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Index Interviews: Tess Gerritsen Juliana Baggott Newspaper vs. Magazine: Which Kind of Writer are You? Understanding Electronic Publishing: Part II Events Calendar Return to This Issue's Index Return to Homepage Subscribe
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Reviews of Writing Books2002 Writer's Market Online Edited by Kirsten HolmWriter's Digest Books, August, 2001Paperback, 1112 pages ISBN: 0786867191 Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
Not only does the 2002 Writer's Market Online provide
a thorough listing of the paying markets for writers,
this version also includes a subscription to writersmarket.com,
the online edition of the directory. The
combination works well, because the online
edition helps keep writers up to date with
news markets, ceased publications and
changes in editor and publisher staff
positions. The online edition includes databases
of freelance markets, agents, book
publishers, contests, awards,
and screenplay markets.
The online service also provides a
Market Watch feature which includes
writing-related news, ask the agent,
an online encyclopedia and an online
submissions tracker. The website also
allows you to view changes to the database,
which is an excellent feature. The site is
very user friendly and simple to use.
The book itself includes all the goodies that you
would expect: how-to articles,
interviews with editors and experts and
the popular market sections which include
listings for book publishers, magazines,
greeting-card publishers, script buyers and
other market opportunities for writers.
Writers who are looking for a way to discover and follow markets, as well as track their submissions will find plenty of value here. By including both a comprehensive book and an online service featuring market updates and agent and market databases, the 2002 Writer's Market Online is the best combination of print and online market resources money can buy. The Writer's Market Online is a necessity for any writer. How to Write: Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott CardWriter's Digest Books, September, 2001Paperback, 137 pages ISBN: 158297103X Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
Hugo and Nebula award-winner
Orson Scott Card is a prolific fantasy
and SF writer who also excels at giving
helpful advice to writers. He has taught
writing courses at universities and writing
workshops, including Clarion and the
Cape Cod Writers Workshop, and also authored
Characters & Viewpoints, another writing
book. In his latest book for writers, he teaches writers the
craft of fantasy and science fiction writing.
The book includes five chapters. In the first chapter
Card describes the differences between fantasy
and SF and the many possibilities they offer writers.
In the second and longest chapter, Card covers
world-building and helps writers learn the rules of
spaceflight, time travel and magic. The third chapter deals
with story construction. In this chapter Card introduces the
MICE quotient to determine which category
your story or novel fits in. He explains that
all stories contain four elements: Milieu, Idea,
Character and Event; one of these elements
generally dominates the story. The fourth
chapter covers the writing problems, including
problems of exposition and language that writers of fantasy and
SF face. The final chapter provides information
on the life and business of fantasy and SF writing.
Orson Scott Card is a great teacher.
Writers will appreciate his thorough
teachings about the craft of writing
and his explanations of why a writer should
or should not do something. Card is also
very encouraging in his tone, and helps motivate
writers to write. Highly recommended.
Poor Richard's Creating E-Books by Chris Van Buren and Jeff CogswellTop Floor Publishing, February, 2001Trade Paperback, 317 pages ISBN: 1930082029 Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
Ebooks, print-on-demand and electronic
publishing are publishing options that
many authors are now seeking to publish
their books. The formats and publishing
methods vary greatly. This book covers
the different electronic formats and the different
publishing methods which are available. It also discusses different
ways people can read electronic books.
The book discusses several electronic
publishers and epublishing services in
detail, including Random House, Simon & Schuster,
iUniverse, Xlibris, DiskUs Publishing and Sansip
Publishing.
There is also a section which includes
sample epublishing contracts and a chapter
on digital rights and copyright.
The
book includes chapters on marketing
and promotion, as well as coverage of
business issues of electronic publishing
including production, distribution and
selling costs.
The book also featues links to resources
that can help you keep up-to-date on
this rapidly changing subject.
The book provides a great introduction
to the world of electronic publishing and
gives a solid overview of the industry
so writers can decide how and where
to being their self-publishing journey.
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