Reviews of Writing Books

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1998 Guide to Literary Agents, by Don Prues
Writer's Digest Books, Jan., 1998.
Trade Paperback, 359 pages.
ISBN: 0898798205.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

1998 Guide to Literary Agents
by Jesse Lee Kercheval

This guidebook provides listings and information on agents including contact information, the fees they charge (if any), tips from the agents, needs of the agent, agent commissions, recent sales to publishers and upcoming conferences the agent or agency will be attending. The contact information includes names, addresses, fax and phone numbers, email addresses and websites. The agent listings in the book are divided into two sections, literary agents and script agents, each of which is further divided into fee charging and non-fee charging agents. Useful indexes in the back of the book help you find agent listings by agency name, by genre and category or by the agency's openness to new submissions. You can also use the geographical index to find an agent in your vicinity. In addition to the many agent listings, the book also includes articles, interviews with agents, a large writing conferences section and lists of other agent resources including books, writer's organizations, and websites.

This comprehensive guide provides practical advice on how to get an agent to represent you and hundreds of detailed listings of agents. A must-have for any serious writer who is seeking an agent.

1998 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market edited by Barbara Kuroff
Writer's Digest Books, Jan., 1998.
Trade Paperback, 682 pages.
ISBN: 0898798183
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.

1998 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market
by Barbara Kuroff

This market guide provides listings of a variety of publications looking for works of fiction. The listings include publications such as literary magazines, zines, electronic publications, small circulation magazines, and commercial magazines. For novel writers, the markets include "big name" book publishers as well as the small presses. This year's edition of the guide includes over 2000 listings which include contact information (including email and URLs), names of the editor(s), publication details (type of paper, circulation, etc.), needs of the publication, payment details, reporting times and advice from the editor(s) themselves. The book also provides instruction with articles on writing including characterization and dialogue, interviews with established writers (including William Heffernan, author of The Dinosaur Club), personal experience quips from writers published for the first time and a section on the business of fiction writing which includes query letters, manuscript mechanics and mailing tips.

The Novel & Short Story Writer's Market puts an enormous amount of information in the fiction writer's hands. Even so, the markets in the book are easily referenced; a handy index in the book allows you to reference the markets by various categories including adventure, juvenile, erotica, ethnic, gay, literary, mystery and western. In addition to the markets, the reference book also lists writing contests and conferences of interest to fiction writers. A thorough and complete resource with plenty of information and fiction markets for both beginning and established fiction writers.

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Reviews of Writing Books

1998 Guide to Literary Agents, by Don Prues

1998 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market edited by Barbara Kuroff