Writer's Digest newsletters

With details of upcoming courses and more, here are the latest Writer's Digest newsletters:

In this issue, learn 15 things a writer should never do, a new agent alert, 25 tips for writing better nonfiction, what are simultaneous submissions, and much 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 the full article... Craft & Business of Writing New Agent Alert: Karmen Wells Karmen Wells is the new Film/TV Agent at The Rights Factory. She represents book-to-screen projects, both inside and outside the TRF clientele. For the past two years, she's also been a book editor and screenplay consultant out of Shelf-Made Creative Services, and was previously at HarperCollins Canada.  (20 literary agents actively seeking writers and their writing.) More than anything, she loves unflinching horror and thought-provoking originality. Karmen lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba but looks forward to the day she can pack it all up and venture out as a digital nomad. Read More... What Are Simultaneous Submissions? Any writer who has read more than a handful of submission guidelines has probably run across the term simultaneous submissions. Some agents and publishers tell writers they do not accept simultaneous submissions while others say it's OK. (How to Write Successful Queries for Any Genre of Writing.) But what are they? And why should a writer care? We dive into that and more here. Read More... 25 Tips to Make You a Better Nonfiction Writer We writers share one thing in common: We exist for the moment a reader gently sets eyes to our first word, our first sentence. From that instant forward, our fate is in our own hands. Either they keep going or they cast us aside. 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. Gain a critique of your manuscript, query letter, synopsis, and more! Click here to learn more >> 5 Considerations of Your Crime Fiction Setting To my mind, there are several considerations when deciding on your crime novel’s setting—and when you’re putting that setting into play. Here are five of them. 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   Writing & Selling the Historical Novel: From Idea to Publication   Writing a successful historical novel is challenging, especially in today's market! In order to appeal to the modern reader, you must be aware of changing expectations, keep an eye on social awareness, and develop a keen ear for dialogue. Mastering these aspects, while staying true to your time period, requires extensive study and skill.   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. All registrants are invited to submit their query letter and the first 10 pages for critique post-webinar.   How to balance historical detail with pace How to create authenticity without stiff or stilted dialogue How to incorporate real historical figures into your novel About winning combos - historical pairings editors love About major happenings or hidden historical gems - should I base my story around true events? The Top Ten mistakes historical writers make, and how to avoid them When to stop researching and start writing The best resources for the historical writer and much more! Writers aspiring to write historical fiction Established historical writers looking to keep abreast of new developments Editors and agents working in historical fiction Fans and readers of historical fiction who want to learn more about what goes into the books Writers needing guidance on writing dialogue Writers seeking help with pacing Writers looking for inspiration of story concepts     April 29, 1:00 PM ET   LEARN MORE & REGISTER!   Instructor: Gina Panettieri   Gina Panettieri is the Founder of Talcott Notch Literary, a 3-member literary agency representing more than 100 authors of adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction. She's worked in the publishing industry for nearly 30 years as an agent, editor, and writer, and has helped hundreds of writers achieve their dreams of becoming published authors.     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA     . This week, the WD team brings you expert advice on handling timelines, points of view, and using family history to craft rich and wonderful narratives. Writing Multiple Timelines and Points of View I love to write in multiple timelines and points of view. I think it has something to do with my authorial attention span. I get tired of being in a certain character’s head or in a given time and place for too long. I need to escape and write differently for it to feel fresh. My second novel, The Sky Above Us, includes two timelines, six points of view, and several interstitial sections that are composed of a mixture of emails, discussion posts, and interviews. Here are the lessons I’ve learned from writing this way. Read the full article... Advice for Using Family History Family Stories as Inspiration for Historical Fiction When writing fiction, there's always a fine line between reality and make-believe. Debut author Kirstin Beck explains how her family's history became the seed for her novel Courage, My Love. Read More... The Past Is Never Past: Drawing on Personal History to Write Engaging Historical Fiction New York Times bestselling author Karen White discusses what drew her to writing historical fiction and how she uses a modern setting to explore history. Read More... Childhood Treats Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt Pick a food or drink that reminds you of childhood—Dunkaroos, grilled cheese and tomato soup, pink lemonade, etc. Write a scene, story, or poem that includes that food. Read More... Short Story Fundamentals Writer's Digest University Whether you're a writing novice looking to cut your teeth or a published professional, the short story is a unique and challenging medium that offers you amazing opportunities. The workshop covers structure and the common pitfalls writers experience when crafting a short story. Read More... Comedy Writing: Fine-Tuning Flaws to Make Characters Timely A Script Magazine Feature Producers and development executives love timely stories because they resonate with modern viewers and today’s hot topics are a great marketing hook. But, fresh stories should be driven by fresh characters—tweaking a psychological flaw can help with that. Read More... Agent One-on-One: First 10 Pages Boot Camp Writer's Digest University 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. Read 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       Agent Feedback on Your First Ten Pages!   About the Boot Camp May 20-23, 2021 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, May 20, 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, 5/20/2021, 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, May 22, 2021. (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 (May 23rd). You'll work to revise your pages based on the agent's specific feedback. On Sunday, May 23rd 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 that will give you an immense opportunity to learn not only from your faculty but from the other participants' questions, so please pose questions that 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 May 23, 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 Sunday, June 13. Any one of them may ask for additional pages if the initial submission shows serious promise. *All attendees should have the first 10 pages of their novel or non-fiction book finished and ready to submit to the agent prior to the beginning of the event. In addition to feedback, attendees will have access to "The 3 Missing Pieces of Stunning Story Structure," an on-demand webinar by K.M. Weiland.   May 20-23, 2021   LEARN MORE & REGISTER

 

Upcoming Boot Camp   Agent One-on-One: First 10 Pages Boot Camp 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!  May 20-23, 2021 HURRY, SELLS OUT FAST!   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   REGISTER NOW Featured Resources     May/June 2021 Issue   40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers   Build Your Novel Scene by Scene   Upcoming Webinar Social Media Bliss Just about every writer has a love-hate relationship with social media, and for some it serves as a serious distraction from important writing work. This class focuses on how to take a holistic and fits-for-you approach to social media that’s based on long-term reader engagement and sound principles of online marketing. May 13, 2021   SIGN UP NOW! Upcoming Virtual Conference   Short Story Virtual Conference Spend the weekend learning techniques for honing your craft skills, marketing your short fiction, editing, and getting the tools you need to advance your career as a writer from seven different published authors, then (if you choose) submit up to 500 words of a short story to an editor for critique. May 21-23, 2021 LEARN MORE & REGISTER   Explore More Resources   Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA   10 Rules of Writing a Novel There are lots of lists out there for how to be a writer, but most seem for newly minted MFA grads trying to keep up spirits and output in the sudden absence of grades and semester deadlines. I'm not one of them. I'm one of you. Here are a few things I learned along the way to writing a novel between stints as a copywriter. Read the full article... Plot Twist Story Prompts: Give Order For this week's prompt, have a character give an order. That is, have one character tell another character(s) what to do...and maybe how to do it. It should be noted that this is not a polite request, though it doesn't necessarily have to be a mean-spirited command. (Mistakes Writers Make: Refraining to Revise Writing.) For instance, a teacher may tell his students to write a report or a parent may order her child to take out the trash. In both instances, the "order" could be very matter of fact and without too much emotion on the part of the person giving the order. But the reaction from the character(s) receiving the order may vary. In one of my favorite short stories, Herman Melville's "Bartleby," the character Bartleby is often given orders, and his classic response is, "I would prefer not to." And that's where the potential for conflict enters the story: Between giving the order and whether the order is followed (or how it's followed). Read More... This Week in Writing 4/27—Ralph Waldo Emerson died 1882 4/28—Harper Lee born 1926 (Remembering Harper Lee) 4/29—Rod McKuen born 1933 4/21—Barbara Park born 1947 4/30—John Crowe Ransom born 1888 4/30—Annie Dillard born 1945 (Rules of writing from famous writers) 5/1—Joseph Heller born 1923 5/1—Good Omens published 1990 (14 Neil Gaiman quotes for writers) 5/2—Jerome Jerome born 1859 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 >>   Courses Starting This Week:    Writing the Memoir 101  Instructor: Gloria Kempton Share memorable stories and experiences through writing. While writing a book-length personal story can be one of the most rewarding writing endeavors you will ever undertake, it's important to know not only how to write about your personal experiences, but also how to translate and structure them into an unforgettable memoir. The goal of this course is to teach you how to structure your stories, develop your storytelling skills, and give you the tips, techniques, and knowledge to adapt your own life stories into a chronological memoir. Learn more about the genre through Writing and Selling Your Memoir by Paula Balzer and The Truth of Memoir by Kerry Cohen. Blogging 101 Instructor: Dan Blank A key to success for any writer is having an online presence. Blogging is one way to share your expertise and—at the same time—build an author platform. Don’t know how to start a blog? Not sure what to focus on? Don’t fret! This online writing workshop will guide you through the entire blogging process—how to create and setup a blog, where to start, and much more. You’ll learn how to attract readers and how to market your writing. Start a successful blog today and get noticed by editors and publishers. Advanced Poetry Writing Instructor: Kristina Marie Darling Build your poetry writing skills by working with a highly accomplished poet! The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions, focused on individualized feedback and critique. Through detailed discussions of your own work, you will learn the kinds of questions editors ask of poems submitted to literary magazines. As a result, you will learn to revise and polish with an editor’s eye, gaining insight into how to craft poems suited for publication. You will leave this workshop with a folio of six polished poems, ideal for magazine and literary journal submissions, as well as personalized recommendations for publication and professional development. 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. Build Your Novel Scene by Scene will offer you 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 the Romance Novel Instructor: Terri Valentine Do you yearn to write a romantic story? If so, you need to know what sets romance writing apart from other types of fiction. This course explores why romance is the same, yet different. Some essential components of romance are unique to the genre, while some romance requirements are identical to those of any good fiction story. Neither Stephen King nor Tom Clancy could sit down and write a romance unless he first familiarized himself with the specific factors that create a successful romance.   Fearless Writing Instructor: William Kenower If you love to write and have a story you want to tell, the only thing that can stand between you and the success you’re seeking isn’t craft, or a good agent, or enough Facebook friends and Twitter followers, but fear. Fear that you aren’t good enough, or fear the market is too crowded, or fear no one wants to hear from you. Fortunately, you can’t write while being in the flow and be afraid simultaneously. The question is whether you will write fearlessly.   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.   Social Media Bliss: How You Can Engage With Meaning and Without Losing Your Mind with Jane Friedman May 13, 1:00 PM EDT Just about every writer has a love-hate relationship with social media, and for some it serves as a serious distraction from important writing work. This class focuses on how to take a holistic and fits-for-you approach to social media that’s based on long-term reader engagement and sound principles of online marketing. Join popular WDU instructor Jane Friedman and sign up today!   Upcoming Virtual Conference:   Short Story Virtual Conference with SEVEN Award-Winning Writers May 21-23, 2021  Writer's Digest is pleased to present an exclusive virtual conference for short story writers! Spend the weekend learning techniques for honing your craft skills, marketing your short fiction, editing, and getting the tools you need to advance your career as a writer from seven different published authors, then (if you choose) submit up to 500 words of a short story to an editor for critique.     Featured May Courses:   Short Story Fundamentals Instructor: Mark Spencer May 6 - June 3 Whether you are a writing novice looking to cut your teeth or a published professional, the short story is a unique and challenging medium that offers you amazing opportunities. Also, short stories are a great way to gain publishing credentials with less time investment than it takes to develop a novel-length work. The workshop covers structure and the common pitfalls writers experience when crafting a short story.   21 Days to Your Novel Outline and Synopsis Instructor: Bryan Young May 27 - June 17 Outlines for novels can seem daunting. The synopsis, even more so. A synopsis is something you’re going to need because it’s vital to selling your novel if you’re going to query agents or publishers. And the outline is going to save you time while you’re writing your novel. Starting with your premise, expanding your outline, and then writing your synopsis is the perfect way to understand exactly what your story is about and how to get it done.   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 . This month, we're focusing on #WDpoetry. Whether you're drafting your first poem or you're looking to publish your latest chapbook, let Writer's Digest help! Submitting Your Short Fiction and Poetry: 5 FAQs from a Magazine Editor For writers of poetry and short stories, submitting your work is an exciting process. However, it can also be daunting and sometimes overwhelming. In this article from 2017, Elise Holland, editor of 2 Elizabeths, an online short fiction and poetry publication, explains some simple ways you can submit your work for publication. Elise Holland, September 11, 2017, WritersDigest.com For writers of short-form literature, submitting your work can mean a variety of positive things. This step is a powerful signal to yourself that you take your craft seriously enough to put your work out into the world. And having your work published in a genre or literary magazine can serve to build your résumé and grow your writing community. But so many writers, emerging or established, have lingering questions about the process. As editor of 2 Elizabeths, here are five of the most frequent questions I’m asked: How can I find the magazines or journals with a similar taste to my own? You’ll want to read as many genre or literary magazines and journals as you can to get an idea of the publications that best suit your work. When you first begin, it’s completely normal for the market to seem intimidating. A quick Google search will yield a dizzying number of options, and it’s helpful to have some context to guide your research. The following sites are great resources to use as you sort through the market. Duotrope – Duotrope is also a subscription-based service, with a database of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction markets. Poets & Writers – Poets & Writers offers free information online, including a database of literary magazines, a list of contests by date, and more. Look carefully at each magazine or journal you explore. Do they mostly publish poetry, essays, or fiction? Do they prefer genre or literary work? Editors at varying publications will have different tastes and preferences, and you’ll see that reflected in the work they select to publish. 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. Advanced Poetry Writing Build your poetry writing skills by working with a highly accomplished poet! The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions, focused on individualized feedback and critique. Through detailed discussions of your own work, you will learn the kinds of questions editors ask of poems submitted to literary magazines. Learn more... Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA       Don't miss your chance to win $8,000 and a feature about you in Writer's Digest. The Self-Published Book Awards is still accepting entries! Entering is easy. 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. The deadline is May 3, so enter now! LEARN MORE Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA           . A Special Offer from our Trusted Partner *use code WDBP21 during registration--an exclusive rate for Writers Digest subscribers The Workshop, a new editing service from Book Pipeline, provides a broad analysis of your unpublished work. Both fiction and nonfiction accepted. Strengths and weaknesses of the material are critiqued in the following categories: Concept / Marketability Plot / Structure / Characters Voice Mechanics Emotional Resonance "Recommend" material is considered for circulation to agents and publishers. Learn more about our team of editors and other criteria: WRITERS: Pipeline Artists is currently accepting short fiction and poetry submissions for publication. There is no fee to submit, and all accepted authors are paid (from $75-150 and up, depending on the piece). Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA       In this issue, we look at 25 publishing FAQs for writers (and share the answers), reveal 4 tips for writing about family grudges, investigate writing different timelines, and 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. But I've also learned a thing or two about which questions writers frequently have about writing and publishing. Because they ask me at live events, on social media, or via email.  (Common publishing terms.) As such, I thought it would be a great idea to start answering those questions in individual posts. Then, it occurred to me that another great idea would be to collect those posts in one spot that makes it easy for writers to find answers to common publishing questions. Read the full article... Craft & Business of Writing On Writing a Thematic Short Story Collection For my first collection, Children of the New World, I like to say that I had a decade to write the stories. It was my debut, and since it was my first publication, I could take as long as I wanted! Read More... The Past Is Never Past By the time I graduated from college, I had lived in four states and three countries outside of the U.S., yet had still not quite learned to appreciate how very fortunate I was. Maybe it was because I wasn't a writer back then and had no aspirations whatsoever to write a book, much less 29 of them. Read More... Writing Multiple Timelines and Points of View I love to write in multiple timelines and points of view. I think it has something to do with my authorial attention span. I get tired of being in a certain character's head or in a given time and place for too long. I need to escape and write differently for it to feel fresh. 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. Gain a critique of your manuscript, query letter, synopsis, and more! Click here to learn more >> 4 Tips for Writing About Family Grudges When using a real family grudge as inspiration but you think someone might get hurt or insulted, change all the identifying details. And I mean everything. The character descriptions, the locations, the words used in conversations. The idea is to use the root of the grudge, not the details. 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 This week, we're celebrating the winners of our 8th Annual Self-Published E-Book Awards and the Personal Essay Awards. Announcing the 8th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards Winners Congratulations to the winners of the 8th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards! Discover the titles that placed in the categories of contemporary fiction, fantasy, memoir, mystery, and more. Read the full article... Unlock the Potential of Your Manuscript! Helga Schier, Ph.D., published author, publishing executive, and professional editor, offers powerful, comprehensive, and effective editorial services. Contact: helga@withpenandpaper.com 310.828.8421 WithPenAndPaper.com More Competition Winners Announcing the First Annual Personal Essay Awards Winners Congratulations to the winners of the first annual Writer's Digest Personal Essay Awards! Read More... "Suspended": Writer's Digest Personal Essay Awards Winner Congratulations to J.E. Stamper, grand prize winner of the Writer's Digest Personal Essay Awards. Here's his winning essay, "Suspended." Read More... Through the Looking Glass Writer's Digest Weekly Writing Prompt You look into the mirror and find a world almost exactly like your own. Aside from the reverse reflection, one thing is very different from your world. What is it? Read More... Fearless Writing If you love to write and have a story you want to tell, the only thing that can stand between you and the success you’re seeking isn’t craft, or a good agent, or enough Facebook friends and Twitter followers, but fear. Fear that you aren’t good enough or that the market is too crowded or that no one wants to hear from you. Fortunately, you can’t write while being in the flow and be afraid simultaneously. The question is whether you will write fearlessly. Read More... Who is Jakob's Wife? A Script Magazine Feature Jakob’s Wife has been a journey of over half a decade. Thuc Nguyen speaks with director Travis Stevens about how the movie came about and what influenced the filmmakers along the way. Read More... Writing & Selling the Historical Novel: From Idea to Publication Writer's Digest University 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. Read 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   Writing & Selling the Historical Novel: From Idea to Publication   Writing a successful historical novel is challenging, especially in today's market! In order to appeal to the modern reader, you must be aware of changing expectations, keep an eye on social awareness, and develop a keen ear for dialogue. Mastering these aspects, while staying true to your time period, requires extensive study and skill.   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. All registrants are invited to submit their query letter and the first 10 pages for critique post-webinar.   How to balance historical detail with pace How to create authenticity without stiff or stilted dialogue How to incorporate real historical figures into your novel About winning combos - historical pairings editors love About major happenings or hidden historical gems - should I base my story around true events? The Top Ten mistakes historical writers make, and how to avoid them When to stop researching and start writing The best resources for the historical writer and much more! Writers aspiring to write historical fiction Established historical writers looking to keep abreast of new developments Editors and agents working in historical fiction Fans and readers of historical fiction who want to learn more about what goes into the books Writers needing guidance on writing dialogue Writers seeking help with pacing Writers looking for inspiration of story concepts     April 29, 1:00 PM ET   LEARN MORE & REGISTER!   Instructor: Gina Panettieri   Gina Panettieri is the Founder of Talcott Notch Literary, a 3-member literary agency representing more than 100 authors of adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction. She's worked in the publishing industry for nearly 30 years as an agent, editor, and writer, and has helped hundreds of writers achieve their dreams of becoming published authors.     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA     A Special Message from our Trusted Partner   So far in 2021, Atmosphere authors have sold… thousands and thousands of books across five continents, received starred or featured reviews with Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, and have even appeared on a giant billboard in Times Square in New York City. We've had books with 1000+ first-month sales in four different genres (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children's), and our Author Connect program is uniting our authors with each other like no other press. And all that's just the beginning. Atmosphere Press is currently seeking great manuscripts, and we’ll be the publisher you’ve always wanted: attentive, organized, on schedule, and professional. We use a model in which the author funds the initial publication of the book, but retains 100% rights, royalties, and artistic autonomy. No tricks, and we have the best and most favorable contract available for authors. From our exceptional and well-credentialed editorial team through our stylish and current book design and into the wide-ranging book promotion and marketing we offer, partnering with Atmosphere is the way to do your book right. So, send your manuscript our way. Submissions are free and open to everyone and in all genres. We look forward to reading what you send!   "I've worked with three other publishing companies and no one was as professional, courteous, and supportive as Atmosphere." - Garrett Socol, author of The Unexpected Aneurysm of the Potato Blossom Queen Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 USA