Customer Reviews

2005 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market

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Every year Writer's Digest Books comes out with a new set of guides for writers, each containing updated entries and new articles. This particular guide is directed at fiction writers only; unlike in the more general Writer's Market, here literary journals publishing only poetry and magazines publishing only nonfiction are excluded, making it easier for fiction writers to navigate.

Although the author interviews and craft articles are interesting, the market entries are the most valuable. Changes in editorial staff, focus, and the demise/birth of new markets every year necessitate buying each year's edition. Beginning writers will need to carefully read "The Business of Fiction Writing" while experienced writers will bypass most of the front matter to get right to the listings. Not all magazines and book publishers are listed here since the guide requires the cooperation of the publishers, but the compilation is extensive enough for most writers.

The 2005 edition contains interviews with novelist Margaret Atwood, anthology editor Shannon Ravenel, literary editor Jill Adams, and graphic novelist David Mack. Of particular interest is a piece titled "Premiere Voices", where four authors, including The Kite Runner's Khaled Hosseini, describe their different paths to publication. Articles addressing individual genres (romance , mystery, sci-fi, horror, etc.), self-promotion, and craft and technique round out the front matter.

As a published novelist and short story writer, I find the yearly listings mostly helpful for the placement of short fiction. Novelists would do better to get an agent first (see 2005 Guide to Literary Agents) unless they believe their fiction is better suited to a smaller press, in which case the listings here would be extremely helpful. Writers are advised to read each entry carefully to determine compatibility with their own writing.

Highly recommended for writers trying to publish their fiction.

I've read and used the regular Writer's Market, and found this one to be of equal valuable. It gives you publisher's names, and addresses. Some note phone numbers, and many list email addresses and/or websites. This book can be an valuable tool in getting published. The first time I had an article published (and paid for it), was due to the fact that I obtained the address from the Writer's Market, and it's the same fine folks who publish this wonderful guide. But besides listing various publishers, it also contains information to help you get the best results in submitting your material. Information I might add, that has helped me tremendously.
Now here is somethings everyone who writes (or would like to write) need to know; I took a course in college concerning creative writing. My teacher was an published author of several books, and ghost writes for a popular publication. She told everyone in the class that writers average 70 rejections before getting published. And that applies to both new writers, as well as seasoned pros. And let me state this about all you "doubting Thomas'" out there who say to yourselves, "no one would ever publish anything I wrote". You won't know until you try!!! And why be like a lot of people who, later in life, live with regrets because they didn't try. I cannont count the number of people who have beat astronomical odds and succeeded at getting their work published. So if you want a book that will help you to at least get your work looked at, you'll need this informative publication. The one question that has been brought up to me is "How do I know they won't rip me off?". Well, anything is possible, but I have never known anyone to be taken advantage of by publishers of this book. But if you find yourself hesitant to send in a manuscript, simply contact the US copyright office, fill out the proper forms, pay the fee, and have your work copyrighted. That way, you at least have some sort of documentation of your work. but let me stress again, I have never known of anyone using any of the Writer's Market publications to have been taken advantage of. So why not get this guide, and GO FOR IT!!!

This book was extremely disappointing for short story writers, I cannot speak for novelists. Three out of four of my regular markets that I use were not listed, not even the Reader's Digest. I had to use my old 2001 Writer's Market to find the website and current editors names. I really do not recommend it.

Provides the names and addresses every writer needs. Be sure to use the latest edition, however. There's nothing worse than sending a cold manuscript to a nonexistent editor.

You could spend countless hours looking for one publisher for your work on the Internet or you could spend a few minutes looking inside the 2005 Novel and Short Story Writer's Market and have a complete list of prospects. This year's guide has undergone a complete makeover to give the 25th edition an all-new look.

You'll find complete contact information for book publishers, literary magazines, small circulation publications, online markets, consumer magazines, contests and awards, writers' conferences and other resources to help you get published. There's also a section on literary agents and if you're ready to seriously dig in and find an agent, the 2005 Guide to Literary Agents is also a must.

Not only does each Novel and Short Story Writer's Market listing contain contact information, it also shows you exactly what type of work they're looking for, the format for your submission and terms of payment. Many listings also give you advice from that particular publisher on how to break into their market.

There are a number of excellent resources in addition to the market opportunities. Articles covering everything from specific genres to self-promotion, plot structure to interviews with industry professionals, help the fiction writer not just find a market but to enhance their writing abilities as well.

No matter what your writing experience level, if you're looking for a home for your fiction, the 2005 Novel and Short Story Writer's Market is your first step in seeking publication. This guide can help you find a long list of potential publishers specifically looking for your type of work, helping you submit your work to an appropriate publisher while also saving you time and money.