THE ICE PICK

Writer’s Market 2002. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest Books, 2002. ISBN 1-58297-044-0. 1112 pages. $29.99.

Trying to sell a story or a book? If you want to be paid cash for your writing, this guide has the largest list of paying magazines, book publishers, and script buyers for your work. High-paying, Canadian, on-line and cable TV markets, and new listings are clearly marked, as are those that buy many freelance or unagented manuscripts.

In addition to the seventeen high-circulation science fiction, fantasy, and horror magazines, it features dozens of literary and "little" magazines that take SF/F/H stories. Of course, if you write other kinds of stories or articles on science or any other topic, you will find markets for your writing here. Also featured are newspaper syndicates and markets for greeting cards and gift ideas, plus contests and awards.

Each market section has introductory information, such as topics of current interest and a discussion of what editors want.

Each magazine listing includes openness to freelancers, whether payment is on acceptance or not, rights acquired, how to query, response time, and information on obtaining guidelines and/or a sample copy. The entry explains the kinds of material they want, how many manuscripts they buy each year, minimum and maximum lengths for your manuscript, and payment rates, as well as tips from the editor. They tell whether they accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, fillers, photos, and reprints, and what their columns or departments accept.

Entries for book publishers and producers include the number of queries and manuscripts received and the number of titles published per year, what percentage of those is from first-time authors, and what percentage from unagented writers, whether they accept simultaneous submissions, information on royalties, advances, etc., response time, how long it usually takes to publish a book, how to obtain guidelines or order a catalog, their various imprints, subjects published, and recent titles, as well as contact information, including names of editors. There are also tips from the publishers and a summary of what kinds of things they may be currently emphasizing or de-emphasizing.

Seventy-five literary agents are listed with bio notes, recent sales, terms of payment, the kinds of books represented, and writer’s conferences attended, if you’d like to meet them in person. And you are warned to follow the submission requirements carefully since "for these agents in particular, time is extremely important, and wasting theirs won’t help your case."

In addition to the market listings are interviews with authors and articles covering such things as getting ideas, query and cover letters, book proposals, improving your odds of getting published, on-line and niche markets, electronic rights, pay rates for writing tasks, professionalism and courtesy, writing tools, proper manuscript format, submitting photographs and slides, and photocopying, mailing and recording your submissions.

The "Business of Writing" section includes information on contracts, rights, and taxes. Each year special articles deal with topics of interest. This year there is one on how to write outlines and treatments if you are doing a screenplay.

The guide also includes a resource list for writers: magazines, websites, and organizations. And there is a glossary of terms like "frontlist" to help you.

I’m always amazed when I meet writers who know nothing about this wonderful market guide.

If you write for publication, I find it is indispensable.

However, if you prefer to use an online service, take a look at Writer’s Market Online, www.writersmarket.com, and try it out.

{Published in SF and Fantasy Workshop Newsletter, Feb. 2002.}