The Writer's Essential Desk Reference Author:Glenda Tennant Neff (Editor) This book anticipates questions and gives answers to writers at any stage of their career, covering such topics as establishing a business, researching and polishing manuscripts and selling their work. — Here's a guide for writers that doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties. The statement, "History offers few greater mismatches than that... more » of publisher vs. writer," is a fair indication of the tone. Record-keeping, contracts, agents, and every legal tax angle are discussed with authority. The Canadian scene, much kinder to writers because of its national health care, is also covered. Listed are professional publications, fellowships and grants, conferences, and colonies from celebrated to obscure. The chapters on library and commercial database use are well informed; so too is the explanation of how to make use of the Freedom of Information Act. Types of markets are discussed, from neighborhood papers (the easiest) to corporate, specialty, and trade publications. More for nonfiction writers than for poets or fiction writers, but otherwise this book is exemplary.