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. Save $50, This Week Only! Use code HEARTSOUL Poetry writing is a very personal art form; at its best it flows freely from the heart and soul of the poet. But poetry writing also has stylistic conventions and rhythmic patterns that—once understood and mastered—can enhance the emotional content of your verse with design and structure. In this workshop, you will go on a journey of personal discovery and develop your individual poetic “voice” through the use of directed exploration, as well as hands-on writing exercises. Share your soul with the world! Click here to learn more.  LEARN MORE Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301

 

Find tips to increase your writing performance and consistency, plus get tips for reworking classic stories.   How to Increase Your Writing Performance and Consistency   You’ve heard the stories about the most productive and prolific writers. They sit down at their desk on a schedule—five or seven days per week at the same time. Then they knock out a predictable number of pages or words every single time.   No excuses. No procrastination. No distraction.   To succeed as a writer, you, too, have to write consistently.   How do you make that happen? Focus on mastering your psychology, physiology, productivity, influence, and purpose. In the process, you will dramatically improve your writing performance and consistency.   Let’s take a quick look at one of these areas and how it relates to your writing career.   Read the full article...   Looking for an excellent publisher? Atmosphere Press is an independent full-service publisher for books of all genres, from fiction to poetry to nonfiction to children's picture books, and beyond. Atmosphere’s exceptional editorial, design, and promotional team embraces an author-friendly approach to getting your book out into the world. They use a collaborative publishing model, allowing you to retain your rights while Atmosphere helps make your book awesome.   Submit your full-length manuscript by September 30th with no reading fee at atmospherepress.com/books/guidelines.       What's New   The 5-Step Process for Reworking a Classic Story   Learn bestselling author MarcyKate Connolly's five-step process for reworking a classic story, including her "fairy tale flip chart." While these lessons are sure to be a great fit for plotters, it should help out pantsers as well. Read More...   Writer's Digest Best Writing Community Websites 2020   Here are the top writing community websites as identified in the 22nd Annual 101 Best Websites from the May/June 2020 issue of Writer's Digest.  Read More...   Story Title Generator   Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt   Use this story title generator based on your name and star sign to begin your next writing project.   Read More...   Agent One-on-One: How to Craft Query Letters & Other Submission Materials That Get Noticed Boot Camp When your submission materials – a query letter, synopsis, manuscript, or book proposal – arrive in an agent's inbox, they land among hundreds of others. Get valuable agent feedback on your submission materials and more!   Learn More and Register     Twitter Screenwriting Tips: Writing Exercises Recommended by Aaron Sorkin   A Script Magazine Feature   Even professional screenwriters need ways to rev their writing engines. Script found a Twitter screenwriting tip from filmmaker Magda Olchawska, where she shared 12 writing exercises from Aaron Sorkin.   Read More...   Writing Historical Fiction   Writer's Digest University   In this workshop, you'll learn everything you need to know about writing a historical novel. This includes how to find the facts you need, how to organize those facts, how to write scenes utilizing historical markers, and 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       | Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301 Active Interest Media, 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA     Next Week's Boot Camp   Craft Query Letters & Other Submission Materials When your submission materials – a query letter, synopsis, manuscript, or book proposal – arrive in an agent's inbox, they land among hundreds of others. Get valuable agent feedback on your submission materials and more! September 22-25, 2020 LEARN MORE!   New Kit Short Story Writing Kit Writing a short story is a very rewarding experience for writers at any level. In this exclusive kit from Writer’s Digest, you’ll find seven proven resources designed to help you write an excellent short story. Save 80% See what's included >>    SAVE NOW! Next Week's Webinar   Writing the Memoir that Can Sell Writing and selling a commercially viable memoir in today's marketplace can often seem difficult. Regina Brooks will explain what sells and why and how you can get YOUR memoir published. September 24, 1:00 PM EDT LEARN MORE!   Featured Resources   September/October 2020 Issue   2nd Draft Critique: Short Story Critique       Writing Your Novel in 30 Days: Prep Kit   The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms   Explore More Resources      Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301     Take Your Opening Pages to the Next Level! Writing strong first pages requires a great hook, a strong voice, and a clear premise. The first sentence should immediately catch the reader’s attention, while the subsequent text should leave the reader wanting to dive further into the pages of the manuscript. But making the first pages of your story absolutely unputdownable takes practice, patience, revision, and an eye for detail. Which is why we’re here: to discuss what to do (and not to do) to make your opening pages stand out.   This course is designed for writers who are ready to roll up their sleeves and take their opening pages to the next level. Weekly exercises will strengthen skills such as writing strong first lines and experimenting with voice, while weekly lectures will cover topics such as successful market examples and case studies, effective dialogue, and common ‘do’s and don’ts’ of first pages.   What works best in the first pages of a manuscript and what doesn’t Terminology to become familiar with How voice, pacing, and plotting influence first page content What makes dialogue authentic, and how that contributes to the ‘voice’ of your writing Market examples and trends of current bestsellers – and why they sell well And much more! Published and unpublished writers looking to improve their existing opening pages on a working draft through lessons, writing exercises, and prompts Writers looking for guidance on comparative titles, pitching their stories, and industry examples of successful opening pages Writers who have not yet been successful in querying and need some guidance Writers who want to learn about industry resources and how to avoid common mistakes   September 17 - October 22, 2020 LEARN MORE   Instructor: Jess Dallow   Jess Dallow is an associate literary agent with Brower Literary and Management. She has a BFA in Writing for Film and Television from the University of the Arts and worked in entertainment for eight years before returning to her home state of NY to work in publishing. Instructor: Jackie Lindert   Jackie Lindert is a freelance editor and content curator. Originally from Wisconsin, she earned her certification from the Denver Publishing Institute and promptly hopped on a one-way flight to NYC as soon as she secured an internship in publishing. She’s worked at both agencies, discovering talented writers, and a major publishing house, bringing authors’ books to audiences worldwide.    Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301     5 Rules for Writing Stories That Work   I was never a fan of academic creative writing courses. The ones I took in college and graduate school were, shall we say, less than desirable (more on that in a moment), and the classes were run by professors, some of whom were published writers, who loved to talk about what made great writing but couldn't (or wouldn't) explain what made a great story. Story, more often than not, was secondary.   (Do writers need to go to college?)   I've been teaching creative writing at Harvard's Extension School and their Summer Writing Program, on and off, for the past two decades, to mainly graduate students, and I'm always struck by just how little many of these great, promising writers know about story. Whether you're writing romance, young adult fiction, or the great American novel, it all begins with story. You have to know story structure, how it works and how to work it, before you write a single line.   And this is how you do it. Read the full article...   Say goodbye to frustrating writing tools and hello to NovelPad—the immersive app designed to make writing easier! Write without distraction and effortlessly rearrange story beats by dragging and dropping scene cards, and simplify your workflow with automated Character, Location, and Plot tracking. Stay motivated with reminders, goals, and detailed analytics. While your writing tool can’t write your novel for you, it shouldn't work against you.  Try NovelPad completely for free with no credit card required at NovelPad.com     Plot Twist Story Prompts: Sudden Death   For this week's prompt, someone has to die. The death can be from natural causes, a terrible accident, or a sinister end plotted out by a nefarious ne'er-do-well. Regardless of intent, this plot twist story prompt does require a death.   Of course, murder mysteries are built on people getting knocked off. In fact, those plots sometimes require multiple murders. But a natural death can play a big role in the plot for other genres of story as well.   (The 10 commandments of how to write a thriller.)   For instance, a sudden death in the family could change a character's personal wealth or lead them to a new locale (either because they were gifted a spooky old house or have to visit a foreign land to hear the reading of a will). Deaths can liberate some characters and add responsibility to others. So the stakes can be high, because this truly is a matter of life and death. Read More...   This Week in Writing   9/14—John Gardner died 1982 9/15—James Fennimore Cooper born 1789 9/15—Agatha Christie born 1890 (12 Agatha Christie quotes for writers) 9/16—John Knowles born 1926 9/16—Robert Jordan died 2007 9/17—William Carlos Williams born 1883 9/17—Frank O'Connor born 1903 9/17—Ken Kesey born 1935 9/18—Samuel Johnson born 1709 9/19—William Golding born 1911 9/19—N.K. Jemisin born 1972 (WD interview with N.K. Jemisin) 9/20—Upton Sinclair born 1878 9/20—Donald Hall born 1928 9/20—George R.R. Martin born 1948 (12 George R.R. Martin quotes)   PNWA is going virtual! Reboot your writing with PNWA’s Virtual Conference Sept. 24th - 27th!  Keynote Brit Bennett. Full and single day packages. Master classes + agent/editor pitch session. Learn more:  pnwa2020     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      Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301 A Virtual Conference Like No Other!   We’ve already provided you with the top five reasons to attend a virtual event and now we want to explain what you can except for WD’s virtual conferences. Our dates have changed to November 5-7 and we’re offering both the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference and Writer’s Digest Novel Writing Conference over the same weekend. We can’t wait to help you take your writing to the next level! Innovative Virtual Platform – You won’t find a series of Zoom calls or pre-recorded webinars here. We’ve partnered with Intrado, a secure and robust virtual event platform to bring you the best possible experience. Live video that connects you from any device. There’s no way to replace an in-person event, but this will be the next best thing! Invaluable Education - You’ll learn from and engage with speakers in real-time in more than 50 unique sessions between both conference (WD Annual and WD Novel Writing Conferences). Don’t forget we’re also offering two workshops on Thursday, November 5 that dive deep on their respective topics: personal essays and characters. Unique Networking Opportunities - Connect with peers, speakers, staff, and exhibitors in our topical lounge areas. Exchange ideas, ask questions, and learn from others who write in the same genre. Virtual Expo Hall - Looking for a service provider to make your self-publishing dreams come true or a writing coach to help take your writing to the next level? You’ll find them here and you’ll be able to view their virtual booths and their latest offerings at your leisure! Join us at the writing community’s must-attend conferences and load up on enough inspiration to fuel your writing the rest of the year and beyond. Register for just Annual or Novel, or sign up for our all new All-Access pass which includes 50+ sessions! Register today!   Register Now Information SPONSORED BY: | Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301

Each Flashback Friday throughout 2020, we'll be sharing an article from our archives to celebrate our 100th anniversary. Tweet your favorite WD memory to us @WritersDigest using the hashtag #WritersDigest100. Thanks for celebrating with us! What Is Literary Talent? By Thomas H. Uzzell, Writer's Digest February 1925 Just before I sat down to write this article, a young woman came to me saying she wanted help in writing short stories. I asked her how much writing she had done, and her answer was, “None,” and she had been wanting to write for eight years! A hopeless case. People who want to write, write; they don’t think about it. They may write very badly because they are too subjective and have no idea of an audience and know nothing about technique, but—they will write something. Their interest gives them the energy needed to get the writing done. On the intensity and the endurance of a person’s interest in his writing does his success hang more utterly than on any other single factor. Love of the medium and love of the deed or want of that love make or break 95 out of every 100 aspirants. Where that love is, you find something as deep as life itself. How much writing have you already done? The answer to this question will offer the best solution I know as to how much writing you are going to do. Legions of people with literary ambitions who get nowhere are more pre-occupied with the thought of why they would like to success than with the thought of how they are going to win success. They want to “win fame,” “earn some money,” to “fulfill ambition,” “make their friends proud of them;” and, alas, too many of them have turned to fiction after failing at everything else they have tried, as the one thing within their slender powers. Desire for money or fame are not at all inconsistent with a genuine literary purpose; they are generally incentives to energetic action; but if the action is not the putting of ideas in the shape of words on paper, all resolutions will come to nothing. One of the commonest errors with regard to this desire to write is the mistaking of a love of reading for a talent for writing. Once he realizes that the easier a book is to read the more painful the labor that produced it, the person with this “book-lover” complex becomes discouraged. His interest was not in self-expression, but in being “literary.” A handicap even greater than this “book-lover complex” is that caused by some pathological inhibition, some nervous disorder which prevents the writer from comprehending the conduct of normal human beings. His writings express not life as it is, but some suppressed personal desires. This psychopathologic problem of writers is too wide and intricate a subject to be more than touched on here. The highest mark of genuine writing talent is an interest in the art so deep that copy in quantity is produced. Jack London was fond of quoting his favorite author, Conrad, as follows: “An artist is a man of action.” Action for the literary artists is writing. Continue reading this article on our website. 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 Short Story Writing Kit Writing a short story is a rewarding experience for writers at any level. In this exclusive kit from Writer’s Digest, you’ll find seven proven resources designed to help you write an excellent short story. See what's included >>  Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301

Call for Submissions! Win $5,000 and a trip to the WD Conference in New York City. This competition spotlights e-books in 8 categories including Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Memoir, Young Adult and Nonfiction. Here’s what you could win: $5,000 in cash A feature article about you and your book in the May/June 2021 issue of Writer’s Digest A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference AND more! For the chance to earn the prestige you deserve and watch your career soar to new heights, enter Writer’s Digest’s Self-Published E-book Awards. LEARN MORE | Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301

. In this issue, we share our definitive answer to how long a book should be (especially for debut authors), how to tame the synopsis, the best writing community sites, and more!  How Long Should a Book Be? Word count for novels and books is something I don't think about too often until I travel to a writers' conference, and then someone asks a simple, innocent question: "How long should a book be?" With that in mind, I've tried to put together the definitive post on word count for fiction (novels, young adult, middle grade, children's books and even memoir). (25 ways to start a story.) The most important thing here is to realize that there are always exceptions to these rules. And man, people love to point out exceptions—and they always will. However, if there is one thing I remember from when my wife dragged me kicking and screaming to He's Just Not That Into You, it's that you cannot count on being the exception; you must count on being the rule. Aiming to be the exception is setting yourself up for disappointment. What writers fail to see is that for every successful exception to the rule (e.g., a first-time 175,000-word novel), there are at least 100 failures if not 300. Almost always, high word count means that the writer simply did not edit their work down enough. Or—it means they have two or more books combined into one. Read the full article... Craft & Business of Writing Best Writing Community Websites Here are the best writing community websites as identified in the 22nd Annual 101 Best Websites from the May/June 2020 issue of Writer's Digest. Read More... Taming the Synopsis: 4 Steps for Writing Them Tales of a powerful writing creature have long been told around the publishing campfire. It has the capacity to shape story ideas, assist in revision, provide essential book-marketing aid. Yet despite its magical properties, the mere mention of this brute has been known to drive some authors to tears, and induce spasms of terror in others. Dare I utter its name? Ladies and gentlemen, please brace yourselves for: The Synopsis. (39 real-life successful queries for multiple writing genres.) No, wait! Don't run away! I know we're speaking of a beast of legend, and there is much talk of sharp fangs and slavering jaws. But I promise, with a little bit of savvy and know-how, you can take that monster from foe to friend. Still not convinced? Allow me to explain how to write a synopsis. Read More... Role vs. Roll (Grammar Rules) Let's roll around the roles of role and roll in this week's Grammar Rules. After all, explaining the differences in homophones is kind of how we roll around here and simultaneously the role of these posts in the first place. (Click here for more grammar rules for writers.) So let's roll through these. 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 here to learn more >> Creating an Author Success Map Writing and publishing a book is a huge accomplishment, as authors pour enormous amounts of time, energy and creativity into their books. But once your baby is out in the world, how do you measure whether it's "successful" or not? What does "success" for a book even look like in a time when millions are released each year? Some authors define success by industry benchmarks, like hitting The New York Times bestseller list or scoring a review with major media outlets. Others compare themselves to fellow writers, the ones who are landing keynote speaking gigs, hosting sold-out book events, becoming national book club picks, or who just, well, seem to be doing better (whatever that means). And for some, success is all about the numbers: Sell 5,000, 10,000, 100,000, or a million books, and you'll know you've "made it." (8 blogging tips for writers to find success.) If you're not careful, you can begin to equate "success" with "fame" before you even realize the difference. It's critical to stop and ask yourself: How do you define success? What does it look like for you and your book specifically? Without a clear, realistic, and (perhaps most importantly) personalized definition of success, it's all-too-easy to miss your very own milestones and accomplishments. You may even begin to believe you're "failing" as an author, when in fact you are succeeding—just maybe by a different definition than the one you've internalized. 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  Privacy Policy Writer's Digest an Active Interest Media company 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301