Writer's Handbook 2002 [Paperback]

Elfrieda Abbe (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The annual Writer's Handbook competes neck-and-neck with the better-known Writer's Market. The 2002 Handbook lists 3,300 markets and resources; the 2002 Market "about 4,000." Though the Handbook blurbs are not as detailed as the Market's, they are a whole lot easier on the eyes. What differentiates the Handbook from the competition is about three times as many articles about the writing life. The book's 61 such pieces, most reprinted from The Writer magazine, are by the likes of Sue Grafton, John Ciardi, and Maeve Binchy. In a piece titled "Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully--in Ten Minutes," Stephen King recommends that you "be talented," "remove every extraneous word," and "never look at a reference book while doing a first draft." This is the first Writer's Handbook in many years not to have been edited by Sylvia Burack; the transition to a new editor, Elfrieda Abbe, appears seamless. --Jane Steinberg

Review

“Invaluable for any aspiring author yearning to break into print and make a living out of what they write.” -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 1056 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill Pubns (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871161893
• ISBN-13: 978-0871161895
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,826,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding anthology of articles and essays, October 10, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writer's Handbook 2002 (Paperback)

The Writer's Handbook 2002 is a superbly presented 700 page compendium of practical advice and informative insight on how to succeed as a professional writer. This outstanding anthology of articles and essays by established and successful writers covers every aspect of the writing process from original concepts to research to marketing. From Stephen King, Anne Rice, and John Updike, to Jane Yolen, Elmore Leonard, and Wallace Stegner, the range of diverse authors is nothing short of impressive and their counsel will provide invaluable for any aspiring author yearning to break into print and make a living out of what they write.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Writer's Resource, April 25, 2003

By 

shoutgrace "savedbyhisgrace" (Charleston, WV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writer's Handbook 2002 (Paperback)

If you were to use only two of the best writer's resources I would say that "The Writer's Market" and this book along with it as your main tools of marketing and refining your work. Why this book? This book contains about 60 articles of advice by the most successful writers in the business. Even for a beginner this may be the only book they'll use.

It's packed with useful information. It's gives the writer techniques, inspiration and advice. Some of these techniques are discussed how to find more time to write, creating memorable characters and revising your writing. It evens tells you specific wways to market your work, designing your website and writing for niche markets. As an added plus there are over 3000 listings of markets and resources including 2000 magazines in 45 categories ranging from performing arts and religion to adult literary to juvenile. Each one with descriptions and contact information. There's 600 book publishers, plus organizations and a glossary. This is one source that will be referred to many times over. I know I have. This is one of the best writer's resource book you can get. I'm sure this is to be updated in 2003.