Publications / 323 posts found
Hurry Up and Wait: On Writing and Getting Published
Lately, I’ve been experiencing this kind of déjà vu as it relates to the countdown to publication of my upcoming novel, Scarlet in Blue. It’s kind of a nagging feeling, like a mosquito bite on the middle of my back that I can’t reach to scratch. I find my foot and leg constantly moving up and down at a pretty-high speed, I’m biting the cuticles of my nails, and trying to perform slow breathing exercises to calm the tightness in my chest. Which doesn’t work because I can’t sit still. Anxiety, my doctor says. Like that was new information. But […]
WD Presents: the 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards Winners, Your Story #116 Voting, and More!
There’s always so much happening in the Writer’s Digest universe that even staff members have trouble keeping up. As a result, we decided to start collecting what’s on the horizon to make it easier for everyone to know what’s happening and when. This week, we’re excited to announce the winners of the 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards, Your Story #116 voting, and more! **** Presenting the 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards Winners! Congratulations to the winners of the 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards! Click to continue. **** Vote for Your Favorite “Your Story” Submission Now! Out of almost 400 entries, […]
Why Audiobooks Are Skyrocketing, and How Writers Can Take Advantage in 2022
Audiobooks are the fastest growing format in publishing, but what exactly does that growth look like, and what should authors be doing about it? In January 2022, The New York Times reported that book sales rose during the first year of the pandemic and kept rising, with sales increasing 13% from January to November of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, according to the Association of American Publishers. Despite re-openings and a “return” to more varied forms of entertainment, reading remains on the rise. (15 Tips on How to Record an Audiobook So People Will Listen) Back in […]
How to Maintain Accuracy Across Multiple Plot Lines in Historical Fiction
Every time I attend a conference, class, or appear on a podcast, they inevitably ask the question: “Are you a pantser or a plotter?” (Research and Storytelling for Successful Historical Fiction) I want to wave the freedom flag with all the pantsers in the room. They describe sitting down at the computer watching as stories pour out of them. From beginning to end, a never-ending flow of brilliance and light. So, I tried the technique. I sat and waited for the muse to strike. I had the idea for a novel, but it was not filling the page, as my […]
5 Tips for Writing a Revenge Story
Oh, sweet revenge. There’s nothing like a well-executed plan to get the blood pumping and the pages turning. That feeling when a character finally doles out their death punch, or sneaks that drop of poison into their enemy’s cup is one of the most rewarding experiences a reader can have. As a longtime fan of revenge stories, that feeling I get when things fall into place never fails to bring a bigger smile to my face than a first kiss in a romcom. But the thing with revenge stories is that unless all the pieces are there, a protagonist’s final […]
Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Correcting Submissions Before You Hear Back
Everyone makes mistakes—even writers—but that’s OK because each mistake is a great learning opportunity. The Writer’s Digest team has witnessed many mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them early in the process. Note: The mistakes in this series aren’t focused on grammar rules, though we offer help in that area as well. (Grammar rules for writers.) Rather, we’re looking at bigger picture mistakes and mishaps, including the error of using too much exposition, hiding your pitch, or chasing trends. This week’s writing mistake writers make is tying to correct errors in your submission before […]
Englyn Unodl Union: Poetic Forms
I thought I was done with the englyn, and it’s various variations, but alas, here’s one more. The englyn unodl union is like the englyn unodl crwca, except it flips the first two lines with the second two lines. As such, here are the guidelines for the englyn unodl union: Poem comprised of quatrains (or four-line stanzas) First two lines have seven syllables First line has 10 syllables Second line has six syllables Last two lines have seven syllables All lines share the same rhyme at the end, except for the first line which features the rhyme near the end […]
Using Weapons of Opportunity: FightWrite™
In the last FightWrite™ post on the WD blog, we looked at how the site can impact the fight. In this post, we are going to look at how the site can be part of the fight. Specifically, we will be considering weapons of opportunity that exist organically in the scene and can go from harmless to hazardous in the blink of an eye. (Choosing a Setting for Your Fight Scene: FightWrite™) Weapons of Opportunity A weapon of opportunity—or as I call it, a WOO—is any item that in its intended use is not a weapon but can be wielded […]
Plot Twist Story Prompts: Unexpected Mission
Plot twist story prompts aren’t meant for the beginning or the end of stories. Rather, they’re for forcing big and small turns in the anticipated trajectory of a story. This is to make it more interesting for the readers and writers alike. Each week, I’ll provide a new prompt to help twist your story. Find last week’s prompt, Transgression Moment, here. Plot Twist Story Prompts: Unexpected Mission For today’s prompt, send your character (or characters) on a mission. The unexpected mission could be to send a hobbit with a group of dwarves to seek treasure (The Hobbit), or the mission […]
Adele Myers: On Family History Inspiring Fiction
Adele Myers grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and has a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently works in advertising and lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, son and their rescue dog, Chipper. The Tobacco Wives is her first novel. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Adele Myers In this post, Adele discusses how stories from her family’s past led her to writing her historical fiction novel, The Tobacco Wives, how it went from short story to full novel, and more! Name: Adele MyersLiterary agent: Stefanie Lieberman, Janklow & NesbitBook […]