Writer's Digest University

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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 >>   Upcoming Boot Camp:   Agent One-on-One: First 10 Pages Boot Camp with Talcott Notch Literary Services December 3-6, 2020 As you may know, agents and editors won't give your work more than ten pages or so to make an impact. In this invaluable event, you'll get to work directly with an agent to review and refine the first ten pages of your novel. You'll learn what keeps an agent reading, what are the most common mistakes that make them stop, and the steps you need to take to correct them.    Courses Starting This Week:    Build Your Novel Scene by Scene Instructor: Mark Spencer If you want to learn how to write a story, but aren’t quite ready yet to hunker down and write 10,000 words or so a week, this is the course for you. Get the impetus, the guidance, the support, and the deadline you need to finally stop talking, start writing, and, ultimately, complete that novel you always said you wanted to write.   Writing Nonfiction 101: Fundamentals Instructor: Mark Spencer Writing nonfiction is a great way for beginner and experienced writers to break into the publishing industry. Throughout this 12-week workshop, you will get step-by-step instruction on how to write nonfiction. Register for this workshop and discover how fun writing nonfiction can be.   Creativity and Expression Instructor: G. Miki Hayden When you take this online workshop, you’ll explore creative writing topics and learn how descriptive writing can breathe life into your characters, setting, and plot. Learn creative writing techniques to launch your writing and transform your ideas into your next story.   How to Catch an Agent's Interest with Your First Pages Instructor: Jackie Lindert and Jess Dallow 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. This course is designed for writers who are ready to roll up their sleeves and take their opening pages to the next level.   Writing the Picture Book Instructor: Holly Adler Picture books are one of the most delightful—and important—genres in all of literature. In this course, you'll learn how to write a winning picture book narrative, envision it with illustrations, and put together a picture package that a publisher will really notice.   Marketing Your Magazine Articles Instructor: Jack Adler Do you have a great idea for an article but don’t know what publication would be the best fit? Develop the skills you need to market your writing through this online writing workshop. Take a chance and pitch your writing to editors—you might just see your work in print and get paid too!   Professional Copyediting: Tools of the Trade Instructor: Kim Catanzarite This course is a tool for budding copy editors to take their skills to the next level. Each session’s lecture will address specific topics, such as how to edit quotations, common blunders to avoid, and differences between editing an article and tackling a book-length work.   Hate being tied to a schedule? Check out our affordable, Self-Paced Courses >>   EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | CONVENIENT ACCESS INVALUABLE FEEDBACK   Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA     Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA . 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! 8 Ingredients of Powerful Nonfiction By Linton Weeks, Writer's Digest, September 1989 We as nonfiction writers must constantly ask ourselves how we can make our stories more provocative, more challenging, more delightful, more—dare we say it?—readable. Much has been written about using fiction techniques—plot, points of view, character development, irony—to make for better, more readable, nonfiction. Beyond those techniques, how can we make our nonfiction more powerful, able to get at universal truths, and change the world and all that stuff? Here are eight things that just might help: Attitude There are eight things that will make your nonfiction story more powerful. That's my opinion, my attitude. And an attitude is a good thing to begin with when you sit down to write a piece of nonfiction. Don't just write a story about air pollution in a metro area; tell us "Why Tacoma Stinks"—and in doing so, teach us about the city's ecological dilemma. Rather than give a bland description of a new bed-and-breakfast in Kentucky, tell us that the B&B has the best bed, the worst breakfast, or the crummiest management of any you've ever seen.  Continue reading this article on our website. Moriah Richard Moriah Richard is an editor at Writer’s Digest with a particular interest in discussing craft and genre. As a reader, she’s most interested in horror, fantasy, and romance, although she will read just about anything with a great hook. Find Moriah on Twitter @MoriahRichard93. Memoir Writing Kit Save 86% on Six Resources! Writing your life story may be one of the most rewarding writing endeavors you will undertake. With this kit from Writer's Digest, learn to write your life story or memoir in a way that will delight and engage readers for years to come. See what's included >> Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA Show Us Your Shorts! For over 20 years, Writer’s Digest's Short Short Story Competition has been looking for and shining the light on amazing short fiction. It’s that time again—we’re looking for writing that's bold, brilliant and, most of all, brief. Think you can write a winning story in 1,500 words or less? Send us your best stories and you could win $3,000 in cash, a trip to New York City for the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference 2021, and an interview for a feature article in our magazine. Ready to be the next writer we spotlight? Enter by December 14!   LEARN MORE Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA In this issue, learn five tips for writing a synopsis like a pro (as well as five things to avoid), how to create an author success map, why it's never too late to write, and so much more!  Write a Synopsis Like a Pro Once you have finished writing your novel or book, it's time to prepare your work for the submission process. While each literary agent has their own specific guidelines, it's useful to know how to write a synopsis.  (Publishing Contracts 101: Protect your work.) Here are 5 tips on how to write a synopsis like a pro. Read the full article... Craft & Business of Writing 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. Read More... When Should Writers Edit Their Work? There are a few ways to look at the question of when writers should consider editing their work. First, should they do it before submitting for publication? Then, should they do it during the writing process? I feel the answers are similar regardless of writing genre. So whether you're a poet, novelist, blogger, or journalist, let's break this down one piece at a time. Read More... 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. 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. Should Writers Have a Website? There are a few "business of writing" questions I'm frequently asked via email and at live events, including whether writers should use social media or if authors should have a blog. Another common question is whether writers should have a website. And in most cases, I feel the answer is yes. (6 Elements of a Successful Author Website.) Unlike social media and blogging, an author website requires a minimum time investment from the writer, but it can have some long-lasting benefits. I'll discuss in more detail below, but I feel this is the best place for most writers to start when building their writing platform. 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 Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA     We all come to a point in our writing where we feel a little lost or flat. Let these authors and their words of wisdom inspire you!   Nev March: Taking a Leap of Faith to Write an Award-Winning Historical Mystery Novel   Award-winning author Nev March shares what inspired her award-winning mystery debut, how the editing process went after it was accepted, and so much more. Read the full article...     Plottr helps you plan your books the way you think. Outline faster, plot smarter, and turbocharge your productivity with the #1 visual book planning software. Join 10,000+ writers and start your free trial today!   Click here for your FREE trial     More Author Inspiration   Kitty O'Meara: Finding Joy and Community in a Pandemic   Debut picture book author Kitty O'Meara shares her experience of writing a viral poem that's been turned into a printed picture book in only a few months about finding joy and community in a pandemic. Read More...   Erin Moynihan on Laurel, Everywhere   Erin Moynihan talks about what prompted her to write her debut YA novel about coping with loss, and working with the indie publisher Ooligan Press. Read More...   Just Keep Rolling   Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt   Write a scene or story that takes place at a roller skating rink. Read More...   Create an Author Website in 24 Hours or Less   Hurry, Last Chance to Register!   Launching your author website doesn't have to be scary. Digital media and publishing expert Jane Friedman will teach you how to get your website up and running in a day or less—often in one evening! Sign Up Now...     Interview: Jeff Willis on the Future of Hollywood   A Script Magazine Feature   Many factors affect the film industry, from the change of social norms, to a global pandemic. Jeff Willis, Director of Credits and Administration at Marvel Studios, shares his thoughts on the future of Hollywood. Read More...   Copyediting Certificate Program   Writer's Digest University   This workshop will provide training for aspiring copy editors in order to give them practical and marketable workplace skills. If you complete all the assignments and pass the comprehensive test, you will receive documentation from Writer's Digest of your completion of the Copyediting Certificate Program. Learn More...   Moriah Richard Moriah Richard is an editor at Writer’s Digest with a particular interest in discussing craft and genre. As a reader, she’s most interested in horror, fantasy, and romance, although she will read just about anything with a great hook. Find Moriah on Twitter @MoriahRichard93.       Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA Active Interest Media, 5710 Flatiron Parkway, Suite A, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA . 7 Ways to Add Great Subplots to Stories My sister is a weaver. While inspecting a particularly striking piece still on her loom, I thought about the intricate, subtle pattern she’d devised and the hundreds of threads she was using. “What do you do,” I wondered aloud, “if you realize you’ve made a mistake after you’re halfway through?” (10 ways to start your story better.) “Well, you’ve got three choices,” she answered. “You can throw the whole thing out and start over, you can undo everything back to the point your mistake started, or you can incorporate the mistake into your pattern and go from there.” Is it any wonder that book reviewers often compliment a novel by noting its “tightly woven plot”? How apt! “Seamless” is another fitting descriptor: Nobody wants to read a story that seems like it’s been stitched together with dental floss and an awl. Read the full article... Plot Twist Prompts: Unexplained Phenomenon For today's prompt, have your characters puzzle over an unexplained phenomenon. It could be a door that's always open, even though a character constantly closes it (and can't pull it open without turning the knob). Or the phenomenon could be an unexplained distant light, unexplained sound, or faint smell. Read More... This Day in Writing 11/23—Cornelius Ryan died 1974 11/23—Roald Dahl died 1990 11/26—Charles Schultz born 1922 11/26—Marilynne Robinson born 1943 11/27—James Agee born 1909 11/27—P.D. James died 2014 11/28—William Blake born 1757 11/28—Washington Irving died 1859 11/28—Richard Wright died 1960 11/29—Louisa May Alcott born 1832 11/29—C.S. Lewis born 1898 11/29—Dorothy Day died 1980 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 Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA        Hurry, Seats are Running Out!   As many writers know, agents and editors won't give your work more than ten pages or so to make an impact. If you haven't got them hooked by then, it's a safe bet you won't be asked for more material. Make sure you've got the kind of opening they're looking for! In this invaluable event, you'll get to work with an agent online to review and refine the first ten pages of your novel or non-fiction book. You'll learn what keeps an agent reading, what are the most common mistakes that make them stop, and the steps you need to take to correct them. The best part is that you'll be working directly with an agent, who will provide feedback specific to your work. Here's how it works: On Thursday morning, December 3, you will gain online access to a special 60-minute online tutorial presented by agent and editor Paula Munier. It will help you clarify what you should be looking for in your work. You will also be notified by email which agent you'll be working with on the start date, 12/3, by 5 pm ET. While we accept agent requests, we cannot guarantee that you'll be assigned to that agent. All agents have the ability to provide feedback in all genres including non-fiction. Students may take Thursday and Friday to revise their pages, which are due to be sent to their assigned agent no later than 10:00 am (ET) on Saturday morning, December 5, 2020. (The word count of submissions is strictly limited to 2500 words and it should be submitted in the body of their email, not as attachments). All pages with notes will be returned to participants by 10:00 AM (ET) Sunday morning (December 6th). You'll work to revise your pages based on the agent's specific feedback.   On Sunday, December 6 from 1 pm - 4 pm ET, Talcott Notch will host an online discussion board. This is your golden opportunity to ask your burning questions about craft and improving your writing, as well as industry topics like trends, markets, working with agents and more. Keep in mind, this is a lively, fast-paced learning environment which will give you an immense opportunity to learn not only from your faculty but from the other participants' questions, so please pose questions which won't require your instructor to stop the discussion to reread your boot camp submission in the middle of the Q&A, but otherwise, consider the faculty your treasure trove of industry secrets at your disposal!   By 11:59 PM (ET) Sunday night on December 6, you'll return your final revised pages to your assigned agent for review. Agents will spend the next few weeks reading the revised submissions assigned to them and will provide a final brief one-or-two sentence critique of your progress no later than Tuesday, December 22. Any one of them may ask for additional pages if the initial submission shows serious promise.   December 3-6, 2020   REGISTER NOW   Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA