ARE YOUR CHARACTERS TOO PREDICTABLE?

2020 APRIL 2020

AGENT GUIDE:
90+ AGENCIES
INSIDE!

How pro auth

ors
know when a
novel is
ready for publ
ication –
and how yo
u
can, too.

PLUS!
THE TOP RESEARCH
RESOURCES YOU
SHOULD BE USING
(BUT AREN’T)
Contents April 2020
Volume 133 Number 4

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS
8 From the Front Lines
Objects in Mirror are
Closer Than They
Appear
Make blind spots work
for you.
BY YI SHUN LAI

10 Freelance Success
The risk-free freelancer
Becoming a success-
ful freelance writer
means mastering both
emotional and financial
components.
BY PETE CROATTO

38 Literary Spotlight
Kaleidoscope
BY MELISSA HART

40 Conference Insider
Bouchercon World
Mystery Convention
BY MELISSA HART

18
IN EVERY ISSUE
12 Crossing the finish line 26 Words as medicine 2 From the Editor
It’s easy to keep tinkering with a How Oakland’s OG Rev aims to
4 Take Note
manuscript forever, but at some make the world a better place
point, it’s time to cut the cord. through verse. 42 Markets
Here’s how pro authors evaluate BY MELISSA HART
a novel to see if it’s ready for pub- 47 Classified advertising
lication – and how you can, too. 32 Announcing the winners
48 How I Write
BY JACK SMITH of our flash contest
We invited readers to submit work
18 Treasure hunt in any genre – fiction or nonfiction
From the Library of Congress to – as long as the final submission
the Smithsonian Institution, na- fell under 1,000 words. Here are
tional research resources abound the first-, second-, and third-place
for the curious writer. Here’s how winners of our 2019 contest.
to use them.
BY JENNIFER L. BLANCK

writermag.com • The Writer | 1

FROM THE EDITOR
NICKI PORTER

Freefall
Once upon a time, I was a child prodigy of bad would whine in my ear. I thought about it while
fiction. washing dishes. I thought about it on the train. I
And I mean bad fiction. Awful, wretched, thought about it at 3 in the morning. And,
bore-you-to-tears fiction. mostly, I thought about how I really, really, really
My characters were all jaw-droppingly beautiful, wished that idea would shut its damn mouth and
with waist-length hair, striking features, and the leave me alone.
personality of limp cardboard. They had achingly Because the idea was fiction. And I didn’t write
long conversations about the weather and what fiction. And if I did write fiction, I most certainly
they would wear to school that day. They existed in wouldn’t write in the idea’s genre. But the idea
settings that were described in excruciating detail, didn’t shut up. It refused to leave me alone. So one
down to the precise color of the floorboards. They day, I sat down, opened a new document, and
occupied sentences that were regularly 30 words wrote my first sentence of fiction in 15 years.
longer than the average American attention span. It was hard. So I wrote another one. It was
And nothing ever happened to them. Nothing. weird. So I wrote another. And another. And
They sat contentedly in an abundance of adjectives another. And then, suddenly, it was easy, effort-
and adverbs, with nary a plot in sight. less, as if someone knocked down the barriers
And then, happily, I discovered nonfiction, and pushed my giant bowling-ball of an idea hur-
which was the equivalent of the world’s worst tling down a cliff. It was wild and scary and fast
bowler discovering bumpers at their local bowl- and dangerous and oh boy howdy it was fun.
ing alley. Suddenly, I had facts and figures to keep Fiction was fun! Who knew? And after I wrote
me in line. I had true-life events to help me stay and imagined and wrote some more, I discovered
on course. I didn’t have to invent dialogue. I my nonfiction suddenly felt more fun and free,
didn’t have to make anything up. All I had to do too. I was a little more playful with structure or
was research, listen, and consider the truth care- voice. I experimented a little more. I stuck with
fully. The plot points were already on the map; all the facts, mind you, but I became a little bolder in
I had to do was connect them. the telling. I had conjured an entire fictional
So I began describing myself as a nonfiction world into existence! What else could I do? What
writer, one who dabbled in poetry, but one who other mountains could I climb?
could never-ever write fiction, of course. Making Readers, please let my bowling-ball fiction freef-
stuff up? Bah, that wasn’t for me. Truthtelling was all be a gentle nudge this month to color outside
my art, and I’d happily leave conjuring characters the lines a bit. A lot can change in a decade. Maybe
and plot out of thin air to more imaginative souls. it’s time to give the old essay another chance. Or
Then one day, a perfect idea struck, as sure start the first page of that memoir you swore you’d
and quick as lightning. I couldn’t get it out of my never write. Begin your very first short story. Let
mind. I’d sit down to edit a piece, and the idea this year be the year you give that genre you
would pop up, waving at me from the margins. I’d thought you hated another go. You might surprise
pick up the phone to call a source, and the idea yourself – and you might even have fun doing it.

Keep writing,

Nicki Porter
Senior Editor
@nickimporter

2 | The Writer • April 2020

 This month on
Senior Editor
Nicki Porter
DIGITAL OPERATIONS writermag.com
Director of Digital
Contributing Editor
Leza Olmer
Melissa Hart
Audience Development Analyst
Copy Editor
Ryan Gillis
Toni Fitzgerald
Senior Digital Designer
Mike Decker
EDITORIAL BOARD WordPress Developer
James Applewhite, Andre Becker, Eve David Glassman
Bunting, Roy Peter Clark, Lewis Burke
Frumkes, Gail Godwin, Eileen Goudge, SALES & MARKETING
Rachel Hadas, John Jakes, John Koethe,
Senior Media Solutions Manager
Lois Lowry, Peter Meinke, Katherine
Alexandra Piccirilli
Paterson, Arthur Plotnik
PHONE: 617-279-0213
EMAIL: [email protected]
ART & PRODUCTION Client Services
[email protected]
Graphic Designer
Jaron Cote Social Media & Marketing Manager
Tim Doolan
Senior Marketing Associate
OPERATIONS Tommy Goodale
VP, Circulation Strategy Marketing Associate
Jason Pomerantz Shawn Daniel
Operations Director Content Marketing Supervisor
Cheyenne Corliss Anthony Buzzeo A monthlong celebration of poetry
Client Services & Circulation Supervisor
Andrea Palli EXECUTIVE
Did you know April is National Poetry Month? We’ll
Operations & Front Desk Coordinator Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
be celebrating our love of verse all month long,
Toni Eunice Jeffrey C. Wolk with prompts, articles, and interviews all devoted
Client Services Associate Chief Operating Officer
Darren Cormier Courtney Whitaker
to poetry.
Accounting Director SVP, Sales & Strategic Partnerships
Amanda Joyce Stuart Crystal
Accounts Payable Associate Are you following us on Instagram yet?
Content Director
Tina McDermott Matt Martinelli Every day, we share prompts, quotes, and inspira-
Accounts Receivable Associate
Wayne Tuggle tion on Instagram. If you haven’t followed us yet,
what are you waiting for? Fill your feed with writing
creativity at Instagram.com/thewritermag. And if
you haven’t found us on Facebook (facebook.com/
In memory of Susan Fitzgerald, COO, 1966-2018
TheWriterMagazine) and Twitter (twitter.com/
Newsstand Distribution thewritermag) either, now’s the perfect time to join
Weekly Retail Service
us on those platforms, too.)
SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1 Year (12 Issues) CUSTOMER SERVICE/SUBSCRIPTIONS:
US $32.95, Canada $42.95, Foreign $44.95 US: 877-252-8139
CAN/INT: 903-636-1120
Coming soon: Spring short fiction contest
CONTACT US:
The Writer EDITORIAL EMAIL: Our annual spring short story contest is right around
Madavor Media, LLC [email protected] the corner! Start dreaming up a new draft now: This
25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 404
TO SELL THE WRITER MAGAZINE
Braintree, MA 02184
IN YOUR STORE:
contest begins on April 1. Find more details when
Please include your name, mailing and
email addresses, and telephone number
Contact KPS the contest launches at writermag.submittable.com.
PHONE: 888-999-9839
with any correspondence. The Writer is
FAX: 815-734-5240
not responsible for returning unsolicited
EMAIL: [email protected]
manuscripts.

STAY IN TOUCH
The Writer (ISSN 0043-9517) is published monthly by Madavor Media, LLC, 25 Braintree Hill Office
Park, Suite 404 Braintree, MA 02184. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and at additional mailing
Put our free e-mail newsletter to work: Check out our
offices. Postmaster: Please send changes of address to The Writer, P.O. Box 4300, Big Sandy, TX weekly newsletter, which offers highlights from our
75755-4300. Subscribers allow 4-6 weeks for change of address to become effective. Subscriptions
ordered are non-cancelable and nonrefundable unless otherwise promoted. Return postage must
website and the magazine and directs you to more
accompany all manuscripts, drawings and photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no articles about craft from The Writer ’s vast archive. Find
responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights in letters sent to The Writer will be
treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to unre-
the “Sign up for our free newsletter” link at the bottom
stricted right to edit and to comment editorially. Requests for permission to reprint should be sent to of our home page, enter your e-mail address, and
the Permissions and Reprints Department. The title The Writer is registered in the U.S. Patent and
VectorMine/Shutterstock

Trademark Office. Contents copyright © 2020 by Madavor Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Nothing can
you’re in business.
be reprinted in whole or in part without permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A.

twitter.com/ facebook.com/ instagram.com/

thewritermag TheWriterMagazine thewritermag

writermag.com • The Writer | 3

 LAST TYPO
STANDING
An open letter to the
one that got away. eats words like “convalesce” and “paraphernalia”
for breakfast. Do not get her started on the eight
BY JONI B. COLE levels of adjective placement. You should have
seen her reaction to my lingering confusion
between “uninterested” and “disinterested.” (Pic-
Dear Typo, ture the prom scene in Carrie.) And then there
was the infamous “chipotle” incident. Or as that
restaurant where I took her out for a drink listed it
You win. You always win. on its menu: “chipolte.” Suffice it to say, my copy
editor won’t be invited back to Open Mic night.
No matter what we writers do; no matter how
many times we scrutinize our final drafts, you Anyway, you know the type. Yet even this woman
always manage to sneak into the published ver- proved no match for the likes of you, as evi-
sion of our books, essays, articles, emails…You denced on page 92 of my 278-page book, where
even managed to weasel (or is it wheedle?!) your the word altar blazed from the sixth line in the
way into a cover letter I once sent, applying for a third paragraph. Of course, if I had been describ-
position as a copy editor. Oh, the irony! (Or is ing a scene with communion services, or even a
that the wrong use of the word?!) human sacrifice, this might not have been a prob-
lem. But given I was describing how someone
I have to give you credit. Most publishers employ might want to alter his life, as in change it in
(yes, employ, not employee! Stop messing with small but significant ways, this proved an embar-
my head!) not one but two lines of defense to pre- rassing gaffe.
vent you from slipping into our subheads and
sentences. You are up against trained copy editors How do you do it? Where do you hide as we pore
who not only scrutinize our work for misspellings (or is it pour?!) over our work? Is there a secret
but also mistakes in word choice, style, and punc- portal in the headers or margins of our manu-
tuation. Then, after the copy editors give it their scripts where you and your besties hole up and
all, you are pitted against proofreaders whose party while we read aloud each word of our
entire raison d’etre is to smoke you out of our printed-out text from front to back; then from
typeset manuscripts before they are released to back to beginning (after…ever…happily…lived...)?
the printer.
Done! Or so we think, after proofing our manu-
I was sure, so very sure, that you had met your script for the gazillionth time. (Yes, that is a real
match with the copy editor of my last book. She number, not a typo, trust me.) Time passes. Our
4 | The Writer • April 2020
 “A poet can survive everything
but a misprint.” —Oscar Wilde

work hits the shelves. We eagerly crack open the Dark Knight, but he doesn’t have any real super-
spine to a random page… powers and – holy irreproachaboly! – with that
moral code of his, everyone knows that he can’t
“Yoo-hoo, doll!” You wave to us and do a little tap take a Joker.
dance, though your theatrics are hardly necessary.
In fact, from this point forward it is impossible (Get it? Joke…Joker. Well, I think it’s funny. Or
not to see you every time we revisit our published will readers think it’s just another typo?!)
works that were meant to reflect our scholarship,
our literary acumen, or at least that one clever I am sure all of the frustration you cause writers
idea on which we had pinned all our hopes. Hey, is funny to you. I am sure you have been laughing
Typo, didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s not nice at your clever antics for a long, long time, as far
to gloat? back as 1621, for example, when you insinuated
yourself into the Bible no less, so that the text of
And so it has come to this. Because we writers are one of the Ten Commandments read Thou shalt
mere mortals, and clearly no match for your commit adultery. Help me understand, what part
wiles, we have more lately turned to artificial of adultery is funny? Similarly, where is the
intelligence and algorithms to help thwart your humor in this other example of omission, in
efforts. How foolish of us, to think software like which a story about war crimes proclaimed: We
autocorrect could save us. Clearly, you have had must repeat these atrocities. And what about the
autocorrect in your pocket since the day this pre- trick you played on the poor Reverend Robert
sumptive data validation function (as if) was Forby in 1830, whose scholarly work The Vocabu-
released into the world. I see your influence in lary of East Anglia opened with this heading:
every one of its weirdo text replacements that Peeface. (OK, that one is a little bit funny.)
aren’t just misguided but often mortifying. Do me
a favor, Typo, the next time you two get together, Speaking from personal experience, I must warn
please pass along this message from me: Frankly, you that sometimes you go too far. Maybe writers
autocorrect, I’m getting a bit tired of your shirt. should learn to laugh off some of the mistakes and
misprints that inevitably show up in our work, but
“Write online with confidence!” Here, I know that not when it comes to our good names. For
you know that I am quoting Grammarly, one of instance, I failed to see any humor when I looked
your most recent adversaries, an AI-powered app at a published piece of mine and discovered that
that promises to check our work for hundreds of my hard work was credited to a “Jon B. Cole.”
common and advanced editorial errors. (Subject- That’s right, Jon B. Cole, which is not my first
verb agreement! Wordiness! Irregular verb conju- name and never has been. So, dear Typo, the next
gations! Plagiarism!) Yeah, right. I think you see time you are thinking about playing around with a
Grammarly as Batman to your Joker. Sure, Bat- writer’s words, just remember this: It’s all fun and
man is smart and obsessive and renowned as the games until somebody loses an i.

Sincerely,

Joni B. Cole
—Joni B. Cole is the author of the acclaimed book Good Naked:
Reflections on How to Write More, Write Better, and Be
Happier. She teaches creative writing at various MFA programs,
conferences, and social service programs and is the founder of
the Writer’s Center of White River Junction, Vermont. For more
info, visit jonibcole.com.

writermag.com • The Writer | 5

 WRITING PROMPT

POETRY PLAY Want to read more poetry

Feeling stuck lately? Let these this year? Here’s how.
constraints shake off a case of
These (free!) websites, newsletters, and social media
poet’s block and have you
accounts will help keep you immersed in verse.
falling back in love with the
genre all over again.
Q Poem-a-Day information about both the
The Academy of American poet and the featured poem’s
Could you write a poem using
Poets runs the original daily source of publication.
only…
poetry series, which features poems.com
more than 250 brand-new
• Two-syllable words?
poems each year. Each poem QT  he New Yorker
• Four-syllable words? also is accompanied by com- Poetry Bot
• Three-letter words? mentary about the piece by The New Yorker has a long
the author. On weekends, the and prestigious history of
• Twenty letters of the alphabet?
series highlights classic publishing some of America’s
• Thirteen letters of the alphabet? works from well-known finest poets. Now that his-
• Verbs and nouns? poets. And if you’d rather not tory includes Twitter: Follow
clutter your inbox, you can the publication’s “Poetry
• One hundred words?
also follow the series on Bot” account to introduce
• Fifty words? social media. your feed to some of the
• Fifteen words? Poets.org/poem-a-day best poems from the
archives. (Readers can also
• Five words? Q Poem of the Day use Facebook Messenger to
• The last word of each sentence The Poetry Foundation’s daily install the bot.)
as the starting word for the next poetry newsletter highlights twitter.com/tnypoetry
sentence? a wealth of classic poets
from the organization’s vast Q Button Poetry
• Thirty syllables?
archives all year long. The It’s one thing to experience a
• Two lines? Foundation also runs an poem on the page. It’s quite
• Nine lines with nine syllables in Audio Poem of the Day another to see and hear it
each line? series, where works are read performed by the author. But-
by actors or the poets ton Poetry’s YouTube channel
• Twenty questions?
themselves. has a vast collection of vid-
• Iambic pentameter? poetryfoundation.org/ eos showcasing poets from
• Letters that aren’t “e” or “a?” newsletter around the world, including
Sabrina Benaim’s 2014 per-
• The “snowball” constraint, in
Q Poetry Daily newsletter formance of “Explaining My
which a poem starts with a one-
This mailing list delivers Depression to My Mother,”
letter word and each word after
recently published work from which has nearly 8 million
jesadaphorn/Shutterstock

it grows in size by one letter (a

emerging and established views, and Neil Hilborn’s
two-letter word, followed by a
poets once a day in addition 2013 reading of “OCD,”
three-letter word, etc.)?
to poetry news and features. which has 14 million.
Each newsletter also includes youtube.com/ButtonPoetry

6 | The Writer • April 2020

 “If I feel physically as if the top of my head were
taken off, I know that is poetry.” —Emily Dickinson

Products
for poets
Celebrate your love of verse
during National Poetry Month SYLVIA PLATH
NECKLACE
with these poet-inspired wares.
This piece of literary
jewelry is inspired by a line
from poet Sylvia Plath’s
lone novel, The Bell Jar.
(“I took a deep breath and
listened to the old brag of
my heart. I am, I am, I am.”)
$30, outofprint.com
NIKKI GIOVANNI TEE
Legendary American poet
Nikki Giovanni serves as
the inspiration for this
minimalist portrait T-shirt.
$26, amorphia-apparel.com

WALT WHITMAN STATIONERY

These notecards from the Princeton
Architectural Press display a variety of
quotes from Walt Whitman’s poetry,
including “Each of us inevitable, each
of us limitless” and “Some people are
so much sunlight to the square inch.”
$15, papress.com

THE RUMPUS
POETRY BOOK CLUB
Subscribe to this pre-release
book club to receive soon-
to-be-published collections
from leading poets along
with access to an online
LANGSTON HUGHES TOTE group discussion group plus
This cotton tote bag from the an hourlong online chat with
Academy of American Poets features each author.
Langston Hughes’ name on one side $28/month, therumpus.net
and “I pick up my life and take it with
me” on the other.
$15, poets.myshopify.com

writermag.com • The Writer | 7

FROM THE FRONT LINES
BY YI SHUN LAI

Objects in Mirror are Closer

Than They Appear
Make blind spots work for you.

I
grew up in Southern California,
where cars are king. Our traffic
problems are the stuff of legend
because of it; the very air smog
we breathe is proof of it. When I moved
to New York City after graduation from
college, though, it became obvious to
me that mass transit was the way to go.
I took the subway, mostly, but I loved
the bus, too – I liked being above
ground, passing all those lovely neigh-
borhoods and flying through Central
Park even when cars weren’t allowed on
the main drive. Articulated buses are
my favorite – I enjoy the idea of being
two places on a city corner at once.
When I moved to Chicago, it was much
the same. I was happy to take either the
El or the bus, anywhere in Chicago.
But I’m back in Southern California
now, after having spent my formative myself of the one-dimensional charac- about the various ways it can impinge
adult years in major metropolises, and ters I sometimes read in fiction. These on our drive to do good in this world.
I find myself bemoaning the lack of the are the characters who behave as we Chugh tells a story about Kimberly
public transit system – and then hating believe they should behave. These are Davis, a black female executive who
what we do have, for its inefficiencies. the ones who conform to every stereo- attended a networking event for female
An acquaintance heard me bashing the type, so that we’re bored by the very executives, only to be ignored at every
SoCal mass transit. She reminded me act of getting to know them. These are conversational circle she tried to join.
that, for many people, mass transit is the ones who, even in minor roles, irk One explanation for this, Chugh pos-
the only way to get around. That with- us with their predictability. its, is bounded awareness: We do not
out it, they can’t get to work. And yet – they are the ones that are see what we do not expect to see.
Of course I was ashamed of myself, easiest to write. So how do we avoid Davis’s colleagues didn’t see her
for having not seen that, especially peppering our plots with them? We because they weren’t “ready” to see a
since I only learned about economic can draw once again from the world of black female executive in the room.
diversity from living in Chicago and in sociology to help us. They were more likely to see her as
New York. And yet – of course I would ••• support staff, perhaps. Or a waiter.
have this blind spot: Having only ever I’ve been thinking about this exam-
Kaylinka/Shutterstock

seen mass transit as a wonderful con- A few months ago, I wrote about The ple for a lot of reasons, but I can also
venience, I was incapable of seeing it as Person You Mean to Be: How Good Peo- see it helping to improve our writing.
a necessity. My blind spot had turned ple Fight Bias. In it, author Dolly Chugh People fall prey to unconscious when
me one-dimensional, and I reminded talks to us about unconscious bias, and their point of view takes over, which
8 | The Writer • April 2020
is…well, always: We start to only pay little bounded awareness yourself, as a characters who merely fulfill our read-
attention to the things that support reader. Maybe you love these charac- ers’ expectations.
and confirm our point of view. In ters because they’re acting in ways you
everyday relations, this results in didn’t expect people in their circum- Yi Shun Lai is the fiction editor and co-owner
#awkward moments, hurt feelings, stances to act. of Tahoma Literary Review. Read about her
missed opportunities. How do we write these characters, writing coaching and editing services; her
When writers fall prey to uncon- then? Each one is an individual; each novel, Not a Self-Help Book: The Misadven-
scious bias, we can only see the charac- of them has a unique storyline, a tures of Marty Wu; and her daily adventures at
ters we expect to see. We can’t see the unique point of view. Ask yourself, thegooddirt.org.
things that might make them shine. what circumstances will make them
First, I’d like you to take a break act differently?
here and think about your favorite So now we come around to the
characters in literature, the most mem- crux of the matter. Writing multi- • Improve your craft
orable ones. Ask yourself what you dimensional, interesting characters • Find your tribe
really liked about them. Odds are, isn’t just about the characters them- • Make lifelong connections

Santa Barbara
you’ll find that they were unusual in selves – it’s about the situations you
some way, that they broke the mold can find to put them in. Some ques-
you expected. tions for you: What can you do to this
Me, I love Mole, from The Wind in character to make them act in a way Writers Conference
the Willows. Here he is, a pleasant fel-
low, who’s decided he’s tired of his old
that we wouldn’t expect them to act?
What situations can this character put June 14-19, 2020
life and needs a new one. (In the origi- him- or herself into that will really Join us for 6 days
nal Ernest H. Shepard illustrations, he push the limits of that character’s own beachside, at the
is wearing a smoking jacket and slip- bounded awareness? Santa Barbara Hyatt
pers when we meet him – can’t you just In the case of Tony Beach, he
picture him?) And then! Out of [spoiler alert] would have never
nowhere, one day he begins to follow guessed that two guys in bad wigs
his nose, and it leads him and his would break into his unassuming little
friend Ratty back to his unattended, wine shop. In the case of Mole, he
dusty old burrow, where we find that could have never foreseen that his best
he is really a worrisome, annoying friend in the whole wide world, whom
character. He’s not really capable, or not he loves and respects, would actually
as much as we thought he was, anyway. visit Mole’s cobwebby old hovel.
Here’s another example. In Dick One more thing I want to point out
Francis’ Proof, the hero, Tony Beach, here. Some scientists studying the ben-
keeps telling us about how he doesn’t efits of literature found that reading lit-
stand out at all. How he’s really a failure erary fiction fosters empathy. An
compared to his brave father, who died article about the study noted that char-
in battle and won the Victoria Cross, or acters in literary fiction “disrupt reader
his mother, who is a huntmaster. It’s expectations, undermining prejudices
kind of true. Tony mooches around, and stereotypes,” which in turn forces
feeling sorry for himself. He thinks readers to imagine what those charac- © Peanuts Wor ldwide LLC

about his dead wife a lot, keeps out of ters might be thinking of, why they’re
the way of danger. But then, sheer bore- reacting the way they are. Our • Workshops
dom drives him to take part in a police Writers, I think, would be well 48th • Authors
investigation, and we discover someone served to remember this empathy, Year! • Agents
more interesting hidden beneath the with a twist on it: Putting yourself in a Register online:
sorrow and quotidian occupations.
What about these characters sur-
frame of mind to feel empathy for the
characters you’re writing might be the
www.sbwriters.com
prises us? If you drill down deep, you best way you have of writing charac-
[email protected]
might find that you’re suffering from a ters who feel real, as opposed to (805)568-1516
writermag.com • The Writer | 9
FREELANCE SUCCESS
BY PETE CROATTO

The risk-free freelancer

Becoming a successful freelance writer means mastering both
emotional and financial components.

S
everal months ago, I inter- closer to getting paid or being pub- walk because you don’t feel like bend-
viewed Dave Blazek, who lished. It’s unglamorous, necessary ing your knees. Follow up. Nobody
draws and writes the Loose work that will provide the requisite will do it for you.
Parts comic strip. As some- discipline to do this job well.
one who draws a nationally syndi- ☐ Recycle your pitches. Good
cated strip, Blazek receives his fair ☐ Fill the days with value. When pitches take time and thought. If one
share of criticism. He’s not bothered the writing lags, I do something con- outlet doesn’t like a story, I am not
by it. Anybody can make an accurate structive. I pay bills, grocery shop, hit going to waste hours of effort because
criticism once, he told me. That the post office. These little outings of one “no thanks.” Pitches get
doesn’t mean you can draw a strip rejected for many reasons. The outlet
every day no matter what – when doesn’t have space. It doesn’t fit the
you’re sick, when you’d rather make publication’s agenda. A writer did
yourself the filling in a blanket bur- something similar. It doesn’t matter. If
rito and lose yourself in the pages of a As a father and a story idea makes me giddy, I want
thick, great novel. to keep it alive. That’s why I have
In short, you have to treat cartoon- husband who multiple outlets in mind for every
ing like a job. works from home, story. I feel like every pitch has been
The same mindset applies to writ- rejected two or three times before it
ing. You know this, otherwise you I am on call. found a home.
wouldn’t be reading this magazine. But I have abandoned
I think we also have to work at being ☐ If financial issues loom, address
risk-free freelancers, people who can
the writerly idea them early. I do my best to keep
contribute to the emotional and finan- that my talent only money coming in, but I owe it to my
cial well-being of our families – and flourishes in wife to keep her appraised of my sta-
ourselves – without subjecting them to tus so we can solve the problem
the whims of this crazy business. perfect conditions. beforehand instead of launching into
To do that requires adhering to a a dinner theater production of Who’s
lengthy, diverse checklist. Afraid of Virginia Woolf? when the
mortgage comes due. This happened
☐ Overbook. Don’t be afraid to take when I wrote my book. After all the
multiple assignments, because you’ll be make me feel useful, clear my head, dues and debts and taxes were paid, I
forced to stay busy. That’s better than and keep the household from had $14,000 left from the first part of
doing nothing, and you’ll have a cush- descending into chaos. Sometimes a the advance. We thought that would
ion when the inevitable financial crisis break from routine is the right pre- be enough until I finished the first
arises – as well as the days off to recu- scription for productivity. draft of the manuscript. Then I could
perate from it. resume my freelancing schedule. The
☐ Follow up on everything, money ran out early, and I needed
☐ Be consistent. This separates the including when you get an more time. What could have been a
dabbler from the serious professional. assignment. This happens. An edi- calamity was only a problem because
Every day, you’re in the chair, putting tor will show interest in a pitch, and Laura and I had discussed this. We
words on a screen, sending a pitch, and then the writer fades away. What? made some adjustments, dipped into
putting forth the effort that puts you That’s like passing $500 on the side- our reserves, and rode the rapids
10 | The Writer • April 2020
until I could resume a normal free- Life makes corned beef hash out of all out a way to stretch the advance. And
lance schedule. of us. I want to start setting aside money for
long-term projects that will help my
☐ Practice flexibility. As a father ☐ Make bills a motivator. Some career – like creating a website. I
and husband who works from home, I people look at them as grand annoy- would love to teach someday.
am on call. I have abandoned the writ- ances. So do I, but they’re catalysts. To become a risk-free freelancer
erly idea that my talent only flourishes You can’t get lazy when the septic tank means taking the time to think ahead,
in perfect conditions. This isn’t a space oozes shit into the laundry room. You to give predictability to the unpredict-
shuttle launch. I write in whatever can’t say no to an assignment when able. If that sounds boring to you,
pockets I can find. That’s why I’m writ- insurance won’t cover the last $750.02 embrace the adventure of building
ing this column in the spare bedroom of your kid’s surgery. Yes, I know the your career. That can put you in a bet-
of my parents’ house during our holi- exact amount. Yes, I got an assignment ter position to feed your soul, give
day visit. There’s no desk, but the bed that covered it – and then some. your work meaning, and build a life
is comfortable – without inducing worth living. That’s worth the risk.
drowsiness – and it’s quiet. This checklist – or your version of it –
will become ingrained. It will change. Ithaca-based Pete Croatto is a veteran free-
☐ It’s never personal. Whether it’s I recently read several articles touting lance writer who has written for The New York
an editor not responding to your the value of creating a business plan Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Publishers
emails or the babysitter bailing as your with long-term goals. The experience Weekly, Columbia Journalism Review, and many
wife leaves for a business trip, no one is of writing a research-heavy book other publications. He is also working on his
“out to get you.” No one has an agenda. made me realize that I need to figure first book. Twitter: @PeteCroatto

WRITING FOR
THE WORLD.
At Spalding’s School of Creative and Professional Writing,
we’re making top-tier graduate writing education more
accessible. In addition to our nationally recognized low-
residency MFA, we’ve created a new 15-credit Graduate
Certificate in Writing and a 35-credit Master of Arts in
Writing, both with creative and professional tracks.
Certificate and MAW students can matriculate into the
MFA and earn two degrees for about the cost of one.

Call 502-873-4400 or
email [email protected].

Spalding.edu/SchoolofWriting comPASSION.

writermag.com • The Writer | 11

 CROSSING
THE FINISH
L I N E
It’s easy to keep tinkering with
a manuscript forever, but at
some point, it’s time to cut the
cord. Here’s how pro authors
evaluate a novel to see if it’s
ready for publication – and
how you can, too.
BY JACK SMITH
12 | The Writer • April 2020
 AS
any veteran novelist can tell you, a standard-
length novel of 80,000 to 100,000 words
calls for a gargantuan effort. It’s a heavy lift
to get your characters fully developed, your
plot humming, your language riveting – and all elements
seamlessly interwoven. At some point, when you type “The
End” on what you vow is the very last draft, you feel like
you’re finally getting there…
…But are you? How can you be really sure your draft is
ready to query?
Or what if you get to that last draft and feel your novel is
still problematic, but you can’t quite pinpoint the snag or fig-
ure out how to fix it?
For answers to these two key questions, we turned to five
Hurca/Shutterstock

successful novelists for their ideas and recommendations –

and for their own experience in tackling the question of novel
completeness.

writermag.com • The Writer | 13

The ‘finished’ novel and the reader. If I am surprised, moved, satis- a logical way from beginning to end,”
elements of fiction fied, shocked, then maybe it’s close to she explains. If not, “the reader will
Novel writing is a craft, one that being finished.” resent it if who did it, why it was done,
requires an adept handling of many At this point, he’s ready to focus his how it was done, and how the ‘detec-
elements, including character, point of attention on two main fictional ele- tive’ figured it out aren’t clear.”
view, plot, setting, style, and theme. ments: character and plot. As to char- “At the other end,” says Smiley, “is
But what does “adept handling” even acter, “I want to see all my characters a language-based novel like Ulysses –
mean? And should you plan ahead to reaching some position of change that the reader doesn’t have to understand
ensure you skillfully balance these resolves their need/situation when we it to enjoy it; she only has to take
components or just let it happen, trust first meet them,” he says. pleasure in how the words express the
the process, and know you’ll be able to This doesn’t call for a “tidy wrap-up” passing events.”
fix everything in later drafts? but rather “an organic development that In contrast to these two types, a
Caroline Leavitt, New York Times leads them, and the reader, to a place character-based literary novel leads to
bestselling author with 12 novels where each character has achieved, or quite different reader expectations. In
under her belt, does quite a bit of not achieved, some goal or want,” he this kind of work, “what the reader
planning in advance of writing. Dur- says. “Better or worse off, they are in a wants is insights into how the charac-
ing this stage, she seeks answers to new place, or they’re back at the begin- ters think, why they act, and what it
three crucial questions: ning and know the place for the first means. The plot can fade into the back-
1) What does the protagonist want? time.” They’ve grown measurably by ground as long as the characters are
2) What’s at stake? believable and interesting,” Smiley says.
3) What misbelief keeps the protag- No matter your genre, Smiley says
onist from achieving his or her goal? that “understanding whether you are
Once she can answer these initial “I write to find out finished is both instinctive and analyti-
questions, she writes a lengthy synop- cal” – instinctive since “you also have
sis, which changes as she writes, but what will happen; to listen to what I call your ‘reader
the overall idea of the book does not. if I already know, brain’ – the one that loved, say, Pride
Then, when she’s ready to share a and Prejudice. The reader brain often
draft of her novel with her beta read- it will bore me – knows when something is finished
ers, Leavitt seeks feedback on two because it has finished reading a lot of
main questions:
and the reader.” novels – more than you have written.”
1) Does the conflict presented in Mindy Mejia, author of the critically
the first chapter pose a clear question? acclaimed Leave No Trace, relies more
2) Is this question answered in the novel’s end: “Their perception has on the analytical method. Once she’s
final chapter? changed; they’ve learned something – taken her novel through several drafts,
If reader feedback shows she and I’ve learned something about them. she carefully checks to see if each
requires further revisions, she makes Dramatically, they are complete.” point-of-view character has undergone
them. At this point, she’s ready to sub- Nichols says the process for plot is sufficient character change: “I need to
mit her novel to her agent, who gener- similar: “How has the early suggestion ensure they’ve been transformed via
ally asks for even more rewrites. “I of a character’s arc been realized or sat- the action of the book. They can’t be
have safety measures in place,” Leavitt isfied? This is difficult to arrange or the same people in the final chapter as
explains – safety measures that keep project early on. You put characters in they were in chapter one.”
her on track for producing a complex, play and then watch them, throw stuff She also attends to the various
balanced final draft. at them, and see how they react. Hope- demands of characterization, analyzing
Every author is different, of course. fully they get somewhere, as we do in her work for distinctive characters who
Take Peter Nichols, a bestselling liter- life, successfully or not.” drive the story. “I have to review their
ary novelist who doesn’t plan ahead But do keep in mind that, with fic- diction, their word choice, favorite
before drafting his novel. The reason? tion, one size never fits all – and that’s phrases, and dialogue with a fine-tooth
He doesn’t want to know beforehand certainly true of novel completeness. comb in final revisions, to ensure the
what’s going to happen. As Jane Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize- novel has become their story com-
“If I know early on in the writing of winning novelist, makes clear, com- pletely.” One final check she makes: “If
a novel what’s going to happen, it prob- pleteness depends on the kind of I can still see myself in it, I know it’s
ably won’t be a good book,” he says. “I novel you’re writing. not done.”
write to find out what will happen; if I “If your novel is, say, a murder mys- As for plot, says Mejia, “I need to
already know, it will bore me – and the tery, then the plot has to fit together in confirm that my stakes have been
14 | The Writer • April 2020
 TIPS
FROM
Jane Smiley Mark Sullivan Peter Nichols Caroline Leavitt Mindy Mejia
Every novel is Discover your Trust your Don’t get hung Know your
a quest: “Novels novel as you intuition: “Your up on revision: audience: “The

THE are not about

what you know
write: “Novel
writing is a thrill-
guide to all stages
of writing a novel,
“Part of the prob-
lem with revision
most important
thing to under-

PROS
but about what ing process of to knowing is that every stand in your final
you learn and story discovery whether it’s work- writer knows they revisions is your
what you want to and the sharpen- ing, or not, can make it better, audience. Who
learn about a sub- ing of a vision. whether it’s the no matter what are your readers,
ject that interests Both discovery right size, insuffi- stage it is. I’m and what do they
you. Every novel, and sharpening cient, bloated, or always haunted by want from the
for the author, are most likely to running amok in that, and the only story? Knowing
even one based occur during the the wrong direc- way I can get your audience will
on the author’s course of multiple tion, is intuition. beyond it and to give you all the
intimate lived drafts.” Intuition, for me, let go is to imme- direction you need
experience, is a is the final arbiter.” diately hurl myself to put that final
quest and an into a new work polish on the
exploration, not a to worry about.” book. You’ll know
statement. Curios- where to linger
ity is your friend.” and what to edit.”

rising throughout and that I’ve written plot tight, and the characters full and consider here: What is absolutely nec-
a surprising yet inevitable ending that human.” In the final rewrites, he essary to the telling of your story. and
creates a feeling of satisfaction within focuses on theme, “which always how can an author know this?
the reader, a sense of completeness.” seems to emerge through the redraft- “When I write early drafts,” says
In the final revision stage, Mejia’s ing process.” He also works to polish Leavitt, “I know there is overdevelop-
Photos by Elizabeth Sullivan (Sullivan), Frank Zauritz (Nichols), Jeff Tamarkin (Leavitt), Jessica Mealey (Mejia)

focus is on theme and subtext. “Each the voice further, “deepening and ment, but that’s OK because to me the
metaphor and description should broadening the range of the voice.” fun is paring things down and finding
somehow reflect the stated theme. When these various elements are han- out what is essential.”
Even the blank spaces, the things dled to his satisfaction, he’s ready to “I think you know, or will soon find
unsaid, should be unspoken for a rea- submit his work for publication. out, if a novel is bloated. Or anemic,”
son,” she says. Nichols says. “First of all, your early
In achieving completeness, Mark Dealing with too much and/or too little readers and editor will let you know.”
Sullivan, author of mystery, suspense, At any point in the drafting process, But, as he sees it, you can also depend
and historical fiction, trusts his process you might well encounter two prob- on your own intuitive grasp. “If you
of continual refinement – from draft to lems: excess and deficiency. Excess: even suspect once that a scene or epi-
draft, revision stage to revision stage. overblown, inflated, bloated. It’s simply sode is superfluous or unnecessary,
“Novels always evolve as you work on too much. Deficiency: unfulfilled, then it is. Try cutting it.”
them,” he states. “It’s true that some skimpy, too lean. It’s simply too thin. As far as too little, “If the book feels
longform narrative fiction comes out Either of these two problems – or even insufficient, or skimpy, it probably is,”
of a writer in big bursts while other both of them – can occur anywhere in says Nichols.
stories go on the page at a plodding your draft, with plot and character “The story has to be an emotional
pace. But as I work on whatever story development, setting description, or labyrinth, a forest or maze you find
it is in rough and subsequent drafts, with the novel’s language in general. your way through. If it’s been a swift or
I’m looking to make the voice clear, the There are two key questions to easy trip, it’s too slight,” he says. “For
writermag.com • The Writer | 15
me, this is partly analytical: talking which means it pares away a lot of the understanding and the emotional
through it with your enlightened early confused thoughts that surrounded the impact I’m trying to create.”
readers, or anyone else, helps to reveal composition.” “At the same time, if I find myself
themes, character, what you think What about genre fiction in terms going back to reread a scene that I
you’re after.” of these two problems of excess and didn’t grasp, almost always it’s because
But before a manuscript even deficiency? the writing and voice are thin,” says
reaches readers, Nichols recommends Mejia, a crime fiction writer, says, “I Sullivan. “It usually means I haven’t yet
depending mostly on intuition when tend to skew toward the underdevel- found the telling incident or descrip-
identifying these problem points in a oped end of this spectrum. Thriller tion that could bring the scene to life
draft: “If you suspect bloat, or insuffi- readers expect awful things to happen in a meaningful way.”
ciency, you’re probably right.” or to be on the verge of happening in That lack must be addressed, he
In terms of the novel’s language, every chapter. They don’t have a lot of says, since it’s key to a completed
bloat is more often a problem than its patience for extended reflection or novel: “That’s the critical part, the
opposite – stripped-down or exceed- exposition, and, to be honest, neither meaning, the emotion you are trying
ingly lean language – which might well do I. I get caught up in the plot and the to stir in a reader’s heart. I’ve found
be a stylistic choice. And, by the same race to the finish.” that when all else fails, trying to under-
token, don’t confuse excess with full- Having shot rapidly through her stand at an emotional, connected level
bodied prose; rather, it’s unnecessary, novel in this way, Mejia finds her early- usually unlocks what needs to be said.”
superfluous language. stage drafts generally need more things
“Every writer has certain habits, or added than cut. As she revises, she Solving problematic novels
‘tics,’ you might say,” Smiley says. “One works to be sure she’s addressed sev- If you’re like most novelists, you’re
of mine is overusing the word ‘just,’ as eral key concerns: “Have I earned the likely to encounter a snag from time to
in ‘things just started going downhill.’ climax, or does it feel too rushed? Have time. It could range from something
If I do a search in a manuscript of the my characters transformed enough that seems minorly puzzling to some-
word ‘just,’ chances are I will discover internally to reflect their external jour- thing that, if not solved, will amount to
that in that spot, I was dithering ney? Have I evoked the setting on mul- a fatal flaw in your novel. What kinds
around, trying to figure out where the tisensory levels so my readers can of problems might these snags be, and
narrative was going. If I reread those absorb this world?” With this last con- how can you get beyond them and fin-
passages after writing a draft, I now cern, she attempts to gauge what’s just ish your novel?
understand where the narrative was right, avoiding both too much and too Sometimes authors know there’s a
going and can sort them out so that little: “My goal is never paragraphs of definite problem with a draft, but they
they are more organized and direct.” description but enough precise physi- can’t isolate it. Leavitt experienced this
In relation to this issue of verbiage, cal details in each scene to make the problem with her soon-to-be released
Smiley has discovered two particularly world come alive.” novel With or Without You. She had
helpful drafting strategies. “While you Sullivan tends to be “more intuitive sold the book on the basis of 70 pages
are writing, put in whatever you can to than analytical” when it comes to his and a synopsis, but when she finished
keep [the draft] going, and once you many rewrites. If he gets too close to a it, she says, “It didn’t make sense to me.
have finished a draft, set it aside and manuscript, he moves on to another It felt flat and boring. I had no idea
come back several months later. The one for as much as three months, what I was writing about!” Feeling
first one works because you don’t know enabling him to gain a fresh perspec- clueless, she was about to give up and
ahead of time what will spark your tive. “If my mind wanders [while read- give the advance back – but instead,
imagination, and it might be some- ing], there may simply be too much on she “hunkered down and began to do
thing that you never thought of while the page to hold a reader’s attention. I structure work, mapping characters,
you were planning the novel. The sec- will then cut out what doesn’t count, looking at where the reveals fall, if the
ond one allows your brain some rest, what isn’t essential to the reader’s stakes rise – and I did it really slowly.”

16 | The Writer • April 2020

This thorough analysis revealed the He ultimately discovered “they were In some cases, there isn’t an over-
draft’s hidden problems. Getting down both suffering, lonely people, who’d arching problem at all, but rather a hole
to the fundamental fictional elements nurtured a show relationship based on of one kind or another that prevents the
and reviewing the whole novel in desire and fear rather than a sharing of novel from actualizing its full potential.
terms of their complex interrelation- hearts and love…Once I got that “With my novel The Rocks,” says Nich-
ships really paid off, Leavitt says. And straight, I was able to go through the ols, “one reader of a nearly finished draft
as with her pre-draft work, Leavitt’s manuscript and surgically rewrite their told me he found that the thread involv-
problem-solving method is largely rea- dialogue and some of their actions in a ing two of my characters, who were in a
soned, or analytical. way that brought them to life.” tormented relationship, needed one
A second problem can be a protago- more ‘beat,’ one more unhappy episode,
nist who just doesn’t seem to work. to push them where I wanted them, to
“My most difficult novel was Private add to the baggage between them.” This
Life, which I wrote in the first person,” became a typical show-versus-tell situa-
says Smiley. The book follows the It’s hard to begin tion. “It wasn’t enough to say they were
character of Margaret Mayfield over estranged; I had to show how they got
nearly six decades from childhood to a novel, but it’s to that last point of unhappiness and
her long marriage to a scientist with a estrangement.”
checkered past. “My editor could not
even harder to Nichols notes that certain episodes
understand the inner life of my protag- finish one. you include might also amount to
onist, so I put it in the third person, to excess, however: “In another instance
see if I could set the protagonist in in that book, my wonderful editor,
context,” Smiley says. Sarah McGrath at Riverhead, pointed
Still, for a long time, she couldn’t to an episode that I loved writing that
seem to make her “‘good wife’ protago- Still another problem can be char- was fun and well-written, and said, ‘Do
nist work,” only to eventually discover acters who do not draw empathy from we really need this?’ And I saw we
that it was the “crackpot husband that readers. Mejia revised her debut novel, didn’t. It was more of the same: Bloat.
wasn’t working.” She realized at this The Dragon Keeper, twice before que- And I cut it. And the book was better. I
point that she had overloaded the dice rying agents. “I’d gotten feedback from still remember, fondly, the loving detail
in her protagonist’s favor and against her many peers and mentors in my MFA of that episode, how I loved writing it,
antagonist. “I then tried to be a little program during the initial drafts and but the book didn’t need it.”
more sympathetic toward him and to had thought the book was as polished
come up with a reason that she didn’t get as I could make it. When the rejections Some final thoughts
away from him. Eventually, it was well started coming in, though, I noticed a It’s hard to begin a novel, but it’s even
reviewed and reasonably successful.” pattern in the feedback.” harder to finish one. Everything has to
A third problem can be a protago- Several agents were having trouble come together: characters, plot, set-
nist who lacks sufficient depth, which empathizing with the characters. This ting, style – all the fictional elements.
is something Sullivan has experienced: meant going back to the drawing It’s not easy to navigate through all this
“Early in my career, when I was writ- board: “I sat down with all my pri- and know when you’re actually done,
ing The Purification Ceremony, there mary and secondary characters and when everything is just right. The criti-
was a point where a giant part of that analyzed their desires, flaws, and arcs cal question writers must ask them-
suspense novel was down on paper and within the narratives, then looked for selves is this: What is essential to this
wasn’t going to change in any radical moments where I could make each story, and what isn’t? You might
way.” There was a problem, though, character shine – reaching their high- depend on rational analysis, the way
and that was a married couple, “a rich est potential – and fall – becoming some writers do, or intuition, as others
husband and trophy wife who bickered their absolute worst selves.” do. But no matter your approach, you
a lot” whom, after multiple drafts, the Soon, for Mejia, it was no longer a should also read a lot of novels. Ask
author couldn’t seem to develop to his question of reader sympathy – she had yourself: What is your “reader brain,”
satisfaction. His editor and publisher gone beyond that concern: “Showing to borrow Smiley’s term, telling you?
were both pleased with the book. But, the full range of the characters through
says Sullivan, “I felt I still had to ‘core the lens of their individual motivations Jack Smith is the author of four novels, three
in’ on those two characters in a way I made them compelling, regardless of books of nonfiction, and numerous reviews,
had not yet. I really had to figure out whether they were ‘likable’ or tradition- articles, and interviews. His collection of arti-
who they were at a much deeper level ally sympathetic.” She was then able to cles on fiction writing, Inventing the World, was
than I’d attempted.” finish the novel to her satisfaction. recently published by Serving House Books.

writermag.com • The Writer | 17

18 | The Writer • April 2020
Treasure
HUNT
From the Library of Congress to
the Smithsonian Institution,
national research resources
abound for the curious writer.
Here’s how to use them.
BY JENNIFER L . BLANCK
R
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is part of the
U.S. legislative branch. Just as its name
implies, it serves as Congress’s library.
But it also bills itself as the world’s
largest library, with a vision that “all
Americans are connected to the
Library of Congress.”
The Library employs 3,000 staff and
has more than 168 million items in its
collections, including approximately
24.6 million cataloged books in its clas-
Research is fundamental for nonfiction sification system. Other printed mate-
writing, but it’s also important for fiction – rials found in its “nonclassified print
collections” include such things as
from anchoring a story accurately in a
incunabula (books printed before
time period to providing a realistic or even 1501), monographs, music, newspa-
true-to-life setting. National organizations pers, pamphlets, and technical reports.
The bulk of its holdings – more
like the Library of Congress, National
than 128 million items – can be found
Archives, and Smithsonian Institution are in its “nonclassified (special) collec-
treasure troves for writers. They offer mil- tions.” This includes audio materials,
maps, microforms, visual materials,
lions of items in their collections – in and more. For example, the collection
some cases, information you won’t find holds around 15 million photographs
anywhere else – and, best of all, most can alone, from shots of women during the
Civil War and 20th-century African-
be accessed for free. American activists to images depicting
Contrary to what some may believe, you historic covered bridges and Frank
don’t have to live in the Washington, D.C., Lloyd Wright buildings to several cen-
turies’ worth of cartoon drawings dat-
area to access the resources of these insti- ing back to the late 1700s. Audio
tutions. While not all materials are digi- materials range from recordings docu-
menting North American English dia-
tized, a substantial portion of what they
lects to oral histories of former slaves.
offer can be found online. Some other There are also 900 free databases you
organizations have facilities throughout can access anywhere. Some subscrip-
tion-based databases that have been
the United States and even beyond. purchased by the Library can only be
accessed onsite.
If all that seems intimidating, don’t
worry: The website offers a “Research-
ers” section that outlines the Library’s
collections and research tools and
serves as a starting place. In fact, all the
specific collections’ homepages contain
research guides.
It’s good to have patience and learn
how to navigate the Library’s pages, but
there are also librarians ready to help.
Photo credits (previous spread): National Museum of Natural History by Kamira / Shutterstock.com, newspaper
by I. Pilon / Shutterstock.com, envelope by jesadaphorn/Shutterstock, pamphlet by Mark Carrel/Shutterstock, “Engage with us right away,” recom-
slides by Anan Kaewkhammul/Shutterstock, cassette by moviephoto/Shutterstock, Library of Congress hallway
by Jennifer L. Blanck mends Nanette Gibbs, Library of
20 | The Writer • April 2020
 Congress business reference and
research specialist. “Tell us what you’re
working on.”
There’s an “Ask a Librarian” button “We should have everything
on the Researchers page. Gibbs also
notes many people miss an important ever copyrighted. If there’s
item on the subject pages – a telephone
number for the reference desk. “You
something we don’t have
can pick up the phone and call,” she
says. “Ask to speak to the person who is
here that we should, it means
most knowledgeable about the subject something – like history or
you’re researching, and we will talk to
you. We’re trained in subject analysis.” war – got in the way.”
Gibbs encourages writers to think
across curriculum areas when
researching because the subject might
have relevance elsewhere. She empha-
sizes that Google doesn’t offer results
based on subject analysis the way a
trained librarian can. Susan Wroble, a
nonfiction writer for adults and chil-
dren who lives in Denver, Colorado,
agrees. She stumbled upon some
Library of Congress resources online
after spending night after night con-
ducting Google searches for a writing
assignment on Margaret Campbell, an
advocate for women’s suffrage in the
1800s. “Moving forward, I will make
the Library of Congress an earlier,
deliberate search,” Wroble says. “It was
really my best source.”
Through the Library, Wroble found
handwritten reports by Lucy Stone and The Library of Congress
Henry Blackwell about Campbell.
“Here were copies of actual documents
written by some of the most influential
people in the suffrage movement,” says
Wroble. “It was exciting to see the that we don’t,” she says. “But we should libraries. “We also have some odd
handwritten pages. It makes it more have everything ever copyrighted. If things, like the contents of [President]
real and takes you back further than there’s something we don’t have here Lincoln’s pockets the night he was
had it been transcribed and typed out.” that we should, it means something – shot,” says Gibbs.
The Library had information on like history or war – got in the way.”
Campbell that Wroble couldn’t find One exception relates to medicine – a National Archives
anywhere else. “The fact that the subject the Library no longer collects Another place to start your research is
Library of Congress made so much of in large quantities because there’s a the National Archives, a U.S. govern-
this available online is such a benefit to U.S. National Library of Medicine. ment agency with around 3,000 staff
any writer who can’t afford to travel The Library of Congress has some that calls itself “the nation’s record
Ed Metz/Shutterstock

across the country,” she says. unexpected items, like the smallest keeper.” Many people associate the
Gibbs does caution that the Library book ever printed (Old King Cole), and National Archives with its museum,
doesn’t have every book ever pub- presidential papers from the time an institution that displays the
lished. “Some people are really upset before there were presidential nation’s three founding documents –
writermag.com • The Writer | 21
the Declaration of Independence,
Constitution, and Bill of Rights – but
it offers so much more. The National
Archives holds the valuable records of
the U.S. government’s three branches
as far back as 1774 and the first Con-
tinental Congress.
The National Archives comprises
more than 40 sites across the United
States, including field facilities and the
presidential library system. Records are
usually 25 years old when they arrive at
the Archives, having spent time at their
original home agencies first.
While the Library of Congress has
“collections” that organize content by
subject matter, the National Archives has
“record groups.” For example, the State
Department has a record group number
and, under that, a series of records.
Missy McNatt, education specialist
for the National Archives, estimates that
it holds approximately 15 billion pages National Archives
of records. Of those pages, there are
millions online already, with a plan to
digitize 500 million more pages by 2024.
That year is also the deadline for all fed-
eral agencies that send records to for- Bureau of Indian Affairs was more They’re experts in what their reposito-
ward everything in digital format only. prominent in those states,” says ries hold,” she says. “Also contact them
Whether researching onsite or McNatt. “But there’s no hard and fast if you’re not finding what you need.
online, the best place to start is the rule for any of this, so you always Pick their brains. That’s what they’re
Archives’ online catalog or the finding need to check to make sure.” there for.”
aids, which are tools that help users Regardless of the research topic, Reilly conducts historical research
locate information within a particular McNatt emphasizes that the more and writes reports on her findings for
record group, such as an inventory or focus you can bring in with you, the TRG’s clients. She’s also the primary
index. “Archivists create finding aids to more success you’ll have in the content creator for TRG’s blog and
share their knowledge,” explains research process. Similar to what you newsletter. Whatever the project, she
McNatt. “The key to successful research can do at the Library of Congress, you starts with the National Archives and
is finding the archivist who knows can call and email archivists at the Library of Congress. “I always begin
about your topic. Archivists have deep National Archives. “The archivists are with a bird’s eye view of the universe of
knowledge about records series.” there to help and are very customer- records,” she says. “I can get a quick
Before conducting any onsite friendly,” says McNatt. “But they can’t sense of which agencies will have
research, you must figure out which help you if you don’t know what you’re them, and then I know who to reach
field office holds the records of inter- looking for.” out to.”
est, and it may not always be the office Rachel K. Reilly, senior research
you think. For example, records for a associate for Taylor Research Group Smithsonian Institution
federal agency in Virginia would be (TRG), agrees. Reilly has a Master of Another regular source for Reilly is the
housed in the Philadelphia field Library and Information Science, spe- Smithsonian Institution, which is
office. “If researching Native Ameri- cializing in archives, records manage- much more than the collection muse-
Jennifer L. Blanck

can tribes, records will more than ment, and preservation. Even so, she ums on the Washington, D.C.,
likely be found in field offices in Fort recommends reaching out to staff. National Mall. The Smithsonian bills
Worth or the Denver area because the “Use those librarians and archivists. itself as “the world’s largest museum,
22 | The Writer • April 2020
Helpful tips for researching
at national institutions

1 Focus your questions

Know what you want. The better the
3 Leverage technology
In addition to researching online, use
information you provide, the more help- technology to help you. Sign up for
ful the staff can be in accessing relevant newsletters and blogs at the institutions.
information. “It’s not helpful to say ‘I’m Set Google alerts for new information.
interested in Leonardo da Vinci,’” says Even if you research onsite, having
Mattie M. Schloetzer, program adminis- the right technology is essential. Some
trator for internships and fellowships at places, like the Library of Congress, have
the National Gallery of Art. “You may be book-to-net machines so you can upload
missing something if you let the librar- a book to a flash drive. Many places have
ian interpret the question for you. You’ll photocopy machines that cost money,
get more targeted information if you but you might be able to scan for free.
focus the question, such as ‘Can you “If I need something for my own
direct me to information about Leon- resource, I use TurboScan to scan docu-
ardo da Vinci’s drawings of bridges?’” ments and turn them into PDF files,”
says Atkins. “You may have to ask before

2 Ask about vertical files

Many institutions have “vertical files” –
you scan something, and oftentimes you
can’t use flash photography, but it’s free
or published documents of fewer than and easy. If you need something repro-
50 pages – that aren’t in the catalog. ducible, don’t do it on your phone.”
These items can be news clippings,
pamphlets, invitations, and other mate-
rials received or collected by staff.
4 Call ahead
Know what the guidelines are for the
Librarian and author Marcie Flinchum visit and ask about fees. For example, at
Atkins says, “Sometimes it’s worth ask- the National Archives, there are restric-
ing: Do you have vertical files? What do tions on what personal belongings you
you have vertical files on?” can have in the research room.
If you live in the area, you typically You also want to ensure what you
have to make an appointment with a want is there, and the repository is pre-
reference librarian and view the material pared. Sometimes if you’re looking for
onsite. If you’re not local, there’s usually something specific, the staff might need
an email exchange or a series of phone time to get it from an offsite area. “Typi-
calls about the contents. “The librarian cally, it requires a follow-up email or call:
will check the files for the researcher,” Yes, they have the records, and yes,
says Schloetzer. “If the request is not they’re accessible,” says Rachel K. Reilly,
too much, the material can be scanned senior research associate for Taylor
and emailed to the researcher.” Research Group. “Don’t just show up.”

writermag.com • The Writer | 23

education, and research complex” and understand we are their Smithsonian, amount of information.” All of the
comprises 19 museums and galleries, and we want them to read, download, Smithsonian Libraries’ digitized natural
the National Zoo, 21 libraries, and nine and reuse the materials.” history collections are located there.
research facilities. On the library homepage, you can Everything else – like history, art, and
The Smithsonian’s collection find a list of all the branches to call or culture titles – is hosted on the Smith-
includes more than 155 million items, email. There’s also an Ask a Librarian sonian Libraries’ own website.
falling into subjects from aviation to email for reference questions. In-person Although librarian and author Mar-
zoology. Its library system reaches visits to the libraries are by appointment cie Flinchum Atkins lives in the Wash-
across Washington, D.C.; Maryland; only. “We require appointments to ington, D.C., area, she has conducted
Virginia; New York; and Panama and guide visitors into our library spaces, only online research through the
hosts more than 2 million books, man- which are located beyond exhibition Smithsonian Libraries. However, she
uscripts, pieces of ephemera, micro- halls in secure areas,” says Rushing. has conducted both online and in-per-
film, photo collections, and audio/ “You must have a Smithsonian affilia- son research at the Library of Congress
visual material. tion to check a book out directly. How- and National Archives. She relied on a
Many of these can be accessed and ever, anyone can borrow our non-rare number of national institutions for her
used for free. If searching digitized books via interlibrary loan through most recent book, Wait, Rest, Pause:
books online through the Smithsonian their local public library.” Dormancy in Nature, a nonfiction pic-
Libraries’ webpage, there’s a copyright The Smithsonian also leads the Bio- ture book that explores the science of
field that either states “No Copyright diversity Heritage Library – a global dormancy for animals and plants.
United States” or, in fewer instances, consortium for online resources related Atkins says she’s always heard from
“In Copyright.” Items in the latter cate- to anything ever living, including ani- someone when she’s reached out to any
gory have been digitized with permis- mals, plants, fossils, and more. It has of the organizations. “It may take a few
sion from a copyright holder, so there 250,000 volumes of natural history days or so, but they always respond,”
may be costs for usage. Fees are also available. “If you’re ever researching a she says. “They might say ‘We don’t
charged for on-demand or new high- specific species of an animal and want have anything,’ but more often they’ll
resolution scans. the actual literature about it or amazing share where you should look.”
“We are actively digitizing the public pictures, like an old 1800s plate, it’s an
domain materials so people around the excellent source for that,” says Rushing. Beyond the big three
world can use them,” says Erin Rush- “You can type in the species name and The Library of Congress, National
ing, outreach librarian for the Smithso- instantly receive a huge list of where it Archives, and Smithsonian are impor-
nian Libraries. “We want people to is found, along with a tremendous tant starting points, but writers
shouldn’t stop there. “Many of the dif-
ferent government agencies that pro-
duce documents of enduring value have
Smithsonian Institution
libraries,” says Reilly. For example, if
you’re writing about an invention, the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has a
library. A lot of its patents are online.
Some libraries at national institu-
tions have specialized collections that
go beyond those associated with the
U.S. government, such as the National
Gallery of Art. With nearly 500,000
volumes, including rare books, the
Gallery maintains one of the largest art
history libraries in the world. It also
offers approximately 16 million photo-
graphs, slides, negatives, microforms,
and digital images.
Jennifer L. Blanck

Similar to the other institutions, the

Gallery has a national mandate to
serve the entire United States. “We feel
24 | The Writer • April 2020
 “I never get over
the fact that so
many historic
documents and
materials have
been preserved
and are accessible
to the public.”

National Gallery of Art

a real public service responsibility to RESEARCH LINKS are even fully online resources, such as
TO GET YOU
serve people beyond those who visit,” STARTED
the HathiTrust Digital Library – a non-
says Mattie M. Schloetzer, program profit collaborative of academic and
administrator for internships and fel- research libraries that steward more
lowships at the National Gallery of Art. Library of than 17 million digitized items. “You
Congress:
Almost 70% of its images collection loc.gov/rr
should check that regularly,” says
can be accessed online, which includes Gibbs. “That will tell you what libraries
more than 51,000 open-access digital National Archives: have your book.”
images that are available free of charge archives.gov/ “I never get over the fact that so
research
for download and use. There may be many historic documents and materi-
fees for special archives services, such Smithsonian als have been preserved and are acces-
as new photography or digital copying. Institution: sible to the public,” says Reilly. “And
Appointments are required for those si.edu/researchers most of the time, it’s for free.” The
who want to research onsite. U.S. National
downside to that volume is it can be
There are some unexpected hold- Library of challenging to find the documents
ings that you can explore. For example, Medicine: you’re seeking. “Oftentimes, conduct-
when famous people visit the Gallery, nlm.nih.gov ing historical research is like looking
it’s well documented in its archives – Biodiversity
for a needle in a haystack,” she says.
from invitations to thank you notes. Heritage Library: “But typically, the needle is there, if
“We have correspondence and docu- biodiversitylibrary.org you spend the time learning how to
mentation from when Jacqueline Ken- look for it.” National institutions are
National Gallery
nedy visited,” says Schloetzer. “It’s of Art:
trusted sources and here to help.
Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock.com

really fun stuff and easy to get lost in nga.gov/research

the material.” Jennifer L. Blanck is a freelance writer whose
Libraries are also housed at such HathiTrust Digital writing has recently appeared in Craftbeer.com,
Library:
museums as the U.S. National Holo- hathitrust.org
Toastmaster, Whole Grain, and Wine Tourism
caust Memorial Museum and National Management and Marketing. You can find her
Museum of Women in the Arts. There on Twitter and Instagram @JLBlanck.

writermag.com • The Writer | 25

26 | The Writer • April 2020
 WORDS AS
MEDICINE
How Oakland’s
OG Rev aims to
make the world
a better place
Todd A. Merport / Shutterstock.com

through verse.
BY MELISSA HART

writermag.com • The Writer | 27

 I
It’s early morning in San Williams is the author of nine
books, including When the Struggle is
Francisco’s Tenderloin Real: O.G. Rev’s Hip Hop Prayers &
District, misty and cold. Meditations. “The roots of hip hop lie
in the message that the people in
Hypodermic needles and Africa injected into our bloodstream
food wrappers litter the and sent over the Atlantic as a sur-
vival system,” he says. “Hip hop is the
streets. Two men in spiritual expression of the African-
American people, and, now, to people
ragged clothing scream at from all kinds of backgrounds. Words
each other on a corner are medicine for the most desperate
and dire situations.”
across from an outdoor He carries a small notebook with
vegetable market, and one him to jot down the “word pictures”
that come to him as he’s walking the
flashes a knife. streets. “If I see the glint of anger in
someone’s eye, I try to capture it in the
moment, using the first words that
come to me,” he explains. “If I try to
remember reflections, flavors, and sen-
sations later, I find that they’ve lost
A group of men shivers on the side- their initial fire.”
walk. People in business suits holding Williams grew up in Asbury Park,
briefcases stride past them. Students New Jersey, captivated by Harlem
clutch smartphones on their way to Renaissance writers Langston Hughes,
classes, and tourists walk by with eyes Countee Cullen, James Johnson, and
fixed on their maps. Arna Bontemps. “Oh my goodness,
One man stops – a large man in a
black Oakland A’s hat, with a beaded
wooden rosary draped over his hooded
sweatshirt – and recites a verse from a
hip-hop poem, a prayer he’s written
“WORDS ARE MEDICINE FOR
just for the men. THE MOST DESPERATE AND
He’s the Reverend Harry Louis
Williams II, known in Oakland and DIRE SITUATIONS.”
the Tenderloin as OG Rev. For the
past two decades, he’s walked the
poorest neighborhoods in the city,
connecting with people through
poetry and prose. His ministry is
clear, writ large on his website:

If you’re looking for a preacher

to just dance, holler and enter-
tain church people, that’s not
me. I’m trying to bring this
world to pimps, hustlers, gang
bangers, meth addicts, at risk
kids, crack slangers and prison-
ers of the state.
28 | The Writer • April 2020
 OG Rev (left) serves food to unhoused people at an Oakland homeless encampment with community activist Manny Davis (right).

the way that he could take words and struggles and triumphs of the Civil
make you feel and taste things,” he Rights Movement and the activities of
says of Bontemps’ poetry. “He was a the Black Panther Party founded in
traveler through the English language, Oakland to address police brutality
through feeling and emotion, like a against African Americans. “There was
pianist who could touch keys and temporary upheaval in America,” he
make you feel certain things through says of that time. “People wore afros
the colors of his composition.” and dashikis, and they liberated them-
He recalls Hughes’ poem “Mother selves from mental slavery in the way
to Son” as equally awe-inspiring – a they put words together.”
poem that begins: One of his favorite writers while he
was attending college in New Jersey was
soul and jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron,
Well, son, I’ll tell you: whom he describes as “unparalleled;
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. one of my greatest inspirations.” He also
It’s had tacks in it, revered the work of The Last Poets –
And splinters, groups of poets and musicians born out
And boards torn up, of the Black nationalist movement.
And places with no carpet on the floor – “Their poems were about people I could
Bare. relate to and people I knew,” he says.
“They were revolutionaries.”
During Williams’ undergraduate
“That poem captures the reality of years, a friend who had been incarcer-
black life in the inner city in the 1940s,” ated moved to a halfway house, and
Williams says. “It’s a story of hope, and Williams witnessed the power of litera-
Photo by Calvin Walker

a story of sorrow and tragedy and great ture to affirm the experiences of young
pain and resilience.” people struggling to survive in inner
Williams himself was a child of the cities. “I would go and see him when I
1960s and ’70s, observing firsthand the didn’t have class, and I took him a book
writermag.com • The Writer | 29
that changed his life,” he recounts.
The book was African American
“I USED MY SKILLS AS A FICTION
Studies professor Nathan McCall’s WRITER TO WRITE BOOKS THAT
Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young
Black Man in America. “It talks about a MIRROR THE EXPERIENCES OF
young black man who has no power YOUNG PEOPLE GROWING UP IN
over his life,” Williams says. “Carrying
a gun gives him a sense of power. The THE INNER CITY, TO SHOW THAT
book was so emotional that my friend
had to put it down for a time. ‘This is
THERE’S ANOTHER WAY OUT.”
my life,’ he told me.”
Williams believes those on the out-
side can gain tremendous insights
about marginalized communities
when they pay attention to those
books most revered by people living
behind bars – books like The Autobi-
ography of Malcolm X. “Many times,
people in marginalized communities
are told they’re not important, they
can never be anything,” he says.
“Authors like McCall, Malcolm…they
say you can be somebody.”
That message of resilience and hope
captivated him as well, propelling him
headlong into the hip hop culture that
exploded through the 1980s and ’90s –
a culture in which he performed under
the name “The Incredible Mr. Freeze.”
The rhythms and syntax of rappers evening in 2002, the struggle hit
reminded him of poems by Paul Lau- uncomfortably close to home. A spray
rence Dunbar, the inspiration behind of bullets ricocheted outside his win-
many Harlem Renaissance writers. dow, and he woke up the next morning
“Dunbar wrote traditional poetry, to find a teddy-bear and helium-bal-
but he also wrote in the idioms of the loon shrine to the young person who’d
common people in a way that someone been murdered. Heartsick at the pov-
with a third-grade education would erty and addiction around him, Wil-
express things,” Williams explains. liams committed to a life of ministering
“Rap is rhythm and poetry, but it on the streets, earning a master of
doesn’t follow some of the rules.” divinity degree.
In the late 1990s, now living in Oak- “I looked for all the tools I had to
land, he began to write part-time – make a difference,” he says. “I used my
both memoir and urban fiction based skills as a fiction writer to write books
on what he saw on the streets around that mirror the experiences of young
him. His characters were pimps and people growing up in the inner city, to
sex workers, drug dealers and addicts show that there’s another way out. I
and community college valedictorians used poetry, hip-hop prayers. People
who joined gangs to earn money for need prayer. They need outlets for
university tuition. their pain.”
Williams notes that the city has He recalls leading a poetry group
always been a place of struggle. On an in 2008. One afternoon each week,
30 | The Writer • April 2020
people came in with their poems. Have you ever seen a bullet-rid-
“These were people from the streets, dled body leaking blood on the
on the road to express the deepest asphalt of the church parking
part of their struggle,” he explains. He lot? Have you ever been gripped
remembers one woman in particular by the chill of night as you
who read one night. “She began to watched a child being forced to
sing and chant. She was incredibly sell her shivering, half-naked
gifted – homeless – on the waitlist for body in front of an empty
sheltered housing.” church? Have you ever watched
His teaching and his books have hungry, homeless people, devoid
sparked what he describes as a “grass- of hope, wander sad-eyed up the
roots faith” on the streets and in home- streets and wondered why the
less encampments. “My dream is to be church had not marshalled all its
able to send my book of poems and terrific resources to put bread in
meditations into prison systems,” he their bellies? I have.
says. “I’ve never done prison time, but
one young man read my words about “I’m living in a time of crisis in
what it’s like to be incarcerated, and he Oakland, in the midst of a heroin epi-
almost started crying. He said, ‘This is demic where people sit on sidewalks
my life.’” injecting needles into their arms,” Wil-
Williams’ poem “Protect Me from liams says. “Tech companies in the Bay
My Enemies” from When the Struggle Area have created a social tsunami for
is Real begins: those who live here. People can’t afford
to live in the most low-income neigh-
borhoods of the Bay Area anymore,
Lord, protect me from those who don’t mean no good; and so they’re living in tent cities.”
They creeping through the back streets of my hood. His hip hop prayers come from the
Sometimes it’s a fake homie whose smile is a mask, spiritual interactions he experiences
Asking questions that he really has no business to ask. daily on the streets. “I am an inner-city
Lord, protect me from those who don’t mean no good; minister who wraps his arms around
The ones who said, ‘I can’t’ when they really could. people in all kinds of riveting life epi-
sodes,” he explains. “I could be on the
bus riding down a street where teenage
Twenty years ago, Williams has girls are being trafficked and the words
founded a ministry to human traffick- of prayer begin to revolve in my mind.
ing victims. He volunteers as a board I might be walking through a sprawl-
member for Homies Empowerment, a ing homeless encampment here in
community-based outreach for youth Oakland, California that resembles
involved in gangs. He’s currently Calcutta in an effort to bring food to
interim minister of Compassionate someone who is hungry. The sights,
Care at GLIDE Church in the San sounds, and smells are so vivid that
Francisco Tenderloin district. In 2015, they inspire prayer and verse. That’s
the Oakland City Council awarded where the words come from that even-
him a proclamation for his work help- tually rhyme and find themselves
ing victims of human trafficking and inside of one of my books.”
street violence.
His newest book, Taking it to the Melissa Hart is the author of Better with
Streets: Lessons from a Life of Urban Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and
Ministry (IVP, 2019), records the chal- Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and
lenges and victories of his work. The Teens (Sasquatch, 2019). Instagram/Twitter
introduction reads: @WildMelissaHart

writermag.com • The Writer | 31

 Announcing the
winners of our

FLASH
When the weather warms, our attention spans start
to wane. That’s why our annual Summer Flash Con-
test asks writers to spend the hottest part of the year
writing short – short-short, that is. We invited readers
to submit work in any genre – fiction or nonfiction –
as long as the final submission fell under 1,000
words. Here are the first-, second-, and third-place
winners of our 2019 contest.
jumpingsack/Shutterstock

32 | The Writer • April 2020

F IRS T- P L A CE W IN NE R

Something Happened
BY MINDY MCGINNIS

I sever the first two fingers of my left hand on a Tuesday. They fall to the ground
at my feet, causing a momentary confusion as I wonder what tree has dropped
this odd fruit. Then I see the crescent scar left behind by a fish hook and know
that these are my fingers, that they are no longer attached to my body, and that I
will surely not be going to piano lessons the next day. This is when I know how
much I dislike piano, that the momentary relief at the thought lifts my spirits
even though I am bleeding profusely.
I am 9, and it is fall, the woods around me swaying in the wind, dead leaves
drifting to the ground as I take off my shirt and wrap my hand. It is a new shirt,
and I will surely be in trouble, I think, as the blood overtakes the print design –
horses that can’t outrun the beat of my heart. I pick up my fingers, still warm, and
squeeze them, feeling the texture of my skin. I’ve held my own hand, made the
church steeple and opened it up to see the people, twiddled my thumbs and
traced the lines of my palm, but always there was reciprocal feeling, touch to
touch. It is a one-side game now, my dead fingers rendered mute.
I gather my hatchet, made by my grandfather. My name – Ellie – is etched
onto the handle. I loop it through my belt, not cleaning the bright smear of blood
from the blade. I trip over the spear I had been making, defense against some
imagined enemy who would threaten my forest. I am 9 and determined to protect
what I care for.
I head home, leaving behind the canopy of the woods for the rustling of the
dried cornstalks. I break into our backyard to see Mom at the kitchen window,
working. She is cleaning, baking, cooking, fixing, mending, caring, raising, moth-
ering. She is doing something appropriate to the hour, day, month, year. She is
not cutting off her fingers in the woods while making weapons.
I go to the door, unsure how to present myself, her only child, naked from the
waist up, hatchet at her side, filthy, bloodied, carrying her own body parts. I
squeeze my fingers. They have gone cold; the blood tacky.
I am 9. I do not have the words for this. I cannot explain myself or the mystery
of what has occurred; how my blade was untrue, how I have maimed myself for
life. Inside I hear: water running, the smell of fresh bread, Mom humming. I step
into the kitchen.
“Mom,” I say. “Something happened.”

Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including
post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may
change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at
humanity and the world around us.
I N TER V I E W

Mindy McGinnis
each one carries a lot of weight. I’d leave it alone
for a week or two, return to it and change one or
two words. But when you’re working with less
than 500, each word carries great importance.

What are some of the challenges and benefits

of writing short-short fiction? How does it dif-
fer from novel writing? I think it’s an emotional
hurricane for me. I often get one line, or a visual,
and try to evoke the gut impact that it brings for
me. I’m naturally a tight, concise writer, so I actu-
ally enjoy the parameters that encourage me to
hone my natural inclination, which is to say a lot
by writing very little.

Your fiction spans an impressive variety of

genres. How has not staying in one particular
authorial “lane” helped your craft and your
career? If I’m being perfectly honest, I doubt it
has. I think if I had picked a lane and stuck in it,
I might be more successful or well known. I
know I’d be easier to market, and my brand
would be more defined. I think career-wise it
might have been more intelligent to establish
myself in one arena. Craft wise, the thought
makes me claustrophobic. I read widely, so I
write widely.
What inspired you to write “Something Hap-
pened?” I grew up in a very rural area and still What’s your best advice for fellow short story
live there. It’s a lifestyle that is easily romanti- writers? The short story is a form that presents
cized, but it also carries a fair amount of danger challenges the novel doesn’t. World building,
with it. I spent most of my time in the woods, character development and arc, plot...all of the
playing alone, and I often did carry a hatchet with elements you’d have more room for in a novel
me. As an adult, I think about some of my activi- are constricted to a very small narrative. Flash
ties and cringe...like purposefully crossing a fiction is an area I excel at, micro-focusing on a
flooded stream because I liked how it felt when single moment and the impact of it. A short
the current carried me. story is much more difficult for me. You need
more than one moment in a short story, but you
Photo by Amy Parrish

What was your writing and revision process need to give equal weight to each and not
like for this story? It came out fairly quickly, and become involved in a single scene to the detri-
the tone was exactly what I had wanted right ment of others. It’s a tricky balance, and one I’ve
from the beginning. However, with so few words, not mastered yet.
34 | The Writer • April 2020
S E C O N D - PL AC E W I NNE R

BOUNCING
BY KEITH CARTER

Standing at the kitchen sink, blinking away sleep, he hears his wife’s
scream “Oh God!” followed by a terrible bumping and crashing,
which he knows as sure as he’s standing there in his boxers is his baby
son bouncing down the stairs, just as he has always feared, and he
drops the coffee pot and runs to the foot of the staircase in time to
catch the startled body as it tumbles off the last carpeted stair, a plas-
tic toddler gate crashing behind and hitting – Thock! – the wall, leav-
ing a big hole that could have easily been his son’s perfect head, but
instead he’s holding that head in one hand, cradling the rest of his
tense, Pooh-clad body in his arms, staring at the tiny face, contorted
in a frozen, soundless scream of fear and wonder, smooth skin turn-
ing crimson, breath held for an eternity as he hears his wife’s “Please
God,” echo his own prayers along with his voiced pleading “Breathe,
Lorne,” when the logjam breaks at last, tears flow and cries like some-
one is sticking him with a sewing needle erupt out of the suddenly
heaving body, threatening to rupture his membranes, and then just as
suddenly the cat strolls by, blissfully unconcerned with the drama
before her, and the tortured expression of his son clears as sunny as a
solstice morning, leaving only a mother and father, their lives no lon-
ger their own.

Keith Carter is a graduate of the Emerson MFA Program in Creative Writing. He con-
tinues to work on multiple writing projects at various levels of commitment and, when
not doing so, enjoys playing hockey, coaching hockey and baseball, and spending time
with his four boys. He lives in Lancaster, Massachusetts.

writermag.com • The Writer | 35

 T HIRD -P L ACE WINN ER

Black as Goth
BY KARA DONADT

The straw-haired girl, not a child though not yet

an adult, stood quietly next to her mother as the
crowd of mourners closed in on them. The air
was damp and cold, making her breath a steam
cloud as she exhaled. She stared at her shoes, her
face hidden by a curtain of hair, and let her gaze
wander along the grassy floor. Sodden feathers
clung to her shoes while others lay strewn across
the once-verdant ground.
A purple-robed priest floated past her so close
she could have snatched his long, flowing scarf
from around his neck. But she didn’t; instead, she
kept her hands stashed deep in her coat pockets,
the stolen eye gripped tightly in her right hand.
Amid the human forest, the girl thought
about Grandfather’s house. She visualized his
bedroom: the heavy drapes pulled shut as if to
keep the sunlight from revealing the room’s
secrets and the lumpy quilt with its evenly spaced
knots. Even now, she could still taste the stale
cigarette- and sweat-infused air heavy on her
tongue. Inside her pocket, nimble fingers turned
over the convex shell-shaped object. She pictured
the blue iris and covered it with her thumb,
pressing hard. Grandfather’s glass eye, stolen
from the jewelry box on his dresser the last time
he had taken her to his bedroom.
A distant caw from a derisive crow pricked her
ears. The black-winged creature had come for the
eye and, she hoped, for her as well.
Mother shifted her weight from one shoe to the
other, her nylon-covered calves flexing. The cor-
ner of her elbow nudged the girl from time to
time to remind her to stand still or straight, or to
keep alert – the girl was not sure which. Earlier at
home, the girl had wanted to wear her blue jeans
and sneakers instead of her Sunday shoes and the
dress Mother had bought specially for this occa-
sion. When the girl protested, Mother had thrown
the clothing at her and then left to wait for her
Azuzl/Shutterstock

downstairs, slamming the door behind her.

During the church service, the girl had wanted
to go up with the others, the old men and women,
36 | The Writer • April 2020
 È WANT TO THROW YOUR HAT IN THE RING? Our 2020 Summer Flash Contest
is right around the corner. The contest starts on July 1, so watch our Submittable
page (writermag.submittable.com) for more information later this summer.

to peer into the casket. She wanted, needed, to see shiny obsidian eyes followed it to the ground. Its
him lying in that silk-lined box. But when she beak tipped up and down, and then it cawed a
went to stand, Mother clutched her arm and thank you.
jerked her back down. It was then that her feath- With a flap of wings, the bird descended to the
ers had begun to sprout through her skin. Small ground and picked up the object in its beak. Then
pinfeathers poked through her nylons and pulled it swiftly took flight and disappeared into the
against the pores with each movement. They nearby woods. In vain, the girl searched the
itched and made her fidgety – it was all she could naked branches for the bird while a heavy sadness
do not to scratch them. filled her. “No, wait,” she cried out, “take me too!”
The feathers would come to her at Grandfa- An abrupt yank on the girl’s arm reminded her
ther’s too. she was to stay still and be quiet. “Why can’t you
behave?” Mother spat.
At his house, while on his bed in the dim light, No one spoke in the car on the way home. No
his ashtray-breath smothered her and his thick, one commented on her feathers. Father kept his
probing fingers touched her. With every visit to his hands on the steering wheel while Mother stared
darkened bedroom, her avian powers grew stron- out the window, and the girl sat in the backseat,
ger, and flight came to her more quickly. running the tip of her finger over her soft, inky
down. Once home, Father abandoned them, going
In the cemetery, the newly formed feathers straight out to his workshop; Mother headed
covered the girl’s arms, and she felt their pointy directly to the forbidden cupboard; the girl went
ends as they pushed against the inside of her coat. up to her room and climbed onto her bed, where
She shivered as she raised her eyes and scanned she curled up like a fledgling in a soft nest.
the crowd for Father. Solitary and distant as When the girl awoke, she was dismayed to dis-
always, she spotted him, standing two black- cover she was still a girl. The feathers were gone,
cloaked bodies away. but the inner ache remained. She rubbed her
A flicker of movement caught the girl’s eye. To palm against her pale skin.
avoid Mother’s detection, she slowly turned her One morning when she was supposed to be in
head until she spotted Sister Crow perched on school, the girl instead rode her bike down to the
the edge of a grey headstone. A smile pulled at run-off pond. From the sloping bank, she watched
the corners of the girl’s mouth. The bird, black as a swan float by. She pulled the secreted items from
Goth, tilted its head and eyed her. In quick, short her pockets and examined them. Two bottles: one
motions, its sharp beak worked like a pencil from her mother’s medicine cabinet, the other
writing an invisible message in the air. And the from the forbidden cupboard. After a long minute,
girl knew, for certain, the bird was waiting for she flopped onto her back, her grasp tight on the
the eye – the ridge-less half marble clasped bottles. Lying face-up with her blackened eyelids
tightly in her fist. softly closed, she could feel the feathers, black as
A shift in the crowd momentarily distracted Goth, once more push through her scalp.
the girl, and then she heard the shovelfuls of dirt
thunder down onto the casket. Edging away from Kara Donadt lives in beautiful British Columbia, where she
Mother and moving toward Sister Crow, she writes from her home studio overlooking Lake Okanagan. She
pulled the eye-shell from her pocket and gently loves wakesurfing and golfing in the summer and hiking and
lobbed it toward the bird. Without a sound, it fell skiing in the winter. Her inspiration comes from other tal-
to the grass just left of the headstone. The bird’s ented writers, nature, and the world around her.

writermag.com • The Writer | 37

LITERARY SPOTLIGHT
BY MELISSA HART
INSIDE LITERARY MAGAZINES

Kaleidoscope
This journal has welcomed contributors wishing to explore the experience of
disability via writing and art for more than four decades.

A
man with dementia strug-
gles to remember the pro-
cess of filling and hanging a
hummingbird feeder while
dealing with rage and then sudden sal-
vation as his wife looks on.
A woman navigates a romantic
relationship with a man baffled by
behaviors brought on by her obses-
sive-compulsive disorder.
The sister of a man with an intellec-
tual disability surveys childhood pho-
tographs and reflects on the challenges
and joys of growing up in her particu-
lar family.
Since 1979, Kaleidoscope has pub-
lished fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and
art that explores the intersection of dis-
ability and fine arts. Submissions come
from around the world, from writers
whose lives have been touched by dys-
lexia and autism, visual and hearing
impairment, traumatic brain injury
and bipolar disorder. objective and accurate, and provides
“We look at everything that’s sent to valuable insight into a person’s experi-
us, and we appreciate each contributor’s ence as disabled or insight into a rela-
effort. It’s always exciting to see new tionship with someone who has a
pieces that express different perspec- disability. We’re eager to hear these sto- piece titled “Remembering Ronnie” by
tives on disabilities that might be unfa- ries and share them with readers.” Anita G. Gorman, commemorating the
miliar to people,” editor-in-chief Debra The Winter/Spring 2020 issue passing of a local man with Down syn-
Johanyak says. She notes that she’s also includes a piece by Deanna Altomara drome. Johanyak describes the essay as
open to considering pieces that have titled “Taco Tuesday.” Written from the a heartwarming piece about how the
appeared in other publications. perspective of a high school girl on the man – Ronnie – did volunteer work and
autism spectrum, it explores her first became an integral part of Gorman’s
Tone, editorial content job as a restaurant server – employment community.
Kaleidoscope editors look for work that she navigates with therapy and assis-
avoids sentimental depictions of people tance from her parents. “It really helps Contributors
with physical and intellectual disabili- readers to see and appreciate this girl “We have contributors who have never
ties. “We have stereotypical perspectives from her perspective when she overre- been published, who’ve lived alone for
from previous widespread literature and acts or makes a mistake or drops some- decades writing poems and stories,”
movies,” Johanyak says. “We’re looking thing on the job,” Johanyak explains. Johanyak says. Their work appears
for a more balanced approach that’s The same issue includes a nonfiction alongside that of seasoned novelists
38 | The Writer • April 2020
 includes a poem from writer and
“The material chosen actress Kira Compton. Titled “A New

GET
for Kaleidoscope Normal,” it begins:
challenges and overcomes
stereotypical, patronizing,
and sentimental attitudes
about disability.”
My mother asks if I am feeling
fine
and I say “yes” because the real
SOCIAL
answer
Follow us on
Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfic- Facebook
tion, and book reviews.
is not one she would really want.
The real answer is that and Twitter
Reading period: Year-round. I am feeling fine because
Length: To 5,000 words. there is a new fine.
A new normal.
Payment: Up to $100.
It is normal, now, to pump
Submission format: Via website intravenous medication in my
or email. arm @thewritermagazine
Contact: Editor-in-Chief Debra so that my body does not kill
Johanyak at itself.
[email protected],
udsakron.org/kaleidoscope Advice for potential contributors
Anyone is welcome to submit to Kalei- @thewritermag
doscope, Johanyak says. “Not everyone
and essayists and poets. who submits to our publication deals
“We get a lot of literary writing,” she with a disability themselves,” she
explains. “It’s not required, but we have explains. “Writers may be family mem-
a lot of contributors who have a Master bers or caregivers for people with dis-
of Fine Arts degree or who have pub- abilities, or they simply have a unique
lished books or numerous stories or perspective to share.”
poems elsewhere. We also have people She seeks personal essays and mem-
who’ve just decided to write about oirs, interviews, poems, short stories,
being a caregiver, or gradually losing and timely book reviews about publi-
their sight, or having to start using a cations in the field of disability and/or
walking device. They write about these the arts. The magazine publishes art in
experiences in meaningful and lovely numerous mediums as well.
ways, so that others can understand.” Johanyak reminds potential contrib-
The Summer/Fall 2019 issue utors to submit material that challenges
includes “Globetrotting with a Stutter,” stereotypical and patronizing attitudes.
an essay by Brandon Lomenzo Black. “For a long time, globally, anyone with a
“The writer traveled through Asian disability might have been shunned or
countries marked by public unrest and silence in some ways, or not given full
demonstrations in which he didn’t take respect and acceptance. For example,
part because of a speech disability that we didn’t talk about mental health as we
made it a little harder to be under- do now. We’re starting to open up as a
stood,” Johanyak explains. “He talks society. Our publication welcomes any-
about how he learned to navigate one who’s willing to share.”
thanks to cultural similarities and
through body language and facial ges- Contributing editor Melissa Hart is the
tures. It was interesting to see how his author of Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books
perspective on disability evolved dur- to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Accep-
ing such a sensitive time.” tance in Tweens and Teens (Sasquatch, 2019).
The Winter/Spring 2020 issue also Twitter/Instagram: @WildMelissaHart

writermag.com • The Writer | 39

CONFERENCE INSIDER
BY MELISSA HART

Bouchercon World Mystery

Convention
Authors, fans, and industry professionals flock to this four-day
celebration of crime fiction.

A
nthony Boucher (1911- throughout Bouchercon so that par-
1968) demonstrated such Conference: Bouchercon ticipants can get autographs from
an allegiance to mystery Dates: Oct. 15-18, 2020 their favorite novelists.
fiction writers as an author, Drier’s favorite part of the event as a
Cost: $225
editor, and critic that after his death, veteran attendee is seeing friends and
colleagues founded an annual interna- Location: Sacramento, California meeting new people. The convention
tional mystery convention and named Contact: Co-Chairs Michele Drier attracts 1,700 people each year who
it “Bouchercon” in his honor. and Rae James at travel across the country to meet and
Now in its 51st year, the four-day [email protected] interact with their favorite authors.
event – held in a different city each bouchercon2020.org “How cool is that!” she says. “I love
year – attracts authors and editors, finding new authors to read,” she adds.
publishers and agents, booksellers and “I’m a writer, but I’m also a reader.”
fans of crime fiction. The 2020 confer- event’s Book Bazaar, which includes
ence takes place in California’s capital author swag and other mystery- What you’ll learn
city of Sacramento in October. Mystery related information. This feature is Last year’s panels included “Ripped
authors Rae James and Michele Drier quite popular: A note on the conven- from the Headlines,” which explored
Cassiohabib/Shutterstock

are co-chairing the convention, subti- tion website reads “CHECK-IN how writers can use news about real-
tled “Where murder is a capitol crime.” EARLY TO GET FIRST PICK AT life crime cases as inspiration for fic-
Registered attendees receive cou- THE BOOK BAZAAR.” In addition, tion, and “Red Herrings: The Art of
pons for free books, redeemable at the publishers offer free books Misdirection,” about how to create
40 | The Writer • April 2020
unpredictable and surprising plots in a Other attending authors include involved with how the conference gets
mystery novel. Convention partici- Michael Nava – author of a crime fic- put together,” she says.
pants learned about the pros and cons tion series featuring a gay Latino crim- Along with the more traditional
of self-publishing versus traditional inal defense lawyer – and Canadian panels, book signings, and banquets,
publishing, as well as how to research a crime and speculative fiction writer SG Bouchercon attendees gravitate toward
piece of fiction, how to write powerful Wong. Authors Rachel Howzell Hall like-minded participants who celebrate
dialogue . . . even how to incorporate and Gary Phillips will attend, as will everything from their love of cozy
dogs and cats into a mystery story. Ghana-born physician and crime fic- mystery novels or gritty thrillers to
In a panel titled “All the Single tion novelist Kwei Quartey. “We have a pick-up basketball or card games.
Ladies,” six authors discussed whether really nice lineup representing a broad “There’s a group that gets together one
a cozy mystery series can succeed expanse of different genres,” Drier says. night to play poker,” Drier explains.
without a love interest and how to steer “They’re fans who have known each
away from clichéd characters and Advice for first-time attendees other for years.”
tropes toward a more original narra- She advises those new to Bouchercon This year, Bouchercon 2020 staff
tive. “The Mystery of History” panel to study the schedule well ahead of the will publish an anthology guided by
included insights from bestselling his- event, the better to plan particular the theme “California Schemin.’” Writ-
torical mystery authors who discussed panels to attend and authors to meet. ers are invited to submit short fiction
their research process and which Writers can visit the website to sign up to be blind-judged by award-winning
details to include in, as well as which to for email updates and meet other short story writer and book critic Art
leave out of, a manuscript. attendees on the organization’s Face- Taylor. “Contributors will appear in the
Writers also learned how to market book page. “At the convention, don’t be anthology with pieces from authors
their books, how to make the transition shy,” Drier says. “Walk up and intro- like Walter Mosley and Anne Perry,”
from print to audiobook and print to duce yourself to people.” Drier says. “It’s a great opportunity.”
screen, and how to find and work with She urges people to contact conven-
a critique group for maximum success. tion staff about volunteer positions. Contributing editor Melissa Hart is the
In between panel presentations, attend- Panel monitors, and those working the author of Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books
ees watched interviews with guests of registration desk, enjoy multiple to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Accep-
honor including Peter Lovesey, Debo- opportunities to interact with speakers. tance in Tweens and Teens (Sasquatch, 2019).
rah Crombie, and James Patterson. “Volunteer for anything that gets you Twitter/Instagram: @WildMelissaHart

Featured presenters
In 2020, guests of honor at Boucher-
con include bestselling fiction author
and lawyer Scott Turow, bestselling
historical novelist Anne Perry, English
novelist and screenwriter Anthony
Horowitz, and Cara Black – author of
the Aimée Leduc mystery novels,
which feature a female Paris-based
private investigator.
Walter Mosley – author of almost
50 books of fiction and nonfiction,
including the Easy Rawlins mystery
series – will receive a lifetime achieve-
ment award. Mystery Readers Journal
editor Janet A. Rudolph will attend as
a “Fan Guest of Honor” while Scottish
American author Catriona McPher-
son of the Dandy Gilver historical
mystery series will serve as Toastmas-
ter at the convention.
writermag.com • The Writer | 41
MARKETS
COMPILED BY TONI FITZGERALD

F N BEVERLEY SLOPEN LITERARY

Literary agents
AGENCY Represents literary and commercial
fiction, history, narrative nonfiction, anthropol-
ogy, biography, and some true crime and self-help.
Contact: Beverley Slopen Agency, 131 Bloor St.
Before you can approach an editor or publishing house, it’s a good idea
W., Suite 711, Toronto, ON M5S 1S3 Canada. 416-
to seek agent representation.The following agents are a small sampling
964-9598. [email protected]
of what the industry has to offer.
slopenagency.com

F N Y B.J. ROBBINS LITERARY AGENCY

Information in this section is provided to fiction. Also seeks nonfiction, including biogra- Represents authors of literary and commercial fic-
The Writer by the individual markets and phy, pop culture, history, cultural commentary, tion, YA, and general nonfiction, with a particular
events; for more information, contact memoir, and graphic novels. Submit via website interest in memoir, biography, history, pop culture,
those entities directly. form. Contact: Ayesha Pande Literary, 128 W. 132 sports, travel, African-American, and health. Con-
F = Fiction N = Nonfiction P = Poetry St., New York, NY 10027. 212-283-5825. Email tact: B.J. Robbins Literary Agency. 818-760-6602
C = Children’s Y = Young adult O = Other through website. pandeliterary.com [email protected] bjrobbinsliterary.com

F N C Y 3 SEAS LITERARY AGENCY Repre- F N BARBARA BRAUN ASSOCIATES Repre- F BLUE RIDGE LITERARY AGENCY Handles
sents romance, women’s fiction, science fiction/ sents literary and commercial fiction, women’s, romances and cozy mysteries. Submit a synopsis
fantasy, YA and middle-grade fiction, and select historical and multicultural stories, art-related fic- and the first three chapters by email. Contact:
nonfiction titles. Query by email only. No attach- tion, some mysteries/thrillers and serious nonfic- Dawn Dowdle, Blue Ridge Literary Agency.
ments. Contact: Michelle Grajkowski or Cori tion. Query by email only. Contact: Barbara Braun [email protected] blueridgeagency.com
Deyoe, 3 Seas Literary Agency, P.O. Box 444, Sun Associates, 7 E. 14th St., #19F, New York, NY
Prairie, WI 53590. 608-834-9317. 10003. [email protected] F N Y C BOOKENDS Currently considering
[email protected] threeseasagency.com barbarabraunagency.com romance, YA, mystery, science fiction and fantasy,
picture books, middle grade, and women’s fiction.
F N THE AARON M. PRIEST LITERARY F N BALDI AGENCY Interested in literary and Also represents books on current affairs, reference,
AGENCY Seeks mainstream and literary fiction, general fiction, reference, biography, computers/ business, parenting, pop culture, and general non-
thrillers, and narrative nonfiction. Query by email technology, business, history, travel, lifestyle, sci- fiction. Contact: BookEnds. See website for individ-
only. No attachments. Contact: The Aaron M. ence, memoir, cultural history, creative nonfic- ual agents’ email addresses. bookendsliterary.com
Priest Literary Agency, 200 W. 41st St., 21st Floor, tion, and gay/lesbian fiction. Submit queries by
New York, NY 10036. 212-818-0344. See website email or mail. Contact: Baldi Agency, 233 W. 99th F N THE BOOK GROUP Boutique agency rep-
for specific agent email addresses. aaronpriest.com St., Suite 19C, New York, NY 10025. 212-222- resenting fiction and nonfiction. Submit query
3213. [email protected] baldibooks.com and 10 sample pages by email (no attachments).
C Y ANDREA BROWN LITERARY AGENCY Contact: The Book Group.
Represents authors of children’s, middle grade, F N C THE BENT AGENCY Represents authors [email protected]
and YA. Email queries only. Contact: Andrea of commercial and literary fiction, memoir, non- thebookgroup.com
Brown Literary Agency. Check website for agents’ fiction, and children’s literature. See website for
email addresses. andreabrownlit.com specific agents’ interests and email addresses. F N C Y BRADFORD LITERARY AGENCY
Contact: The Bent Agency, 19 W. 21st St., Suite Seeking fiction, including romance, urban fantasy,
F N Y ANDY ROSS AGENCY Represents 201, New York, NY 10010. women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers, children’s, and
authors of narrative nonfiction, current events [email protected] thebentagency.com YA. Also accepts nonfiction, including business,
and history, journalism, science, literary and com- relationships, biography/memoir, self-help, par-
mercial fiction, and YA fiction. Submit via email. F N C Y BETSY AMSTER LITERARY ENTER- enting, and narrative humor. Email queries only.
Contact: Andy Ross Agency, 767 Santa Ray Ave., PRISES Interested in literary, children’s, YA, Contact: Bradford Literary Agency, 5694 Mission
Oakland, CA 94610. upscale commercial and women’s fiction, narrative Center Rd. #347, San Diego, CA 92108. 619-521-
[email protected] or traditional nonfiction, and quirky gift books. 1201. See website for individual agents’ email
andyrossagency.com Query by email only. Contact: Betsy Amster Liter- addresses. bradfordlit.com
ary Enterprises, 607 Foothill Blvd. #1061, La Can-
F N Y O AYESHA PANDE LITERARY Seeks ada Flintridge, CA 91012. Adult submissions: b. F N THE BUKOWSKI AGENCY Accepting fic-
literary and popular fiction, including YA fiction, [email protected]. Children’s and YA: tion and nonfiction submissions from authors who
women’s, African-American, and international [email protected] amsterlit.com reside in Canada. Send submissions by regular

42 | The Writer • April 2020

mail. Contact: The Bukowski Agency, 14 Prince gion/spirituality, business, pop culture, practical Literary Agency. 718-788-6067.
Arthur Ave., Suite 202, Toronto, ON M5R 1A9, advice, social issues, and biography/memoir. [email protected] dgliterary.com
Canada. 416-928-6728. [email protected] Query by email only. No attachments. Contact:
bukowskiagency.com Daniel Literary Group, 601 Old Hickory Blvd., F N C Y DUNOW, CARLSON & LERNER
#56, Brentwood, TN 37027. Handles fiction, narrative nonfiction, and children
F N CAROL MANN AGENCY Represents gen- [email protected] and YA fiction. Queries by email or mail (include
eral fiction, biography, and general nonfiction. danielliterarygroup.com SASE with adequate postage for return of materi-
Submit queries by email. Contact: Carol Mann als). Contact: Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary
Agency, 55 5th Ave., New York, NY 10003. 212- F N Y DARHANSOFF & VERRILL LITERARY Agency, 27 W. 20th St., Suite 1107, New York, NY
206-5635. [email protected] AGENTS Seeks literary fiction, narrative nonfic- 10011. [email protected] dclagency.com
carolmannagency.com tion, memoir, sophisticated suspense, and fiction/
nonfiction for younger readers. Submit via email. F N DYSTEL, GODERICH & BOURRET Rep-
F N CHALBERG & SUSSMAN Seeking fiction Contact: Darhansoff & Verrill, 133 West 72nd St., resents authors of fiction and nonfiction. See
and nonfiction works in memoir, pop culture, Room 304, New York, NY 10023. 917-305-1300. website for specific agents’ interests and email
lifestyle, humor, narrative nonfiction, and literary [email protected] dvagency.com addresses. Contact: Dystel, Goderich & Bourret
fiction. Query by email only. Contact: Chalberg & LLC, 1 Union Square West, Suite 904, New York,
Sussman, 115 W. 29th St., Third Floor, New York, F N Y DAVID BLACK AGENCY Represents fic- NY 10003. 212-627-9100. dystel.com
NY 10001. 917-261-7550. See website for individ- tion and nonfiction for adults and young adults.
ual agents’ email addresses. chalbergsussman.com Check website for agents’ individual interests, F N C Y EINSTEIN LITERARY MANAGE-
email addresses, and submission instructions. MENT Seeks literary and commercial fiction,
F N THE CHENEY AGENCY Represents Contact: David Black Agency, 335 Adams St., including upmarket women’s fiction, crime, histori-
authors of fiction and nonfiction. Submit a query Suite 2707, Brooklyn, NY 11201. 718-852-5500. cal, middle grade, and YA. Nonfiction interests
by email or by regular mail with a SASE. Contact: davidblackagency.com include blog-to-book projects, memoir, cookbooks,
Elyse Cheney Literary Associates, 39 West 14th St., and narrative. Email queries and first 10 pages only.
Suite 403, New York, NY 10011. 212- 277-8007. F N DOE COOVER AGENCY Represents fic- Contact: Einstein Literary Management. 212-221-
[email protected] cheneyassoc.com tion and nonfiction, including narrative nonfic- 8797. [email protected]
tion. See website for specific agents’ interests. einsteinliterary.com
F N C Y COOKE MCDERMID Seeks fiction, Query by email only. Contact: The Doe Coover
narrative nonfiction, health, wellness, and Agency, P.O. Box 668, Winchester, MA 01890. F N EMMA SWEENEY AGENCY Handles
resource guides, and middle grade and YA. Email 781-721-6000. [email protected] general fiction, historical fiction, and narrative
query only. No attachments. Contact: The Cooke doecooveragency.com nonfiction. Submit query via email only. Contact:
Agency, 320 Front St. W., Suite 1105, Toronto, Emma Sweeney Agency, 245 E. 80th St., Suite 7E,
Ontario, M5V 3B6, Canada. F N DON CONGDON ASSOCIATES Seeks New York, NY 10075.
[email protected] cookeagency.ca fiction and nonfiction. Check website for individ- [email protected]
ual agents’ interests. Query by email or regular emmasweeneyagency.com
F N CORNERSTONE LITERARY AGENCY mail. Contact: Don Congdon Associates, 110 Wil-
Represents fiction and narrative nonfiction. Con- liam St., Ste. 2202, New York, NY 10038. 212-645- F N C O THE ETHAN ELLENBERG LITER-
tact: Cornerstone Literary, 4525 Wilshire Blvd., 1229. [email protected] doncongdon.com ARY AGENCY Looking for commercial fiction
Suite 208, Los Angeles, CA 90010. including thrillers, mysteries, children’s, romance,
[email protected] F C Y DONALD MAASS LITERARY women’s fiction, ethnic, fantasy, science fiction,
cornerstoneliterary.com AGENCY Welcoming authors of nonfiction and and literary fiction with a strong narrative. Also
all genres of fiction, including middle grade and seeks nonfiction in current affairs, history, health,
F N C O CURTIS BROWN Represents adults’ YA. Only email queries accepted. Contact: Don- science, psychology, cookbooks, new age, spiritu-
and children’s authors of all genres, including ald Maass Literary Agency, 1000 Dean St., Suite ality, pop culture, adventure, true crime, biogra-
illustrators. Contact: Attn: Agent’s name, Curtis 252, Brooklyn, NY 11238. 212-727-8383. See web- phy, and memoir. Submit by regular mail or email.
Brown, Ltd., 10 Astor Pl., New York, NY 10003. site for agents’ email addresses. maassagency.com Contact: Ethan Ellenberg, 155 Suffolk St., #2R,
212-473-5400. See website for individual agents’ New York, NY 10002. 212-431-4554.
email addresses. [email protected] F N Y DOUG GRAD LITERARY AGENCY [email protected] ethanellenberg.com
curtisbrown.com Represents fiction and narrative nonfiction,
including memoir, thrillers, mysteries, historical F N C FAIRBANK LITERARY REPRESENTA-
N DANIEL LITERARY GROUP Specializes in fiction, romance, military, and theater. Query via TION Represents international, general, and liter-
nonfiction, including narrative nonfiction, reli- email before submitting. Contact: Doug Grad ary fiction, memoir, lifestyle, pop culture, humor,

writermag.com • The Writer | 43

MARKETS

children’s, and creativity. Query by email or postal equal parts fiction (commercial, YA, and literary) mail. Contact: Hornfischer Literary Management.
mail. Contact: Fairbank Literary Representation, and nonfiction (biography, memoir, sports, his- [email protected] hornfischerlit.com
P.O. Box 6, Hudson, NY 12534. 617-576-0030. tory, current events, science). Do not send queries
[email protected] fairbankliterary.com to individual agents. Submit via email or regular F N Y INKWELL MANAGEMENT Seeks fiction,
mail. Contact: The Gernert Company, 136 E. 57th YA, and nonfiction. Currently accepting submis-
F N Y FINEPRINT LITERARY MANAGE- St., New York, NY 10022. 212-838-7777. sions in all genres except screenplays. Submit que-
MENT Seeks fiction and nonfiction for adults [email protected] thegernertco.com ries by email. Contact: InkWell Management, 521
and young adults. Check website for each agent’s Fifth Ave., Suite 2600, New York, NY 10175. 212-
interests and email addresses and submission C Y THE GREENHOUSE LITERARY 922-3500. [email protected]
instructions. Contact: FinePrint Literary Manage- AGENCY Specializes in representing authors of inkwellmanagement.com
ment, 207 W. 106th St., Suite 1D, New York, NY children’s fiction for age 5 through middle grade
10025. [email protected] fineprintlit.com and YA/crossover novels. See website for specific F N Y IGLA Seeking commercial/literary fiction
agents’ interests. Email queries only. No attach- and nonfiction, including mysteries, romance,
C Y FLANNERY LITERARY Fiction and non- ments. Contact: The Greenhouse Literary women’s fiction, thrillers, and suspense, and MG
fiction for children and young adults, all genres. Agency. [email protected] and YA fiction. No screenplays or children’s picture
Email queries only. Contact: Flannery Literary. greenhouseliterary.com books. See website for specific agents’ interests and
[email protected] flanneryliterary.com email addresses. Email queries only. Contact: Irene
F N HARTLINE LITERARY AGENCY Repre- Goodman Literary Agency, 27 West 24th St., Suite
F N FOUNDRY LITERARY + MEDIA Accept- sents fiction and nonfiction for inspirational and 804, New York, NY 10010. irenegoodman.com
ing fiction and nonfiction queries. See website for mainstream markets, mostly for the Christian
specific agents’ interests, email addresses, and book market. Submit queries via email or post N JAMES PETER ASSOCIATES Accepting
submission instructions. Contact: Foundry Liter- mail per website instructions. Contact: Hartline queries for adult nonfiction books of all subject
ary + Media, 33 W. 17th St., PH, New York, NY Literary Agency, 123 Queenston Dr., Pittsburgh, areas. Send queries via regular mail with SASE for
10011. 212-929-5064. foundrymedia.com PA 15235. 412-829-2483. See website for agents’ reply. Contact: Gene Brissie, James Peter Associ-
email addresses. hartlineliterary.com ates, Inc., P.O. Box 358, New Canaan, CT 06840.
F N FRANCES GOLDIN LITERARY 203-972-1070. [email protected]
AGENCY Represents literary and commercial F N C Y HARVEY KLINGER LITERARY writersservices.com/reference/james-peter-
fiction, plus nonfiction. Query using online sub- AGENCY Seeks fiction, nonfiction, and some associates-inc
mission portal, regular mail, or agents’ email YA, middle grade, and children’s fiction. See web-
address. Contact: Frances Goldin Literary site for agents’ interests and email addresses. Con- F N Y JANE ROTROSEN AGENCY Seeks
Agency, 214 W. 29th St., Suite 1006, New York, tact: Harvey Klinger Literary Agency. commercial fiction: thrillers, mystery, suspense,
NY 10001. See website for agents’ email addresses. [email protected] women’s fiction, romance, and YA. Also considers
[email protected] goldinlit.com harveyklinger.com narrative nonfiction. Submit via email or snail
mail; no attachments. Contact: Jane Rotrosen
F N Y THE FRIEDRICH AGENCY Seeks liter- F N Y HELEN HELLER AGENCY Represents Agency, Attn: Submissions, 318 East 51st St., New
ary and commercial fiction for adults and YA, as authors of commercial and literary fiction, non- York, NY 10022. See website for specific agents’
well as narrative nonfiction and memoir. Submit fiction, and YA fiction. Submit through email. See email addresses. janerotrosen.com
via email only. No attachments. Contact: The website for specific agents’ interests and email
Friedrich Agency. See website for specific agents’ addresses. Contact: The Helen Heller Agency. F N C Y JEAN V. NAGGAR LITERARY
email addresses. friedrichagency.com [email protected] AGENCY Represents authors of commercial and
thehelenhelleragency.com literary fiction, nonfiction, and YA/children’s
F N GELFMAN SCHNEIDER/ICM PART- books. Check website for agents’ specific interests.
NERS Represents authors of narrative nonfiction, F N C Y HG LITERARY Represents fiction, Query via website submission form. Contact: Jean
memoir, politics/current affairs, popular science, nonfiction, and all levels of children’s and YA lit- V. Naggar Literary Agency, 216 E. 75th St., Suite
and pop culture, as well as literary, commercial, erature. No romance, sci-fi, religious fiction, or 1E, New York, NY 10021. 212-794-1082. jvnla.com
women’s, and historical fiction. Contact: Gelfman screenplays. Check website for agents’ interests
Schneider Literary Agents, 850 Seventh Ave., and email addresses. Email submissions only. F N C Y JOHN HAWKINS AND ASSOCIATES
Suite 903, New York, NY 10019. See website for Contact: HG Literary. hsgagency.com Interested in fiction, nonfiction, contemporary
agents’ interests, email addresses, and submission journalism, history, biography, YA and middle-
instructions. gelfmanschneider.com F N HORNFISCHER LITERARY MANAGE- grade fiction, science fiction, and fantasy. Submit
MENT Specializes in serious and commercial non- queries via email. Contact: John Hawkins and
F N Y THE GERNERT COMPANY Represents fiction and select fiction. Submit by email or regular Associates, 80 Maiden Ln., STE 1503, New York,

44 | The Writer • April 2020

NY 10038. 212-807-7040. [email protected] jhalit.com cooking, gift books, travel, sports, and quirky authors, as well as middle grade and YA. Check
books. Contact: Anne Marie O’Farrell, 86 Dennis website for each agent’s specific interests. Submit
F N C Y JUDITH EHRLICH LITERARY MAN- St., Manhasset, NY 11030. queries by email only. No attachments. Contact:
AGEMENT Represents fiction and narrative [email protected] The Park Literary Group, 55 Broadway, Suite
nonfiction, including memoir. Also accepts chil- marcilofarrellagency.com 1601, New York, NY 10006. 212-691-3500.
dren’s books. Query by email only. No attach- [email protected] parkfine.com
ments. Contact: Judith Ehrlich Literary F N C Y MARSAL LYON LITERARY
Management, 146 Central Park West, 20E, New AGENCY Seeks fiction, nonfiction, middle F N C PHILIP G. SPITZER LITERARY
York, NY 10023. 646-505-1570. See website for grade, and YA. Contact: Marsal Lyon Literary AGENCY Specializes in general fiction, mystery,
specific agents’ email addresses. Agency LLC, PMB 121, 665 San Rodolfo Dr. 124, thriller and suspense, sports, politics, children’s,
judithehrlichliterary.com Solana Beach, CA 92075. See website for agents’ and African-American. See website for specific
emails. marsallyonliteraryagency.com agents’ interests and email addresses. Contact:
F N Y JULIA LORD LITERARY MANAGE- Philip G. Spitzer Literary Agency, 50 Talmage
MENT Represents general fiction, historical fic- F N MCCORMICK LITERARY Represents Farm Ln., East Hampton, NY 11937. 631-329-
tion, YA fiction, mysteries, thrillers, adventure, authors of literary and commercial fiction and 3650. [email protected]
narrative nonfiction, reference, biography, history, nonfiction, including memoir, history, narrative, spitzeragency.com
lifestyle, sports, humor, and science. Submit by biography, cookbooks, humor, and essays. Con-
email or regular mail. No attachments. Contact: tact: McCormick Literary, 150 West 28th St., Suite F N C Y P.S. LITERARY AGENCY Represents
Julia Lord Literary Management; 38 W. 9th St., 903, New York, NY 10001. 212-691-9726. fiction and nonfiction in literary, commercial,
New York, NY 10011. [email protected] [email protected] romance, women’s fiction, LGBT, YA, middle grade,
julialordliterary.com mccormickwilliams.com picture books, mystery, thriller, science fiction,
memoir, business, politics, health, wellness, sports,
F N THE LA LITERARY AGENCY Handles F N C Y MENDEL MEDIA GROUP Seeking humor, pop science, pop psychology, pop culture,
narrative nonfiction, history, memoirs, sports, nonfiction (biography, memoir, current affairs, design, and lifestyle. Query by email only. Contact:
biographies, cookbooks, lifestyle, health, psychol- economics, history, humor, religion, entertain- P.S. Literary Agency, 2010 Winston Park Dr., 2nd
ogy, science, parenting, business, literary, and ment, mind/body/spirit, politics, popular science, Floor, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 5R7 Canada. 416-
commercial fiction. Submissions by email only. and self-help), fiction (inspirational, literary, mul- 907-8325. [email protected] psliterary.com
For nonfiction, submit query letter and book pro- ticultural, mystery/thriller, and women’s fiction)
posal. For fiction, submit query letter and manu- and children’s (picture books, chapter books, and N REGINA RYAN BOOKS Handles adult non-
script. Contact: Ann Cashman, The LA Literary YA). Submit by email only. Contact: Mendel fiction, including narrative nonfiction, architec-
Agency. [email protected] Media Group LLC, 115 W. 30th St., Suite 209, ture, history, politics, natural history (especially
laliteraryagency.com New York, NY 10001. 646-239-9896. birds), science (especially the brain), the environ-
[email protected] mendelmedia.com ment, women’s issues, parenting, cooking, psy-
F N Y C THE LAURA DAIL LITERARY chology, health, wellness, diet, lifestyle,
AGENCY Represents commercial and literary F N MOVABLE TYPE MANAGEMENT Repre- sustainability, popular reference, and leisure activ-
fiction and nonfiction for adults, young adults, sents authors of high-quality commercial fiction ities including sports, narrative travel, and gar-
and children. Prefers queries by email. Check and nonfiction with archetypal themes, stories, dening. Query online only. Contact: Regina Ryan
website for agents’ specific interests. Contact: The and characters, especially if they have strong film/ Books. [email protected]
Laura Dail Literary Agency, 121 West 27th St., TV potential. Contact: Movable Type Manage- reginaryanbooks.com
Suite 1201, New York, NY 10001. 212-239-7477. ment, 244 Madison Ave., Suite 334, New York, NY
[email protected] ldlainc.com 10016. [email protected] mtmgmt.net F N THE SAGALYN LITERARY AGENCY
Represents authors of upmarket nonfiction, busi-
F N LIZA DAWSON ASSOCIATES Represents F Y NELSON LITERARY AGENCY Currently ness books, and mainstream fiction. Submit que-
authors of literary and commercial fiction and seeking literary, commercial, crossover, upmarket ries by email only. Contact: The Sagalyn Literary
nonfiction. See website for specific agents’ interests women’s fiction, romance, thrillers, science fic- Agency. [email protected] sagalyn.com
and email addresses. Contact: Liza Dawson Asso- tion, and fantasy. Also represents YA and middle-
ciates, 121 W. 27TH St., Suite 1201, New York, NY grade fiction. Submit queries by email only. No F N Y C SANDRA DIJKSTRA LITERARY
10001. 212-465-9071. lizadawsonassociates.com attachments. Contact: Nelson Literary Agency. AGENCY Seeks fiction and nonfiction, including
See website for agents’ emails. nelsonagency.com YA, middle grade, and picture books. Check web-
N MARCIL O’FARRELL LITERARY & site for agent information. Submit queries by email
DENISE MARCIL LITERARY AGENCY Spe- F N Y C PARK & FINE LITERARY AND only. Contact: Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
cializes in self-help, health and fitness, spirituality, MEDIA Represents fiction and nonfiction [email protected] dijkstraagency.com

writermag.com • The Writer | 45

MARKETS

N SALKIND LITERARY AGENCY Seeking interests. Submit via website form. Contact: Sti- F N Y C VERITAS LITERARY AGENCY Han-
general nonfiction trade books and textbooks. See mola Literary Studio, 308 Livingston Ct., Edgewa- dles fiction, YA, MG, picture books, and nonfic-
website for submission instructions and email ter, NJ 07020. 201-945-9353. tion. See website for each agent’s interests, email
addresses. Contact: Salkind Literary Agency, Stu- [email protected] addresses, and submission guidelines. Contact:
dio B. Productions, Inc. 516-829-2102. stimolaliterarystudio.com Veritas Literary Agency, 601 Van Ness Ave.,
[email protected] Opera Plaza Suite E, San Francisco, CA 94102.
studiob.com/salkindagency/agents.html F N THE TALBOT FORTUNE AGENCY Seek- [email protected] veritasliterary.com
ing romance, women’s fiction, thrillers, mysteries,
F N Y SARAH JANE FREYMANN LITER- literary fiction, and narrative nonfiction. Query F N Y VICKY BIJUR LITERARY AGENCY
ARY AGENCY Seeking nonfiction and fiction, by email with first five pages of manuscript. No Seeks upmarket, literary, and commercial wom-
including YA fiction. Prefers email. Contact: Sarah attachments. Contact: Talbot Fortune Agency. en’s fiction, YA, and nonfiction, including unusual
Jane Freymann Literary Agency. 212-362-9277. [email protected] memoirs. No sci-fi, fantasy, romance, screenplays,
[email protected] talbotfortuneagency.com horror, or self-help. Contact: Vicky Bijur Literary
sarahjanefreymann.com Agency, 27 W. 20th St., Suite 1003, New York, NY
F N TESSLER LITERARY AGENCY LLC Bou- 10011. [email protected]
F N C SCOVIL GALEN GHOSH LITERARY tique agency seeking nonfiction and literary, vickybijuragency.com
AGENCY Represents fiction and nonfiction for women’s, and commercial fiction. Submit queries
adults, young adults, and middle grade. Email from website. Contact: Tessler Literary Agency, F N C Y VICTORIA SANDERS & ASSOCI-
queries preferred. Contact: Scovil Galen Ghosh 27 W. 20th St., Suite 1003, New York, NY 10011. ATES Represents authors of memoir, commercial
Literary Agency, 276 Fifth Ave., Suite 708, New 212-242-0466. tessleragency.com women’s fiction, thrillers, humor, mysteries, high-
York, NY 10001. 212-679-8686. Check website for concept fiction, books for kids, self-help, and YA.
specific agents’ email addresses. sgglit.com F N C Y THOMPSON LITERARY AGENCY Query with first three chapters via email only. No
Represents some fiction, plus children’s and YA, attachments. Contact: Victoria Sanders & Associ-
C Y SHELDON FOGELMAN AGENCY Repre- but specializes in nonfiction. Email only. Contact: ates, 440 Buck Rd., Stone Ridge, NY 12484. 212-
sents authors and illustrators for all genres of chil- Thompson Literary Agency, 115 W. 29th St., 3rd 633-8811. [email protected]
dren’s and YA books. Contact: Sheldon Fogelman floor, New York, NY 10001. 347-281-7685. victoriasanders.com
Agency, 420 E. 72nd St., New York, NY 10021. [email protected]
212-532-7250. thompsonliterary.com F N WALES LITERARY AGENCY Seeks fiction
[email protected] and narrative nonfiction. Submit queries by email
sheldonfogelmanagency.com F N C Y O TRANSATLANTIC AGENCY Rep- only. Contact: Wales Literary Agency. 206-284-
resents authors of fiction and nonfiction, chil- 7114. [email protected] waleslit.com
F N SHEREE BYKOFSKY ASSOCIATES dren’s and YA literature, and graphic novels. See
Seeking nonfiction: popular reference, business, website for agent information. Contact: Transat- F N C WENDY SCHMALZ AGENCY Seeking
self-help/psychology, humor, biography, women’s lantic Agency, 2 Bloor St. East, Suite 3500, children’s and adult fiction and nonfiction. Email
issues, cookbooks, and spiritual. Also ooking for Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4W 1A8. queries only. Contact: Wendy Schmalz Agency, 402
commercial fiction with literary appeal. Email transatlanticagency.com Union St. #831, Hudson, NY 12534. 518-672-7697.
queries only. No attachments. Contact: Sheree [email protected] schmalzagency.com
Bykofsky, 4326 Harbor Beach Blvd., PO Box 706, F N C Y TRIADA US LITERARY AGENCY
Brigantine, NJ 08203. [email protected] or Open to any strong nonfiction or fiction (includ- C Y WERNICK & PRATT AGENCY Represents
[email protected] shereebee.com ing thrillers, crime, fantasy, mysteries, YA, middle authors and illustrators of children’s books, both
grade, and romance). Prefers email submissions. fiction and nonfiction, picture books and novelty
F N SIMENAUER & GREEN LITERARY No attachments. Contact: Triada US Literary books, middle grade, and YA. Send submissions
AGENCY Seeks nonfiction and very small Agency, Dr. Uwe Stender, P.O. Box 561, Sewickley, via email only. Contact: Wernick & Pratt Agency.
amount of fiction. Email queries only. Contact: PA 15143. [email protected] triadaus.com [email protected] wernickpratt.com
Simenauer & Green Literary Agency.
[email protected] and F N Y TRIDENT MEDIA GROUP Actively F N WILLIAM CLARK ASSOCIATES Repre-
[email protected] sgliteraryagency.com seeking new and established authors in both fic- sents authors of literary fiction, narrative nonfic-
tion and nonfiction. See website for specific tion, and translations. Submit queries using
Y C STIMOLA LITERARY STUDIO, INC. Rep- agents’ interests and email addresses. Contact: online submission form. No screenplays. Contact:
resents authors of preschool through YA fiction Trident Media Group, 355 Lexington Ave., 12th William Clark Associates, 54 West 21st St., Suite
and nonfiction, including picture books, novels, FL, New York, NY 10017. 212-333-1511. info@tri- 809, New York, NY 10010. 212-675-2784. Email
and graphic novels. Check website for current dentmediagroup.com tridentmediagroup.com from website. wmclark.com

46 | The Writer • April 2020

Classifieds
FOURCONTESTS,$-246->)7%8
READERS should use caution when entering
into any legal contract with a literary service
offering agenting-type assistance; publishers who
WinningWriters.com
charge, rather than pay, an author for publication; Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest (No fee!)
publishers who require a purchase before Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
publication and contests that charge high entrance
fees. The Writer also recommends requesting a list Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
of references and submission guidelines before North Street Book Prize (for self-published books)
submitting a manuscript. If you have any concerns
regarding the advertiser’s commitment or claims, One of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest)
please contact the advertiser and make certain
all questions are answered to your satisfaction.
ADVERTISERS We do not accept ads from agents
or businesses that charge a reading or marketing EDITING/CRITIQUING
fee; Subsidy Publishers: Copy of contract. In
order to effectively handle questions from our PROFESSIONAL EDITOR, Award-winning Author
readers regarding the products and services of our (Bantam, Berkley/Ace, others) offers extensive
advertisers, the staff of The Writer asks that you critiques, respectful in-depth editing. Fiction, non-
provide us with some supplemental information, fiction, juvenile/YA. Carol Gaskin 941-377-7640.
especially for first time advertisers. Examples
include—Contests: Fee requirements, prizes and if
Email: [email protected] or website:
purchase is necessary to qualify; Correspondence www.EditorialAlchemy.com
Schools: Copy of student’s contract, copy of
critiqued assignment, documentation if course is HIGH-QUALITY EDITING FOR WRITERS of Fiction.
accredited; Editing Services: Resumes showing Can be especially helpful to unpublished or first-time
qualifications of service providers, a sample
critique, general cost of services; Literary Services:
writers. Honest, constructive, meticulous feedback.
General cost of services, resume of service Free sample edit. New Leaf Editing. $)&$,
065

providers, verification that at least 50% of business 063
/&8
8&#4*5&
www.newleafediting.com or
income is from commission on sales. For our e-mail [email protected]
private records, please provide us with a street

YOUR
address and contact telephone number. The Writer
reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertising 26"-*5:
&%*5*/(

ZFBST
FYQFSJFODF
&&*

which at its discretion is deemed objectionable, $FSUJGJFE
$PBDIJOH
*OEFYJOH
$.04.-"

misleading or not in the best interest of the reader. 1VCMJTIFE
LBUIFPD!FBSUIMJOLOFU

BUSINESS.
Send Your Ad To: The Writer, Sales Account
Manager 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 404
Braintree, MA 02184 or call (617) 279-0213 E-mail: :PVS
NBOVTDSJQU
FYQFSUMZ
FEJUFE
CZ
QVCMJTIFE

OUR
[email protected] Major credit cards BVUIPS
&OHMJTI
UFBDIFS
BOE
TFBTPOFE
FEJUPS
BOE

accepted. QSPPGSFBEFS
&NBJM
%S#MBYCFSH!HNBJMDPN
GPS

NPSF
JOGPSNBUJPO

#BDLNBO&EJUJOHDPN
"EWBODFE
BOE
IJHIMZ
EFUBJMFE
HVJEBODF
GPS
ZPVS
OPWFM

TIPSU
TUPSZ
OPOGJDUJPO
QJFDF
PS
BDBEFNJD
QBQFS
READERS.
For more information about
BOOK MARKETING Unlock the potential of your manuscript! how you can connect
:PVS
.BTUFSQJFDF
CPPL
JT
EPOF
OPX
XIBU Want to write a good book? I can help. with thousands of writers,
.BSLFU
JU
JT
XIBU
XXX+BZ/PSUI.BSLFUJOHDPN

'SFF
$POTVMUBUJPO
 Helga Schier, PhD, contact Alexandra Piccirilli
published author and former
publishing executive, offers
at 617-279-0213 or
powerful, comprehensive, [email protected].
CONFERENCES personalized and effective
editorial services.

“When Helga entered the picture, my manuscript

went from promising to a published and critically
acclaimed book.”
– Ed Driscoll, award-winning comedian and writer

withpenandpaper.com 310.828.8421
[email protected]

PR & MARKETING
Smart Cookie PR
From The Smart Cookie Philes
• Review of work & social media promotion
• Press Kit Arrangement
• Media Outreach
• Event and Appearance booking
Rates start at $40 an hr, No Min hrs, Contract based
Email Chelsea [email protected] or call 727 869 8649.

CONTESTS
 
*/
13*;&4
'SPN
.BSDI

UP
.BZ

'MZJOH
RETREATS
4PVUI

B
QVCMJDBUJPO
PG
8JOTUPO
4BMFN
8SJUFST

XJMM
CF
BDDFQUJOH
FOUSJFT
GPS
QSJ[FT
JO
'JDUJPO
83*5&
*/
41"*/
+VMZ

3FUSFBU
UP
CFBVUJGVM

/POGJDUJPO
BOE
1PFUSZ
#FTU
JO
$BUFHPSZ
XJOOFST
XJMM
OPSUIFSO
4QBJO
UP
JNNFSTF
ZPVSTFMG
JO
B
TVQQPSUJWF

CF
QVCMJTIFE
BOE
SFDFJWF

FBDI
0OF
PG
UIF
XFFLMPOH
XSJUJOH
FYQFSJFODF
UIBU
XJMM
FOFSHJ[F
BOE

UISFF
XJOOFST
XJMM
SFDFJWF
5IF
848
1SFTJEFOUhT
JOTQJSF
ZPV
&OKPZ
FODPVSBHJOH
XPSLTIPQT
QMFOUJGVM

'BWPSJUF
BXBSE
BOE
XJO
BO
BEEJUJPOBM

"MM
FOUSJFT
XSJUJOH
UJNF
QBOPSBNJD
DMJGG
UPQ
WJFXT
BOE
FYDVSTJPOT

XJMM
CF
DPOTJEFSFE
GPS
QVCMJDBUJPO
'PS
GVMM
EFUBJMT
UP
#BSDFMPOB
BOE
UIF
BODJFOU
UPXO
PG
7JD
3FHJTUFS

QMFBTF
WJTJU
PVS
XFCTJUF
XXXXTXSJUFSTPSH FBSMZ
BOE
TBWF
XXXTUPDLUPOFEVNVSQIZXSJUJOH
HOW I WRITE
BY ALLISON FUTTERMAN

Richard Blanco
A
ward-winning poet Rich- structure. You figure that out during
ard Blanco was launched the process.
into the public eye after
reading his poem “One Persistent themes and questions
Today” at President Obama’s second My whole trajectory with my work
inauguration. Following this life- comes down to one essential question:
changing event, Blanco took on an Where is home? In a lot of my earlier
increasingly public role – one he con- work, cultural identity and belonging
tinues with his speaking and teaching in terms of place was biographically
and as the education ambassador of the centered around those questions. After
Academy of American Poets. His latest serving as inaugural poet, I was thrust
poetry collection, How to Love a Coun- into a public world, of not only my
try, is a poignant and moving reflec- poetry but myself. I felt a natural sense
tion on issues facing our nation and its of thinking about civic duty as an out-
people. Topics he addresses in the col- growth of that. It became not just “me”
lection include but “we,” and a broader, more pluralis-
cultural identity, tic way of questioning the same things.
immigration,
race, sexual iden- On accessibility
tity, mass shoot- Raised in a working-class, immigrant
ings, and modern I argue against the family, I didn’t have access to poetry. I
politics. His pow- idea that if a poem want to write poetry that my mother
erful, beautiful, can read, or poetry that I would have
and sometimes is accessible, loved as a little boy. I think of myself as
painful work con- a poet of the people. I argue against the
veys both personal and collective expe-
it’s not complex. idea that if a poem is accessible, it’s not
riences and struggles. Blanco is also Accessible is not complex. Accessible is not synonymous
the author of two memoirs, The Prince with simple.
of los Cocuyos and For All of Us, One synonymous
Today: An Inaugural Poet’s Journey. with simple. Prose vs. poetry
For me, I kind of just wanted to teach
How poetry is taught myself to write prose and go through
I want to turn metrophobes (people Beginning a poem my own learning process. The main dif-
with a fear of poetry) into metromani- For the most part, I don’t know where ference is that even with memoir, what
acs. I think the fear goes back to the a poem will lead, but I’ll have a sense drives the book is plot. The narrative
way poetry is taught. I think we should of the theme or texture to start with. It has to keep moving. A poem is like a
approach poetry more like music or can be an image, a quote, or a memory, two- or three-minute song, where a
art. Instead, it’s shrouded in mystery. and I’ll slowly start seeing what devel- memoir is like a movie. As I wrote, I
Like anything new that you try, you ops on the page. Typically, when I start kept asking, “What happens next?” But
start and fail and then improve. You holding strongly to an idea, it doesn’t I can’t write a memoir without writing
have to keep practicing. Creating can turn out well because there’s no discov- poetry first. I need to know, “What is
be a wonderful space, but it can be ter- ery. Finding the structure is like tuning the emotional center?”
rifying, and you just have to accept it an instrument until you hear the right
and dive in. Eventually, you get into the note. And with free verse, every poem Allison Futterman is a freelance writer based in
flow, and it gets a little easier. has to find its own internal logic and Charlotte, North Carolina.

48 | The Writer • April 2020

 1

BUT WAIT,
THERE’S
MORE
For bonus articles, contest alerts,
writing prompts, and industry news,
subscribe to our free newsletter!

Bit.ly/thewriternl