February 2014 Issue
February Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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18th Annual Self-Published Book Awards Winners – Inspirational
Announcing the Inspirational winners of the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards.
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How I Found My Agent: Susan Pohlman
“How I Got My Agent” is a recurring feature on the GLA blog. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings. If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we’ll talk specifics.
Susan Pohlman is author of the travel memoir Halfway to Each Other: How a Year In Italy Brought Our Family Home, winner of the relationships category in the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Good Housekeeping called the book “a remarkable story.” Susan is also the writer of three award-winning short films, and a magazine freelancer. Read more
Helpful Insights for Self-Publishing Novelists
I moderated a panel at SXSW called The Self-Publishing Novelist, which included insights from 3 experienced experts: John Sundman. Read an interview with John here, Building an Enthusiastic Fan Base as a … Read more
The Very Beginning: Your Opening Scene
In this excerpt from Chapter 1: The Very Beginning: Your Opening Scene from Nancy Kress’s Elements of Fiction Writing: Beginnings, Middles, & Ends, you’ll learn:
- why it’s so important to establish your story’s promise
- how to establish strong characters
- tactics to make sure readers keep reading.
Beginnings, Middles, & Ends
Find out more about Elements of Fiction Writing: Beginnings, Middles, & Ends by Nancy Kress.
- Hook readers, agents, and editors in the first three paragraphs.
- Make and keep your story’s implicit promise to the reader.
- Build drama and credibility by controlling your prose.
Q&A With Nancy Kress
Read an exclusive Q&A with Nancy Kress, author of Elements of Fiction Writing: Beginnings, Middles, & Ends.
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Take Back Your Lunch Hour
In this excerpt from Chapter 4: Writers, Take Back Your Lunch Hour from Áine Greaney’s Writer With a Day Job, you’ll learn:
- how to make your lunch hour work for you
- the most effective ways to organize your time at lunch
- how much you can really expect to get done in an hour
Writer With a Day Job
In Writer With a Day Job by Áine Greaney
- Learn how to balance a day job and a writing life
- Find exercises, inspiration, and techniques you need to build creative expression into your daily life.
- Get quick, practical tutorials to help you master scenes, point of view, characters, settings, dialogue, and more
How to Craft Compelling Characters
To make characters seem real, you need to tap into what drives them. Use this foolproof method to bring the emotion of your story to life.
by David Corbett
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Finding Your Memoir’s Voice
Literary agent Paula Balzer discussed finding your voice in this excerpt from her book WRITING & SELLING YOUR MEMOIR. Read more
18th Annual Self-Published Book Awards Winners – Life Stories
Announcing the Life Stories winners of the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards.
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18th Annual Self-Published Book Awards Winners – Reference
Announcing the Reference winners of the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards.
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18th Annual Self-Published Book Awards Winners – Nonfiction
Announcing the Nonfiction winners of the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards.
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18th Annual Self-Published Book Awards Winners – Poetry
Announcing the Poetry winners of the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards.
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18th Annual Self-Published Book Awards Winners – Middle Grade/Young Adult
Announcing the Middle Grade/Young Adult winners of the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards.
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Online Exclusive: Stock Your Bookshelves the Pat Conroy Way
In this bonus online exclusive, Pat Conroy (The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini and other contemporary Southern classics) shares recollections and recommendations of some of his favorite bookstores, past and present, across his native South.
by Lynn Seldon
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Learn How Less Can Be More
Read the winning story in WD’s 11th Annual Short Short Story Competition, and find out more about how its author, Mikala Engel, conveyed big emotion in a small word count. Read more
Get Started With Your Own Website or Blog
If you’re serious about your career as an author, you need a website. And the sooner you get one going, the better. Why? The most important reason: There’s a learning curve. You … Read more
Elements of a Successful Fiction Platform
To really make your name, you need to put it out there—and not just on the cover of your book. Here, novelists share which strategies for attracting readers work, which ones don’t, and why craft is still as important as ever.
By Christina Katz
Returning Characters to Life
On Writing Fiction author David Jauss discusses Chekhov’s subversive endings in this insightful essay.
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How to Get Reviews for Self-Published Books
Today’s guest post is by Joel Friedlander, one of the most informative people I know on the topic of self-publishing. Go visit his blog, or follow him on Twitter. – It’s never … Read more
How to Start a Professional Newsletter for Free
Last year, I talked about why authors need to start building an e-mail list … NOW. Even though it may sound antiquated in light of other tools available, e-mail is still one … Read more
10 Ways to Start Your Story Better
A good opening line is a powerful thing: It can grab an editor’s attention, set the tone for the rest of the piece, and make sure readers stay through The End. Here are 10 ways to steer your story toward success.
by Jacob M. Appel
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