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I've mentioned elsewhere that I've pretty much given up of the UK market as I detest the direction in which the Slipstream movement has taken the short story form over the past 15 years.
I still care about story and frankly British 'mood fiction' just doesn't do it for me. I'm going to try out my work on the US market, and reckon you guys are the best folks to ask.
I've browsed through the reference section of my local Borders bookstore, but before I commit to buying these titles (from amazon.com rather than Borders itself) I would be incredibly grateful if any of you could spare the time to tell me if, yes, these are good, so go ahead and get them. Or not, as the case may be.
As we all know, one of the most important things we'll ever write are query letters to literary agents, so if you know of any really good books that cover this particular subject I'd appreciate it also. Thanks in advance for any advice which is forthcoming. All titles below are US, not UK, publications.
Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript by Cynthia Laufenberg Writer's Digest Books
Agents, Editors and You by Michelle Howry Writer's Digest Books
The Forest for the Trees: an editor's advice for writers by Betsy Lerner
2006 Novel & Short Story Writer's MarketWriter's Digest Books
2006 Guide to Literary AgentsWriter's Digest Books
Finally, has anyone heard of this book:
Flip Dictionary by Barbara Ann Kipfer Writer's Digest Books
It's apparently geared toward helping writer's find those frustrating words that are just on the tip of your tongue - although I'm wonder if it's not just a thesaurus under a different name. Borders had a few copies of it - and it's a big doorstopper of a volume - and I flicked through it and it seemed okay.
[This message has been edited by Paul-girtbooks (edited September 16, 2005).]
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Paul, I don't know if you own/have read these yet, but I have to recommend them:
Both of OSC's books on how to write. You can get them on Amazon or even here in the Hatrack bookshop.
I enjoyed Nancy Kress' Beginnings, Middles and Ends. It's pretty short and a very easy read.
There are a bunch of really good ones out there. There are also a lot of threads already discussing good books here in this forum, a few searches should bring them up.
I can't speak to the ones you listed; haven't read any of them. Sorry.
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I own all three titles autumnmuse mentioned, plus about 30 others, but both of OSC's books (Characters & Viewpoint and How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy) are the ones I carry around in my backpack all the time -- to work, to lunch, to the library, bookstore, bathroom... uh, wait... TMI. Posts: 151 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Stephen King's On Writing is an interesting look at the way his mind works. The things he does don't apply to everyone, but it is interesting to watch his stories come to life, and there are a lot of useful information nuggets sprinkled throughout.
Posts: 818 | Registered: Aug 2004
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The various 2006 Writer's Markets and other dated guides tend to be out-of-date by the time they're printed. You can generally get much more up-to-date information of this sort on-line, without the expense. I also don't see why you'd need an entire book for manuscript submission. There are a couple of easily findable web sites that have pretty much all you need to know.
I haven't read any of the others, but I also recommend the two OSC books.
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Thanks, guys. Rickfisher, are there any specific online sites which you recommend? After browsing Card's Uncle Orson's Writing Class here on this website I do intend to pick up his book on characters and viewpoint.
However, I'm not looking for books about the craft of writing itself (after five novels, three novellas and four-dozen short stories I reckon I've pretty much gotten a handle on the process of writing itself over the past 16 years). What I really need help with is what to do with it after it's written. Particularly with regards to query letters to literary agents; for instance, examples of what to do and what not to do in them.
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In that case, Paul, I wouldn't buy any of them. Do online research instead. www.sfwa.org has a lot of useful information, and there are a bunch of other places as well.
Also, out of curiosity, have you had any pro sales or been to any workshops such as a UK version of Clarion or anything?
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I recommend a visit to your local state or county library (not sure if there is a similar resource outside the USA? Surely there must be!) Even the library here in my hometown of 12,000 people has several of those titles on its shelf. You can BORROW the book, peruse it, and see if you wish to add it to your permanent collection. And with the online card catalogs they have now-a-days, you can usually ORDER a book via the network with other libraries in your state.
Posts: 2026 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I have to laugh. You ask for advice on books about markets and everyone gives you lists of books about writing! TeeHee!
OK. Here's what you do. You subscribe to Writer's Market online. It costs something like $25 (US) per year, OR you can subscribe month by month for something like $4 a month. That way you can subscribe for a month, get what you want from it, then cancel. The next time you need it, you plunk down another virtual $4 for another month.
As far as the other books, the Writer's Digest books are usually pretty good. The others <shrug>, it's often a roll of the dice.
- sadly, autumnmuse, I haven't made a pro sale yet. I've had three short stories and five articles published in the non-paying very small press in the UK. Although I have continuously kept writing these past 16 years, I haven't in actual fact submitted my work to the UK markets (or any markets) for a long, long time. And with the present Slipstream movement sucking the life out of the short story form in the UK I no longer have any intentions to start submitting again to the markets over here.
As to workshops over here - they're truly awful, autumnmuse! They're all into this 'mood' fiction crap. Gods, but you never met a more miserable bunch of people in your life. Writing is such a burden to them - oh, but how they suffer!! Give me a break... if they get so little pleasure out of writing, then why on earth do they do it?!!!
Or else it's the total flip side to that and the groups are all made up of middle-aged housewives who read Hello! and OK magazine and want to write incredably safe, politically correct love stories for Woman's Own or the Home Baking Journal.
Aaaaaaarrrrrhhhhhh!
But I digress...
Yes, Elan, the local library service does stock writer's market reference books... but they're all UK publications. And like I said, I'm not interested; it's pointless of me to submit to markets as a writer from which I get no pleasure as a reader.
Also, autumnmuse, I did a search for any related threads here on this website and, yes, I've came across a lot of useful stuff, so thanks for that.
Probably what I'll do is go ahead and buy the two 2006 US market and agent guides, just to give me an idea of what's out there. I know you guys have said to check out the internet instead, and I have and will continue doing so, but you know what it's like: some of those online databases can be so huge as to be positively intimidating! At least the hardcopy guides will kind of break it down for me and give me a rough handle on the US market, and then from there I can start navigating my way around the web.
Djvdakota, as to subscribing to Writer's Market online I do believe I'll give that a go - cheers!
If anyone, though, can recommend any books on how best to approach literary agents by query letter I'd be glad of your help.
[This message has been edited by Paul-girtbooks (edited September 18, 2005).]
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Paul, for a SpecFic market list try Ralan ( www.ralan.com ). Not only does it list loads of markets, broken down by "semipro and pro," "paying," and "4-the-luv" markets, it also has links. Click on "Writing Links" to get information on Agents, author websites, etc.
By the way, the best way to find how to submit a query to an agent is to go to THAT AGENT's website and see what they ask for. Not all agents have good information, but if you look at several informative sites you'll have a good idea of what most want. For any particular agent, though, always check out his/her site and see if they want anything different. Often they do.
A couple of good websites for MS format are www.speculations.com/format.htm and www.speculations.com/slush.htm . About the only thing he does that I wouldn't do is put the name and title on the left side of the header instead of the right, with the page number. The right seems more commonly asked for to me. But again, every place is different. Always go to the site of the market, and see what THEY ask for. Modify your format to fit their quirks. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them put quirks in just to see if you've read the guidelines.
Another good SpecFic market source is StoryPilot ( http://storypilot.com/ ). It has an advantage over Ralan in that you can type in the specs for your story, and it will pull up the markets that match. However, it doesn't list book publishers, and I'm not sure if they include anthologies.
For non-SpecFic you might need something like the on-line Writer's Market, I'm not sure.
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Thanks a million, rickfisher, for you time!
I haven't actual gone ahead and bought any titles off amazon yet, but there are certain books I am going to buy. However, based on everyone's advice, I'm going to skip the two 2006 guides - besides, the other ones which have caught my eye have already bumped my checkout basket final total quite enough already, even with the free delivery and considerable discounts!
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I have to laugh. You ask for advice on books about markets and everyone gives you lists of books about writing! TeeHee!
