WD Presents: A New Webinar, 6 WDU Courses, and More!
This week, we’re excited to announce a new webinar on research, six WDU courses, 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 a new webinar on research, six WDU courses, and more!
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How to Research Your Novel like a Reporter
Too many fiction writers start their stories without any research. And those who do some research barely scratch the surface, sticking to what they can find on Google or watch on TV. This unique live webinar will teach you how to interview actual sources and research primary documents that can enrich your stories, whether you’re working on a crime thriller, a cozy mystery, or even science fiction that involves new technologies.
As a former reporter with a master’s degree in journalism, Christopher will share with you best practices from the three years of research he conducted for his award-winning debut novel. He’ll also show you how that research helped convince more than a dozen media outlets to publish stories about his book—and how you can do the same.
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Six WDU Courses Begin This Week!
Submission Coaching: Everything You Need to Know to Get Published
Have you been querying agents and not getting the response you are expecting?Have you been discouraged by publishers insisting upon marketing and platform successes even before your book is published? You are not alone. This 6-week class will give you the tools you need and that agents and publishers are looking for when considering taking on an author.
Fitting Writing Into Your Life
Get a glimpse into the life of a professional writer and set realistic writing goals for yourself with this online workshop. When you take this workshop, you’ll learn to manage your time effectively, create a writing platform, practice strategies for writing, and read The Productive Writer by Sage Cohen. Once you know how to fit writing into your daily life, it won’t feel like a chore. Instead, it will be enjoyable and invigorating.
Grammar and Mechanics
Do you remember the difference between the 8 parts of speech and how to use them? Are you comfortable with punctuation and mechanics? No matter what type of writing you do, mastering the fundamentals of grammar and mechanics is an important first step to having a successful writing career.
Introduction to Copyediting
If you’ve thought about becoming a copy editor but you’re not sure how to go about it, this is the course for you. It’s also a fitting course for college students who want to work for the school newspaper, creative writers who want to self-edit their manuscripts, teachers needing to brush up on the real-world basics for their English courses, and businesspeople striving to sound as competent and together on the page as they possibly can.
The Art of Storytelling 101: Story Mapping and Pacing
Discover how the seven core competencies of storytelling—concept, character, voice, plot, theme, scene construction, and style—combine to create compelling narrative. By understanding the engineering and design of a story, and using Larry Brooks’ Story Engineering and Nancy Dodd’s The Writer’s Compass, you’ll learn how to quickly and effectively get your story out of your head and onto the page.
Writing Historical Fiction
Join Donna Russo Morin to learn the definition of historical markers and how and where to unearth them. And uncover the tools to integrate history, research, and the fiction plot arc. Most of all, find out how to honor verisimilitude—the goal of any historical writing—and avoid the dreaded anachronism.
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New Your Story Prompt!
Prompt: Write a short story of 650 words or fewer based on the photo prompt at the link below. You can be poignant, funny, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story.
Entry Deadline: February 27, 2023
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Enter Our Short Short Story Competition!
We’re looking for short fiction stories! Think you can write a winning story in 1,500 words or less? Enter the 23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win $3,000 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!
EXTENDED DEADLINE: January 16, 2023
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