Guest Columns

Nick Petrie, author of The Drifter, part of his Peter Ash series, shares his struggle with coming to terms with the writing process that works for him.

Healthy writing habits may seem like a problem for tomorrow when the words are flowing freely. Your body will thank you for considering these 4 tips today.

In this Vintage WD article from January 1970, Norman Cousins gives his take on the writer's social responsibility, and we think it stands the test of time.

Fantasy writer and blogger Angela D. Mitchell offers 5 ways that Dungeons and Dragons helped her improve her writing and how to be a better storyteller.

From the veteran writer to the friend who doesn't read, author Karen Dukess presents the seven friends you need to keep on track while writing and publishing your novel.

Former journalist and award-winning author Fred Waitzkin made the leap from nonfiction to fiction by accepting that nothing is fiction—everything is inspired by his real-life experience.

Melanie Benjamin—author of six historical novels about real people and events—offers four lessons she's learned about writing fiction from fact, and when to deviate from the truth.

Author Karen Rinaldi sucks at surfing, but she continues to dedicate hours to it anyway, and she explains why we should also be okay with failure in many forms—even our writing.

Writers work hard. Now, if only employers would. E.L. Tenenbaum shares eight skills writers have that make them great candidates for that necessary-for-most day job.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling novelist Bryan Gruley offers his best tips for writing about controversial topics—social, political and otherwise—in your fiction.

Most writers aspire to publish a book that will remain popular among future generations of readers. Gary McPherson offers five things to consider if you want your book to remain relevant for years after its release.

Greta Heinemann, writer-producer on NCIS New Orleans, shares how she achieved her goal of moving from Germany to Los Angeles to become a successful writer. It all starts with a pen and paper.

A mother-daughter pair of agents debunks five pervasive misconceptions about literary agents and the way they do their work.

Researching literary agents feels daunting, but so is writing a book! And you’ve already done that. You definitely can create a list of agents who should be a good fit for your work. Here's  how.

Funny You Should Ask is a humorous and handy column by literary agent Barbara Poelle. In this edition, she answers a reader's question about the struggle of finding an agent who falls head-over-heels for your manuscript, and why literary agents don't approach their profession more like Hollywood agents do.

Falguni Kothari is a New York-based South Asian writer who was already published in India when she began seriously querying literary agents in the United States, eventually signing with Andrea Somberg of the Harvey Klinger Agency.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow. The hierarchy, comprising a five-tier pyramid, explains the connection between basic human needs and motivation. Bryan E. Robinson has adapted this scale to consider what needs writers must satisfy to move their dreams of writing success up the charts.