13 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Sign That Book Contract or Take That Freelance Writing Job
In a competitive industry, it’s easy to feel like publishers hold all the power. But the truth is they need good content—and writers have a right to not be fleeced. Here are some situations when the best option just might be to walk away from that book contract or that freelance...
What to Do When You’re a Memoirist and Memory Fails
For writers—particularly those who write memoirs—memory can be the medium and ultimately also the message when a story, event or feeling emerges from the darkness into the light of conscious knowing. But what happens when a memoirist can't remember?
Staying Alive: How to Thrive in the Publishing Industry
Staying alive, staying alive, ah, ha, ha, staying alive. Here, Jenny Milchman explains how to not just survive, but thrive in the publishing industry.
The Importance of Small Details in Fiction Writing
Small, concrete details are usually the difference between a story that works and a story that fails, between a good piece of fiction writing and a great piece of fiction writing.
The Making of a Grammy-Winning Audiobook: Directing Carrie Fisher’s The Princess Diarist
There is no one recipe for a winning audiobook, but Jessica Kaye shares the ingredients which helped make The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher the 2018 winner of the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word.
4 Ways Writing Is Like Running
If you’re one of the millions of individuals who want to write a book “someday,” you may be struggling to turn that someday into today. Similarly, running might be that “impossible” thing and now I consider myself a runner. Here are 4 things writers can learn from running.
See Jeff VanderMeer at the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference
Jeff VanderMeer, the NYT bestselling author behind Annihilation, Borne, Wonderbook and more, will present the closing keynote at the Writer's Digest Annual Conference.
Excerpt: Opening Chapter of WD’s Self-Published e-Book Awards Winner
Writer’s Digest would like to congratulate the winners of the 5th Annual Self-Published e-Book Awards. For complete coverage of the awards, see the May/June 2018 issue of Writer’s Digest. For an extended interview with grand-prize winner Emily James, click here. For a list of all winners, click here. For a selection of advice and...
Bad Advice Boogie: Write What You Know
One piece of advice that seems good but can do a lot of harm is the old classic write what you know. Jeff Somers explains why.
The #MeToo Movement and Its Impact on Women’s Writing
The #MeToo movement has profoundly influenced women’s writing. Learn how, from the voices of authors who have felt this change—and share your stories.
Interview: Jessica Strawser Discusses the Journey from Editor to Author, and Her New Book ‘Not That I Could Tell’
In her nearly 10-year tenure as the former editor-in-chief and editorial director (and now editor-at-large) of Writer’s Digest, Jessica Strawser has interviewed hundreds of globally recognized authors, learning what she needed to write her 2017 debut novel, Almost Missed You. Now we turn the mic around to talk to Jessica about her...
5 Things to Look Out for at the London Book Fair 2018
The London Book Fair 2018 is the UK’s biggest gathering of international publishers and agents and this year runs from 10th to 12th April at the Olympia conference centre in central London. Here are 5 things to look out for at the fair this year.
Literary Lunacy: Vote in a March Madness Bracket for Book Lovers (Championship Round!)
Welcome to Writer’s Digest Literary Lunacy — a March Madness bracket for lovers of classic fiction. We want to know: Which of these classic books is the greatest? That’s up to you. Vote here until March 28 at noon. The book with the most cumulative votes will be crowned champion.
Literary Lunacy: Vote in a March Madness Bracket for Book Lovers (Round 3)
Welcome to Writer’s Digest Literary Lunacy — a March Madness bracket for lovers of classic fiction. We want to know: Which of these classic books is the greatest? That’s up to you. Vote here until March 24 at noon. The book with the most cumulative votes will be crowned champion.
Announcing the 13th Annual Popular Fiction Awards Winners
Writer’s Digest would like to congratulate the winners of the 13th Annual Popular Fiction Awards. The winners of this year’s awards were chosen from over 875 entries and represent the very best in genre fiction. Please join us in congratulating our winners!
Writing Advice and Inspiration from WD’s Popular Fiction Award Winners
Writer’s Digest would like to congratulate the winners of the 13th Annual Popular Fiction Awards. Here, discover helpful writing advice and inspiration from our esteemed winners.
Remembering Paul Swearingen, Unsung Hero of the Writer’s Digest Forums
If you haven't visited the Writer's Digest forums in the last year or read any of his books, you may not know much about author and educator Paul Swearingen. But for many members of the Writer's Digest community, Paul acted as a shepherd and a mentor on their writing journeys as...
James Han Mattson: LGBTQ Literature, Finding Your Voice and Addressing Gun Violence in Fiction
In Iowa Writers’ Workshop–graduate James Han Mattson’s acclaimed first novel, The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves, the cyber-bullying of a gay teen leads to a multi-victim shooting. Here, he discusses related topics, including LGBTQ literature and writing about gun violence.
Embrace the Power of Imagination: Ashley Hope Pérez Talks Latinx Literature and Contemporary Global Issues
The author of three novels for young adults, Ashley Hope Pérez’s most recent work, Out of Darkness, has received national acclaim. Here she discusses the representation of latinx literature in the discussion of global lit.
Literary Lunacy: Vote in a March Madness Bracket for Book Lovers (Round 2)
Welcome to Writer’s Digest Literary Lunacy — a March Madness bracket for lovers of classic fiction. We want to know: Which of these classic books is the greatest? That’s up to you. Vote here until March 27 at noon. The book with the most cumulative votes will be crowned champion.
Home Base: Follow These 4 Basic Steps to Begin Building Your Author Blog
Learn the ABCs of how to develop content for your new author blog in the May/June 2018 Writer’s Digest, and follow these basic steps to give your website a firm foundation—which is, actually, a lot like building a house.
How to Turn Real Events from Your Life into a Work of Fiction
Learn what to change—and what to keep—when incorporating your real-life experiences into your works of fiction.
Literary Lunacy: Vote in a March Madness Bracket for Book Lovers (Round 1)
Welcome to Writer’s Digest Literary Lunacy — a March Madness bracket for lovers of classic fiction. We want to know: Which of these classic books is the greatest? That’s up to you. Voting starts today here on the blog and lasts until on March 27 at noon. The book with the most cumulative...
Guide to Critique Group Etiquette: 9 Embarrassing Mistakes That Make You Look Like an Amateur
As a writing critique group member, you walk a hair-thin line between appropriate ruthlessness and inappropriate intrusiveness. So how do you know where the boundaries are before you stumble into them? Here are nine mistakes it’s never okay to make.