The Writer

the haunting season

I read multiple genres all year long, mixing poetry and nonfiction with novels and short stories as I please. The lone exception is October, when I read one genre and one genre alone: Horror. I want books that go bump in the night, leave me terrified to sleep with the lights off, convince me that someone’s lurking in the linen closet. I want prose powerful enough to raise goosebumps on my arm. I want stories that linger long after I’ve closed the covers (or buried under them). Scary movies, horror books, creepy TV shows, I love them all. But when I confess this love to others, I often get the same shuddering reaction: “Oh, I can’t do stuff like that. Too scary.” Which, of course, is a pretty understandable response, right? Who would…

the writer

Senior Editor Nicki Porter Contributing Editor Melissa Hart Copy Editor Toni Fitzgerald EDITORIAL BOARD James Applewhite, Andre Becker, Eve Bunting, Mary Higgins Clark, Roy Peter Clark, Lewis Burke Frumkes, Gail Godwin, Eileen Goudge, Rachel Hadas, John Jakes, John Koethe, Lois Lowry, Peter Meinke, Katherine Paterson, Arthur Plotnik ART & PRODUCTION Art Director Carolyn V. Marsden Graphic Designer Jaron Cote OPERATIONS VP, Circulation Strategy Jason Pomerantz Operations Supervisor Andrea Palli Operations Coordinator Toni Eunice Human Resources Manager Alicia Roach Client Services Supervisor Cheyenne Corliss Senior Client Services Associate Tou Zong Her Client Services Aubrie Britto, Darren Cormier Accounting Director Amanda Joyce Accounts Payable Associate Tina McDermott Accounts Receivable Associate Wayne Tuggle DIGITAL OPERATIONS Senior Director, Digital Products Renee Dextradeur WordPress Developer David Glassman Senior Digital Designer Mike Decker SALES & MARKETING Media Solutions Director Scott Luksh Senior Media Solutions Manager Alexandra Piccirilli Phone: 617-279-0213 Email: apiccirilli@madavor.com Client Services clientservices@madavor.com Marketing Director Andrew Yeum Audience Development Analyst Ryan Gillis Marketing Associate Tommy Goodale Social Media Manager Tim Doolan Content Marketing Associate Anthony Buzzeo EXECUTIVE Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey C. Wolk Chief Operating Officer Peter Madden SVP, Sales & Marketing Robin Morse VP, Business Operations Courtney Whitaker…

the writer contests

Fall into fiction Our annual fall fiction contest is just around the corner. Submit your best short story in 2,000 words or less for your chance to win $1,000 and publication in our magazine. Something wicked this way comes… …On the web, that is. Join us at writermag.com for festive Halloween- and horror-themed content, featuring haunting writing prompts, tips from the archive crypt, advice from horror masters, and more. Literary award season begins Join us on our blog as we share the shortlist for the Carnegie Book Awards, the Man Booker Prize, and other prestigious literary prizes. Will your favorites make the list? STAY IN TOUCH Put our free e-mail newsletter to work: Check out our weekly newsletter, which offers highlights from our website and the magazine and directs you to more articles about craft from The…

idea generating machine

I ONCE WROTE TO LIVE. Now I walk to write to live. Those extra words entered my life after my head exploded from a ruptured brain aneurysm. Fourteen hospitalizations, 10 ambulance rides, and four brain surgeries followed. Such an experience – compressed into four nightmare years – forces a complete life reboot. How does New You practice Old Craft? I started on the road. Initially, that pathway involved circles – small round ones – traveled with a walker. White knuckles clasped icy aluminum handlebars. My legs wobbled and trembled as my toes and heels, stuffed inside rubber-soled hospital socks, gripped the wood floor. Behind me trailed a physical therapist, her strong hands clutching the gait belt that encircled my waist. Every morning and afternoon, we exercised like this at the rehabilitation hospital where I relearned how…

ask the writer

This comma goes by many names, including the serial comma and the Harvard comma, and is an issue of quite a bit of anxiety for some. (For the purposes of this response, I’ll call it the serial comma.) It’s the comma that comes before the final item in a list of three or more: I packed a deck of cards, pretzels, and three novels. See that comma before “and” toward the end of the sentence? That’s the serial comma. And why so much debate? As long as the sentence is clear, you can use it or not use it at your discretion. As always, there are notable exceptions. If you’re following a style guide, look up the particulars. Chicago Manual of Style advocates for its use, while AP Stylebook recommends skipping it…

lord of the bling

1. WALLETS FOR HOBBITS These lovely custom-made leather wallets feature cover designs from the entire Lord of the Rings series, including The Hobbit. $58, etsy.com 2. FROM THE KITCHEN OF SAMWISE GAMGEE “Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew” instructs the fine print of this tuber-themed wall art. $15, amazon.com 3. PRECIOUSSS POP DOLL Guard your jewelry box with this half-adorable, half-terrifying Gollum doll. $9, amazon.com 4. ONE MOLESKINE TO RULE THEM ALL Pen your own epic fantasy with this limited-edition LOTR Moleskine. $20, barnesandnoble.com 5. SECOND COFFEE, SECOND BREAKFAST Woo your beloved with a mug that understands life without second breakfast isn’t a life worth living. $12, amazon.com 6. GREETINGS FROM GANDALF Ever had an unwanted visitor interrupt a writing session? Now Gandalf’s got your back. $33, amazon.com…