The saying goes that “everyone has a story in them” and it’s the mission of Writing Magazine to help you get yours out. Brought to you by real experts who know what it takes to improve your writing or get published, this monthly magazine is a must-have for all writers. Whether you write fiction, poetry, drama, children’s books, non-fiction or anything else, each issue features tips, practical exercises and real-life advice, that will not only help you get all that creativity onto the paper but also, get your name and profile out into the industry. With writing masterclasses from professionals, industry news, events listings, competitions where you can submit your work for fantastic prizes and real paid writing opportunities, Writing Magazine has everything you need to hone and improve your talents.
DEAR READER
EDIT LIKE A PRO • Editing your early draft is where you get to make your writing work. James McCreet shows you how effective editing can be by workshopping original text into focussed writing that does what it needs to
TURN ON THE Christmas writes • In a seasonal special, Helen Stockton has rounded up some Christmas crackers in the form of festive fuel for your writing
SEEN ON SCREEN • Do you dream of seeing your words acted out on TV? Four top industry professionals offer their advice on making the grade in the competitive world of screenwriting
ROGER N MORRIS • The historical novelist tells Lynne Hackles that his routine involves falling into the research rabbit hole
Setting the scene • Conveying location and place are vital to the atmosphere of your fiction. Novelist Amanda Jennings offers advice on how to bring the places in your stories to life
BANG TO WRITES • Author T. Orr Monroe, a former CSI, looks at the challenge for crime writers to give their police procedurals a sense of authenticity
Opening the door • Award-winning crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell tells Tina Jackson about the importance of believing in yourself as a writer, and creating opportunities for other writers to get their unique voices heard
REAL LIFE, great stories • This month, Jenny Alexander invites you to try telling your memoir stories in poetry
Your writing critiqued • James McCreet applies a forensic micro-critique to the beginning of a reader’s manuscript
Tense and point of view: PART ONE • This month, writer and tutor Ian Ayris turns his atttention to two vital choices that need to be made when you begin to write your stories
PYAE MOE THET WAR • The debut rom-com writer describes how she dealt with rejection by writing a better book
Treat time • A writing success deserves a small celebration, says Lynne Hackles
MANDY ROBOTHAM • The historical novelist picks five books that have fired her imagination and inspired her own writing
The world of writing • What goes through a writer’s brain? Readers’ letters and dispatches from the wide world of writing
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: YOUR WRITING Supernatural
POETRY • Night Cravings
PROSE • Parkin
WE WANT YOUR WRITING • (and we’ll pay you for it!)
Subscribers’ news • To feature in Subscribers’ News contact: tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk
UNFORESEEN ENCOUNTER • As his gripping new thriller The Fortune Teller of Berlin hits the shelves, author JC Maetis looks at those all important opening pages
ALL RIGHT ON THE NIGHT • Alison Chisholm is entertained by a poem about the pre-performance chaos of a school Nativity play
Fit in or stand out? • Where might your book fit, in a book shop? Margaret James looks at genre and the way books are categorised, and has sound advice for writers whose books don’t fit neatly into boxes
Five quick questions 5
SOMETHING MISSING •...