Writer’s Digest

New literary agent alerts (with this spotlight featuring Barb Roose of Books & Such Literary Management) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

Evoking emotion on the page begins with the man or woman at the keyboard. Dustin Grinnell serves up seven straightforward tactics for writing tear-jerking stories that make your readers empathize with your characters.

Every Wednesday, Robert Lee Brewer shares a prompt and an example poem to get things started on the Poetic Asides blog. This week, write a spooky poem.

WD editor and fantasy writer Moriah Richard shares five unique ways in which writers can use World of Warcraft to better build their worlds—without playing the game.

A full moon looms in the air. What effect does it have on the Earth below? Do witches gather to complete a spell? What mythical creatures come out at night? Who joins Artemis' hunt?

Award-winning author Jill G. Hall shares her top tips for how to dive into your latest project head-first.

Learn when to use bearing vs. baring vs. barring on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.

Former Writer's Digest managing editor Zachary Petit shares his list of 15 things a writer should never do, based on interviews with successful authors as well as his own occasional literary forays and flails.

Author Evie Green explains why she was surprised to end writing a horror novel and how she learned to trust the editorial process.

Welcome to the first installment of a new series! There's always so much happening in the Writer's Digest universe that even staff members have trouble keeping up. So we're going to start collecting what's on the horizon to make it easier for everyone to know what's happening and when.

Bestselling historical romance author Lenora Bell discusses researching, avoiding info-dumps while still charming readers, and how her latest book was inspired by her life.

Romance author Michelle Major explains her three go-to tips for ensuring your characters have believable chemistry.

No one wants to break the bank to learn how to write a screenplay. Jeanne Veillette Bowerman shares practical tips on saving money on the pursuit of a screenwriting career.

Here are 10 epic quotes from Watership Down, by Richard Adams. The story of a group of rabbits who escape an impending danger to find a new home, Watership Down is filled with moments of survival, faith, friendship, fear, and hope.

Learn the winner and Top 10 list for the Writer’s Digest Poetic Form Challenge for the quintilla.

Every good story needs a nice (or not so nice) turn or two to keep it interesting. This week, it's fighting time.

John Grisham once admitted that this article from 1973 helped him write his thrillers. In it, author Brian Garfield shares his go-to advice for creating great suspense fiction.

In this article, author, writing coach, and copywriter David Pennington teaches you the simple secrets of excellent copywriting.

In this article, author Dustin Grinnell examines Jon Franklin’s award-winning article Mrs. Kelly’s Monster to help writers master the use of literary techniques in narrative journalism.

Every Wednesday, Robert Lee Brewer shares a prompt and an example poem to get things started on the Poetic Asides blog. This week, write a cleaning poem.

New literary agent alerts (with this spotlight featuring Amy Collins of Talcott Notch Literary Services) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

Bestselling and award-winning author Simone St. James shares five tips for writing scary stories and horror novels that readers will love to fear.

Write a scene in which a banshee arrives to wail.

Learn when to use on vs. upon vs. up on with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages.

WD Editor-in-Chief Amy Jones explains why she's excited for the 2020 Writer's Digest Conferences, which are happening virtually November 5-7, 2020.

For this week's market spotlight, we look at Sierra Magazine, the bimonthly print and online environmental publication of the Sierra Club.

Novelist Jonelle Patrick discusses writing about a country she loves and the importance of both readers and editors.

Novelist Evie Green shares how writing a story for fun without a genre eventually turned into her horror novel, We Hear Voices. This is her experience of writing a horror novel without intending to write horror.

Author Nancy Stohlman discusses why flash fiction is changing the way we tell stories and the shifting landscape of creativity in 2020.

Writer's Digest celebrates its 100th Anniversary with two collectible covers for November/December 2020 and features three blockbuster interviews.

Using examples from William Peter Blatty's iconic horror novel The Exorcist, Dustin Grinnell explains how to craft truly frightening horror fiction by blending the believable and the unsettlingly extraordinary.

The author discusses what inspired her novel about supervillan henches and how video games influence her writing.

Poetic Form Fridays are made to share various poetic forms. This week, we look at the chant royal, a 60-line poetic challenge.

Author Stephanie Kane shares how an interest in art led to her newest novel, how she empathized with her villain, and discusses the intersection of art and crime.

Every good story needs a nice (or not so nice) turn or two to keep it interesting. This week, give your protagonist a new hurdle.

For fans of the terrifying and macabre, this article from 1989 features horror, Gothic, and science-fiction author Matthew J. Costello's advice on top-notch horror writing that sells.

In this article, author E.L. Tenenbaum discusses the importance on not tossing a project that isn't quite working and explains why putting a project away for a while might be the key to success.

In this excerpt from his book Writing in the Dark, author Tim Waggoner discusses the three types of pain all horror writers should consider inflicting upon their characters for a truly gripping read.

Every Wednesday, Robert Lee Brewer shares a prompt and an example poem to get things started on the Poetic Asides blog. This week, write a hunting poem.

Novelist Jill G. Hall shares what prompted her most recent novel (The Green Lace Corset), what surprised her in the writing process, her top tip for other writers, and more!

Write a scene that takes place inside a haunted house.

This post announces our latest From Our Readers question: What writing advice made you see your work in a new way? Comment for a chance at publication in a future issue of Writer's Digest.

Romance novelist Jane Igharo, author of Ties That Tether, shares her four tips on writing a romantic comedy that deals with real-life issues while staying true to the genre, using examples from other rom-coms.

New literary agent alerts (with this spotlight featuring Margaret Danko of Paper Over Board of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency) are golden opportunities for new writers because each one is a literary agent who is likely building his or her client list.

Dustin Grinnell explains how to—and how not to—write more scientific fiction by analyzing Carl Sagan's “Contact” and the ways it incorporates believable elements that are understandable to laypeople.

Mystery novelist Robert McCaw shares how he went from self-publishing his novels to getting an agent and traditional publication, including why the transition made sense for him.

Bestselling author Michelle Major shares what's different about writing a series, how to handle a book release during a pandemic, and what she hopes her writing can do for readers.

Get in the Halloween spirit by reading these contemporary horror novels recommended by WD editor and horror fan, Moriah Richard.

Author Heidi McCrary shares how she used personal experience to craft a coming-of-age novel, how she handles political correctness, and the struggle to find a publisher.

Bestselling author Clare Mackintosh shares the 10 things she learned when writing a family drama and reveals what will be useful key writing your own.