Writer's Workbook 2015 Download
Writer's Digest presents:
WRITER'S WORKBOOOK
Essentials of the Craft
The 30-Day Challenge Completing a write-a-thon is no easy feat, but with planning and perseverance, it can be done. Take to heart these tips and tales from those who've crossed the finish line, and you'll be on your way to your own first draft in just 30 days. Compiled by Jessica Strawser
A Few Minutes a Day Keeps Writer's Block Away Use these daily exercises adapted from a prolific playwright to keep the words flowing. by Mark Peters
Revising Out Loud Still not sure if your work-in-progress is, well, working? Gather some friends, food and manuscripts and have a read-aloud. Here's how to get the party started. by Joe Stollenwerk
Create, Destroy, Repeat As the saying goes, sometimes good things have to fall apart so better things can fall together. Here's why blowing up your initial idea can lead to story gold. by Jack Heffron
The Editor's Essentials Having a set of procedures for editing your work--or someone else's--will keep your eye sharp and your errors minimal. Use these 7 tools for thorough editing, every time. by Steve Dunham
The Elements of Creativity What's really fueling your muse? We scoured our bookshelf of resources on the subject to uncover how we can invite inspiration, enhance our brainpower, increase productivity, and more. Compiled by Jessica Strawser
Fully Exposed It's not easy to bare all on the page--but the best writing connects with readers through truth, authenticity and heart. Here's how--and why--embracing vulnerability can help improve your craft and your writing life. by Grant Faulkner
Elements of Fiction
Short and Sweet The power of flash fiction often comes from what you don't say. Here's how to give the shortest of stories as much depth as their longer-form counterparts. by Grant Faulkner
Set the Pace Use these tactics to be sure your story unfolds at just the right tempo. by Jessica Page Morrell
Driving Forces Most plotting techniques emphasize that story is driven by conflict. But think instead in terms of desire, expectation and change, and you might find your work elevated to a whole new level. by David Corbett
21 Quick Tips for More Suspenseful Stories Keeping up the tension as your plot unfolds can be a challenge. Use these fast hacks to keep readers engaged from the first chapter to the last. by Elizabeth Sims
Your Guide to Better Christian Fiction Avoid these common platitudes in faith-based fiction, and make your own story stand out. by Jeff Gerke
Keys to Believable Teen and Tween Characters When writing young adult and middle-grade fiction, it's all too easy to typecast. Use these tips to ensure your young characters are true-to-life, memorable and compelling. by K.L. Going
Write Like a Master There's a lot every writer can lean about writing technique from Jane Eyre. Here's an annotated look at a perennial classic. by Charlotte Bronte, Annotations by K.M. Weiland
Susan Mallery, Writing Machine With five books out this year alone, this reader favorite in romance and women's fiction shows no signs of letting up on love--or writing. by Jessica Strawser
Nonfiction Techniques
Selective Storytelling When writing memoir, knowing which moments to capture in your story's lens is key. Here's how to frame a lifetime of experiences into a focused, compelling portrait. by Paula Balzer
Voice Lessons A unique voice is what will make your essay, memoir or narrative nonfiction piece stand out from the crowd. Here's how to find yours--and make it sing. by Adair Lara
The Narrative Nonfiction Market We brought together five top literary agents to talk about the increasingly popular narrative nonfiction genre, what types of those books they see a growing demand for and, of course, what it takes for a writer to get their attention. Compiled by Jessica Strawser
Power Up Your Nonfiction Book Proposal When pitching your nonfiction book idea, making your proposal stand out requires knowing what's already on shelves--and how your book would stack up against the competition (no pun intended). Here's how to craft a Competitive Analysis. by Nina Amir
Where Personal Essay Meets Spirituality Reveal inner struggles or inner conflicts that make us all human, and readers everywhere will relate. by Dinty W. Moore
Nail Your Nonfiction The secret to avoiding revision requests on your articles and book manuscripts? Think like your editor will. by Debbie Harmsen
Dave Barry: Funny Business Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry has been making people laugh for over 40 years. But his long-running column and 30-plus bestselling books are proof that when it comes to writing, he doesn't mess around. Get his seriously good tips for success. by Brian A. Klems
End Notes
5-Minute Memoir: Tales From the Writing Life: Fear and Loathing and Fitzgerald by Steven Rowland
