March/April 2014 Issue
March/April Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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Author Archives: Brian A. Klems
One More Round
As an online companion to our article in the October 2012 issue, read more tales about writerly drinking legends Oscar Wilde, Dylan Thomas, Edgar Allan Poe, and Dorothy Parker. Read more
Fanning Out
Delve deeper into the expansive universe of fan fiction with our bonus list of more popular websites you can visit to read—and post—fan work. Read more
Which vs. That
The battle over whether to use which or that is one many people struggle to get right. It’s a popular grammar question and most folks want a quick rule of thumb so they can get it right. Here it is. Read more
Terrible Concert
You’ve just been to the worst rock concert of your life. You’re at a bar with friends, drowning your disgust, when the lead singer of the band shows up and offers to buy you a drink. You agree to under one condition—and that deal leads to one memorable night. Read more
How Do I Resubmit a Revised Manuscript?
The rules of resubmitting a revised manuscript are pretty simple, but it’s important to take a few extra steps to ensure the editor remembers you and your story. Here’s what you need to do. Read more
Do Agents Represent Freelancers?
Are there any literary agents who represent nonfiction writers looking to publish magazine articles? If so, how does a writer find one? Here’s what you need to know about literary agents and magazine articles. Read more
What You Really Need to Know About Memoir Writing
I’ve always thought that if I were to ever write a memoir, it’d be the most boring 80,000 words in the history of publishing (or at least a close second to this). My life has, thus far, been fun, entertaining and interesting to me, but how would that translate into an interesting story? Then I started reading the 5-Minute Memoir. Read more
Something’s Wrong With This Wedding
Your best friend from college has invited you to his wedding. You haven’t seen him for years, so you’re excited to catch up. But when you arrive at the wedding, you discover that your best friend’s bride is someone from your past—and you realize you must stop the wedding at all costs. Read more
The Rule is Not “A” Before Consonants and “An” Before Vowels
Many people get this rule wrong, including some of the most grammatically sound people I know. The real rule is this. Read more
Grammar Rules: CEO Stands Up For Grammar (& Why That’s Important)
Over the past couple of decades, I believe grammar has taken a beating–and not just in an “LOL” kind of way, but in a “I’m too lazy to learn the difference between ‘to’ and ‘too’” kind of way. So when the CEO of iFixit.com stood up for grammar in a recent piece he wrote for the Harvard Business Review (I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here’s Why.), I started applauding from my desk. Here’s what he had to say. Read more
Bonus Mystery Kits Just for You
Our July Mystery Kit sold out in record time, but I was given a handful specifically for readers of the No Rules Blog—including you! If you like writing mystery or thriller novels, this collection has everything you need to get your story started, in shape and ready to send to agents and publishers (and at a heavily discounted price). Check it out here. Read more
A Newspaper From the Future
You are walking to your car when you pass a boy selling newspapers on the street. He doesn’t look like he’s getting any customers, so you buy a copy, only to discover that it’s dated a week from today. And one particular story makes you realize you need to take action—now. Read more
Can Critiques Be Useful Before a Draft Is Complete?
Is it a good idea to get feedback before you’ve finished your first draft or should you wait until it’s completed? Here’s what you need to consider before handing off your work to others for critiquing. Read more
So You Want to Write a Novel (This is Hilarious)
OK, so as a young writer many moons ago and as a weathered editor today, I can admit that, when it comes to the publishing industry, I’ve spanned the scale from naive to cynical to cautiously optimistic. But this video really, really made me laugh. Read more
Follow That Man
You’re a taxi driver in a one-light town. You’ve arrived at the county library to pick up your passenger, a girl no older than thirteen. She says, “You see that Mexican restaurant across the street? In about five minutes, a man is going to come out of that restaurant, and I want you to follow him.” Read more
The 7 Deadly Sins of Writing
In a thought-provoking ThrillerFest panel provided by WD managing editor Zachary Petit, four popular authors shared what they believe to be the deadly sins of the writing craft. Here are seven of their offerings. Have you committed any of them? Read more
Golf Fundraiser Takes an Interesting Turn
You’re on a golf course taking part in a fundraiser to cure a disease that’s near and dear to your heart. On the 11th hole, you hit a ball into the woods. While searching for that ball, you see a white rabbit that stops, looks you right in the eye and says, “Follow me.” Read more
A Mad Scientist Approches You
A mad scientist approaches you with an offer: He has a secret potion that will help you get the thing you want most in this world—be it a person, a thing, an ability, etc. What you don’t know (and won’t reveal until the end of your story) is that there is one dire consequence (not death) from drinking the potion. Read more
What a Novel Can Do That Film and TV Can’t (Plus, Win a Free Copy of Office Girl!)
Award-winning author Joe Meno (Hairstyles of the Damned) explores the differences of what a novel can do that other narrative forms—such as film, television, stages plays, video games—can’t or don’t necessarily seemed suited for. PLUS: Win a copy of his latest novel, Office Girl. Click through to learn more. Read more
The 8 Essential Elements of a Nonfiction Book Proposal
In the process of writing my own nonfiction book proposal earlier this year (thanks to my Year of Amazing pledge), I searched everywhere I could for tips and advice on how to write a nonfiction book proposal. Many were great, but super lengthy and time consuming to read. I found this advice once offered by former Writer’s Digest publisher Jane Friedman (who rejected and approved proposals over the years) not only spot on, but easy to digest. I followed them and I landed a literary agent. Read on as these tips could help you, too. Read more
Skeleton in Your Closest – Literally
When you go to get dressed one morning, you discover that there really is a skeleton in your closet. Write this scene—discover how it got there, why it is there, what to do with it now. Read more
Beware of Reading Fees & Contests
There are certain red flags that should catch the eye of any writer. Here are a couple simple ones that will save you time (and money). Read more
Snuck vs. Sneaked
“Sneaked” versus “snuck” is one of those classic grammarian conundrums that you’ll hear word enthusiasts debate all the time. Here’s a simple explanation to make sure you’re using the right word. Read more
The “Brian Rocks” Winner (It Pays to Read the Rules)
Last week I held a contest to see which book we’d discount down to $5 for a weekend sale. But I also sneaked a little Easter Egg into the rules of the contest. Did you see it? Read more
You Voted, We Listened! Facebook Fans select ‘On Writing Fiction’ for $5 sale
Enjoy this special weekend deal thanks to all the good people who follow us on Facebook. Read more