WD Presents: From Query to Career and More!
This week, we’re excited to announce several upcoming webinars on querying, creating an author website, and more!
There's always so much happening in the Writer's Digest universe that even staff members have trouble keeping up. As a result, we decided to start collecting what's on the horizon to make it easier for everyone to know what's happening and when.
This week, we’re excited to announce several upcoming webinars on querying, creating an author website, and more!
*****
Upcoming Webinars!
How to Attract an Agent: From Query to Career
June 3, 2021
The world of literary agents can be confusing. It can also seem extremely unfair. During this live webinar, literary agent Andrea Somberg will demystify the process, revealing what it is that a literary agent is looking for, and how it is that they arrive at their decision of “yes”—yes, I want to take this author on as a client, yes, I want to sell their book, and yes I want to help build their career.
In this live webinar, Andrea will discuss the four major factors that determine every agent’s decision. She will reveal the strategic questions that every agent asks, helping you position your project for optimal success. She will reveal the steps to crafting a query letter that will yield results and multiple manuscript requests. And she will discuss the steps to finding an agent that will help you realize your dreams.
Create an Author Website in 24 Hours or Less
June 10, 2021
Every professional author needs their own website, and the best time to start is when you’re not under pressure to get one up in time for an important event or book launch. Even if you haven’t published anything yet, establishing a website before you really need it forces you to think through important questions for your early career: What should your bio say? What do you want readers to know about you? What belongs in your website tagline? And what kind of site aesthetic best represents your work?
An author website also connects the dots among the many things you do online. Social media platforms come and go, but your website stays with you for as long as you write and publish. It’s a cornerstone for building a strong author platform; fielding requests from the media, fellow authors, and industry professionals; and engaging new readers who want to know more about you.
In this live two-hour intensive webinar, digital media and publishing expert Jane Friedman will teach you how to use WordPress to get a basic website up and running in a day or less—often in one evening! If you have a neglected or abandoned website (or dusty blog), you’ll get inspired to revisit it and ensure you’re getting the most out of it.
Publishing Your Children's Book: How to Write and Pitch Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Book Manuscripts
June 22-25, 2021
In this Writer's Digest Boot Camp starting June 22, the agents of P.S. Literary Agency will show you how to make your submission stand out. How do you write a children's book with commercial appeal? How do you decide what category and genre your book belongs in? How do you find agents and publishers to submit your manuscript to? How can you attract both child and adult readers (and buyers)? The agent instructors will answer these questions—and more! They will also critique your work and answer any questions you have about writing and selling books for children.
*****
Upcoming Competition Deadlines
Self-Published Book Awards
NEW DEADLINE: June 1, 2021
Whether you’re a professional writer, a part-time freelancer, or a self-starting student, here’s your chance to enter the premier self-published competition exclusively for self-published books. Writer’s Digest hosts the 29th annual self-published competition—the Annual Self-Published Book Awards. This self-published competition spotlights today’s self-published works and honors self-published authors.
Annual Writing Competition
NEW DEADLINE: June 7, 2021
Writer’s Digest has been shining a spotlight on up-and-coming writers in all genres through its Annual Writing Competition for 90 years. Enter our 90th Annual Writing Competition for your chance to win and have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen.
*****
The Writer's Digest Your Story Column
Your Story #111: Vote Now!
Out of nearly 200 entries, WD editors chose the following 5 finalists. Vote for your favorite story using the poll at the bottom of the page. The winning story will be published in the November/December 2021 issue of WD.
Your Story #112
DEADLINE: June 28, 2021
Write the opening line to a story based on the photo prompt in this article for a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue of Writer’s Digest. (One sentence only.) You can be poignant, funny, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story.
*****
Writer’s Digest Annual Conference Information!
JULY 22-25, 2021
Writer's Digest Annual Conference is hopeful we will be able to meet in person this July. There is still a lot of COVID-related uncertainty in 2021, and WD wants to take the proper steps to ensure all of our speakers, attendees, exhibitors, and staff are as safe as possible. That includes creating and thinking about a contingency plan for our in-person event. Be sure to check our website for the latest information.
*****
Seven Online Writing Courses Start This Week
Seven new online writing courses start this week, including Focus on the Short Story, Writing the Young Adult Novel, and more. Click here to check out the Writer's Digest University calendar.
Copyediting Certificate Program
This certification course incorporates critiqued writing assignments and tools to communicate directly with your instructor and fellow students to make sure that you are grasping the content. You will also have quizzes to check yourself along the way and a comprehensive test at the end of the course.
Fitting Writing Into Your Life
Finding the time, energy, and motivation to get the writing done—day after day—stumps even the most seasoned writer on occasion. Life as a writer can be difficult to sustain, especially if you don’t have the direction, organization, and support you need. Get a glimpse into the life of a professional writer and set realistic writing goals for yourself with this online workshop. When you take this workshop, you’ll learn to manage your time effectively, create a writing platform, practice strategies for writing, and read The Productive Writer by Sage Cohen. Once you know how to fit writing into your daily life, it won’t feel like a chore. Instead, it will be enjoyable and invigorating.
Focus on the Short Story
Short stories are a well-loved and popular form of fiction. When you take this online workshop, you will learn how to write short stories that will delight and entertain your readers.
By the end of this workshop, you’ll improve your creative writing skills and write two complete short stories. Don’t delay—start writing your short story today!
Getting Started in Writing
Have you always wanted to be a writer? Don't let doubt or fear get the best of you—take a chance and learn how to start writing a book, novel, short story, memoir, or essay.
When you take this online writing workshop, you'll discover your voice, learn the basics of grammar and examine the different types of writing. No matter what type of writing you're planning on crafting—nonfiction or fiction—you'll need guidance along the way.
Query Letter in 14 Days
You've devoted hours, days, months—even years— to writing and editing your novel or nonfiction book. With all that time invested, it's natural to want recognition for your hard work and dedication. Take your writing one step further and tackle the publishing process. When you enroll in this online course, you'll learn the details of the query letter format and how to write a query letter that catches the attention of agents and publishers.
Short Story Fundamentals
Whether you are a writing novice looking to cut your teeth or a published professional, the short story is a unique and challenging medium that offers you amazing opportunities. Also, short stories are a great way to gain publishing credentials with less time investment than it takes to develop a novel-length work. The workshop covers structure and the common pitfalls writers experience when crafting a short story.
Writing the Young Adult Novel
Are you new to writing fiction for young adults? Do you want to learn how to write a young adult book and break into the market? Let Writing the Young Adult Novel be your guide. When you take this workshop, you'll get step-by-step instruction on writing for young adults and learn how to sell your novel.
*****
May/June Issue of Writer’s Digest Out Now!
When you get down to it, most writing begins with curiosity, whether the source is a spark of interest in the mind of the person writing or whether a writer is answering the calls of curious readers. In the May/June 2021 issue of Writer’s Digest, we aim to do both as well: answer questions about topics that pique writers’ curiosity and provide resources that will enable curiosity to be a force of inspiration for your work.
