Writer's Digest January/February 2023

“Keep an open mind about your writing. Getting too attached to a specific format, genre, or plot twist might prevent you from seeing other possibilities that could end up working out even better. If you get the opportunity to have your work critiqued, take it! The more diverse opinions you can get, the better. And if you’re just getting started on your journey to publication, it can be hard to know where to start. WDU Boot Camps are one way you can make sure your query letter or first 10 pages get in front of an agent working in the industry right now.” —Sarah Hall, Digital Content Director, Writer’s Digest University “When it comes to digital resources for writers, there are so many great options out there that they can…

These are just a few of the books inspired by (or are retellings of) Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that I’ve read over the years—and they never get old. Sure, I know the gist of the story and exactly how it’ll turn out. But that’s the point. I love the satisfaction of reading a story with the knowledge that I’ll enjoy it. The existing framework is there; it’s the details that will be different and exciting. This brings us to this issue’s theme of Finding Success Inside the Box and why it appealed to all of us at WD. There’s the old adage about thinking outside the box, and a lot of times, that makes sense. Why do something the same way over and over again simply because that’s “the…

DERRICK CHOW (DerrickChow.ca) is a writer, comic creator, and illustrator. His debut prose novel, Ravenous Things, is out now from Disney-Hyperion. It is a middle-grade horror about grief, friendship, and the horrors lurking in the wild, uncharted subway tunnels beneath Toronto. His comic short stories have been featured in several anthologies, including Shout Out (TO Comix Press) and Rainbow Reflections: Body Image Comics for Queer Men (Ad Astra Comix). His illustrations have been published in many newspapers and magazines, including The Literary Review of Canada, This Magazine, and The Toronto Star. ZACHARY PETIT (ZacharyPetit.com) is an independent journalist and editor and a lifelong literary nerd. Previously, he served as editor-in-chief of the National Magazine Award–winning publication PRINT, managing editor of Writer’s Digest, and executive editor of several related newsstand titles.…

The Writer’s Digest team was thrilled to get back to New York City for our Annual conference in the summer of 2022. Although COVID was still a concern, we were able to enjoy three-and-a-half days of writing and publishing instruction and inspiration with some of the industry’s most talented teachers. The energy and joy of being back among like-minded, dedicated authors were captured by cartoonist Bob Eckstein, who went from session to session drawing the experience. As we prepare for WDC23, enjoy some of our favorite drawings of you can expect at a Writer’s Digest conference. Bob Eckstein is a New Yorker cartoonist, NY Times–bestselling author, and adjunct professor at NYU. His new book is The Complete Book of Cat Names (That Your Cat Won’t Answer to, Anyway). Amy Jones…

Early on in my career, an agent asked me for a full outline of a novel I was working on. This person wanted to know what was going to happen, in what chapter, and to whom. This request was not intended to annoy or cause anxiety, it was so the agent could see how the book might compare to other similar books in the marketplace, and perhaps to get a sense of how they might be able to offer some editorial feedback if, in their opinion, there were weak spots in the story. It was a thoroughly professional request. However, from my point of view—if I knew what was going to happen in the book, I would have little interest in writing it. The whole process would feel too prescriptive.…

POETIC FORM: WORDY 30 The wordy 30 is a fun little poetic game I conceived that’s inspired by the popular game Wordle. Here are the guidelines: • Six lines• One five-letter word per line Here are a couple of examples by Poetic Asides readers: “Winter Foray,” by Lisa L Stead My favorite wordy 30s juxtapose titles with the poem. Field mouse found bread trail. Score! When done well, each line in a wordy 30 is like a breadcrumb in a poetic trail. “Cloud Burst,” by Pamela L. King Under leafy bower quiet wrens cower While not mandatory, this example managed to work in a rhyme. NOTE: There are also variations that involve other combinations of equal letter lines that add up to 30 letters total (like three lines of 10…