February 2012 Issue
February Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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5 Simple Steps on Creating Suspense in Fiction
Whenever you cause readers to be curious about what comes next, you’re creating suspense in fiction writing. Here are five simple steps you can take to increase the level of suspense in your scenes. Read more
The 5 Steps to Writing a Novel that Sells
To create a marketable product—in this case, a salable manuscript—you need to follow these five steps. Although they may seem obvious, many writers ignore them. Read more
Learn How to Write a Synopsis Like a Pro
Learn how to write a synopsis with quick and easy tips for synopsis formats, see synopsis examples from fiction writing, and become a pro at writing a synopsis! Read more
Writing Rules: 10 Experts Take on the Writer’s Rulebook
Is it always better to show than tell? Do you really have to write every day? Experts prove there’s merit in both playing by the book and staging a writing rebellion. Read more
How to Overcome Writer’s Block Like a Bestselling Author
Writers everywhere have or will lack writing inspiration. Whether you need help to overcome writer’s block, or are simply looking for inspiration for writing, read our today’s tip, taken from Write Great … Read more
3 Reasons Why Some Books Never Sell
Why isn’t my book selling better than I expected? I hear this question on a regular basis from authors across America. There is no easy answer. However, there are a few ways to identify the root problem. Above all, if you’ve written a book that isn’t selling well, don’t blame the public. The market doesn’t lie. Millions of books are purchased every day. In contrast, if your book is struggling to sell, the problem is usually associated with one or more of the following issues … Read more
10 Tips to Avoid Clichés in Writing
It’s not enough to love our story ideas. We need to weigh their suitability as subjects for fiction, and then figure out how to go about making use of them. This means steering clear of cliché and its sappy cousin—melodrama. Here are 10 tips to help you do just that. Read more
10 Ways to Tell if Your Story Should be a Memoir or a Novel
Should your story be fictionalized or be a true telling of your life? You have to decide. Here are 10 factors to consider. Read more
10 Ways to Improve Your Writing While Thinking Like a Comedy Writer
Do you have the SWEATS: Serious Writer Experiencing Anxiety and Timidity Syndrome? If so, you don’t need medication to cope with your ailment—all you need is a shot of Comedy Writing 101. Here is a 10-part breakdown of how to write better and avoid the SWEATS. Read more
Why Julia Cameron Plays By Her Own Writing Rules
Alcoholism. A turbulent Hollywood marriage. Writer’s Block. For the author of The Artist’s Way, the path of the writer has never been a walk in the park. Read more
More & More & More Tales To Give You Goosebumps (Yeah, We’re Talking About R.L. Stine)
Hilarious! Scary! Terrifyingly prolific! Meet middle-grade horror legend R.L. Stine. Read more
How to Avoid 10 Common Conference Mistakes That Most Writers Make
10 top conference organizers reveal the 10 common pitfalls they most often see writers tumbling into—and how to avoid them. Read more
6 Simple Ways to Reboot Your Writing Routine
Abandoned manuscripts, dwindling writing time, stubborn computers—sometimes your writing life can feel like it’s lost the plot. It’s time to recenter and refocus—and start 2012 off right. Read more
10 Ways to Harness Fear and Fuel Your Writing
If we let the fear of rejection prevent us from pitching or querying or submitting, we are ensuring that we’ll never realize our aspirations. But when we consciously work with fear, we can actually harness this energy source in ways that support our writing goals and enhance our writing experience. Here are 10 ways to do it. Read more
Do You Need a Publisher Anymore? Hachette and J.A. Konrath Duke It Out
In his obituary to the year-long Domino Project, Seth Godin wrote that publishing companies and other traditional players that do not adapt to new modes of doing business will go extinct. Others have suggested the same.
Meanwhile, some authors like J.A. Konrath and David Gaughran have eschewed traditional relationships with publishers to create and distribute their work on their own. In the aftermath to the Book Country self-publishing tool launch from Penguin, some outspoken critics took the announcement as an opportunity to question publishers’ relevance.
Which Sample Chapters Should You Send to Agents?
When agents ask for sample chapters, which chapters should you include? If your strongest chapters fall in the middle, is it OK if I send those? The answer is different for fiction and nonfiction. Read more
50 Simple Ways to Build Your Platform in 5 Minutes a Day
If you’re the kind of writer who prefers being read and selling your work as opposed to being an unknown starving writer (who doesn’t?), here are 50 quick, simple ways to launch your platform into action and climb your way to success. Read more
How to Use an Outline to Write a First Draft
Once you’ve completed an outline, it’s time to put it to use and get to work on your first manuscript draft. Chances are, you’ll face a lot of questions. Let us help you answer them. Read more
Into vs. In To
Using “into” and “in to” interchangeably is a very common grammar faux pas—heck, my sister commits this grandiose error in e-mails at least twice a day and, despite my attempts to sick the grammar police on her, she continues to write recklessly. But if you understand their individual definitions, it’s easy to pick the right word to convey your true meaning and avoid the grammar police altogether. Read more
Ask the Pro: Literary Agent Adriana Dominguez Discuses Queries and More
Literary agent Adriana Dominguez is looking for manuscripts. Find out what kind, learn about the most common mistakes she sees in query letters and more. Read more
Is a Freelancing Career Feasible?
Q: I want to quit my day job and freelance full time, but I’m nervous that I won’t be able to make enough money to pay my bills. Can I really make … Read more
The 90 Top Secrets of Bestselling Authors
Here, some of the most successful writers in recent (and not-so-recent) memory share their take on everything from how they get ideas (or go find them), to the best way to start a manuscript (or why the only important thing is that you start at all), to their most methodical writing habits (and quirkiest rituals), to writing with the readers in mind (or ignoring them entirely). Read more
5 Steps to Transform Meals into Writing Experiences
Use these 5 steps to transform any meal or day in the kitchen into a written experience that will leave readers hungry for more. Read more
4 Ways Inspiration Helps You Beat Writer’s Block
Battling writer’s block? Relax. Research suggests inspiration will find you. Read more
The Fact-Check Checklist
You interviewed your sources for an article, wrote it up and turned it in. Done? Not yet. Often you need to provide backup info for the publication’s fact checkers, and requirements for doing so vary. With that in mind, here’s a checklist to keep even the toughest fact checkers happy—and to pave the way for that second assignment. Read more