In this issue

Our annual Writing Contests Issue features an in-depth look at how submissions are evaluated and winners chosen; a profile of Utah state poet laureate Paisley Rekdal and her new book, Nightingale; Camille T. Dungy's guide to living and writing; William Giraldi on author envy; a new installment of How to Get Paid; tips for successful self-publishing; writing prompts; agent advice; and more.

The Bookshop Band

For two weeks in January and February, English singer-songwriters Beth Porter and Ben Please, who together form the Bookshop Band, traveled across the United States performing their book-inspired music in libraries and bookstores.

4 mins

Shadow Narratives

Paisley Rekdal says writing her sixth poetry collection,Nightingale, out in May from Copper Canyon Press, was“like trying to conduct a whirlwind.” The result is a stunningbook about transformation that will change the way we readviolence, silence, and the stories handed down to us.

10+ mins

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Poets & Writers Magazine Description:

For more than twenty years, Poets & Writers Magazine has been a trusted companion to writers who take their vocation seriously. Within its pages, our readers find provocative essays on the literary life, practical guidance for getting published and pursuing writing careers, in-depth profiles of poets, fiction writers, and writers of creative nonfiction, and conversation among fellow professionals.