July/August 2013 Issue
July/August Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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Knowing When to Stop: Expectations for a Satisfying Ending
Everyone struggles with how to write an ending, regardless of whether it’s a novel or a short story. Sometimes our perfect endings come to us in a dream-like vision, and other times … Read more
Make More Time for Your Writing
It’s a common lament: I could finish my novel, if only I had more hours in the day! In fact, the universal chorus of complaint from writers of all stripes seems to be … Read more
Creating Emotional Frustration in Your Characters
Using emotion to create strong, emotional characters and move a plot is critical for any writer in any type of genre. Knowing what kind of emotion to use and how to use it … Read more
Writing Gender-Specific Dialogue
Writing dialogue to suit the gender of your characters is important in any genre, but it becomes even more essential in romance writing. In a romance novel, characters of opposite sexes are … Read more
Don’t Let Worry Drag You Down
Writers are often worriers. We’re plagued with indecision about the choices we make for our stories. We doubt the quality of our writing. We wonder if we’ll ever break through into the … Read more
5 New Year’s Resolutions for Writers
A new year, a new writerly you. New Year’s Day is a time for reflecting on the past year while thinking about the goals, wishes, and hopes for the new year ahead. … Read more
Writing for the Young Adult Audience
There’s no question about it: The young adult (YA) audience is a hot market, one that is steadily growing in popularity and garnering attention from young readers as well as literary critics. … Read more
How to Build Your Author Platform
A major buzzword floating around the publishing world these days is “platform.” There’s a lot of question about what it means and whether or not authors really need to have one. Writer’s … Read more
5 Steps to Book Publishing
Set your goals.When it comes to indie publishing, the best place to start is at the very end. Before you dive in to the process, consider what main goals you have for … Read more
Writer’s Digest Mark of Quality
With the Writer’s Digest Mark of Quality review — included in nearly every Abbott Press publishing package — your manuscript will be evaluated by a professional Writer’s Digest editor. Titles deemed to … Read more
The Basics of Building a Writer’s Platform
If you want to sell more books or simply get your name out there, a writer’s platform is essential. Chuck Sambuchino, author of Create Your Writer Platform explains what a platform is … Read more
Improve Your Craft and Get Published
Since the 1920s, Writer’s Digest has been providing quality resources to writers like you. Today, Writer’s Digest continues to supply top-notch advice to help you refine your writing skills, but we don’t … Read more
Write Fiction that Grabs Readers from Page One
In your novel, the inciting incident is the first sign of trouble for your protagonist: it’s the catalyst, the chemical reaction, that sets the plot into motion. But the inciting incident isn’t … Read more
Selling Your Book’s Movie and TV Rights – What You Need to Know
If you’ve ever wondered how something gets made into a film—and how your work can be tapped for one, too—here’s the inside scoop on options. Read more
The Ideas that Inspired The Hobbit, Animal Farm & 8 Other Famous Books
Ideas often percolate and simmer over time, but every once in a while lightning strikes—and a sudden flash of creativity can alter a writer’s career forever. Take, for example, these 10 famous works inspired by unexpected bolts of inspiration. Read more
Namedropping: Finding Solid Names for Your Unique Characters
What’s in a character’s name? Everything. Here’s how you, the writer, can master the neglected art of moniker-making. Read more
Writing 21st Century Fiction: A Sneak Peek
Donald Maass, bestselling author of Writing the Breakout Novel and The Fire in Fiction, now takes an in-depth, comprehensive look at the craft and method of writing 21st century fiction. You might … Read more
Questions to Ask (& Strengthen) Your Minor Characters
If your supporting characters aren’t working toward an understanding of the main character or situation in some way, you might ask yourself what they’re really doing there, hogging time and space in your book. Here are questions to ask about your minor characters to make sure they have a purpose. Read more
16 Blogging Tips For Writing Fresh Content & Attracting Readers
If you already write a blog or are thinking of creating one, you’ll need to know how to attract and keep your readers interested. Today’s tip comes from Christina Katz’s book Get … Read more
Take Your Author Website to the Next Level
Is your online home ready for visitors—say, editors, agents and your future fans? Tidy up your digital den with our blueprint for success. Read more
3 Steps For Overcoming Writer’s Block
This writing tip addresses overcoming writer’s block and is excerpted from You Don’t Have to Be Famous by Steve Zousmer. Being stuck at the start creates a special kind of frustration. Before … Read more
4 Ways to Improve Plot/Climax in Your Writing
Many beginning novelists think of the climax of their story as one single, explosive event. While that’s true to a degree, the climax of a novel actually has four components. Here’s what they are and how to get them right. Read more
4 Techniques For Improving Your Writing Style
Today’s tip of the day comes from Grammatically Correct and describes some techniques for improving your writing style and for assessing how well your efforts are succeeding. Not all these strategies will … Read more
How to See Your Work Through an Agent or Publisher’s Eyes
Query letter writing is no doubt one of the hardest forms of writing to master. Here’s what agents and publishers need to see from you when you pitch your work. Read more
