The Writer

Since 1887 The Writer has provided the motivation, writing techniques, expert tips and compelling author insights that turn good writing into great writing. We’ll help you become a better writer, find markets for your work, understand the business of writing, follow industry news and trends, reach your goals, and more!

The Writer

Prologue

Three things

Freshen up! • A spring cleaning guide for writers.

DIY MFA • Not everyone has the time or funds to enroll in a traditional postgraduate program. Enter DIY MFA, which allows participants to learn at their own pace and desired commitment level.

Opportunities

Chestnut Review • This self-proclaimed ‘literary home for stubborn artists and writers’ offers contributors payment, fast response times, and quarterly open mic nights.

Eye on the prize • Save your precious time and attention for what really matters: Your writing.

Broadening the Bookshelves • This month, we’re focusing on Middle Eastern literature.

Getting to know Middle Eastern literature

Talk to the Practitioner: Ari Honarvar • The writer Ari Honarvar is the founder of the humanitarian organization Rumi with a View, which works specifically in areas of conflict to heal those affected with poetry and music. And in her work with Musical Ambassadors of Peace, she brings music and dance to the United States-Mexico border. Her novel A Girl Called Rumi (Forest Avenue Press, 2021) draws on her own experience as a girl growing up in Iran, and she’s written for Teen Vogue, The Guardian, and more. We sat down to talk about her process, working from your past, and more.

The Nightstand • The Kurdish writer Ava Homa is the author of Daughters of Smoke and Fire (Overlook/Abrams, 2020), a novel about a Kurdish girl’s creative and literal coming of age amidst oppression and statelessness. We asked her to recommend five works from Middle Eastern writers.

COMMON SLUSH PILE MISTAKES • …and how they’re holding your stories back.

THE ANGER SHORT-CUT • Rendering anger believably on the page requires taking the long way home.

WORD LIST

WRITING YOUR NOVEL CHAPTERS • Chapters are the all-important building blocks of a novel. But how exactly should a first-time novelist develop and structure them in a manuscript? And what makes for a successful chapter, anyway? We asked veteran authors to share their best advice.

“Winter” • READ THE FIRST-PLACE WINNER OF OUR ANNUAL SPRING SHORT STORY CONTEST.

Interview with Shelly Manber

Postscript • The following contests are a sampling of what the industry has to offer. You’ll find even more listings at writermag.com, including our own writing competitions.

Contests • Information in this section is provided to The Writer by the individual markets and events; for more information, contact those entities directly.

By the rules • Some rules are made to be broken, but in the world of writing contests, that’s not the case. Here are common elements to double check before you submit your work. You don’t want to be disqualified for a clerical error.

Gigi Will Know • Assuming an omniscient third-person narration, you can use the action in the scene to designate whose point of view we’re seeing.