It’s the start of a new year, and the perfect time to take out a new writing magazine subscription. Writing magazines, which these days usually have online communities built around them, are an excellent resource for both building your skills and finding a public outlet for them.

Writing Magazine is the biggest one in the UK, with an active online network and blog (you can see one of my articles on having a creative Christmas here). As well as practical advice about the craft of writing you’ll find readers’ contributions and regular writing competitions. I advertise my workshops and courses in their annual guide.

Like Writing Magazine, Writers’ Forum provides a wealth of information and opportunities for writers at every stage of their writing journey, from complete beginners to published authors. Look out for my article in next month’s issue, called What kind of writer are you? Why it helps to understand your author brand.

Another one I’ve written for is Mslexia.

As the name suggests, the target reader is women writers. Mslexia has a strong community-of-writers feel, with the articles in each edition being chosen by a guest editor, on a theme, rather than the same editorial team.

Mslexia is read by top authors and absolute beginners. A quarterly masterclass in the business and psychology of writing, it’s the essential magazine for women who write.

So there you have my great writing reads – now, what about the fantastic freebie?

If you take out a subscription with Writing Magazine, they’re offering my three books for writers as a set, completely free, to all new subscribers for the next few months. (I probably should mention that you could choose the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook instead which, in fairness, is also a fantastic freebie)

 

These three writing magazines have been on my radar almost from the start, but I’m always keen to make new discoveries.

Which writing magazines would you recommend?