A five-star, highly recommended book for writers.
An engaging, practical and easy-to-read reference book on the art of crafting compelling stories/articles and getting published. Susan Shapiro, author of the Byline Bible offers practical advice that approaches common issues facing writers from a variety of angles. For example, on the topic of submissions, Shapiro highlights the elements of a killer cover letter, 16 instances of “what not to do,” 20 cover letters that (editors) never finish reading, and several successful cover letters. She goes on to describe the likely course of events once the writer hits send, tips on how to (and not to) follow up, and dealing with rejection. All that in one chapter!
Shapiro offers her own work and that of her students, as engaging and thought-provoking samples. I particularly appreciate her willingness to explore a broad spectrum of publications and markets (e.g., Great regional reads by my students! And My Top Five Humor Pieces). The layout and flow were ideal; easy to read cover-to-cover, then go back and zero in particular topics.
If I had to pick the one piece of advice I took most to heart, it was to figure out why you want to get published, and then find the publications best suited to meet your objectives. I also liked her top five lists at the end.
A five-star, highly recommended book for fellow writers.
Shapiro offers her own work and that of her students, as engaging and thought-provoking samples. I particularly appreciate her willingness to explore a broad spectrum of publications and markets (e.g., Great regional reads by my students! And My Top Five Humor Pieces). The layout and flow were ideal; easy to read cover-to-cover, then go back and zero in particular topics.
If I had to pick the one piece of advice I took most to heart, it was to figure out why you want to get published, and then find the publications best suited to meet your objectives. I also liked her top five lists at the end.
A five-star, highly recommended book for fellow writers.