - Marg Gilks

Selling All Rights: Right or Wrong? - Moira Allen

Selling International Rights - Moira Allen

Understanding Contracts - Moira Allen

Understanding Rights and Copyright - Moira Allen

Reprints and Permissions

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Permissions - Brandon Trissler

Increase Your Market with a Creative Commons License - Josh Smith

Top Ten Questions About Copyright Permissions - David Taylor

Using Song Lyrics - Dawn Copeman

Other Business Issues:

Building a Writer's Business Plan - Moira Allen

Creating a Writer's Resume - Moira Allen

Five Letters Every Writer Will Need - Rose Ross Zediker

Grants, Fellowships, & Residencies - Megan Potter

Questions to Ask Before Collaborating - Moira Allen

Retreat! How to Get Away to Write - C. Hope Clark

Should You Use a Pseudonym? - Moira Allen

Taking Time Off: Planning a Vacation - Denene Brox

Plagiarism, Piracy and Infringement

Don't Do Us Any Favors -- Don't Steal Our work! - Moira Allen

How to Protect Yourself from Editorial Theft - Kyle Looby

Plagiarism, Copyright, and the Eighteenth Century - Jack Lynch

Protecting Your Work from Electronic Pirates - Charles Petit

Research or Plagiarism? - Moira Allen

Someone Stole My Article! What To Do When It Happens To You - Moira Allen

Understanding Fair Use - John Savage

What Is Libel? - David Taylor

Will an Editor Steal Your Ideas? - Moira Allen

Scams and Other Perils

Canning the Spam - Moira Allen

It Might Not Happen, But... (backing up/restoring your work) - Des Nnochiri

Watch Out for Web Scams! - Moira Allen

Writing Contests: When Winners are Losers - Moira Allen

Reaching International Markets

Affordable Market Resources for International Writers - Hasmita Chander

Breaking into the Spanish-Language Greeting Card Market - Susana Baughman

Don't Write Down to European Audiences! - Nancy Arrowsmith

Do Not Go Clueless Into That Strange Culture! - Ysabel de la Rosa

Finding UK Experts and Spokespeople - Rachel Newcombe

Getting Information from UK "PRs" - Rachel Newcombe

The Global Marketplace - Michael Sedge

How to Become a Foreign Correspondent -- Without Leaving Home! - Ysabel de la Rosa

How to Become an International News Reporter - Huw Francis

India as a Writer's Market - Hasmita Chander

Interviewing American Artists for International Publications - Lawrence Schimel

Writing for ESL Markets - Amy Chavez

Writing for the NGO Community - Kimberly Baldwin Radford

Writing for UK County Magazines - Rachel Newcombe

Writing Fillers for the UK (and US) Markets - Sara Wilson

Writing for the UK Gardening Market - Rachel Newcombe

Writing for UK Travel Magazines - Rachel Newcombe

Writing for US and UK Health Publications - Rachel Newcombe

Language and Translation Issues

Conducting Interviews in International English - Ysabel de la Rosa

Five Tips on Translating Poetry - Jennifer Liddy

How to Get Your Work Translated Properly - Jim Pierce

How to Use an Interpreter - Nancy Tangemann

Launching a Translation Career - Maya Mirsky

Learning a Language Without Lessons - Ysabel de la Rosa

Preserving Your Words in Translation - Jennifer Hutchins

Providing Glossaries for Your Translator - Lawrence Schimel

Writing in International English - Martin Schell

Handling Overseas Business Issues

Cutting Your International Internet Costs - Ysabel de la Rosa

Handling an Overseas Writing Business - Moira Allen

Improving Your Global Image - Huw Francis

International Grant Resources - C. Hope Clark

Networking Opportunities for International Writers - Ysabel de la Rosa

Reaching International Markets Electronically - Moira Allen

Selling International Rights - Moira Allen

Business and Commercial Writing and Editing

An Introduction to Commercial Writing - Dawn Copeman

Breaking Into Corporate Editing - Moira Allen

Editing as a Profession - Aline Lechaye

Everybody's Business: Writing for the Corporate World - Barbara Neal Varma

Five Steps to Developing Your Writing Brand - Sonya Carmichael Jones

How to Write a Competitive Analysis - Michael Knowles

How to Write a White Paper - Michael Knowles

Presenting Your Portfolio - Mandy Hougland

Presenting Your Portfolio, Part II: What to Include - Mandy Hougland

Using Letters of Introduction to Land Assignments with Trade Publications - Denene Brox

Writing Corporate Newsletters - Moira Allen

Writing Proposals

The Art of Writing Grant Proposals - Penny Ehrenkranz

Writing Proposals: An Interview with Paul Weber - Barbara Vega

Technical Writing

13 Tips on How to Tech-Talk to Non-Techies - Hasmita Chander

Digital and Personal Tech: Writing for The Next Generation of Technical Magazines - Mridu Khullar

Indexing Technical Documents: An Interview with Lori Lathrop - Barbara Vega

Looking for Work as a Scientific Communicator - Geoff Hart

Marketing the Wily Technical Writer - Michael Knowles

Succeeding as a Technical Writer - Michael Knowles

Technical Writers: It's OK to Lie to Your Readers -- a Little! - Geoff Hart

Writing for Trade Magazines

Writing for Real Estate Trade Magazines - Dan Rafter

Writing for Trade Magazines - Mark Lamendola

Essays, Journaling, and Personal Writing

Essay Writing: When It's Just Too Personal - Heather Haapoja

An Exercise in Essay-Writing - Sheila Bender

Feeling Boxed In? Try an Extreme Makeover to Boost Your Creativity - Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant

Fifteen Paying Markets for Personal Essays and Life Stories - Chryselle D'Silva Dias

Finding Your Writing's "Occasion" - Sheila Bender

Grab That Memory Before It Slips Away! - Uma Girish

How to Create the Ultimate Holiday Newsletter - Moira Allen

How to Keep your Memoir Writing Sharp and Vital - Dr. Allan Hunter

How to Write Winning First-Person Stories - C.S. Paquin

Keeping a Writer's Journal: 21 Ideas to Keep You Writing - Sheila Bender

Mindplay - Peggy Bechko

Personally Speaking - Kathryn Lay

Portrait of a Relative - Ruth Danner

Twenty-Two Reasons to Turn to Your Journal for Catharsis and Creativity - Noelle Sterne

Writing a Family History - Moira Allen

Writing and the Cosmic Shopping Mall (or how to access your creative mind and silence the inner critic), by Emily Hanlon

Writing From Anticipation - Sheila Bender

Writing the Personal Essay - Mridu Khullar

Getting Started: The Fundamentals of Fiction, by Marg Gilks

Part I: "I've Got an Idea!"

Part II: Read, Read, Read!

Part III: Critique Groups and Writers' Groups

Part IV: Writers Write!

Part V: Learning How: Courses, Workshops and Tutors

Part VI: Learning the Lingo

Part VII: Being Realistic About Your Work

Part VIII: Finding Markets for Your Fiction

Part IX: Writing Etiquette

Part X: Avoid Those Beginners' Blunders

Characters and Viewpoint

Creating Memorable Characters - Lee Masterson

Creating Villains People Love to Hate - Lee Masterson

Do Werewolves Wear Shoes? Building Successful Horror Characters, by Shaunna Privratsky

Establishing the Right Point of View: How to Avoid "Stepping Out of Character" - Marg Gilks

Finding Your Characters - Mary Cook

Handling a Cast of Thousands I: Getting to Know Your Characters - Will Greenway

Handling a Cast of Thousands II: Your Story as Your Characters (and Readers) See It - Will Greenway

Handling a Cast of Thousands III: Developing the Five-Act Scene - Will Greenway

Headhopping, Authorial Intrusion, and Shocked Expressions - Anne Marble

Motivation - Hank Quense

The Mystery of Character - Robert Wilson

Plotting by Personality - Marg McAlister

The Secrets of Characterization - Sigrid Macdonald

Targeting Enemy Words - Sandra Miller

Viewpoint, Perspective and Time - Will Greenway

Dialogue

Creating Dynamic Dialogue - Will Greenway

It's Not What They Say... - Mary Cook

Off with the Talking Heads! - Marg Gilks

Punctuating Dialogue - Marg Gilks

Slang and How to Sling It - Randall Platt

The Use and Abuse of Dialogue Tags - Anne Marble

Description and Setting

The Art of Description: Eight Tips to Help You Bring Your Settings to Life - Anne M. Marble

Four Ways to Bring Settings to Life - Moira Allen

Houses are People Too: The Structure of a Literary Device - Geoff Hart

Location, Location, Location! - Jim C. Hines

Story Structure

Choosing the Right Name for Your Story - John Floyd

Dynamic Beginnings: Getting Your Story Off to a Great Start - Will Greenway

Fewer Words Mean Bigger Bucks, by Shaunna Privratsky

Five Fiction Mistakes that Can Spell Rejection - Moira Allen

From Beginning to End, A Fiction Format to Your Next Sale, by Shaunna Privratsky

Plotting Your Novel - Lee Masterson

Plunge Right In... Into Your Story, That Is! - Rekha Ambardar

To Outline or Not to Outline - Tim Hallinan

Where to Begin? When, Where and How to Write a Prologue - Lital Talmor

Why Do I Need an Outline? - Cheryl Sloan Wray

Your Story Outline: What It's All About - Rekha Ambardar

Flash Fiction

Flash What? A Quick Look at Flash Fiction - Jason Gurley

Flashes of Brilliance: Writing Flash Fiction - Joan Popek

Flashes on the Meridian: Dazzled by Flash Fiction - Pamelyn Casto

General Tips

25 Unique Places to Find Story Ideas - Michelle Giles

Becoming a Fiction Aficionado, by Shaunna Privratsky

Blueprints: Building a Home for Your Characters - Elizabeth Chayne

Can I Make a Living as a Novelist? - Marilyn Henderson

The Ethics of Tragedy: Plot Victims are People Too! - Paula Fleming

A Field Guide to Genre Writers' Organizations - Catherine Lundoff

Historical Research for Fiction Writers - Catherine Lundoff

How Long Should Your Story Be? - Lee Masterson

Keeping Your Story On Track with Style Sheets - Marg Gilks

Lateral Thinking - Ahmed A. Khan

Look before You Write: Applying the Lessons of the Visual Arts - Paula Fleming

Mindplay - Peggy Bechko

Mixing It Up: Writing Across Genres - Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz

The Name Game - John Robert Marlow

Partly Cloudy, Scattered Showers: Setting the Scene with Weather - Larissa Ione

"Prove" Your Story with Evidence - Sue Fagalde Lick

A Research Primer for Historical Fiction Writers - Erika Dreifus

Stuck in the Middle of Your Story? Try Prompts! - Alina Sandor

The Top Ten Mistakes New Fiction Authors Make - Sally Zigmond

Visualization Exercises for Writers - Holly Lisle

What, Where, When and Why - Marg Gilks

Write What You Know -- Because You Know More than You Think! - Marg Gilks

Writing Experimental Fiction: Leaving the Problem Out of the Plot - Tantra Bensko

Getting Published

How to Write a Novel Synopsis - Marg Gilks

The Midlisters: Backbone of the Publishing Industry - Sean McLachlan

Research, Track and Conquer: How to Research Short Fiction Markets, Track Submissions, and Ultimately Get Published - Joseph Thomas

Small Press Magazines: Should You Bother? - Bruce Boston

Yes, You Can Make Money Writing Fiction - Patricia Fry

Tips from the Victorians (from Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

1: Literary Work for Girls

2: How to Write a Story

Writing for Young Readers - by Eugie Foster

Happily Ever After

Worldbuilding Considerations for the Children's Writer

An Interview with Author Dallas Woodburn

Juggling Hamsters: Tips for the Busy Writer

An Interview with Tansy Rayner Roberts of Shiny

Writing Humor (As Demonstrated by Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

An Interview with Mark Justice of Story Station

Writing for Children's Magazines

An Interview with Judy Burke of Highlights for Children

The ABCs of Writing for Kids: Active, Brief, and Cut Cut Cut

An Interview with Johnny D. Boggs of Boys' Life

A Writer's Resolution: I Will Submit!

Writing Talking Animal Tales

Hi/Lo Books: Writing for Reluctant Readers

An Interview with Deborah Vetter of the Cricket Magazine Group

Writing for "Tweens"

Feature Articles

The Christian Children's Market: A Place for Beginning Writers - Marcia Laycock

Editing Secrets to Make Your Work Shine - Laura Backes

The Elephant in the Room: Marketing Your Children's Manuscript - Peggy Tibbetts

Exploring Sparkle: An Interview with Peggy Tibbetts - Moira Allen

Finding Your Voice as a Children's Writer - Laura Backes

Five Reasons to Write Children's Nonfiction - Rita Milios

Frequently Asked Questions About Children's Writing - LeMieux, Lubar and Singer

Funds for Children's Writers - Lynne Remick

Make Your Picture Book Sparkle! - Peggy Tibbetts

Retelling Bible Stories for Children - Rose Ross Zediker

School Bookfairs: A Great Opportunity for Market Research - Carol Baldwin

School Visits: An Author's Serendipity - Mary Emma Allen

Six Steps to Make Your Children's Story Sparkle - Laura Backes

Short Stuff for Children - Marie Cecchini

So You Wanna Be a Children's Poet... - Linda Phillips

Ten Myths About Writing for Kids - Eugie Foster

Throw Obstacles at Your Characters - Laura Backes

Understanding Children's Writing Genres - Laura Backes

What Do Editors Want? - Laura Backes

When the Guidelines Say "7-12": The Ages and Stages of Children's Literature - Eugie Foster

Writing About Controversial Subjects - Laura Backes

Writing Captivating Dialogue for Children - Mary Emma Allen

Writing for the Teen Religious Market - Kathryn Lay

Writing for Teen Magazines - Ursula Furi-Perry

Writing in Rhyme for Children - Laura Backes

Writing Multicultural Fiction for Children (Part I) - Eugie Foster

Writing Multicultural Fiction for Children (Part 2): Nuts and Bolts - Eugie Foster

Researching the Mystery

Conducting Forensic Research: A Tutorial For Mystery Writers - Hilary Conner

Don't Fire Blanks: Aim for Accuracy in Your Mystery! - Stephen Rogers

Don't Shoot Holes in Your Credibility (What You Need to Know About Firearms) - John Rains

Murder or Suicide? How You (and Your Detective) Can Tell the Difference - Michelle Acker

Reading to Write: Staying in Touch with Mystery Fiction - Stephen Rogers

Researching the Mystery Short Story - John Floyd

Somebody Call a Cop! Writing About Law Enforcement - Stephen Rogers

White Collar Crime - Stephen Rogers

Writing the Mystery

Anything You Say... Tips for Effective Dialogue - Stephen Rogers

Beginings, Middles and Ends: Crafting the Mystery - Stephen Rogers

BulletProof Your Short Mysteries: Editors Tell You How! - Michael Bracken

Don't Drop Clues; Place Them Carefully!

Find the Motive, Find the Killer! - Stephen Rogers

From Cozy to Caper: A Guide to Mystery Genres - Stephen Rogers

Knock 'Em Dead -- Laughing! - Stephen Rogers

Red Herrings - Stephen Rogers

The Scene of the Crime: Choosing Your Setting - Stephen Rogers

What Is a Mystery Short Story? And How Do You Write One? - John Floyd

Writing the Cozy Mystery - Stephen Rogers

Writing Erotic Mysteries - Michael Bracken

Writing the PI Mystery - Stephen Rogers

The Basics of Romance

Building Humor into Your Romance - Anne M. Marble

Clichés to Avoid -- Or Reconstruct - Anne M. Marble

Conflict and Resolution in the Romance Novel - Linda Shertzer

Conflicted About Conflict? - Anne M. Marble

Foreshadowing and Suspense - Anne M. Marble

How not to Yank Your Reader Out of the Story! - Anne M. Marble

Research Flaws in Romance Novels - Anne M. Marble

Romance Plots from the Classics - Anne M. Marble

Seduce Your Reader with the Perfect Title! - Anne M. Marble

Story-Starters: Ten Ways to Jump-Start Your Plot - Anne M. Marble

When (and How) To Break the Rules - Anne M. Marble

Writing Emotional Scenes Without Melodrama - Anne M. Marble

Writing Romantic Dialogue - Anne M. Marble

Creating Great Characters

Creating Great Heroes and Heroines - Anne M. Marble

Don't Treat Your Characters Like Puppets! - Anne M. Marble

How Not to Create a Villain - Anne M. Marble

In the Name of Love... Finding the Right Names for Your Characters - Desmond Lindo

Name That Character! - Anne M. Marble

What's My Line? Character Professions in the Romance - Anne M. Marble

Writing Love Scenes

20 Steps to Writing Great Love Scenes - Karen Wiesner

Keeping it Sweet While Turning Up the Heat - MaryJanice Davidson

Sizzling, Sensuous and Steamy: How to Write Love Scenes - Carolyn Campbell

Ten Essentials for Writing Love Scenes - Anne M. Marble

Subgenres and Related Genres

Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Romances - Anne M. Marble

Is Erotica Right for You? - Tracy Cooper-Posey

The Subgenres of Romance - Anne M. Marble

Time-Travel Romances - Anne M. Marble

Writing and Selling Erotic Fiction - Catherine Lundoff

Writing Romantic Comedy - Shirley Kawa-Jump

Women's Fiction vs. Romance: A Tale of Two Genres - Lisa Craig

Interviews

Diana Gabaldon (by Sue Perry)

Kim Headlee (by Moira Allen)

Teresa Medeiros (by Gayle Trent)

Fern Michaels (by Gayle Trent)

JoAnn Ross (by Gayle Trent)

General Speculative Fiction Tips

Blending Fiction and History - Paula Fleming

Dialogue in Speculative Fiction: When Space Bugz Speakie Funnie and Other Problems - Paula Fleming

Finessing the Infodump - Paula Fleming

Using Current Events in Speculative Fiction - Paula Fleming

Using History: We Know Stuff Happens, but How? - Paula Fleming

What Does Your Protagonist Want? - Paula Fleming

What "Type" Is Your Character? - Paula Fleming

What's in a Name? - Moira Allen

Science Fiction

Aliens: Relatives of Ours? - Paula Fleming

Science Fiction: The Literature of Ideas - Marg Gilks, Paula Fleming, Moira Allen

Setting: The Key to Science Fiction, by Bruce Boston

Sex in SF - Paula Fleming

The Subgenres of Science Fiction - Marg Gilks, Moira Allen

Weird Science: Stranger than Fiction - Paula Fleming

Writing Soft SF - Penny Ehrenkranz

Fantasy

The Care and Feeding of Fictional Horses, by Mary K. Wilson

Contemporary Fantasy: Setting the Fantastic in the Everyday World - Paula Fleming

Creating a Realistic Fantasy World - Penny Ehrenkranz

Creative Uses of Magic in Your Fantasy Story - Philip Martin

Mixing Science and Magic: A Recipe for Disaster? - Paula Fleming

The Numberless Hordes: Keeping Your Fantasy Armies a Little Less Fantastic - John Savage

Shapeshifters: When It's Time to Shift the Story's Shape - Paula Fleming

What Is Magical Realism, Really? - Bruce Holland Rogers

What's the Magic Word: Defining the Sources, Effects and Costs of Magic - Lital Talmor

Horror

How To Write Today's Horror, Part I: The Seeds of Horror - David Taylor

How To Write Today's Horror, Part II: What Readers Want - David Taylor

How To Write Today's Horror, Part III: What Readers Don't Want - David Taylor

What Makes a Horror Writer? - Elizabeth Peake

Market Tips

Attending a Speculative Fiction Convention - Paula Fleming

Finding Good Markets, Avoiding Bad Ones - Paula Fleming

Writing for Themed Anthologies - Paula Fleming

Interviews:

Kevin J. ANDERSON - Lynne Jamneck

Piers ANTHONY: Master of Punmanship - Moira Allen

Bruce BOSTON: Writing Speculative Poetry - John Amen

David BRIN - Lynne Jamneck

Orson Scott CARD: On Religion in SF and Fantasy - Moira Allen

Jeanne CAVELOS - Lynne Jamneck

Douglas CLEGG - Lynne Jamneck

Kate ELLIOTT: An Eye for Detail - Moira Allen

Lynn FLEWELLING - Lynne Jamneck

Lynn FLEWELLING: Writing the World of the Series - Moira Allen

Ursula LEGUIN: Steering Her Craft - Faith Justice

Anne MCCAFFREY - Lynne Jamneck

Susan SIZEMORE: Writing with Bite - Moira Allen

Gordon VAN GELDER, editor of Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine - Lynne Jamneck

Tips on Entering and Winning Writing Contests

A Beginner's Guide to Writing Contests - Dawn Copeman

Choosing a Writing Contest - Tammy Mackenzie

Contesting: Why and How - Kathryn Lay

Contests: To Enter or Not to Enter? - Kathe Gogolewski

Through Judge-Coloured Spectacles: How to Win a Writing Contest - Sue Emms

21 Ways to Better Your Chances Winning Screenplay Contests - Elizabeth English

Writing Contests: When Winners Are Losers - Moira Allen

Writing to Win - Moira Allen

Poetry

Cowboy Poetry - Kennerly Clay

Critiquing Poetry (Including Your Own) - Gwyneth Box

Five Tips on Translating Poetry - Jennifer Liddy

Give Me a Meter, I'll Take a Foot - Tami Krueger

Poetic Forms: The Ballad - Conrad Geller

Poetic Forms: The Sonnet - Conrad Geller

Poetic Forms: The Triolet - Conrad Geller

Poetic Forms: The Villanelle - Conrad Geller

So You Wanna Be a Children's Poet... - Linda Phillips

Some Thoughts on Free Verse, Part I: The Line - Lawrence Schimel

Some Thoughts on Free Verse, Part II: The Shape of the Poem - Lawrence Schimel

Some Thoughts on Meter - Lawrence Schimel

Some Thoughts on Fun and Verse - Lawrence Schimel

Some Thoughts on Nontraditional Forms - Lawrence Schimel

Some Thoughts on the Sestina - Lawrence Schimel

Three Bad Reasons to Write Poetry - and One Great One! - Conrad Geller

Three Classic Welsh Poetry Forms - Tami Krueger

Turning Your Day Job Into Poetry - Shanna Germain

Visual Poetics - Nirmaldasan

Whose Rhyme Is It Anyway? - Dana Mitchell

Writing in Rhyme For Children - Laura Backes

Writing Speculative Poetry: An Interview with Bruce Boston - John Amen

Writing the 'Not-So-Simple' Haiku - Patricia Spork

Greeting Cards and Short-Verse Markets

Breaking into the Greeting Card Market - Shery Ma Belle Arrieta

Getting Your Greeting Card Line to Market - Karen Moore

Going for the Knockout Punch(line) - Nadia Ali

Greeting Cards: Writing that's Short and Sweet - Marie Cecchini

How to Succeed Writing Spanish-Language Greeting Cards - Susanna Baughman

Slogan Scribe - Jenna Glatzer

Writing for the Electronic Greeting Card Market: An Interview with Nadia Ali - Moira Allen

Scripts and Screenwriting

21 Ways to Better Your Chances of Winning Screenplay Contests - Elizabeth English

Creating Character and Characterization in Screenplays - Elizabeth English

Evaluating Your Movie Idea - Laura Brennan

The Field of Dreams: Conflict as Metaphor in Screenplays - Elizabeth English

From Novel to Screenplay: The Challenges of Adaptation - Lynne Pembroke and Jim Kalergis

How to Develop Your Premise into a Compelling Script - Kathryn McCullough

The Making of a Hollywood Film: A Guide for Screenwriters - Elizabeth English

Securing Film Rights to Published Material - Lenore Wright

What is Coverage? - Kathryn McCullough

Writing the Prize-Winning Scripts - Laura Brennan

Writing the TV Spec Script - Laura Brennan

Finding a Publisher: The Basics

10 Steps Toward Finding a Publisher - Moira Allen

Author Showcase and Syndication Services: Do They Work? - Debby Ridpath Ohi

Enhance Your Publishing IQ - Marilyn Henderson

A Quick Guide to Manuscript Format - Moira Allen

Finding an Agent

Ask an Agent: Four Agents Answer Your Questions - Natalie R. Collins

How to Play the Agent Game - Chris Gavaler

How to Pitch Your Book at a Writing Conference - Cynthia Gallagher

How to Protect Yourself from Questionable Agents - Marg Gilks

The Perfect Pitch: Pitching to Agents at a Writing Conference - Sue Fagalde Lick

What Agents Really Want - Natalie R. Collins

Pitching the Novel

How to Write a Novel Synopsis - Marg Gilks

Writing a Synopsis from the Ground Up - Dee-Ann Latona LeBlanc

Proposing a Nonfiction Book

The Art of Assembling Anthologies - Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka

Cast the Vision for Your Book - W. Terry Whalin

Building a Book from Your Columns or Articles - Mary Emma Allen

Selling Your Nonfiction Book, Part I: Finding the Right Publisher - Moira Allen

Selling Your Nonfiction Book, Part II: Making Your Pitch - Moira Allen

Selling Your Nonfiction Book, Part III: Check the Competition on Amazon! - Moira Allen

Two Sample Nonfiction Book Proposals

Electronic Publishing

Creating an Ebook in Word and PDF - Moira Allen

E-Books from the Publisher's Perspective - Sean McLachlan

Electronic Publishing: Subsidy vs. Nonsubsidy - Karen Wiesner

Formatting Your E-Book with Adobe Acrobat - Geoff Hart

Print-on-Demand (POD) Publishing

Designing a Print-on-Demand Cover, by Cathi Stevenson

DIY Publishing: Formatting Your Book for Lulu.com - Moira Allen

POD Books from the Publisher's Perspective - Sean McLachlan

The POD Quandary: How to Decide if Print-on-Demand Publishing is Right for You - Brenda Rollins

Ten Questions to Ask Before You Sign that Print-on-Demand Contract... - Sue Fagalde Lick

To POD or Not to POD: Some Pros and Cons - Moira Allen

Subsidy Publishing

The Price of Vanity - Moira Allen

Should You Pay for Publication? - Moira Allen

Subsidy Publishing: Sacrificing the Dream - Tina Morgan

Subsidy Publishing vs. Self-Publishing: What's the Difference? - Moira Allen

Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing FAQ - Moira Allen

Choosing a Self-Publishing Company - Ray Robinson

Establishing a Self-Publishing Business: The Basics - Moira Allen

Features vs. Benefits, or "Why Should I Buy Your Book?" - Brian Jud

Finding Special Sales for Self-Published Books - Brian Jud

From Self-Published Novelist to Best-Selling Author: An Interview With Richard Paul Evans - Carolyn Campbell

Fullfillment: How to Get Your Books to Your Customers - Moira Allen

Handling Orders and Invoices - Moira Allen

ISBNs, Copyright, and Other Technicalities - Moira Allen

Marketing Your Book by Direct Mail - Brian Jud

Preparing Your Book for Publication - Moira Allen

Sell More Books with a Powerful Back Cover - Judy Cullins

Setting a Price for Your Book - Moira Allen

Titles Sell Books! - Judy Cullins

Why Some Books Don't Work Well in Bookstores - Mary Westheimer

General Promotion Tips

Building a Customer Mailing List - Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Creating an E-mail Newsletter - Moira Allen

How Social Media Helps Writers - Penny J. Leisch

How To Promote Your Self-Published Book (survey response) - Dawn Copeman

If You Give It Away, Will They Still Respect You in the Morning? - MaryJanice Davidson

Mailing Lists: Their Uses and Abuses - Anne Marble

Making a List, Checking it Twice: How to Find Promotional Contacts - Debby Ridpath Ohi

Marketing Your Novel: Building the "Buzz" - Marilyn Henderson

The Missing Links to Successful Authorship - Patricia Fry

Networking and Promotion at a Writer's Conference - Debby Ridpath Ohi

Promote Your Book Through Magazine and Ezine Articles - Patricia Fry

Promoting Your Book Through Bookstores - Do You Need a Publicist? - Debby Ridpath Ohi

Selling Your Books at a Booth, Part I: Ten Tips for Success - Belea T. Keeney

Selling Your Books at a Booth, Part II: Working the Booth - Belea T. Keeney

Shouldn't You Be Podcasting? - Amy Chavez

Ten Tips for a Successful Reading - Jim Hines

Your Publicity Photo - Patricia Fry

Book Reviews

Getting Your Book Reviewed - Moira Allen

How to Get Your Book Reviewed - Debby Ridpath Ohi

The Review Process: How a Book Gets Reviewed - Sally Murphy

So You Got a Review -- Now What? - Sally Murphy

Who Reads Book Reviews Anyway? - Sally Murphy

Booksigning Tips

40+ Ways to Make Your Next Book Signing an Event! - Larry James

Dreaming of Writer's Cramp: Signing at Bookstores and Beyond... - Peter Bowerman

How to Have a Successful Booksigning - MaryJanice Davidson

How to Make Your Booksigning a Sell-Out! - Judy Azar LeBlanc

Tips and Tricks for Booksignings - Kim Headlee

Press Releases and Presskits

Creating an Author Press Kit - Debby Ridpath Ohi

The Essential Components of the Media Kit - Ink Tree Ltd.

Seven Steps to a Great Press Release - Elizabeth Hanes

Turning Press Releases into Publishing Profits - Brian Jud

Promoting Online

Creating an Online Portfolio - Moira Allen

Do You Need an Author Website? - Moira Allen

Promoting Your Book on the Internet - Moira Allen

Starting the Buzz Before Your Book Hits the Shelves - MaryJanice Davidson

Taking Advantage of Amazon's Marketing Programs - Niki Behrikis Shanahan

Public Speaking and Media Appearances

Getting on the Air - Brian Jud

Handling the Media Interview - Michelle Giles

Handling TV Interviews - Vera Marie Badertscher

Help! I'm Going to Be on TV! - Barbara Florio Graham

How to Appear Your Best on TV - Brian Jud

How to Be a Great Radio Guest! - Larry James

Preparing for an Interview - Debby Ridpath Ohi

Promote Your Book Through Alternate Speaking Venues - Patricia Fry

Promoting Your Book Through Telephone Interviews - Brian Jud

Radio Station Checklist: Stuff You need to Know Before You Go on the Air! - Larry James

The Seven C's of Media Appearances - Brian Jud

Speak Out: Networking through Speaking at Writing Conferences - Tami Cowden

Speak Up for Your Writing - Donnell King

Speaking Without Butterflies - Moira Allen

Using Your Best VOICES on the Air - Brian Jud

What to Do When Someone Interviews you - Moira Allen

When Authors Engage in Public Speaking - Patricia Fry

Late Bloomers - Dawn Copeman

Our Readers' New Year's Resolutions 2007 - Dawn Copeman

What Do You Say To People Who Think Writing isn't a 'Real' Job? - Dawn Copeman

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