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Friday Find: Building Your Book-Reviewing Practice: Six Tips for Finding Titles to Pitch

by Erika Dreifus on
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As some of you may know, WritersWeekly.com was kind enough to publish an article of mine this week. Unfortunately, some of the links included in the original article I submitted didn’t make the transition to the WritersWeekly website. I have informed the editors of the problem. Until the original links have been restored, please (re)read the article here, complete with the original (and more direct/helpful) links.

BUILDING YOUR BOOK-REVIEWING PRACTICE: SIX TIPS FOR FINDING TITLES TO PITCH

by Erika Dreifus

As a frequent (and frequently paid) book reviewer, and a former teacher of courses in how to establish a book-reviewing practice, I was pleased to see a recent WritersWeekly.com article spotlighting this work. But I’d like to expand the discussion. For instance, I believe that a really good book reviewer—the kind of reviewer that editors trust and turn to—needs to display certain skills. I’m not talking only about subject matter expertise and writing chops. I’m talking about solid knowledge about books—including books that haven’t yet been published.

Think about it. Most of the book reviews you find in the better-paying mainstream magazines and newspapers and on popular websites focus on new books. Those reviews don’t appear magically. They’re the product of a match between editor and reviewer that takes place weeks, if not months, before the book is available for purchase. Which means that one way to increase your chances of winning a paying assignment—not to mention establishing yourself as a savvy source for information—is to pitch reviews of not-yet-published titles.

Once you become an established reviewer, complimentary advance reading copies (ARCs) are likely to come your way. Editors will begin suggesting titles for you to review and supply you with the ARCs they receive from publishers and publicists. But it isn’t easy to reach that point. And it takes time. Here are six ways for the emerging book reviewer to locate review possibilities on his or her own: (more…)

The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Time for the midweek melange of writing-related tidbits culled from my online wanderings:

  • B.J. Epstein reflects on Caryl Phillips and the “passionate engagement” of fiction.
  • Some lessons that I  know I still need to learn: brackets, commas, and dashes.
  • “Wendell E. Berry, noted poet, essayist, novelist, farmer, and conservationist, will deliver the 2012 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities. The annual lecture, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), is the most prestigious honor the federal government bestows for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities.”
  • Especially for the teachers among us, but with relevance for all: two takes on email.
  • “Words we love too much,” courtesy of The New York Times.
  • “The Science (Not Art) of the Magazine Pitch,” by Kathryn Roethel, who has successfully pitched The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, and other national pubs. (via @LisaRomeo)
  • In a blog post analyzing our ability (or lack thereof) to separate writers from their writing, Celeste Ng reminds me of my own reluctance to knowingly endorse/support/devote precious reading time/money/mental energy to the works of anti-Israel writers. As I’ve recently attempted to explain here.

    • Thursday’s Work-in-Progress: Seeking Your Advice

    by Erika Dreifus on
    4

    If you follow this blog, it’s no secret that I’m still pretty interested in freelancing, even if I do have a full-time job. The time I have for it is just more limited than it once was.

    But I want to continue developing my freelancing skills and practice. So here’s my question: Is an ASJA membership something I should be pursuing? I’m starting to notice all of the publicity surrounding the next annual conference, so I’m giving it some thought.

    I welcome your advice–especially if you’re a past or present ASJA member! I’m especially interested in knowing how ASJA may have helped your freelancing practice. Thanks in advance.

    The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    1
  • If you’ve read our latest newsletter, you know that the application deadline for the 2012 Sozopol Fiction Seminars is approaching. You can learn a lot more about this fascinating program–which brings together fictionists writing in Bulgarian with an equal number of colleagues writing in English–from Fiction Writers Review, where several participants have shared their experiences and insights. (Cool photos from Jeremiah Chamberlain, too!)
  • Speaking of Fiction Writers Review, that’s where you’ll find my latest review–of Mark Yakich’s A Meaning for Wife (Ig Publishing).
  • Philip Graham shares some observations on titles in this blog post (adapted from a craft lecture he gave at the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA residency last year). Too bad the Kardashians weren’t there to listen!
  • Any current or potential freelancer is likely to benefit from this New York Times article with tips for putting a price on your work.”
  • On a related note, Kelly James-Enger shares the results of her 2012 Freelance Income Survey.
  • And for further more on this topic: Carol Tice’s “How I Made 6 Figures as a Freelance Writer in 2011.”

    • Where to Publish Flash Nonfiction & Micro-Essays

    by Erika Dreifus on
    58

    LATEST LIST UPDATE: JULY 2023

    As promised, I’ve compiled what I am calling here a guide to journals and magazines that publish flash nonfiction/micro-essays.

    Before I present the list, I need to issue a few clarifications and caveats.

    First, this list by no means includes *every* journal or magazine that might publish your piece of flash nonfiction. For the most part, I’ve omitted publications that specify only that submitted essays should run “no longer than” or “up to” 5,000 or 8,000 words. It’s entirely possible that the editors of these publications will welcome something more along the lines of 500 or 800 words. But unless I’ve discerned a *specific* editorial interest in shorter-form nonfiction–whether through my own research into guidelines and past issues or through sources listed at the end of the post–I haven’t included them here.

    I’ve also had to break my usual blog-and-newsletter-rule about limiting listings to paying journals only (and only publications that don’t require reading fees). But I’ve done my best to signal to you which journals state outright on their sites that they’ll pay for your work–look for the $–and which ones are equally upfront about charging fees. As of 2022, I’ve removed listings for journals that appear to charge fees but don’t pay contributors.

    Important note: Not every publication is open to submissions year-round, but I’m not tracking that information here.

    Worth a mention: Just because a journal is listed here doesn’t mean that it’s an ideal home for your work. Check out these tried-and-true tips for deciding whether you wish to send your work to any particular venue.

    Finally: If you know of a journal or magazine that’s specifically interested in flash nonfiction and micro-essays that should be added to the list, please share your knowledge (bonus points for links, too) in comments. Thank you!

    Without further ado…

    (more…)