Writer's Digest

In the summer of 2019, the editors of Writer’s Digest planned the themes for each of the issues that would be part of our 2020 lineup. Picking a travel writing theme for a summer issue was a no-brainer—it had been many years since WD focused on the t

Amy Jones Jeanne Veillette Bowerman, Robert Lee Brewer Cassandra Lipp Wendy Dunning Danielle Lowery Ericka McIntyre Tyler Moss Jessica Strawser Jane K. Cleland, David Corbett, Bob Eckstein, Jane Friedman, Steven James, Barbara Poelle, Elizabeth Sims,

ERIN VAN RHEENEN is a writer and teacher based in San Francisco. She’s obsessed with science education, the power of place, and how the arts enrich lives. As a science writer at San Francisco’s Exploratorium, she learned that the ultimate test of und

There’s no subject too taboo for humor author Samantha Irby. From her Bitches Gotta Eat blog where she started writing to her three essay collections, Irby has told real-life stories about everything from her tribulations with Crohn’s disease to easi

Travel writers are adventurers. Swashbuckling storytellers who immerse themselves in exotic settings, recording their experiences with aggressive sensory detail—the smell of a Moroccan spice market, the feel of an Antarctic wind gust—to transport rea

Every year, I am excited to receive the new crop of poems for the annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards. Then, I’m challenged with the task of picking one poem to win the entire competition. It’s no easy task to rank one poem above another, especially

The oak leaves High this August afternoon Drop a net of light and shadow from the treetops Onto the sidewalk below Cool the cheek of the infant sleeping His mother swaying under the branches And I remember you as you were fingers, lashes, tiny tendri

I finished reading Virginia Woolf ’s famous essay, “A Room of One’s Own,” late one night and lay in my bed musing. Fifty years earlier, in the 1920s, Woolf had argued that women needed independent space to be creative. Glancing across my studio at th

Michael Connelly’s 34th novel, Fair Warning, was released from Little, Brown this spring. Here, we revisit his September 1999 interview with WD. Connelly launched his career as a novelist in 1992 after four years as a crime reporter in Florida and Ca

Anyone who has done a book signing knows there is a remarkable similarity between those few hours at the bookstore and a scene from Dante’s Inferno. First, there’s the struggle to book the gig. Bookstores and libraries often need three to four months

Everything, even thought, takes place somewhere. When remembering ordinary happenings and previous conversations, most people automatically recall where they took place and at what time. If not, they may ponder, “Now, where was I?” For more important

WHAT IS YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE? My dog gets me up at five and my wife doesn’t usually get up until later. So that’s when I do my most creative work. I’m a student of Anne Lamott’s theory of the shitty first draft. You just get it out and don’t wo

1. “Qutting Time” by Gregory Jeffers 2. “The Pride” by Jane Eaton Hamilton 3. “An Indefinite Progress of Existence” by Sara Lynn Burnett 4. “Frankie’s Mother” by Beth Burnett 5. “The Jury Pool Puzzle” by Barbara Barker, vice B.P. Barker 6. “Just

Out of 120 entries, Writer’s Digest editors and readers chose this winner, submitted by Tassie Kalas Haney of Houston, Texas. After the last Greek Orthodox Youth of America dance, “looking for some hot stuff baby” was banned. Our Sunday school teac

WRITE A SHORT STORY of 650 words or fewer based on the photo prompt below. You can be poignant, funny, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. TO ENTER: Send your story via email to yourstorycontest@aimmedia.com (entries must be pasted directly i

Dear FYSA, I overheard a conversation the other day that sparked an idea for a novel. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with the 42K+ words I already have for my current novel. Do you have clients who tend to look for greener grass or get distrac

If you’ve traveled anywhere outside of your home state, you’ve likely referred to a travel guidebook as one of the resources to plan your trip. For me, researching the place I plan to visit is half the fun—the images and descriptions in the books rai

Fodor’s is a travel publisher of both guidebooks and online content covering thousands of destinations worldwide. Visit Foders.com/about-us and you’ll find information about their history, goals, and their current writing staff. Scroll down near to t

Screenwriting executives look for a lot of “white on the page.” It’s just what you think it means. Less words, more white. Every page of script represents one minute of film. We must write to fit that time frame, meaning no flowery prose and rambling

When you’re submitting aggressively and following up fearlessly, it pays to have a successful submission tracking system. In a spreadsheet or notebook, keep records of the following: • NAME OF PUBLICATION. Know where you’ve submitted your work. • S

Presenting at writing conferences can be a great opportunity to grow your readership or brand. These gigs facilitate amplifying your message, while getting your name out and establishing new contacts. Consider these presenting dos and don’ts for any

This event is for writers of all skill levels and backgrounds, offering opportunities to hone your craft, explore publishing options, and find work/life balance. WHEN: August 14–16, 2020. WHERE: Lancaster Marriott/Lancaster County Convention Center

As with any publication, if you pitch to travel magazines, be sure to follow their submission guidelines. Here are editorial emails for eight travel magazines. • AFAR (AFAR.COM): community@afar.com Magazine that values cultural immersion, exploratio

• Keep in mind that there may be more than one workshop in each of the listings. • These workshops are listed alphabetically by state, country, or continent. • Unless otherwise indicated, rates include tuition (T) only. Sometimes the rates also inclu

I’ll admit it. I struggled to write this column more than anything I’ve ever written in my 20 years with the Writer’s Digest writing community. All year, I had planned to cover travel magazines for our big travel issue, but those plans changed. As I

To keep people cultured during the coronavirus quarantine, the Getty Center in Los Angeles challenged their followers on Twitter to re-create their favorite paintings using objects found around the house. While WD staff worked at home during isolatio