Reviews of Writing Books
Page One of Two1998 Guide to Literary Agents, by Don Prues
Writer's Digest Books, Jan., 1998.Trade Paperback, 359 pages.
ISBN: 0898798205.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
This guidebook provides listings and information on agents including
contact information, the fees they charge (if any), tips from the
agents, needs of the agent, agent commissions, recent sales to
publishers and upcoming conferences the agent or agency will be
attending. The contact information includes names, addresses, fax
and phone numbers, email addresses and websites. The agent listings
in the book are divided into two sections, literary agents and script
agents, each of which is further divided into fee charging and
non-fee charging agents. Useful indexes in the back of the book
help you find agent listings by agency name, by genre and category
or by the agency's openness to new submissions. You can also use the
geographical index to find an agent in your vicinity. In addition
to the many agent listings, the book also includes articles,
interviews with agents, a large writing conferences section and
lists of other agent resources including books, writer's
organizations, and websites.
This comprehensive guide provides practical advice on how to get an agent to represent you and hundreds of detailed listings of agents. A must-have for any serious writer who is seeking an agent.
1998 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market edited by Barbara Kuroff
Writer's Digest Books, Jan., 1998.Trade Paperback, 682 pages.
ISBN: 0898798183
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
This market guide provides listings of a variety of publications
looking for works of fiction. The listings include publications
such as literary magazines, zines, electronic publications, small
circulation magazines, and commercial magazines.
For novel writers, the markets include "big name" book publishers
as well as the small presses. This year's edition of the guide
includes over 2000 listings which include contact information
(including email and URLs), names of the editor(s), publication
details (type of paper, circulation, etc.), needs of the
publication, payment details, reporting times and advice from the
editor(s) themselves. The book also provides instruction with
articles on writing including characterization and dialogue,
interviews with established writers (including William Heffernan,
author of The Dinosaur Club), personal experience quips from
writers published for the first time and a section on the business
of fiction writing which includes query letters, manuscript
mechanics and mailing tips.
The Novel & Short Story Writer's Market puts an enormous amount of information in the fiction writer's hands. Even so, the markets in the book are easily referenced; a handy index in the book allows you to reference the markets by various categories including adventure, juvenile, erotica, ethnic, gay, literary, mystery and western. In addition to the markets, the reference book also lists writing contests and conferences of interest to fiction writers. A thorough and complete resource with plenty of information and fiction markets for both beginning and established fiction writers.
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