Writer's Digest University

With details of courses starting this week and more:

Writer's Digest online writing workshops cover every aspect of writing, from how to get started all the way to getting your project published -- all from the comfort of your home! Click here to view the full course calendar >> Courses Starting This Week:  Social Media 101 Instructor: Dan Blank Social media is a large part of our world today and it's growing by the minute. Discover how to use social media to your advantage in this workshop. You’ll learn how to create a profile on social networks, decide which platforms are right for you, and build a sense of community with others online. Writing the Personal Essay 101: Fundamentals Instructor: Gloria Kempton An excellent way to get your first byline, this course guides writers through elements of how to write a personal essay, helping them identify values expressed in their stories and bring readers into the experiences described. 12 Weeks to a First Draft Instructor: John Dechancie Dive into the world of writing and learn all 12 steps needed to complete a first draft. In this writing workshop you will tackle the steps to writing a book, learn effective writing techniques along the way, and of course, begin writing your first draft. Short Story Fundamentals Instructor: John Dechancie The short story is a unique and challenging medium that offers you amazing opportunities. Throughout this four-week workshop, you will have feedback and support while you write and hone an entire short story from beginning to end, and you'll leave with a polished draft of your story. Advanced Novel Writing Instructor: Mark Spencer Push yourself beyond your comfort zone and take your writing to new heights with this novel writing workshop, designed specifically for novelists who are looking for detailed feedback on their work. When you take this online workshop, you won't have weekly reading assignments or lectures. Instead, you'll get to focus solely on completing your novel. June Boot Camp: Plot Perfect Boot Camp with Talcott Notch Literary Services June 22-26, 2020 Whether you're writing a novel, short story, memoir, stage play, or screenplay, this boot camp will show you how to craft a great narrative scene-by-scene. It's a hands-on event that provides personalized feedback on your story structure and plot.The agents of Talcott Notch Literary Services share the secrets of creating a story structure that works - no matter what your genre - in this entertaining and informative online event. June Virtual Conference: Breaking In: Publishing Your Debut Novel Virtual Conference with Five Debut Authors June 26-28, 2020 Spend the weekend hearing from five debut authors who recently broke into the industry and were finally published. They'll share their stories and give you advice and insights into what's working for debut authors right now. You'll also have access to a special presentation on how to get finally get publishing after really, really trying. Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home! View Full Course Calendar Hate being tied to a schedule? Our Self-Paced Courses are Now Only $19.99! EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | CONVENIENT ACCESS INVALUABLE FEEDBACK Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301 Active Interest Media, 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301, USA

This week we share our April 2020 interview with Chigozie Obioma and we reveal the cover of our upcoming July/August issue. Chigozie Obioma: The WD Interview The An Orchestra of Minorities author discusses the most challenging parts of penning his Booker Prize–shortlisted novel and the Igbo culture that influenced the story in this April 2020 interview by Simon Van Booy. What was your childhood like? Did you grow up around books or was literature something you discovered on your own? Last year I wrote an essay for The New York Times about how I came to writing through a delirious love for reading books. It was for me a big discovery when, one evening when I was about eight or so, I discovered that the secret to the stories my parents had been telling me, acting as though they were their inventions, had been culled from books. From then onward, I read voraciously, as though my life depended on it. How did you decide that you wanted to write fiction? Was there a moment or an event, or was it a gradual pull toward living the life of an artist? I think it was borne more from envy and a great lusting after the lives of the writers whom I read. I recall always asking my parents, with great sadness, when I would be able to write books like the writers I was reading, and they would reply simply: when you are older. But I could not wait! I wrote my first novel when I was 12 years old. That novel, The Dwarf King, soon became lost. I probably would have published it by now. Read the full article... What's New 63 Grammar Rules for Writers Here are 63 grammar rules for writers to assist them with better writing skills. Each rule includes a quick breakdown and links to a post that goes into more detail with examples. This list will be updated with new rules as we add them to the site. Read More... Revealing the Cover of the July/August Issue! Get a sneak peek at the July/August 2020 issue of Writer's Digest, which was perhaps not the best timing for a travel writing themed issue. But we made it work! Read More... The Premonition Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt Write a scene or story that includes a destiny predicted for the future. Does the fortune turn out to be true? Why or why not? Does a character work to change their fate, or go along with the prophecy? Do they believe in the prediction at first? Read More... Plot Perfect Boot Camp Writer's Digest University The agents of Talcott Notch Literary Services share the secrets of creating a story structure that works—no matter what your genre—in this entertaining and informative online event. Hurry, this workshop starts next Monday! Learn More... Top 10 Tips for Writing Dynamic Dialogue A Script Magazine Feature Film executives, agents, directors, producers, and all those reading your script demand that your characters “speak” to them. Susan Kouguell shares her top 10 tips for writing dynamic dialogue. Read More... Social Media 101 Writer's Digest University Social media is a large part of our world today and it's growing by the minute. Discover how to use social media to your advantage in this workshop. You’ll learn how to create a profile on social networks, decide which platforms are right for you, and build a sense of community with others online. Learn More... Amy Jones Amy Jones is the editor-in-chief of 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

Breaking In: Publishing Your Debut Novel Virtual Conference Spend the weekend hearing from six debut authors who recently broke into the industry and were finally published. They'll share their stories and give you advice and insights into what's working for debut authors right now. You'll also have access to a special presentation on how to get published after really, really, really trying. Click here to learn more.  CONFERENCE SESSIONS: How to Get Published After Really, Really, REALLY Trying Finishing your manuscript is a huge accomplishment, but it's only the beginning. In this session, you'll learn how to make it stand out from the crowd and how to get it in front of the right people to maximize your chances of success. You'll hear about no-cost and low-cost things you can do, as well as higher-cost but worthwhile things. It can be a long and non-linear process, but if you have a good product and are willing to stick with it, this seminar will help you get the job done. Instructor: Al Pessin Al Pessin is an award-winning journalist, author and playwright, whose debut novel, the thriller Sandblast (April 2020), rose from the slush pile at Kensington Publishing to land him a three-book contract. He has won several Royal Palm Literary Awards, and Sandblast was a shortlist selection for the 2017 Bosque Fiction Prize. Al has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Politico, TheHill.com, DefenseOne and several other publications.  Everything I Wish I’d Known Before Writing the Book From writing to querying to publishing, the path of a debut author is full of surprises—both good and bad. Debut author Nathan Makaryk recounts his own many mistakes learned along the way, and lessons any aspiring author should take to heart before even setting finger to keyboard. He’ll share the “things nobody tells you” about getting published, and how the reality of getting the book contract compares to expectations. Instructor: Nathan Makaryk Nathan Makaryk is the author of the historical epics Nottingham (Semifinalist for Best Historical Fiction | Goodreads Choice Awards) and Lionhearts (coming September 2020), published by Tor/Forge. He is a playwright, theater-owner, director, stage combat choreographer, and comedian living in Southern California. His first book is based on his play The Legend of Robin Hood. He is quite bad at everything else not mentioned above. How to Find Your Voice Through Writing Agents and editors want writers with a strong voice, but there's a catch: That voice has to be unique. So many writers lose themselves trying to become something, but Sarah J. Sover reveals how every part of who she is has helped her find success in her writing journey. In this session, writers will learn how being true to yourself on all levels is one path to discovering who you are as a writer. And how the formation of novels becomes so much easier when you're not fighting to fit into this idea of what is right. Instructor: Sarah J. Sover Sarah J Sover’s debut novel, Double-Crossing the Bridge, published in 2019 by The Parliament House, became an Amazon Best Seller in humorous fantasy. Her short fiction was published in Jordan Con’s first exclusive anthology and has been accepted for the second, releasing in 2021. . Creating Compelling Near Future Worlds in Science Fiction Writers will learn the definition of near future as it pertains to science fiction, how to create the elements of a compelling near future science fiction story, including setting (creating the near future world), plot (asking “what if?”), theme (why tell this story?), characters (the heart of the story), and science (integrate, don’t lecture!). While this presentation will focus on science fiction specifically, there are lessons here that writers of all genres can apply. Instructor: Carole Stivers Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Carole Stivers received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After post-doctoral work at Stanford University, she launched a career in medical diagnostics. Now in California, she’s combined her love of writing and science to create her first novel, The Mother Code, due out in the U.S. on August 25, 2020. How to Use Your Life Experiences to Write Your Novel In this presentation, people will learn about using truth and past/lived experiences in fiction, and the blurring between fiction versus reality, as well as how fiction can shape reality and vice versa. Further, it will explore how experiences can inform place and setting, what to avoid when using your past to tell your story, and what writing fiction can teach you about your own life/experiences. Instructor: Lisa Braxton Lisa Braxton is an Emmy-nominated former television journalist and the author of the novel, The Talking Drum, published by Inanna Publications in May 2020. Her stories and essays have appeared in Vermont Literary Review, Black Lives Have Always Mattered, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and The Book of Hope. From Self to Universe: Building Character Relationships In this presentation, writers will learn how to determine their character's trajectory through developing their (un)conscious relationships with self, friends and family, society, and the universe (nationally and internationally, environmentally, spiritually). Also, writers will learn how to position their characters in their imagined and actual world(s). Instructor: Ava Homa Ava Homa is the acclaimed author of the novel Daughters of Smoke and Fire (May 2020) which was named one of the best new fictions in The Independent, the Globe and Mail, and Reader's Digest. Homa is a journalist, holds a Master's Degree in English and creative writing, and is the inaugural recipient of the PEN Canada Writers-in-Exile Scholarship. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE! Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

Featuring our interview with poet and essayist, Ross Gay, plus writing advice from 21 published authors. Delightful Observations: An Interview with Ross Gay While walking along a path in Italy that brought him joy, Ross Gay suddenly thought that it would be a fun intellectual experiment to write a short essay about a pleasant experience every day for one year, beginning with his birthday. By the time he had turned a year older, Gay wrote essays about receiving high fives from strangers, ambiguous signage, flowers in the hands of statues, nicknames, and more. These essays became The Book of Delights (February 2019, Algonquin Books), the follow-up to his poetry collection Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, which won the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award. Gay sat down with WD while promoting The Book of Delights to talk about what inspired his book, following the movement of thought in drafts, and writing with a sense of optimism. Read the full article... What's New 21 Authors Share One Piece of Advice for Writers The best tips come from people who have been there and done that. As such, this post collects one piece of advice for writers from 21 published authors. Read More... Grammar Rules: Sight vs. Site vs. Cite Learn when to use sight vs. site vs. cite with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.  Read More... Invent a Word Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt Lewis Carroll is credited with the invention of the word chortle, and John Milton introduced pandemonium, according to Vox. This week, try your hand at creating a new word. Write a scene or story that includes a word of your invention. Read More... Breaking In: Publishing Your Debut Novel Virtual Conference Spend June 26-28 hearing from five debut authors who recently broke into the industry and were finally published. Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home! Click here to learn more. Peak TV; Weak TV A Script Magazine Feature Ray Morton examines the different structures of television shows in the era of "Peak TV" - the good, the bad, and how to fix your story's execution. Read More... How to Write an Article Writer's Digest University It’s a great time to be a writer. There are more places to tell stories, and more ways of telling them, than ever before. In online lectures, supplemental readings, and written assignments and exercises, we’ll talk about how to source, prioritize and develop topic ideas, compose and refine pitches to multiple outlets, and much more. Learn More... Amy Jones Amy Jones is the editor-in-chief of 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 To unsubscribe from all AIM emails, click HERE Active Interest Media, 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301, USA