Writer's Digest Presents

When you tackle historical nonfiction, you're offering doing more than simply putting to paper the events of the past. In author and journalist Robert Fieseler's experience, it meant hunting down sealed documents from a state that never wanted this history exposed, and it meant uncovering hundreds of names redacted from records and conducting countless hours of interviews—all before the actual writing takes place. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," editor Michael Woodson sits down with Robert to discuss his new book American Scare: Florida's Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives (on sale today), his process as a writer, how and if he employs fiction craft in his writing, and more. Buy the book here: Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/14625/9780593183953 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4e83Wt9

How do you write what you know? By writing fiction based on your life. This doesn't mean writing memoir or simply changing the names of the people in your life: It could be a passing comment you hear at the bus stop, or someone's missing shoe you notice in the street, or it could even just be a feeling from a time in your life..the list goes on and on! In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," editor Michael Woodson sits down with author and literary agent Jessica Berg about how to write fiction based on your life, how you can find inspiration everywhere, how to mine your life for story ideas in real time, and more.

Writer's Digest is heading to England! From September 12-20, you can join managing editor Moriah Richard and literary agent Amy Collins in London and Bath for the writing retreat of a lifetime! Listen here as they are in conversation with editor-in-chief Amy Jones about what to expect on the retreat, what they're most looking forward to, and more!

The first job of a writer is to actually write their book. The next is to promote it. But getting in front of a camera or microphone and talking to a live audience isn't as easy at it may sound, and authors who are used to having thousands of words in a book to lean on may need to come up with just a few minutes of sound bites to help them get their point across. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," content editor Michael Woodson chats with media coach and author Paula Rizzo about why it's important for writers to learn to be media-savvy, the different kinds of media that can help them promote their work, and how to have every possible answer ready in their back pocket.

In publishing, we spend a lot of time talking about genre, and a lot of authors know exactly what genre they're interested in writing in. But what about writers who have story ideas that don't easily fit into any one genre category? Should they shift the story to better fit a marketing mold, or should they just keep writing and faith that their unique story will find the right home? In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," content editor Michael Woodson chats with author Hilary Leichter, author of Temporary and Terrace Story, about ignoring craft rules, not thinking about your readers, and when to ask yourself what you're afraid of.

Screenwriting is a completely different animal than novel writing—there are different rules, there are different ways to get feedback, there are different expectations...but understanding screenwriting can help you navigate your own stories whether or not you're interested in filmmaking. In the first episode of season four of the "Writer's Digest Presents" podcast, content editor Michael Woodson sits down with Script magazine's editor-in-chief Sadie Dean to help writers get started in screenwriting. Check out these screenwriting resources from Sadie: Script Magazine: https://scriptmag.com/ Script University: https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/store SimplyScripts: https://www.simplyscripts.com/ Script Reader Pro: https://www.scriptreaderpro.com/ The Internet Movie Script Database: https://www.imdb.com/

Sometimes, our own personal family history where elements of it make for the perfect story—but what do you do if the history itself works best in a totally different era, or a dog makes more sense to be a cat, or winter works better than summer when it really happens? This is where personal history and historical fiction collide. In the final episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson chat with author Sharon Short about her new novel, Trouble Island, how she fictionalizes real events, her love of weather in fiction, and more.

Fight scenes in fiction aren't just physical—they can be psychological, emotional, and often setting our characters up for any kind of fight helps us understand them better. Why they walk the way they do, what guards they have up, their weaknesses, their strengths. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," trained fighter and author Carla Hoch shares all of her knowledge about writing fight scenes, why writing fight scenes is a good writing skill to have, and more.

In 2021, author Zenda Walker won grand prize in Writer's Digest's 29th Annual Self-Published Book Awards for her picture book, Zara's Wash Day. Since then, she landed a two-book traditional book deal, republishing her award-winning book with a new foreword from Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o, plus a follow-up book, Zion's Crown. Editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down with Zenda to discuss transitioning from self-publishing author to traditionally published author, what she has coming up next, and more!

The prevalence of book influencers on social media has taken the publishing industry by storm. What is the role of a Bookstagrammer or BookToker? Has is their influence impacting publishing? And should writers and authors build relationships and friendships with these social media influencers? Content editor Michael Woodson sits down to chat with three book influencers about the work they do, the pros and cons of social media influencing, and more!

Writer's Digest is headed to Italy! Join editor-in-chief Amy Jones and senior editor Robert Lee Brewer this September 26 – October 3, 2024, for an Italian getaway to inspire your stories, learn from writers, and finish that manuscript! Listen as Amy and Robert discuss the itinerary, what to expect, what to look forward to, and more!

You've heard the old adage: Don't judge a book by its cover. Well, we all know that a gorgeous cover is hard to pass by, and those of us in the publishing industry know that a good book cover can be the difference between a reader picking it up or leaving it behind. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson are joined by designer Charlotte Strick and writer Zachary Petit to discuss all things book design and book covers!

When you think of "emotion" with regards to your writing, what comes to mind? Is it your own emotion when you're writing, the emotional quality of the work itself, or is it the emotion you hope readers feel as they read? In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," content editor Michael Woodson leads a roundtable with editor-in-chief Amy Jones, managing editor Moriah Richard, and senior editor Robert Lee Brewer about emotion and conflict in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—plus stick around for book recommendations at the end of the episode!

In Waubgeshig Rice's series of novels Moon of the Crusted Snow and Moon of the Turning Leaves, the author sets up a world in the midst of the apocalypse and more than a decade after the end. But readers are left with the lingering question: What exactly happened? Editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down for a chat with the author about his journey with these stories, the speculative quality of unanswered questions, and more.

In March 2022, managing editor Moriah Richard held a roundtable with three debut authors in our debut authors episode—one of those authors was Mazey Eddings. Now, Eddings is set to publish Late Bloomer, her fifth book in two years; an impressive feat for any author! Here, editor-in-chief Amy Jones and managing editor Moriah Richard catch up with Eddings two years into her publishing career to discuss how her writing has changed, how her perspective on publishing has changed, and her advice for other authors!

More than half of what we see in the theaters or watch on TV are adapted from books, graphic novels, video games, and more. Which begs the question: What makes an adaptation good? Is it being 100% faithful to the source material? Is it making necessary updates to literary classics? Is it including the author in the adapting process? In this episode, WD's editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down for a chat with Script magazine's editor-in-chief Sadie Dean about what makes a good adaptation, what makes a bad one, and the times when the adaptation was better than the book.

New year, new goals! With the start of the new year, people across the world have stated new resolutions and goals for themselves. Writers are no different, and often we set lofty goals at the start of the year in the hopes that they come to fruition by the end of the year. We want to help you on the right track by looking back at some of the best writing advice we received from authors, editors, and publishing experts last year.

How to write a dramedy is more than simply mixing jokes with the tear-jerking moments. Combining comedy and drama is a tight-rope act that, if done wrong, can lead to tonal disparity within your story. But done right and you'll have your readers going from crying to laughing (and crying laughing) page after page. Editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down with bestselling author Byron Lane (A Star Is Bored, Big Gay Wedding) to chat all about how to write a dramedy.

Do you know how to self-edit your novel? If your answer is "no," you're not alone. While creative writers know a thing or two about building worlds and imagination, self-editing our work—and editing in general—is an art form we don't spend enough time understanding. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," content editor Michael Woodson sits down with professional editor, author, and instructor Tiffany Yates Martin to discuss self-editing, how to self-editing your novel, when to seek outside advice, and more.

Writers: curious about how to combine genres? Want to know what it's like to incorporate elements of mystery, science fiction, espionage, and romance? Look no further than the curious mind of author Rob Hart. In this interview with Writer's Digest, editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down with Rob to discuss his newest novel, The Paradox Hotel, why combining genres means you get to break all the rules, and more.

AI has infiltrated the creative process, with ChatGPT and other platforms making writing "easier." But the sinister side of this technology has led artificial intelligence down the road of plagiarism, and even identity theft—stealing the likeness of an author and using their name to profit off of work they didn't actually write. Author and instructor Jane Friedman joins content editor Michael Woodson for a discussion about AI, about her recent experience with AI stealing her name to profit on work she didn't write, and what writers can do to safeguard themselves and their writing.

You ever have that experience reading a book where you think it's about one thing, and then slowly it starts to reveal that it's actually about something else? We call this "misdirection," a narrative device that allows writers to write the story they want to write while allowing an undercurrent of what the story is "actually about." In this conversation with editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down with author Lydia Kiesling about how to intentionally misdirect your readers, writing about climate change in realistic fiction, and her new novel Mobility, available in bookstores August 1.

Every summer, the Writer's Digest team heads to New York City for the Annual Writing Conference—three full days of writing advice, keynote sessions, and more (including an opportunity to pitch your story to agents!) Here, editor-in-chief Amy Jones, senior editor Robert Lee Brewer, and content editor Michael Woodson chat with author and instructor Ryan G. Van Cleave about the Writer's Digest Annual Conference, why you should attend, and more! To register for the annual conference, click here: https://writersdigestconference.com/register/

What is fan fiction? Is there a difference between fan fiction, retellings, and reimaginings? What makes us categorize them as being similar? In the latest episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," the WD editors tackle this topic by talking about each of these types of writing separately, while also seeing how they can serve one another—like different branches of the same tree. Then, stick around for a conversation with managing editor Moriah Richard and fan-fiction author Spoons! Book recommendations with links for where to purchase: Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan Pride by Ibi Zoboi Boy Snow Bird by Helen Oyeyemi The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle Ravenous Things by Derrick Chow Lost in the Never Woods by Aidan Thomas Ben & Beatriz by Katalina Gamarra Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev Saturday by Ian McEwan The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

In our latest book club discussion, editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down for a chat with author Cherie Dimaline about her newest novel, VenCo. Listen as they discuss witchy women, charismatic consumerism, and writing hot villains.

Editor-in-chief Amy Jones, senior editor Robert Lee Brewer, and content editor Michael Woodson sit down with Writer's Digest University's content director Sarah Hall to discuss romance novels. Why do we love romance novels, and why should all writers read romance? Listen and learn now!

How do you define success as a writer? Is it the finished, published novel on bookshelves? The story in a literary journal? Writing a sentence a day? Success can take many forms throughout the writing process. In this premiere episode of season two of Writer's Digest Presents, the WD editors sit down for a discussion on how to define success as a writer.

It's the end of our first season of "Writer's Digest Presents," and the editors of Writer's Digest sit down to reflect on the year—from favorite projects to favorite books, and more!

In the second installment of Writer's Digest's official book club, we read The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. Here, Tiffany sits down for a book club chat with editor-in-chief Amy Jones, managing editor Moriah Richard, and content editor Michael Woodson. Beware: spoilers!

What's a literary agent, and how do you know that you've found the right literary agent for you? In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," the editors of Writer's Digest sit down to discuss all things literary agents—from what to look for in one to how to find one to begin with! Then, managing editor Moriah Richard sits down with Margaret Danko, Literary Agent with Paper Over Board.

In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," we're discussing writing communities. Editor-in-Chief Amy Jones leads a roundtable discussion with Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer, Managing Editor Moriah Richard, and Content Editor Michael Woodson, about their experiences engaging with writing communities. Then, editors Michael Woodson and Moriah Richard sit down with the founders of PitBLK, an online writing community that is "answering the call for a literary pitch event that amplifies and celebrates Black writers and our work." Then editors Moriah Richard and Michael Woodson end the episode with a Q&A with NaNoWriMo Executive Director Grant Faulkner.

We're so excited to tell you about our Annual Writing Conference, this July 28-31, 2022 in New York City! Listen as Content Editor Michael Woodson tells you about what you can expect at this year's conference, and why we hope to see you there!

School is out and the sun is high: it's time to take to the road and to bring our vacation reads with us! In this episode, the editors chat about the concept of vacation reads, how we choose what books to bring with us on vacation, and more! Vacation Reads Roundtable: Editor-in-chief Amy Jones and Content Editor Michael Woodson sit down with a chat with authors Steven Rowley and Jessica Strawser about how their books make for great vacation reads, how they feel about that title, and more. Writer's Digest Book Club: Content Editor Michael Woodson and Editor-in-chief Amy Jones sit down with author Grace D. Li in a book club conversation about her debut bestseller, Portrait of a Thief. But beware: spoilers ahead!

In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," take a look at how world-building impacts your storytelling! Featuring an editorial roundtable discussion, plus managing editor Moriah Richard sits down with author Whitney Hill, and Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer chats with poet Jeannine Hall Gailey!

April is National Poetry Month, and in this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," we tackle all things poetry! Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer leads the editorial team in a discussion about poetry in their lives, how it impacts their own writing, and the poets that they're reading today. Then, join Robert as he sits down with poets Kelli Russell Agodon, Kim Dower, Timothy Green, and Joseph Mills to discuss the craft, their work, and more! Be sure to stay tuned to the end of the episode for a new writing prompt!

What makes a debut book memorable enough to dive into the author's later work? In our third episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," the WD team talks all about their favorite debut books, chats with debut authors, and more! Featuring: Editor's roundtable discussion of debut books Managing Editor Moriah Richards hosts a debut author roundtable with Mazey Eddings (A Brush With Love), Nita Prose (The Maid), and Christopher Griffin (You Grow, Gurl!). Featured titles: The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr.  Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong  Beast of a Little Land by Juhea Kim  Golden State by Lydia Kiesling  Temporary by Hilary Leichter More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera  Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston  Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas  These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong  The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic  State of the Nation by David Jackson Ambrose  The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas  The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 

February is Flash Fiction Month at WD, and this episode is all about short and flash fiction, nonfiction, and more! Featuring: —Editors roundtable with Editor-In-Chief Amy Jones, Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer, Managing Editor Moriah Richard, and Content Editor Michael Woodson, discussing flash fiction and short stories. —Information about Writer's Digest daily Flash Fiction Challenge on WritersDigest.com. —Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer speaks with Gina Barreca about writing flash nonfiction. —Managing Editor Moriah Richards and Content Editor Michael Woodson answer the rest of your questions in part two of their MFA program conversation. —Editor-in-Chief Amy Jones discusses flash fiction, drabbles, and dribbles with Ran Walker. —Stick around at the end of the episode for a flash fiction writing prompt!

Welcome to Writer's Digest Presents, a monthly podcast of writers helping writers, brought to you by the editors at Writer's Digest! Catch us every third Tuesday of the month with roundtable discussions, author interviews, tips and techniques, writing prompts, and more! As we enter a new year, we're talking all about beginnings in our first episode. Featuring: —Editors roundtable with Editor-In-Chief Amy Jones, Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer, Managing Editor Moriah Richard, and Content Editor Michael Woodson. —Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer speaks with author C. Hope Clark about beginning projects. —Is an MFA program right for you? Managing Editor Moriah Richard chats with Content Editor Michael Woodson about the pros and cons of getting an MFA in this first part of a two-part conversation. —Editor-In-Chief speaks with award-winning writer and professor Susan Shapiro about her newest book, The Book Bible. —Stick around at the end of the episode for a writing prompt around the "beginnings" theme!