The WD Interview: Susan Orlean on The Library Book and Finding the Red-Hot Center of the Story
Susan Orlean talks to WD about the challenges of researching and writing The Library Book, and how libraries are meeting the needs of 21st century patrons.
The Dos and Don’ts When Meeting Agents at Writing Conferences
Writers often attend conferences to meet face-to-face with agents. Rita Rosenkranz and Lisa Hagan offer tips on how you can get the most out of an agent meeting.
The Author’s Guide to Business Cards
Since writing is a business, an author needs to be a professional. E.J. Wenstrom shares advice on the do's and don'ts of business cards for authors.
How to Make Yourself Look Good Without Lying
How should talented, upcoming writers present themselves to editors when pitching articles? Freelance professional Katherine Swarts has a few tips.
Profit Spikes in Short Bursts of Time: Small Projects Writers Should Pursue
Writing to Make Money: Short Projects author Loriann Oberlin tells how putting your energy into short writing projects can surge freelance writing income.
Team Up! What Makes Writing Groups Work
Six successful groups share their secrets for creating an inspiring, tight-knit writing clan.
In the Chorus That Surrounds Every Writer, Listen to the Voice That’s Your Own
It is easy to get lost in the flurry of feedback you get after sharing your writing for critique. Lorraine Devon Wilke shares how not to lose track of your own voice in the process.
The WD Interview: Author N.K. Jemisin on Creating New Worlds and Playing with Imagination
The master fantasy world-builder reveals her secrets to success on Patreon and speculates on how imagination might test-drive our future.
Representation in Fiction: How to Write Characters Whose Experiences Are Outside of Your Own
As publishing endeavors to address inclusion and diverse representation in fiction, an inevitable question arises: Can authors write characters whose experience is outside of their own?
Writing Exercise: Judge a Book By its Cover
Everyone knows the old adage that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. However, imagining what a book might be about based on what you see on the cover can be a useful writing exercise.
Third-Person Limited: Analyzing Fiction’s Most Flexible Point of View
From fast-paced action to intimate drama, third-person limited POV can be adapted to any scene or situation.
Self-Publishing Audiobooks: Why Should You Consider It?
As WD author Jessica Kaye shares in the opening paragraphs of her book The Guide to Publishing Audiobooks, audiobooks are reaching more people than ever. Here are her thoughts about why you might consider self-publishing audiobooks.
indieLAB: The Rise of Self-Publishing 3.0
What is Self-Publishing 3.0? Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) founder Orna Ross explains the shift from the earliest iterations of self-publishing to today's landscape with Self-Publishing 3.0.
Crowdfunding a Novel: Fantastic and Frustrating
Interested in crowdfunding a novel? Susan K. Hamilton, who has crowdfunded two novels, shares the joys and frustrations authors can expect when publishing via this 21st century route.
Interview with Dima Ghawi: WD’s 26th Annual Self-Published Book Awards Winner
Breaking Vases author and Self-Published Book Awards Winner Dima Ghawi talks about finding the strength to tell her personal story and how she produced the book while building her new business.
Min Jin Lee: Finding Story Ideas That Truly Provoke Your Passions
Pachinko author Min Jin Lee talks about finding story ideas that truly provoke your passions and how to tune out the burden of expectations.
Who Is Your Target Audience? Use This Simple Trick to Figure Out If They Actually Exist
A major conundrum that trips up many new writers is defining your target audience before you have any actual readers. Dana Sitar explains how to identify them.
5 Things Author Websites Need to Find More Success
When it comes to finding success as a writer, there are few elements more important than a website. This post shares the five things author websites need to find more success. Sure, authors can get more advanced, but checking every box on this list is imperative. Believe it or not, these...
19 Diversity-Focused Writing Conferences & Events in 2019
Although 2019 is well under way, there’s still time to register for these diversity-centric writing conferences and events taking place later this year.
A Writer’s Job Is to Persevere: Not Stopping at 96
Eugenia Lovett West, who's still actively writing and publishing at age 96, takes perseverance to the next level.
Breaking In: Debut Author Christy Stillwell on Perseverance and Publishing with Small Presses
In our Breaking In column in Writer’s Digest magazine, we talk with debut authors—such as Christy Stillwell, author of The Wolf Tone—about how they did it, what they learned and why you can do it, too. Here, Stillwell talks about her experience publishing with a small press and more.
7 Tips for a Successful Relationship with Your Book Cover Designer
To help you get the most value out of a partnership with a book cover designer, we turned to some of the top professionals for their across-the-aisle tips on how authors can build and maintain such successful working relationships.
Best Settings in Literature
While prepping for the upcoming Virtual Conference for Novelists, it occurred to me that I have my favorite heroes and villains of literature. But what about the best settings in literature? I mean, the Harry Potter series of books would be so different without Hogwarts. Winston’s experiences in 1984 wouldn’t have...
3 Key Novel Writing Tips: Wisdom from the Authors Speaking in the 2019 Virtual Conference for Novelists
Check out a sneak peek at a few of the things you can expect to learn from three of the presenters at the 2019 Virtual Novel Writing
Conference, plus a little bit about each of them.