Episodes

  • How to Fictionalize Personal History: A Chat With Sharon Short

    How to Fictionalize Personal History: A Chat With Sharon Short
    Dec 17 2024
    Sometimes, our own personal family history where elements of it make for the perfect story—but what do you do if the history itself works best in a totally different era, or a dog makes more sense to be a cat, or winter works better than summer when it really happens? This is where personal history and historical fiction collide. In the final episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson chat with author Sharon Short about her new novel, Trouble Island, how she fictionalizes real events, her love of weather in fiction, and more.
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    35 mins
  • How Fight Scenes Can Reveal Character—and More!

    How Fight Scenes Can Reveal Character—and More!
    Nov 19 2024
    Fight scenes in fiction aren't just physical—they can be psychological, emotional, and often setting our characters up for any kind of fight helps us understand them better. Why they walk the way they do, what guards they have up, their weaknesses, their strengths. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," trained fighter and author Carla Hoch shares all of her knowledge about writing fight scenes, why writing fight scenes is a good writing skill to have, and more.
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • From Self Publishing to Traditional Publishing: An Interview with Zenda Walker

    From Self Publishing to Traditional Publishing: An Interview with Zenda Walker
    Sep 17 2024
    In 2021, author Zenda Walker won grand prize in Writer's Digest's 29th Annual Self-Published Book Awards for her picture book, Zara's Wash Day. Since then, she landed a two-book traditional book deal, republishing her award-winning book with a new foreword from Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o, plus a follow-up book, Zion's Crown. Editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down with Zenda to discuss transitioning from self-publishing author to traditionally published author, what she has coming up next, and more!
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    46 mins
  • The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Publishing

    The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Publishing
    Aug 20 2024
    The prevalence of book influencers on social media has taken the publishing industry by storm. What is the role of a Bookstagrammer or BookToker? Has is their influence impacting publishing? And should writers and authors build relationships and friendships with these social media influencers? Content editor Michael Woodson sits down to chat with three book influencers about the work they do, the pros and cons of social media influencing, and more!
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    38 mins
  • Write in Italy With Writer’s Digest!

    Write in Italy With Writer’s Digest!
    Jul 2 2024
    Writer's Digest is headed to Italy! Join editor-in-chief Amy Jones and senior editor Robert Lee Brewer this September 26 – October 3, 2024, for an Italian getaway to inspire your stories, learn from writers, and finish that manuscript! Listen as Amy and Robert discuss the itinerary, what to expect, what to look forward to, and more!
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    52 mins
  • Designing Your Book Cover

    Designing Your Book Cover
    Jun 18 2024
    You've heard the old adage: Don't judge a book by its cover. Well, we all know that a gorgeous cover is hard to pass by, and those of us in the publishing industry know that a good book cover can be the difference between a reader picking it up or leaving it behind. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson are joined by designer Charlotte Strick and writer Zachary Petit to discuss all things book design and book covers!
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    1 hr
  • Evoking Emotion and Conflict In Your Writing

    Evoking Emotion and Conflict In Your Writing
    May 21 2024
    When you think of "emotion" with regards to your writing, what comes to mind? Is it your own emotion when you're writing, the emotional quality of the work itself, or is it the emotion you hope readers feel as they read? In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," content editor Michael Woodson leads a roundtable with editor-in-chief Amy Jones, managing editor Moriah Richard, and senior editor Robert Lee Brewer about emotion and conflict in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—plus stick around for book recommendations at the end of the episode!
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    57 mins
  • Writing Speculative Fiction: A Chat With Waubgeshig Rice

    Writing Speculative Fiction: A Chat With Waubgeshig Rice
    Apr 16 2024
    In Waubgeshig Rice's series of novels Moon of the Crusted Snow and Moon of the Turning Leaves, the author sets up a world in the midst of the apocalypse and more than a decade after the end. But readers are left with the lingering question: What exactly happened? Editor-in-chief Amy Jones and content editor Michael Woodson sit down for a chat with the author about his journey with these stories, the speculative quality of unanswered questions, and more.
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    41 mins