Editorial Calendar
Writer's Digest 2023 Editorial Calendar
We urge writers to get creative in their interpretations of our 2023 issue themes. We offer a brief description of how we interpret them, but look forward to ideas we weren’t necessarily expecting.
March/April 2023
Theme: Exploring Genre Fiction
Genre fiction is successful for a reason: Readers know what to expect from their preferred genre and love that predictability. What they don’t know—but also love—is discovering just how the author will pull off a satisfying story this time around. In this issue, we want to explore the complexities of writing to genre conventions—and subverting genre expectations.
+ WD Self-Published Book Awards Announcement + Profile
May/June 2023
Theme: Keeping It Short
Even when writing novels or nonfiction books, there’s plenty of short writing to be done, from query letters and taglines to back panel copy and individual chapters. We’ll cover all that, plus traditional short writing like essays (including essay collections), short stories, flash fiction, and other short form writing, like for podcasts or social media.
+ WD 101 Best Websites
+ WD Self-Published E-Book Awards Winner Announcement + Profile
+ WD Personal Essay Awards Winner Announcement + Profile
July/August 2023
Theme: Creating Structure
This issue aims to explore writing structures in all the traditional—and nontraditional—ways. Examples include the hero’s journey and the three-act structure to narrative arcs in memoir and poetry to non-Western story structures. Plus, articles about structuring your writing time and career.
+ WD Poetry Awards Winner Announcement + Profile
September/October 2023
Theme: Facing the Mysterious
Mysteries don’t only appear in mystery novels. They make appearances in most other types of writing, even if it’s not labelled as such. In this issue, we’ll explore that and how to successfully pull off twists in novels and narrative nonfiction, while also including articles aimed at demystifying the publishing industry.
+ Annual Agent Roundup
+ WD Short Short Story Awards Winner Announcement + Story/Profile
November/December 2023
Theme: Making Readers Laugh
Even if you don’t consider yourself a funny person, there are ways to include humor in your writing, and this issue aims to demonstrate how.
+ WD Annual Writing Competition Winners Announcement + Profile
January/February 2024
Theme: Hook Your Readers
Whether you’re starting a new book in the new year or renewing your dedication to promoting your freelance work, this issue aims to help writers hook their readers. From stunning first lines or chapters to captivating titles to reeling in an online audience, this issue covers it all to get your new year off to a strong start.
