Karen's blog: Writer's Digest University

With details of upcoming courses at Writer's Digest University:

Our online writing workshops cover every aspect of writing; from how to get started all the way to getting your project published. Writer's Digest University features classes for every type of writer, no matter your skill level. And our professional instructors are dedicated to helping you achieve your writing goals. Click here to view the full course schedule >>

Courses Starting This Week:

Writing Personal Essays 101: Fundamentals
Instructor: Carolyn Walker
This course guides beginning and intermediate writers through elements of how to write a personal essay, helping them identify values expressed in their stories and to bring readers into the experiences described.

Fundamentals of Fiction
Instructor: Gloria Kempton
This workshop will take you through all of the basics of writing a novel. Including how important it is to choose a great setting, how to build your characters so that your readers care about them, what point of view you should choose, and more. If you are new to fiction writing, this course is perfect for you!

Character Developmental: Creating Memorable Characters
Instructor: Gloria Kempton
When you take this online writing course, you will learn how to create believable fiction characters and construct scenes with emotional depth and range. Create characters readers will love and develop a strong point of view for your fiction book today.

Featured Courses:

Mastering Amazon for Authors
With: Rob Eagar
Dates: Nov. 7 - Dec. 12
It doesn’t matter if you’re self-published or traditionally-published…if you write fiction or non-fiction…if you’re a first-time author or an experienced veteran. Today, success for every author hinges upon selling more books on Amazon. Enroll in one of the most popular courses in Writer’s Digest University! Over 175 authors have purchased and enjoyed the instruction. Register Here >>

Agent One-on-One: How to Craft Query Letters and Other Submission Materials
With: Mary C. Moore, Lisa Abellera, Elizabeth Kracht, and Dorian Maffei
Dates: Nov. 19 - 22
Register now and learn how to write a dynamite query letter, tackle a one-page synopsis (for fiction) and a book proposal (for nonfiction). All attendees will have an opportunity to interact one-on-one with an agent and submit pages of materials for valuable feedback provided by successful literary agents. Register Here >>

Upcoming Webinars:

How to Write a First Draft in a Month
Instructor: Carly Watters
Date: Thursday Oct. 24, 2019
Are you participating in NaNoWriMo next month, National Novel Writing Month? You can write a draft of your book in a month! Don’t let limited time, busy lives, or other obstacles get in your way of writing the book that is in you. This webinar will focus on character sketches, detailed storyboarding, realistic schedules, and tips to keep up your momentum through the full month of daily writing.

Create an Author Website in 24 Hours or Less
Instructor: Jane Friedman
Date: Thursday Oct. 31, 2019
In this live two-hour intensive webinar, digital media and publishing expert Jane Friedman will teach you how to use WordPress to get your own website up and running in a day or less—often in one evening! If you already have a website or blog, you'll learn best practices to ensure you're getting the most out of it.

How to Attract an Agent: From Query to Career
Instructor: Andrea Somberg
Date: Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019
In this 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.

View Course Schedule

Hate being tied to a schedule? Check out our affordable, Self-Paced Courses >>

EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | CONVENIENT ACCESS
INVALUABLE FEEDBACK

How to ACTUALLY Complete Your First Draft

If you are participating in NaNoWriMo next month, there is no better way to prepare yourself than to take this informative webinar!

Yes, you can write a draft of your book in a month! Don’t let limited time, busy lives, or other obstacles get in your way of writing the book that is in you. A manuscript in 30 days requires thoughtful preparation, strategic planning, a strong sense of discipline and loads of enthusiasm—and this live webinar will give you the concrete tools to achieve your goal. If the only thing that’s holding you back from getting words on the page is no plan, this webinar has all the answers.

Literary agent Carly Watters has been coaching authors through first drafts for a decade and she’ll present a comprehensive strategy to writing a 50,000+ word draft in 30 days. This webinar is all about volume and getting 1,667+ words written per day. Whether you’ll be joining a “5am Writers’ Club,” writing during your lunch breaks at work, or after your kids have gone to sleep—it’s possible for everyone. The webinar will focus on character sketches, detailed storyboarding, realistic schedules, and tips to keep up your momentum through the full month of daily writing.

There will be roadblocks, but you’ll be better positioned to succeed with the more preparation you can do in advance.

Ways to overcome complicated life stuff, writers’ block and sluggish writing days
How to stick to a daily word count
How to create an engaging premise, well-paced plot, and comprehensive character sketches in advance of writing
Tips for setting, and maintaining, a realistic schedule
And more...

Writers thinking about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
Writers who are writing their first manuscript ever
Writers who have written a book, but are looking for a faster-paced schedule this time around
“Plotters” who want to refine their habits

This Thursday, October 24, 2019
at 1:00 PM EDT

BE PREPARED FOR NANOWRIMO!

Instructor: Carly Watters

Carly Watters began her publishing career in London at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency. She has a BA in English Literature from Queen’s University and an MA in Publishing Studies from City University London. Since joining PSLA in 2010 Carly has had great success launching new authors domestically and abroad. Never without a book on hand she reads across categories which is reflected in the genres she represents at PSLA. Representing debuts and bestsellers, Carly is drawn to: emotional, well-paced fiction with a great voice and characters that readers can get invested in, and platform-driven non-fiction.

WDU-MasteringAmazonforAuthors-Email-600x300

Hurry, Early Bird Offer Ends Tomorrow!
Save $75 with Code: AMAZONEB

Click here to register for the FREE preview webinar MASTERING AMAZON FOR AUTHORS – How to Sell More Books at the World’s Largest Retailer on October 30, 2019.

Enroll in one of the most popular courses in Writer’s Digest University! Over 175 authors have purchased and enjoyed the instruction.

RECEIVE 2 SPECIAL BONUSES WHEN YOU PURCHASE TODAY!

Marketing expert, Rob Eagar, will personally review one of your books on Amazon’s website and provide written recommendations to help increase your sales!
Get a FREE e-book from Rob: The Author’s Guide to Write Text that Sells Books

Updated with brand new content that includes the latest changes Amazon made to their advertising and self-publishing system. Did you know? Amazon sells nearly 50% of all print books and over 70% of all e-books in America. These facts present a major wake-up call for authors. If you want your book to reach its full sales potential, then you must learn how to sell more books on Amazon. Failure to grasp this reality means dire consequences for your book sales.

It doesn’t matter if you’re self-published or traditionally-published…if you write fiction or non-fiction…if you’re a first-time author or an experienced veteran. Today, success for every author hinges upon selling more books on Amazon.

Mastering Amazon for Authors is the premier online course designed to help you maximize book sales at the world’s largest retailer. This self-guided video course provides in-depth instruction for authors at every level. Learn inside secrets from Rob Eagar, a top Writer’s Digest instructor and one of the most accomplished book marketing experts in America. Rob removes the guesswork from publishing and promoting your books on Amazon. His expertise will show you how to:

Convert more sales when readers view your book on Amazon
Secure more persuasive customer reviews for free
Get your books noticed on Amazon's huge website
Build your author email list using Amazon's massive audience
Create inexpensive Amazon ads that drive readers to your books
Self-publish e-books and paperbacks using Amazon’s KDP system

Rob’s instructional videos take you behind the scenes into Amazon’s system. Discover how to self-publish any type of fiction or nonfiction book. Learn how to create effective book ads and boost sales, no matter your genre or experience level. In addition, Rob is available to answer your questions during the course to help you make rapid progress.

Watch a Preview Video:

November 7 - December 12, 2019
~~$399.00~~ $324.00
USE COUPON CODE: AMAZONEB
Expires Tomorrow, 10/20

SELL MY BOOKS >>

"I followed Rob's steps for getting more customer reviews. In just 30 days, I added 20 new reviews to my book's Amazon page!" -CC
“Learning how to create Amazon ads presents a unique opportunity to promote your books for minimal cost. I believe every author should use them.” -MK

Instructor: Rob Eagar

Learn from one of the most accomplished book marketing experts in America. For over 10 years, Rob Eagar has coached more than 450 authors, consulted with numerous publishing houses, and helped clients hit the New York Times bestseller list three different ways, including new fiction, new non-fiction, and backlist non-fiction. In 2007, he launched his consulting practice, Wildfire Marketing, to help authors sell books like wildfire. Today, Rob routinely consults with authors who’ve made the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists!

20% Off Your Subscription!

Subscribe today and gain access to all Writer's Digest Tutorials for one low price. Watch every instructional writing video whenever you like, as often as you would like . . . and be the first to watch the newest tutorial we post each week.

With over 350 instructional writing videos available instantly (and at least one new video added per week), we have all the writing instruction you'll ever need - everything from improving your craft to getting published and finding an audience!

And now through 10/21, you can save 20% on your video subscription when you use code WDOCT19 during checkout. Register now and get inspired to take your screenwriting career to the next level!