STARTING OUT

It isn't necessary to spend vast sums on training courses before starting to write, although I would recommend that you start by reading a decent manual or following a home study course. The easiest way to start is to take a look at the magazines in your local newsagent. Just take a look in the women's magazines - letters' pages, true life stories, articles, recipes etc. All these are paid for, almost all to readers and freelance writers. There are tens of thousands of different magazines published worldwide, with a neverending thirst for material. Just select the ones that reflect your interests, or skills, and send them an appropriate item.

Once you have experience on shorter articles, you may feel confident enough to progress to completing that unfinished novel in the bottom of the drawer. Take advantage of all the professional help and appraisal services around and don't get too discouraged if you receive rejection slips. Enter as many writing competitions as you can. Success in these will give you the confidence boost you will need to see you through the times of doubt that will inevitably occur.

Alternatively, information products - "how-to" books, lists etc sell extremely well. Find out how to get started in this field, with two excellent new guides, described below.

Check whether the agent you are considering approaching is a member of the Association of Authors Representatives (US) or the Association of Authors Agents (UK). Both organizations have stringent membership requirements which exclude the dubious practices which are a sad fact of the publishing industry

Good luck.

FREE On-Line Course, "How to Write A Book On Anything in 14 Days or Less! GUARANTEED! Fiction or Non, get an agent in 36 hours, blueprint your entire book in 2-hours, create 'technologies' no one else has, buy a best-selling plot for 75 cents, create a non-stop client magnet, create demand for your book without ever leaving home, get an editor FREE, and much more! For more details visit Writeabooknow.com now.

If you would like a list of US companies looking for writers, check out Writers' Market 2007, available from Amazon.com

For a full list of UK Publishers consult "Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2007", available from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

SUGGESTED READING AND PUBLICATIONS  

(Also see the books page for further suggestions.)

http://www.writersweekly.com produce an excellent weekly newsletter of the latest news and freelance vacancies.

http://www.freelancewriting.com/ offers one of the best listings of current freelance writing opportunities.

If novels aren't your forte, why not consider information. You'd be surprised how much you can make just compiling a list of names and addresses or writing about a topic you know from experience.

Make Your Knowledge Sell has to be one of the most comprehensive guides written on the subject, covering everything from choosing your subject and producing your masterpiece, through to marketing it and automating the sales process. I can't possibly do it justice in just a few words so visit the site for further information.

RECOMMENDED STUDY COURSE

Written by best-selling British author, Nick Daws*, the “How to Write ANY Book in 28 Days” 4 week CD course contains such secrets as:

• The exact methods you’ll need to take your concept through to final manuscript in under a month, in less than an hour each day.
• The secrets behind freewriting. This is VERY important, as you'll find out. You'll learn why no-one talks about it and just how it can blow you away!
• How to only ever write in five minute segments, so you’ll never get bored.
• Exactly where to purchase a best selling plot for just fifty cents!
• How to instantly develop an in-depth and interesting character, using “mega quick character creation”.
• The four speediest methods of research (nothing to do with the Internet!)
• The wonder of Power Editing and how it’ll enable you to edit your entire book in under an hour!
• Ten modern killer title templates that will rocket your book sales!
• The top ten reasons people say they can’t write a book – and exactly how to overcome them!
• Where to find out precisely what your industry wants from a non-fiction book, without even asking.

plus :

• An address book of the hottest US and UK publishers and the people you need to contact!
• A directory showing the secret Web sites movie producers visit to find new manuscripts, and how you can submit yours!
• Listings of the best-paying short story publishers in the US and UK!
• Inspiration guides: ready to use book titles, plot sheets, and idea keywords!
• Full copies of in-demand Microsoft Word screenplay templates in US and UK formats!

Visit writequickly.com for full details.

*In the past three years alone, Nick Daws has written over 30 best sellers and continues to write at a ground-breaking pace!

 

	Writer's Digest Writer's Digest is the world's leading magazine for writer's. Each issue is filled with expert instruction, inspiration, and information on every aspect of the writing world. It provides tips on how to target manuscripts and captivate editors. It also lets you know how to negotiate fees.
	The Writer For over 100 years, writers have looked to The Writer as a practical guide to instruct, inform and inspire them as they work toward the goal of all the writers: publication.

How to Write a Damn Good Novel: A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling (How to Write a Damn Good Novel) by James N. Frey Written in a clear, crisp, accessible style, this book is suited for bothbeginners and professional writers who need a crash course in the down-to-earth basics of storytelling. The book provides scores of helpful suggestions and sensible rules and principles. An international bestseller, How to Write a Damn Good Novel enables all writers to face that intimidating first page, keep them on track when they falter, and help them recognize, analyze, and correct the problems in their own work.

2007 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market (Novel and Short Story Writer's Market) For over 25 years, Novel & Short Story Writer's Market has been the only resource of its kind exclusively for fiction writers - no other resource provides as many listings devoted specifically to the craft of story. Each entry details what editors are looking for, how much they pay, how soon they respond and how to get in touch with them.

2007 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market (Serial) With hundreds of market listings and dozens of articles, 2007 Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market is still the #1 reference for children's writer's and illustrators. Packed with invaluable information and insider advice, this edition features advice from some of the top names in the world of children's literature today plus hundreds of updated listings, with over 100 markets new to this edition, a spectrum of opportunities for writers and illustrators to sell their work, including book publishers and magazines, agents and art reps, greeting cards and play publishers.

Children's Book Insider

This newsletter includes hard-hitting information-packed articles written just for the children's writer, such as.

NEW MARKETS. The first thing you'll see when you pick up CBI each month is "At Presstime," two pages of fresh and exclusive market news. We'll tell you about new imprints, changes in editorial direction, calls for submission, contests, grants and much more. We use our exclusive network of sources to provide our readers with the hottest leads. And we put it all right up front, because we know your first objective as a writer is to sell. "At Presstime" is the source to find out who's buying.

THE SUBMISSIONS PROCESS. They extensively cover the nuts and bolts of submitting your work, with information that will make it easy for you to take action. Their Editor Profile series brings you up close to top editors, who will tell you, in their own words, exactly what they're looking for and how they like to be approached. Plus, CBI's feature articles cover every aspect of the submissions process, from formatting your manuscript all the way through signing a contract.

WRITING WORKSHOPS. Straightforward "how-to" pieces about writing give you the do's, don'ts and golden rules of children's literature. From picture books through young adult novels, CBI tells the secrets that can turn rejection letters into book contracts.

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS. CBI brings you the advice, encouragement and wisdom of America's top children's writers, through our series of exclusive interviews.

 See our books page for further suggestions.

Poetry.com offers you the opportunity to enter their regular free poetry competitions and win up to $10,000. You also have the opportunity to submit your own poetry to the site, and get your poetry published either in quality book form or on mousemats, mugs,sweatshirts etc.!

Please note that this is vanity press advertising in that you will almost always be told your poetry qualifies for their latest anthology, although you will have to pay to receive a copy. Despite this and disapproval in poetry circles they do appear to also offer genuine cash prizes