Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2021 i The Writer

The first draft of my work-in-progress is 75% cat barf. I can practically hear all of you now, making soothing tut-tut noises designed to make me feel better about myself, but it’s OK, really! I know it’s a mess, because it was only when I was 75% of the way through writing it that I realized I was holding myself accountable to something that I’d always intended to be a guide, and it had become a prison. I’m talking about research. The work in question is a work of historical fiction, pegged to a polar expedition that took place in 1914. I had traveled to London, Cambridge, and Antarctica for it, and the specter of Ernest Shackleton was looming over me, creating a miasma of fug with the pipe that’s…

IT is every writer’s dream: You pen an article that catches fire online, drawing so many views and shares that agents suddenly line up to query you instead of vice versa. But what happens after you go viral? How do you effectively parlay those five minutes of fame into a book – a good book? And what pitfalls should you beware of as you navigate the post-viral party in your inbox? We spoke with three writers whose viral articles landed them book deals, as well as an agent who has represented writers gone viral. Their insights can help you through the days and weeks after your story lights up social media. You can’t teach this First, a note on going viral. Everyone interviewed affirms this is not the best way…

Don’t miss our upcoming webinar! We’re hosting the next installment of our webinar series in June, and this month editor Nicki Porter will show attendees how to build the very best support system for their writing, both online and off. If you’re not a member of The Writer, consider joining: You’ll get access to this webinar and all future eWorkshops for free. Learn more at writermag.com/memberships. Get ready to write short Our Summer Flash Contest is one of our most popular writing competitions of the year, and the start date is just around the corner. Starting on July 1, we’ll be open to your submissions of fiction OR nonfiction told in 1,000 words or less. Bookmark writermag.com/contests for more information about this and all of our other contests at The…

When writer and medical educator Syed Rizvi saw the World Health Organization’s call on social media for writers and artists to create pandemic-related materials for the public last year, he used his position as founder of the online medical education platform REV MED to mobilize a team of healthcare providers and brainstormed how they might best be of service to a baffled and terrified world. “A lot of creatives answered that call and put out amazing illustrations, infographics, tweets, and videos,” he says, “but I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to put out a concrete book, a guidebook that spoke to people during the pandemic, but also for future generations to show how the COVID pandemic of 2020 was handled.” The result was a vibrantly illustrated…

When writer and editor Sherisa de Groot was pregnant with her first child, she couldn’t find blogs or stories in literary magazines written by or for Black mothers. She couldn’t find stories that reflected her situation, either; she’s from Brooklyn, living in Amsterdam in an interracial marriage with multiracial kids. “I was looking for my voice, and it wasn’t there in the ways I needed it to be,” she says. “I’m an immigrant. My mother is an immigrant, and my grandmother was an immigrant. That’s common to me, but I couldn’t find it in literature.” Six years ago, she launched a Patreon account and founded Raising Mothers – a digital literary magazine for Black, Indigenous, and Brown mothers and nonbinary parents of color. “We share these stories, and we center…

“I am going to notice the lights of the earth, the sun and the moon and the stars, the lights of our candles as we march, the lights with which spring teases us, the light that is already present.”—Anne Lamott 1. LAPTOP COOLER Working in hot weather can cause your laptop to overheat more quickly. Keep it (and your lap) nice and cool with this Havit pad, which has four quiet fans to keep things breezy. $29.99, amazon.com. 2. SHADE ON THE GO This miniature umbrella from Sport-Brella offers impressive coverage for its small size and easily clamps onto whatever chair you’re currently sitting, eliminating laptop glare for good. $19.99, dickssportinggoods.com 3. CASE-AND-COVER If you need a more rugged option for protecting your laptop from the elements, consider this tent-style…

You’re a writer. You write! Or, at least, you really should be writing…I mean, if you step away from the keyboard for this long, are you even still a real writer? For goodness’ sake, yes. Writers who aren’t writing are often consumed with guilt and doubts. But time away from your desk isn’t merely good for your work-life balance. It’s also a crucial part of the writing process. Knowing how and when to step away from the page is an important element of craft – one that’s no less essential than fine-tuning your ear for dialogue, sharpening your revision skills, or honing your voice. As with those other skills, you’ll discover how best to wield time off through experimentation and practice. The first step to getting good at not writing…

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”—ANTON CHEKHOV Among a number of other things, fiction writers are urged to “show, don’t tell.” Why? Because readers relate to the world around them with their five senses, and if you want them to experience the world of your characters, you’ve got to place them in that world – viscerally. Showing can come in different forms. It can be imagery that allows us to see, touch, or taste, or it can be scenic treatment that allows us to experience character conflicts firsthand. But must you show everything? Some telling is needed, isn’t it? Second, how do you go about showing – and at what point in your writing process do you manage this? Third,…

Since 1995, writers have gathered online and in person around literature that recognizes the role of women in the history of the American West, specifically their influences on the culture and growth of the region. Each year, members of Women Writing the West come together with other writers, agents, publishers, and book professionals in cities including Seattle, Denver, Tucson, and Albuquerque. As in 2020, the 2021 Women Writing the West Conference will take place remotely. “That’s the best way we can keep everyone safe yet still be together,” says the organization’s president, Barbara K. Froman. Organizers have put together a three-day event that blends informational workshops and presentations with fun networking activities online. What you’ll learn Prior to the conference, writers can sign up to participate in a roundtable with…

I have been writing for some time and hope to submit to publishers and magazines this year. Would you please help me with an area of concern? In the ads section of The Writer magazine, readers are urged to “use caution when entering into a legal contract with a literary service offering agenting-like assistance.” Should I consult with a lawyer prior to signing a contract? What should writers offer their agents, and what should authors reasonably expect from agents? Thank you for your kind advice! —WONDERING IN L.A. Dear Wondering, It is so great that you feel like you’re ready to submit! Giddy-up! Ah, the legal bits. There are, unfortunately, a number of unsavory actors out there who will claim to offer “agenting-like” assistance while not actually doing agent-appropriate things.…