Writer's Digest newsletters

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In this issue, learn how to write a perfect query letter, the eight elements of a nonfiction book proposal, how to craft a synopsis, 25 publishing FAQs for writers, and more!  How to Write the Perfect Query Letter One of the easiest ways to learn what makes a good, standard query letter is simply to see an example of one that does its job well. If you write fiction or narrative nonfiction, a query letter is your first (and often, your only) chance to get an agent interested in reading (and, with hope, signing) your work. You should put just as much care and attention into crafting and polishing your query as you did into your manuscript. After all, if your pitch doesn’t hit its mark, your book will never leave your desktop. (39 successful query letters in multiple genres.) Following is a successful query for a middle-grade novel that led to me first requesting this full manuscript and later signing on to represent the author, Dianna Dorisi Winget. Read the full article... Craft & Business of Writing 2021 April PAD Challenge: Day 1 Here we are with the first day of the 2021 April Poem-A-Day Challenge! Each day, I'll provide a poetry prompt and a poem to get things started. You can secretly poem along at home, or you can share your poem in the comments of each post on the website. For today's prompt, write an introduction poem. Introduce yourself, introduce a friend, or introduce a stranger. If you don't wish to introduce yourself, consider writing a persona poem (a poem in which you write from someone else's point of view like Emily Dickinson or a bumblebee). Of course, you could also introduce a problem, solution, or just a situation. Have fun with it! Read More... How to 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. Read More... 25 Publishing FAQs for Writers After more than 20 years of working with writers and other publishing professionals, I've learned a thing or two about how the industry works. I've also learned a thing or two about which questions writers frequently have about writing and publishing. Here I've collected 25 publishing FAQs for writers. 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. 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 >> 8 Elements of a Nonfiction Book Proposal Writing a strong nonfiction book proposal can seem a daunting task at first. However, once you understand the elements required, you can create a proposal that compels agents and editors to want to see more of your work. 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 P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA

Last Chance to Register!   Children's Picture Books are one of the most difficult categories to write. It takes a tremendous amount of practice and an understanding of the contemporary market to break into the publishing industry as a picture book author. Writing a complete story with a full narrative arc-in under 1000 words can be a daunting task. But we know from the number of cherished picture books on readers' bookshelves that it is possible. What can you learn from bestselling picture books? What picture book writing strategies can you implement to better your story? How can you effectively pitch your picture book manuscript to literary agents? The Picture Book Puzzle: Writing, Revising, and Querying Your Picture Book Manuscript covers all these topics, providing you with information that will help take you from concept to first draft, and from final manuscript to pitching. This live webinar includes a live presentation, a Q&A session, and a critique of your children's picture book manuscript.   The common elements and proper formatting of a picture book What the picture book market looks like in today's publishing industry What readers and buyers are looking for in a picture book How to improve your own writing by looking at bestselling picture books How to turn your picture book idea into a marketable concept How creative word choice and word placement elevates your picture book The importance of engaging and diverse picture book characters and much more! Writers who want to better understand the picture book category Writers who want to learn about the picture book publishing market Writers interested in improving their picture book manuscript Writers interested in creating unique, adventurous books for children Writers who are ready to revise their picture book manuscripts Writers who want to understand the connection between text and illustrations in picture books Writers who want to write an effective query letter Writers looking for publishing resources for the picture book market Writers who want a professional critique of a picture book manuscript     This Thursday! April 1, 1:00 PM ET   LEARN MORE & REGISTER!   Instructor: Maria Vicente   Maria Vicente is a literary agent at the P.S. Literary Agency. She provides support to her clients through all stages of the publication process and is dedicated to managing authors' literary brands for the duration of their careers. Her reading preferences vary across categories and genres, which is reflected in her client list. She specializes in children's books (picture books, middle grade, and young adult), graphic novels, and nonfiction projects in the pop culture, design, and lifestyle categories.     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA     This Week's Webinar The Picture Book Puzzle Join Maria Vicente and get your picture book on the shelves. This webinar includes a live presentation, a Q&A session, and a critique of your children's picture book manuscript that will help you write, revise, and pitch your picture book long after the webinar is over. Thursday! April 1, 2021   SIGN UP NOW! Featured Resources     March/April 2021 Issue   40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers   Sell Books on a Shoestring Budget   Creative Writing 101   Upcoming Boot Camp How to 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! April 20-23, 2021   HURRY, SEATING IS LIMITED! Upcoming Webinar   Writing & Selling the Historical Novel Writing and Selling the Historical Novel is a crash course jam-packed with advice from the start of your novel to the finish, from picking a concept with immediate appeal to pitching your finished product to the agents and editors who will take it to publication. April 29, 2021 LEARN MORE & REGISTER   Explore More Resources   Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA      Hurry, Course Starts Thursday!   Do you daydream about distant worlds and mythical creatures? If so, take this six-week workshop and transform your ideas into creative science fiction and fantasy novels. You'll discover the essential elements of fictional worlds, how to write a science fiction novel with intriguing characters and plot, and write up to 2,500 words for your science fiction or fantasy story. You'll take an in-depth look at How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card and learn how to break into the field of science fiction and fantasy writing, the basics of science fiction and fantasy, tips for creating imaginative settings, and ways to develop winning story ideas. Plus, discover how to get your work published.   Course Starts Thursday! April 1 - May 13   LEARN MORE & REGISTER     Instructor: John DeChancie   John DeChancie is the author of two dozen books, both fiction and nonfiction. His novels in the science fiction and fantasy genres have been attracting a wide readership for more than fifteen years, and over a million copies of his books have seen print, many in foreign languages. His humorous fantasy series, beginning with Castle Perilous, became a best seller for Berkley/Ace. Booklist described John’s novel MagicNet (William Morrow) as “a welcome sigh of comic relief…shamelessly droll, literate, and thoroughly entertaining." His latest book is a small press short story collection A Little Gray Book of Alien Stories published by Borderlands Press, Maryland.     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA       . Write a Poem a Day in April! Join poets from around the world in the 14th annual April PAD (Poem-A-Day) Challenge! Early each morning (US Eastern time) in April, Robert Lee Brewer will post a new poetry prompt and a poem to get things started on his Write Better Poetry page. (168 poetic forms for poets.) 30 days, 30 prompts, 30 poems. This free poetry challenge is open to all skill levels. Join the fun and poem along. Read the full article... Plot Twist Story Prompts: Mistaken Identity For this week's prompt, share a case of mistaken identity. Have a character (or characters) honestly believe someone is somebody who they are not. There are a few ways you can accomplish this. (Mistakes Writers Make: Neglecting Research.) First, it could be an honest case of mistaken identity. Someone is sure they spot Elvis on the streets of Davenport, Iowa. They may decide to tell the person they think he's Elvis, or they may "know" he's Elvis but not say a word, which could lead to some humorous situations. But eventually, the person either says something or the "Elvis who isn't Elvis" realizes what's going on and says, "No, I'm not Elvis." A second option is to have a character take on the identity of another person, so that the mistaken identity is actually intentional (on the part of the person taking on the identity). A top secret lab is expecting a scientist, who arrives. But guess what? The "scientist" is actually a spy. Read More... This Week in Writing 3/31—Nikolai Gogel born 1809 3/31—Charlotte Bronte died 1855 3/31—Octavio Paz born 1914 3/31—Slaughterhouse-Five published 1969 (12 Kurt Vonnegut Quotes) 4/1—Milan Kundera born 1929 4/1—Brad Meltzer born 1970 (10 Brad Meltzer Quotes) 4/2—Giacomo Casanova born 1725 4/2—Hans Christian Andersen born 1805 4/3—Washington Irving born 1783 4/4—Maya Angelou born 1928 (Analyzing I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings) 4/4—Dan Simmons born 1948 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 P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 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 >>   This Week's Webinar:   The Picture Book Puzzle: Writing, Revising, and Querying Your Picture Book Manuscript with Maria Vicente April 1, 1:00 PM EDT Join Maria Vicente and get your picture book on the shelves. This webinar includes a live presentation, a Q&A session, and a critique of your children's picture book manuscript that will help you write, revise, and pitch your picture book long after the webinar is over.   Courses Starting This Week:    Getting Started in Writing Instructor: Gloria Kempton Have you always wanted to be a writer? Don't let doubt or fear get the best of you—take a chance and learn how to start writing a book, novel, short story, memoir, or essay. When you take this online writing workshop, you'll discover your voice, learn the basics of grammar, and examine the different types of writing.   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.   Freelance Writing Instructor: Kelly Boyer Sagert From trade and association publications, to special interest magazines, to consumer publications, editors are looking for writers who can deliver well-researched, reader-targeted articles on deadline. In this workshop, you will work with a published article writer to develop, research, and write two articles suitable for publication in magazines you've identified as appropriate markets.   Writing the Science Fiction & Fantasy Novel Instructor: John DeChancie Do you daydream about distant worlds and mythical creatures? If so, take this six-week workshop and transform your ideas into creative science fiction and fantasy novels. You'll discover the essential elements of fictional worlds, how to write a science fiction novel with intriguing characters and plot, and write up to 2,500 words for your science fiction or fantasy story.   12 Weeks to a First Draft Instructor: Terri Valentine 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.   Upcoming Webinars:   Writing & Selling the Historical Novel: From Idea to Publication with Gina Panettieri April 29, 1:00 PM EDT Writing and Selling the Historical Novel is a crash course jam-packed with advice from the start of your novel to the finish, from picking a concept with immediate appeal to pitching your finished product to the agents and editors who will take it to publication.   Upcoming Boot Camp:   How to Craft Query Letters & Other Submission Materials That Get Noticed with Kimberley Cameron and Associates April 20-23, 2021 When your submission materials – a query letter, synopsis, manuscript, or book proposal – arrive in an agent's inbox, they land among hundreds of others. This WDU Boot Camp is designed to help you streamline your submission materials to stand out in a good way. Get valuable agent feedback on your submission materials and more! Seating is limited so sign up today.    Featured April Courses:   Creative Writing 101 - New! Instructor: Ran Walker April 15 - July 8 Are you one of those people who have thought, “I’d like to write a book someday, but I don’t know where to start”? If yes, then this is the course for you. This course combines teaching the key elements of storytelling with developing the protagonist. Once you understand who this character is and how to make sure you’ve included the key story elements, you are well on your way to writing that book you have been squelching.   Sell Books on a Shoestring Budget Instructor: Rob Eagar April 22 - May 20 You're an author on a tight budget. Or, maybe you've got some money, but you're tired of wasting it on marketing that didn't work. It's possible to sell a lot of books - even on a shoestring budget. Let Rob Eagar, one of the most accomplished book marketing experts in the industry, show you the way.   Hate being tied to a schedule? Check out our affordable, Self-Paced Courses >>   EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | CONVENIENT ACCESS INVALUABLE FEEDBACK   Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA     The biggest savings on the premier conference for writers ends March 31!   The Writer’s Digest Annual Conference offers everything you need to advance your writing career creatively and professionally … but that’s not all we’re offering.   Until March 31, you can register at a substantial savings—up to $100 off the Basic Conference rate!   With numerous tracks of inspirational and educational programming and an unparalleled lineup of speakers—including New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian—there’s no better time to lock in your savings and mark your calendar to join us in New York City from July 22-25.  Please read our statement on COVID-19 and flexible cancellation policy here. We will continue to make updates to this page as details take shape and new information is available.  Don’t miss out on the best experience of your writing life. Register today! Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA       This month, we're focusing on #WDmystery, #WDthriller, and #WDsuspense. Here are some tips from industry experts on these popular genres. Surprise vs. Suspense and How to Pair Them in Your Writing Surprise and suspense are literary devices employed by authors of all genres, especially in mystery and thriller. But how do you know which is best for your work-in-progress? In this article from 2018, author Jane Cleland lays out the answers in an excerpt from her book Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot. Jane Cleland, WritersDigest.com, October 2018 In 1962, Alfred Hitchcock and François Truffaut discussed their work during a marathon session that lasted for days. The two great directors and their French/English interpreter barely paused for meals. It was during this conversation that Hitchcock outlined his famous surprise versus suspense scenario—the bomb planted in the café. He used this example to demonstrate that, contrary to popular belief, suspense is far more engaging than surprise. Here’s how it goes: Say you have a scene where two characters are talking in a café, and a bomb suddenly goes off under the table. The unexpected action will make the audience experience surprise. Your readers’ emotional and physiological reactions are likely to be similar to the heart-stopping adrenaline rush a child feels the first time he opens a jack-in-the-box. Can you remember your first time? If you’re like most people, you were startled, and for a few seconds the experience was all-consuming. You didn’t think of anything else; you didn’t notice anything else. Your entire focus was on processing what just happened. That’s the power of surprise. Contrast that experience with this one: You witness a man approach a café where two people are drinking coffee, enjoying a pleasant morning chat. You see the man step behind a column and turn an old-fashioned alarm clock to 1:00. It’s taped to a bomb. A clock mounted on a nearby wall informs you it’s 12:45. You watch as the clock ticks down the time. Now it’s 12:49. The people keep chatting. Now 12:52. The woman laughs. It’s 12:57. They finish their coffee. And now it’s 12:59. How do you feel now? If you’re like most people, you’re holding your breath, waiting for the explosion—or for a hero to rush in and save the day. This approach, revealing to the viewer or the reader what’s going on while the unsuspecting characters chatter on, translates into 15 minutes of suspense. All the immediate explosion bought us was 15 seconds of surprise. Read the full 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. 7th Annual Mystery and Thriller Virtual Conference It's not too late! Gain expert insights from SEVEN award-winning and best-selling authors on the finer points of how to write within the mystery and thriller genres. Spend the weekend learning techniques for honing your craft from seven different published authors, then pitch your novel via query letter to a literary agent specifically looking for material in the mystery or thriller genre. Join in on the fun >> Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA

Publish Your Book, Enter Our Competition, Launch Your Career. It’s time that self-published authors earn the respect they deserve. All that time you spent writing and rewriting, editing, and making your own choices about covers, layout, and distribution shouldn’t go unnoticed! That’s why Writer’s Digest has been honoring self-publishing writers for 29 years with the Self-Published Book Awards. Here’s the scoop: Submit your self-published, printed and bound book in one of eight categories (mainstream/literary fiction, genre fiction, nonfiction/reference, inspirational, life stories, early reader/children’s picture books, middle-grade/young adult, poetry) for a chance at: A Grand Prize package that includes $8,000, a trip to New York City for the Annual Writer’s Digest Conference and a feature article about you and your book in the March/April 2022 issue of Writer’s Digest. One of eight First Place prize packages that include $1,000 in each respective category and promotion in the March/April 2022 issue of Writer’s Digest. Every entrant will also receive a brief commentary from one of our qualified readers—all who have experience in their respective categories and/or the publishing world. Ready to earn the recognition you deserve? Send us your book, which must have been published between 2016 and now, and we’ll take care of the rest. You’ll be well on your way! The best deal on entering will expire on April 1, so enter now! LEARN MORE Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA

Writing challenges and prompts can help push the boundaries of your characters, plots, and even genre. Let WD show you how! Writer's Digest Columns: Your Story Now in its 111th rotation (and counting), the WD’s Your Story contest proves to be quite popular, receiving hundreds of entries each time. The Your Story contest format rotates back and forth between a 650-word short story and single-sentence opening line to a story. For both types of contests, the editors of WD select a photo prompt to inspire the story and select finalists for readers to vote on to pick the winner or winners that will appear in the print edition of WD. You can find this photo prompt both in the current issue of WD and at writersdigest.com/wd-competitions/your-story. Because the contest is so popular, WD readers have requested some insider secrets of how to write a winning entry. While there is no secret formula, we’ve come across some patterns when reviewing entries that we thought would be helpful to share. Read the full article... What's New in Prompts & Challenges 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers If you're feeling a little low on inspiration, let any of these 100 prompts from WD managing editor Cassandra Lipp give you the creative boost you need to build a new and inventive plot for your next work! Read More... 5 Things I Learned from the February Flash Fiction Challenge WD editor Moriah Richard reflects on the 2021 February Flash Fiction Challenge and shares what the experience taught her. Read More... Runway Look Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt Watch a fashion show and pick an outfit that looks absolutely ridiculous. Write a scene or story that includes a character wearing the look. Read More... The Picture Book Puzzle Last Chance to Register! Join Maria Vicente and get your picture book on the shelves. This webinar includes a live presentation, a Q&A session, and a critique of your children's picture book manuscript that will help you write, revise, and pitch your picture book long after the webinar is over. Learn More & Register... Interview: "The Last of Us" Writer Neil Druckmann A Script Magazine Feature With his ever-evolving body of work, it’s safe to say that Neil Druckmann has graduated from storyteller to auteur. Neil speaks with Sonya Alexander about world-building for video games, how "The Last of Us" strikes a personal chord, and what types of stories he's inspired to write. Read More... Freelance Writing Writer's Digest University From trade and association publications, to special interest magazines, to consumer publications, editors are looking for writers who can deliver well-researched, reader-targeted articles on deadline. In this workshop, you will work with a published article writer to develop, research, and write two articles suitable for publication in magazines you've identified as appropriate markets. 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 P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA

 

Will we see you there?     The best rate for the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference expires tonight at midnight. Act now to save your place, and prepare yourself for an inspirational and educational weekend dedicated to improving your writing craft and building your career. Please read our statement on COVID-19 and flexible cancellation policy here. We will continue to make updates to this page as details take shape and new information is available.  Don’t let this moment pass you by. Register today!   Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA       Active Interest Media, P.O. Box 20730, Boulder, Colorado 80308, USA Unsubscribe Manage preferences