Here are the latest Writer's Digest newsletters with details of a short story competition, workshops and more:
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 fewer? Send us your best stories and you could win $3,000 in cash, a trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference 2026, and an interview for a feature article in our magazine.
Ready to be the next writer we spotlight? Enter by January 15! |
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Active Interest Media
2143 Grand Ave Des Moines, IA 50312 USA |
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Writers helping writers improve their craft, achieve their goals, and recognize their dreams since 1920. |
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Can't make it live? No problem. Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for one year. You do not have to attend the live event to get a recording of the presentation. |
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Our Hottest Live Event of the Year!🔥 |
If you want to get your book traditionally published in 2026-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. |
An estimated 40 million self-help books are sold each year in the U.S., and service articles and reported essays make up the bulk of online and print magazine markets. These pieces are just information, they inspire, encourage and entertain. Service and self-help writing can change lives. It’s also a ready-made market for authors. Whether you want to write a book to help, inform, or inspire—or one that builds your brand and creates market growth and credibility for your business—the self-help market is provides an opportunity authors looking to traditionally or independently publish. |
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 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. |
Delivering a professional, market-ready book doesn’t have to drain your wallet. In this live webinar, author and publisher Matty Dalrymple shares practical strategies to help indie authors produce top-quality work while controlling costs—without cutting corners that matter. Drawing on insights from her Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels and Suspense Shorts, Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, and nonfiction books for authors, Matty covers every stage of the publishing process, from editing and formatting to cover design and promotion. Attendees will discover how to balance quality and frugality by making smart use of tools and services, partnering effectively with professionals, and recognizing when to invest for the greatest return. They’ll leave with a toolkit of actionable ideas to maximize impact on any budget. |
Readers love characters who have strong opinions about themselves, others, or the world. In real life you may shy away from being bold, strongly opinionated or even rude, but in fiction, these attributes create memorable characters who leap from the page and create authenticity and reader connection. A strong attitude is also key to capturing agent and editor’s eyes. Building character at this level requires deep exploration of their history, their relationships and their deepest feelings. It requires thinking about your character’s biggest terrors and fears, their secrets and lies. To truly know your characters, you have to know how they act under pressure, cope when things are hard and express themselves. This live webinar will help you tap into the unique attitudes and judgments of your characters and use that to shape strong voice, powerful character agency that helps you tell a compelling story. |
Writer's Digest University is pleased to present an exclusive virtual conference for novel writers! On January 30 - February 1, 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. |
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Writers are often told that agents and editors hate prologues—but thumb through the opening pages of published books and you’re reasonably likely to see one. How do so many make it past that alleged taboo? Prologues aren’t anathema to a story—in fact a well-used, well-executed prologue can set up an entire story; whet readers’ appetites; and add impact and resonance to everything that follows. But an ineffective prologue can stop readers at the starting line, keeping them (and agents and editors) from ever reading past page one. In this 90-minute live webinar, you’ll learn how to decide whether a prologue serves your story, and how to write one that feels essential, effective, and enhances the reader’s experience of the story. |
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MORE FROM WRITER'S DIGEST |
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Active Interest Media
2143 Grand Ave Des Moines, IA 50312 USA
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In this issue, learn how one author quitting her writing led to her debut novel; plus, a new writing challenge, book proposal writing goals, a new interview, and more! |
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I Quit Writing, and Then I Wrote My Debut Novel |
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It took me a decade to get published. I say that up front, because I used to scroll through these types of articles, hunting for proof that published authors had struggled as much as me—that my journey wasn’t unusual. (I Got 8 Agent Offers, Then My Book Died on Sub.) If this is you, you’re not alone. My path to becoming an author was anything but short, and it almost ended before it really began. Read more... |
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Craft & Business of Writing |
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2026 Get Started Right Writing Challenge: Day 4 |
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Get your writing started right in 2026 with the Get Started Right Writing Challenge. The fourth day involves reading an article about writing or publishing. Read more... |
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Nicole Glover: On Growing as a Writer After Draft One |
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"End a writing session mid-scene or even mid-paragraph. It gives you something to return to in your next writing session, so you aren’t starting from a blank page. This is especially useful when you’re stuck in a scene at a very late hour. Don’t be stubborn, get some rest and you’ll find you return to writing with fresh eyes." Read more... |
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10 Book Proposal Writing Goals for 2026 |
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Is 2026 the year you're going to get a book deal? If you write nonfiction, that means it's time to start setting some book proposal writing goals. Read more... |
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| Advice for Your Writing Success
One of WD’s goals is to provide all kinds of writing advice so writers can find what works for them, because each writer has different dreams, different ways of working, and different life circumstances. So, in this issue, we aim to offer plentiful writing advice on both the business of publishing and the craft of writing to help writers find success in 2026—no matter how you define it. Click here to learn more >> |
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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 768 |
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Every Wednesday, poets from around the world can find a Wednesday Poetry Prompt at Writer’s Digest. This week write a "Happy (blank)" poem. Read more... |
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| From Your Writer's Digest Editor: 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. He's started writing a new novel this week. |
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Active Interest Media
2143 Grand Ave Des Moines, IA 50312 USA
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