July/August 2013 Issue
July/August Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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Writing Short Stories & Essay Writing
Writing short stories, fiction and essays isn’t easy – in fact, the relative brevity of these pieces can make them even more challenging to create. Inside you’ll learn the best techniques for doing it well, and using those pieces as a springboard for lengthier works.
How to Make Your Novel a Page Turner
Never underestimate the power of suspense—in any genre. Use these surefire techniques to make your book one readers won’t be able to put down.
by Elizabeth Sims
Publishing 101: What You Need to Know
Here’s your step-by-step guide to the publishing process–how it works, why you need to know and how you can play an influential role in your book’s success.
by Jerry D. Simmons
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The 7 Biggest Myths of Publishing (Know the Truth)
A veteran author tells you, writer to writer, what getting published is really like—and confronts the seven biggest myths.
by Elizabeth Sims
How to Weave in Backstory to Reveal Character
Creating characters’ backstories before you start writing is crucial because you’ll want to determine each one’s past experiences and the repercussions these experiences will have on your story before you begin. Here’s a close look at the different ways you can introduce backstory.
by Rachel Ballon
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Creating Characters: 4 Simple Exercises
Here are 4 simple exercises to help you invent characters for your fiction.
by Nancy Kress
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11 Plot Pitfalls – And How to Rescue Your Story From Them
We’ve all been there: basking in the glow of a finished manuscript, only to read it over and realize something is wrong with the plot. Finding ourselves unable to identify the problem only makes matters worse. But take heart! Here are some common plot gaffes and sensible ways to revise without starting over.
by Laura Whitcomb
5 Easy Tips to Strengthen Your Scenes
Here are some simple techniques for revising scenes so your edifice will stand the test of time.
by James Scott Bell
Michael Crichton’s Top 5 Writing Lessons
Karen Dionne, author of Freezing Point, reveals what her late hero, Michael Crichton, taught her about crafting solid fiction.
The Anatomy of a Writer’s Website
Whether you build it yourself or hire a designer, your website can do more than bring you into the 21st century—it can be an invaluable part of your marketing arsenal.
by Linda Formichelli Read more
Beginnings
Read chapter 9, "Beginnings," from The Glimmer Train Guide to Writing Fiction, Volume 1: Building Blocks Read more
Steve Berry’s 8 Rules of Writing
Bestselling thriller writer Steve Berry says there are eight key rules that all writers must know and follow. Read more
Don’t Use Adverbs and Adjectives to Prettify Your Prose
Learn how adjective and adverbs create redundancy and promote lazy writing and see how you can make your writing direct, vivid, and descriptive without making your readers want to get rid of your book.
by William Noble
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Fiction: Point of View
How many times have you heard this around the workshop table: “Why don’t you consider a new point of view?” (Actually, the term used more often is “POV” because it sounds a lot cooler, I suspect.) Everyone then agrees that a new POV might help matters, including the writer, who knew something was wrong and is now relieved to have a likely suspect.
by Steve Almond Read more
From First Draft to Finish Novel
A Writer’s Guide to Cohesive Story Building Read more
Defining and Developing Your Anti-Hero
Anti-heros are the bastards of fiction—those bad guys readers love to hate and hate to love. Find out whats makes a memorable anti-hero tick in this excerpt from Bullies, Bastards & Bitches by Jessica Page Morrell. Read more
The Four Commandments of Writing Good Sentences
If you want to write a good sentence, don’t pay any attention to your grammar. I don’t mean “a sentence this like OK is.” I mean don’t automatically think you’ve written a good sentence just because it’s grammatically correct. Lots of bad sentences are grammatically correct. Some of these bad sentences might even be yours.
by Bonnie Trenga Read more
Challenging the Limits of Memory
In this excerpt from Writing Life Stories, Bill Roorbach teaches you how to pay attention to and translate your memories and how to overcome your resistance to remembered places and events. Read more
Publish Your First Book After 50
Who says publishing is a young person’s game? Here are an agent’s tips for writing and publishing well into your golden years.
By Scott Hoffman
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The Hunt for Red-Hot Anecdotes
What’s the secret to finding great personal stories for articles when you’ve run out of usual suspects? Learn to make your writing up-close and personal by scoping out these four sure-fire resources. Read more
Create a Journaling Space
Carve out a time and place for writing amid the rush of life. Learn to honor soul time. Read more
Writing in Winter
Time introduces a new character to our lives each season, one with a temperature and temperament that affects our own. Take the time to record the details of your life in winter. Read more
Shelter From the Storm
Learn how to use a journal to weather a life-threatening illness. Read more
