Resources for Writers: CHRISTIAN WRITERS' MARKET GUIDE 2009

If you've been writing seriously for any period of time, you probably already know what a Market Guide is. But if you don't, here it is in a nutshell: If you're looking for guidelines and contact info for book pubishers, magazines, or agents, this is a great place to start. The big difference with Sally Stuart's guide is that it's specific to Christian markets.

At 547 pages, this brick of a book is packed with info. I particularly like the topical listings for book publishers and magazines. Rather than hunt and peck, trying to find someone who might be interested in publishing your puppet play, you can simply look it up in the topical index and go right to the short list.

New in this edition of the CWMG is a CD-ROM. It contains two Word documents. One is the actual Market Guide. The other is a very long document called "Resources for Writers" which contains over 100 new entries and two new sections, Writers' Helps and Writing Communities.

Another bonus is that Stuart has a blog which she updates regularly with industry changes, contests, conferences, and other interesting writer-related topics. Even if you don't buy the guide, you can still visit her blog at www.stuartmarket.blogspot.com.

According to the book's cover, this is "the essential reference tool for the Christian Writer." After going through it, I'd have a hard time arguing with that. This is a particularly nifty book for those just dipping their toes into the deceptively calm waters of Christian publishing. If you're writing with your eye on publication, this book deserves a place on your reference shelf.