Indholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2025 i Writer's Digest

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF YOUR POETRY If you were given the task of defining poetry, how would you respond? Would you say poems have end rhymes? Or, since all poems don’t rhyme, would you focus on line breaks? But then, with prose poetry a thing, maybe it would be better to discuss poetic tools like alliteration and consonance, maybe metaphors? Personally, I decided long ago to eschew defining what poetry is because poetry is a universe and a quark and everything beyond and between. If you’re interested in pushing the boundaries of your own poetry, here are a few places to get started. Structure While Bob Hicok is not on the cutting edge of experimental poetry, his “A poem with a poem in its belly” is an interesting example of…

50 Loving States series (umbrella for my contemporary); Viking Wolves series, Scottish Wolves series, Irish Shifters series, and Bear Mountain (shifterverse); Loving Elves series; Alien Overlords series (as Taylor Vaughn) Interracial romance (Black or multiracial heroine), including contemporary (billionaire, mafia, and sports), shifters, and alien romance. WRITES FROM: A bedroom recliner in Orlando, Fla. WHY SELF-PUBLISH? I started out as a traditionally published women’s fiction writer, and honestly, I didn’t have the emotional constitution for it. I didn’t love the multi-year payout scheme for my advance or feeling like I was a failure when my first book didn’t perform to new release expectations. While my second women’s fiction book was out on submission, I decided to try writing as Theodora Taylor. By the time the contract for that second book was…

I can recall exactly where I was when I came up with the idea for my adult fantasy series, Emily Wilde. It was Mary’s, a particularly cozy coffee shop in my hometown, which has tragically since closed down. I had my coffee and cinnamon bun (because Mary’s made the best cinnamon buns), and I was flipping through one of the books I’d brought for research, an encyclopedia of fairy folklore in the British Isles. I began musing about what the experience of writing something like that would have been like, musings that would eventually turn into Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. The only thing is, I didn’t realize at the time that this was an idea for an adult fantasy novel. Because I was working on a proposal for a…

WHAT IS A WOMEN’S FICTION HORROR MASH-UP ANYWAY? It took me a long time to realize I’m a relationship writer. It took me even longer to realize that I’m not unique in this and that relationships are the fiction writer’s primary task. Using all the craft tools at our disposal, engaging our readers in a way that doesn’t feel like a lecture is challenging. We aim to create fresh worlds for our readers to explore with relatable characters. Blake Snyder in Save the Cat! shares that a Hollywood studio executive once told him, “Give me the same thing, only different.” This concept is key to why mashups hook readers because we’re delivering a fresh spin on a familiar experiences. But what is a mash-up, anyway? It’s any union of multiple…

In all the years I have been a writer, I have noticed one fascinating, though not completely unexpected, thing when it comes to fiction writers: many of them are intimidated by poetry. Part of it is all the iambic pentameter stuff, arcane forms, and whether to rhyme something or not. The other part is that, as fiction writers, they feel that poetry is the most convoluted and indirect way of trying to say something. I understand where these writers are coming from, but much of that way of thinking probably stems from having had bad experiences with poetry in the classroom or being forced to read something before they understood exactly how to read it. If you are a writer now, though, it would be a good time to gain…

Irene Te always knew she wanted to self-publish her YA romance novel, This Place Is Magic. “I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want to query this project,” she says. “I never even attempted it. It wasn’t a story that fit neatly into any boxes, and if it was difficult for me to position and pitch, I felt it would be difficult for an agent, too. And since there were so many elements I wasn’t OK with negotiating, I chose to self-publish. I saw it as the best way to stay true to the story I wanted to tell.” Her instincts proved right, earning her the top prize in WD’s 32nd Annual Self-Published Book Awards, but this also discredits the notion that self-publishing is merely a backup plan for…

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All the agents I tried turned down my book,” a former student told me last week. “Maybe it’s time to give up.” I thought: Now’s the time to get to work. After all, my first memoir was rejected by 30 agents and 30 editors before it landed with my dream publisher, Random House. My debut novel took 13 years from start to publication (so instead of a book launch, it got a “Book Mitzvah”). My bio now says that I’m the author of many books that my family hates (in eight different genres). I’m also a long-time writing professor whose students have published 700 books in different categories in the last decade—with advances between $1,000 and $500,000. So, I know firsthand how publishing a book can be a slow process.…

Frontlist Saltwater by Katy Hays (Ballantine Books, thriller, March 2025) SYNOPSIS: Helen Lingate’s mother, Sarah, was found dead at the bottom of the cliffs on the island of Capri in 1992, when Helen was just 3 years old. Because of the family’s massive wealth and the suspicious circumstances, Sarah’s death brought much unwanted attention to the private, tightly knit family. Though her death was eventually ruled accidental, rumors of foul play persisted. To prove they had nothing to hide, the family returns to the island every year. But this year, the 30th anniversary of Sarah’s death, is different. This year, the necklace Sarah was wearing on the night she died—the necklace that went missing—shows up at the villa addressed to Helen. With the help of Lorna, assistant to Helen’s uncle…

It took me longer than usual to figure out what to write in this editor’s letter, and that’s because I’ve never done much boundary-pushing. When I think of “pushing boundaries,” what comes to mind first is what one is taught not to do as a child: breaking (or at least bending) the rules. As an adult, when you go to school or are in training for your job, you’re taught how to do things. Perhaps not rules, per se, but procedures and guidelines that, if not followed, will attract the wrong kind of attention. These are all things I’ve wanted no part of. Unless there’s a “why” involved. If I’ve been told why I should do something a certain way and it either doesn’t make sense or I think of…

I launched Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published (New World Library) in a multi-layered approach. Instead of the traditional book signing, I spoke at a conference, had a “Book Mitzvah” party for close friends and family, and chatted with legendary memoirist Cheryl Strayed on my podcast “Freelance Writing Direct.” That got my book noticed. I looked into what other authors are doing to generate buzz, attract attention, and engage readers, and how you can do it, too. CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME Authors can partner with a charity or nonprofit related to their book’s themes and donate a portion of sales to their cause. For The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery (Simon & Schuster), the launch was held at an aquarium with…

Sometimes, putting our characters in situations they might not normally encounter gives us a narrative advantage as writers—we might uncover personality traits we hadn’t previously considered, decide to incorporate a plot point we might not have otherwise, or simply reenergize our creative minds to continue with the main story. Pushing our characters’ boundaries creates exciting threads that we can use to make our story that much better. After you’ve selected your character, free-write a scene based on one of the following prompts: • WRITE ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER CUTTING THEIR LOSSES. Either with a career move, relationship, or something else. What was their breaking point? What are the repercussions?• FORCE YOUR CHARACTER TO RELY ON SOMEONE THEY DON’T TRUST. What has led to their reluctant partnership? Will the other character prove…

If punctuation marks were invited to a literary awards ceremony, the period would win for reliability, the exclamation point for drama, and the comma for sheer versatility. But what about the dash? Often overshadowed by flashier marks—or mistaken for its less charismatic cousin, the hyphen—the dash is the unsung hero of prose. It’s time to shine a spotlight on this overlooked powerhouse. The dash is a shapeshifter, a multitasker, and, dare I say, a rebel. It adds rhythm and emphasis, signaling to the reader: “Pay attention—this part matters.” Let’s explore its versatility and how you can use it to elevate your writing. THE MANY FACES The dash isn’t a one-trick pony—it has a range of roles depending on context. There’s the EM DASH, the long dash beloved by novelists and…

Isabel Mendía was born and raised “in the Cuban American diaspora of Miami, Fla.,” she says. She studied history at Yale University and, after graduation, interned at Sterling Lord Literistic and Abrams Books. She joined The Cheney Agency in July 2018 and lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. “I love my job because I get to learn something new every day, and I get to work with authors who are making the future a little brighter through their work and their writing,” she says. “It’s so rewarding to feel like I’ve helped an author expand and organize their thinking about their book and to know that my feedback has helped get a proposal closer to the strongest version of itself.” Mendía’s dream project is a work of narrative non-fiction that surprises her…

When we think about writing a story, especially in genres like mystery and thriller, our instinct is to begin with the protagonist. We picture their strengths, flaws, and motivations, carefully crafting the character we’ll spend months, or even years, developing. Louise Penny no doubt delved deep into the character of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache—not only his moral integrity but also his love of literature and poetry—before embarking on her beloved series. Lee Child no doubt had a clear sense of Jack Reacher—his defense of the underdog as well as his obsession with coffee—before embarking on that series. Knowing our protagonists inside and out is crucial, not only for crafting their journey but also for engaging readers. We need to give our protagonists agency, not allow them merely to be buffeted…

Gary Gulman is a veteran stand-up comic and frequent late-night guest with multiple cable specials, most notably the award-winning HBO show called “The Great Depresh,” and is the author of the bestselling memoir, Misfit (Flatiron Books). Gulman uses his comedic chops to tell the not-so-funny story of his hard-won battle against major depression with suicidal ideation. His writings and performances function as a vehicle for speaking truth on mental illness, where humor serves as that “spoonful of sugar” we sometimes need to handle uncomfortable subjects that not everyone understands. Gulman brings light to the darkest of subjects, where finding that illumination is critical to his own healing. He uses his profession as a comedian to share that light with others, in a way that promotes public understanding of major depression…

GRAND PRIZE This Place Is Magic by Irene Te EARLY READERS/CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS FIRST PLACE Sometimes by Joann Howeth HONORABLE MENTIONS Olive and Lemon Trees by Dina Al-Sabawi The Truth About Stepmoms by Renee Bolla GENRE FICTION FIRST PLACE Saving Scarlett by C.A. Varian HONORABLE MENTIONS A Merry Life by Sarah Branson An UNwilling Spy: A Cold War Novel Set at the United Nations by Loraine Sievers Castle Witch by Madeleine Elizabeth In the Shadow of a Dream by Maci Aurora Kill Me Now by Christopher Ridley Lethal Injection: A Science-Fiction Novel by Karin Lovold Lightning Ridge Road by Sarah Vail The Dark That Begins by Steve Pantazis Till My Last Day: Book Two in the Desert Hills Trilogy by Deborah Swenson INSPIRATIONAL/SELF-HELP FIRST PLACE Body Wisdom: A Guide to…

The wasteland stretched past the horizon as a mournful silence rang across the land. A cascade of soft hues blanketed the empty terrain, sunbeams illuminated the planet, and hope seeped into the dirt in search of life. “No matter how often I see it, it always reminds me of candy,” Mary said, stretching out her arm in a futile effort to grasp the colorful rays that swirled together like a lollipop. “Don’t get too attached, Mary,” Dan reminded her. “We’re here to collect our samples, then return to the Sanctuary. Our orders were clear.” “I know, I know. I’m just taking in the views before we get to work. You have your test tubes?” With a subtle nod, Dan touched the front of his containment pod, eliciting a bright, white…

As a poet, this is my favorite time of year to write and submit poetry. Not only is April National Poetry Month, but it’s also when I lead and participate in the April Poem-A-Day Challenge on WritersDigest.com. I hope you’ll join the fun this year for our 18th annual April PAD Challenge! Whether you’re able to or not, here are five poetry markets open to submissions from poets. THE MANHATTAN REVIEW (TheManhattanReview.com) The Manhattan Review was founded in 1980 by New York-based poet Philip Fried, who still edits it today. It publishes only poetry, reviews of poetry books, and poetry-related essays. The editor says, “For many years now, and especially in the last decade, MR has endeavored to publish the best contemporary British poetry alongside the work of excellent American…

Eluding bad reviews was easy before the internet—ignore newspapers, magazines, and calls from family. Nowadays, everyone is a critic, and it’s nearly impossible for authors to escape the unforgiving hordes of faceless online know-it-alls. One of our friends recently wrote Bet You Didn’t See That Coming, published under a new niche genre, “Gambling Romance.” Her story followed the classic romance novel formula with one notable twist—no storybook ending. Instead, in a shocking finale, the steamy love interest, a freakishly tall jockey, and his beloved thoroughbred were victims of a loan shark hit. Romance readers expect a happy ending. Always! The breach of trust resulted in a backlash and an average rating of 1.3 stars. Here’s a sampling of the torching reviews. SOGGY AND LIMP I won the book as a…

HEATHER FAWCETT is the New York Times, USA Today, and Sunday Times bestselling author of books for adults, kids, and teens, including Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The Grace of Wild Things, and more. Her books have been translated into more than 20 languages and somehow all include dragons in one form or another. She has a master’s degree in English literature and a bachelor’s in archaeology. She lives on Vancouver Island in Canada. JENNA GLATZER (JennaGlatzer.com) is a lifelong writer. She is the New York-based author or ghostwriter of more than 35 books for all five of the “Big Five” publishers. She worked with Celine Dion on the authorized biography Celine Dion: For Keeps. Her most recent release is the coffee…

As writers, we tend to be hard on ourselves. If you feel guilty about your writing habits, you’re not alone! It’s easy to overlook small, but significant steps toward your goals if you’re focused on the negative or on comparing yourself to others. Instead, what if you change your mindset to take into account the growth and progress that is happening every day? It’s important to acknowledge all aspects of the writing process—not just word count or a finished manuscript. If you want to stop feeling guilty about not writing and cultivate a strong, sustainable creative practice, here are some mindset shifts and actionable ideas. REDEFINE PRODUCTIVE WRITING TIME Writing involves more than time spent with a keyboard or pen. Mulling over ideas, doing research, talking with colleagues or friends—these…

DEAR SIMON, I’m publishing my second book with a major publisher. I knew the marketing budget for my first book (July 2023) was small, because very little effort was made to publicize the book outside of targeting trade journals and reviewers. While this resulted in solid early reviews, publicity efforts dropped off about a month after pub date, so I did most of the marketing on my own. … This time around, however, how do I negotiate a higher budget for a consistent marketing and publicity campaign so I don’t feel I’m doing (and paying for) most of the outreach myself? —Roberta Jefferson Dear Roberta, You are not alone in your fear that little will be done to promote your book. To get a publishing insider’s perspective, I asked the…

Jared Lemus Guatemalan Rhapsody (Literary fiction/short stories, March, Ecco Press) “Guatemalan Rhapsody tells the stories of saints and sinners, holy men and vagabonds, and holds the country of Guatemala up to the light so that it may shine to the point of synesthesia—a place so real you can taste and hear the music.” WRITES FROM: Pittsburgh and N.C. PRE-RHAPSODY: Leading up to this, I was writing stories that appeared in Joyland, Story, Cleaver, Kweli, The Porter House Review, The Pinch, and other literary journals, with the “biggest” publication being a nonfiction piece in The Kenyon Review Online. TIME FRAME: It took me five years to write this book. I am a very slow writer and I edit as I go; I write one sentence, then I rewrite it, then…

As Constant Readers of Writer’s Digest know, I love a good footnote.1 While I’m not alone in my love of the footnote (or its more aloof cousin, the endnote2), most people see the footnote as a grim necessity in academic writing at best, agreeing with literary critic Thomas McFarland who said that footnotes made reading feel “like driving over a road with innumerable potholes.”3 Even folks who are more or less neutral on the subject are usually nonplussed when they encounter a footnote in a work of fiction.4 Footnotes are nothing new, of course; they have been with us in some form or another since pious Richard Jugge introduced them in 1568 as a way to offer readers interpretation of scripture without disturbing the holy word. By the 18th century…

I like this proposal,” the editor said, “but can you draw out the lessons a bit more?” As a ghostwriter who specializes in memoirs, I became accustomed to this request. A client would come to me wanting to tell a personal story, and agents and editors would kick it back to us with the note that it would be more marketable if we could root it in something else: self-help, history, leadership … Fifteen years ago, pure memoirs were easier to place. Noncelebrities with uniquely interesting or relatable life stories had a reasonable shot of finding homes with publishers. But nowadays, for marketability’s sake, it’s much more common for editors to ask for memoirs to have a second genre element—what I’m calling “memoir plus.” And that can be good news…

In an industry built on tradition, the rise of genre-blending and trope-defying manuscripts is not just a trend but a potential goldmine for aspiring authors. Here’s why hybrid narratives are having their moment and how authors can position their work to shine. WHY THE MARKET IS READY NOW Clearly defined genres have long dominated the publishing landscape, each catering to specific audiences. These days, a shift is underway. Readers now yearn for stories as intricate and multi-layered as their lives—stories that refuse to be confined to a single category. This thirst for originality has paved the way for genre-defying narratives to shine. At the heart of this shift is a simple truth: Readers are tired of predictable formulas, and the evidence is everywhere. R. F. Kuang’s Babel blends speculative historical…

Historical fiction is popular for many reasons. Readers like to “time travel” through stories to connect with and experience the past. Learning about history through fiction is, for many readers, more exciting and manageable than through textbooks. Timeless themes can work in contemporary fiction as well as historical, but a historical setting can show these themes more poignantly and in sharper relief. While themes or the challenges of being human might feel all too real if set against current events, a historical setting can provide perspective and a sense of experiencing events at a safe distance. Historical fiction can work well in any genre. Just a few examples: • Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid explores the rise and eventual breakup of a 1970s rock band and…

While most people don’t think they could just sit down and write a great novel for adults, I’ve met many folks who believe in their ability to do just that for young readers. The same way a painting by Jackson Pollock is more than pigment flung at a canvas, a manuscript for children is more than jotting down the sweet story your own kids loved, an ode to your dearly departed dog, or a lesson you’d like to convey. In the business for more than 25 years, here are the top errors I see made and how to avoid them. 1. MIDDLE-GRADE OR YOUNG ADULT NOVEL SET IN THE ’80S OR ’90S (BECAUSE THAT’S WHEN YOU GREW UP) Authors are often inspired by their own experiences and when writing for…