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There Are No Rules
There Are No Rules Blog by the Editors of Writer’s Digest
Get on the cutting edge of today’s publishing trends and how authors can succeed in a world of fast-paced technological change, guided by the editors of Writer’s Digest. You’ll get an inside look at the work, play, and passion of the publishing business and find practical tools for success.
A Thank-You to Self-Publishing Webinar Participants
This afternoon, I presented a webinar on self-publishing, meant to give an overview of how and why you might self-publish, and how much you should invest (monetarily) in it. If you weren’t … Read more
Are You Annoyed When Told to Visit a Website (While Reading Print)?
I received my first piece of reader mail in response to my article “Straight Expectations” in WD’s March/April 2009 issue, which gives the official Writer’s Digest stance on whether or not writers … Read more
Book Reading (and Writing): Is It a Fundamental Human Need?
I don’t like the term e-book very much. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to mean in the long run. We even have trouble defining what it means in book publishing contracts. … Read more
How Much Do You Care? It Might Determine Your Success
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the concept of caring (and understanding), and how it affects our choices in life—whether to build a partnership with someone, to buy or commit to … Read more
Handling Digital/Electronic Rights to Your Shorter Works
A reader of this blog (and MWW member!), Cathy Shouse, wrote to ask: The Saturday Evening Post is buying first rights to my financial articles and are also including the right to … Read more
The End of Cultural Authority
There’s a great interview over at Poets & Writers with four editors in book publishing. One of the best bits: Q: When you look at the industry, what are the biggest problems … Read more
Should Your Book Really Be a Book? How About a Website First?
One of the key points from my January webinar about salable nonfiction book concepts is that not every concept (or author) is ready for immediate book publication. Sometimes you should start by … Read more
The Burden, Joy, and Necessity of Networking
I have a confession. I am a lousy networker. I make this admission as I sit behind the Writer’s Digest table at the AWP Bookfair, and watch people walk past. Dozens and … Read more
Secrets of Great Storytelling (Particularly for Memoirists)
If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you know how strongly I recommend Ira Glass as a resource on learning how to storytell. Even though his medium is radio, the same … Read more
WD Editor Intensives in 2009 (Registration Open for March)
After our successful debut of the WD Editors’ Intensive in December 2008, we’ve decided to make it a quarterly event. This event is unique because: It’s run at Writer’s Digest headquarters in … Read more
Headed to AWP in Chicago
Tomorrow morning I hit the road for the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference, held this year in Chicago. Writer’s Digest is exhibiting as part of the AWP Bookfair, which is … Read more
Finalists and Voting! Red Heart :: Black Heart Writing Contest
We received about 650 entries for our Valentine’s Day writing contest, and narrowed the field down to 10 finalists. Now you get to choose the winner! Visit our forum and vote for … Read more
Our Newest Look at Self-Publishing
The March/April 2009 issue of Writer’s Digest magazine is now available, and it has an in-depth focus on self-publishing. There’s an article by yours truly, that shows you where Writer’s Digest stands … Read more
More Books on Phones (and Other News for Writers)
It’s Friday, time for a little reading break, so I’m sharing with you the latest interesting news I’ve digested this week. Just today, the New York Times reported that Amazon is looking … Read more
A Follow-Up on the Piracy Issue
There was an interesting comment related to my piracy post that I responded to within the comments, but that I’d like to bring more visibility to, in case other people have different … Read more
Blogging Services for Writers to Try
As a follow-up to yesterday’s post about meaningful blogging, one of the writing community staff (thanks, Winter!) recommended that I link to a few services where you can start a blog. Here … Read more
How Writers Can Start Blogging in a Meaningful Way
Last week, one of my webinar participants from 3 Secrets to Getting Your Nonfiction Book Published asked a question about blogging (in the comments section of this post): You indicated today that … Read more
Should Writers Worry About the Pirating of E-Books?
Many unpublished writers worry that their ideas will get stolen, or that their work will get stolen before it reaches publication. I always counsel writers to stop this unproductive thinking. First, writing … Read more
Fiction Writers Need Platforms, Too
There were many wonderful comments here last week that I plan to address. The first comes from Linda Adams, on The Essential Components of an (Unpublished) Author’s Website: I should note though … Read more
Nonfiction Webinar Participants: Thank You!
Thanks to everyone who participated in today’s webinar on getting your nonfiction book published. I hope you found the information and the critiques helpful. (And some of you still have critiques coming.) … Read more
Do Writers' Futures Lie in Indie E-Publishing Platforms?
The March/April issue of Writer’s Digest magazine hits newsstands in the week ahead; its feature package focuses on self-publishing. While the issue touches on all forms of self-publishing—print as well as digital/electronic—we … Read more
BUT I Can't Curl Up With an E-Book in Bed (and Other Fake Arguments Against the Future)
Can you dramatically and meaningfully improve your life overnight with one purchase? I did. I am now on Day 11 of my New Improved Life With iPhone. I used to poo-poo all-in-one … Read more
The Essential Components of an (Unpublished) Author's Website
Over at Harper Studio’s blog, The 26th Story, they recently discussed what constitutes a really meaningful author website. They give an excellent big-picture view of how a website is like an extension … Read more
Red Heart :: Black Heart Writing Contest
You heard it here first: For the first time in 2009, Writer’s Digest is hosting a Valentine’s Day writing contest. We’re calling it the Red Heart :: Black Heart writing contest, and … Read more
Craft a Salable Nonfiction Hook
As promised, I am critiquing two nonfiction book concepts that were submitted in the comments of my post yesterday. (Background: If you’re one of the first 50 people to sign up for … Read more
