Customer Reviews

2005 Writers Market

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book and its companion website have been indispensible for me. The sheer breadth of markets and contact info is enough to make it worth it, but I also love the search capabilities of the website and the submission tracker, which I use every time I send out a query or get a response. No need for vast index card files anymore; now I can just click to find out if I've submitted to a market before, which editor responded, what the feedback was, etc.

There is no better book for writers looking for markets for their work. Whether you write books or articles, you're bound to find appropriate publishers here-- usually with website and e-mail addresses included, along with the pay rate and what each one is looking for. This series represents a tremendous amount of research and saves me a ton of money and time in tracking down writer's guidelines and trying to ascertain needs, contact info, rates, etc. for each publication.

I found my first paying markets in the Writer's Market many years ago, and have bought the book every year since then. I wouldn't have a career without it, and now I can't imagine doing without the online version, either. If I just came up with a great idea for an article about a health topic, I can search (with one click) to find out which high-paying magazines publish health articles, accept queries by e-mail, and have websites.

You're truly missing out if you don't have this book on your reference shelf.

--Jenna Glatzer
Author of MAKE A REAL LIVING AS A FREELANCE WRITER and editor of AbsoluteWrite.com

I reviewed the Deluxe Edition of the 2005 Writer's Market book (see my original review, probably below). However, amazon.com posted the review to THIS edition of the book, which is NOT the Deluxe Edition.

It is hard to search for and find the 2005 Writer's Market Deluxe Edition on amazon.com. I do not know why. That edition costs $32.99 and has the 1-year subscription to the web site and more material. I hope this helps.

So, you've decided to become a writer. You've studied writing, had your work critiqued, learned all there is to know about editing, and you are ready to look for a publisher. The question now is which market survey book is right for you: Writer's Market or Jeff Herman's Writer's Guide.

First, let me state that both these books are excellent and full of very useful information. Neither one is, as the reviewer below says, a "telephone book."

The primary advantage of Herman's book is that the listings are very detailed. Another thing that may be an advantage to some is this one book covers fiction and nonfiction, agents and book publishers. It contains some very useful articles on the business, most of them written by Jeff Herman himself (and he knows his stuff).

The primary advantages of Writer's Market is that it contains magazine listings (as well as listings for book publishers) and most listings include icons that show how well the particular magazine pays or how open the publishing house is to unagented submissions. Writer's Market is particularly suited to the nonfiction writer, because there are special Writer's Digest books for children's writers and illustrators, and for novel and short story writers. (There is also a Writer's Digest guide to literary agents, and there used to be a Poet's Market, but it seems the last edition of that was published in 2002.) Writer's Market contains many interesting articles and interviews with industry insiders, which are very informative and well written.

So which should you get? If you can afford it, get both. If not... it's a tough call.

This year I opted for Writer's Market, because I plan to make a living doing what I'm good at: writing for magazines and newspapers. I haven't read the book cover to cover yet, but I've noticed many changes, and I like them. I've also purchased the other Writer's Market survey books, because I would like to work in the children's market, get my novel published and maybe find an agent.

Please, do not buy this book with the expectation that it will automatically turn you into a published writer. That is not the case. To succeed in this business, a writer needs talent, perseverance, the ability to listen to editors and to adjust to the market's demands, and great timing. As technology makes it easier for people with little or no talent to send manuscripts to editors and agents, it becomes harder and harder for great writers to get noticed. Imagine yourself in the shoes of an editor who receives over a hundred queries a day, and you'll start to understand why it is so hard to break in. Hard but not impossible.

I would highly recommend 2005 Writer's Market to those who take the job of writing and publishing very seriously and have studied the craft. To others I would say, study the craft first, get feedback from other writers, learn from your mistakes, edit your work, and try to get a bit of non-paying or low-paying experience first before you try to break into the big league. Either that or become a celebrity, and to heck with actual talent. You can publish a children's book or get someone else to write a bestseller for you.

Great book. When looking at amazon.com for this book, it first displayed the "regular" edition, which is much less expensive. This is the Deluxe Edition, which includes a 1-year subscription to the WritersMarket.com web site. The site updates information, which is very valuable as the months go by. The Deluxe Edition also contains additional material that the "regular" edition doesn't have.

Just make sure you order the edition you want.

I'm just your average joe, but in the late 80's I purchased a copy of this superb manual and got published...and paid for it!!! Whether you're a man or woman, whether you're so rich you stink or living in a cardboard box poor, you'll benefit from this guide if you are an inspired writer or just simply love writing. Now please note this: I studied creative writing from an professional author of several books, who also ghost writes for a major publication. Her words to everyone in the class was "you'll average 70 rejections before getting published. This applies to beginners as well as seasoned pros."
And for all you doubting Thomas' out there, note this: Write it and put it out. You might just get published on your first attempt, but you'll never know until you try. Don't concern yourself with what your peers think. If your conscious bothers you enough to write it, write and put it out.
I got a whopping $4.00 for my first article, but it inspired me enough to try again. The next time I got published, not only did I get a good paycheck, but I succeeded in getting the magazine to change one of its policies. A policy concerning pen pal ads that made it safer for advertisers.
With this guide, you'll get details on book publishers, magazine publishers, their addresses, phone numbers, and if they have one, their emails. You'll get publishers of everything from erotica, to religion, from sports to entertainment. If you want to get published, this book can help.

This is it folks. If you like writing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or even greeting cards, this is a must-have book for you!

There are over 4,000 places listed, including tips on how to make the best impression, in this market guide. It has easy to follow tabs and guides that point out the important items to consider when submitting proposals. The tips are awesome and provide a great deal of insight into the publishing world.

The book tells you whether or not a publication accepts manuscripts and articles online, through a fax machine, or only through snail-mail. It also includes the amount of money publishers pay for accepted works.

The 2005 Writer's Market also expalins exactly what kind of writing each publisher is looking for, the amount of work they accept each year, and the best way to package your work.

There is simply no better resource for any writer. This book will help you submit your work in the best possible format and increase your chances of finding publishers who are interested in your product.

This book is a great investment and a must have for anyone seriously considering a career in writing.

See ya next review.

Way back in 1997, I sold my very first article to EEO Bimonthly magazine using Writer's Market. The description of the magazine in WM was so thorough that I didn't even need to read the magazine before pitching it! I've continued to buy this directory every year since then -- and I've now written for more than 120 magazines.

Though these days I normally find high-paying markets by browsing the newsstands and through word-of-mouth, I use Writer's Market to find these publications' Web sites, phone numbers, and addresses. I've also used the book to find markets for my reprints.

One caveat: Editors move around so quickly that by the time WM hits the stands, many of the editors may have moved on to different publications. I suggest using Writer's Market to find a potential market's phone number, then calling to find the name of the correct editor to pitch.

Linda Formichelli, co-author of The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success and owner of www.twowriters.net.

Just as my title states the 2005 Writers Market neglects playwriting. I bought this book because I had owned the 2003 version. The 2003 version helped me develop great relationships with theaters all over our country. This is due to the creators of the 2003 version actually paying as much attention to finding out submission details as they did for other types of writers(fiction, non-fiction, short story, etc...) Unfortunately, that effort has been abandoned in this 2005 version. (I do not know about the 2004 version.) There is a little information about playwriting contests, but no information about submission policies for theaters(as previously printed in the 2003 version). What happened? It is bad enough that playwrights don't get enough respect in the literary world and now we are being shunned farther into the literary corner. If you are a playwright, this book will not help you any better than doing the google-ing yourself.

What type of work do you want to publish? An article, book, a greeting card?

The 2005 Writer's Market has these markets and more covered. This year's guide has been completely redesigned and every listing has been 100 percent updated.

One of the most helpful sections of the guide starts on page 71. "How Much Should I Charge?" is a question most writers face at some point in their writing career. This particular section in this year's Writer's Market contains invaluable information to give you a better idea of going rates.

Fields covered in the rates section include copywriting, book publishing, editorial rates, newspapers, magazines and even miscellaneous writing projects like comedy writing for nightclub entertainers. Laying this information out for writers in both per hour and per project forms gives writers the exact info they need to make sure they're getting the most out of their own rates. This info alone makes the guide worth purchasing.

But there's even more.

You'll find about 1,000 pages of listings covering agents, publishers, magazine markets, writers' conferences and more. Each listing shows you exactly what the agent, publisher or editor is looking for - a must for writers to know before they submit their work.

Listings show you the contact info, pay rates, exact needs, submission guidelines and even helpful tips on breaking into that particular market. For writers looking for a book publisher, you'll be interested in the number of titles the publisher releases in a year as well as the percentages of books published from first-time authors, agented authors and those without representation.

Every year, you can always count on the Writer's Market guides to contain helpful articles. This year, some of the articles included are:

* Entry-Level Opportunities - 10 Gigs for Rookie Writers
* What Really Happens? - Understanding the Publishing Process
* Getting Great Interviews - Three Writers Offer Interview Tips
* Online Opportunities - Living the Freelance Life Online

Whether you're just beginning your writing career or you're a seasoned pro, the 2005 Writer's Market is essential to seeing your work in print.

Don't make the mistake of working from a previous year's Writer's Market. Market needs change and if you're going to actively pursue a career in writing, you've got to stay on top of the writing opportunities, the contact info and their current needs.

The 2005 Writer's Market is your first step to seeing your work published in 2005. An absolute must for serious writers.

Provides the names and addresses every writer needs. Every time I decide I don't need the new one, I find that I do. I wish they'd leave the interviews and "inside publishing" crap-o-bilia out, however. Cut the size, cut the price.