Writing Basics 2015 Download
Writer's Digest presents:
WRITING BASICS
Building Blocks
Increase Your Output Use these 8 tips to make your writing time more productive than ever. by Jordan E. Rosenfeld
Questions & Quandries An editor answers aspiring writers' questions about everything from grammar gaffes to author platforms to literary agents. by Brian A. Klems
Cloud Storage for Writers Lost and corrupt files are the stuff modern writers' nightmares are made of. Here's a look at some of the most user-friendly services to back up your work. by Adrienne Crezo
Publishing With the Crowd Crowdfunding has become a buzzword thanks to popular sites such as Kickstarter. So does it work for publishing projects--and could it work for yours? by Jodi Helmer
Creativity
Meet Your Muse in the Middle Our most creative ideas can pass us by if we aren't in the right mindset. Follow these 3 steps to a more inspired writing life. by Jack Heffron
52 Writing Prompts Never again fear the blank page: Here's a story starter for every week of the year. by Brian A. Klems, Cris Freese & Kenneth McNulty
Put Your Story Ideas to the Test Say goodbye to dead-end plots and discarded drafts. Use this method to think your ideas through before you write word one. by Fred White
Learn the Craft
Set the Stage for Your Story Start your first chapter strong with this guide to establishing your genre, setting, backdrop and tone. by Jeff Gerke
Plotting Out Your Hero's Journey Understanding the classic structure is the first step to writing a story that sells. Put time-tested strategies to work for you with these simple steps. by Paula Munier
Dazzle Them With Dialogue Your characters' conversations are the gems of your story. Use these 7 steps to add quality and clarity to every exchange. by Elizabeth Sims
How to Write a Picture Book That Sells A leading literary agent shares insider tips for breaking in to today's children's market. by Lara Perkins
Tuning Your Memoir's Voice In the highly competitive memoir genre, how you tell your story is just as important as the story itself. Follow these dos and don'ts to make your voice sing. by Paula Balzer
Becoming a Pro
9 Ways to a Faster Book Deal Think there's nothing you can do to help your submission's changes? Think again. by Susan Shapiro
Query Letter Dos and Don'ts Ready to submit your novel or memoir? Read this first. by Jill Marr
Build Your Author Website Whether you want to self-publish or plan to build a writing career the traditional way, you're going to need an online home where readers can find you. This simple guide will help you start small and lay the groundwork for the future. by Jane Friedman
Starting Small Landing bylines in regional or niche publications can be a great way to build a sustainable career as a freelance writer. Here are 5 reasons why. by Don Vaughn
Making the Best of Bad Situations The writing life can come with its share of (public) pickles. Here's how to save face. by Debbie Swanson
Endnotes
A Little Scary in Some Parts In this essay, a writer embarking on her "second writing life" finds it's not so hard after all. by Linda DeMers Hummel
