DEAR READER
WELCOME
Why think small when everything is up for grabs in the world of words? One of the greatest and most glorious things about writing is that the only limits to what we can do with it are in our imaginations. With words, you can come close to creating magic, because in writing literally anything is possible.
In this issue of Writing Magazine we’re exploring some of the many ways in which writing offers unbounded possibilities and how we can expand our creative practice. For starters, Tim Brookes, the founder of the Lost Alphabets project, has contributed a brilliant, thought-provoking piece about what writing actually consists of, and what the act of doing it means (p9). Our star interview, multi-faceted literary author Will Eaves, offers fascinating insights into opening yourself up to distraction and (lack of!) creative control (p16). You’ll find advice on infusing your children’s writing with culture and heritage (p6), writing about time travel when you don’t know much about science (p42) and adding texture to the worlds you create by thinking about the garments characters wear (p20). And, with National Poetry Day on the horizon, there’s advice not just on finding your poems (p12), but on how poetic techniques can benefit prose writers, too (p14).
Even with our minds wide open, we’ve still got our feet on the ground! Our finely honed words can create money and opportunities, so find out about creating persuasive words that pay (p4) and ghostwriting (p56) – and don’t miss the chance to see where your words might be a fit in all the competitions and calls for submission you’ll find throughout the magazine, and also the website www.writers-online.co.uk
Happy writing, and let us know where your words take you!
Tina Jackson Content Editor
CONTENTS ON THE COVER 4 Advanced creative writing: Making talent pay
Use your honed writing skills to write readable persuasive words that pay 6 Writing for children: The fictional suitcase
Advice on infusing your writing with culture and heritage 9 Writing life: What is writing? What does writing actually consists of, and what does the act of doing it mean? 12 Creative writing: Finding poems
Find your poems – and open up space so a poem can find you 14 Creative writing: Cross-pollination
Poetic techniques that will put the shine on your prose 17 Star interview: Go with the flow
Will Eaves talks about his new book, The Point of Distraction 56 The business of writing : Ghosting around
Bring other people’s stories to life through ghostwriting services
INTERVIEWS AND PROFILES 28 My path to publication: G.D. Wright
A health condition made the former police officer determined to write 30 Shelf life: Sally Page
The author of heartwarming fiction picks five beloved books 44 My writing day: Juliet Greenwood
The author of emotional historical novels
CREATIVE WRITING 20 Creative writing: Dress up and show up
Adds layers of meaning to your worldbuilding by thinking about your characters’ garments 22 Creative non-fiction: Real life, great stories
How to write autofiction, which mixes fact and fiction 24 Under the microscope
A forensic micro-critique of the beginning of a reader’s manuscript 26 Creative writing building blocks: The Building Block of
Character: Part Four The role played by secondary characters 32 The first five pages: House of secrets
Polly Crosby on the beginning of her new gothic novel 42 Creative writing: Time travel for the clueless
Novelist Jodi Taylor explores how to write science fiction
46 Poetry workshop: As sayings go
A poem that takes proverbs as its theme 48 Fiction focus: Expanding possibilities Push yourself out of your comfort zone and explore unfamiliar areas of writing 50 Masterclass: Moonlighting
How information can be communicated in a story 52 Writing for children: Winning series
Consider the series potential of chapter books 54 Fantastic realms: Sunshine horror
Shining a light on how you can write summer frights
COMMUNITY AND COMPETITIONS 29 Novel ideas 34 Readers’ letters/The wide world of writing 36 In the spotlight: WM subscribers’ creative writing 38 Subscribers’ news: WM subscribers’ publishing success stories 40 Get the write idea: Prompts to get you writing 74 Poetry winners 76 Short story winners
INSIDE THE INDUSTRY 58 Research tips: Experimentation
How to expand the parameters of your research 59 Behind the tape
Expert advice to get the details right in your crime fiction 60 Ask the agent: Adam Gauntlett
The agent talks about the narrative non-fiction market 61 Get published You’ve read the advice, now get into print! Up-to-date submission calls, publishing opportunities and writing competitions 62 Ask a literary consultant: Considering genres
Be aware of genre but let your WIP develop organically 69 Going to market 72 Travel writing know-how 78 From the other side of the desk: Advance warning Not all authors are treated equally when it comes to publishingindustry finance
OCTOBER 2024
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