The Writer's Handbook 2001 (Writer's Handbook)

The 1999 edition of "The Writer's Handbook" edited by Sylvia K. Burack is a valuable book for writers who want to be published. Overall this is a terrific how-to write, what-to write, and where-to sell reference book. Moreover, the "Background For Writers," section of the beginning of the book is filled with nearly twenty short, succinct essays with sound advice for writers.

The "How to Write," section of the text is comprehensive. It includes a detailed summary for general fiction writers advocating strong research, good characters, effective dialogue, managing emotion and piquing the reader's curiosity. I strongly recommend that everyone read "Making Every Word Count In Your Story," by Diane Lefer. It will help all writers "tighten" pieces and reduce rejection slips from publishers.

The "How to Write," section also includes a sub-section for nonfiction, poetry, playwriting and juvenile & young adult writing. The nonfiction part of the text helped me publish my first book. However, I was very impressed with Diane O'Hehir's piece on page 337 titled, "Becoming a Poet," and with Jennifer Shepherd's, "In Praise of Rhyme." Additionally, David Copelin's "Creating Effective Stage Characters," in the playwriting section is an eye-opener.

One must not overlook the "What to Write," editing, marketing and interviews sections of this text. The information will help the author understand the challenge ahead once a manuscript is accepted. The interviews include conversations with P.D. James, Russell Banks, Arundhati Roy, Joyce Christmas, Elmore Leonard, Joan Didion and Peter Mayle. Anyone truly serious about a career in writing should read this section at least twice. The interviews are precious. Finally, "Where to Sell," at the end of the book is a pragmatic guide with thousands of suggestions for contacts. Recommended.

Bert Ruiz

I was deeply disappointed when I received this book, for one thing I had mistaken it for the Writer's Digest Markets which always satisfies with thousands of real markets and all the info one needs to sell their work.

Not so with Writer's Handbook--it is more concerned with telling you HOW to write! Telling the obvious & calling it helpful. It only includes 3000 markets at best (and repeats quite a few which would probably cut the 3000 almost in half). So if you need to know how to write, this might help, if you want to know WHERE TO SELL, this is NOT the book for you. Instead try Writer's Market 2001.

This 65th edition is fully updated, revised and expanded thereby continuing to present the aspiring writer and the seasoned author with a premier compendium of writing techniques, inspiration, and advice from dozens of leading writers in all fields and aspects of the writing process. For those seeking to market their manuscripts there are 3,300 listings for possible publication which include names, addresses, editorial requirements, payment rates, and preferred lengths. Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, essays, articles, short stories or full-length novels, writing for adult or juvenile readerships, working with agents, and more, The Writer's Handbook 2001 is an essential, core reference title that is highly recommended for personal, professional, writing class and seminar, as well as academic and community library "how to" and reference collections.

The annual edition of THE WRITER'S HANDBOOK is a joy to use. Need inspiration? Dip into the section, "Background for Writers" or soak up the interviews with successful writers. Weak plot? Wimpy characters? Study the "How-to-Write--Techniques" sections, two for fiction, another for non-fiction, with consideration of both articles and books. The handbook sometimes departs from the trite path: for instance, one article urges us to write what we DON'T know. Pulitzer Prize winning Donald Murray encourages us to "pay attention to what you need to understand and write your way to understanding." Rita Berman explains the difference in dialogue in fiction and creative nonfiction: in fiction, the writer can make up the words. In nonfiction, dialog should be verbatim from interview tapes and notes, something I'd never been clear about. The section on markets is smaller than that found in WRITER'S MARKET, but still gives a wide choice of publishers. This is a book for all writers. Definitely recommended.

Reverse the role from reader to writer.Stop wondering how.Become an eavesdropper.Spy the advice of those who have learned emotion on their way and are willing to share their wisdom and own snoopiness