» A Guest Author

Writing Letters to the Editor: A Great Exercise for Any Writer

by Ellen Levitt Savvy, enterprising writers look for publishing opportunities all over the place, and there are always opportunities for writing letters to editors. While it’s rare to receive monetary payment for this sort of writing, there are many reasons to undertake this exercise. Newspapers, magazines, journals — either online or in-print — offer many…

Issue Four Hundred Nine

How Strong Is Your Narrative Arc?

Holly Garcia When I first started writing fiction, I thought it was as simple as having a good idea. Sure, there would be characters involved in a particular setting. The plot I had in mind would send my readers on a journey, but once I got deeper into crafting my work, I realized how important…

Issue Four Hundred Eleven Special Issue

Interviewing for Fiction and Nonfiction Writers

by Ellen Levitt For some authors, writing is a solitary craft; just the creator and the computer (or notebook with pen); occasionally they correspond via email or traditional mail with other people. But for others, there is necessary, frequent and important interaction with other people. Nonfiction writers in particular often must interview people for their…

Issue Four Hundred Eight Special Feature

A Warning Against Contributory Contracts

By Rumbidzai Whena The publisher listed here is renamed, but it is one of the many publishers on Writer Beware Thumbs Down list. Contributory. An adjective, stemming from the word contribute, meaning to give something which will become part of a greater whole. Morally, contributions show a unity of purpose, a togetherness of sorts. It…

Issue Four Hundred Eighteen

The Plagiarism Plague

By Brian Douglas I was thrilled when I got the call. A local writer’s group, after receiving a draft of a short story I’d written, extended an invitation for me to join their circle. I showed up at the appropriate time and place and was warmly welcomed. As time went on, I came to value…

Issue Four Hundred Seven Special Feature

5 Magazines that Publish Strange Poetry

Kallie Falandays Writing poetry is just part of the process. After you write and edit, you have to think about—ya know—the publication process. Normally, you might group a series of poems and send them out to tried-and-true magazines. But not all of your poems fit neatly with what editors say they want. That cross-genre poem…

Issue Four Hundred Twelve

Five Lessons Writers Can Learn From Fanfiction

By Cat Sole fanfiction: fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, film, etc. Up until last year, I had completely dismissed fanfiction. From my limited exposure to the art form, I was under the impression that it was poorly written, a waste of time, and was exclusively for…

Issue Four Hundred Six Special Feature

Flash Fiction, Short Stories, and Novels, Oh My! What is the Best Fit for Your Work?

By Holly Garcia When someone tells you they’re a fiction writer, what do you imagine they write? Maybe the next great literary novel comes to mind. Or perhaps a series of short stories, à la Edgar Allen Poe. What if they told you there is a form of storytelling that can occur in as little as…

Issue Four Hundred Five Special Feature

How to Lose an Agent in Ten Seconds

By Katherine DeGilio While querying is an essential part of the traditionally published author’s journey, the process can begin to feel a lot like climbing a never-ending ladder. Every step up leads to more steps. There is a myriad of information on how to make the process easier. “How to Query” articles rule the internet,…

Issue Four Hundred Four Special Feature

34 Journals Publishing Very Short Prose & Poetry

By Zebulon Huset “For Sale: Baby Shoes, never worn.” This is one of the most widely known microfiction pieces, often attributed to Ernest Hemingway, though that attribution is tenuous. William Carlos Williams’ poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” would be an example of one of the best known very short poems clocking in at a debatable 17…

Special Issue

Quirky, Funky & Strange—94 Awesome Literary Magazines with Odd Names

Zebulon Huset Over the years I’ve developed a soft spot in my heart for journals with quirky titles. There are thousands of ‘this region’ Reviews, and ‘this river’ Magazines or ‘this college’ Journals, and while I certainly love a lot of the classically titled journals as well, there’s just something endearing and intriguing about a…

Special Issue

3 Ways to Strengthen Your Writing Habit

Holly Garcia This past year was a trip. Remote work became a thing for many, parents became teachers overnight, and many of us found ourselves putting our writing on the back burner. Now that you are adjusting to your new normal, it seems the perfect time to get back to your writing project. You established…

Issue Four Hundred One Special Feature

Writing a Non-Fiction Book in an Established Series

By Ellen Levitt The publishing world has many interesting non-fiction book series that have multiple titles, and they often look to expand their catalogues. If you would enjoy writing a title about travel and touring, a how-to manual, a book of music instruction, a cookbook or many other topics, there are a wide variety of…

Issue Three Hundred Ninety Nine Special Issue

The Art of Describing Characters

By Gillian Haines Gary Provost said, “The story is not what happens; the story is who it happens to.” In other words, characters create and drive plot. They also make readers care about plot events. So how do we introduce vibrant, believable characters imbued with flesh, breath, and spirit that readers connect with? Create a…

Issue Three Hundred Ninety Eight Uncategorized

The Benefits and Challenges That Come With Writing Under a Pen Name

By Holly Garcia A nom de plume, or pen name, was introduced in the 19th century and has been used by many well-known authors. From Mark Twain to Louisa May Alcott, every writer has different reasons for choosing how to represent themselves. This article will discuss the benefits and challenges that come with writing under…

Issue Three Hundred Ninety Seven

Articles by A Guest Author