Writing Magazine

The saying goes that “everyone has a story in them” and it’s the mission of Writing Magazine to help you get yours out. Brought to you by real experts who know what it takes to improve your writing or get published, this monthly magazine is a must-have for all writers. Whether you write fiction, poetry, drama, children’s books, non-fiction or anything else, each issue features tips, practical exercises and real-life advice, that will not only help you get all that creativity onto the paper but also, get your name and profile out into the industry. With writing masterclasses from professionals, industry news, events listings, competitions where you can submit your work for fantastic prizes and real paid writing opportunities, Writing Magazine has everything you need to hone and improve your talents.

WELCOME

SET YOUR SCENE • In the first of a new three-part series on everything you need to make your short stories stand out, prizewinning author and short fiction specialist Alice Jolly explores setting up your story

WRITING SEX SCENES: MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Focus on feelings • How do you write about love? Follow your heart – and read this exclusive advice for WM readers from the great romance writer Jojo Moyes

Variety is the spice of life • Author and workshop leader Rosanna Ley offers ten sure-fire ways to create a sense of variation in your writing to keep readers invested all the way from start to finish

PASCAL ENGMAN • The journalist turned bestselling crime writer tells Lynne Hackles about preferring a structured day and how he’s hardwired as a planner

Family matters • Bestselling novelist Harriet Evans has made her name writing immersive family dramas. She tells Tina Jackson about houses, secrets and family dynamics.

Your writing critiqued • Ready to have the first 300 words of your manuscript critiqued? Contact tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk for details

A writer’s companion • Keeping track of your creative life will provide a framework to enable you and your writing to progress, advises Ian Ayris

AN APPLE A DAY

SHELF LIFE

Novel Ideas • Tinker time is never wasted, believes Lynne Hackles

The BONES of a story • Bestselling author of psychological thrillers Rachel Abbott describes the opening set-up of her tense new novel, and the significance of its seaside setting

JOANNA WALLACE • As her serial killer thriller is published, the debut novelist describes how her writing got darker... and funnier... as she grieved her father’s devastating illness

Breaking the silence • Debut novelist Margaret Mayer describes the challenges of writing the non-verbal protagonist of her novel set in a particularly vicious episode of the 17th-century witch craze that silenced its mainly female victims

Subscribers’ news • To feature in subscribers’ news contact: tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk

Fake filter • Get your writing group differentiating between fact and fiction in these exercises from Julie Phillips

IN THE SPOT LIGHT: YOUR WRITING SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES

The world of writing • What goes through a writer’s brain? Readers’ letters and dispatches from the wide world of writing.

Behind the cover • You write your book, but how much editorial input will you rely on to make sure it’s as good as it can be? Margaret James looks at some of the options.

Five quick 5 questions

IN IT TO WIN IT! • With the Writing Magazine Children’s Book Prize now open for entries, Amy Sparkes looks at how you can make your chapter book stand out

Seasonal affect • Using a short fiction example where the seasonal setting is an integral part of the tragic outcome, Helen Walters looks at using seasons in your short stories

A hopeful outlook • A poem where childhood...