Writer's Digest newsletters

Here are the latest Writer's Digest newsletters for my followers to peruse:

Subscribe Today and Get a Free Webinar! That's right, we have been helping writers for over 100 years, and now we are here to help you! Every issue of Writer’s Digest is devoted to helping writers develop their craft and offering expert advice on how to get published. This magazine is full of pertinent tips on writing queries, writers' rights, new markets, submission guidelines, and competitions. In Each Issue: Must-have tips and publishing secrets to stay inspired, creative, and motivated. The latest (and greatest!) markets for print and e-publishing Inspirational stories of writers who are living the dream, and how they got there Technique articles geared toward specific genres... and so much more! BECOME A SUBSCRIBER One Year Subscription $19.96 SUBSCRIBE Two Year Subscription $29.96 - BEST DEAL SUBSCRIBE Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

Take the Next Step in Your Writing Career  Are you ready?  At the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference Pitch Slam, you’ll be able to choose from more than 50 literary agents and editors from dozens of agencies who are actively searching for the next big thing across all genres—including fiction, nonfiction, children’s, young adult, and more. Advocate for your book in a high-energy environment, and you might just become another Pitch Slam success story.   We’ve already confirmed agents from the following agencies, and will be adding more in the next few weeks:  Folio Literary Management  Curtis Brown, Ltc.  Sterling Lord  Corvisiero Literary Agency  Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management  BookEnds Literary  Tor Books   And more!  If you’ve decided this is the year for you and your book to take the next big step, don’t hesitate. Finalize your 2020 registration today and lock in your Pitch Slam slot. Register by March 10 for the best price!  PS: Not familiar with the Pitch Slam? Learn more about how it works.  Register Now Information SPONSORED BY: | Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

In this issue, we look at how writers can spin off ideas for more success, what writers should blog about, a new market spotlight, negotiating tips, and more!  The Art of Spin-Offs for Writers In today's fractured media environment, every month sees another magazine shuttered. Rates get slashed on the regular. Increasingly, freelance journalists are finding that they not only need to work harder, but smarter as well—the "pitch story-write story" cycle can be draining. Before almost all content became available online, writers could simply rewrite a story and tailor it to another market, but that practice is no longer viable. (When and how should writers negotiate better terms?) Yet not all is lost. Writers can maximize their time by pitching multiple, different stories that arise out of the same kernel of an idea. Most refer to such idea mining as "spin-offs." A spin-off is not a rewrite or a reprint. "There is a window or an element in every article that could open out into different ideas," says Kamala Thiagarajan, an India-based freelance journalist. "One story often leads entirely to another; both are different, and yet intricately linked." Milking a topic for multiple stories also makes business sense. "Finding another angle on the same idea can be a real time saver because you've already done a lot of the background work and developed sources," says freelance science writer Carrie Arnold. "You're familiar with the field, so you can jump right in and know what exactly is newsworthy or interesting." Take the following steps to start pitching your own spin-offs. Read the full article... Getting a Publisher or Agent's Attention – Feb 29th 9-6, Falls Church, VA Are you interested in getting an agent? Do you want to get your book published? Spend a day with Amy Collins and Annalisa Parent getting all the answers, demystifying the process, and coming up with a plan for your book. Learn from top literary, rights, and publishing agents how to create a successful pitch for publishers. We will cover what you need to have in place if you want to GET published. This one day will teach you how to stand out in the query pile.   https://authorsroadtrip.com info@authorsroadtrip.com Craft & Business of Writing What Should Writers Blog About? Blogging is a great way to share your thoughts with the world, connect with readers, and build a writing platform for new and experienced writers. One of the first questions I'm often asked by people interested in starting—or improving—a blog is, "What should I blog about?" (Should writers have a blog?) This is a great first question. I've been blogging for more than a decade, and I constantly re-evaluate my topics, my treatment, and my goals. Once you begin posting to a blog, you are creating and sharing content, and it makes a lot of sense to think about what you're sharing and why. So, let's dig into this. Read More... Early American Life: Market Spotlight Established in 1970, Early American Life is a bimonthly magazine dedicated to the early American living and style of the period 1600 to 1840. In addition, they publish an annual Christmas issue. The editors say, "In every issue we feature a look at at least two homes that show these traditions at their best. Often one home is a discrete look at a private residence while the other is an in-depth tour of a landmark or museum with behind-the-scenes information you will find nowhere else." Their payment rates are negotiable, but they do share this: "We would estimate $500 for a first feature from a new writer, more if you are an experienced, skillful writer. If we assign a story to you, we will negotiate the rate before you begin work." Read More... When Your Agent Isn't a Good Fit Finding representation is one of the biggest hurdles in the publishing process. Once you've signed with an agent, it's easy to believe that it will be smooth sailing from there. But this isn't always the case. Besides the challenge of securing a deal with a publishing house, sometimes writers figure out that their agent is not the best fit for them. Here's literary agent advice from two authors who found themselves in that situation. Read More... Send Your Work to 2nd Draft Critique Services! No matter your style or genre, Writer's Digest Shop offers a high-level view of your writing. After an evaluation of your submission, one of the professional 2nd Draft critiquers will provide feedback and advice. You’ll not only learn what’s working in your writing, but what’s not, and—most important—how to fix it. Gain a critique of your manuscript, query letter, synopsis, and more! Click to continue. It's Never Too Late! On Becoming a Writer at 50 The year I turned 20 I sat down and made out my bucket list, jotting down the decade birthdays—30th, 40th, 50th, and so on—and beneath each entry what I hoped to have accomplished by that date. Longevity not being a strong family trait, I figured I had maybe five decades to make my life's dreams come true. Fifty years to fall in love, travel the world, fly on a trapeze, take ballroom dance lessons and learn how to snowboard. Fifty years to finish school, build a career, pay off student loans, get married, have kids, achieve financial security, and do something to make the world a better place. And, near the top of each of the five lists: fifty years to square up the person I was on the outside with the one I felt like on the inside, which for me meant somehow becoming a writer. Read More... Robert Lee Brewer Robert Lee Brewer is a senior editor for Writer’s Digest and former editor of the Writer's Market book series. He is also the author of Smash Poetry Journal and Solving the World's Problems. Find him on Twitter at @RobertLeeBrewer Enter for a Chance to Win! Enter the 89th annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition with nine categories of writing, including categories for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and scriptwriting. There are more than 100 prizes awarded, including a Grand Prize of $5,000, an interview in Writer's Digest, a paid trip to the annual conference, and more. Read More... Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

Want to jumpstart your writing career? Let us help! For 89 years, Writer’s Digest has been looking for and shining the light on new and up-and-coming writers in any genre or category.  And it’s that time again—we’re looking for writing that strikes and grabs us, that we can’t put down. We’re looking for standout writing in any and all of the following categories: inspirational/spiritual memoirs/personal essays print or online article genre short story (think romance, thriller, mystery, sci-fi, etc.) mainstream/literary short story rhyming poetry non-rhyming poetry script (think stage play or television/movie script) children’s/young adult fiction That’s a lot of options, but we’re sure something you’ve written or are writing will fit in. And we’ve seen a wide range of winners in the past several years. Just be sure to check our website for entry details—we have strict word count restrictions for each category. So, how will this competition help you? That’s easy. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 in cash, a trip to New York City for the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, and an interview for a feature article in our magazine. Ten first place winners in each category receive $1,000, ten second place winners in each category win $500, and on and on! Ready to be the next writer we spotlight? Enter by May 4 for the best price! LEARN MORE Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

In this issue, we look at how writers can spin off ideas for more success, what writers should blog about, a new market spotlight, negotiating tips, and more!  The Art of Spin-Offs for Writers In today's fractured media environment, every month sees another magazine shuttered. Rates get slashed on the regular. Increasingly, freelance journalists are finding that they not only need to work harder, but smarter as well—the "pitch story-write story" cycle can be draining. Before almost all content became available online, writers could simply rewrite a story and tailor it to another market, but that practice is no longer viable. (When and how should writers negotiate better terms?) Yet not all is lost. Writers can maximize their time by pitching multiple, different stories that arise out of the same kernel of an idea. Most refer to such idea mining as "spin-offs." A spin-off is not a rewrite or a reprint. "There is a window or an element in every article that could open out into different ideas," says Kamala Thiagarajan, an India-based freelance journalist. "One story often leads entirely to another; both are different, and yet intricately linked." Milking a topic for multiple stories also makes business sense. "Finding another angle on the same idea can be a real time saver because you've already done a lot of the background work and developed sources," says freelance science writer Carrie Arnold. "You're familiar with the field, so you can jump right in and know what exactly is newsworthy or interesting." Take the following steps to start pitching your own spin-offs. Read the full article... Getting a Publisher or Agent's Attention – Feb 29th 9-6, Falls Church, VA Are you interested in getting an agent? Do you want to get your book published? Spend a day with Amy Collins and Annalisa Parent getting all the answers, demystifying the process, and coming up with a plan for your book. Learn from top literary, rights, and publishing agents how to create a successful pitch for publishers. We will cover what you need to have in place if you want to GET published. This one day will teach you how to stand out in the query pile.   https://authorsroadtrip.com info@authorsroadtrip.com Craft & Business of Writing What Should Writers Blog About? Blogging is a great way to share your thoughts with the world, connect with readers, and build a writing platform for new and experienced writers. One of the first questions I'm often asked by people interested in starting—or improving—a blog is, "What should I blog about?" (Should writers have a blog?) This is a great first question. I've been blogging for more than a decade, and I constantly re-evaluate my topics, my treatment, and my goals. Once you begin posting to a blog, you are creating and sharing content, and it makes a lot of sense to think about what you're sharing and why. So, let's dig into this. Read More... Early American Life: Market Spotlight Established in 1970, Early American Life is a bimonthly magazine dedicated to the early American living and style of the period 1600 to 1840. In addition, they publish an annual Christmas issue. The editors say, "In every issue we feature a look at at least two homes that show these traditions at their best. Often one home is a discrete look at a private residence while the other is an in-depth tour of a landmark or museum with behind-the-scenes information you will find nowhere else." Their payment rates are negotiable, but they do share this: "We would estimate $500 for a first feature from a new writer, more if you are an experienced, skillful writer. If we assign a story to you, we will negotiate the rate before you begin work." Read More... When Your Agent Isn't a Good Fit Finding representation is one of the biggest hurdles in the publishing process. Once you've signed with an agent, it's easy to believe that it will be smooth sailing from there. But this isn't always the case. Besides the challenge of securing a deal with a publishing house, sometimes writers figure out that their agent is not the best fit for them. Here's literary agent advice from two authors who found themselves in that situation. Read More... Send Your Work to 2nd Draft Critique Services! No matter your style or genre, Writer's Digest Shop offers a high-level view of your writing. After an evaluation of your submission, one of the professional 2nd Draft critiquers will provide feedback and advice. You’ll not only learn what’s working in your writing, but what’s not, and—most important—how to fix it. Gain a critique of your manuscript, query letter, synopsis, and more! Click to continue. It's Never Too Late! On Becoming a Writer at 50 The year I turned 20 I sat down and made out my bucket list, jotting down the decade birthdays—30th, 40th, 50th, and so on—and beneath each entry what I hoped to have accomplished by that date. Longevity not being a strong family trait, I figured I had maybe five decades to make my life's dreams come true. Fifty years to fall in love, travel the world, fly on a trapeze, take ballroom dance lessons and learn how to snowboard. Fifty years to finish school, build a career, pay off student loans, get married, have kids, achieve financial security, and do something to make the world a better place. And, near the top of each of the five lists: fifty years to square up the person I was on the outside with the one I felt like on the inside, which for me meant somehow becoming a writer. Read More... Robert Lee Brewer Robert Lee Brewer is a senior editor for Writer’s Digest and former editor of the Writer's Market book series. He is also the author of Smash Poetry Journal and Solving the World's Problems. Find him on Twitter at @RobertLeeBrewer Enter for a Chance to Win! Enter the 89th annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition with nine categories of writing, including categories for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and scriptwriting. There are more than 100 prizes awarded, including a Grand Prize of $5,000, an interview in Writer's Digest, a paid trip to the annual conference, and more. Read More... Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

. Featuring lessons contemporary writers can learn from Shakespeare and Kazuo Ishiguro, plus how you can order prints of vintage WD magazine covers. Will's Way: 4 Timely Craft Tips From the Immortal Bard By Karin Abarbanel "And as imagination bodies forth The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name." from A Midsummer's Night Dream There's nothing like a challenge to get the creative juices flowing. So when a friend proposed that I devote an hour a day for a month to something that would improve my writing, I was in. My plan was hatched in a flash: Spend an hour daily revisiting and analyzing William Shakespeare's plays. When the month ended, the strategy proved so fruitful that I kept going. To date, I've logged 365+ nightly visits with the Bard and cycled through his tragedies and comedies (skipped the histories!) four times. What, you may ask, can a playwright who penned his dramas 400 years ago teach a debut novelist about crafting Britomar and the Forest of No Return, a middle-grade fantasy adventure about a young medieval tree whisperer and reluctant knight-in-training? Plenty! Here are four tips Will generously passed on... Read the full article... What's New 6 Lessons Learned from Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Find 6 lessons learned from Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro, that writers can apply to their own writing. If you haven't read the novel yet, we do talk about the plot and reveal things about the story. So consider this your spoiler alert. Read More... Writer's Digest Commemorative Prints - Now Available! We picked some of the most amusing, inspiring, and beautiful Writer's Digest covers from our first 100 years to offer to you as prints to hang over your writing desk, as bags for carrying your books, and much more. As we celebrate our 100th anniversary during 2020, we're excited to be able to offer this glimpse into our past as we look to the future. Read More... Maybe This Time Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt This week's writing prompt will ask you to step outside of your comfort zone...er, time zone. Write a scene that includes time travel. Start Writing... Tomorrow: Mastering Amazon for Authors Writer's Digest University Limited seating available! Tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 20 - Mar. 26, 2020 This is the premiere online course, led my marketer Rob Eagar, is designed to help you maximize book sales at the world’s largest retailer.. Register Now... 75 Playwriting Lessons I've Learned So Far... A Script Magazine Feature Playwright Adam Brandner shares 75 lessons he's learned during his playwriting career to help you benefit from his mistakes and insights. Read More... Copyediting Certification Course Writer's Digest University This workshop will provide training for aspiring copy editors in order to give them practical and marketable workplace skills. Students who complete all the assignments and pass the comprehensive test will receive documentation from Writer's Digest of their completion. Get Certified... Amy Jones Amy Jones is a senior editor for Writer’s Digest and the former managing content director for WD Books. Prior to joining the WD team, Amy was the managing editor for North Light Books and IMPACT Books. Find her on Twitter at @AmyMJones_5 Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

Insights from Ann Garvin, Katrin Schumann, Nevien Shaabneh, and Bob Mayer With each new speaker we add, the excitement for the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference grows and the opportunities to advance your writing goals increase! Will you be there? Last week we announced our first pre-conference session with Jane Friedman and we continue to add new conference sessions and speakers each week. Here are just a few of the new ones: Marketing Collectives for Mutual Success | Ann Garvin  Creating a Conflict Box: The Fuel of Your Story | Bob Mayer Seven Key Questions You Need to Answer to Successfully Publish Your Nonfiction Book | Katrin Schumann Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Publishing: From First Pitch to Book Birthday | Nevien Shaabneh We’ll continue to add more speakers and sessions—including Pitch Slam agents & editors and additional pre-conference workshops—so be sure to check out our speakers and schedule pages on the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference website for all the details, follow us on Twitter @WritersDigest, and keep an eye out for the next email.  NOTE: Register by March 10th and save $150!  | Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301