Literary
3 Things to Learn About Writing From Reading The Comfort of Strangers
To add more suspense and a feeling of unease to your work in progress, a close read of Ian McEwan's The Comfort of Strangers offers plenty to learn from.
Katie Crouch: On Blending Research and Experience
New York Times bestselling author Katie Crouch discusses how she combined both personal experience and research when it came to the setting of her newest release, Embassy Wife.
Lyn Liao Butler: On Letting Your Ideas Develop
Debut author Lyn Liao Butler explains how her novel, The Tiger Mom's Tale, evolved during the writing process.
Eve Gleichman & Laura Blackett: Writing as Collaboration
Even if you don't have a co-author, Eve Gleichman & Laura Blackett explain why treating your writing as a collaboration will elevate your work.
Saumya Dave: When Writing is Rewriting
Saumya Dave explains how her family inspired her to write her novel What a Happy Family and why she holds revising work in such high regard.
Shawn Nocher: On Letting Your Characters Lead
Author Shawn Nocher discusses how thinking deeply about her characters lead her to a breakthrough when crafting her debut novel A Hand to Hold in Deep Water.
Charles Martin: On Writing About the Most Difficult Topics
New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin discusses what inspired him to write a book about human trafficking and the internal struggle of researching and writing such a difficult topic.
Active vs Passive Editing
There's been a recent shift in the publishing industry, but it's still slow-going. Award-winning author Lavie Tidhar has tips to become active editors.
Steven Rowley: On Writing to Understand
Author Steven Rowley discusses how a personal tragedy was part of the spark to write his latest novel, The Guncle.
Elyssa Friedland: On Letting Setting Guide You
When author Elyssa Friedland settled on the setting for her latest novel, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, the characters and plot came to her. Here, she discusses the importance of setting.
Mary Alice Monroe: On Writing the Family Saga
Award-winning author Mary Alice Monroe discusses what it's like to draft a series that spans generations and storylines.
Casey Wilson: On Writing a Non-Human Perspective
Author Casey Wilson shares what it was like to write from the perspective of a dog in her latest novel A Dog's Hope, as well as the journey from indie to traditional publishing.
4 Tips for Writing about Family Grudges
Author Samantha Downing discusses the techniques she used when writing her literary novel He Started It, which focuses on family secrets, old grudges, and lots of scores to settle.
David Jackson Ambrose: On Balancing Magic and Practicality
Novelist David Jackson Ambrose discusses the initial themes he wanted to explore in his latest novel, A Blind Eye, what the editing process was like, and how his books always surprise him in the end.
Donna Freitas: Exploring Social Consequences in Fiction
Novelist Donna Freitas explains how she came to write her first adult novel, The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano, and why she wants this book to be provocative.
Zadie Smith + Nick Laird: The WD Interview
Nick Laird and Zadie Smith talk about how teaching affects their writing, craft insights they’ve discovered, and how staying off Twitter has made them better writers in this November/December 2020 Writer's Digest interview.
Layla AlAmmar: On Reading Outside Our Comfort Zones
Novelist Layla AlAmmar talks about the importance of reading outside our comfort zones and how the Arab Spring inspired her book Silence Is a Sense.
Richard Alther: How Literary Fiction Is Like a Rorschach Test
Novelist Richard Alther explains how his latest book, Bedside Matters, opened his eyes to the writer's evolving relationship with their work and the benefit of adding uncertainty to a plot.
On Writing Representation in Fiction
Author Sonya Lalli explains what it was like to write characters whose journeys mirror the author's and how other authors can let go of the burden of representation.
Sonya Lalli: On Writing Strong, Empowered Women
Author Sonya Lalli explains how she came to write the strong female characters in her latest novel, Serena Singh Flips the Script, and how her editor gave her inspiration for exploring multiple points-of-view.
5 Tips for Writing About Controversial Topics
Bestselling author Syed M. Masood shares his top 5 tips for how to handle a controversial topic in your work.
Syed M. Masood: Let Your Characters Surprise You
Author Syed M. Masood shares how his latest novel, The Bad Muslim Discount, was inspired by the country's political climate and what works (and doesn't) for his no-outline writing style.
On Writing Dysfunctional Families
Author Stephanie Wrobel explains how you can use the natural tension of familial relationships to upgrade your story.
Gil Adamson: On Writing the Genre-Bender
Award-winning author Gil Adamson shares how her novel took a thirteen-year, genre-bending journey to publication.