May/June2013 Issue
May/June Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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Marketing Essentials Every Writer Should Know About
Author and marketing guru (and former WD columnist) MJ Rose capped the day of ThrillerFest sessions off with “Buzz Your Book: And the New Reality.” So what’s the new reality? Rose explains, and gives the 411 on an modern marketing essentials. Read more
Thriller Writing Made Easy: 4 Steps to Starting a Thriller
Want to write a thriller, but stuck on the beginning? Novelist Daniel Palmer uses his own experience and that of his father (bestseller Michael Palmer) and lays out the essentials to get you on your way. Read more
Catherine Coulter: 9 Simple Ways To Be a Better Writer
Catherine Coulter—who has had a stunning 62 New York Times bestsellers—shared her wisdom on the basics you must master before you worry about finding an agent, or dive too deeply into your book. Read more
Create Powerful Imagery in Your Writing
We’ve heard the old montage “Show, don’t tell” so many times that it’s become stale–and what does it mean, anyway? It’s an easy phrase to utter, but how do you achieve resonant, … Read more
The 13 Trickiest Grammar Hang-Ups
Even the best of us can stumble over rough grammar patches now and then. Grammar Girl shows you how to navigate 13 top trouble spots. Read more
The Rules of Storytelling, Pixar Style
Anyone whose ever seen a screening of a Pixar movie (Finding Nemo, Up, and the Toy Story trio come to mind for me) knows that the writers of these charming, funny and … Read more
7 Simple Ways to Make a Good Story Great
To stand out to the gatekeepers who hold the keys to publication, it’s not enough for your story to be good. Use these techniques to take your fiction to new heights. Read more
5 Story Mistakes Even Good Writers Make
Sometimes it’s too easy to get caught up in the so-called rules of writing and forget what’s really important. Here’s how to avoid the traps that can steer your story off-course.
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7 Things That Will Doom Your Novel (& How to Avoid Them)
You can doom your debut from the start with these 7 (tongue-in-cheek) strategies for flailing, and failing—or, you can do just the opposite. Read more
4 Editing & Proofreading Techniques For Your Novel
Joseph Bates, author of The Nighttime Novelist, shares tips for editing and proofreading a novel or book. Creating A System For Editing & Proofreading Revision is really about seeing your book as … Read more
How to Sell Your Manuscript Without an Agent
First-time author Diane Kelly offers 4 strategies to connect with editors and sell your manuscript—without an agent. Read more
Top 10 Blogging Tips: How to Turn Your Blog Into a Book
If you’d like to quickly amass content for a book—without the pressure of actually having to work on one—consider blogging a book. Blogging is a fast and simple way to generate a … Read more
What is a Minor Character: Understanding the Minor Characters’ Role
So where is the dividing line between major and minor charactors? There isn’t one. The different levels shade into each other, and as you master the techniques appropriate to each level, you’ll be able to create each character at exactly the level of importance the story requires. Here’s how to master the techniques. Read more
23 Timeless Quotes About Writing
While fad advice in the writing world comes and goes, some wisdom is so novel that it’s withstood the test of time. Culled from 91 years of WD articles, interviews and essays, here are 23 of our favorite writing quotes of enduring advice and inspiration. Enjoy. Read more
How to Write Effective Supporting Characters
Your cast of supporting characters should reflect what your protagonist needs. Here’s how to craft strong supporting characters to make your novel jump off the page. Read more
Freelance Writing: 10 Tips to Better Interviews
Whether you’re working on an article or researching your book, steal a page from the psychology world using these 10 methods to get the most from your interviews. Read more
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Gene Weingarten Shares his Thoughts on Writing
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Gene Weingarten shares his thoughts on writing, reporting and how, exactly, to capture the meaning of life Read more
The Dos and Don’ts of Novel Endings
In learning how to end your novel with a punch, it’s important to know what you can and can’t do to write success novel endings that attract agents, publishers and, most important, readers. Here are the dos and don’ts of writing a strong closer. Read more
10 Foolproof Tips to Launch a Regional Writing Conference
No writers conferences in your area? No worries. Follow these 10 foolproof tips to launch your own regional writing conference. Read more
How to Write a Manuscript: 5 Key Tips
So you have a great idea for a novel or nonfiction book but you just don’t know where to begin? Have no fear: I’ve devised a pretty simple plan that will help guide you. Read more
How to End a Novel With a Punch
Your closer is the most important incident in the novel, which is why you must know it inside and out so you know how to end a novel that agents want to rep. Read more
How to Resurrect a Stalled Manuscript
Is your manuscript stuck? Take a break from completing your fiction project and diagnose it. Here’s how to take your manuscript into its next phase: completion. Read more
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
