Business of Writing
What Is an ARC in Publishing and Writing?
In this post, we answer the question of what an ARC (or advance reader copy) is in publishing, writing, and reading. Plus, we look at why they're important to writers and their writing careers.
Agent Advice: Analieze Cervantes of The Harvey Klinger Literary Agency
Agent Advice (this installment featuring Analieze Cervantes of The Harvey Klinger Literary Agency) is a series of quick interviews with literary agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.
Invoice Template for Freelance Writers
If you're a freelance writer who is able to secure assignments, an essential tool you'll need is an invoice. In this post, Writer's Digest Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer shares a very basic and easy invoice template for freelance writers to get the job done (and get paid).
Nominate Your Favorite Websites for Writers
Nominate your favorite websites for writers and it could appear in the Writer's Digest 24th Annual 101 Best Websites for Writers in our May/June 2022 issue. Deadline for nominations is Monday, December 13, 2021.
17 Pros and Cons of Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing
When choosing your publishing journey, it's important to weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks in order to make the right decision for you and your work. Author Rick Lauber lays out 17 pros and cons of traditional publishing vs. self-publishing.
How I Broke Into the Traditional Publishing World as an Indie Author
Learn the process indie author Amanda Aksel went through in getting her novel Delia Suits Up traditionally published, including questions she asked herself and weighing one strategy against the other.
Working With a Nonfiction Book Publisher Throughout the Process
A publisher accepting your manuscript is just the beginning, not the end. Author Rick Lauber discusses how to work with a nonfiction book publisher from query letter to release date and beyond.
Do You Find an Editor or Agent First?
It's a common question asked by writers looking to get their first book published: Do you find an editor or agent first? The answer depends on each writer's situation.
10 Writing and Publishing Questions Answered by Literary Agent Barbara Poelle
Funny You Should Ask is a humorous and handy column by literary agent Barbara Poelle. In this post, we've collected 10 of her FYSA columns.
Publishing in a Pandemic: Launching Both a Hardback and a Paperback in One Terrifying Year
Caroline Leavitt discusses how embracing virtual events helped to create buzz around her latest release, With or Without You, and why she co-created the online initiative A Mighty Blaze.
4 Keys for How to Interview in the Age of Zoom
Now that anyone can be reached remotely, you might find yourself anxious about how to best conduct a videoconference interview. Here, author and host of "The Story King Podcast" Giancarlo Ghedini has some tips to guide you.
Writing With Intention: On Hiring a Sensitivity Reader
Whether you're looking to pitch your work to an agent or are setting out on your self-publishing journey, author Melissa Scholes Young has some tips for hiring a sensitivity reader to up-level your work.
Fair Use Rights 101 for Writers: To Use or Not to Use? That is the Question
You might have bumped into the term fair use—what does it mean? And how does it effect writers? Here, literary agent and publishing attorney Joseph Perry has the answers.
Three Crucial Changes to the Book Publishing Industry
The new book Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing documents in detail the changes in the book publishing industry in recent years. Author John B. Thompson gives a glimpse of three crucial changes.
How Do I Get My Poetry Published?
Learn how to get your poetry published, whether you're trying to get a poem or an entire book of poems published.
By Any Means Necessary: Finding Unorthodox Ways to Break-In
Novelist D. Eric Maikranz gives advice for how to get your readers to sit up and take notice of your work in untraditional ways.
John B. Thompson: On Researching Changes in the Book Publishing Industry
John B. Thompson, author of the new book Book Wars, shares the research that went into his account of how the digital revolution changed publishing for readers and writers.
D. Eric Maikranz: On Crowdsourcing and Readership
Debut author D. Eric Maikranz explains how he connected with his audience after self-publishing his novel The Reincarnationist Papers and what it was like to get that novel picked up by a Hollywood director and traditional publisher later on.
What Are Multiple Submissions in Writing and Publishing?
Learn what multiple submissions in writing and publishing are from editor Robert Lee Brewer, including when writers should make them (if ever) and why they should care.
What Is a Plotter in Writing?
The world of storytelling can be broken into many categories and sub-categories, but one division is between plotter and pantser. Learn what a plotter means in writing and how they differ from pantsers here.
What Is a Pantser in Writing?
The world of storytelling can be broken into many categories and sub-categories, but one division is between pantser and plotter. Learn what a pantser means in writing and how they differ from plotters here.
Finding the Words
How does a book travel across cultures? Book translators offer a glimpse at the nuances of their art and reveal what authors can expect during the process.
What Is the Slush Pile?
What is the slush pile? It's a term often used in the writing and publishing communities, but what does it mean? Is it a good or bad thing? And what does it mean for writers? We answer those questions here.
I’m a Writer Who Hates Pitching—Help!
Do you find yourself stuck when it comes to pitching your ideas? Fear no more! Freelance writer, journalist, and Emmy-nominated producer Alison Hill gives her top tips for overcoming 4 problems to pitching.