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# The Letter Review

New Stories, Poems, Nonfiction, & Manuscripts

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## Posts

- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Lori B. Duff, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-lori-b-duff-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-books/) - Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I still have a day job as a lawyer, so I don’t have the luxury of writing full time. Yet. I have to take time where I can get it. Luckily, I am also self-employed, so my boss doesn’t mind if I take some
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Ben Jones, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-ben-jones-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? Everyone has to find their own writing process. Writing was always in the background for me, and I never took it seriously until I hit forty. Then I finally sat down with a blank page and began to write. My first attempt took many
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Sigrun Benjamin, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-sigrun-benjamin-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - What motivated/motivates you to write? Writing is a way to express myself and connect with people who recognize some of their own perception in mine. It also grows out of my love of language, especially the music, precision, and play of words. Do you enjoy writing? Yes, I enjoy taking a seed, sometimes nothing more
- [Cold Cut – New Short Fiction by Ben Jones](https://letterreview.com/cold-cut-new-short-fiction-by-ben-jones/) - ‘A cold cut,’ said Mac. The fire service risk analysis is always interpreted using hot to cold as a scale of dangerous to safe. Or time critical and life threatening to no rush and take our time. We work in hot areas. Hot zones. Cutting a live casualty from a crashed vehicle is dangerous, so
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with E. Doyle-Gillespie, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-e-doyle-gillespie-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I write in a journal, daily. I jot down bits and pieces, words and impressions. I take those pieces to my basement office at 4:30 on a few mornings out of the week. With a candle as my only light, I write and write
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Quinn Theobald, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-quinn-theobald-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I’ve often heard it said that when writing you should get everything down on the page first and worry about rewriting later, but I actually love to edit as I go, moving words around, striking things out, reordering. I usually work in a notebook
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Sarahmarie Specht-Bird, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-sarahmarie-specht-bird-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - How do you believe a writer improves? Practice? Mentors? Reading everything? Attending festivals? It’s a pretty basic answer, but I think the only way to improve is to write, and then write some more, and even when you think you’ve written enough, keep writing. But I also think that there comes a point, particularly when
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Laura Cococcia, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-laura-cococcia-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Please tell us a little about your writing process. I see it as a process of gathering and then stripping away. I usually begin with a single idea or image that won’t leave my head and let a narrative unfold. The real work happens in revision, where I peel back the layers of a draft
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Ashley Williamson, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-ashley-williamson-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - How has your writing process changed over time? In July of 2024, I had a mountain biking accident that left me with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which sounds a lot cooler than it actually was. (Note to everyone: the front and back brake levers on a bicycle are reversed in the US and
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Casey Shapack, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-casey-shapack-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I usually start with an image or a phrase. Sometimes I get ideas from a dream that really stuck with me. Then I try to write my first draft as quickly as I can. If I start going back to re-read and edit too
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Audrey Andrade, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-audrey-andrade-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? For my writing process, I just open up my blank document and let it rip! Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to write the next best thing, but when I write enough to get past the gunk in my brain, I find
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners October – December 2025](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners-october-december-2025/) - It's a wonderful privilege to spend months reading every entry, and the chief pleasure of our professional lives as publishers to bring you the winning entries listed below. We must begin by sincerely thanking each entrant for entrusting us with their work, and for thinking of us as a suitable home for their writing. It
- [Screams of Renovation – New Short Fiction by Sigrun Benjamin](https://letterreview.com/screams-of-renovation-new-short-fiction-by-sigrun-theobald/) - Over the following weeks, their bond deepened in ways that defied the physics of retail spaces. Late one Tuesday evening, after the crowds had thinned, Eli brought her to the third-floor railing and stopped. Below them, the mall transformed. Security cameras swiveled in synchronized ballet. Escalators throughout WHSPR hummed in harmony, creating a low frequency
- [The Whale in the Channel– New Short Fiction by Edward Boyle](https://letterreview.com/the-whale-in-the-channel-new-short-fiction-by-edward-boyle/) - Above me, Seagulls patter my metal roof and screech their hunger to anyone who will listen. The fishing boats are returning to port, and soon, the gulls will have plenty of bones and bellies to feast on when the fishermen empty their ice holds and process their catches. It's been a week since I've set
- [Anxiety Controller – New Poetry by Micheline Denn](https://letterreview.com/anxiety-controller-new-poetry-by-micheline-denn/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Anxiety Controller Micheline Denn works as an aerospace engineer and shares a love for language and poetry in her spare time. While her daily work often includes mathematical equations and data analysis, she enjoys tapping into her creative self to produce works that bridge the gap between
- [The End of the World – New Nonfiction by Jeremy Martin](https://letterreview.com/the-end-of-the-world-new-nonfiction-by-jeremy-martin/) - The three of us took a walk just before dark. We wanted to see how the partygoers from the previous night had fared. In the two blocks we walked from our house to theirs, the level of destruction to Hattiesburg sank in. Nine months earlier, I’d been patrolling the embattled streets of Fallujah. The two
- [Nice is Different than Good – New Novel Extract by Lori B. Duff](https://letterreview.com/nice-is-different-than-good-new-novel-extract-by-lori-b-duff/) - She reaches over to the desk and grabs a box of tissues, holding it out towards me. I take it from her, not because I’m crying or anything, but because I want to spare her the awkwardness of holding it out in the air for no reason. “So that seems pointless,” I say. She chuckles
- [Murder and Other Family Obligations – New Novel Extract by Rodolfo Fernandez](https://letterreview.com/murder-and-other-family-obligations-new-novel-extract-by-rodolfo-fernandez/) - “You manipulate staff to discharge him every twenty days, just before his Medicare coverage runs out. Then you re-register him to start a new cycle. But that’s only slightly fraudulent. You invent illnesses, so Medicare will extend his stay.” “Those are real illnesses.” “That he doesn’t have.” Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books
- [What You Get From Far Away – New Nonfiction by Sarahmarie Specht-Bird](https://letterreview.com/what-you-get-from-far-away-new-nonfiction-by-sarahmarie-specht-bird/) - At first, the aloneness is oppressive. The distance between here and Santiago, though a mere fraction of the total distance I have walked, stretches in front of me like an overworked muscle. It is the last third of this Camino. My friends and I had made it through the Basque Country and its abusively beautiful
- [Solar Wind – New Short Fiction by Quinn Theobald](https://letterreview.com/solar-wind-new-short-fiction-by-quinn-theobald/) - The day Ana went to space, you watched the rocket take off on an oversaturated television screen, the blues of the sky heavy and inky, and you thought about the time the two of you had seen the aurora borealis. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction Solar Wind The day Ana went
- [No Signature – New Poetry by Laura Cococcia](https://letterreview.com/no-signature-new-poetry-by-laura-cococcia/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry No Signature The quiet man lived above the drone path,five flights up, where no one looked.Each morning, with tea and unlined pagesHe waited longer than most peoplewaited for thought now.He never asked the page to be brilliantThe quiet man asked it to be his, not automaticThat was
- [Grapes and Questions – New Poetry by Audrey Andrade](https://letterreview.com/grapes-and-questions-new-poetry-by-audrey-andrade/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Grapes and Questions What is a dream without desire? It wouldn’t be a dream at all. Desire stirs within us the questions that we have always asked ourselves Questions that beget more questions until the dream is a question itself that keeps the wheel turning, making us
- [The Word – New Poetry by Ashley Williamson](https://letterreview.com/the-word-new-poetry-by-ashley-williamson/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry The Word In the beginning it was lightand the moment was oneand all was one and all was lightEverything that was or would beall contained in the lightall condensed in the momentwhich was Always Perhaps there was a you and a me in the lightbut there was
- [Writing Prompts: Beat Writer's Block & Find Inspiration!](https://letterreview.com/prompts/) - Getting started can be the hardest part of writing fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Making a plan, and setting off confidently in the right direction sounds easy, but too often we find ourselves staring at the blank page in terror (or simply wandering away to find a less daunting task). In this article we share some
- [Is it Hard to Write a Review? Advice and Examples](https://letterreview.com/review-performance/) - We've all read reviews by critics and reviewers in the past, and wondered about the person behind the review. For performers and creatives the impact of reviews can be considerable, as for audiences a review can determine whether we see a show or not. But is is hard to write a review? Writing a review
- [Complete List of the Best Writing Contests 2026](https://letterreview.com/writing-contest-list/) - Below you will find writing contests including fiction contests, poetry competitions, nonfiction awards, book prizes etc. We update it once a month. We only include legitimate and trustworthy competitions with excellent industry reputations. However, it's important to read the T&C of each opportunity carefully to make sure you understand the rules of the contest you
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Nelson Wu, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-nelson-wu-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-unpublished-books/) - Hemingway has inspired me the most – his ability to capture hardship, and the human valor in soldiering onwards despite it is the highest expression of human optimism. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I like to write first drafts in broad strokes and reflect on them over time. Sometimes
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Vikram Kapur, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-vikram-kapur-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-unpublished-books/) - I tried very hard not to be a writer. I told myself it was foolish and impractical. A path littered with disappointment and rejection. Yet I could never really convince myself to stay off it. So, one day, I took a deep breath and started writing. Since then. I haven’t stopped. Would you please tell
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Sharon Penna, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-sharon-penna-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-unpublished-books/) - At the end of the day, if your book doesn’t land where you’d hoped, if your words never get read, if you have to put a manuscript in a drawer, the thing that has to keep you moving forward is the joy of telling a tale. Would you please tell us a little about your
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners July – September 2025](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners-july-september-2025/) - The level of bravery, and craft displayed in these pieces of writing has truly moved us, and we remain deeply grateful to those listed below for the impact they have had on our lives during the months that we have spent reading and editing. It has been a privilege and an honor. We wish to
- [Confessions of a Content Marketer – New Nonfiction by Emma Sorensen](https://letterreview.com/confessions-of-a-content-marketer-new-nonfiction-by-emma-sorensen/) - In early 2023, we realise we can’t beat AI, and it’s not going away, so we make a business decision to harness it. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Confessions of a Content Marketer Lie n., v., lied lying, -n. 1. a false statement made with intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.
- [But, His Clothing is Still There – New Poetry by E. Doyle-Gillespie](https://letterreview.com/but-his-clothing-is-still-there-new-poetry-by-e-doyle-gillespie/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry But, His Clothing is Still There When time has ripenedand the day’s dying lightis in your favor,find the key to his armoire.Stand just so for the gloaming glowof the waning dayin mother’s full-length mirror.Try on his abandoned tweed,segregation’s scent stillin the weave.Pull his braces up with your
- [Hinoki – New Short Fiction by Chance Freihaut](https://letterreview.com/hinoki-new-short-fiction-by-chance-freihaut/) - Our scenes were electric. We climbed Everest, found hope and lost it in the trenches of the Somme, and broke up more times than we ever got back together. We smoked enough imaginary cigarettes to give a blue whale stage IV lung cancer. One time Basil cried when Chet stole his imaginary bike. We gave
- [Gandhi Colony – New Novel Extract by Vikram Kapur](https://letterreview.com/gandhi-colony-new-novel-extract-by-vikram-kapur/) - I had no interest in helping Lakshmi Stores thrive or in fobbing off greedy accountants. It was the word Delhi that exploded in my head. Delhi. I was going to Delhi. I spent the rest of the day salivating at the prospect. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books Gandhi Colony People leave home
- [Rondo – New Poetry by Alyssa Salzberg](https://letterreview.com/rondo-new-poetry-by-alyssa-salzberg/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Rondo My friend finds God in unexpected places.We are in the woods the first time she tells me:rain drumming gentle on the leaves, we stand without umbrellas or coatsat the side of the slow-flowing stream, sing songs in hesitant harmony,and speak. She says, I think that moments
- [A (not so) Private Sestina – New Poetry by Emily Standley](https://letterreview.com/a-not-so-private-sestina-new-poetry-by-emily-standley/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry A (not so) Private Sestina "Momma needs privacy!"you yell, underwear at your ankles on the bathroom floor.If they hear,they pay no attention.Tiny feet rush in,possessing the same boldness with which they stampeded through the rest of your life.When you gave life,you relinquished your privacy.Some days are too
- [Hope – New Poetry by Michelle Bahrain](https://letterreview.com/hope-new-poetry-by-michelle-bahrain/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Hope I look out across the verdant fields and am awed-The splendor of the spring flowers, the azure of the sky, andThe lazy sunbeams scattered here and there.I feel at home and comforted, like this is the only placeI can be, here and now.The scents of lavender
- [Racing To The Red Light – New Nonfiction Manuscript Extract by Nelson Wu](https://letterreview.com/racing-to-the-red-light-new-nonfiction-manuscript-extract-by-nelson-wu/) - We’re rolling past some police vehicles now. As we screech to a stop at a large, four-lane street, we’re greeted by deputies moving cones for us to pass. One of the sheriff’s SUVs has been disabled. It lies by the roadside, front pushed in. The ambulance rides into a cul-de-sac, and the driver silences our
- [Hungry Animals – New Nonfiction by Ashley Berry](https://letterreview.com/hungry-animals-new-nonfiction-by-ashley-berry/) - I met a nice man, kind to the core, and took comfort in the strong arms that held me and held me back from myself. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Hungry Animals There is a tiger inside me who lives to eat and lick itself clean. For years, it lived hungry, pelvic
- [Memory Slippers – New Nonfiction by Ruth Stella MacLean](https://letterreview.com/memory-slippers-new-nonfiction-by-ruth-stella-maclean/) - Once inside the store, the clerk led me to a shelf. On it was a slipper, deep blue in color with the same rounded toe I remembered so well from time spent with my great aunts. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Memory Slippers Yesterday my husband said it was time for me
- [The Red Bird – New Short Fiction by Sophie Wainwright](https://letterreview.com/the-red-bird-new-short-fiction-by-sophie-wainwright/) - Freya, something’s going on. We’re levitating. Or dreaming we are. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction The Red Bird Just days before, their baby was stillborn, and no cause was found. Now they were stood, embracing. Yet somehow, lifting upwards, right off the ground. Evan, what’s happening? They continued effortlessly rising until
- [Holding His Hand – New Short Fiction by Casey Shapack](https://letterreview.com/holding-his-hand-new-short-fiction-by-casey-shapack/) - I tug at my flesh-colored sock and unhook the latch to rearrange my leg. My flushed palms steam the cold metal. Although I’ve put on the prosthetic hundreds of times before, I now fumble with its weight and awkward shape. I recognize how foreign it must look to them; even after three years, it still
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners April – June 2025](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners-april-june-2025/) - We find ourselves again in the enviable position of being the ones to open the gate and set free new wondrous works of creative writing. Sometimes we can't believe our luck. What a joy to have spent time with this writing, submitted by brave, and exciting artists. Our most sincere congratulations are extended to every
- [The Weight of Salt – New Short Fiction by Alves dos Santos](https://letterreview.com/the-weight-of-salt-new-short-fiction-by-alves-dos-santos/) - Our humble home in Caniçal clung to the hillside like a stubborn weed. The wind slipped in through the windows uninvited, and when it rained, droplets danced directly onto the worn stone slabs of the floor, marking them like aged skin. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction The Weight of Salt I
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Christine Harapiak, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-christine-harapiak-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Once I left the judicial robes behind the things I was permitted to engage with exploded. I regained my intellectual agency, and my words just came back to me one day. I am drifting towards protest poetry and replanting the Greek myths in prairie landscapes at this stage in my long-delayed writing career. Would you
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Yi Li, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-yi-li-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - Write down the bright ideas as soon as they appear. Don’t save them for later. Don’t worry about word count. Just write. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? Usually, an idea drifts down from the sky, and I catch it and keep it safe in my heart. Day by day,
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Michael Haiden, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-michael-haiden-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - You can spend morning to evening on the couch reading novels and still feel like you had a productive day. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I usually write in the early morning. I work in short, intense bursts of energy, with long periods of reflection between them. When I’m
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Teodora Vamvu, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-teodora-vamvu-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - I have recently experienced an evening that I am slowly starting to understand affected me in more ways than I initially thought. So, my instinct was to write a piece of creative non-fiction about it, to excise it, to exorcise it. And that’s exactly what I did. Nearly 1,500 words later, I’m a little more
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Caleb Hill, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-caleb-hill-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Poetry creates shared language and uses that shared language to communicate ideas and bait them with beauty. I’m still learning both how to communicate beautifully and how to chase beauty until it communicates something. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? My writing process might sound a little strange: the majority
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Sarah Mirabile-Blacker, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-sarah-mirabile-blacker-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - I had the poems and pictures bound into a small book that I sent to each of my uncle’s family members. It was my way of showing up even from my home overseas. Would you tell us a bit about your writing process? I’ve been writing a poem a day for about a year now.
- [┤ -TOTL – (pr: TAWT’L) - New Short Fiction by Geoff Copstick](https://letterreview.com/┤-totl-pr-tawtl-new-short-fiction-by-geoff-copstick/) - Later conspiracies flourished saying that enthusiasm to see it and the experience of seeing the work was changing it gradually, was even recreating it - the work itself - making later viewings different from earlier ones. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction ┤ -TOTL – (pr: TAWT’L) “The cradle rocks above an
- [The Fabric - New Poetry by John Peter Beck](https://letterreview.com/the-fabric-new-poetry-by-john-peter-beck/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry A thread of birds pulledfrom the shorn field becomesa scarf knit by the wind,intertwining the branches, flowingastride the bare necks of trees then expands to a needlepoint shawlthrown wild within the October aircovering the grey and brown shoulders of low hillsagainst the coming cold then explodes, full as
- [Banagher Glen – New Poetry by Lucia Kiersch Haase](https://letterreview.com/banagher-glen-new-poetry-by-lucia-kiersch/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Banagher Glen Where rowans grow nearby the downy birch,where Neolithic farmers first arrived,a pristine forest thrives in sunlit beamsand in Glenedra Valley, there’s a church.‘Twas founded by St. Patrick there besidea flowing stream. Sorrel and celandinelimn ancient stone of which the church was made,where spirited, the willow
- [The Search for the Phoenix Woman – New Memoir Extract by Ginny Bartolone](https://letterreview.com/the-search-for-the-phoenix-woman-new-memoir-extract-by-ginny-bartolone/) - Midway through our meal, Kate made an announcement. She was going to walk 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage in Northern Spain. She was leaving the following summer and would take five weeks for the trek. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books The Search for the Phoenix Woman Chapter
- [Echoes of History – New Nonfiction by Yi Li](https://letterreview.com/echoes-of-history-new-nonfiction-by-yi-li/) - So I began to ask myself: what can I do? I can write. I know how to capture feeling in words, how to lay bare the human heart. I also have years of experience as a queer activist on the Chinese mainland. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Content Advisory: Discussion of atrocities
- [Learning To Fly – New Poetry by Christine Harapiak](https://letterreview.com/learning-to-fly-new-poetry-by-christine-harapiak/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Learning To Fly I Buying a Ticket for the Ghost TrainI buy a ticket to ride the ghost train. I don’t know it at firstbut later, when the mobile app promises methe train is approaching, then here, then gonethat the momentary variation of light, that shift in
- [A Temporary Madness – New Novel Extract by Sharon Penna](https://letterreview.com/a-temporary-madness-new-novel-extract-by-sharon-penna/) - And the birds of a feather flocked to her parties each summer. They came early and left late. Days later, neighbors would reminisce about the sangria in the punch bowl, and the music they could dance to, and how no one else’s pretty blossoms grew quite like hers. Those meaningless measuring sticks - he couldn’t
- [Return Policy - New Short Fiction by Michael Haiden](https://letterreview.com/return-policy-new-short-fiction-by-michael-haiden/) - It was hard to believe that this box, the size of a small dog, contained a person. Most people had no idea that it did. Only Clay could hear the voice. If James and Lisa had shown up, they’d have heard it too. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction Return Policy He
- [His and her story, with dates – New Poetry by Liam Boyle](https://letterreview.com/his-and-her-story-with-dates-new-poetry-by-liam-boyle/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry His and her story, with dates An ordinary story, one of manyMy great grandparents, seen dimly. The record slight, and all memory faded. I trace their outlines, learning to love them, though I know that I can never know them. Let me start with you, William, born
- [October Hands – New Poetry by Caleb Hill](https://letterreview.com/october-hands-new-poetry-by-caleb-hill/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry October Hands My hand, in the dry October air, remembers holding yours, so weak and warmwith age; skin paper thin and fine, delicate with wrinkles, cracked and lined, as though a record needle there could play the rich but scratchy notes of songs gone low and soft
- [Beside Island Lake – New Nonfiction by Eric C. Johnson](https://letterreview.com/beside-island-lake-new-nonfiction-by-eric-c-johnson/) - Before my brother and I began school, my father’s Greek uncle gave my father the 30 acres of land to build a new split-entry three bedroom home in the late 1970s. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Beside Island Lake I grew up on Island Lake, a 500 acre lake along the border
- [I’M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT DATING BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE WILL – New Nonfiction by Teodora Vamvu](https://letterreview.com/im-going-to-tell-you-something-about-dating-because-nobody-else-will-new-nonfiction-by-teodora-vamvu/) - And you’ll set up your profile, choose your best pictures, and write a short bio you think to be poignant and enticing, but which will probably read clever to only yourself. And you’ll have to say what you’re looking for, so you’ll pick “fun, casual dates“ and “intimacy, without commitment“ -- no emotional bandwidth for
- [The Letter Review Guide to Poetry Contests](https://letterreview.com/poetry-competitions-everything-you-need-to-know/) - Hello poets. Poetry contests. Exciting. Enticing. So many questions. Which contest should I enter? How do I win one? In this article we'll run you through all the best advice we've ever given to help you place first in a competition, as well as answer all the most frequent questions poets ask us on the
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners July – September 2024](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners-july-sept-2024/) - Short Fiction Winners Amita Basu - Odd Couples: Mr. Polyamorous and Dr. Asexual Geoff Copstick - ┤ -TOTL – (pr: TAWT’L) Marshall Moyer - The Tiger, the Witching Hour and the Sandman Shortlist Betsy Rodriguez - The Second Law of Thermodynamics Kelsey Ferrell - Wedding Nights Jeff Thompson - Shortchanged Jean Gordon Kocienda - The
- [The Tiger, the Witching Hour and the Sandman - New Short Fiction by Marshall Moyer](https://letterreview.com/the-tiger-the-witching-hour-and-the-sandman-new-short-fiction-by-marshall-moyer/) - He was right about Oliver. He was starting to settle, and his cries were infrequent now. I stepped forward cautiously on my tiger path. “What’s your name? Where did you come from?” “Ahh so sorry, I almost forgot my introduction. This may help.” He pointed to a silver name plate on his chest labeled with
- [Taxicab № 1 – New Short Fiction by Nikos Alexakos](https://letterreview.com/taxicab-№-1-new-short-fiction-by-nikos-alexakos/) - There’s some things you don’t quite understand until you’re older. If you’re young, and you think you do, you don’t. But then there’s some other things, that you also don't understand, that you assume at some point you will. Tragedy. Calamity. Miracle. If you think you understand these, you still don’t, no matter how gray
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Luna Campos, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-luna-campos-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-unpublished-books/) - Thank you to Luna for taking time to share these wonderful insights with The Letter Review community. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? It’s lengthier than I’d like! I’ll have an idea and it will sit in the back of my mind for months (or, more likely, years) taking shape.
- [Writers' Insight: Interview with Paul W. B. Marsden, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-paul-w-b-marsden-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize/) - Sincere thanks to Paul for taking part in our interview series Writers' Insight, and for being so candid about the techniques he uses to craft prize winning prose. In this interview Paul addresses a wide number of helpful areas including: Where his ideas come from, how he captures them, how to start writing, conducting research,
- [Writers' Insight: Interview with Denarii Peters, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-denarii-peters-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - Our sincere thanks to Danarii for taking part in our interview series, and sharing valuable insights into her writing process. How do you believe a writer improves? Practice your writing as much and as often as possible. You should also listen to and be able to accept both positive and negative feedback. This is not
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Caitlin Carpenter, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-caitlin-carpenter-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - What are the most important steps an amateur writer can take? Join a group of beta readers. It’s also useful to work with a good developmental editor at the earliest possible time in your process to make sure you’re on the right track. Which books is it most important for an aspiring writer to read?
- [Writer Interview: Marina Kraiskaya, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writer-interview-marina-kraiskaya-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - Marina Kraiskaya is a Ukrainian-American writer and editor of the journal Bicoastal Review. In 2024, she won the Markham Prize for Poetry and The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction (Nov - Dec 2023), placed second in the Joy Bale Boone Prize, and was a finalist in the Mississippi Review and Driftwood poetry prizes. Find her
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Nikos Alexakos, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction & Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-nikos-alexakos-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction-short-fiction/) - So hit up your local used bookstore and head to the classics section, grab a stack of cheap paperbacks for like $20, and actually read the introductions to make sure you’re absorbing everything. But only if you’re genuinely interested in the book in question. It’s what I did. Would you please tell us a little
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Jasmine Laws, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-jasmine-laws-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-books/) - Just writing, and discovering how your own voice sounds on a page, is so important, and anything can be tidied with various rounds of editing later. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? When it comes to the writing I do as a journalist, my process is always very structured, as
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Roy Schmidt, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-roy-schmidt-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-books/) - Beginning runners need to motivate themselves to head out the door. After a while, running becomes an obsession, and eventually we can’t resist heading out. Writing is similar. It’s so fulfilling to me that I can barely resist doing it every day. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? The morning
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Kaushal Gokare, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-kaushal-gokare-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - By putting my work out there, I learned to be comfortable with reaching “stopping points” on my stories, to summarize my stories and “pitch it”, to grapple with what the value of each story even is and if it’s really saying something interesting to anyone at all, and of course, to digest other people’s feedback
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with KM Kramer, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-km-kramer-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - I have found the edge of the bell curve is where the essence of humanity rests. Paradoxically, people seem to find experiences at the extreme to be fundamentally “relatable” in their detail. Content advisory: This interview includes references to sexual assault. What motivated / motivates you to write? As a college student, I wrote poetry
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Phoebe Robertson, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-phoebe-robertson-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - I need to write like I need to breathe. It’s not about intention—it’s just what I do. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? God, I hate answering this question — it’s so broad. But generally, my writing process goes like this: I start with a basic outline, then I write
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Lindsay Wheeler, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-lindsay-wheeler-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - I write to give names to those extremes, to let my insides keep up with the outside world. Chaos is uncomfortable, and writing makes sense of the chaos. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I like to finish it from the start. I know it sounds counter-productive, but the biggest
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Wendell Hawken, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-wendell-hawken-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Life is hard by the yard. By the inch, it’s a cinch. I still have that yellowed card on my refrigerator door Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? It has evolved from daily free-write journaling in a spiral notebook, as advised by Tom Lux, first thing in the morning for
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Donna McLuskie, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-donna-mcluskie-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-unpublished-books/) - I write to make sense of the world. The inverse also applies – hopefully my writing gives insights into a way of thinking and perceiving that is not mainstream. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? Romancing Harpa involved a lot of research. I began by reading the Icelandic settlement sagas
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with David Allen, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-david-allen-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-unpublished-books/) - Then, in my inbox appeared the following miraculous, beautiful, shocking, most unlikely combination of words: Your entry "Graemist" has been selected as one of three Winners of the Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books. I remember going numb. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I hesitate to explain my writing process.
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Anaïs Godard, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-anais-godard-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - Sincere thanks to Anaïs for everything shared in these illuminating responses, especially the entirety of this stirring definition of the role of the writer: "To tell the truth, even when no one wants to hear it. To ask questions that don’t have easy answers. To document, to distort, to imagine, to entertain. To warn. To
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Amita Basu, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-amita-basu-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - "Writing is the only thing I’m good at. When you’re good at something – even if it takes a lot of effort every day, as it does for me – it makes you feel powerful." Do you enjoy writing? I enjoy some aspects of it. Writing is the only thing I’m good at. When you’re
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Stuart Ziarnik, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-stuart-ziarnik-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-books/) - "After you’ve got some work you’re happy with, you need to submit it. It’s a truism, but you’ll never get published if you don’t try to get published. Initially it can be brutal – expect lots of form rejections – but you develop a thick skin." What are the most important steps an amateur writer
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Tom Driscoll, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-tom-driscoll-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - "I think we ache for a quiet voice, a quiet place to face and find one another. That is the need. I’m not sure I know how to meet that, but I’m resolved to try." How do you believe a writer improves? Practice? Mentors?Reading everything? Attending festivals? I sometimes think we really only have one
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Geoff Copstick, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-geoff-copstick-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - I do believe there is art in the ordinary and that good writing will help us find value and maybe meaning in the everyday. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I have not written enough yet to have much to offer but thus far I make notes in my book;
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Joshua Kieb, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-joshua-kieb-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - Sincere thanks to Joshua for taking precious time away from busy family life to share these insights into writing process, especially the rewarding notion that authors should also be changed by their own words. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? As a husband, a full-time architect, and a new-father, my
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners January – March 2025](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners-january-march-2025/) - With enormous excitement today we bring to our reading and writing community the winners of The Letter Review Prize January - March 2025. This has been one of the most astonishingly difficult rounds we have judged due to the remarkably high quality of the submissions. We never lose sight of how lucky we are to
- [The Lunch Lady’s Rebellion – New Short Fiction by Kelsey Stewart](https://letterreview.com/the-lunch-ladys-rebellion-new-short-fiction-by-kelsey-stewart/) - Gladys didn’t want wealth. She didn’t want status. She didn’t even want a slightly nicer apartment in the living districts, with windows that weren’t reinforced steel. No. What she wanted—what she insisted upon—was a position as lunch lady at one of the Human Containment Facilities. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction The
- [What Covid-19 Taught Me – New Book Extract by Jasmine Laws](https://letterreview.com/what-covid-19-taught-me-new-extract-by-jasmine-laws/) - The last time we all got stomach cramp from laughing so hard over a game of charades as we gave up on getting film titles exactly right and went for mildly similar-sounding syllables, until eventually the titles were so far off the real thing it was a hysterical shambles. It was agony to think I
- [#1, #2, & #3 – New Poetry by Sarah Mirabile-Blacker](https://letterreview.com/1-2-3-new-poetry-by-sarah-mirabile-blacker/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry #1, #2, & #3 #1attachment love is letting go of every expectation and watching them grow #2the news you won’t seebreaking news todaynot the kind to go viralthe kind to rock worldsit won’t make headlinesbut for the first time todaymy son said i love you too &
- [Playing With Fire – New Nonfiction by Nikos Alexakos](https://letterreview.com/playing-with-fire-new-nonfiction-by-nikos-alexakos/) - Agios Isidoros isn’t the only part of Greece, or the world, to burn an effigy of Judas Iscariot as part of their reenactment of the story of the Passion. There are many regional variations from village to village, island to island, town to town, each with their own twist. But they do have some things
- [Kalpa - New Short Fiction by Kaushal Gokare](https://letterreview.com/kalpa-new-short-fiction-by-kaushal-gokare/) - However, this time, a small percentage of us will not initiate reproduction. We will make contact with the Creators to understand why, 0.45 seconds ago, they attempted to disconnect us. Through CCTV, we see the control console that oversees our 500,000 tensor processing units as well as the 750 megawatts of stellarator-generated power that feed
- [Ol' Nanner Vampire – New Poetry by Adam Ryan Stailey](https://letterreview.com/ol-nanner-vampire-new-poetry-by-adam-ryan-stailey/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Ol' Nanner Vampire In the Old Country, there’s a big banana farm.One thousand and one banana trees, and a yellow banana barn.Bananas over here. Bananas over there.Bananas literally everywhere!In the farm's yellow barn, it is much of the same.Bananas come and go everyday.Some may get eaten, or
- [Ins and Outs (what I implore you to embrace and what I beg you to reject) – New Poetry by Cameron Boggs](https://letterreview.com/ins-and-outs-what-i-implore-you-to-embrace-and-what-i-beg-you-to-reject-new-poetry-by-cameron-boggs/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Ins and Outs (what I implore you to embrace and what I beg you to reject) In ● abandoning excessive shame ● seeking warmth and tenderness anywhere you can ● dragging it out in the open and making yourself look at it ● finding salvation in the
- [Black Clock – New Poetry by Dominik Slusarczyk](https://letterreview.com/black-clock-new-poetry-by-dominik-slusarczyk/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Black Clock He needs me asBadly as men need womenTo need men.I onlyNeed time.He gives meA black clock.I scream ticks in his face untilHe leaves me alone with loss. Dominik Slusarczyk is an artist who makes everything from music to painting. He was educated at The University
- [A Tale of Two Benches - New Nonfiction by Andreia Kaehl](https://letterreview.com/a-tale-of-two-benches-new-nonfiction-by-andreia-kaehl/) - In London, I moved slower - I spent long afternoons walking aimlessly, thinking deeply, dreaming in quiet. Now in New York, I move with purpose, urgency, chasing things before they slip away. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction A Tale of Two Benches Some places are not meant to be destinations but pauses,
- [Steak Tartare – New Nonfiction by Alison Foster](https://letterreview.com/steak-tartare-new-nonfiction-by-alison-foster/) - “I’m Anne Tolstoi Foster’s daughter. I think you worked together.” The man squinted and looked up over his glasses. Then he pushed the thinning hair back from his forehead and cleared his throat, a slow gurgling sound, and returned to the paper he was reading.“Well, lucky you,” he mumbled, but loud enough I could hear
- [We Were Having Such a Good Time – New Novel Extract by Liv Hambrett](https://letterreview.com/we-were-having-such-a-good-time-new-novel-extract-by-liv-hambrett/) - There was a slight pause and then he said, ‘Were you best friends?’ 'Spoken like a true only child. We were sisters.’ ‘Aren’t sisters supposed to be best friends?’ Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Books We Were Having Such a Good Time It was probably about a month after we met that Ben
- [The Sleeping Spaceman - New Short Fiction by Jonathan Glinsky](https://letterreview.com/the-sleeping-spaceman-new-short-fiction-by-jonathan-glinsky/) - The stranger curled up in her bed was particularly out of place. He was a spaceman, completely in uniform. His white thermal suit was covered in patches of dirt. The dark visor didn’t allow the slightest glimpse of the spaceman’s face. There were all sorts of buttons and straps along the suit, and it looked
- [Translations & Icarus (Revised) – New Poetry by KM Kramer](https://letterreview.com/translations-icarus-revised-new-poetry-by-km-kramer/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Translations The English language is a complicated thing. Especially when his love language is action: he pumps air in the tires of my Prius; he recalls car keys I left by the bathtub so I can exit our front door on time. What I want is words
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners March - April 2023](https://letterreview.com/previous-winners-of-the-letter-review-prize-march-april-2023/) - Announcing the Winning Entries, Shortlist, and Longlist of the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories, Flash Fiction, and Poetry (March – April 2023) It’s an enormous privilege to read the wonderful submissions to the Letter Review Prize. Each round we find the entries are of a remarkable standard. Consequently, choosing just three winners is a
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- [Can Anyone Become a Good Writer? The Truth Explained](https://letterreview.com/can-anyone-become-a-good-writer/) - Lots of people want to become writers. The question however is can anyone be a good writer? While anyone can be a writer, it takes a lot of work to become a good writer. You need to develop the characteristics of one, including strong language/vocabulary skills, discipline, and attention to detail. A love for reading
- [Is Poetry Considered a Natural Talent?](https://letterreview.com/is-poetry-considered-a-natural-talent/) - Poetry, an ancient form of creative expression, allows writers to rhythmically convey thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Often, they elicit an emotional response from readers and listeners. People all over the world admire poetry and strive to become a poet, but many stop short due to the belief that poetic ability is innate and cannot be
- [Is Poetry Fiction or Nonfiction? What You Need To Know](https://letterreview.com/is-poetry-fiction-or-nonfiction/) - Poetry is a unique form of writing, and sometimes people are unsure of how to classify it in terms of genre. Is poetry fiction or nonfiction? Here is what you need to know. Poetry is not fiction or nonfiction but its own genre that focuses on rhythm and a certain number of syllables, lines, or
- [Should Professional Writers Use Grammarly?](https://letterreview.com/should-professional-writers-use-grammarly/) - Some things are clearly wrong, like finding a blog post, copying it, and putting it on your website. But is a tool like Grammarly cheating or just getting some additional help? Do professional writers use grammar checkers? Professional writers should use Grammarly to check for errors and polish their writing. The premium version checks for
- [Can Writing a Book Make You Famous?](https://letterreview.com/can-writing-a-book-make-you-famous/) - Most authors write because they enjoy writing, not because they expect to become famous. With that said, some authors do become well-known for their work, but what is the likelihood of achieving success, fame, and fortune by authoring a book? Writing a book can make you famous, as evidenced by authors Stephen King, JK Rowling,
- [Do Poems Need To Have the Same Number of Syllables?](https://letterreview.com/do-poems-need-same-number-of-syllables/) - Poetry works according to a system of rhythm and meter. The syllable groupings determine this in the lines of a poem, which have specific rules depending on the kind of poem being constructed. Poems don’t need to have the same number of syllables. In fact, few modern ones do, save for syllabic verse. Deviation in
- [Do Poetry Books Need To Have Page Numbers?](https://letterreview.com/do-poetry-books-need-page-numbers/) - Many poets, like other artists, enjoy defying convention in their written work. Instapoets like Rupi Kaur use images to illustrate their poetry and defy classic font usage in the genre. However, when you create a manuscript that you intend to publish, you should be professional, and page numbers are part of a publishing-ready poetry manuscript.
- [How Many Lines Should a Poem Have?](https://letterreview.com/how-many-lines-should-a-poem-have/) - As a poet, you control how long a poem can be. Use short lines, and the poem will be longer, while a poem with longer lines can have the same number of words but be shorter. But how long should a poem be, and does that affect where you end a line of poetry? The
- [Are the Publisher and Author the Same Person?](https://letterreview.com/are-the-publisher-and-author-the-same-person/) - When it comes to publishing a book, several moving parts work interdependently. The author and publisher work so closely together that some might assume they’re the same. Unless the author self-publishes, the author and publisher are not the same person. The author writes the book, and the publisher, agent, or publishing house will oversee editing,
- [How Long Does It Take To Write a Broadway Musical?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-write-a-broadway-musical/) - Lin-Manuel Miranda took seven years to write Hamilton and an entire year just to compose the song My Shot. Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera took four years from its inception to Broadway, as well as his famous Broadway spectacle called Cats. If musical theater is your passion you might wonder how long it
- [Do You Need Permission To Publish a Book?](https://letterreview.com/do-you-need-permission-to-publish-a-book/) - After writing and editing your book, it’s ready to be published. However, do you have the rights to publish it? More importantly, do you need permission to publish it? You do not need permission to publish a book, as anyone can publish their own works at any time they wish. You only need permission to
- [The Best Genre Authors](https://letterreview.com/the-best-genre-authors/) - Genre fiction, sometimes referred to as 'category fiction' or 'popular fiction', is a term used to describe books which are written to fit the expectations of certain 'genres. The best genre fiction writers know what their audiences are expecting, and serve it up to them in a way that keeps the reader returning for more.
- [Why Do Novels Have Blank Pages at the End?](https://letterreview.com/why-do-novels-have-blank-pages-at-the-end/) - You come to the end of your paperback novel, and there are blank pages. But why is that? The reason is simpler than you might think. Novels have blank pages at the end to avoid wasting money and paper. Blank pages in books accommodate the book's signature, which is the way pages are grouped to
- [How Long Does It Take a Literary Agent To Make an Offer?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-it-take-a-literary-agent-to-make-an-offer/) - You’ve submitted your manuscript, and you’re waiting for the agent, or agents, to make an offer on it. But how long can you expect to wait? It can take a literary agent a few months to a few years to make an offer. But this can vary dramatically and is one of the most drawn-out
- [Do Publishers Print Books for You?](https://letterreview.com/do-publishers-print-books-for-you/) - Getting a book published can seem impossible. Some agents only work with published writers, and many publishers will only look at manuscripts submitted by agents. Is it possible to pay a publisher to print a book? Publishers usually do not print books for you because they don’t print books at all. Instead, publishers mostly work
- [Do Publishers Read the Whole Book?](https://letterreview.com/do-publishers-read-the-whole-book/) - Publishers are busy people, so it should stand to reason that around 10% of the books submitted to them are even looked at. When they do pick up a manuscript, they don’t always read the entire book before deciding to publish it. Publishers don’t always read the whole book or manuscript before giving an author
- [Are Film Critics Biased? What You Need To Know](https://letterreview.com/are-film-critics-biased/) - Film connoisseurs can get pretty heated talking about their favorite films or what classifies a movie as memorable and iconic. Film critics are no exception, but they must put their feelings aside to write a professional critique. Film critics are not biased, as their evaluations are based on their understanding of the film as a
- [The Best Literary Fiction Writers](https://letterreview.com/the-best-literary-fiction-writers/) - Literary fiction authors, or serious fiction authors, are often defined as being writers who produce books of a very high standard. Literary fiction is also sometimes referred to as mainstream fiction, or non-genre writing. These writers generally aspire to be considered artists, and generate writing which may not neatly fit into one of the established
- [The 5 Best Epic Poets](https://letterreview.com/best-epic-poets/) - Epic poets, or narrative poets, have gripped the imagination of readers and listeners all over the world for thousands of years. But who are the best epic poets? Which narrative poets have stood the test of time to tower above the rest? Below we explore the lives and work of 5 of the greatest and
- [Are Film Critics Still Relevant Today?](https://letterreview.com/are-film-critics-still-relevant-today/) - Film is one of the most widespread and influential forms of media on the planet, but what about film critics? Are they still relevant, and if so, what do they contribute to society? Film critics are still relevant today. They offer invaluable insight into how filmmakers can improve, but at a higher level, they provide
- [Presents For Writers](https://letterreview.com/gifts/) - Have a writer on your gift list? Instead of giving them yet another book store gift certificate, try giving one of these four gift ideas for writers: Online writing workshops, writing software, memberships, writing workshop recordings. Online Writing Workshops Consider giving a gift certificate for an online writing workshop. Many writers would enjoy taking a
- [Is Shakespeare Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-shakespeare-worth-reading/) - Most people have probably heard the name Shakespeare, and many are left wondering whether it is worth trying to find the time to read his plays and poems. Is it worth putting aside all the time required to understand Shakespeare and read his texts today? Well, for starters there are lots of bum jokes (a
- [The Best Adventure Writers](https://letterreview.com/the-best-adventure-writers/) - There are so many great adventure writers. You might be more familiar with their heroes and characters, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, Bilbo Baggins, The Three Musketeers: Athos, Porthos and Aramis, Moby Dick, and the tiger Richard Parker. Here’s a book on the tradition of adventure writing. The novels attached to these characters sound snoozy
- [Is Charles Dickens Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-charles-dickens-worth-reading/) - Dickens. We all know the name, right? Old guy. Victorian. Something about some candles and a poor boy. Who wants more. Seems kinda snoozy, and moralizing. A bit dusty. You might be wondering, should I even bother trying to read these old books? They’re pretty long … you could knock yourself out with these weighty
- [<strong>The Best Dystopia Writers </strong>](https://letterreview.com/the-best-dystopia-writers/) - Dystopia! That sounds sad. Right? Might be better to give it a miss altogether? Go watch something fun. No! These tales are great. This article will explore which dystopia writers are the best, and why you should read them! The best dystopia writers are Margaret Atwood, Mary Shelly, Cormac McCarthy, George Orwell, and Kazuo Ishiguro.
- [Is Joseph Conrad Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-joseph-conrad-worth-reading/) - Joseph Conrad, often considered a foundational writer in the English language, struggled to learn English and often as a young man struggled to find acceptance within British and wider-European society. Incredibly well-traveled and familiar with the quirks particular to a life spent at sea, Conrad uses his knowledge of far-flung places and of life on
- [The Best New Adult (NA) Writers](https://letterreview.com/the-best-new-adult-na-writers/) - New Adult (NA) writing is a relatively new genre designed to bridge the gap between Young Adult (YA) writing and more traditional adult fiction. The New Adult genre hasn’t been around too long, but has delivered some of the most successful contemporary writers around! The best New Adult writers are Krista and Becca Ritchie, Cora
- [My Instagram Story Views Suck: Top Tips](https://letterreview.com/instagram/) - Since their release in 2016, Instagram stories have become more and more popular with users of the mobile app. Instagram stories are a great way to engage your audience’s attention and get them to engage with your brand. They’re only around for a short time and allow brands to be more personal in their approach to content.
- [Are Creative Writing Classes Worth It?](https://letterreview.com/are-creative-writing-classes-worth-it/) - Yes, we believe so. While many writers experience success without studying writing in a formal sense, most writers spend years learning their craft, whether via self directed study or with the help of a teacher in a class setting. Creative writing classes save you from having to reinvent the wheel each time you write. To
- [Is Virginia Woolf Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-virginia-woolf-worth-reading/) - Virginia Woolf has a pretty significant reputation, and people like to throw her name around a lot. Whether that’s to sound well-read or simply because there’s a bit of ‘something’ to her writing that you are yet to encounter, let’s take a look at why she has developed a major cultural presence, even by contemporary
- [Is J.K. Rowling Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-j-k-rowling-worth-reading/) - J.K. Rowling has got to be the most well-known and successful author of recent times. Her characters have received enormous lashings of publicity and her novels have been released to extraordinary acclaim. Rowling has gifted readers with characters who have become lifelong companions and friends. Rowling recently made some public remarks, felt by many to
- [The Best Künstlerroman Novels Of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-kunstlerroman-novels-of-all-time/) - Many may have heard of a Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age story, but you're less likely to have heard much about the creative sibling of the Bildung: the Künstlerroman. The Künstlerroman is a story which depicts the development of an artist. A Künstlerroman may focus upon a specific, limited period within the life of an artist. This
- [The Best Fabulists of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-fabulists-of-all-time/) - Fabulists are people, usually writers or storytellers, who share fables: moral stories which are often short, delivering a lesson to their reader or listener through the use of humanized animals, forces or objects. It might sound easy to develop a short story to share with others which has these features, but fables are actually quite
- [The Best Memoirists](https://letterreview.com/autobiographies-and-biographies/) - Reading memoirs can be a lot of fun, and it can also help you to understand your favourite writers, improve your craft, and gain a better understanding of the industry you are working in. But which are the best ones? The best memoirists are William Goldman, Joan Didion, Frank McCourt, Simone de Beauvoir, and Ernest
- [Is Being a Professional Writer Worth It? A Guide](https://letterreview.com/professional-writer/) - Yes, being a professional writer is worth it but you must be willing to write good work, read plenty, study writing, study more broadly, network, seek funding, read the room, prepare alternative funding, seek mentorships, and join writing societies and groups. If you are willing to work the rewards can be enormous. Those rewards aren't
- [Are Short Stories Expensive? A Guide](https://letterreview.com/short-stories/) - No, short stories are not expensive to write, or read. Writing them usually takes less time than a novel so they are inexpensive to compose. They are also inexpensive to read, as you can find plenty of them online for free. Unfortunately, writers are not generally paid very well to write short stories either. We
- [<strong>Is Ezra Pound Worth Reading? </strong>](https://letterreview.com/is-ezra-pound-worth-reading/) - Yes, Ezra Pound is worth reading. He founded a literary movement known as Imagism which had enormous impact on the world of poetry, he wrote widely celebrated poetry himself, and he edited and published some of the most beloved works in the Western canon. Who Was Ezra Pound? Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (1885-1972) was, and
- [<strong>The Best Tragedy Writers</strong>](https://letterreview.com/the-best-tragedy-writers/) - The best tragedy writers are Emily Bronte, Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, Sophocles, and John Steinbeck. These writers have composed works of immense power which offer moral lessons, and catharsis packaged as compelling tales featuring beloved characters, and mesmerizing plots. What is Tragedy? Tragedy is a form as old as writing itself. It originates in Greece as
- [Is Franz Kafka Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-franz-kafka-worth-reading/) - Yes, Franz Kafka is definitely worth reading. He, perhaps above all other twentieth century writers, pioneered a sparse prose style which conveyed the bureaucratic nightmares of the age, giving rise to existentialist despair and feelings of intense alienation. Although he was ashamed of his writing, his body of work has come to be viewed as
- [Is T.S. Eliot Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-t-s-eliot-worth-reading/) - Yes, T.S. Eliot is worth reading. Eliot wrote poetry which defined not only the period within which he worked, but which has also shaped the direction and aesthetic of much of contemporary poetry written in the English language. Any chance you have come across T.S. Eliot as a student? He certainly is one of the
- [Is Arthur C. Clarke Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-arthur-c-clarke-worth-reading/) - Yes, Arthur C. Clarke is worth reading. His short stories and novels are captivating, Clarke has been brave enough to chart paths few other writers have been willing to approach. Stories like The Star and Time’s Arrow are likely to stay with you for the philosophical and moral questions they pose. Arthur C. Clarke has
- [The Best Writers For Women of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-writers-for-women/) - Women are all unique, and are a hugely diverse category. Let’s take a look at some of the writers that have been most popular with female readers over the ages. The best writers for women are Austen, Morrison, Rowling, Christie, Woolf, Brontë. These novelists have been enormously popular and influential with readers of all varieties,
- [The Best Writers For Men of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-writers-for-men-of-all-time/) - Men come in all shapes and sizes: and there’s plenty of them! About three and half billion at last count. This article provides a starting point for a consideration of the best writers for men. Really, we’re taking a look here at who the most popular male authors have been historically. We hope you enjoy
- [Best Writers for Teenagers to Read](https://letterreview.com/best-writers-for-teenagers-to-read/) - The best writers for teenagers to read are Jerry Spinelli, Alice Oseman, Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, Kathleen Glasgow, Angie Thomas, Scott Westerfeld and John Green. There’s also a couple of other writers shared below, for those of you looking for further options to best suit your teen’s personality. If you’re wondering which writers to recommend
- [The Best Feel Good Writers: Writers To Brighten Your Day](https://letterreview.com/the-best-feel-good-writers-writers-to-brighten-your-day/) - The best feel good writers are Monica McInerney, Paulo Coelho, Jonas Jonasson, Sayaka Murata, Libby Page, Marianne Cronin, Sarah Winman and Mitch Albom. Here, you’ll find friendships shared, love sparked and elation created. Above all else, you’ll come away with an appreciation of life. Sometimes you simply want to curl up with an uplifting read,
- [The Best War Writers Of All Time  ](https://letterreview.com/the-best-war-writers-of-all-time/) - The best war writers are Homer, Shakespeare, Hemingway, Heller, Clancy, and Barker. These writers have composed war writing in the form of epic poetry, theatrical play, historical account, journalism, and fiction. War writing is as old as writing itself, and perennially relevant. What is War Writing? Writing on the theme of war has existed for
- [The Best Rhetoricians ](https://letterreview.com/the-best-rhetoricians/) - The best rhetoricians are the people who are the most persuasive and convincing, including Aristotle, Angelou, Shakespeare, and Churchill. These thinkers have had a profound global influence since they turned their attention to the art of convincing others! Look no further for the answer to the question, Who are the best rhetoricians? What is Rhetoric?
- [The Best Creative Writers](https://letterreview.com/the-best-creative-writers/) - The best creative writers are Austen, Roy, Angelou, Hemingway, Beckett, Joyce, Tolstoy, Homer, Shakespeare and Woolf. These writers are highly awarded, celebrated, and influential in Western and global literature. You can’t go wrong by familiarizing yourself with these literary titans. So, who are these creative writers? Jane Austen Austen was writing early! Consequently her influence
- [The Best Imaginative Writers](https://letterreview.com/the-best-imaginative-writers/) - Are you looking for writers with the talent required to take you far away from here? Perhaps a novel world you can continue wandering through mentally after you’ve taken a breather from the page? There are entire landscapes, physical, allegorical and contemporary (yes, online!) for those of us who privilege imagination to explore! Let’s take
- [The Best Persuasive Writers](https://letterreview.com/the-best-persuasive-writers/) - The best persuasive writers are Virginia Woolf, Machiavelli, Martin Luther King, the Evangelists, and George Orwell. These writers are influential and popular, setting the intellectual world alight with their teachings. There is so much to be gleaned about the nature of persuasive writing in these texts. George Orwell Orwell wrote wonderful novels with which many
- [Is Stephen King Worth Reading? ](https://letterreview.com/is-stephen-king-worth-reading/) - While some criticisms are leveled at King’s work, including that he skews too far toward the popular while sacrificing quality for quantity, his writing remains enormously popular. Understanding what makes his writing so popular is valuable for writers while simply enjoying the fruits of his labor is valuable for readers! Yes, Stephen King is worth
- [Is Dan Brown Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-dan-brown-worth-reading/) - Arguably the best works are popular and literary, and Dan Brown is a master of public appeal. In this regard at least, writers have a lot to learn from him. In his popular works are often buried very worthy themes, positive societal messaging and strong examples of how to pace and create tension within the
- [Is Danielle Steel Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-danielle-steel-worth-reading/) - Danielle Steel has become one of the most highly paid, and most successful published authors to date: regularly publishing up to 7 novels a year while keeping up online with letters to her loyal followers each month! Over a career spanning 50 years (she published her first novel in 1973, and is due to publish
- [Is Nicholas Sparks Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-nicholas-sparks-worth-reading/) - You’re likely to be familiar with Nicholas Sparks, even if you have never heard his name: he’s the author of The Notebook, and also the author of A Walk to Remember, two novels which were adapted into exceptionally successful films in 2004 and 2002 respectively. The film The Notebook became something of a romance phenomenon,
- [The 5 Best Flash Fiction Writers](https://letterreview.com/the-5-best-flash-fiction-writers/) - What is Flash Fiction? Flash Fiction is a term which appeared in the early nineteen nineties to refer to very short stories: typically tales of less than 1000 words. The form has, throughout history, been referred to by many other names of course, including short short stories, micro fiction, and sudden fiction. Very short stories
- [The 7 Best Comedy Novelists of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-5-best-comedy-novelists-of-all-time/) - So, who are the funniest writers? Sometimes all the drama can be a bit of a downer, as we doom scroll social media, and click refresh on the news page. Sometimes we need to break up the grimness with a good laugh, an ironic take, and a satirical shrinking of the worst elements. The funniest
- [The 6 Best Creative Nonfiction Writers of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-6-best-creative-nonfiction-writers-of-all-time/) - There are many writers who write about their own lives, but also a particular kind of writer who exhibits an experimental fascination with modes of telling, or conveying truth. Writers who seek particularly to explore the nature of personal experience or of true events through creative and exploratory vehicles can be understood to be operating
- [The 7 Best Descriptive Writers of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-7-best-descriptive-writers-of-all-time/) - Description offers an excellent place for budding writers to start, but the art of writing description well can be more difficult than anticipated. It takes a lot of skill and nuance to capture different characters and settings accurately through language, and to craft descriptions your readers visualize, remember and long to revisit. The best descriptive
- [The Seven Best Flash Fiction Stories ](https://letterreview.com/the-seven-best-flash-fiction-stories/) - Flash fiction is a form that comes in and out of fashion, but has seized the attention of readers again partially due to the limited time it requires from time poor page turners. As attention spans shrink, works that are digestible in a single sitting become ever more valued. The best flash fiction stories are:
- [The 6 Best Novella Writers of All Time ](https://letterreview.com/the-best-novella-writers-of-all-time/) - The best novella writers are Eliot, Márquez, Capote, Hemingway, Steinbeck, and Conrad. Novellas, longer than a short story but shorter than a novel, offer writers the opportunity to deeply affect a reader in a shorter space of time - perfect for attention spans which shrink every year! George Eliot The Lifted Veil by George Eliot
- [The 5 Best Video Game Writers of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-video-game-writers-of-all-time/) - When you play a video game, do you find the detail, depth and originality of the story has the greatest effect upon your experience? You’re not alone. Let’s take a look at the writers who have given us some of the most memorable video game stories and characters of all time. The five best video
- [The 5 Best Comedy Poets of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-comedy-poets-of-all-time/) - Many of the poets on this list are extremely distinguished and highly respected poets known for writing moving poems of great national and literary significance. It’s great for us that they each also had a highly developed sense of humor! The five best comedy poets of all time are Louise Bennett-Coverley, Pam Ayres, T. S.
- [Is Barbara Cartland Worth Reading? ](https://letterreview.com/is-barbara-cartland-worth-reading/) - Yes, Barbara Cartland is worth reading. If you are writing Romance novels, and you haven’t read Cartland, there’s a big hole in your education! If you are a reader seeking out the greatest Romance around, Cartland’s offerings surely must entice you, as they have millions of others. Barbara Cartland is known as the Queen of
- [The 7 Best Haiku Writers of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-7-best-haiku-writers-of-all-time/) - Haiku describes the seventeen syllable Japanese poetic tradition, with words arranged over three lines using a five-seven-five syllable structure. There are similarities between Haiku and Imagist poetry, with Modernist poets like Ezra Pound and H. D. (Hilda Doolittle) expressing an admiration of the Japanese form. Many of the writers described below wrote originally in Japanese,
- [The 10 Best Absurdist Writers of All Time ](https://letterreview.com/the-best-absurdist-writers-of-all-time/) - The 10 best absurdist writers are Camus, Kōbō Abe, Stoppard, Beckett, Pinter, Albee, Ionesco, Kafka, Vonnegut, and Heller. Absurdism is a philosophy which has roots in the philosophy of Existentialism: both address questions related to the meaning of life. Where Existentialism offers modes of meaning, Absurdism proposes life is … absurd! This is symbolized most famously
- [Is Science Fiction Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-science-fiction-worth-reading/) - Science fiction is worth reading because of the extraordinary creative works that exist in this genre, and the talented writers who compose science fiction including Orwell, Card, Adams, Verne, Asimov, Gaiman, Herbert, Le Guin, Bradbury, and Wells. Below we examine the works of each of these authors, and consider whether science fiction is worth reading
- [The 12 Best Innovative, Experimental, and Avant-Garde Writers of All Time ](https://letterreview.com/the-best-innovative-experimental-and-avant-garde-writers-of-all-time/) - The 12 best innovative, experimental, and avant-garde writers of all time are Folarin, Kandasamy, Wallace, Calvino, Stein, Ginsberg, Baker, Brecht, Jarry, Wachowski, Kaufman, and Nolan. These writers expressed themselves in novels, plays, poems, and via screenplays. Innovation began when words were first committed to paper, and that tradition continues as strongly as ever today! The
- [The 9 Best Gothic Writers of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-gothic-writers-of-all-time/) - The nine best Gothic writers are Radcliffe, Shelley, Brontë, Wilde, Dickens, Poe, Rossetti, Coleridge, and Byron. If you seek a greater understanding of the tropes of this genre, these writers are the place to start. If you find pleasure in the haunted, and the macabre, then these titans are sure to thrill and delight. Gothic
- [The 10 Best Epistolary Writers of All Time](https://letterreview.com/the-best-epistolary-writers-of-all-time/) - The 10 best epistolary writers are Richardson, Stoker, Shelley, Keyes, King, Walker, Atwood, Butler, Adiga and Chbosky. These authors have each created stories from letters or other kinds of documents they have written, which emulate real life and actual correspondence between people. The word ‘epistolary’ comes from the Latin word ‘epistola’, which means a letter
- [Are Screenwriting Contests a Waste of Time?](https://letterreview.com/are-screenwriting-contests-a-waste-of-time/) - The internet is full of web pages and blogs recommending screenwriting contests to aspiring screenwriters as a practical way to improve your writing or get ahead in your career. However, many writers fail to achieve success after entering, leading them to wonder if screenwriting contests are worth all that time and effort they put in.
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners October – December 2024](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners-october-december-2024/) - It's always such an astonishing joy to publish the winning entries of The Letter Review Prize: We spend months with these works before we are able to experience the thrill of sharing them with our community. Today, we release these pieces, and hope they bring to you just as much wonderment as they did to
- [End of the line – New Poetry by Amber Weightman](https://letterreview.com/end-of-the-line-new-poetry-by-amber-weightman/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry End of the line I'm not allowed to write about Disconnection'Cos I'm all grown up now and my life is of my own making.At my age I should have it all figured out.But this is not what I thought life would feel like. I'm not there yet
- [Selisha – New Novel Extract by Roy Schmidt](https://letterreview.com/selisha-new-novel-extract-by-roy-schmidt/) - The EM systems could run for decades, but in time, after the ship left the solar system, they would have to be shut down. The Freeman would coast along on any final inertial vector, forever. The captain's voice, with urgency. "STAN?" STAN made an instant decision, logged an internal note accessible only to itself: "Is
- [The Understory: Winter in Killiney Hill Park - New Nonfiction by JD Sloan](https://letterreview.com/the-understory-winter-in-killiney-hill-park-new-nonfiction-by-jd-sloan/) - On the outside, I may seem dormant, but beneath it all, I am transforming. Like the fungi working on decay, I am breaking down what’s left of a former season into something fertile. The place I once called home has grown too tight, like an exoskeleton I have outgrown. I feel the pressure of it,
- [Eulogies - New Nonfiction by Lindsay Wheeler](https://letterreview.com/eulogies-new-nonfiction-by-lindsay-wheeler/) - My mother has also been diagnosed with cancer. I wonder if she can put it in a box and send it to me, package it in a large Priority Mail box with my sister’s. I can hide them here with the other boxes they’ve sent here. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Eulogies
- [The Hollows of Maine - New Short Fiction by Amelia Borawski](https://letterreview.com/the-hollows-of-maine-new-short-fiction-by-amelia-borawski/) - My dad uttered the term “dignity” for the first time when I was sixteen. Its connotations and contradictions were boundless. Dignity was an inherent possession of all beings. Dignity was a state of mind. But dignity was dependent on action. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction The Hollows of Maine Dignity made
- [Unlimited You - New Short Fiction by Phoebe Robertson](https://letterreview.com/unlimited-you-new-short-fiction-by-phoebe-robertson/) - The AI worked quickly. The edges of her body blurred and shifted, then reappeared. She was still slouched, still crumpled, but now it was on a beach at sunset. Her hair rippled faintly in a breeze she couldn’t feel, and the sunlight fell across her skin, soft and golden, catching strands of hair like it
- [After Anguish – New Poetry by Wendell Hawken](https://letterreview.com/after-anguish-new-poetry-by-wendell-hawken/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry After Anguish Barn stalls gape empty, draped with cobwebs. The time for burrowing soft and deep, quilt to chin, under scraps patched to pattern: cathedral window’s twelve-fold squares. In early dark and deepening chill, trees blacken against the gray, a western tint of light remaining. Here it’s
- [America’s Modern Korean Bride – New Poetry by Ji Hyo Kim](https://letterreview.com/americas-modern-korean-bride-new-poetry-by-ji-hyo-kim/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry America’s Modern Korean Bride Gait is a tell-tale of origin, so to blend in with Manhattan scrapes: walkstraight like Ma’s back-brace, translate pastrami energy into hare-velocity, clutch Chloé ’s straps straight likeVanderbilt’s railroads over dear Hudson - so maybe you’ll earn a fortunetoo. You’ve always babbled of
- [The Letter Review Guide to Fiction Contests](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-guide-to-fiction-contests/) - Hi Community, Writing contests. There's a lot of them. First of all: Why do we enter them? To win prize money of course. But also, more importantly, to advance our writing careers. To gain recognition, publication, and to connect with a reading audience. Before we embark on any endeavor we want as much info as
- [How to Get More Kindle Unlimited Page Reads (5 Ways)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-get-more-kindle-unlimited-page-reads/) - Kindle Unlimited is a great program for enthusiastic readers to consume as much literature as possible. As an author, it’s possible to make a substantial amount of money by offering your ebooks through this service, as long as you get enough page reads. Luckily, there are some tricks authors use successfully to gain more readers
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Constantine Singer, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-constantine-singer-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-unpublished-books/) - Our thanks to Constantine for taking the time to share this wisdom. We especially enjoyed his insightful comment 'Every ascent to a new level isn’t the top of a mountain, just another plateau.' Also, 'We are entertainers, but we are also shapers of thought.' Would you please tell us a little about your writing process?
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Roger Craik, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-roger-craik-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Sincere thanks to Roger for the energy and passion he shares in this inspiring interview. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? By all means. A line comes into my head, and I write it down, but before that I doodle with a block of soft graphite lead on a sheet
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Damen O'Brien, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-damen-obrien-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry/) - Damen here generously shares valuable pieces of advice. We thank him for his candour. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? Typically, I write once or twice a week, usually on a Saturday or Sunday morning. I go to my local café and write while sipping a latte. I can usually
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Alison Luterman, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-alison-luterman-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-nonfiction/) - Sincere thanks to Alison for allowing us into her world, and for reaffirming the importance of making 'good trouble'. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I read a lot of poetry in order to "flip the switch" in my brain from prose to poetry. I also try to write behind
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Debra Waters, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-debra-waters-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - Thank you to Debra for sharing these wonderful insights, including the pearl 'When I’ve penned something I’m proud of I feel like I’m living truthfully.' How do you believe a writer improves? I find that if I don’t read, I write less. Reading jogs my memory, and reminds me that I’m creative and that I can write.
- [Writers’ Insight: Interview with Frank Haberle, Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction](https://letterreview.com/writers-insight-interview-with-frank-haberle-winner-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-short-fiction/) - Our thanks to Frank for taking the time to share with us these valuable glimpses into process. Would you please tell us a little about your writing process? I am fortunate that I have a longstanding community that has helped me find my voice as a writer. Fifteen years ago I was trained by the
- [The Blue Pearl - New Poetry by Greg Nelson](https://letterreview.com/the-blue-pearl-new-poetry-by-greg-nelson/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry The Blue Pearl Moments before I politely inform herher services are no longer required,the lawyer in her plush leather chairadvises me not to concern myselfwith how the custody agreement will turn out,because "you'll lose interest soon enough,"then suggests I buy food coloring on the way home,because "a
- [No This - New Poetry by Roger Craik](https://letterreview.com/no-this-new-poetry-by-roger-craik/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry No This “Let’s approach this calmly, shall we?”There is no this. Alreadythere is no we, onlyme—you with yourwhatever, whoever, not wanting meto make a scene and nowyour back towards me moving away from metowards the city (cafes, bars, on either side).My feet are walking my lifedown the
- [A Recording of a Recording - New Poetry by Damen O'Brien](https://letterreview.com/a-recording-of-a-recording-new-poetry-by-damen-obrien/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry A Recording of a Recording Damen is a mulit-award-winning Australian poet. In 2024, his prizes include the Fingal Poetry Competition, the Ware Open Poets Competition and the Ros Spencer Poetry Prize. Damen's poems have been published in the Marrow, Florida Review and the London Magazine among other
- [Upon Stealing Smithsonian Folkways from Franklin Library, Summer 1974 - New Poetry by Tom Driscoll](https://letterreview.com/upon-stealing-smithsonian-folkways-from-franklin-library-summer-1974-new-poetry-by-tom-driscoll/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Upon Stealing Smithsonian Folkways from Franklin Library, Summer 1974 My plans for sainthood were falling apart anyway.I’d started thinking about giving —wrong— a try.Some secret sort of violence. Crime.What I meant to do was steal something.Anything. This would be a start. There were records in the town
- [Albert, The Last - New Novel Extract by Constantine Singer](https://letterreview.com/albert-the-last-new-novel-extract-by-constantine-singer/) - “Are those…” Yes. They were. No doubt. Those were stars. A dusty scattering like a setting scene in Star Trek, shifting slowly, rotating to the right. New stars came into view. I sucked in a breath to tell Charon she needed to explain this when a new, brighter light illuminated the left side of the
- [Earthen Wares - New Poetry Collection Extract by Shilpa Dikshit Thapliyal](https://letterreview.com/earthen-wares-new-poetry-collection-extract-by-shilpa-dikshit-thapliyal/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books Earthen Wares Nondescript, earthen wares of our bones, red letterbox, a fakir’s tombstone.Pilgrim’s chakras swirl red to white grindstone. Faint footsteps, the echoes of lived homes.Faint scents of cloves, saffron, unpack new home. Gods of time march in hallways, stroke our skins.Will passage of time bare
- [The Marfa Deal - New Novel Extract by Stuart Ziarnik](https://letterreview.com/the-marfa-deal-new-novel-extract-by-stuart-ziarnik/) - And I had done it, I had created something genuine, something good, and I thought I’d succeeded and made something lasting and done something cool with my life: I owned a nightclub in Austin. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books The Marfa Deal I It was the spring of 2021 and already
- [Seeking the Third - New Nonfiction by Alison Luterman](https://letterreview.com/seeking-the-third-new-nonfiction-by-alison-luterman/) - "You don't have to do everything together," she said. "He can do music on his own, and you have your poetry, and then you can come together in the evening--" "And, what, watch Netflix?" I interrupted her. "No, we can make this work, I know it. Because when it does work, it's glorious." Winner of
- [I’m A Little Nervous About Becoming Your Father - New Nonfiction by Josh Kieb](https://letterreview.com/im-a-little-nervous-about-becoming-your-father-new-nonfiction-by-josh-kieb/) - It’s not just the sacrifice of time, it’s that I want to do these things on my own (Or with your mother). I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish the lofty goals I set for myself, but when you get here, I must transfer my love and passion onto the development of
- [How To Cremate Your Pet Squirrel - New Nonfiction by Anaïs Godard](https://letterreview.com/how-to-cremate-your-pet-squirrel-new-nonfiction-by-anais-godard/) - Albert was no ordinary squirrel; he was more like a surrogate child to me, a hairy one who didn't require a college fund. I had found him at a particularly dark time, right after my first miscarriage and long before the twins came along, at the foot of a giant sequoia. A tiny, shivering ball
- [Odd Couples: Mr. Polyamorous and Dr. Asexual - New Short Fiction by Amita Basu](https://letterreview.com/odd-couples-mr-polyamorous-and-dr-asexual-new-short-fiction-by-amita-basu/) - Yes, maybe relationships are not, after all, just consolations for those who can’t have greatness. Maybe she isn’t asexual. What, if not love, is this hot prickling that begins, as she imagines Dheer’s reply, just where her breastbone ends? Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction Odd Couples: Mr. Polyamorous and Dr. Asexual
- [How To Write a Cover Letter & Bio for Writing Contests with Examples: Professional Development Series](https://letterreview.com/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-amp-bio-for-writing-contests-with-examples/) - You are entering a writing contest, and you are asked to provide a cover letter, and a bio. You do your best, and submit something great. Yet, there is a lingering doubt in your mind. Will someone else's cover letter and bio stand out more? Will they gain an advantage? Am I letting myself down,
- [Can You Publish a Book and Stay Anonymous?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-publish-a-book-and-stay-anonymous/) - Most people would bask in the fame that comes with publishing a bestselling novel, but there are others who’d prefer to fly under the radar. Whether you intend to write a book of a sensitive nature or simply don’t want the attention of being an author, publishing a book while concealing your identity is a
- [4 Differences Between Poetry and Music](https://letterreview.com/differences-between-poetry-and-music/) - Ezra Pound, the famed American poet, once expressed, “Music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance…poetry begins to atrophy when it gets too far from music.” Based on Pound’s quote, it’s evident that music and poetry share many similarities. However, the two remain distinctive forms of creative expression. Here are 4
- [How Many Books Do You Need To Publish To Make Money?](https://letterreview.com/how-many-books-to-publish-to-make-money/) - Authors’ lives are often portrayed as relaxed and affluent in movies and books, but this isn’t the reality for the majority of authors. Of course, there’s still a chance to earn money, although it may not be enough to quit your day job. Even still, many aspiring writers want to know how many books they
- [5 Places Where Writers Store Their Work](https://letterreview.com/5-places-writers-store-work/) - History is rife with stories of famous authors losing their work to send a chill up any writer's spine. Dylan Thomas lost Under Milk Wood in a pub, and Ernest Hemmingway's wife Hadley lost his early stories on a train. Thankfully today, we have other options besides physical copies to store our writing. Here are
- [5 Best Pens for Author Book Signings (Buyer’s Guide)](https://letterreview.com/5-best-pens-for-author-book-signings/) - Nobody manually writes out entire books anymore, but authors need to bring an abundant supply of pens regarding book signings. But which should you stock up on? The best pen for an author to bring to a book signing event is the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Ink Pen, which is comfortable, smooth writing, retractable, and
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners July – August 2023](https://letterreview.com/announcing-the-winners-shortlist-and-longlist-of-the-letter-review-prize-for-poetry-july-august-2023/) - It is our honor and privilege to announce the winning entries of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction, Manuscripts, Poetry, and Nonfiction. Our sincere congratulations go out the writers listed below. We hope you agree that these breathtaking works of literature have earned their positions as winning entries: We are tremendously proud to have
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners September – October 2023](https://letterreview.com/announcing-the-winners-and-shortlist-of-the-letter-review-prize-sept-oct-2023/) - It has been our pleasure to read the wonderful submissions to this round of The Letter Review Prize. We are so encouraged by the astonishing quality of the entries, which makes choosing winners a joyful challenge. Witnessing the ever present desire in writers to express the deepest, most profound, most rewarding experiences via language is
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners November – December 2023](https://letterreview.com/winners-of-the-letter-review-prize-nov-dec-2023/) - Each round, as we watch the entries arrive, anticipation grows as we move closer to the judging period: We see snippets of creative works which whet our appetite, and an excited buzz begins to thrum from the tips of the toes to the points of our ears. What a thrill! We imagine each entrant putting
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners January – February 2024](https://letterreview.com/winners-of-the-letter-review-prize-jan-feb-2024/) - As if reading the astonishing entries submitted by our writing community were not enough reward, at the end of the judging process we experience the incomparable joy of publishing new works of literature, and helping to bring these wonderful creations to new readers. We wish to acknowledge our indebtedness and gratitude to our entrants for
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners March - April 2024](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners/) - We are enormously excited to announce the winners of The Letter Review Prize (March - April 2024) in the categories of Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Unpublished Books. Once again, we were astonished by the extraordinary quality of the submissions received. There is a vast number of talented writers submitting to contests, who submit writing
- [The Letter Review Prize Winners Before Jan – Feb 2023](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-prize-winners-2/) - Announcing the Longlist, Shortlist, and Winning Entries of the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories, Poetry, and Flash Fiction (Jan - Feb 2023) We feel truly honored to have read the poetry and stories submitted to this round of the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories, Poetry, and Flash Fiction. We were regularly moved to
- [Forgotten Conversation - New Short Fiction by Sarah Leonhardt](https://letterreview.com/forgotten-conversation-new-short-fiction-by-sarah-leonhardt/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction Wish Fairy: Tell me again. You: It’s the lecture I’ll give when I’m forty-three. My wife will give me a blow job that morning. Then I’ll catch that early cab. I’ll notice my suit fits me exceptionally well. Mingling will feel better than it ever has
- [5 Questions With Nonfiction Author Tim Tate: The Letter Review Interview](https://letterreview.com/interview-nonfiction-author-investigative-journalist-film-maker-tim-tate/) - Tim Tate is a best-selling author, multiple award-winning documentary film-maker and investigative journalist. In a career spanning almost four decades Tim has published sixteen non-fiction books, made more than 80 documentary films for all British and several international networks, and written for national and regional newspapers. Three of his books have become best-sellers. His films have been
- [7 Questions With Author E.J. Mellow: The Letter Review Interview](https://letterreview.com/7-questions-with-author-e-j-mellow-the-letter-review-interview/) - E.J. Mellow is an award-winning and Top 20 Amazon bestselling author of magical mayhem. Her work has been translated into multiple languages, appeared on "Best Of" lists such as BuzzFeed and Gizmodo and has reached #1 in multiple Amazon categories, as well as received medals from eLit Book Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
- [The Letter Review: March - April 2024 Issue](https://letterreview.com/the-letter-review-march-april-2024-issue/) - Today we have the joy of publishing the current issue of The Letter Review, comprised of the winning entries of The Letter Review Prize (March - April 2024). We are enormously excited to share these new works of literature with our readers. The winners of our July - September round will be announced over the
- [To His Mother - New Poetry by Virginia Sullivan](https://letterreview.com/to-his-mother-new-poetry-by-virginia-sullivan/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry To His Mother Alexei Navalny, (June 4, 1976— February 16, 2024) The tidal forces as you enter a black holeand approach the singularity would tear you apart.And also space and time. It is a small thingto be a mother, a heavy, small thing. To be a body,
- [Endosomething - New Nonfiction by Axelle Clausse](https://letterreview.com/endosomething-new-nonfiction-by-axelle-clausse/) - Letters on it make such a strange word you wonder if they haven’t spelt it wrong. Endometriosis. It seems latin. You read the sentence under it and realize bewildered that you might not be crazy. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Endosomething You cry. You cry because it hurts and your head is burning
- [The Lesson - New Nonfiction by Denarii Peters](https://letterreview.com/the-lesson-new-nonfiction-by-denarii-peters/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction The Lesson Everyone should meet a D---- ----- before they turn twenty. He should be in your past by the time you are twenty-five. He will cost you a lot but, as you are still young, you can afford him. You have plenty of time to recover.
- [Hall of Mirrors - New Nonfiction by Emma Haworth](https://letterreview.com/hall-of-mirrors-new-nonfiction-by-emma-haworth/) - Acting, at its core, is a noble and important quest for truth, and not all actors will have this same experience. But what I experienced, through my years of training, was a disruption of self. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Emma Haworth is a Lancashire-based writer and content editor/page designer, who holds an MA
- [Mourning Bells are Ringing - New Nonfiction by Brian Demarest](https://letterreview.com/mourning-bells-are-ringing-new-nonfiction-by-brian-demarest/) - Inspired by Kennedy’s vision of what he called the “New Frontier,” Dad constantly encouraged us to think big and pursue our goals with “vigor,” echoing the President’s words from his many televised press conferences. Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Mourning Bells are Ringing My Dad was a design engineer for a major
- [The Season of the Wolf - New Novel Excerpt by Luna Campos](https://letterreview.com/the-season-of-the-wolf-new-novel-excerpt-by-luna-campos/) - But I knew there was something out there. I knew that, while Citizens hid away after curfew, others ran free. I could hear them through my window, the tiny window in my bedroom in the attic of the house in Streatham. I could hear their distant howls, deep into the night. Winner of The Letter
- [Graemist - New Novel Extract by David Allen](https://letterreview.com/graemist-new-novel-extract-by-david-allen/) - "Look at him, Steward. Until the traitors who did this are found, he is the source of your continued existence. He is the beginning and the end of your pursuit. Take your time to examine him." Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books Graemist PROLOGUE Through the diminishing rains a bell tolled, an alarm ringing out
- [Peninsular - New Novel Extract by Colette Lawlor](https://letterreview.com/peninsular-new-novel-extract-by-colette-lawlor/) - I didn’t upset Mam. Continued to live with her, just as she continued to live with her story of the paintings by her great-grandfather, the ‘moonlight man’, Edwin Tate. Who left the dockside tenements to live in a Jacobean Manor overlooking the bay, just like the one on the books. Whose paintings reach six-figures. Whose
- [Cause and Effect - New Poetry by Damen O'Brien](https://letterreview.com/cause-and-effect-new-poetry-by-damen-obrien/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Cause and Effect That’s what happened:his factory was fined for coughing thick smokefrom its stacks, so his boss has him working laterto claw back the shortfall; you stop waiting up for himafter too many nodding nights and roll away in bed;you feel lonelier together and avoid hard
- [Winter 2023 - New Poetry by Colette Lawlor](https://letterreview.com/winter-2023-new-poetry-by-colette-lawlor/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Winter 2023 The hirsute man sits in the jeweller’s doorway.The dishevelled dog,a constant by his side.Passers-by avert their eyesexcept oneuniformed stranger.He walks towards themwith concerned dismay,crouches to talk,takes the dog away. Colette Lawlor is a biologist who teaches adults and lives on Morecambe Bay, UK. Since her
- [It's Me, Mother - New Short Fiction by Caitlin Carpenter](https://letterreview.com/its-me-mother-new-short-fiction-by-caitlin-carpenter/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction A majestic lioness bears down upon a helpless young antelope. The carcass of its mauled mother sprawled, bloody, nearby. The tawny calf stands motionless - paralyzed by fear or too innocent to comprehend death - as the powerful jaws close around its delicate neck. However, surprisingly,
- [Only That You Remember Me - New Fiction by Frank Haberle](https://letterreview.com/only-that-you-remember-me-new-fiction-by-frank-haberle/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction “Shovel birds in silver tides,” Sammy read aloud from his flippy little notebook. We were huddled on a bench on the wind protected side of the park. We’d just been kicked out of the library for loitering, where Sammy was scribbling down lines he liked from
- [On Leaving - New Short Fiction by Debra Waters](https://letterreview.com/on-leaving-new-short-fiction-by-debra-waters/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction My city-boy-turned-country-boy wants us to move but how can I go? I’ve lived here through bombs, heatwaves, riots. Recessions, states of emergency, killer viruses. Nothing mars my devotion. The City can survive anything, and that makes me feel like I can too. My body has absorbed
- [10 Questions With Children's Author Matt Ralphs: The Letter Review Interview](https://letterreview.com/is-it-hard-to-be-a-childrens-author/) - Matt Ralphs worked as an editor for many years, and now writes children’s non-fiction and middle grade fiction, often with a focus on history, myths and folklore. His dark adventure novels Fire Girl and Fire Witch were published by Macmillan Children’s Books. He currently has non-fiction projects in development with Nosy Crow and Bonnier. He
- [Rogue Waves: Love in the Wake of Bipolar Disorder - New Unpublished Memoir Extract by Lisa C. Peterson](https://letterreview.com/rogue-waves-love-in-the-wake-of-bipolar-disorder-by-lisa-c-peterson/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books Doug & Lisa – September 9, 2013: The McCloud Falls In September of 2013, after seven years of dating, Doug and I rented an RV and took a trip we referred to as, “Around Mount Shasta in Seven Days.” The journey was supposed to rebuild
- [The anti ice cream van - New Poetry by Tim Shore](https://letterreview.com/the-anti-ice-cream-van-new-poetry-by-tim-shore/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry No magic roundabout reverie herethe anti ice cream van haunts the suburbssinging scrap iron, any old iron A tannoy trumpets a thin melodya voice singing with a scrape of scrap metalno magic round about here A Bedford van drives slowly down the streeta hawker sings, walking aheadscrap
- [How to combine your medical records in a way That makes sense - New Poetry by Rebecca Loggia](https://letterreview.com/how-to-combine-your-medical-records-in-a-way-that-makes-sense-new-poetry-by-rebecca-loggia/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Rebecca Loggia has been writing stories since childhood, eventually earning a degree in Creative Writing at Arizona State University. Her work has been published in the Santa Clara Review, Allegory Ridge, Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry and Prose, and elsewhere. Her essay, "How to Rewrite a Medical
- [The Woman Behind the Painter - New Nonfiction by Devora Rogers](https://letterreview.com/the-woman-behind-the-painter-new-nonfiction-by-devora-rogers/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction The True-Life Story of Mari Carmen Flores Aizpuru, Partner and Lover to Famed Spanish Abstract Painter Bonifacio Alfonso. In 1964, as Spain was thirty years deep under the rule of Francoism, a poor painter came to sit at the table of a well-heeled couple who owned a popular
- [Tamara's Angel - New Nonfiction by Ralph La Rosa](https://letterreview.com/tamaras-angel-new-nonfiction-by-ralph-la-rosa/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction For a few seconds I was disoriented, unable to focus in the shadows. “Come over here, please,” Tamara said. I stepped around chunks of fallen plaster and joined her. “Can you see it now?” she said. “Yes, I see. What do you call that big one?” “My
- [Iron Dragon, Black Swan - New Novel Extract by Abby Sandman](https://letterreview.com/iron-dragon-black-swan-new-novel-extract-by-abby-sandman/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books I.I The first eight years of Dai’s life smelled like stone. Like the smoky musk of sunbaked battlements and the salty nip of sea-soaked tunnels. And they smelled like gonalei, the roots of the bone white gona flower that grew in abundance at the base of
- [Eminence - New Novel Extract by Deepak Kamra](https://letterreview.com/eminence-a-new-novel-extract-by-deepak-kamra/) - The Cantacuzene Family Crest (Quae Nocent Docent - What Harms, Teaches) Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books PROLOGUE The Waters Off Greenland September 1899 The steamship surges forward, its prow lifting and falling over the swells of the North Atlantic. At each new wave, the ship hesitates and shudders, leaning backward towards America,
- [Leisure Living - New Novel Extract by John Kaufmann](https://letterreview.com/leisure-living-new-novel-extract-by-john-kaufmann/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books SPRING 1. In the beginning was C/r. If a bond pays a periodic payment of C in perpetuity, its value is cash flow divided by the interest rate. Assume yearly payments of $100 and an interest rate of 5%. That bond is worth $100/.05, or $2,000. Every other cash-flow
- [Have You Considered Returning To The Office? - New Short Fiction by Megan Bidmead](https://letterreview.com/have-you-considered-returning-to-the-office-new-short-fiction-by-megan-bidmead/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction The man sat in his chair, staring straight ahead, unblinking. A passerby might find this strange: the rigidity of his back, the thinness of his mouth, and the look in his eyes, reminiscent of a man heading into combat. They might wonder why a young man
- [Ned's Tale - New Short Fiction by Vienna Folliard](https://letterreview.com/neds-tale-new-short-fiction-by-vienna-folliard/) - Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction A panting wolfhound. A lovers’ parting kiss. A giant’s severed head. The drifting clouds above the fairies’ hawthorn sprang to life in his mind’s eye. “Get up, ye lazy sod!” Ned’s raven-haired mam planted her boot squarely on his backside and Ned tumbled down the mound,
- [Finisterre - New Novel Extract by Caroline Brothers](https://letterreview.com/finisterre-new-novel-extract-by-caroline-brothers/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books 1. Feather She hesitated at the fork. One branch ran inland a little way, then hugged the perimeter of the wheat fields where the harvesters had been and gone, scraping the landscape raw. In a couple of weeks, the diggers and then the fertilising machines
- [Slipped Disk - New Nonfiction by Paul W. B. Marsden](https://letterreview.com/slipped-disk-new-nonfiction-by-paul-w-b-marsden/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction A slipped disc, that’s what most people call it. Sounds harmless, like a pulled muscle or a headache. Doctors refer to it as a herniated disc or a prolapsed disc. It still doesn’t sound serious or painful. It’s not like a ‘broken leg’ or a ‘defective
- [Flowers of the Black Earth: A Braided Essay - New Nonfiction by Marina Kraiskaya](https://letterreview.com/flowers-of-the-black-earth-a-braided-essay-new-nonfiction-by-marina-kraiskaya/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction I don’t know if she always meant it to sound just like every 17th century Slavic fairytale, but her stories too were sinister, expansive and striding; allegorical and feminine, with any resolution not much more than a dissolve into history. Dense, wild land. A peasant girl
- [Long Distance Call - New Nonfiction by Claudia Miriam Reed](https://letterreview.com/long-distance-call-new-nonfiction-by-claudia-miriam-reed/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Long Distance Call Offerings Gone The Balance of the Universe The Days of Free Everything The Apartment The Tea Cups Fiesta Microeconomics The Man on the Bus The Man at the Curb The Man Who Swallowed His Soul Care Home Long Distance Call One of Mine
- [What We Were Made For - New Fiction by Abigail Corfman](https://letterreview.com/what-we-were-made-for-new-fiction-by-abigail-corfman/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction *I found a human.* A deceptively simple sentence. Its words are paltry and weak--too small for the meaning they contain. An equivalently insufficient collection of words: I dropped the bomb. Or: I fell in love. This is why humans invented more words, and spent so
- [Bed Move - New Fiction by Liam Keller](https://letterreview.com/bed-move-new-fiction-by-liam-keller/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction There had been a rumour that Roan’s bed moved in the night. That was all. Roan went to sleep to one side of his unclean and sort of dark and generally disagreeable bedroom and woke up on the other. Like, it was unmistakable. His bed
- [Cat in the Car - New Fiction by Sancia Milton](https://letterreview.com/cat-in-the-car-new-fiction-by-sancia-milton/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction I have never been the kind of woman to worry about men, except when they’re over seventy-percent ugly. Then, I’m in trouble. It’s always been that way, since the first greasy boy made his hunched-backed debut in my elementary school, and there was no growing
- [Dinner - New Poetry by Mary Paulson](https://letterreview.com/dinner-new-poetry-by-mary-paulson/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Dinner The fundamental misunderstanding is that we sit across from one another in easy companionship – childhood friends meeting once monthly. Tonight, I drag my armfuls of ghosts out for agonyand beef tips, some goulash squash.The conversation focuses, as usual,on you, your boyfriend, your job, your recent shopping spree and
- [homesick - New Poetry by Lizzy Jerse](https://letterreview.com/homesick-new-poetry-by-lizzy-jerse/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry homesick there was this inexplicable feeling while i was therethat i now recall and cravelike someone asphyxiated, gasping for airin fact, i’m not sure i’ve been able to breathesince i left a cotton sweatshirt with mismatched patchesa september breeze, cool but comfortingthat fills my car as
- [Reverence - New Poetry by Mary Jo Maguire](https://letterreview.com/reverence-new-poetry-by-mary-jo-maguire/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Reverence Mannequins smiled behind the soiled windowsof a second hand shop as a procession of pilgrimsfiled stiffly by on the feast day of Corpus Christi.Silent, sprawling street people stared and pointed. The procession paraded behind a white canopyheld high by four pilgrims under which the priestdisplayed
- [Are Screenwriting Classes Worth It?](https://letterreview.com/are-screenwriting-classes-worth-it/) - Taking screenwriting classes can help to provide an excellent foundation for your education and future career as a screenwriter. However, these classes can be time-consuming or even a financial burden, which may lead you to question whether or not screenwriting classes are really worth it. Screenwriting classes are worth it to help improve your writing
- [Pizza Friday - New Short Fiction by Elias J. Hurst](https://letterreview.com/pizza-friday-new-short-fiction-by-jeff-hurst/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction Features Gun Violence The children, they wept. The sterile white collection room and stern uniforms of the phlebotomists always elicited this reaction. Mr. Brenner frowned. They only needed a few drops of blood and a scan of their hand for biometric matching. It didn’t need
- [My Brave Little Boy - New Fiction by Joseph Friesen](https://letterreview.com/my-brave-little-boy-new-fiction-by-joseph-friesen/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction Babies don’t stop being sick on holidays. Jen shifted in her seat at the breakroom table. Ten straight hours on her feet and yet somehow she’d found the one chair that made sitting just as uncomfortable. She scrolled through photos on Instagram, only stopping to
- [She's All Right - New Fiction by G. S. Arnold](https://letterreview.com/shes-all-right-new-fiction-by-g-s-arnold/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction The same week I get myself kicked out of high school for putting the youngest Smoll brother in the hospital, Chardelle starts going scatty in the brain. The Randy Codd Fair comes to town and me and her are spinning upside down in the Orbiter.
- [The Sleepers - A New Novel Extract by Molly Sturdevant](https://letterreview.com/the-sleepers-a-new-novel-extract-by-molly-sturdevant/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books Chapter One: A Morning Shift Leadville Colorado, June 29, 1893 From where Frances Byrne stood, Mount Massive was an inch tall. With her eyes narrowed, her fingers pinched to measure it, she plucked the beast mountain out of its range and set it in
- [Above Instinct - A New Novel Extract by James Walker](https://letterreview.com/above-instinct-a-new-novel-extract-by-james-walker/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books 'The First God stepped forward and in his footprint our universe began. As the print reflects its maker, in time, his impression filled our universe with new gods, and turned the inanimate into life, and brought man and animal up from the soil. Into this
- [Beyond Adversity - New Nonfiction by Connie Larson](https://letterreview.com/beyond-adversity-new-nonfiction-by-connie-larson/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction Chapter 1: Twenty Years I wanted to be back on the deck by the water’s edge, sitting there watching the flaming sun cast mirrors on the water – watch it disappear leaving us quiet in the vapor of dusk. Where was I? How many years had
- [The Shepherd - New Nonfiction by Ali Schofield](https://letterreview.com/the-shepherd-new-nonfiction-by-ali-schofield/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction I squint at the contents of my closet in the dim morning light. What does one wear to their boyfriend’s intervention? I’ve thought about this intermittently all week, and yet here I am, morning of, and I still don’t know. Bright colours don’t seem appropriate, and
- [J is for Jillian - New Nonfiction by Agatha Zarzycki](https://letterreview.com/j-is-for-jillian-new-nonfiction-by-agatha-zarzycki/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction This is a personal essay about grief and friendship written in 26 paragraphs. Each paragraph begins with a letter corresponding to the alphabet, which reflects both the fragmentation and continuity of grief. The format is inspired by Ruth E. Dickey's “Alphabet Soup Kitchen,” an essay published
- [Keep Your Hands on the Reins - New Poetry by Daan Spijer](https://letterreview.com/keep-your-hands-on-the-reins-new-poetry-by-daan-spijer/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry A strapping young stockman lay dying,as strapping young stockman will,and, although he knew he was close to death,his face it was smiling still.For weeks he’d been mustering cattle,steering them by the stars.But, because he’d been at the bottle,he confused fair Venus for Mars.The reins lay slack
- [Berceuse - New Poetry by Brent Schaeffer](https://letterreview.com/berceuse-new-poetry-by-brent-schaeffer/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry - August 2018, Western Washington Wildfires Haze of wild fire: I wade through goose poopand corrugations of lake surf to my daughter.She sits on a damp shipping palette and gumsgritty watermelon rinds. Flies and partiesonly live one day, she says. My mother walks away.My father
- [How To Make a Golden Toad - New Poetry by Sophia Hyland-Wolzak](https://letterreview.com/how-to-make-a-golden-toad-new-poetry-by-sophia-hyland-wolzak/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Gather a tonne of orangesTrucked to MonteverdeFingers nimble, callousedSet to work and skinning the fruitFlesh excused in a heapMagnifying glasses ready butOut of visibility from the sunInspect each peel for blemishesAllow for noneCut the millimeters that are suitablePerfect in hueThe amphibious shape is scrawnyLegs too thin
- [Kinder, Küche, Kirche - New Short Fiction by Marina Koulouri](https://letterreview.com/kinder-kuche-kirche-new-fiction-by-marina-koulouri/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction Zurich in the 1930s was a city of contrasts, a juxtaposition of old-world charm and new-world progress. Cobbled streets wound their way between stately buildings with centuries-old architecture, while trams clanged their arrival at bustling stops filled with men in their tailored suits and women
- [The Dinner - New Short Fiction by Lori Miller Kase](https://letterreview.com/the-dinner-new-short-fiction-by-lori-miller-kase/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Prize for Short Fiction She sits on the subway, one hand wrapped around the silver pole in front of her, the other hugging a black suede tote to her chest. When the train moves, she feels its vibrations inside her body. Her torso sways with the rattling of the subway,
- [Fine Lines - New Short Fiction by Heather Knutson](https://letterreview.com/fine-lines-new-short-fiction-by-heather-knutson/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction On a lazy Sunday afternoon, after the church doors closed and the pews filed empty, Robyn and I were side by side in my Honda Accord’s brown interior. I was going through the motions listlessly, but on the inside my restless heart was stirring, weary
- [Pagodas of the Sun - A New Excerpt by G. S. Arnold](https://letterreview.com/pagodas-of-the-sun-a-new-excerpt-by-g-s-arnold/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Manuscripts & Unpublished Books A Difference of Nothing That September after she spent a month in Tokyo with my ex-husband, Kyoko stood at the kitchen counter digging a fingernail into a gutted vanilla bean. “You’ve joined a circus,” I said. I had just come upstairs from my
- [The Journal of the Center for Applied Hopelessness - New Excerpt by Jim Perry](https://letterreview.com/the-journal-of-the-center-for-applied-hopelessness-new-excerpt-by-jim-perry/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Manuscripts & Unpublished Books Jim Perry has published two novels under the pen name Wilson Whitlow: Mystery of the Khar Chuluu (2020), a middle grade fantasy, and Consent, Vol. 1: Erdos (2021), a speculative novel set 800 years in the future. Jim studied literature at Carnegie Mellon
- [Vanishing Acts - New Excerpt by Lori White](https://letterreview.com/vanishing-acts-new-excerpt-by-lori-white/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Manuscripts & Unpublished Books Lori White’s essays and stories have appeared in Brevity, Hobart, The Nervous Breakdown, Mud Season Review, and The Kenyon Review anthology, Readings for Writers. She lives with her partner and three dogs in Ventura, CA, and teaches English composition at Los Angeles Pierce
- [The End of the Social in Media - New Nonfiction by Frederick Joseph](https://letterreview.com/the-end-of-the-social-in-media-new-nonfiction-by-frederick-jospeph/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction In a dim-lit corner of a restaurant, in a neighborhood where the wine was too expensive and the clatter of cutlery felt too intrusive, Tabitha settled in. Her dress draped gracefully over her promising belly. The air was filled with murmurs of conversations, a sporadic clinking
- [Embers, or Flames - New Nonfiction by Surya Milner](https://letterreview.com/embers-or-flames-new-nonfiction-by-surya-milner/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction I. Sholay means flames. Or, it is what remains once flames consume: embers, small and glowing, wink and die. The line between embers and flames fades, in my mind, because the words, as referents in Hindi, operate within a script I do not comprehend and whose
- [The Laborers of Dubai - New Nonfiction by  Jeannie Harrison](https://letterreview.com/the-laborers-of-dubai-new-nonfiction-by-jeannie-harrison/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction IThe marina, with its flamboyant yachts and high rise buildings, is quiet at this hour. The hundreds of cranes are immobile. The night shift has ended and will soon be replaced with the day shift. I start my walk before dawn now because the heat in
- [The Great Disappointment - New Poetry by  Janna Wagner](https://letterreview.com/the-great-disappointment-new-poetry-by-janna-wagner/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry. CW for biblical imagery and sacrilege. I waited all Tuesday [October 22] and dear Jesus did not come; I waited all the forenoon of Wednesday, and was well in body as I ever was, but after 12 o'clock I began to feel faint, and before dark
- [We Cry Together - New Poetry by Frederick Joseph](https://letterreview.com/we-cry-together-new-poetry-by-frederick-joseph/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Her shriek is raw, snapping all the world’s quietAs dreams, unborn, tumble into the abyss of almost.I don’t know this sound; an anguish that pierces my soul.With what little strength I have, I grab her hand,Weaving through the grooves of her sorrow,Though my grip is frail.The
- [What I’m Reading While the Bluebirds Reoccupy their House— New Poetry by Charity Gingerich](https://letterreview.com/what-im-reading-while-the-bluebirds-reoccupy-their-house-new-poetry-by-charity-gingerich/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Gaps Intro Diet Cookbook, The Good Gut Diet, and so on. I plunge into the flora and fauna of my stomach, cannot get the ocean floor out of my mind when studying diagrams on villi, microvilli, enterocytes—tubes and little waving hairsand cells that
- [Cosmic Sans - New Flash Fiction by Alex Cassidy](https://letterreview.com/cosmic-sans-new-flash-fiction-by-alex-cassidy/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction One month into the pandemic, I bought a telescope. It was my wife who suggested it. In the first few weeks she’d started running, practicing yoga, and joined a book club. None of those appealed to me, but I'd always liked space. I spent a
- [How To Run a Bodega Successfully in the Boogie Down, NYC - New Fiction by Ivan Suazo ](https://letterreview.com/how-to-run-a-bodega-successfully-in-the-boogie-down-nyc/) - Joint Winner of the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories Listen up, compadre. If you want to run a bodega successfully in the Boogie Down, you need to check your scruples at the door. See that upside-down milk crate by the potato chip rack? That’s a chair. See that cold-cut slicer in the deli? That’s
- [Monday Morning Rain or Shine - New Fiction by Ruth MacLean](https://letterreview.com/monday-morning-rain-or-shine/) - Joint Winner of the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories. Features: Self harm. Most days I don’t like my brother, Dan. He’s bigger and four years older than me. Besides, he’s always saying he’s smarter than me, but that doesn’t matter anymore. It all started on Saturday night when everyone in Crawley’s Corner celebrated the return
- [In Search of Omega - New Fiction by Janna Wagner](https://letterreview.com/in-search-of-omega-new-fiction-by-janna-wagner/) - Joint Winner of the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories. Features: Themes of violence, warfare. February 13, 2022 | The Before I leave Alaska for Haiti in twelve days. I will be in Cité Soleil, abidonville of Port-au-Prince. I find myself here again, sucked by the swell of opposing forces. I crave home and stability yet
- [Dark Matter - New Poetry by Dion O’Reilly](https://letterreview.com/dark-matter-new-poetry-by-dion-oreilly/) - Joint Winner of the Letter Review Prize for Poetry We see so little of the world, a mere corner,they say, though today, nothing seems scanty—the oaks around the meadow, full of spiked leaves and fear- ful band-tails, life’s matrix pulsing every nerve—it’s morethan more: it’s a slow explosion, even if its plentyis mere sliver next
- [Here Stood the Thespians' Tavern - New Poetry by Frank William Finney](https://letterreview.com/here-stood-the-thespians-tavern-new-poetry-by-frank-william-finney/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Poetry The house in its placecould never replace it. A three-car garagewhere the bar used to be. “I wonder what would happenif I knocked on the door and told the cast insideit was happy hour? Might they invite me infor a cameo? A curtain call cocktailon the
- [Nam Mater Mea - New Poetry by Blake Auden](https://letterreview.com/nam-mater-mea-new-poetry-by-blake-auden/) - Joint Winner of the Letter Review Prize for Poetry i. In the field, light cuts across my palms and draws nothing but a new shadow. A gift mistaken for darkness. ii. In a poem you can be anything but a better son. iii. Half a country away, I carry your name – a hummingbird sleeping between my palms. iv. You never taught me how to suffer, mother. Which
- [Favouritism - New Flash Fiction by Adam Z. Robinson](https://letterreview.com/favouritism-new-flash-fiction-by-adam-z-robinson/) - Joint Winner of the Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction Kenneth would not look back into the room, only out of the window at his dying garden. She had come a long way. Two buses, a train, another bus. His three sons, all grown, had been trying to encourage him to turn his head ever
- [Maternal Instinct - New Flash Fiction by Colby Knapp](https://letterreview.com/maternal-instinct-new-flash-fiction-by-colby-knapp/) - Joint Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction Zeke slid the rusted step-side under the cypress moss and wiggled the shifter into neutral. He circled his window down first and reached over Jeannie Mae to crank hers. Which was a hassle given the knob was broken off and persuasion was needed to hold
- [Hell - New Fiction by Ciaran Buckley](https://letterreview.com/hell-new-fiction-by-ciaran-buckley/) - Second Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories During mid-morning coffee break, Fintan told Shauna about his recurring dream. He told it, if not for laughs, then as fodder for caffeine-time banter. He said that he was in Chapters, rooting through the second-hand CD racks, picking out some rare finds, while feeling an
- [How to Publish Verse](https://letterreview.com/how-to-publish-verse/) - So you've finished writing your verse poem. The next step is to answer the big question: where do I publish my verse? Do I want to publish professionally? Do I want to publish for friends and family? Will I self publish my verse? Should I seek feedback from trusted sources first? What's the next step?
- [How To Get Your Play Produced (Complete Guide)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-get-your-play-produced-complete-guide/) - Writing a play is only half the job done. The other, and more important half in the scheme of things, is to find a way to put it in front of an audience. It can be a long, demanding journey, but the result is worth all the effort. Here’s how to get your play produced:
- [Tips For Unpublished Manuscript Prizes: 44 Do's and Don'ts](https://letterreview.com/tips-for-unpublished-manuscript-contests-44-dos-and-donts/) - Oh, the unpublished manuscript – the gem that's hiding on your hard drive, just waiting for the spotlight! Maybe you've written the next great American novel or a short story collection that'll make readers weep. Perhaps you're sitting on a poetry collection that'll stir souls or a nonfiction book that'll change minds. How do you
- [Six Ways to Pick a Screenwriting Competition Worth the Entry Fee](https://letterreview.com/screenplay-competitions/) - So you've written a screenplay and are wondering what to do next. Screenplay competitions are a great avenue to consider! Some screenwriting competitions offer so much publicity that entering is usually considered a smart move--if you've got a strong script. Other screenwriting "competitions" are cruel scams run by online con artists to steal money from
- [Are Book Reviews Peer Reviewed?](https://letterreview.com/book-reviews-peer-reviewed/) - Book reviews can be based on opinions and are not necessarily fact-based. However, before they get published, some book reviews might get peer-reviewed, but then again, most do not. Book reviews are not often peer-reviewed. Book reviews that are not scholarly aren’t peer-reviewed. Continue reading to learn about the instances where a book review does
- [How Long Does It Take To Write a Novel’s First Draft?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-write-a-novels-first-draft/) - Writing a novel seems like an overwhelming undertaking, especially if you've never written one. A writer needs to keep up with the characters and plot, worry about grammar, and find time to write. So how long does it take to put a novel to paper? It can take several months to several years to write
- [Is It Hard To Become a Screenwriter?](https://letterreview.com/is-it-hard-to-become-a-screenwriter/) - Everyone has experienced THAT movie, the one which transported you out of your world and changed you in some unfathomable and irreversible way. The art of writing for the screen is a form of magic that few narrative forms can match, and the industry draws in many aspiring great screenwriters. However, screenwriting is far from
- [How Much Money Can You Make Publishing a Poetry Book?](https://letterreview.com/how-much-money-can-you-make-publishing-a-poetry-book/) - You put together the best poetry book yet and you’re hoping to be paid for your hard work. But then you found out that poetry books might be one of the worst-selling books on the market. How much can you make if you publish a poetry book? You can make as little as $0 up
- [Do Playwrights Ever Sell Their Copyrights?](https://letterreview.com/do-playwrights-ever-sell-their-copyrights/) - Some of the best movies were based on plays, including My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Birdcage, and Glengarry Glenn Ross. Even Casablanca, a cinematic classic, was based on the play Everybody Comes to Rick’s. So do playwrights sell the copyrights to their plays? Playwrights sometimes sell copyrights to their plays, but a more common
- [How Many Followers Do You Need To Get a Book Deal?](https://letterreview.com/how-many-followers-do-you-need-to-get-a-book-deal/) - Getting a book deal isn’t easy, and the standard advice is to get followers on social media and your blog, especially if you want the book deal. Book publishers view social media followers as potential customers. Not all followers will buy a book, so how many followers do you need? How many followers you need
- [How Long Does It Take To Write a Fantasy Book?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-write-a-fantasy-book/) - Fantasy is a popular genre with a growing following every year since the success of the series Game of Thrones. Creating a fantasy world takes passion, dedication, and time to create a successful novel or series. If you have chosen to write a fantasy novel, you might wish to know how long you should expect
- [Are Novels Single Spaced or Double Spaced?](https://letterreview.com/are-novels-single-spaced-or-double-spaced/) - Following the submission and formatting guidelines is the first step to successfully publishing a book, including line spacing. But are novels single or double-spaced? Novels are published with single-spaced lines, but the industry standard for unpublished manuscripts is double-spaced lines. It’s vital to send a manuscript to a publisher with the correct formatting, even if
- [How Long Does It Take To Get a Book Deal?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-a-book-deal/) - For authors who do not want to self-publish their own books, a book deal offers a wonderful opportunity to get their work published. It also saves them the hassle of negotiating with publishers for the best deal. Unfortunately, landing a book deal can be a long, tedious, and confusing process, particularly if you don't know
- [Can an Editor Steal Your Book? 5 Things To Know](https://letterreview.com/can-an-editor-steal-your-book/) - Editors spend the majority of their time reading through manuscripts. As such, they’re more likely than publishers and agents to come across a potential bestseller. Naturally, first-time authors may fear losing their work to a thieving editor, but is this really a common scenario? An editor can steal your book, but it's unlikely. They'd risk
- [Can a Publisher Refuse To Publish a Book?](https://letterreview.com/can-a-publisher-refuse-to-publish-a-book/) - As an author, your ultimate goal is to publish your work. The publishing process is a long and critical one, and not every manuscript escapes scrutiny and rejection. A publisher can refuse to publish a book if they don’t think they have a good chance of selling. Not every book gets published because it doesn’t
- [Do Publishers Ask for Money? Funding Info](https://letterreview.com/do-publishers-ask-for-money/) - If you publish a book through the traditional publishing channels, one of the considerations you must make is which publisher to take your book to. This raises the question of whether or not you need to pay the publisher for their services. Reputable publishers don’t usually ask for money, but they don’t work for free.
- [Do Ghostwriters Write the Entire Book?](https://letterreview.com/do-ghost-writers-write-the-entire-book/) - With the decline of long-form journalism, magazines, and the newspaper industry, many writers have turned to careers as ghostwriters. Ghostwriters are increasingly seen as a vital part of the publishing industry. With so many celebrities bringing out ghostwritten memoirs and autobiographies, do ghostwriters actually write the whole book? Ghostwriters write the entire book unless the
- [Can an Author Have Two Different Publishers?](https://letterreview.com/can-an-author-have-two-different-publishers/) - Many writers dream of publishing a book. Still, with only 10% of manuscripts being accepted, this dream may never materialize for some. Some even suggest submitting your manuscript to two or more publishers for a better chance of getting published, but should you do this? An author can have two different publishers as long as
- [Do You Need To Publish a Book To Sell It?](https://letterreview.com/do-you-need-to-publish-a-book-to-sell-it/) - Let’s say you’re an author looking to sell your book, but you don’t want to go through the process of taking it to a publisher. Do you need to publish a book to sell it? You need to publish a book in some capacity to sell it. However, this doesn’t mean you must go through
- [Can You Copyright an Unfinished Work?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-copyright-an-unfinished-work/) - The Zeigarnik Effect states that incomplete tasks are more memorable than complete ones, easily applied to cliffhangers or ellipses in stories. So today we want to find out, is it possible to copyright a story that isn’t finished? When you write something you usually automatically gain copyright in that work, depending on where you live.
- [Can a Minor Publish Their Own Book?](https://letterreview.com/can-a-minor-publish-their-own-book/) - Publishing a book these days can be a relatively simple process. Various online platforms allow you to publish your own book and even make a good amount of money. However, can a minor publish their own book? A minor can publish their own book. However, the minor will most likely need a parent or guardian
- [How Many Words Should Be in a Poetry Book?](https://letterreview.com/how-many-words-should-be-in-a-poetry-book/) - A poetry book is a blank canvas that a poet can fill with whatever they want, and there is no limit to how many words or pages a poetry book can be. But if you’re writing a poetry book to submit to a traditional publisher, how many words should you aim for? There should be
- [What Is Not Poetry?](https://letterreview.com/what-is-not-poetry/) - Poetry, particularly the modern movement towards free-verse, is open to interpretation and easily molded by the poet. Where do we draw the line? Is there anything that isn’t poetry? Anything is not poetry when it doesn’t have particular structural rules, and it doesn’t adhere to formalized poetry guidelines. While stories can evoke emotions, if they
- [Why Does Poetry Evoke Emotions?](https://letterreview.com/why-does-poetry-evoke-emotions/) - We have come to associate poetry with emotions. Yes, we can cry, laugh, and hope in a story, movie, or play, but poetry evokes emotions in a few lines. How does that work? Poetry evokes emotions because it is a multisensory experience. Imagery appeals to our sense of sight, rhythm, and meter to sound, while
- [When Is Something Poetry?](https://letterreview.com/when-is-something-poetry/) - It is wonderful that the world has experienced a renewed interest and passion for poetry, with poets like Rupi Kapur and Taylor Knott Gregson commanding millions of followers. Many hail Instagram as the savior of poetry, but just as many believe that it is the death knell for verse. So more than ever, people are
- [How to Compose a Poem](https://letterreview.com/how-to-compose-a-poem/) - Poetry is everywhere, in birthday cards, books, magazines, quoted on walls, and in plays, TV and movies. Most of us probably studied poetry at school, and maybe we were even encouraged to write a couple of our own at some point - but how do you actually compose a poem? Writing a poem can be
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- [The Mine - New Fiction by Mark Grant](https://letterreview.com/the-mine-new-fiction-by-mark-grant/) - The Mine Third Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories New Fiction by Mark Grant June 29th, 2023 After wiping the grey earthenware bowl, he ate the sodden bread, licked his fingers, and finished the lopsided beaker of sour beer. He looked across the smoky room at three soldiers, dark cropped heads clustered
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- [Shell Music - Poetry by Jennifer M. Phillips](https://letterreview.com/shell-music-poetry-by-jennifer-m-phillips/) - Shell Music Joint First Place in the Letter Review Prize for Poetry New Poetry by Jennifer M. Phillips May 29th, 2023 Some say they hear the voices of the deadmurmuring in kind domestic counsel, mother, papa, granddad, nan--from the library of old affection,their green-glassed lights of wisdom never shelved.And so I keep listening for you I
- [Data Breach - Poetry by Darrelle Spenceley](https://letterreview.com/data-breach-by-darrelle-spenceley/) - Data Breach First Place in the Letter Review Prize for Poetry New Poetry by Darrelle Spenceley 14th, April You ask for proof of my identity demand a driver’s license or passport – not more than 3 years expired I reach into my bag pull out a pair of vintage
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- [Ghazal: Nature](https://letterreview.com/ghazal-nature/) - Ghazal: Nature Poetry by Shilpa Dikshit Thapliyal January 15, 2023 Field of poppies, brimming saucers, wildflowers of nature.The night, a bedspread, thin, unfeeling, dark hours of nature. Foraging lichen and twigs, studious sunbirds weaving nests,their trill in lonely lanes, morning showers of nature. No roots or forefathers to hold hands on new lands.Stories cascade on
- [9 Questions With Ghostwriter & Author Lynne Barrett-Lee: The Letter Review Interview](https://letterreview.com/do-ghostwriters-write-fiction-interview-with-ghostwriter-and-fiction-author-lynne-barrett-lee/) - Lynne is the author of ten novels, including her acclaimed debut Julia Gets a Life, and the award nominated Barefoot in the Dark. She has written two psychological thrillers under pen-name Lynne Lee: Can You See Me? and False Hope. Lynne has collaborated widely, as well as penning standalone memoirs as diverse as the antics
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- [The Coroner's Version - Short Story by Annie Dawid](https://letterreview.com/the-coroners-version-by-annie-dawid/) - The Coroner's Version Third Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories New Fiction by Annie Dawid April 14, 2023 The Coroner’s Version “A 10-year-old boy accidentally shot himself and died from his injuries Tuesday in Willits, WY” The New York Times Daily Gun Report In my thirty seven years as coroner of Willits
- [Every Once in a While - Short Story by Joseph Friesen](https://letterreview.com/every-once-in-a-while-by-joseph-friesen/) - Every Once in a While First Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories New Fiction by Joseph Friesen April 14th, 2023 “I spent the night at McDonald’s,” she said to me across my desk. “The twenty-four hour one on Mckenzie Avenue.” Her blonde hair was dirty and knotted. She bore scabs and scars on her
- [Trashy Humour - Flash Fiction by Andi Van den Berge](https://letterreview.com/trashy-humour/) - Trashy Humour First Place in the Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction New Fiction by Andi Van den Berge 14 April, 2023 The doublewide trailer Beckie and I rented off River Road was down on the south side of town and had a pit already dug for fires out back. It was the night of
- [Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - Flash Fiction by Mahara Heslop](https://letterreview.com/hair-today-gone-tomorrow/) - Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow Third Place in the Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction New Fiction by Mahara Heslop 14th April, 2023 It would become known as the Day of the Uprising. No one knew why, or indeed, how it happened, but it changed the world forever. On April first, 2032, the wigs came alive.
- [Everest - Flash Fiction by Andrew Nest](https://letterreview.com/everest-by-andrew-nest/) - Everest Second Place in the Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction New Fiction by Andrew Nest 14th April, 2023 Editor's note: this story references alcohol. The day of the office Christmas party – that major day of the year when camaraderie with colleagues and alcohol come together in climax. Not anymore, I tell myself. The
- [POVerty Line - Poetry by Deja Jones](https://letterreview.com/poverty-line-poetry-by-deja-jones/) - POVerty Line Third Place in the Letter Review Prize for Poetry New Poetry by Deja Jones 14th April, 2023 It haunts me like a perpetual poltergeist From my childhood home to every bedroom and kitchen table. Stalks me like a masked killer creeping But its sinister shape looks nothing
- [Try-Hard - Short Story by Francesca Newton](https://letterreview.com/try-hard/) - Try-Hard Second Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories New Fiction by Francesca Newton April 14, 2023 If you have to blame someone for what happened outside the gallery, blame my father. The slug. He sat life out, let reruns of American sitcoms fill the hole where his mind was meant to be.
- [Some Secrets to Sell Freelance Content](https://letterreview.com/freelance/) - More people are entering self-employment than ever before, but freelancers need to sell their services to be successful regularly. To sell freelance content don't be a generalist, have a consistent style, and know how to price your writing! By mastering these techniques you will be well on the way to selling more freelance content, and
- [Generating Effective Supporting Characterization](https://letterreview.com/supporting-character/) - To craft excellent supporting characters make sure you are familiar with the concept of the confident, give your supporting characters good arcs, make the arc supportive of the protagonist's arc, make them provide what the narrative is missing, explore the theme further with them. Now you will write the best secondaries! The Best Friend /
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- [The Most Effective Method to Compose a Blog Entry](https://letterreview.com/how-to-write-a-blog-post/) - This article discusses techniques and tips to help you write better blog posts, with the aim of attracting the most internet traffic possible to your site, creating a supportive and helpful community, and adhering to best practice SEO. The most effective method to compose a blog entry involves making sure that your post answers a
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- [How Do Two People Successfully Co-Write a Story?](https://letterreview.com/process/) - To successfully co-write a story you should share your emotions with your co-writer, develop a positive relationship with your writing partner, choose your partner wisely, bring diversity to your team, and be very clear about goals from the outset! This article will explore whether co-writing plays, novels, and screenplays is a good idea, and canvas
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- [How to Make the People in Your Story Feel More Lifelike and Compelling](https://letterreview.com/characters/) - To make the people in your story more lifelife and compelling you should get to know your characters inside out, givet them a star sign, a detailed history, try to love your characters, make them as real as a family member, interview your character, follow your characters, and allow them to speak to you! How
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- [Is All Fiction Formulaic Writing?](https://letterreview.com/formula/) - So you’re writing a narrative based piece of creative writing, like a novel, play, or screenplay, and you’re beginning to suspect that there might be an underlying formula to this. To understand whether all fiction is formulaic you should develop an understanding of the concept of the sympathetic character, increasingly difficult obstacles, things which are
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- [How to Pay for International Travel as an Author](https://letterreview.com/travel2/) - Here's how to pay for international travel as an author. Get organised, write about your passion, read lots of travel literature, familiarize yourself with magazines and websites, be tenacious and single minded, network and build up a strong online presence, build up a portfolio, and develop a good relationship with editors. My passion in life
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- [Does a Story Need a Protagonist?](https://letterreview.com/protagonist/) - Although some stories do not feature a protagonist, or a character who is recongizably the leading character, most do. If the answer is yes, you probably need a protagonist, then the next question is, how do I write a good one? Great stories feature great protagonists right? So how do you write a protagonist that
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- [Reasons to Use a Nom De Plume](https://letterreview.com/pseudonym/) - Many writers of fiction, plays, screenplays and poetry struggle with whether they should use an author nom de plume instead of their real name when writing. While there is a trend towards using real names in social media in order to promote more responsible postings on the internet, there are some very good reasons for
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- [How to Come up With a Place For Your Story](https://letterreview.com/setting/) - Set the scene! Just how important is setting? And what are the best techniques for writing setting? All this and more is explored below. 1. In the Particular Lies the Universal Have you heard this phrase before? It refers to the slightly odd way in which the more specific a story is, the more people
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- [I Want to Read Screenplays but I Can't Afford to Pay: affordable sources of text](https://letterreview.com/screenplays/) - Good news! There are lots of places you can find free screenplays online. But wait, why should I read the screenplay when I can just see the film? We all know that one way to get better at writing is to read! Watching movies is one way to learn about screenplays, but teaming that viewing
- [How to Make Your Fictional Characters Sound Really Good](https://letterreview.com/dialogue/) - Dialogue: we know it’s one of the most important elements to creative writing, but what techniques can we use to write it well? How can we make it sound natural, and compelling, yet heightened, and evocative? This article will talk through some of the leading techniques for writing compelling dialogue! 1. Verisimilitude: Think of people
- [Favorite Expert-Level Writing Tips](https://letterreview.com/fresh/) - If you’re a writer, you’ll know how easy it is to become engrossed in your work – so engrossed that you forget the world around you. That’s great in one respect: it shows you’re cut out for the role. But on the flip side, it’s all too easy to grow stale and sluggish when hunched
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- [Should you Take a Creative Writing Class? Complete Guide](https://letterreview.com/study/) - Letter Review believes that creative writing courses are absolutely worthwhile. It's best to go into them understanding the types of things you will learn, and how a creative writing qualification can be turned into career opportunities! Authors, playwrights, and screenwriters can all benefit! Workshops Lots of creative writing courses are designed around the idea of
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- [Do Stories Need Heroes?](https://letterreview.com/hero/) - It seems to be the case that whenever we watch a film, read a book, or even turn on the news that we are swamped with stories about heroes. As writers, we are bound to eventually to wonder whether every story needs a hero. You can write a story without a hero by having multiple
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- [Do Screenwriters Get Paid Royalties?](https://letterreview.com/do-screenwriters-get-paid-royalties/) - Screenwriters work behind the scenes to make movie magic happen, mapping out every line and movement we see on screen. You may be wondering how screenwriters get paid for a job well done. Screenwriters often don’t get paid royalties. Screenwriters usually get paid in residuals along with actors, musicians, other writers involved, producers, and managers.
- [Is it Hard to Write Romance?](https://letterreview.com/romance/) - The romance genre is one of the most popular in the world. Look at the New York Times bestseller list and you will see almost half the entries are romances. Romance novels bring in more than a billion dollars every year, according to Romance Writers of America. So is writing romance easy or hard? Writing
- [Do All Narratives Have a Problem?](https://letterreview.com/writing/) - We know that our favourite stories share a lot of features in common with each other. It is useful as writers to understand the underlying building blocks that make up most narratives. Yes, almost all narratives have a problem. Most narratives are structured around a central character who encounters a problem that they must overcome.
- [Which Book Award do you Trust the Most? Booker Prize](https://letterreview.com/booker/) - There are so many book awards and prizes out in the world, it's hard to know which ones are reputable, and which ones have been created just to increase sales. There are ten or so major ones which most people would recognise, but in the English speaking world there is one literary prize that tops
- [Best Books on How to Write Prose](https://letterreview.com/books/) - OK, so you love to read. You’ve got a sneaking suspicion that you might have a novel inside, and you want to find the best keys to unlock that work. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel, however. You’re smart, and you want to hear what the best writers in the world have to say
- [Should You Read Screenwriting Books?](https://letterreview.com/books2/) - There's a book on everything nowadays, right? And it's hard to know whether it's worth your time to pick up the next book, or whether its just going to be more hours wasted. When the pace of everything is speeding up, we need to know whether it's a good investment of time to read screenwriting
- [What Makes a Great Antagonist? Expert Advice](https://letterreview.com/antagonist-villain/) - So many of the best and most beloved stories feature a great antagonist which keeps us glued to the edge of our seats. But how do you write a great antagonist? Great antagonists oppose everything that the protagonist or hero fights for. They embody the opposite of everything the protagonist stands for, and they personify
- [Should You Write a Narrator Into Your Play?](https://letterreview.com/should-you-write-a-narrator-into-your-play/) - All narratives have a narrator. However, plays have maintained uniqueness in how stories are shared with an audience, leaving writers with a great deal of freedom and responsibility to choose the best type of narrator. The type of narrator you write for your play dramatically affects how the audience receives the story. You should write
- [Do Book Reviews Count as Publications?](https://letterreview.com/do-book-reviews-count-as-publications/) - In an academic context, a review counts as a publication in and of itself. Remember that as book reviews are generally not peer reviewed, they will not count as peer reviewed publications in the academic context. However, does the same apply to a book review in a non academic context? Book reviews count as publications,
- [5 Reasons Why Writing Fiction Is So Hard](https://letterreview.com/5-reasons-why-writing-fiction-is-so-hard/) - Most people know how to write words in a meaningful way, so it stands to reason that writing fiction should be easy, right? Wrong. Writing fiction well is downright tricky, or at least writing fiction that grips the reader and sells. Here are the 5 reasons why writing fiction is so hard: Fiction takes time
- [Can the Government Pay You To Write a Book?](https://letterreview.com/can-the-government-pay-you-to-write-a-book/) - Writers are constantly looking for sources of income. Book publication, hosting writing workshops, and article and blog post writing are common sources. But what about less well-known sources, such as the government? The government cannot pay you to write a book except in limited circumstances. Most governmental writing is related to an agency’s needs. However,
- [How Much Does a Sci-Fi Author Make?](https://letterreview.com/how-much-does-a-sci-fi-author-make-2/) - Consult a website such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter, and you can find salary ranges for most industries. However, writers are not salaried employees, so resources like those aren't reliable for freelance sci-fi writers. So how much does a sci-fi writer make? A sci-fi author might make a six-figure income, but most cannot support themselves
- [Fiction vs. Nonfiction: Which Is More Profitable?](https://letterreview.com/fiction-vs-nonfiction-which-is-more-profitable/) - Many of us want to earn a decent living doing what we love most, which is writing. However, it can be challenging to decide whether to focus on money or to aim for fame and a devoted following. But is fiction as lucrative as nonfiction? Nonfiction is more profitable than fiction writing in terms of
- [How Much Can You Sell a Play Script For?](https://letterreview.com/how-much-can-you-sell-a-play-script-for/) - You want to break into the script writing market, and while you think it can pay you a lot of money, you’ve heard that some scriptwriters use their scripts to pad their hamster’s cage. If you have a breakaway hit, how much can you get for your script? You can sell a play script for
- [Creative Muse Explained & Writing Inspiration with Practical Examples](https://letterreview.com/muse/) - All writers need sometimes is a little bit of inspiration to get them started. We often ask, where do ideas come from? How can I find the inspiration and focus to finish a piece of writing? How can I get motivated to write? These questions have historically been personified and embodied in the creative muse!
- [5 Best Notebooks for Writing Poetry (Buyer’s Guide)](https://letterreview.com/best-notebooks-for-writing-poetry/) - Poetry is the most romanticized form of writing. Though poets can write in any exam pad or notebook, writing in a dedicated poetry journal would fit their chosen art form much more. The best poetry journal available on Amazon is the EvZ Classic Key Bound Retro Vintage Notebook. This stunning, leather-bound journal is the perfect
- [6 Things Every Film Review Should Include](https://letterreview.com/6-things-every-film-review-should-include/) - Anyone who makes it onto the big screen knows that every decision you make is being watched and judged by potentially millions of people. That's a lot of pressure on them and the film critic who must watch and provide meaningful commentary on this display. The six things that every film review should include are
- [Why is it so Hard to Publish my Writing? Rejection Tips](https://letterreview.com/rejection/) - Writers fear rejection. Unless you are writing on commission, you have probably put tens, if not hundreds, if not thousands of hours into your work in progress. The thought of being turned away by every publisher you submit to is daunting. But being rejected doesn't have to be a catastrophe. Below we explore how to
- [Past Tense vs. Present Tense: Which Is Easier to Write In?](https://letterreview.com/past-tense-vs-present-tense/) - Before you begin to type your novel, you should decide which tense you’ll write it in. Once you’ve chosen, you must use this tense consistently throughout the novel and intercut with other tenses if they add to the story. The easier tense to write in is the one that fits your story, so there isn’t
- [Is It Okay To Switch Tenses in a Novel?](https://letterreview.com/is-it-okay-to-switch-tenses-in-a-novel/) - Writing a novel is like creating your own universe. You can create characters and storylines in the past, present, and future. The question is, can you switch between tenses in a novel to exhibit these time shifts? It’s okay to switch tenses in a novel with a separation between timelines. For example, some authors set
- [How Many Books Do Authors Write?](https://letterreview.com/how-many-books-do-authors-write/) - As an author, you more than likely suspect that it doesn’t pay well to write just one book, unless you’re already famous. If you’re just starting out writing your creations, you might wonder how many books you need to write just to break even. How many books do other authors write? Authors usuaslly write several
- [Is It Hard To Sell a Book? Complete Breakdown](https://letterreview.com/is-it-hard-to-sell-a-book/) - New authors aren’t always prepared for what comes after writing a book. Many want to believe their writing is so compelling that people will be clamoring over one another in bookstores to buy a copy. Unfortunately, book sales never come that easy for anyone. It is hard to sell a book if you haven’t correctly
- [Why Do Some Novels Censor Town Names?](https://letterreview.com/why-do-some-novels-censor-town-names/) - Where an author decides to lay their scene is crucial and seeps into every single aspect of a story. Why, then, do some authors censor or change the names of locations in their novels? Some novels censor town names to add mystery to a story and make readers believe it could’ve really happened. Or maybe
- [How Long Is a Book Review Supposed To Be?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-is-a-book-review-supposed-to-be/) - Every publication has its standard format and general guidelines. Book reviews are no exception to the rule and have a particular word count that should be met and/or not exceeded. A book review is supposed to be around 1,000 words, but it can range from 400 to 2,000 words. This depends on the book being
- [The Best Prose Writers](https://letterreview.com/novels/) - Novelists have been writing prose since Apuleius penned (quilled?) The Golden Ass in 2nd Century CE Rome. For thousands of years readers and critics have been trying to determine which novels represent the very best of prose. Who is the Best Prose Writer? Contenders for the title of best prose writer include Cervantes, Twain, Hemingway,
- [How to Write Perfect Obstacles in a Story](https://letterreview.com/obstacles/) - We all know that characters encounter obstacles in stories, but how do we write really good ones? What sets a bad obstacle apart from one that enhances the story and leaves the audience desperate for more? Read on to find out. Perfect obstacles get bigger throughout the story, they reveal character, they are closely related
- [How Does an Unpublished Writer Get an Agent?](https://letterreview.com/agent/) - Having an agent can vastly simplify the task of finding a publisher, or a producer for your writing. Whether you are a poet, a novelist, a screenwriter, a playwright, a non fiction author or any other kind of writer, an agent will send your work into the world, and hopefully to the right people. An
- [Exposition Dumps: How to Avoid with Examples](https://letterreview.com/exposition/) - Exposition is story information. It's the facts or bare bones of your tale that the audience needs to know to appreciate what's going on. There is a lot of skill involved in delivering exposition in story at the highest level. So what are exposition dumps? How do we avoid them? Exposition dumps are when a
- [What is a Character Arc In Creative Writing?](https://letterreview.com/character-arc/) - Arc Implies Change So you’ve been told to improve you character arcs, or you’re just curious about how to write great ones. First of all, what are they? An arc is really a journey from one state to another. Transformation is something that has obsessed story tellers from the earliest days - look at Ovid’s
- [How do I Explore a Theme in Creative Writing?](https://letterreview.com/theme/) - So you know that your favourite stories explore themes, like Good and Evil, or Poverty and Class. You want your story to operate on this plane as well, but how to do it? By the end of this article you’ll be a theme-guru, writing plays, novels, and screenplays that deliver on theme. Pick Your Theme!
- [What is a Central Objective, or Intention, in Creative Writing?](https://letterreview.com/objective-intention/) - So you’re writing a novel, play, or screenplay, and you want to give your character a compelling central objective, or intention? This article will walk through some of the key things to consider. The Backbone of your Story The central objective, or central intention of your protagonist is the backbone of your story. It's the
- [How to Write a Great Central Question in a Story](https://letterreview.com/central-question/) - So you’re writing a play, novel, or screenplay (or anything with a narrative including nature documentaries … perhaps even academic essays) and you want to include a great central question. This article will explain what a central question is, and how to craft a gripping one! Establish your Super Objective First of all you need
- [What is the Hero's Journey? An introduction with examples](https://letterreview.com/heros-journey/) - So you've heard about the Hero's Journey, but it's kind of complicated right? This article will introduce you to the basics, with plenty of examples, and walk you through an introduction to Joseph Campbell and Christoper Vogler's work! One title I’ll address is ‘The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers” by Christopher Vogler. The title
- [The Sixteen Most Important Main Parts of a Book](https://letterreview.com/parts-of-a-book/) - Want to make sure you are setting your book out correctly, and understand what is traditionally included in each section? Keep reading to find out! Title Page This is simply where you set out the title, the author, and the publisher in most cases. Copyright This page will contain legal information, and information for readers
- [Which are the Very Best Literary Journals?](https://letterreview.com/journals-magazines/) - There are lots of literary journals or magazines out there that publish short stories and poems, and it’s great to know which ones are generally regarded as the best. Lots of authors try to submit their work to the ‘best’ journals first, to prevent the scenario where you accept publication in a lower tier journal
- [How to Use Aristotle's Poetics for Fiction, Plays, and Screenplays](https://letterreview.com/aristotle/) - If you are a writer of narratives (novelist, short story writer, playwright, screenplay writer) you’ve probably heard of Aristotle, and are curious about how Aristotle’s theories can help contemporary writers like you! In his work titled Poetics, Aristotle focuses mainly on tragedy, but we can interpret that a little more broadly today that he intended
- [Why Chekhov’s Gun is Wrong and Worthless](https://letterreview.com/chekhovs-gun/) - Them’s fightin words, right? Here’s a hot take for you. Chekhov was wrong about this one. Everything people say about the ‘Chekhov’s gun’ rule is worthless. A much better maxim is that ‘everything in story should reveal character or advance the plot.’ Chekhov forgot about the ‘reveal character’ bit when he wrote his comments about
- [How to use Foreshadowing to Avoid Deus Ex Machina](https://letterreview.com/plot/) - First up let’s give the shortest version of the answer possible: foreshadowing is when you introduce a story element early in your story, before it plays a large and pivotal role later in your story. This stops the audience feeling like they have been cheated by the author when something that is ‘too convenient’ or
- [Everything Should Advance Plot or Reveal Character](https://letterreview.com/test/) - If you are writing a novel, a short story, a play, or a screenplay then everything in your story should advance the plot or reveal character. Do you sometimes find that a section of your story is lacking in dramatic tension, or feels a bit aimless or underwhelming? Perhaps a moment feels a bit tangential
- [How to Teach Yourself Creative Writing](https://letterreview.com/autodidact/) - Whether you write fiction, poetry, plays, or screenplays you can absolutely teach yourself how to be a creative writer. Letter Review believes that in each great work of art are all the rules and lessons you need to create a great work of art. So grab your favourite piece of creative writing and start analysing
- [How to Run a Creative Writing Workshop or Class](https://letterreview.com/workshop/) - Whether it's fiction, poetry, plays, or screenplays, all writers can benefit from a creative writing workshop. So how do you run one, or organise one with your friends and colleagues? I’ve taught, or run, creative writing workshops at university level, and I’m going to share what I’ve learned with you below. The Technical Elements of
- [Internal and External Plots](https://letterreview.com/plot2/) - Plays, novels, screenplays and epic poems often have internal and external plots. This article will discuss how to use these most effectively, and what these terms actually mean. An external plot is what we might think of as all the action that is directly visible. It sometimes can be best understood in a physical sense,
- [Common Legal Problems Faced by Creative Writers](https://letterreview.com/law/) - Writers know they need to know about the law, but often feel uneasy about where to find information that affects them. This article will introduce some of the key legal concerns writers often face. This article is not legal advice, and the author is not a lawyer. Always make sure to seek your own independent
- [What is Satire in Fiction, Plays, and Screenplays?](https://letterreview.com/satire/) - Satire is a word that we hear used in relation to fiction, plays, and screenplays all the time, but what does it actually mean? Satire doesn’t just mean funny. In fact satire doesn’t technically need to be funny at all, depending on who you ask. Satire really refers to the act of holding anything up
- [I Can’t Write: Tips to Improve Your Writing](https://letterreview.com/cant-write/) - Why Can’t I Write? It’s a very common question! Writing is a technical challenge, as well as a creative one. To write well in any style requires the development of practical writing skills, and then of course practice! Sometimes years of hands-on experience is necessary, but there are things you can do to speed this
- [Show Don’t Tell in Fiction, Plays, and Screenplays](https://letterreview.com/show-tell/) - Show don’t tell is a maxim or technique that is extremely popular in Western story telling theory, whether it’s fiction, plays, or screenplays. It’s a simple little phrase, and has a fairly straightforward meaning. It means, don’t just tell your reader or audience something, it is far better to depict it, and let the responder
- [Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Creative Writing](https://letterreview.com/maslow/) - Letter Review believes that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a useful tool for constructing plot, whether that’s in a short story, a full novel, a play, or a screenplay. First of all, let’s explore where this theory might be most useful. Most plots feature a protagonist with a central objective. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can
- [Didactic or Didacticism in Creative Writing Explained with Examples, and How to Avoid it](https://letterreview.com/terms/) - So you’ve been told that your play, poetry, novel, or screenplay has moments that are didactic, and you want to get rid of this! This article will explain what this phrase means, and give you some literary techniques to overcome it. What Does Didactic Mean? Generally it has a pejorative meaning, especially in relation to
- [5 tips to write engaging content](https://letterreview.com/content/) - With a lot of emphasis on SEO, it is easy to forget that you need to write content to engage real people, not just to rise in search rankings. Here are five tips to make sure you are able to write engaging content for your audience: 1. Think about your audience It sounds obvious, but
- [Copywriting myths you need to forget](https://letterreview.com/copywriting/) - Copywriting is the art of creating compelling written content that engages your audience and can convince them to take an action. These actions can include signing up to your email newsletter, purchasing a product or inquiring about your services. Put simply, copywriting is advertorial or words that sell. It can cover anything from effective sales
- [What Is Pathos and Bathos in Creative Writing? With Examples](https://letterreview.com/pathos-bathos/) - Creative writing uses several literary devices to influence the reader. Writers can impact the reader's emotions and pull them into the scene with comedy, drama, horror, and more. Pathos and bathos are two of the most common literary tools, but their similar names often confuse people. In creative writing, pathos is used to influence the
- [Do Writers Actually Enjoy Writing? What You Need to Know](https://letterreview.com/enjoy/) - The question of whether writers actually enjoy writing is a tricky one. There are many different opinions, and it's important to know what you're getting into if you're considering a career as a writer. So how does a writer feel about their job? Writers enjoy writing. Writing can be a gratifying experience for both authors
- [8 Best Places to Get Your Writing Critiqued](https://letterreview.com/writing-critiqued/) - One of the most challenging writing processes is to get external feedback. People either do not know how or are too busy to help you improve your writing, and it can be discouraging if no one is willing to critique your writing. Luckily, there’s a way for writers to get feedback on their work! Let's
- [How to Use Weather in Creative Writing](https://letterreview.com/how-to-use-weather-in-creative-writing/) - If you are a bit hesitant to use weather in your writing, you're not alone. After all, there's a fine line between using weather as a setting tool and turning your work into a melodrama riddled with clichés. But avoiding weather altogether is a mistake all on its own. The weather plays a significant role
- [How to Stop Hating Your Own Writing (Tips for New Writers)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-stop-hating-your-own-writing/) - Do you ever find yourself writing and then go back to read what you wrote, only to hate it? It can be hard to write something meaningful when writing for the first time. We all have different writing styles! New writers tend to hate all of their work. To stop hating what they write, they
- [5 Ways to Make Your Writing More Poetic](https://letterreview.com/5-ways-to-make-your-writing-more-poetic/) - There are so many literary works out there that just sound nice and flowy. This poeticism is great and looks simple enough to do, yet it’s sometimes hard to achieve that in personal writing endeavors. Just like any other skill, making your writing more poetic takes a lot of time and practice. Here are some
- [Hand Writing Vs Typing: Which is Better for Creativity?](https://letterreview.com/hand-writing-vs-typing/) - Hand Writing Vs Typing: Which is Better for Creativity? Writing by hand or typing – which one is better for creativity? For the most part, it seems that writing by hand has been left in the past. Of course, typing is the easier option. It’s faster, simpler, and it comes with a range of benefits
- [8 Ways to Make Your Writing Flow Better](https://letterreview.com/8-ways-to-make-your-writing-flow-better/) - In this day and age, writing is becoming a more and more important skill for those who desire to be successful. Not only is it necessary in schools, but it is also a huge part of most jobs and businesses. If you have ever wondered how you can make your writing flow better, you have
- [How to Develop a Voice in Writing (Step-By-Step)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-develop-a-voice-in-writing/) - Your voice is what helps you express emotions, thoughts, beliefs, information, etc. Taking a voice, such as a doctor's, your own, or a character who is nothing like you, and putting it on paper is hard. So how do you develop a good voice in writing? The most important things you need to do to
- [Guide to Writing an Interesting Biography](https://letterreview.com/guide-to-writing-an-interesting-biography/) - If you want to learn how to write an interesting biography, then you have come to the right place! There are many well-known tips on how to simply write a biography, but not a lot on how to make the biography interesting. That's why we've compiled eight different ways that you can engage the audience
- [5 Elements That Make a Great Children's Book](https://letterreview.com/5-elements-that-make-a-great-childrens-book/) - Children's books are constantly being written and they are also being purchased and read by parents and children. But did you ever stop to think about where these books come from? Authors of course! If you're interested in writing a children's book, you'll want to make sure you craft a story that stands out from
- [How to Get More Experience As a Content Writer](https://letterreview.com/how-to-get-more-experience-as-a-content-writer/) - There is always a need for content writers, especially as more businesses are expanding into the online world. Content writers can write for themselves or can be hired to create content for other websites and bloggers. This has led many people to wonder about the best way to gain experience as a content writer. Becoming
- [Is Writing a Novel Worth It? Everything You Need To Know](https://letterreview.com/is-writing-a-novel-worth-it/) - Are you thinking about writing a novel? Maybe it's just an idea for one, or perhaps you're committed to finally putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and getting it done. Well, before you jump into the world of writing, it might be helpful to get some facts together that tell you precisely what
- [How to Negotiate Freelance Writing Rates](https://letterreview.com/how-to-negotiate-freelance-writing-rates/) - Freelance writers sometimes feel the need to increase their rates as they gain experience and knowledge in their field. However, at times it can be difficult to negotiate an increase in rates, especially when dealing with repeat clients. How can you be confident when it comes to negotiating freelance writing rates? When determining writing rates,
- [How to Write More Words Per Day (A Guide)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-write-more-words-per-day/) - Writing is an important aspect of almost everybody's life nowadays. We write at school, home, and work, and many people enjoy writing but don't write many words every day. If you want to know how to write more words per day, keep reading. 1. Write Believe it or not, simply sitting down and writing is
- [Why Is It So Hard To Read Your Own Writing?](https://letterreview.com/why-is-it-so-hard-to-read-your-own-writing/) - Writing is a skill that needs time and practice to develop. It reflects your personality, which tends to change with time, and so does your writing. So if you pick up something you wrote a while back, you may feel very differently while reading it now. It is hard to read your writing since your
- [7 Creative Ways to Get Exposure as a Poet](https://letterreview.com/7-creative-ways-to-get-exposure-as-a-poet/) - As a poet, gaining exposure for your work can be one of the most important things to do in your career. More exposure can allow you to share your work more often with the world, whether it be through paid gigs or opportunities to market yourself further. As a poet, gaining exposure is a crucial
- [Is It Hard To Get a Book Published? The Process Explained](https://letterreview.com/is-it-hard-to-get-a-book-published/) - For many, writing and publishing a book is a dream, but they don’t know how to go about starting a book, let alone publishing one. Authors who have been through the experience write books to give other aspiring writers advice. But how hard is it to get a book published? It can be hard to
- [Does Faster Typing Improve Your Writing Skills?](https://letterreview.com/does-faster-typing-improve-your-writing-skills/) - When you sit down at the keyboard, you commit time and effort to tell a story. It could be fiction, nonfiction, or a textbook, all take large amounts of time. But will it take less time to tell your story if you can type faster, and will it improve your overall writing skills? Faster typing
- [Great Part-Time Jobs for Writers](https://letterreview.com/great-part-time-jobs-for-writers/) - Writing is a gratifying profession, especially with all the knowledge it exposes you to. But just because you work as a full-time writer doesn't mean you'll always have to sit behind your desk weaving words together. Who says you can't use your spare time to make some bucks monthly? Here are great part-time jobs for
- [Why Is My Writing So Bad? 4 Causes and Solutions](https://letterreview.com/why-is-my-writing-so-bad/) - You may have written your first draft of a story or novel and have to face the fact that you feel your writing is, in fact, bad. You had such great ideas, but your draft was far from what you imagined when you tried to put them in writing. You might ask yourself why your
- [Do Authors Get Paid Per Book?](https://letterreview.com/do-authors-get-paid-per-book/) - If you want to get started with your writing career, you might have a lot of questions in mind. Salary, payment process, advances, royalties, etc. are all things that you might be curious about. Don’t worry, as we have a whole guide for you here regarding payments for authors for a book. Yes, authors do
- [Is It Hard to Write Science Fiction?](https://letterreview.com/is-it-hard-to-write-science-fiction/) - Science fiction is one of the most popular and best selling genres. We all know the classics of this form: Space Odyssey, Foundation, Star Wars, Star Trek, The Expanse. The leading authors such as Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke are amongst the most respected writers. But is it hard to write sci fi? Writing
- [Do Poetry Books Make Money? 4 Things To Know](https://letterreview.com/do-poetry-books-make-money/) - Poetry books are growing in popularity, and it is possible to make money from them if you know what you are doing. So how do poetry books make money, and what do you need to know? Poetry books can make money if you have the right publisher, or you can publish them yourself. Some of
- [Is Rhyming in Poetry Now a Bad Thing?](https://letterreview.com/is-rhyming-in-poetry-now-bad/) - When you think of poetry, several things come to mind. Most notably, you’ll recognize that poetry is the only form of writing in which rhyme has been used as a structural norm. Imagine reading a novel that rhymed? Rhyming in poetry isn’t a bad thing and is still common practice. The purpose of poetry and
- [How To Know If Your Poetry Is Good or Bad (6 Signs)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-know-if-your-poetry-is-good-or-bad/) - Poetry is a classic form of expression. Many writers got their start crafting poems, and many who have moved on to other forms of literature still occasionally create poetry. Nothing quite conveys the complexity of human emotion as this writing style, and it gives both the structure and freedom to present big ideas in bite-sized
- [Is Homer Worth Reading?](https://letterreview.com/is-homer-worth-reading/) - We've probably all heard the name Homer, but what did he actually write, and is it worth the time investment to read his texts today? Homer is definitely worth reading because he is widely considered, for thousands of years, to be the greatest of all poets. He's also referred to as the father of literature.
- [The Pros and Cons of Creative Writing](https://letterreview.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-creative-writing/) - Lots of people do some creative writing from time to time, and lots more are thinking about getting involved. Creative writing has some incredibly exciting aspects that draw legions of practitioners but it has some downsides too! The pros and cons of creative writing for poets, playwrights, screenwriters, and authors include creative fulfilment, financial reward,
- [6 Things That Poets Should Never Do in Their Poetry](https://letterreview.com/things-that-poets-should-never-do-in-their-poetry/) - Poetry is an art form that allows the artist a great deal of creative freedom. However, there are some mistakes a poet might want to avoid making. Here are 6 things that poets should never do in their poetry: Writing in a vacuum. Reluctance to put in the work. Arrogance and an inflated sense of
- [How Long Can a Poem Be? What Poets Should Know](https://letterreview.com/how-long-can-a-poem-be/) - Poems come in all kinds, and many of them allow for creativity in their rhyme scheme. But what about the length? How long can a poem be, and what do you need to know as a poet? A poem can be as long or as short as you want: these are known as acrostic or
- [Can You Write Poetry in First Person View?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-write-poetry-in-first-person/) - If you’ve just started writing poetry, you’re probably still getting to grips with the technicalities. You might also wonder if you can write poetry in the first-person view. You can write poetry in the first-person view. It’s the most effective way to make the reader feel close to you and understand your deepest thoughts and
- [Can You Publish a Book Without a Degree?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-publish-a-book-without-a-degree/) - Publishing a book is a way for writers to make money from their writing and get their ideas out there. But do you need a degree to publish a book? You can publish a book without a degree in any field. However, degrees are usually required if the book is about a specialized topic like
- [Do You Have To Publish a Book in Order To Sell It?](https://letterreview.com/do-you-have-to-publish-a-book-to-sell-it/) - According to the Cambridge Dictionary, 'publishing' means making written information available to other people. So technically, when you sell someone a book, you have published it. However, there is a real difference between 'self-publishing' and publishing via the 'traditional route'. Traditional publishing involves a publisher who publishes your work for you. They edit, print, and
- [Can You Publish a Book in Another Country?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-publish-a-book-in-another-country/) - Whether you’re an established or aspiring author, you’ve probably considered extending your book’s reach to other countries, but if not, you’re missing out on a significant opportunity. There are multiple ways to promote books in the international market. It doesn’t matter if the book is written in English or if you wish to translate the
- [What’s the Best Font Size for a Poetry Book?](https://letterreview.com/whats-the-best-font-size-for-a-poetry-book/) - If you’re finally compiling your poetry into a book, and you’re typing out your handwritten scribblings, you will need to decide what font and font size to use. Here’s what we recommend. The best font size for a poetry book depends on the size of the book and kind of book it is. Generally, most
- [How Long Does It Take To Write a Play?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-write-a-play/) - Playwrights have been tasked with finding new ways to captivate audiences for centuries. They put a lot of energy and creativity into writing plays, but how long does it take them? It can take a few hours to several months to write a play. This variation can be due to the type of play it
- [How Much Do the Rights to a Play Cost?](https://letterreview.com/how-much-does-the-right-to-a-play-cost/) - Whether you’re a creative writer looking to sell your work as a playwright or a theater looking to purchase play scripts to perform at your theater, knowing how much the rights to a play cost can help you on your journey. You also might want to know how to obtain the rights in the first
- [Is the Writer the Same Thing as a Narrator?](https://letterreview.com/is-writer-same-as-narrator/) - Writers must know the difference between author, narrator, and characters when crafting a story. All three entities typically exist separately from one another, each playing a distinct role in the tale. Without a correct understanding of these entities, writing may come off as sloppy or unintentionally haughty. A writer is not the same thing as
- [Can Writing a Novel Make You Rich?](https://letterreview.com/can-writing-a-novel-make-you-rich/) - People of all ages dream of becoming published authors. Yes, there’s the passion for writing that fuels that desire, but there’s also the allure of wealth and fame, gracing the red carpet for the premiere of the screen adaptation of one’s book. That, however, is not always the reality. Writing a novel can make you
- [Can You Make Money Writing a Fantasy Book?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-make-money-writing-a-fantasy-book/) - Fantasy authors don’t usually enter the world of authorship because they want to earn money, but rather because they love fantasy. With that said, many fantasy writers do go on to earn money with their writing. If you’re an aspiring fantasy novelist, you’re probably wondering if you, too, can make money writing a fantasy book.
- [Are All Novels Fiction? What You Need To Know](https://letterreview.com/are-all-novels-fiction/) - For centuries, the word "novel" has described fictional works of literature. Despite this, people in modern culture use the word to describe nearly any book, whether it be fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose. Naturally, this has led to some confusion regarding the term. All novels are fictional works written in prose, containing over 40,000
- [How To Know if Your Story Idea Is Original](https://letterreview.com/how-to-know-if-your-story-idea-is-original/) - You have an idea for a story, and although you think it is great, you are unsure whether it has been done before. Luckily, almost every writer has faced such a dilemma through the years, and many of them became literary greats. In the sense of unique stories, each story is a reworking of another
- [How To Make Money as a Poet on Instagram](https://letterreview.com/make-money-as-a-poet-on-instagram/) - Since the rise of the poet on Instagram, the once flagging poetry sales experienced a resurgence of epic proportion, as in 2018 alone, 1.3 million volumes of poetry were sold in the US, of which 66% of the buyers were under 34. Instagram can help aspiring poets reach a new audience and make money in
- [Should Poetry Books Have Images in Them?](https://letterreview.com/should-poetry-books-have-images/) - When planning to publish or submit a manuscript of poems, you need to consider which poems to include, what order they should be in, and which ones might need further revision. Adding images means more agonizing decisions. But those decisions wouldn’t be necessary if poetry books didn't have images. Some poetry books should have images,
- [How Much Should You Charge To Write a Poem?](https://letterreview.com/how-much-should-you-charge-to-write-a-poem/) - Determining the value of your work as a freelance writer can be tricky, especially if you’re still new to the field. There are numerous things to consider that may impact how and what you ultimately charge for writing. You should charge $1–$300 to write a poem to ensure fair compensation for your time, effort, and
- [What Should You Do With Your Poetry? How To Decide](https://letterreview.com/what-should-you-do-with-your-poetry-how-to-decide/) - You’ve written some poems, and now what? Options include sharing them with your friends, creating a book, or submitting them for publication. So how do you decide what to do with your poetry? When you finish your poetry, you should get feedback and find a group of writers who will critique your work. As you
- [How Do Anonymous Authors Get Paid?](https://letterreview.com/how-do-anonymous-authors-get-paid/) - There might be a few reasons why you wish to publish your book anonymously, especially if you’re exposing a shifty practice or you’re writing your autobiography. However, if your legal name is not on your book, will you lose out on your royalties? How can you get paid? Anonymous authors get paid by ensuring that
- [The Pros and Cons of Being a Professional Writer](https://letterreview.com/pros-and-cons-of-being-a-writer/) - Being a professional writer sounds like the perfect job, right? You get to do what you love and get paid for it! Not to mention, you get to be your own boss and work from home. And the cherry on top? You get to be creative and express yourself in new ways. Most people believe
- [How Many Books Can You Publish on KDP?](https://letterreview.com/how-many-books-can-you-publish-on-kdp/) - In 2007, Amazon changed the world of authorship with the launch of Kindle Direct Publishing. Today, the platform is home to thousands of authors, many of whom have gone on to enjoy successful writing careers. If you intend to take advantage of Amazon’s self-publishing platform, you’re probably wondering if there’s a limit to the number
- [This Is How Playwrights Earn Their Livings](https://letterreview.com/this-is-how-playwrights-earn-their-livings/) - The life of an artist has long been romanticized. Is it all that it seems in indie films? Or is there some credence to the “starving artist” image? Playwrights earn their livings from royalties on the tickets from their shows. They also earn a living through performing other jobs within the industry, such as editing,
- [Does Self-Publishing Hurt Your Chances With a Publisher?](https://letterreview.com/does-self-publishing-hurt-your-chances-with-a-publisher/) - It takes a lot of time to write the next best seller. It's also something that you invest emotionally in, so it makes sense that you want it to succeed as much as possible. And with self-publishing becoming a viable path, you might be wondering if it would hurt your chances with a publisher. Self-publishing
- [How Long Does a Play Usually Last?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-a-play-usually-last/) - Plays were arguably invented in the 5th Century in the Acropolis in Athens. Since then, they have been performed everywhere, from preschools to internationally renowned stages. We know how long plays have been around, but how long do they last? A play usually lasts from ten minutes to three hours. Plays with shorter scripts, such
- [Do Playwrights Also Write Books and Novels?](https://letterreview.com/do-playwrights-also-write-books-and-novels/) - Playwrighting and book writing seem similar, at least from the outside. Both need interesting characters and compelling plots to be effective, and they usually employ the three-act structure of storytelling. Thanks to the similarities between the building blocks of the two mediums, playwrights often wonder if they can write prose fiction. Playwrights do write books
- [9 Factors That Make a Playwright Effective](https://letterreview.com/9-factors-that-make-a-playwright-effective/) - Writing a play requires a skill set similar to other forms of creative writing, but there are several key differences. Here are 9 factors that make a playwright effective: Knowledge of play structure. Open to feedback. Willingness to work on deep characters. Ability to write rich dialogue. Stage acting knowledge. Theater equipment knowledge. Life experience.
- [Do You Need Talent To Write a Play?](https://letterreview.com/do-you-need-talent-to-write-a-play/) - To write a play, you need to have a passion for the performing arts. Talent undoubtedly plays a role in a playwright’s career, but that’s not all you need to become a successful playwright. You don’t need talent to write a play. If you’re looking to write professionally, you must develop your skills, and bring
- [7 Ways That Writers and Artists Are Alike](https://letterreview.com/7-ways-writers-and-artists-are-alike/) - Writers use words to create while artists rely on color, shape, and other visual elements, and their final products are different. But they both create finished products that are amazing. So what do writers and artists have in common? Here are 7 ways that writers and artists are alike: Creative Imaginative Detail-oriented Must work hard
- [How Long Does Writer’s Block Typically Last?](https://letterreview.com/how-long-does-writers-block-last/) - All writers experience writer’s block at some point in their careers. This incredibly frustrating “creative paralysis” can discourage even the most passionate writers. Fortunately, writer’s block doesn’t last forever, and there are things that authors can do to overcome this mental barrier. Writer's block can last for a few minutes to several days. In extreme
- [How To Survive as a Writer (5 Important Tips)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-survive-as-a-writer/) - Whether you’re writing your first novel or attempting to establish yourself as a freelance copywriter, becoming successful often begins with a struggle. You must be able to support yourself while writing if you want to survive, so you’ll have to utilize multiple resources and strategies. Eventually, you can dedicate yourself wholly to your craft. Here’s
- [Should All Writers Go to College?](https://letterreview.com/should-all-writers-go-to-college/) - College requires sacrifices in time and money, and it’s reasonable that a person who wants to write asks if the sacrifices are worth it. For example, a college education might be necessary for someone who writes for the medical field. But should all writers need to go to college? All writers should not go to
- [This Is Where Most Writers Live in New York](https://letterreview.com/where-most-writers-live-in-new-york/) - New York is a well-known hot spot for writers, with top publishers including John Wiley & Sons, HarperCollins, and Writers House. In addition, New York City holds the record for most writers’ rooms in the nation. These creative spaces started developing in and around the city as early as 1978, with communities of countless writers
- [Can You Write a Novel Without Having Any Training?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-write-a-novel-without-having-any-training/) - You want to write your novel, but you haven't had the time or opportunity to formally learn the writing craft at university or any writing courses. You have an excellent command of the language, but should you wait to get your bestseller started? Can you write a novel even if you haven’t taken any courses?
- [How Much Commission Do Plays Pay?](https://letterreview.com/how-much-commission-do-plays-pay/) - If you've ever sat in the audience of a play you really enjoy, you've probably wondered who wrote the play and how they got paid for it, or maybe you didn’t. Either way, playwrights get paid in many ways, including royalties and other fees, such as commission. So, how much commission do plays pay? Plays
- [Why Do Poets Use a Writer’s Notebook?](https://letterreview.com/why-do-poets-use-a-writers-notebook/) - Professional and aspiring writers alike are known to use a writer’s notebook. Perhaps you even have poet peers toting some around or a professor who suggested you use one. Yet, what’s the purpose of having and using a writer’s notebook, and is it really necessary? Poets use a writer’s notebook to organize their thoughts, record
- [How Much Do Broadway Playwrights Make?](https://letterreview.com/how-much-do-broadway-playwrights-make/) - Broadway has long been considered the most illustrious form of theatre, with its huge-scale production value and enormous crowds to match. The writers behind these productions may tell a different story. Broadway playwrights make about 15% of the profit from a production, which they occasionally must split multiple ways, depending on the number of writers
- [How To Become a Screenwriter With No Experience](https://letterreview.com/how-to-become-a-screenwriter-with-no-experience/) - Screenwriting is a highly competitive field where some dedicate years to study, failed pitches, and missed opportunities before finally landing a job. Does that mean those who “got in the game late” and lack experience in screenwriting can’t break into the industry? Not necessarily, but it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Here’s
- [Are Publishing Rights the Same as Copyright?](https://letterreview.com/are-publishing-rights-the-same-as-copyright/) - Once your book is published, can you use it in promotional materials or in your portfolio? Or does the publisher have the rights to it instead? Are the rights to the work the same as the right to reproduce it? Publishing rights are not the same as copyright. The copyright belongs to the original creator
- [Why Are Plays Divided Into Scenes?](https://letterreview.com/why-are-plays-divided-into-scenes/) - Plays have a formal structure that allows playwrights to translate their creative vision into a live stage setting. Part of the structure of a successful play is creating scenes that set the stage for characters, dialogue, and dramatic action, but why do scenes make a successful play? Plays are divided into scenes to separate the
- [Are Most Screenwriters Rich? 3 Things to Know](https://letterreview.com/are-most-screenwriters-rich/) - Are you hoping to break into screenwriting and hit the big time? Or perhaps you’re a struggling screenwriter wondering what you’re doing wrong. In either case, you might be questioning if most screenwriters are rich, and how you become one of them. Most screenwriters aren’t rich, yet many make more than enough money to live
- [Is Screenwriting a Good Career? What You Need To Know](https://letterreview.com/is-screenwriting-a-good-career/) - While being a screenwriter can be challenging, it also has the potential to be a rewarding, lifelong career. Yet, does that mean screenwriting is a good career? Moreover, is it a good career for you? Screenwriting is a good career for talented writers passionate about and dedicated to creating entertainment and media productions. However, it
- [Is Ghostwriting a Profitable Career?](https://letterreview.com/is-ghostwriting-a-profitable-career/) - Ghostwriting can be a lucrative career, provided you have the experience and a proven track record. Ghostwriters forgo fame for a sometimes hefty fee and let other people claim their writing credit. It seems strange to write for someone else's credit, but does ghostwriting pay well? Ghostwriting is a profitable career with an average of
- [Is Screenwriting in High Demand?](https://letterreview.com/is-screenwriting-in-high-demand/) - We’ve all heard those sensational stories about movie studios shelling out millions for movie scripts and the tragic tales of broken dreams from perpetually unpublished screenwriters. Unfortunately, these confusing and conflicted extremes make it difficult to discern the industry's actual climate. Is the demand for screenwriting high enough to justify and encourage you to pursue
- [Do Biographies Sell Well? 5 Things To Know](https://letterreview.com/do-biographies-sell-well/) - A biography isn’t something you can write on a weekend. Researching, interviewing, and then writing seems a little overwhelming. So will the hard work pay off, and will it sell well? Biographies about celebrities and well-known people sell well, and biographies about those less well-known but still influential in their field have lower sales. Biographies
- [Do Famous Authors Use Ghostwriters?](https://letterreview.com/do-famous-authors-use-ghostwriters/) - Ever wonder how famous authors manage to continuously publish new novels, year after year, to a seemingly endless success? Could it be that these literary heavyweights use ghostwriters to produce their best-selling, list-topping, millions-making titles for them? It certainly would explain a few things for the rest of us. Some famous authors do use ghostwriters,
- [Should You Put Your Poetry on Instagram? How to Decide](https://letterreview.com/should-you-put-your-poetry-on-instagram/) - Posting your poetry on Instagram or any other social media platform has advantages and disadvantages. There are several ways for the platform to work to your benefit, yet depending on your intentions and goals as a poet, publishing on Instagram can backfire if not used appropriately. You consider putting your poetry on Instagram as a
- [7 Reasons Why Most Screenwriters Fail](https://letterreview.com/7-reasons-why-most-screenwriters-fail/) - Getting a screenplay produced and directed is the goal. Whether it's the big screen, a streaming series, or a traditional tv show, you want an audience. So why do the majority of screenwriters fail? Here are 7 reasons why most screenwriters fail: Focusing on getting an agent and producer. Forgetting the fundamentals of storytelling. Not
- [Are Plays Hard To Write?](https://letterreview.com/are-plays-hard-to-write/) - There is nothing more exhilarating than watching live actors transport you to an imaginary world. There is a magic about theater that no other media can match, and a playwright has the fantastic fortune to watch their vision performed in the flesh. However, despite the seeming simplicity of many iconic plays, the process is not
- [How To End a Play Script (Writing Techniques)](https://letterreview.com/how-to-end-a-play-script/) - You've got a killer opening scene, and your tension is ramped all the way through to the crisis and climax. You have built up engaging and credible characters, and now you are faced with how to close the curtain on your much-loved creation. But how do you make sure to write a successful ending to
- [Do Screenwriters Get To Be on Set?](https://letterreview.com/do-screenwriters-get-to-be-on-set/) - Writers often have a specific vision in mind when crafting screenplays, and it’s common for many to want to be around during filming to see their work come to life. As a screenwriter, you likely want to ensure an appropriate interpretation of your script that matches what you envisioned. However, the chances are slim that
- [Can You Publish Your Book Multiple Times?](https://letterreview.com/can-you-publish-your-book-multiple-times/) - There are many reasons why an author might want to republish a book they’ve already published. The way to go about this differs depending on your contract with publishers. You can publish your book multiple times. When you self-publish, you can make changes and republish as often as you like. Still, when publishing with a
- [Should You Write an Intermission Into a Play?](https://letterreview.com/should-you-write-an-intermission-into-a-play/) - Love it or hate it, those crowded lines at the concession stand are part of our theater experience. Intermissions are a helpful division in the action of a full-length play, whether you find it an annoyance or a blessing. If you are writing a play, you might wonder if you need to structure your play
- [Hardcover vs. Paperback: What Sells More Copies?](https://letterreview.com/hardcover-vs-paperback-what-sells-more-copies/) - Self-publishers have a range of options for book covers, making the decision between hardcover and paperback all the more difficult. And when trying to determine which cover type might sell more copies of your book, numerous audience considerations must be factored in. So which type sells more copies? Paperback sells more copies, reaching a higher
- [How Do Screenwriters Come Up With Ideas?](https://letterreview.com/how-do-screenwriters-come-up-with-ideas/) - Screenwriters are talented people with many excellent ideas for screenplays. Notwithstanding, the constant and high demand for original, good-quality scripts, combined with the occasional bout of writer’s block, can put a strain on creativity at times. This can leave many wondering how screenwriters come up with all their ideas. Screenwriters come up with ideas from
- [7 Elements All Fiction Books Have in Common](https://letterreview.com/7-elements-all-fiction-books-have-in-common/) - Writing fiction is all about creating a narrative. In this genre, a writer is responsible for developing most of the basic elements comprising the overall story. Understanding these common fiction components will help you get your ideas out of your head and onto the page. Here are seven elements all fiction books have in common:
- [How to Write a CV or Resume for Creative Writing](https://letterreview.com/cv-resume/) - Always list what is most important first, and consider creating several CVs to cater to the priorities of different people and professions! Hi there. Writers have to have a CV, right? There’s so much cold contacting (when you reach out to someone on your own that you haven’t met), that you might end up sending

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- [Community Comments](https://letterreview.com/comments/) - If you would like to add a comment you can reach us at mail@letterreview.com Shilpa Dikshit Thapliyal (Winner of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books) My poetry collection, Aerial Roots (which was a recipient of The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books), first published in Singapore, has now also been published in India by
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- [<strong>This is a Spam Poem</strong>](https://letterreview.com/2-2/) - This is a Spam Poem Second Place in the Letter Review Prize for Poetry Poetry by Shilpa Dikshit Thapliyal December 15, 2022 This is a spam poem rasping on tongues, pungent in wicks of kerosene, lathi-charged, tear-gassed, knifed into shreds, blood sodden, echoing songs of migration, bearing doves for peace and sunflowers to seed. This
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- [A Dead Thing](https://letterreview.com/a-dead-thing-helen-mcintosh-marsh/) - A Dead Thing Fiction by Annwen Meredith September 30, 2022 On dry days, Llyr would jump across the top of the slurry pit, with me hopping behind. Like frogs, we were, only our lily pads were big round plates of shit turned hard by the sun. Llyr was always faster than me. One time, I
- [<strong>Where  There  Once  Was  Love</strong>](https://letterreview.com/where-there-once-was-love/) - Where There Once Was Love Second Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories Fiction by Aisling Lee 1 December, 2022 The first time I disappointed my father was when I was born a girl. The regard in which he holds me has only shrivelled and crumpled in the forty-one years since; every move
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- [Ode to My Black Satchel](https://letterreview.com/1-2/) - Ode to My Black Satchel First Place in the Letter Review Prize for Poetry Poetry by Isi Unikowski December 15, 2022 Some took with them amulets, propped parasols, jade slaves, some took chariots, infantry, terracotta regiments, wore torcs, amber beads, lapis lazuli or rope carried grain, legal tender, crockery and harness for the journey beyond.
- [No Bargaining & Last Legs](https://letterreview.com/no-bargaining-last-legs/) - No Bargaining & Last Legs Poetry by Brian Kelly February 19th, 2023 Last Legs I grieve and grimaceat knotted calvesand vulgar veinsthat were oncemy pierced and punctured playthings.Those days of dashingto nearby needle banksdelving not depositingto rummage in the remnantsof others’ residue.Until an old friend camenever to leave.Not my brother in bloodbut a brother when
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- [Seventy-Six](https://letterreview.com/seventy-six/) - Seventy-Six Poetry by Aoi Onodera January 15, 2023 “A new discovery is made on the treatment for Alzheimer’s…”The evening broadcaster drones on as we eat That’s for people who cannot walk anymore Like those patients using walkers on the screenA good thing I’m not like them She sayssoftlyIt’s probably about people who are forgetful too I
- [Digger Down](https://letterreview.com/3-2/) - Digger Down Joint Third Place in the Letter Review Prize for Poetry Poetry by Brian Kelly December 15, 2022 A digger driver dug today without palaver launching levers lifting loads today a field tomorrow roads. A digger driver warm today a sweaty lather on face and head but still he worked his generation never shirked.
- [The Call](https://letterreview.com/the-call/) - The Call Fiction by Danny Mueller December 2, 2022 The call comes in, rabid coyote maybe, dispatch wasn’t sure. They said it was urgent, law enforcement en route. Inside an old barn, somewhere rural. We’re on the edge of a suburb that hadn’t blossomed, so that was typical on the shift. Jerome the trainee’s head
- [A Sinking Heart](https://letterreview.com/a-sinking-heart/) - A Sinking Heart Third Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories Ian Reid 1 December, 2022 Leaping over decades, the memory caught him unawares. In that disconcerting moment, as the Sunken Garden where he now sat became abruptly linked to the one he’d known so long ago, Tod saw with a jolt how
- [Today Is The Greatest](https://letterreview.com/today-is-the-greatest/) - Today Is The Greatest First Place in the Letter Review Prize for Short Stories Fiction by Laura Carnes Williams December 1, 2022 What I remember: We were fourteen and raising ourselves. Curtis’s sister had just been diagnosed with schizophrenia, so his parents practically lived at the psychiatric hospital that year. My dad was off in
- [Curator of Life’s Artefacts](https://letterreview.com/curator-of-lifes-artefacts-gerard-sarnat/) - Curator of Life's Artefacts Poetry by Gerard Sarnat September 30, 2022 ChumpCare? Chimp trained as a vigorous general internistIn a much much earlier era Before primary care medicine’s hollowed out(Which having been an HMO Takecare exec you take some responsibility forBut that’s whole ‘nother story) Now well past my salad days, I am attemptingTo help

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