May/June2013 Issue
May/June Issue
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Author Archives: Brian A. Klems
Terrible Musician
You’ve just been to the worst concert of your life. Afterward, you head to a bar with friends and start drowning your disgust. Moments later, the musician (or musicians) shows up. You decide to confront the musician about the lousy performance and ask for your money back. The musician suggests a different approach to repaying you. Write what happens. Read more
5 Literary Agents Seeking New Clients
When trying to get your manuscript published, it’s often beneficial to have an agent on your side. Agents not only have connections within the publishing industry but they also read hundreds of proposals a year, giving them better perspective of what will sell and what won’t. Here are five literary agents currently looking to sign new writers (and where you can find more). Read more
What Happened to Your Pants?
Pretend you are a recovering alcoholic who falls off the wagon while attending your high school reunion. Start your story with “I hadn’t had a drink in nearly 10 years” and end it with “If only I could remember where I left my pants.” Read more
3 Ways to Get Published: How to Turn Your Manuscript into a Published Book
The goal for most of us writers is to get our work published. We dream of the day we walk through our local bookstore and see our name on the cover of a book. While getting published isn’t the only way to validate oneself as a writer, it certainly is one of the most gratifying. It’s also one of the most challenging. Here are your top options. Read more
Book Contract: What’s Negotiable and What’s Not
Here’s a list of everything you should ask about when negotiating a publishing contract. Read more
5 Ways to Come Up With Great Story Ideas
Here are five ways that will help pump up your creativity muscle and build story ideas that will keep you writing for hours on end. Read more
A Mad Scientist Approaches You With an Offer
A mad scientist approaches you with an offer—he will heighten one of your senses, but it will make one of your other senses duller. It isn’t optional; he’s going to perform the surgery anyway, but you get to choose which two senses. Write this scene. Read more
Your 2013 New Year’s Resolution Top 10 List
Make a New Year’s resolution list that includes 10 goals. They don’t all have to be writing-related, but at least 3 of them do. Then refer to this post often this year and update it as you complete your goals. Read more
New Year’s Eve Letter from Future You
At exactly midnight on New Year’s Eve you receive an email labeled “Open Immediately.” The really strange thing is that the email is apparently from your future self. What does it say? Read more
Why Did Santa Kidnap You?
You wake up in a daze only to find out you’ve been kidnapped and are currently tied up to a chair. After hours of unsuccessfully trying to escape, a door starts to open. Your kidnapper is none other than—Santa Claus? Write a story explaining why Santa kidnapped you and what he intends to do with you. Read more
The 19 Most Popular Articles on Writing of 2012
During its first full year in action, my WritersDigest.com blog (The Writer’s Dig) reached amazing heights and has become one of the most popular parts of our website. First, I want to thank everyone for that—without your support and clicks, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love, which is find and share excellent information on the writing and publishing process. Second, I’ve gathered my 19 most popular articles from this past year and posted them in one list for you to have and enjoy. Here they are. Read more
Connecticut, Our Thoughts Are With You
We are in shock and completely devastated to hear about the tragedy in Connecticut today. As a father of three young children, I can’t even imagine the heartbreak and hell these families are unjustly being put through. From the entire Writer’s Digest staff, our thoughts, prayers and hearts go out to everyone involved. Read more
The 12-12-12 Big Clearance Sale From Writer’s Digest
Forget about Black Friday—Writer’s Digest is offering up some of the most heavily discounted deals of the year on 12/12/12 Tuesday! Throughout all of today, December 12, 2012, get discounts as high as 80% on books, ebooks, CDs, DVDs and more of the best writing resources around. Find out more here. Read more
A Haiku of Bad Habits
Write a haiku (three lines: five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables) about your significant other’s most annoying habit/feature. Or, do the same for a friend, coworker, family member or pet. Read more
Your Elf on the Shelf is Stealing From You
You brought an Elf on the Shelf into your home, but instead of him visiting Santa every night, you believe that he is mysteriously stealing money from your wallet and taking nightly trips to (fill in the blank). One night you stay awake and secretly follow him to find out the truth. Write this scene. Read more
Introducing “Caption Me Thursday” (& Win a Prize)
I like to snap random photos of things I find amusing. I’ve been trying to find some use for them and I think I finally have it: Introducing “Caption Me Thursday,” a new weekly event on this blog where I post an odd photo and you give it a caption. Here’s how it works. Read more
Need Some Writing Gifts for that Writer in Your Life (You, Perhaps)?
Writer’s Digest’s Christmas & Holiday Gifts for Writers is filled with great writing gift ideas that will not only help any aspiring author write better, but also take that big step to land a literary agent and get published. Click here to check it out. Read more
Reject a Hit: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Let’s step once again into the role of the unconvinced, perhaps even curmudgeonly or fool-hearted editor: What harsh rejection letters might the authors of some of our favorite hit books have had to endure? This contribution comes from Chris Gay of Manchester, Conn., who found Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol to be as tedious as a bowl of plum pudding. Read more
Tell Santa You’ve Been Good
Last year, Santa didn’t bring you what you wanted for Christmas and you were left to assume it’s because you weren’t a good boy (or girl). Start building a case for getting that gift you want this year by making a list of your good deeds to date and what else you plan to do before December 25th. Read more
12 Writer’s Digest Deals of December: Day 2, Deal 2
It’s day two of our annual 12 Deals of December, where we release a new deal of great savings on Writer’s Digest resources (books, bundles, etc.) from December 1st through December 12th. These discounts are big and meant to help you get more for less around the holidays. So without further ado, here’s today’s deal … Read more
12 Writer’s Digest Deals of December: Day 1, Deal 1
It’s time for our annual 12 Deals of December, where we release a new deal of great savings on Writer’s Digest resources (books, bundles, etc.) from December 1st through December 12th. (I love these offers because it reminds me of my favorite holiday song, the “12 Days of Christmas”). These discounts are big and meant to help you get more for less around the holidays. So without further ado, here’s today’s deal … Read more
NaNoWriMo Giveaway (Day 30): How to Land a Literary Agent
As NaNoWriMo comes to an end, we have one last giveaway—and it’s a big one! Today’s freebie is a special 90-minute webinar that details all of the tips and insights you need to know to get the attention of an agent and provide them with the information they need about your book. Enjoy! Read more
NaNoWriMo Giveaway (Day 28): How to End a Novel
In honor of National Novel Writing Month, I’m going to be offering free content each weekday in November to help all NaNoWriMo participants (and, really, anyone who is working on a novel). Here is today’s giveaway: A worksheet that features the basic questions you should be answering in your closing scenes. Read more
Celebrity Fender Bender
While driving to pick up lunch, you accidentally bump into the car in front of you—a light fender bender—that pops open the other car’s trunk. When you get out to assess the damage, you notice that the driver of the other car is none other than your favorite actor. More important, you notice a dead body in the trunk. Who is the actor and what elaborate excuse does he give you to explain the dead body in his trunk? Read more
NaNoWriMo Giveaway (Day 27): A Worksheet to Help You Write the Perfect Climax to Your Novel
In honor of National Novel Writing Month, I’m going to be offering free content each weekday in November to help all NaNoWriMo participants (and, really, anyone who is working on a novel). Here is today’s giveaway: A free worksheet that will help you think through the key questions you should be asking – questions that will ensure the most powerful, satisfying climax possible. Read more
