I am sure that there are writers out there who can write in a vacuum. They don't need a how-to book or a critique group. They don't need support or encouragement or inspiration. And they certainly don't need to be spending their money on anything that might give them a leg up in the publishing industry.
I'm not one of them.
If you're not one of them either, I suggest subscribing to a writing magazine or newsletter. You can get one that specializes in your area of writing or a generic one.
I personally love Writer's Digest. Eight times a year I get a little dose of writing inspiration—personal stories of successful writers, how-tos, industry info and more. I don't just read the magazine, I actually try out their tips. If you don't have the $$ for a subscription, go browse their site. They've got all sorts of freebies there, from articles, to tips and writing prompts, to links to other great sites and blogs.
I also used to subscribe to The Writer (although when I had to make a choice due to my budget, I dropped this one and kept Writer's Digest). This mag also has tips and pointers and it comes monthly. The website has lots of free info, as well.
There's another one I just heard about called Writer's Journal. I haven't actually read this one but it looks like it may have some good information. (Anyone out there subscribe? Let us know what you think in the comments.)
So, what's the writing tip? If you need some regular inspiration and tips to keep you writing, subscribe to a good writing magazine and/or visit a writing website on a regular basis.
Are there other good magazines or newsletters you'd recommend? Let us know in the comments section.
3 comments:
Writer's Digest, definitely. I've had a subscription since 1994, haven't ever let it lapse, and have no plans to. It's really grown as magazine as the technology and the industry has--it keeps up to date. I have learned a ton from it.
I'm glad to know it was the convention disguise problem and not another computer breakdown that kept you away all week!
As for Writer's Digest--I had a huge stack of those years ago and went back over and over for inspiration. Then in one of my frenzied decluttering that happened when I was "taking a break from writing", I got rid of them all.
I'm kicking myself now. And glad to know they're still motivational, maybe I"ll resubscribe. I too preferred it over the Writer. A better deal, and it comes out more often.
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Attending the Tori Amos concert earlier this month was like a revelation. I probably wrote 10000 words of my current novel in my head, sitting there watching her work. So you never know where inspiration will come from.
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