WD Presents: The 9th Annual Mystery and Thriller Virtual Conference, Agent One-on-One Last Call, 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 9th Annual Mystery and Thriller Virtual Conference, the Agent One-on-One last call, and more!

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Writer's Digest University is pleased to present an exclusive online event for mystery & thriller writers! On March 25 and March 26, our 9th Annual Mystery & Thriller Virtual Conference will provide expert insights from SEVEN award-winning and bestselling authors on the finer points of how to write within the mystery and thriller genres. Spend the weekend learning techniques for honing your craft from seven different published authors, then (if you choose) pitch your novel via query letter to a literary agent specifically looking for material in the mystery or thriller genre. The agent will provide you with a personalized critique of your query—and maybe ask to see more.

Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home!

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Boot Camp Begins Tuesday, March 14.

When your submission materials arrive in an agent's inbox, they land among hundreds of others. At that point, one of two things will happen. Either the agent (or the agent’s assistant) will like the submission and request more materials, or they will reply with a rejection.

Authors who get rejected tend to fall in one of two categories when submitting materials: they try too hard, or not enough. This Writer’s Digest Boot Camp is designed to help you streamline your submission materials to stand out in a good way.

Attendees will learn how to write a dynamite query letter, tackle a one-page synopsis (for fiction) and a book proposal (for nonfiction). The instructing literary agents will also explain the importance of author platform in addition to basic etiquette in dealing with an agent and manuscript basics.

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Step back in time and listen to The Writer’s Voice, a collection of 28 historic Writer’s Digest recordings originally available as cassettes by mail order in the 1970s.

Now a USB drive cleverly disguised as a cassette tape, this product contains nearly 30 hours of wide-ranging content from blockbuster interviews to panel discussions to timeless writing instruction. It’s a fascinating snapshot of the publishing industry in the 1970s and will add invaluable insight about legendary writers to the historical record.

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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're not alone.

This six-week class will give you the tools you need and that agents and publishers are looking for when considering taking on an author. Talcott Notch Agent Amy Collins will share insights and work with you to create a complete proposal and author pitch kit. By the end of this course, you will have what you need to dramatically increase your attractiveness to agents and publishers.

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Proper grammar, punctuation, and mechanics make your writing correct. In order to truly write well, you must also master the art of form and composition. From sentence structure to polishing your prose, this course will enhance your writing, no matter what type of writing you do.

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The heart of each session is a lecture that discusses important aspects of being a copy editor. Not only will students learn what a copy editor does and how she does it, they will also learn the crucial grammatical rules that will put them at the top of their game. Practice exercises allow them hands-on participation, and writing assignments reinforce each week’s skills.

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Throughout this 12-week course, you will get step-by-step instruction on how to write nonfiction, read Philip Gerard's Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life, and write articles, essays, or a few chapters of your book. Register for this course and discover how fun writing nonfiction can be.

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Dive into the world of writing and learn all 12 steps needed to complete a first draft. In this writing course you will tackle the steps to writing a book, learn effective writing techniques along the way, and of course, begin writing your first draft.

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