Writer's Digest newsletters

With details of the Novel Writing Conference, 27-29 October, Short Story Competition and more, here are the latest Writer's Digest newsletters for my followers to peruse:

Enter today, and you could win $3,000 in cash, a trip to the Writer's Digest Annual Conference and more.

Submit your best short fiction stories!  We'll make this quick. Writer's Digest is on the prowl for standout short stories in 1,500 words or fewer. Think your short story has what it takes? Enter it in the Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition for a chance to win $3,000 in cash, a paid trip to the Writer's Digest Annual Conference, recognition in the pages of Writer's Digest and more. Make your story bold, brilliant and of course, make it brief. Enter today!

ENTER TODAY!

Plus, explore writing advice from the late Hugh Hefner, random acts of poetry and more from Writer's Digest.

Advertisement FREE Online Training: Get Paid to Write The demand for good writers has never been higher, and contrary to popular belief, it’s easier than ever to find writing gigs that pay very well by tapping into this $2 trillion industry. All you need to know is where they are and how to land them. I’ll cover all this, and more, on my free training Get Paid to Write: How to Land Paying Gigs Writing Copy and Content. Reserve your FREE spot today!

The Art of Collaboration: 10 Tips for Co-Authoring a Novel How do individual writers, with unique styles and voices, come together to produce a cohesive novel with seamless prose? Here are 10 things you need to know when writing collaboratively. Read More...

Advertisement The BookBaby Independent Authors Conference The only writing conference dedicated to helping independent authors publish successfully. But hurry–tickets are going fast! Learn more.

Hugh Hefner On Writing, Voice and Magazine Success In the August 1964 issue of Writer's Digest, former WD Editor Kirk Polking profiled Playboy and its then-38-year-old founder, Hugh Hefner, who had celebrated the first decade of his groundbreaking publication the year before. Learrn from this publishing icon about the keys to his successful career. Read More...

5 Books Every Writer Should Read | What Are Yours?  We're building a list of books that all writers can bookmark and thumb through at any time. Here, we share our favorites-and we officially challenge you to post five books that you think every writer should read. Discover our list and post your picks...

8 Random Acts of Poetry Last week, we celebrated Random Acts of Poetry Day by sharing out top 8 ways to share our love of poetry with the world. From chalking poetry on the sidewalk to creating spontaneous anthologies, these ideas are an exciting way to celebrate the art of poetry every day. Read More...

New Agent Alert: Kimberly Jago of Jago Ciro Entertainment New literary agents (with this spotlight featuring Kimberly Jago of Jago Ciro Entertainment) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list. Read More...

Your Weekly Writing Prompt Interplanetary Relations: This week's prompt is inspired by the 50th anniversary of the day the United Nations' Outer Space Treaty went into effect. Read the full prompt and post your response (500 words or fewer) in the comments here ...

Jess Zafarris Follow @jfarrisknight Jess Zafarris is the online content director of Writer's Digest, as well as an energetic multimedia journalist with more than 7 years of experience in digital and print publishing, writing and editing.

We’re breaking down the basics of networking: We’re breaking down the basics of networking: By now, you’re probably aware (we hope!) of WD’s only West Coast event in 2017—our Novel Writing Conference in Pasadena, California. It’s happening in just a few short weeks and it’s not too late to save your seat. Knowing the standout roster of speakers (including New York Times bestsellers Lisa See, Heather Graham and Neal Shusterman) and the selection of in-depth sessions offered, the value is evident. In fact (and please work with us here), let’s just assume you’re joining us. And that you’re not only coming for all those reasons, you’re also coming to network. So how, exactly, do you do that again? Read on for some tangible tips: Read up on strategies specific to introverts for overcoming networking angst. Check out this oldie-but-goodie on specific tools for conference breaks, plus take note of the entire final paragraph. It’s solid advice! Meet hundreds of other attendees while enjoying a light breakfast and coffee on Friday morning. It’ll be the perfect way to kick off a productive weekend! Peruse these five evergreen networking rules (four of which contradict each other—but don’t worry, it’ll make sense). Finally, a few specific pieces of advice: Once you have registered, join the Novel Writing Conference Facebook group! Be active in the weeks leading up to the conference and make concrete plans with writers in your genre—or just people you click with. Remember, you get out what you put in. Make the most of these relationships! Need ideas for meetup locations? Pasadena is delightfully walkable—and the location of the Westin is especially so. Here are some local attractions. Your in-hotel options are here ( poolside chats, anyone?), and here are some nearby restaurants. Join the fun at Saturday night’s Halloween-themed Cocktail Reception! Grab a complimentary drink and, if the spirit strikes you, come as your favorite literary-inspired character. Not only are we handing out prizes for best get-ups, there is no easier icebreaker than, “Tell me about your costume!” Remember, your best price is only available until Oct. 26! Meet writers from around the world and watch your network grow! GET TALKING: #NWC17