Writer's Digest September/October 2022 Digital Edition
As the nights start to get longer, the leaves start changing colors, and Halloween decorations start making their appearance, writers start turning to the darker, more haunting themes in their work. And so does Writer’s Digest in the September/October issue, themed around Sinister Stories. It covers everything from writing evil characters to writing horror microfiction to how to avoid scams that would turn one’s publishing life into a horror story.
Features include:
+ The 2022 Annual Agent Roundup: In this ever-popular feature, WD has done the work to find 20+ of the most sought-after and respected literary agents in the business who are currently open to receiving queries in a wide range of forms and genres. By Amy Jones
+ Avoiding Publishing Scams: Scams in the publishing world abound, from schmagents to companies taking advantage of self-publishing authors to competitions that are just money grabs. This article shares tips and tricks (from a publishing legal professional) of what to look out for so yours doesn’t become the next publishing horror story. By Amy Cook
+ Bite-Sized Scares: Writing MicroHorror: Horror stories don’t have to be long to create a solid scare. Ran Walker, author of multiple microfiction collections, offers nine tips for writing sinister microfiction. By Ran Walker
+ It’s Not Me, It’s You: Avoiding Guilt by Association: When writers create unlikeable or truly evil characters, they unfairly run the risk of guilt by association. Jeff Somers offers advice for ensuring readers separate you from your fictional characters. By Jeff Somers
+ The WD Interview: Tiffany D. Jackson: The New York Times-bestselling YA author discusses how her background in media influences her novel construction and why horror is an important genre for teens upon the release of her newest novel, The Weight of Blood. By Moriah Richard
+ Announcing the Winners of the WD Short Short Story Competition: Emmett Knowlton, the first-place winner of the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Awards shares a coming-of-age story with a twist, plus a brief Q&A, and we announce the top 10 finalists. By Moriah Richard
Also Included:
+ Bonus Interview with Ursula Vernon (aka T. Kingfisher): Novelist and artist Ursula Vernon, (also known as T. Kingfisher), shares the impetus for her two author personas, her approach for writing for children, and what writing an 800-page webcomic taught her about process. By Don Vaughan
+ Writers on Writing with Alex R. Kahler (aka K.R. Alexander): Middle-grade and young adult author Alex R. Kahler considers how he took the unlikely route of writing horror books for children, and what authors of that genre need to consider when writing scary stories for young people. By Alex R. Kahler
Plus, all of your favorite columns: an expanded IndieLab section with our second Indie Author Profile, Meet the Agent, Funny You Should Ask, Publishing Insights, All About the Pitch, Level Up Your Writing (Life), Building Better Worlds, Conference Scene, and For All Ages about writing children’s, middle-grade, and young adult books.
