Innehållsförteckning för March/April 2021 från Writer's Digest

Sometime in the 1960s, a young boy named Adam Hargreaves asked his father, Roger, what a tickle looked like. Roger responded by drawing Mr. Tickle, a round orange man with extraordinarily long arms that could stretch to tickle anyone, anywhere. He developed a simple story around the character, and in 1971 published Mr. Tickle—the first title in what would become his enormously popular Mr. Men Little Miss series. Featuring amusing storylines, bold illustrations, and colorful, one-dimensional personalities (such as Mr. Bump, Mr. Cool, and Little Miss Whoops), the books have entertained families worldwide for 50 years. More than 350 Mr. Men Little Miss titles have been published in 17 languages, with new titles added each year, and 250 million copies have sold since the series’ launch. When Roger Hargreaves passed…

POETIC FORM: QUINTILLA The quintilla is a Spanish quintain (or five-line) form based around an ab rhyme scheme and eight-syllable lines. But there’s a catch: None of the stanzas can end on a rhyming couplet. As such, each quintain must have one of the following rhyme patterns: • abaab• ababa• abbab• aabab• aabba A quintilla can be any line length—as long as it’s a multiple of five. Here is an example by a Poetic Asides reader: “Fall’s Gate” by Taylor Graham The full moon night’s alive with bats,a harvest moon for lovers’ vows,when longings like old specters rousewith howling of the alley cats,and leaves hang brittle on the boughs. In a quintilla, every line has eight syllables. That scarecrow in the pumpkin field—who ate the apples off the tree?I found…

A few times when I was a tyke of, oh, about 8 years old, I stayed at my aunt’s house. My cousins were 10-plus years older than me, but my aunt had kept some of their childhood treasures, and on my first visit, she put out an array of old toys on the living room floor. Still bobbing up and down in my memory is a pink plastic showboat adrift on a dull, tan shag-carpet sea, in the midst of a now-blurry flotilla of other old toys. The showboat, with its ridiculously oversized paddle wheel and an unwieldy theater smack dab in the middle of the deck, came with plastic people. These characters stood on tabs, which fit in slots on the theater floor, so they could be moved side…

Ciannon Smart Witches Steeped in Gold (YA fantasy, April, HarperTeen) “Two witches from rival orders unite in order to take down a mutual, powerful enemy.” WRITES FROM: England. PRE-WITCHES: Witches was my first foray into YA fantasy. I’d written dystopias, but Witches was the first story where everything I loved, as opposed to what was trending, clicked. I wanted witches in a non-Western world, who were unreliable narrators; a fraught setting that felt like a character, and a romance with a slow, painful burn. TIME FRAME: A family trip to Jamaica 15 years ago inspired Witches. It didn’t take me that long to write the book, just that long to realize the stories I wanted to read were in short supply, so I decided to write them instead. There were two…

Ex-husbands and ex-wives. Former bosses and coworkers. Clients. Sisters, brothers, and parents. That’s who you want to write about—and that’s what we want to read about: the often messy and endlessly fascinating complexity of human experience. What if those real-life people who are part of your story don’t want to be included or dispute your version of events? Memoirists and others writing about real-life events should review their work for potentially defamatory content, or if they have invaded someone’s privacy or publicity rights. But first things first: It is rare for writers to get sued and, in general, courts rely on First Amendment protections and tend to permit works that “illuminate the human condition.” Then why is it important to know this stuff? Fear of legal issues can hold many…

In less than four years since Carmen Maria Machado’s debut short story collection Her Body and Other Parties was published by Graywolf, she has taken the literary world by storm. A part-time adjunct writing instructor and Lush soap store employee at the time of writing the book, she was named writer-in-residence at the University of Pennsylvania After Penn professors read the unpublished manuscript of Her Body. The book went on to win the National Book Critics Circle Award, Shirley Jackson Award, and Lambda Literary Award. Critics praised Machado’s unique blend of science fiction, comedy, horror, fantasy, and fabulism. Her Body was named a best book of the decade by Rolling Stone and LitHub, earned best book of the year accolades by dozens more publications, and has been translated into more…

“You’re saying she never mentioned a bird?” The attorney shifted awkwardly in his chair, peering around the cage that had been placed between us, just beside my mother’s will. I tried to think back to when I’d last visited. Last Christmas? No, I’d spent that with Dad. Could it have been her birthday two years ago? A memory flitted to the surface: We were sitting in her favorite tea shop, talking for an hour about nothing in particular. I swear she had a fear of silence, as if a moment of it would draw suspicion. When some familiar faces came through the door, she perched upright in her seat preening herself, then, flashing her jewelry, she waved them over. After a flurry of pleasantries, her friends scanned me up and…

This is the Personal Issue, so it only makes sense to focus on personal essays. Personally, I love a good personal essay. When done well, they are less essay and more personal story with an emphasis on the storytelling. More than just an entertaining anecdote, personal essays can cover a range of emotions—serious, thought-provoking, romantic, heartwarming, horrific, and humorous. At the end of the day, personal essays are nonfiction, but there’s a great craft to structuring a true story in a way that’s compelling. Here are six online and print publications that may be a good fit for yours. Boston Globe Ideas (BostonGlobe.com/ideas) Boston Globe Ideas “aims to showcase fascinating findings and explore what new technologies mean for society and our lives.” Dubbed a “hub for commentary, insight, and innovation,”…

Let me count the ways. I love thee for the depth and breadth with which this issue interprets the theme: Getting Personal. With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning for that awful attempt at cleverness, the sentiment is true. This isn’t just an issue about writing your memoir—it also delves into the way all writing gets personal and how the business of writing involves personal choices. Before we talk about that, I want to share exciting changes you’ll see in WD issues beginning with this one. While you may be disappointed to hear we’re moving from eight to six issues per year, each issue will be larger, meaning more space to cover the topics you’re most interested in. Our IndieLab column has been expanded, three new columns have been added, and…

Even if you’re great at landing pitches for feature stories, wouldn’t it be sweet if one pitch turned into a contract for six stories? Or 12, or 18? Sound impossible? Not if you’re pitching a column that would appear in every issue of a magazine for the next two or three years. Editors at local publications and websites are also hungry for columnists. In the last century, I had columns in three local newspapers. In this century, I’ve had multi-year columns in five national magazines and one website: Horticulture, Urban Farm, Paleo, Chickens, Hobby Farms, and CommunityChickens.com. Right now, I have columns in the last three outlets. But I’m always banking against losing a column—which happens when I run out of things to say or when a periodical runs out…

At a memorial dinner for my beloved, psychotically upbeat friend, Erica Chase-Salerno, mourners were invited to choose an “Affirmators!” card from her favorite silly/inspirational deck. The one I pulled read: “As I tell myself the story of what’s happening in my life, I choose to make it the kind of story where even the tough parts have a sort of inner beauty. It’s ultimately a happy story, where every character (no matter how wicked), is doing their best. …” It was as if Erica had nudged the card toward me. She’d known I’ve always felt conflicted over writing about traumatic experiences, in part because I don’t know how to do so without upsetting others. That conflict is the primary reason it’s taken me so long—until my mid-50s—to write my memoir.…

The decision to self-publish a book means taking on all the responsibilities of a publisher. This puts the author in charge of not only the writing, but the distribution, marketing, and promotion as well. Amazon is the leading vendor for book sales in the U.S. and is well-known for their requirements for exclusivity in their KDP Select program—an optional service which opens up some significant marketing opportunities. However, if you choose to “go wide” with your distribution, instead of exclusive to a single retailer, there’s a whole world of possibilities available to you. Here’s a guide for exploring the options. WHAT FORMATS TO USE When people think of modern self-publishing, they generally think of e-books, but there’s nothing quite like holding your book in your hands. In recent years, producing…

Despite its grimy windows that appeared to have not been washed in decades and rusted art deco banister, echoes of the Sun family home’s former elegance still remained when Isabel Sun Chao returned to her childhood home in Shanghai she had left nearly 60 years before. When she left her family’s opulent mansion at 18 to visit her mother in Hong Kong, Isabel didn’t know it would be the last time she would see her father or most of her family. It was 1950, Mao Zedong had become chairman of the Communist Party of China, and life as Isabel knew it would change forever. She didn’t return to Shanghai until 2008, accompanied by her daughter Claire as she attempted to find her memories. While she was distressed by the decrepit…

Dear FYSA, What is going to be the next big trend in fiction? Signed, Pencil Poised Dear Poised, I am so glad you asked. I have been absolutely dying to tell someone. The next big trend is going to be … Amish steampunk crossover YA told in second person. Right? I know! How did we not all see that one coming? It is so obvious! OK, fine, that most likely is not the next trend, but it could be. Trends, generally speaking, are usually ignited in two specific beats on a publishing timeline: When a novel is shopped and at point of publication. The books we sell to publishers today in most cases will not see the shelves until fall 2022, so the themes, tropes, and trends you are seeing…

When I first matriculated at Ohio State as an MFA candidate in creative nonfiction, I was confident that I wanted to work on a memoir about my father as my thesis project. I’d spent the final year of my undergrad prepping, and all of my MFA application materials were directed toward that goal. A lot happened over the first semester: I made friends, learned how to scrape ice off of my car windshield, and realized I no longer had any interest in writing a memoir. But what was I to do? I had the privilege of full funding, the brilliant editorial eyes of my peers and professors, and finally, precious time to write. Overloading myself with classes in anticipation of a long winter, I signed up for fiction and screenwriting…

1 Biographers International Conference Sponsored by the Biographers International Organization (BIO) and the Leon Levy Center for Biography, this event brings together some of the finest practitioners of the craft of biography to help guide, mentor, encourage, and advise attendees on a wide variety of topics relating to the writing, researching, and selling of biography. WHEN: May 14–16, 2021. WHERE: Virtual. PRICE: $49 members; $99 nonmembers. WHAT MAKES THIS CONFERENCE UNIQUE: “Now in its 12th year, this annual event is perfect for biographers—both inexperienced and seasoned—from across the nation and around the world,” says executive director Michael Gately. “Agents, editors, and other readers of biography are also welcome.” This is the only annual conference aimed at all experience levels. Nearly everyone in attendance has published at least one biography or…

LESLYE PENELOPE (LPenelope.com) has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Her novel Song of Blood & Stone was chosen as one of TIME magazine’s top fantasy books of 2018. She started a web development studio in 2003 and is also an award-winning independent filmmaker, co-founded a literary magazine, and sometimes dreams in HTML. Her podcast, “My Imaginary Friends,” is a weekly journal of her publishing life, perfect for readers and writers alike. She lives in Maryland with her husband and their furry dependents. SHARON SHORT (SharonShort.com) is the author of 12 published novels, most recently in her Kinship Historical Mystery series, which she writes under her pen name…

“William Shatner Appalled.” I stared at the headline on my computer screen, my face flush with embarrassment. It was still dark outside in the predawn of March 29, 2013, the day when my dreams of becoming a well-known writer came true. Indeed, by the time the sun came up, my work had reached millions. And I couldn’t stop crying. I pulled my bathrobe more tightly around me and scrolled further down, picking at the scab. “Thanks to Lame Leaked Star Trek Parody, IRS Definitely Not Getting Into Its Local Comedy Troupe.” And several more quoting William Shatner’s dismay. Somehow these hurt the most, me being a lifelong Trekkie—or Trekker, as us Trekkies like to say. And now my beloved Captain Kirk was appalled. Ouch. It’d been just another assignment at…

Lisa DiMona was born and raised in rural Virginia and majored in English at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. “I moved to NYC after graduation with one suitcase and have been doing the book thing ever since,” she says. DiMona ran her own agency/book development business for decades before joining Writers House as an agent in 2013. “Helping authors bring ideas and stories into the world is how I can contribute, participate, and grow,” she says. “And there’s nothing more exciting than celebrating an idea along with an author, hoping it will catch on and inspire or change others.” DiMona says she has several mentors among the authors on her list, including Seth Godin, who says, “the world has made it easy for us to be remarkable. And so…

My first real job was in medical publishing.1 At lunch on my first day, one of my new colleagues said something that stuck with me for the rest of my day-job career: No one chooses to work in medical publishing. We all just fell into it. Then he laughed a crazy laugh and ordered a cocktail even though it was just past noon.2 The same is often true for freelance writing.3 Writing for money is often the result of an unexpected turn in our lives. Few writers spend their childhood dreaming of deadlines, complicated tax situations, 4 and writing “content .” Th at means most of us come to freelance writing woefully unprepared and lacking basic information—like whether you can actually make a living as a freelance writer, or how…

Most of us understand the concept of return on investment (ROI). You deposit money in a bank; they pay you interest while lending out your money to others. You buy shares on the stock exchange hoping those shares will rise in value or pay dividends. You buy a bungalow so you have a place to live, a Chevrolet so you can go places, a week on Maui so you can relax. As writers, we buy computers to write and edit on, and all the other goods and services we need to do our thing. Those too are investments, and it’s fairly easy to calculate whether the return on your investment is positive, neutral, or negative. A positive ROI is good! When it comes to our time and energy, though, that’s…

GRAND PRIZE Remembering Shanghai by Isabel Sun Chao and Claire Chao. Plum Book. RememberingShanghai.com MAINSTREAM/LITERARY FICTION First Place On the Shoulders of Giants by Malcolm Ivey. MalcolmIvey.com Honorable Mentions East of Lincoln by Harlin Hailey. HarlinHailey.com Forgive Us Our Trespasses by Susanne O’Connor. How to Grow a Stripper by Morgan Dax. Introvert Publishing. Land’s End by Sean Conway. Frog Pond Press. Sean-Conway.com Sunflowers Under Fire by Diana Stevan. Island House Publishing. DianaStevan.com Vinnie: A Love Letter by R. Preston Clark. RPrestonClark.com Where Daffodils Bloom by Leya Delray. Written: There Are No Choices. It Was Already Written. by Dhipa Lee. DALee.co.uk GENRE FICTION First Place In the Red by Dina Santorelli. Honorable Mentions A Savage Trick by Sarah Andre. SarahAndre.com Bakersfield Boys Club by Anne Da Vigo. Quill Driver Press. AnneDaVigoAuthor.com…

Whether you are a budding, intermediate, or advanced writer, a good pitch letter with a great spin on a topic, timely element, newsy connection, or unusual personal experience is a great first step toward getting that assignment and building that relationship. Welcome to All About the Pitch! This new column offers editor interviews, pitching advice, and annotated pitches that unlock the mystery of why pitches work (and what needs to be enhanced). In each issue, you can look forward to advice from the award-winning writing coach, magazine editor, and New York University and Writer’s Digest instructor, Estelle Erasmus. Editors are looking for content, so why not you? Rich Eisenberg is the managing editor of Next Avenue (NextAvenue.org). CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT NEXT AVENUE? Next Avenue is a website for…

CALIFORNIA ANNUAL GREATER LOS ANGELES WRITERS CONFERENCE, produced by West Coast Writers Conferences August 6–8, 2021 at the new Hilton Westside Los Angeles if in person, or in the virtual realm August 6–14. Writers of all genres and disciplines benefit from this popular educational and inspirational event on the craft and business of writing. Our 29th conference will feature what we call the 3-A’s™ (Aspiring, Active, and Accomplished) for writers of fiction, nonfiction, and screenplays. Topics will be presented by 40+ literary agents, editors, veteran educators, bestselling authors, and industry professionals in progressive streams of seminars, workshops, and panels. Live critique workshops include Great Beginnings for Novels & Screenplays, Query Letters, and more. There are free one-on-one pitch sessions with literary agents and publishers looking for new talent with polished manuscripts.…