Don’t Panic: 14 Underappreciated Douglas Adams Quotes for Writers, the Universe and Everyone
The great Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, apparently had a quote for every occasion.
4 Timeless Writing Tips from ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ Author Madeleine L’Engle
During her lifetime, Madeleine L'Engle published over 60 books for children and adults. We can learn a lot from L'Engle and her decades of writing experience through her words of wisdom.
Ever Wanted to Own a Bookshop? Here’s Your Chance to Win One, With 6 Months of Free Rent
You—yes, you—could be the proud owner of your very own bookshop. For your chance to win, all you have to do is explain, in 250 words or fewer, why bookstores are important to the community.
Do You Really Need Life Rights?
Doug Richardson, writer of Die Hard 2, Bad Boys and Hostage, shares advice on whether you need to get the life rights before you start that screenplay.
Why Independent Bookstores Matter Now More Than Ever
Independent bookstores directly serve the community and the individual. Their contributions are invaluable—and in ways that aren’t being replicated online.
Remembering Kirk Polking: Author, Writer’s Digest Editor, and Pioneer for Women in Writing
For Women's History Month, Writer's Digest remembers editor Dorothy Ann "Kirk" Polking (1925-2017), whose mark on the writing world and legacy for women writers live on today.
7 Cardinal Publishing Rules—And Why You Might Want to Break Them
As a leader and influencer in the publishing world, Skip Prichard knows all there is to know about the process of publishing a book. But when he began his own journey, he broke seven core publishing rules.
Interview: The Oscar-Nominated Writers Behind The Disaster Artist (Part Two)
Screenwriters Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter describe their creative process and the decisions that went into writing their Oscar-nominated comedy, The Disaster Artist.
6 Tips for Reimagining Classic Fiction in Your Writing
Reimagining classic fiction has been a common practice among authors since the dawn of novel writing. Here, learn a few lessons from the masters about writing novels that incorporate elements of the classics.
Where Do Characters Come From?
Author Mitch Silver discusses how he and other thriller masters came up with the characters who have led their greatest story ideas—and how you can create great characters too.
The Art of the Paragraph: Single-Sentence Paragraphs in Fiction
Paragraph writing in fiction doesn’t follow traditional rules. In this series, we cover how to write a good paragraph by exploring different lengths and kinds of paragraphs—and when to use them. Here, learn how to write a single-sentence paragraph.
Nicola Yoon Discusses Diverse Books and The Sun Is Also a Star, a Novel About Immigration and a Star-Crossed Romance
Nicola Yoon’s poignant and timely The Sun Is Also a Star hit the New York Times bestseller list and remained there for forty weeks. Here, we talk with Yoon about her new work, seeing herself reflected on the pages of a novel, and the need for diversity in books.
Writing a Trilogy: Essential Tips for Crafting a Three-Part Series
Declaring that you’re planning on writing a trilogy and crafting a successful one are not quite the same thing. Having just completed his own fantasy trilogy, Dan Koboldt shares what he learned in the process, book by book.
Interview: The Oscar-Nominated Writers Behind The Disaster Artist (Part One)
Screenwriters Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter dig into details about the development and writing behind their Oscar-nominated comedy, The Disaster Artist.
10 Ways to Overcome Lonely Writer Syndrome
One of the downsides to becoming a fulltime author or writer is that, by its very nature, writing can be a very lonely business. But there are things you can do to avoid lonely writer syndrome.
Short Training for Your Long Game: How Writing Short Stories Can Help You Hone Your Novel-Writing Skills
Even if you’re focused on writing a novel, writing short stories can be a wonderful creativity tool to help you strengthen elements of your fiction, experiment with characters and simply stay loose.
Blooper-Proof Your Novel: How to Find and Fix a ‘Reality Violation’
A reality violation occurs when something you’ve written is at odds with the way the world works—either the actual physical world (if you write realism), or the imaginary world (if you do world-building, as in sci-fi or fantasy). Here's how to detect and fix them.
Mean Ladies: One Writer’s Search for Fun & Friendship at New York’s Oldest Library
In this column, Leslie Cohen shares the humorous take of her quest to make the New York Society Library her new writing hangout—and make a few friends along the way.
For the Love of Love: 8 Benefits of Reading & Writing Romance Novels
Readers and writers of romance novels share the positive impact the books and the romance community have had in their lives.
What’s Your Ideal Writing Life?
Every writer needs support and encouragement. Lynn Dickinson's advice will support and assist you in creating a powerful and useful writing tool – an effective Vision of your Ideal Writing Life.
How Memory Loss Builds Suspense in The Buried Giant
The Buried Giant, Nobel Prize-winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2015 foray into Arthurian-inspired fantasy, is not the first book you would think of as a suspenseful novel. But Jane K. Cleland's principles of building suspense with memory loss explain how the device heightens tensions in novels like this one.
The Writer’s Digest Podcast, Episode 1: Interview with Jess Zafarris and Tyler Moss
For the debut episode of The Writer's Digest Podcast, Gabriela Pereira talks with Writer’s Digest insiders Jess Zafarris and Tyler Moss.
Author Victoria Laurie on Writing Realistic Psychics, Penning a Good Mystery and Her Publishing Journey
Victoria Laurie hit the ground running with her debut novel Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, and her career hasn’t slowed down since. She has multiple bestselling titles, and her latest novel, When, has been optioned by Warner Brothers for a TV adaptation. We talked to Laurie about writing mysteries, writing realistic psychics, and...
The Ultimate Guide to Book Trailers: How To Produce a Killer Book Promo Video
A good book promo video can go viral and help your book reach new audiences, but a bad one may do the opposite. Here are some key considerations and steps to successfully produce and distribute a book trailer that sells your book.