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‘‘Cornerstones helped me turn my manuscript around, and have been there to answer my silly questions. They then passed me through to an agent. All this from saving up for one editorial report.’

Bryony Pearce

Next Workshop: 7th May How to be a Savvy Writer Call or email for a programme scouts for leading literary agents listed by The Society of Authors call Helen Corner 020 8968 0777

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AGENDA

8

Revisiting the Reviews Investigative journalist Jane Mackenzie scours the review pages, solicits industry feedback – and bumps up against ye olde glasse ceiling. INTERVIEW 13 Naomi Alderman FEATURES 16 The Write Stuff Nearly two decades after The Artist’s Way was first published, Maeve Hosea revisits this classic writer’s guide. The Insider: Emma Draude 19

The New It Girls!

Katniss, Lyra, Sookie and Dru: Are these the names of feminist heroines of the future? Leonora Craig Cohen weighs in.

20

‘Certainly, I go through hideous periods of self-doubt where I think, “It’s all rubbish! It’s just rubbish!”’

Naomi Alderman, Interview, page 13

Regulars Contents: issue 44

STARTERS

Contributors, Letters, News and Views

4

INSPIRATIONS

22

Including: Laura Wilson on crime writing Sara Wheeler’s first draft Making a poem: Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin talks to Colette Bryce Bernardine Evaristo’s bottom drawer, writing your self with Roselle Angwin, keep going with Bekki Hill

NEW WRITING

31

Alex Clark introduces her selections of prose and poetry on the theme of ‘Skin.’

BOOKS

Including: How to write a bestseller: The Other Half Lives Literary landmarks: Fingersmith Independent press profile: Xcite Books Writers’ bookshelf by Cathi Unsworth

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GUIDELINES

The lowdown on ghostwriting The joy of…songwriting

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DIRECTORY

Opportunities: competitions, submissions, retreats, grants Out and About: events and workshops

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AND FINALLY

Hilary Bradt’s bedside table

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Winter warmers

It’s truly winter now, and we are staring 2010 full in the face. Everywhere, it seems, people are collating their ‘best of ’ book lists for the noughties (not to mention a few of the worst!). For a taste of a few of the Mslexia staff ’s current faves, visit the Mslexia Reads column on the News pages, then turn to our Books section: Debbie Taylor dissects Sophie Hannah’s The Other Half Lives, and Cathi Unsworth recommends I Was Dora Suarez from her Writer’s Bookshelf.

In our feature well, to mark our 10th anniversary, we’ve revisited an early Mslexia article on ‘reviewing the reviews’: turn to our Agenda article to discover what investigative journalist Jane Mackenzie unearthed. Our other features explore the classic Julia Cameron creative guide, The Artist’s Way, and take an exciting look at the latest in literary female role models. We have a wonderful new addition to the magazine, too: please welcome Kitty Fitzgerald to our Inspirations section. A novelist and a playwright, Kitty will be with us for six issues, covering the delights and challenges of writing plays. Also in this section, travel journalist Sara Wheeler discusses a draft of her latest book, The Magnetic North, and Bernardine Evaristo reveals the book she has yet to write.

In the bustle of the new year, don’t forget to get your entries in for our Short Story Competition (deadline: 25 January!), and join us digitally via our blog, Facebook and Twitter. And finally, a note of pride: as it turns out, our press deadline is colliding nicely with the wonderful news that Mslexia has won the Women in Publishing 2009 Pandora Award for our ‘significant and valuable contribution to publishing.’ What a way to close our first decade – and what a way to be starting our second one! A very Happy New Year indeed.

Daneet Steffens, Editor