2012 Poet's Market

January 1, 2012

Published since 1921, the annual Writer's Market serves as a major information resource for freelancers seeking to publish books and in magazines, enter literary contests, find an agent, or locate other publishing opportunities. Formerly in a thick, one-volume hardcover, the material has been reorganized and expanded into sizable paperbacks that offer online access with updates to accommodate the exponential growth of publication markets, especially in specialized genres. Although many of the titles have a similar format--listings of publications, contact information, and submission requirements--each volume has unique features. Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market offers several chapters of advice for writers, plus interviews with authors. Novel & Short Story Writer's Market contains essays on craft and technique and fiction genres; a fill-in 2012 writing calendar may provide a much-needed impetus for those inclined to procrastination, though it makes the book more suited to personal use than library use. Poet's Market provides chapters on the craft of poetry, interviews with poets and--if it doesn't sound like an oxymoronic phrase--the business of poetry. Chapters in Literary Agents discuss finding and working with mostly book agents but also film and media agents. Photographer's Market covers the visual freelance field, listing publications, book publishers, stock photo agencies, and greeting card and other specialized photo venues. The core volume of the collection is Writer's Market, which is also available in a deluxe edition that offers individual access to writersmarket.com for a year. BOTTOM LINE Almost 90 years after it began print publication, Writer's Market has become a mini-industry, dominating the information market for freelance writers in many fields as it steadily expands its content to numerous specialized websites. The electronic enhancements are alluring, but the prices quoted above include only individual access to the websites; library access will be launched in February and the price has yet to be announced. Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents 2012 (Sourcebooks) has much overlapping coverage but is cheaper; it also offers a much more opinionated view of the publishing market, and it is an alternative where that is considered an asset and where needs are narrower. Otherwise, the core 2012 Writer's Market and, where needed, the specialized volumes are recommended for larger public libraries if the total cost, including library access to the electronic enhancements, is not exorbitant.--Donald Altschiller, Boston Univ. Lib.

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