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Upcoming Webinar   How to Get Published: Land a Book Deal in 2021 Join publishing expert Jane Friedman for this info-packed, 120-minute webinar. You'll get the practical advice and tools you need to make 2021 the year you finally publish your book! January 6, 2021 SIGN UP NOW!   Featured Resources   January/February 2021 Issue   Getting Started in Writing Premium Collection     Outlining Your Novel   A Year of Writing Prompts Upcoming Course   Copyediting Certificate Program 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. January 7 - March 18 LEARN MORE!   Upcoming Boot Camp Perfecting Submission Materials Agents get literally thousands of submissions a year, including query letters, sample pages, and synopses In this WDU boot camp, each attendee will have the opportunity to have their first ten pages critiqued by an agent along with their work in any combination: query letter, manuscript pages, and synopsis.. January 19 - January 22   LEARN MORE! Explore More Resources     Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA   Agent Feedback on Your Submission Package!   Agents get literally thousands of submissions a year, including query letters, sample pages, and synopses. Of those thousands, they request a full manuscript from few and offer representation to even fewer. In this boot camp from Fuse Literary Agency, you will learn how to put together a short yet effective query letter and a one- to two-page book synopsis (fiction). You’ll also learn some best practices for submitting your query, pages, and synopsis to agents. Work directly with an agent from the comfort of your home!    Your Registration Includes: 60-minute online tutorial led by literary agents Tricia Skinner, Michelle Richter, and Carlisle Webber Online Q&A session hosted by the Fuse Literary Agency Networking opportunities with your peers Feedback from an agent on ten pages of your submission package, which can include any combination of a double-spaced query, synopsis, or pages of your manuscript Get personalized feedback from agents with the Fuse Literary Agency! If your submission shows promise, they may ask you for additional pages.   January 19-22, 2021   HURRY, SEATING IS LIMITED!   Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA 10 Best Movies With Writers and Writing Recently, I was trying to find something to watch with my wife, and we stumbled upon Stranger Than Fiction, a movie about a real life IRS auditor who is also the protagonist of a novelist who always kills off her protagonists. It was a fun and unexpectedly heart-warming movie, but it also didn't take long for me to wonder, "What are the best writing-related movies?" So I started making my own list, and I put out a call on social media. (Check out my list of the best songs for writers and about writing here.) Anyway, this post puts together my ultimate movie list of the 10 best movies with writers and/or about the process of writing. This is the list I'm most likely to binge watch when I've got the TV to myself again. Read the full article... Plot Twist Story Prompts: Magic Trick For this week's prompt, insert a little magic into your story. The magic could be something big like a spell that conjures up a terrifying storm right on the spot or that ends one. Or it could something lower key like a perfect item appearing at the perfect moment without explanation. In fact, the lack of explanation is what really gives magic its power. (5 ways to surprise your reader without it feeling like a trick.) Magic is fun for readers, because there is usually no explanation—even if the writer has an elaborate system of magical rules. That lack of explanation creates a space where anything is possible—for good or for evil. In many ways, a magical world is simultaneously filled with more hope and more dread than others. Of course, the magic itself could be truly magical, or it could be a trick. The fun part for the storyteller is deciding when to use the magic, how often, and then unraveling what it means for all the characters. Does the magic create a positive reaction? A negative reaction? Maybe it's confounding or humorous. Maybe there is an explanation at the end, but consider the possibility of leaving it up to the readers to debate. Read More... This Week in Writing 12/28—Stan Lee born 1922 (Stan Lee's 1947 guide to writing comics) 12/28—Charles Portis born 1933 12/29—William Gaddis born 1922 12/30—Rudyard Kipling born 1865 12/30—Mercer Mayer born 1943 12/31—Eleanor Taylor Bland born 1944 1/1—Frankenstein published 1818 (12 Mary Shelley quotes for writers) 1/1—E.M. Forster born 1879 1/1—J.D. Salinger born 1919 1/2—Isaac Asimov born 1920 1/3—J.R.R. Tolkien born 1892 (11 J.R.R. Tolkien quotes for writers) 1/3—Terry Deary born 1946 1/3—Erik Larson born 1954 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   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:    Writing Women's Fiction Instructor: G. Miki Hayden You’re not sure how to describe women’s fiction, but when you read it, you know that’s the kind of novel you want to write. In this course, you will learn how to identify a story idea that falls under the women’s fiction umbrella, create or strengthen a protagonist who will propel her story forward, and more!   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.   Grammar and Mechanics Instructor: Kelly Boyer Sagert Do you remember the difference between the 8 parts of speech and how to use them? Are you comfortable with punctuation and mechanics? No matter what type of writing you do, mastering the fundamentals of grammar and mechanics is an important first step to having a successful writing career.   Writing the Picture Book Instructor: Holly Alder 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.   Upcoming Webinar:   How to Get Published: Land a Book Deal in 2021 with Jane Friedman January 6, 2021 Book publishing is undergoing a dramatic transformation as ebook sales increase and physical bookstores decrease in number. Join publishing expert Jane Friedman for this info-packed, 120-minute webinar. You'll get the practical advice and tools you need to make 2021 the year you finally publish your book!   Featured Course:   Copyediting Certification Program with Kim Catanzarite January 7 - March 18 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.   Upcoming Boot Camp:   Perfecting Submission Materials with Fuse Literary January 19-22, 2021 Agents get literally thousands of submissions a year, including query letters, sample pages, and synopses. Of those thousands, they request a full manuscript from few and offer representation to even fewer. Each attendee will have the opportunity to have their first ten pages critiqued by an agent along with their work in any combination: query letter, manuscript pages, and synopsis.   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     Get a Jump on Your 2021 Goals   If you want to get your book traditionally published in 2021-be it fiction, nonfiction, a children's book, or memoir-increase your chances by knowing how to evaluate the commercial potential of your work and learning the best way to approach editors, agents, and publishers. Book publishing is undergoing a dramatic transformation as e-book sales increase and physical bookstores decrease in number. These changes affect the traditional book deals that get made-meaning that authors have to adjust their strategies to adapt to a risk-averse and uncertain industry. This intensive and information-filled 120-minute live webinar helps you think like an industry insider who makes decisions every day on what work merits print publication. You'll get practical advice and tools to help you develop strong pitch letters and proposal materials for both fiction and nonfiction-plus back-door methods for networking with agents and editors. Avoid frustration-don't embark on the submission process in 2021 without being fully educated about how the industry works, from an impartial point of view. You will better focus your time and energy, increase your chances of success, and learn to decipher the language of industry professionals.   The tried-and-true pitch formula that gets the attention of an editor or an agent 3 of the biggest time-wasters writers should avoid when pursuing traditional publication The critical differences between pitching fiction and nonfiction, as well as differences in pitching narrative-driven works, information-driven works, and illustrated works How to evaluate how close you are to getting a traditional deal-and if you're really ready to start submitting your work to agents and editors and much more! Writers with finished novel manuscripts who are starting to consider submitting to agents and editors Nonfiction writers with a book concept who need to know the next steps to take Writers who are currently submitting their work and not getting the responses they expected or hoped for Anyone who needs a primer on how the book industry works Previously published authors who have been out of the game and need a refresher for the digital era   January 6, 1:00 PM ET   SIGN UP NOW! Instructor: Jane Friedman   Jane Friedman is the former publisher of Writer’s Digest and the former web editor for the Virginia Quarterly Review (VQR). She has been building websites using WordPress since 2006, and is the sole designer and developer of her own website at JaneFriedman.com. Her website enjoys more than 100,000 visits every month and has won multiple awards as a best website for writers. Find out more at JaneFriedman.com.     Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA In this issue, learn how one late bloomer learned to stop sabotaging her writing goals and find success, discover the four steps to write the perfect synopsis, and so much more!  How I Stopped Sabotaging My Goals Given that I published my first book at age 55, some might call me a late-blooming author. I am. But not because I suddenly discovered writing and decided to write a book. I am a late bloomer because I finally stopped sabotaging myself and did the work needed to realize life-long ambitions. (It's Never Too Late.) Writing books is all I ever wanted to do. Yet, for many years, I wore my writing dream like a costume—acting the part but never really committing to the work. Throughout my childhood, teens and 20s, I might have looked like someone working for her dream: sending earnest poems to teen magazines and entering contests, majoring in the right subjects, founding student publications, and working in New York City publishing jobs. Sometimes a glimmer of the dream would start to come true: winning the Rotary Creative Writing Contest in junior high, getting into selective writing workshops, getting my first byline in a national magazine. But instead of these little wins driving me towards my dream, they often caused me to back away and to talk about the dream more than to go after it. Read the full article... Craft & Business of Writing WD Poetic Form Challenge: Trenta-Sei Time for another WD Poetic Form Challenge. This time around, we'll write the trenta-sei! Find the rules for writing the trenta-sei here. It's a 36-line form created by poet John Ciardi. So start writing them and sharing here on the site (this specific post) for a chance to be published in Writer's Digest magazine–as part of the Poetic Asides column. Read More... Yes, Virginia, You Are a Writer Whether we're measuring things by lives lost, economic hardships, or wholesale changes to actions and behaviors that were normal and commonplace this same time last year, 2020 has been (and continues to be) a hard year. And that's true for writers as much as anyone else. (Writing Advice With Cats | Writing Advice With Dogs) I've seen you and heard you on social media saying things like, "I can't find the motivation to write. I don't know what to write. That is, I don't know what to write that matters. There's so much, too much, and I can't focus. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to write again. I'm not sure if I consider myself a writer anymore." I know; I've been you myself. Read More... 4 Steps for Perfecting the Synopsis 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. (Perfecting Submission Materials Literary Agent Boot Camp.) Dare I utter its name? Ladies and gentlemen, please brace yourselves for: The Synopsis. 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... 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 >> 15 Things a Writer Should Never Do Based on interviews with authors over the years, conferences, editing dozens of issues of Writer’s Digest, and my own occasional literary forays and flails, here are some points of consensus and observations: 15 of them, things anyone who lives by the pen (or seeks to) might consider. 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 This week, we're taking a close look at what makes a book special, from converting a short story to a novel to a making your audience laugh. Expanding a Short Story Into a Novel How to recirculate short stories into novels—that's what I did with Hard Times—combined two of my short stories, “Hard Times” with “The Mockingbird Café,” and took that combination in another direction to come up with a novel. A lot of writers have short fiction that has seemingly died, but in reality, is still amenable to more life. Read the full article... Unlock the potential of your manuscript! Helga Schier, PhD, published author and professional editor offers effective, personalized, constructive, and comprehensive editorial services. Contact:helga@withpenandpaper.com, www.withpenandpaper.com, 310.828.8421 What's New Bob Eckstein: Creating Laughter in the Toughest of Times Humorist and cartoonist Bob Eckstein talks about his goal of making people laugh, even in the toughest of times, through two new books. Read More... 10 Authors Share Their Biggest Surprise in the Publishing Process There are so many mysteries of publishing for authors, whether they're on their first book or have published several. This post collects the biggest surprise in the publishing process for 10 published authors. Read More... Word Association Exercise: Holiday Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt Brainstorm a list of images or ideas that you associate with the word holiday. What comes to mind when you hear the word—a vacation, special tradition, or Billie Holiday? Read More... How to Get Published: Land a Book Deal in 2021 Book publishing is undergoing a dramatic transformation as e-book sales increase and physical bookstores decrease in number. Join publishing expert Jane Friedman for this info-packed, 120-minute webinar. You'll get the practical advice and tools you need to make 2021 the year you finally publish your book! Click Here to Learn More Comedy Writing: Crossing the Line That Now Keeps Moving A Script Magazine Feature It’s a comedy writer’s duty to test limits and push boundaries, but a misstep nowadays can backfire bigtime. How far is too far in this era of zero tolerance? Read More... Travel Writing Writer's Digest University When you take this six-week workshop, you'll discover how to become a travel writer by exploring the different types of articles you can write and developing your own writing style. You'll learn how to keep readers captivated and how to garner interest from travel editors. 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   Learn from Seven Best-Selling Authors!   Writer's Digest is pleased to present an exclusive virtual conference for novel writers! On January 22-24, our Novel Writing Virtual Conference will provide expert insights from SEVEN award-winning and best-selling authors on the finer points of how to write a novel. Spend the weekend learning techniques for honing your craft skills, refining your characters, exploring the future of publishing, and getting the tools you need to advance your career as a writer from seven different published authors, then (if you choose) pitch your novel via query letter to a literary agent. The agent will provide you with a personalized critique of your query – and maybe ask to see more.   All participants will benefit from: SEVEN all-new, one-hour webinar presentations provided by award-winning and bestselling authors, all examining different aspects of writing novels. Each session will include an opportunity for live Q&A with the authors! A critique (with written feedback) of your query letter from an agent with experience. A bonus 90-minute On Demand webinar covering how to write a query letter so you’re prepared when pitching your novel to agents. (A $79.99 value!) The ability to network with fellow writers via discussion boards that will be open throughout the weekend. Share ideas, and even your work if you choose. Unlimited OnDemand viewing! All conference sessions will be made available for download in the week following the live presentations. Even if you can’t attend every session live, you will be able to view each lecture on your own whenever you choose. Learn valuable techniques to hone your craft     Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home!   January 22-24, 2021   LEARN MORE!   Conference Schedule:   The First 100 Pages: How to Get a Book Up and Breathing by Barbara O'Neal The first 100 pages of a novel are critical to creating a world readers want to immerse themselves in, but from the writer's end, it can be challenging. What needs to happen in those pages? What key elements absolutely must be there? How do you introduce multiple characters without overwhelming the reader? How do you lay the groundwork for your conflict? Learn world-building, character introduction, and other key elements of those first 100 pages with novelist Barbara Samuel (aka Barbara O’Neal), author of more than 60 novels.     The Maddening Middle by Jeff Somers Many writers find it relatively easy to develop detailed beginnings for their story, and detailed endings—but they struggle with the middle portion of the novel. Beginnings are exciting because of the “blank page” effect—you have total freedom to invent characters and plot elements, build worlds, and imagine clever twists. Endings can be exciting because you get to write the big climactic encounters and pay off twists you set up in the beginning. The middle, though, is often just a huge question mark. How do you get from the exciting setup to the exciting ending? Jeff will discuss how to come up with B through Y when you have A and Z figured out.     Write a Smashing Ending: How to Leverage Your Beginning and Middle to Craft the Perfect Ending by Elizabeth Sims The beginning has to hook readers; the middle has to keep readers turning the pages; but it can all fall apart without a smashing ending that provides the big payoff—even if that obviously leads into a future novel. In this session, bestselling author Elizabeth Sims shares how to leverage your beginning and middle to craft the perfect ending.     How to Write Compelling Villains by Kristina/KK Pérez Readers love to cheer on their protagonists, but they cheer harder when there’s a formidable foe—a villain. Sometimes the villains even steal the show. With the assistance of agent and author Kristina Perez, writers will learn how to write compelling villains to keep readers turning pages.     Writing Realistic (and Interesting) Dialogue by Emily Gray Tedrowe Dialogue is as easy as talking, or is it? Realistic dialogue is often boring to read. However, over-the-top dialogue can feel a bit over the top—and unrealistic. In this session, Emily Gray Tedrowe will use successful excerpts to show how to write dialogue that’s realistic and compelling.     Thinking Beyond the First Book by Nathan Makaryk Do you just have one book you want to write, or are you starting a writing career? It's never too early to think about what happens after your book is on the shelf, and prepare for the many things that can go right or wrong after that point … based on a variety of real authors’ experiences.     Successful Revision Strategies by Jennifer Givhan The first draft is where a novel comes together, but it’s not the finished product. Most successful authors know the magic (and success, for that matter) really happens during the revision process. In this one-hour presentation, novelist Jennifer Givhan shares revision strategies to help you find success with your novel.     Active Interest Media 5710 Flatiron Parkway Suite A Boulder, Colorado, 80301 USA Yes, Virginia, You Are a Writer Whether we're measuring things by lives lost, economic hardships, or wholesale changes to actions and behaviors that were normal and commonplace this same time last year, 2020 has been (and continues to be) a hard year. And that's true for writers as much as anyone else. (25 plot twist ideas and prompts for writers.) I've seen you and heard you on social media saying things like, "I can't find the motivation to write. I don't know what to write. That is, I don't know what to write that matters. There's so much, too much, and I can't focus. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to write again. I'm not sure if I consider myself a writer anymore." I know; I've been you myself. Read the full article... 9 Bones of Writing Advice With Dogs Last week, we shared 9 lines of writing advice with cats. It was pretty amazing, but we also love dogs on the Writer's Digest team. So yeah, we've collected nine bones of writing advice paired with fun images of dogs.  It's helpful if you're a writer, comforting if you're a dog lover, and nearly perfect if you fall into both categories. Enjoy! Read More... This Week in Writing 12/21—Richard Hugo born 1923 12/21—F. Scott Fitzgerald died 1940 12/22—George Eliot died 1880 12/24—Mary Higgins Clark born 1931 12/24—Richard Adams died 2016 (10 quotes from Watership Down) 12/25—Rod Serling born 1924 12/26—Henry Miller born 1891 12/26—Catherine Coulter born 1942 (Coulter: 9 ways to be a better writer) 12/26—David Sedaris born 1956 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