2012 Writer's Market Deluxe Edition (Writer's Market Online) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Allow me to begin by stating that Amazon messed up my order; I preordered the deluxe edition but received the standard edition. As this is the place to review the product itself and not Amazon's handling of it, however, my score reflects what the book deserves. (The primary difference between the two editions is a year's subscription to the online service, so this review will focus on what's inside the book itself and not whether it contained this subscription.)
As always, there's a lot of useful information in the book in addition to publisher listings. This time around the articles focus on a variety of topics including marketing through social media; separate articles about Twitter and social networking sites in general help writers to get a better understanding of how to use these social tools to their advantage. Other topics include essentials such as making pitches, sending queries and entering into contracts, plus finding work (using the Internet, even) and self-publishing. A multi-page chart in the front of the book gives high-end, low-end and average rates for a number of different writing and editing jobs as well, with the charts broken up to give readers an idea of how much to charge by the hour, by the project or based on other criteria. The URL for a 60-minute webinar is included as well in the "How to Use Writer's Market" section; the staff of Writer's Digest Books walks viewers through the process of creating their own writing platform.
The listings themselves are easy to read with a lot of information packed into a small space. Publishers, magazines, trade journals, literary agents, newspapers, playwright resources, contest... it's Writer's Market. If you've seen it before then you likely know what to expect. An index in the back makes it easy to look up any publisher by name if you can't find what you're looking for in the book sections.
All told I'm very happy with the product itself, just not happy at all with Amazon's handling of my preorder. Mistakes will happen, but considering that the two books were separate listings (and not just two options on the same listing) I find this mistake and the time I'll have to spend returning the book and getting the exchange or refund processed inexcusable.
EDIT: Would like to update this with Amazon's response to the problem. They offered to refund me the price difference so that I could keep the book I have or offered to let me return it for a full refund. I opted for the partial refund and am relatively satisfied with how quickly Amazon customer service handled my complaint and the fact that they were willing to essentially take my word for it that there was a mistake. While it's still annoying that a mistake on the shipping end of Amazon caused me to get the wrong product, I'm happy with how it was handled by customer service.

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MORE MARKETS-MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET PUBLISHED
The 2012 Writer's Market Deluxe Edition includes everything you expect in a regular copy of Writer's Market PLUS a 1-year subscription to WritersMarket.com. You'll have instant online access to 7,500+ listings for book publishers, magazines, contests, literary agents and more-with daily updates.
Look inside and you'll also find page after page of all-new editorial material devoted to the craft and business of writing. It's the most information we've ever jammed into one edition! You'll find insightful interviews and articles, guidelines for finding work, honing your craft, and promoting your writing. You'll also learn how to navigate the social media landscape, negotiate contracts, and protect your work. And as usual, this edition includes the ever popular "How Much Should I Charge?" pay rate chart.
You also gain access to:
Lists of professional writing organizations
Sample query letters
A free digital download of Writer's Yearbook featuring the 100 Best Markets: WritersDigest.com/upload/images/WritersDigest-Yearbook-11.pdf

Includes an exclusive 60-minute WEBINAR with the staff of Writer's Digest Books that will teach how to begin building your own writing platform today.
"What I appreciate most about Writer's Market is that it's impossible to pick up the book, flip through it, and put it down 15 minutes later without at least five, new profitable ideas that I can execute immediately. No other book on my shelf that can inspire this many practical, profitable, career-building ideas in this same amount of time."-Christina Katz, author of The Writer's Workout, Get Known Before the Book Deal and Writer Mama

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