Issue 57

Featuring

Guest editor
Debbie Taylor

Plus
Gwyneth Lewis • Menna Elfyn • Rachel Cusk • Jenny Colgan • Kirsty Lang

Special

Agenda
Waving or drowning? Faridah Newman assesses the research on how antidepressants affect our writing.

Interview
Gwyneth Lewis talks to Alex Pryce

Features
The 10 Commandments: Debbie Taylor consulted agents and tutors to come up with a new set of rules for fiction authors
Point of view: Homa Khaleeli on whether white, straight, able-bodied authors should feature black, gay, disabled characters in their books
Friends in need: Emily Midorikawa and Emma Claire Sweeney on how to cope with writerly envy

Regulars

New writing
Memoir: narrative nonfction selected by Rachel Cusk

Making a poem
Menna Elfyn talks to Fiona Sampson

What went horribly wrong
for Jenny Colgan

Bedside table
What Kirsty Lang likes to read

Plus…

Writing life
Big Question, Synopsis Surgery, Scamwatch, How I Keep Going, Make a difference, Make a splash

Inspirations
Memoir: the basics with Sally Cline
Fiction masterclass, E-booking, Pen portrait, The creative mix, Making a poem

Books
Books to look out for, Book group, What’s new, How to write a bestseller, Independent press profile

Directory
Everything a writer needs to know: competitions, calls for submissions, grants, courses, events, contacts, venues