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May/June2013 Issue
May/June Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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There Are No Rules
Getting Published
Does Talent Eventually Get Discovered?
Many writers attend conferences to pitch their work to industry professionals, and nowhere is that more true than at our BEA event that we held on May 27, where more than 400 … Read more
What Does It Take for a Blog to Become a Book?
I find myself advising writers more and more frequently to develop an online presence first—sometimes by blogging—before attempting to get a book published. Some types of content simply work better online, or … Read more
Everything You Need to Know About Self-Publishing (Sort of)
In the March/April 2009 issue of Writer’s Digest magazine, our staff collaborated on a feature package that explains in plain English the hows and whys of self-publishing. Our goal: To be fair … Read more
Persistence Doesn't Matter If You Make This Common Mistake
I’ve talked with thousands of talented writers over the years, and nearly all unpublished writers have 1 thing in common that trips them up, every time. They rush to submit their work … Read more
Recap of 2009 BEA/WD Writers Conference
We had another amazing year at our writers conference hosted in conjunction with BookExpo America. Here are a few places you can find reaction and summaries: LA Splash has the most comprehensive … Read more
Just a Start (How a Writer Builds Confidence)
Today’s guest post is from the lovely Jane Koenen Bretl—an aspiring author taking one day at a time, and writing about it. Her blog, jane, candid, is a sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful, … Read more
5 Ways Writers & Book Publishers Need to Embrace Change NOW
In today’s writing and publishing industry, knowing how to change and quickly adapt to change can be your biggest competitive asset. This has been a key takeaway for me from the weekly … Read more
3 Reasons Why You Should NEVER Pitch at BEA
I’ve said it before—and many other people have said it, too—but it always bears repeating. Do not go to the BookExpo America trade show to pitch your book or self-published book to … Read more
Great Agent Advice from Pennwriters
This was my fourth year speaking at the wonderfully run Pennwriters annual conference. I gave a workshop on building platform, critiqued nonfiction with editor Matt Holliday (Pennsylvania magazine) and agent Uwe Stender … Read more
News, Events, and Free Info at Writer's Digest
Today I’m taking a little break to let you know about some other stuff happening at Writer’s Digest. Tomorrow I leave for the Pennwriters conference in Pittsburgh and will be Tweeting (@JaneFriedman) … Read more
The One Behavior That Spells Doom for Your Editor/Agent Relationship
A top-shelf journalist, Dan Baum, recently Tweeted about his experience breaking into and then writing for The New Yorker. You can read the full account here. It was fascinating to get an … Read more
Leading Indicator of Success: How You Deal With Loss, Failure, Rejection
Many years ago, when I was working as an associate editor for North Light Books (another imprint of F+W Media), I applied for the lead editor position on Writer’s Market. I interviewed … Read more
Are You Ready to Be a Bestselling Author? Then Listen to Alec Baldwin
When I’m feeling stressed at work, I love watching this clip from Glengarry Glen Ross, where Blake (played by Alec Baldwin) walks into a real-estate office on a rainy night to give … Read more
Warning: You Don't Want to Miss the Best Content of the Year
This week marks the 1-year anniversary of this blog, There Are No Rules. I am still finding the right combination of content and perspective that will help you, so on this anniversary, … Read more
Avoiding Red-Flag Mistakes on Your First Page
Yesterday, I presented a webinar on how you can critically review your manuscript (particularly the first pages) for red flags that lead to a rejection from an editor or agent. My thanks … Read more
Writers and the Recession: How Can You Succeed?
I was interviewed by Tad Richards of the New York Careers Examiner. We discuss writing, publishing, recession, and how everything is changing … and how writers need to shift strategy to succeed. … Read more
Best Tweets for Writers (4/13/09)
I watch Twitter, so you don’t have to. (We’ll see how long I can last.) If interested in where I found the Tweet, I’ve indicated the Twitter user. Most valuable Tweet of … Read more
Make Waves Online to Create a Path to Print Publication
On this blog, someone recently commented/asked: One big concern a lot of online writers have is the issue of first rights. Does publishing even part of a novel online prevent you from … Read more
Thanks to Query Letter Survivors, Plus Free Resources
Today I hosted a 90-minute session on query letters, dissecting and revising writers’ queries to make the best impact on an agent, so you can get that wonderful request for your partial … Read more
Benefits of the BEA/WD Conference, Plus a Note on Query Letters
Now in its seventh year, the program for the BookExpo America/Writer’s Digest Books Conference is now posted! I’ve been involved in the event for six years; my colleague Kelly Nickell (Twitter: @kmnickell) … Read more
5 Questions to Ask Yourself After Hearing: We Can't Sell Enough to Justify Publishing It
I’m often asked what to do if editors/agents love your work, but respond with a rejection saying that the market is too small. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself. 1. Is … Read more
Has Publishing Gone Nuts? Interview This Sunday
This Sunday at 4p EST, I’ll be on the air with Wordsmitten‘s Kate Sullivan, who interviews someone from the publishing industry each week on her radio show. You can listen here via … Read more
Announcing a Brand-New Market Book!
NEW this year from Writer’s Digest Books!Plagiarist’s MarketISBN: 0807504041 It’s time to turn a stereotype on its head. Plagiarism: It’s often cited as an example of what not to do in the … Read more
WD Editors' Intensive Cheat Sheet
A huge thanks to all the wonderful writers who are visiting our offices this weekend for Saturday’s educational workshops, plus Sunday’s critique day. I hope you took away some useful action steps … Read more
The First Five Minutes: How Editors Evaluate Your Manuscript
This afternoon, I presented a webinar with Alice Pope on how you can critically review your manuscript (particularly the first pages) for red flags that lead to a rejection from an editor … Read more
