Tag Archives: Writer’s Digest

Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards

March 13, 2020Contests, Literary$1000, $8000, Authors, Award, Book, Categories, Commentary, Feature Article, Fiction, Guidelines, Judges, Middle Grade, Monetary Prize, Non-Fiction, Paid, Pitch Slam, Promotion, Published, Self-Published, Stories, Submission, Subrscription, Trip, Tutorials, Writer's Digest, Writer's Digest Annual Conference, Writers, Young Adultpdpabst

Self-published writers are often left out in the cold, struggling to market and promote there books. But every so often, there is an event to help them get noticed. The Published Book Awards via Writer’s Digest is such an event. Here is what is up for grabs:

GRAND PRIZE:

$8,000 in cash
A feature article about you and your book for the March 2021 issue of Writer’s Digest
A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a coveted Pitch Slam slot

FIRST PRIZE:

$1,000 in cash
Promotion in the March 2021 issue of Writer’s Digest

BOTH WILL RECEIVE:

Be featured on the Writer’s Digest website
One year subscription to Writer’s Digest Tutorials
A digital award seal for use in promoting your win.

All entrants will receive a brief commentary from one of the judges. Be sure to check out the categories, guidelines, and submission details. Deadline is April 1, 2020.

As always, good luck.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Ireland Writer Tours

March 7, 2020Literary, Writing Conferences & GetawaysAdult, Ancient, Authors, Award Winning Author, books, Castle, Conference, Creepy, Critiques, Donna Russo Morin, Editing, Editors, Edits, Eerie, Enchantment, Feedback, Fiction, Folklore, Forensic Specialist, Forest, Ghosts, Inspiration, Instructor, Ireland, Ireland Writer Tours, Jennifer Dornbush, Jill Marr, Lake, Literary Getaway, Manuscripts, Marsal Lyon LIterary, Middle Grade, Mysterious, Myths, Non-Fiction, Passports, Patricia Nelson, Sandra Dijkstra & Associates, Screenwriter, Spark, Tours, Writer's Digest, Writers, Writing, Young Adultpdpabst

The Emerald Forest

Oh my gosh in chocolate heaven! There is an Ireland Writer Tours not just once this year but several times! How can someone choose which one to attend?

June 28-July 5, 2020

The tour will be hosted by author, screenwriter, and forensic specialist JENNIFER DORNBUSH and literary agent from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency JILL MARR.

July 12-19, 2020

This tour will be hosted by multi-published & award-winning author & Writers’ Digest instructor Donna Russo Morin and agent & editor with Marsal, Lyon Literary Patricia Nelson

The tours are mini-writers’ conferences that help get your manuscript ready for publication. With dinner in a haunted castle and visits to a mysterious lake, ancient forest and a cave with eerie true stories, the tour is filled with enchantment and enough creepy to spark your writing juices. Combine this with professional critiques and editing advise and you’ve got one helluva trip! And don’t forget you can write this off at tax time since it’s a learning event.

Get your passports ready! And happy day writing.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition

November 11, 2017Contests, Literary, Publishing OpportunityAuthors, books, Certificates, Competition, Conference, Deadline, Fee, Fiction, Grand Prize, Literary Agents, Manuscripts, Monetary Prize, Non-Fiction, Published, Short Story, Short Story Collections, Stories, Submit, Tales, Writer's Digest, Writers, Writers Marketpdpabst

wd-short-story-competition

Writer’s Digest is hosting a writing competition for short stories (1,500 words or less) with a grand prize worth $3,000, a feature in Writer’s Digest magazine and more.

Make it bold. Make it brilliant. Most importantly, make it brief.

One First Place Winner will receive:

$3,000 in cash
Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2018 issue
A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!
A copy of the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
A copy of the 2018 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
A copy of the 2018 Guide to Literary Agents

There will also be monetary prizes, books and/or certificates given to 2nd-25th place winners! (There is a fee for entering.) If you’re interested in submitting, go here by the Deadline of November 15, 2017!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Midwest Writers Workshop

May 22, 2017Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways#MWW, @MidwestWriters, Agents, Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Angie Thomas, Authors, Ball State University, Becky Albertalli, Bradford Literary Agency, Brenda Drake, Brooks Sherman, Critiques, Dee Romito, Eric Smith, Evaluations, Feedback, Harlequin, Harper Collins, Hone Your Craft, Indiana, Jennifer De Chiara Literary, Jennifer Laughran, Jessica Sinsheimer, Jessica Stawser, John Gilstrap, L.A. Pittenger Student Center, Lauren Smulski, Manuscripts, Marketing, Midnight Ink, Midwest Writers Workshop, Monica Odom, Muncie, Networking, Opportunity, P.S. Literary, Pitching, Professionals, Query, Rena Olsen, Roseanne Wells, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, Terri Bishoff, Writer's Digest, Writerspdpabst

Often in the universe of writers, there is talk of conferences and workshops. Most of the time they seem to be located in New York or Los Angeles because there are beaucoup agencies in these cities. However, occasionally a few are held in the Midwest.

Midwest Writers Group

One such event is called the Midwest Writers Workshop and will be held July 20-22, 2017 at L.A. Pittenger Student Center in partnership with Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. You can find them on twitter @MidwestWriters or the hashtag #MWW to keep up on news. MWW states the mission is to give all writers the opportunity to improve their craft, to associate with highly credentialed professionals, and to network with other writers.

They have sessions with top quality faculty during their three-day program on everything from fiction to nonfiction, marketing, and ways to get your creative juices flowing. The workshop is packed with sessions on the craft of writing and the business of writing.

Some of participants will be:

AGENTS

Roseanne Wells, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
Jessica Sinsheimer, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
Monica Odom, Bradford Literary Agency
Brooks Sherman, Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Eric Smith, P.S. Literary

EDITORS:

Terri Bischoff, Acquisitions Editor at Midnight Ink
Lauren Smulski, Assistant Editor at Harlequin/Harper Collins
Jessica Strawser, Editorial Director of Writer’s Digest, the author of Almost Missed You

AUTHORS:

Becky Albertalli – author of the award-winning young adult novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (now in film production from Fox 2000 Pictures) and The Upside of Unrequited
Brenda Drake – NYT Bestseller of young adult novels and creator of #PitchWars Contest
Angie Thomas – author of the New York Times bestseller young adult novel The Hate U Give (film optioned from Fox 2000 Productions)
Dee Romito – author of middle grade novel, The BFF Bucket List, and other novels, also guru for Scrivener writing software.
Rena Olsen – author of thriller novel The Girl Before The Girl Before
John Gilstrap – bestselling author of the Jonathan Grave thriller series; two of the first three in the series were nominated for ITW’s prestigious Thriller Award, and for Private Eye Writers of America’s Shamus Award

To see all the faculty, go here. There are even opportunities for pitching and ma nuscript evaluations, along with query critiques. Think about it, three days socializing with writerly people! What’s not to love!

As always, good luck and happy learning!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Dear Lucky Agent Contest: Middle Grade Fiction

January 3, 2017Contests, Critiques, LiteraryAuthors, Catie Flum, Chuck Sambuchino, Dear Lucky Agent Contest, Feedback, Fiction, Guide to Literary Agents 2017, Literary Agent, Liza Dawson Associates, Manuscripts, Middle Grade Fiction, Opportunity, Publishing, Submission, Writer's Digest, Writerspdpabst

Chuck Sambuchino announced Writer’s Digest is hosting the 30th “Dear Lucky Agent Contest“. The agent judge is Caitie Flum from Liza Dawson Associates.

screen-shot-2016-12-21-at-11-17-47-pm

She is now building her own list of clients. She graduated from Hofstra University in 2009 with a B.A. in English with a concentration in publishing studies. She interned at Hachette Book Group and Writers House. Caitie is looking for commercial and upmarket fiction with great characters and superb writing, especially historical fiction, mysteries/thrillers of all kinds, romance, and book club fiction. She is open to science fiction and fantasy that crosses over to a young adult market. She is also looking for middle grade and young adult projects. In nonfiction, she is looking for narrative nonfiction, especially history that’s impossible to put down, books on pop culture, theater, current events, women’s issues, and humor. But remember, this contest is for Middle Grade fiction only.

The contest is now live and runs through the end of January 31, 2017 (PST). There will be three winners! According to the website, they all get the same prize (which is different than prior contest). Top 3 winners each get: 1) A critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work by your agent judge. 2) Their choice of any of Chuck’s two new books that came out in fall (the Guide to Literary Agents 2017 or the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market 2017).

Be sure to check out the submission guidelines and pay close attention to a few things you need to do in order to be eligible. And as always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Queries That Worked

December 4, 2016LiteraryAgents, Angst, books, Charlotte Dillon, Chuck Sambucnino, Contract, Dream, editor, Hopeful, Inquiry, Letter, Manuscripts, Paragraphs, publisher, Query, Query Sample, rejections, Snubby, Stories, Successful, Successful Queries, Summorizing, Words, Writer's Digest, Writers, Writingpdpabst

Every writer knows the angst of summing their fantastical manuscript into a couple brief paragraphs. This grueling step is necessary to write an intriguing query letter. (For non-writers, this letter is the introduction to a manuscript to swoon a literary agent and/or publisher into reading a writer’s story with hopes of being signed.) Writerly folks can spend hours, days, weeks, and months forming words together, rearranging, and deleting until the paragraphs are just right. And honestly, some writers struggle knowing when the query is the absolute best for sending out into the world.

And sometimes, the problem isn’t always summing up the story. With nearly 130 million books published in the world, it’s likely someone already wrote something similar. So a writer needs to know what makes their story different and highlight that in their query letter. And trust me, this isn’t necessarily as easy as it sounds.

Knowing the struggles of query letters, I decided to inform my readers of a couple places to view query letters that have worked in hopes it’ll help a few writers.

Successful Queries via Chuck Sambuchino at Writer’s Digest. The reason I love this sight is because he also lists commentary from the agent that signed the author and why it worked for them.
Query Samples via Charlotte Dillon.

And for authors receiving rejections, here are a few best sellers that got snubby rejections but went on to sell millions of copies! Don’t let go of your dream!

P.D. Pabst

Blogger and writer of MG/YA Fiction.

Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition

November 9, 2016Contests, LiteraryAuthors, Early Bird, Guide to Literary Agents 2017, Marketing, Monetary Prize, Novel & Short Story Market, Paid Trip, Publication, Publishing Contest, Short Story Competition, Short Story Manuscripts, Stories, Writer's Digest, Writer's Digest Conferencepdpabst

wd-short-story-competition

Writer’s Digest is hosting a writing competition for short stories (1,500 words or less) with a grand prize worth $3,000, a feature in Writer’s Digest magazine and more.

Make it bold. Make it brilliant. Most importantly, make it brief.

One First Place Winner will receive:

$3,000 in cash
Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2017 issue
A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!
A copy of the 17th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
A copy of the 2017 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
A copy of the 2017 Guide to Literary Agents

There will also be monetary prizes, books and/or certificates given to 2nd-25th place winners! (There is a fee for entering.) If your interested in submitting, go here by the Early-Bird Deadline of November 15!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Dear Lucky Agent Contest

November 1, 2016Contests, LiteraryChildren's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2017, Chuck Sambuchino, contest, Dear Lucky Agent Contest, Dystel & Goderich, Fantasy, Feedback, Guide to Literary Agents 2017, Manuscripts, Middle Grade, Mike Hoogland, November, Science Fiction, Writer's Digest, Writers, Writers Market, Young Adultpdpabst

DearLuckyAgent24

Chuck Sambuchino announced Writer’s Digest is hosting the 26th “Dear Lucky Agent Contest”. The agent judge is Mike Hoogland from Dystel & Goderich.

mike-hoogland

Mike Hoogland (scroll down to find him) joined Dystel & Goderich after completing a foreign rights internship at Sterling Lord Literistic. Before pursuing a career in publishing, Mike studied at Colgate University and graduated with a degree in political science and the intention to work in government. He interned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but soon realized his interests and passions were better suited to a career in the publishing industry. After Colgate, Mike went on to gain a valuable education at the Columbia Publishing Course and discovered his passion for the agenting side of the business. He is seeking: sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, upmarket women’s fiction, and some children’s books (picture books, MG, and YA), as well as a wide variety of narrative nonfiction, including science, history, and politics. He is particularly interested in seeing thought-provoking, realistic speculative fiction.

The contest is now live and runs through the end of November 10, 2016 (PST). There will be three winners! First place wins a critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work by your agent judge (and he reserves the right to request the full manuscript). Second place gets a free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com ($50 value)! And third place gets their choice of any of Chuck’s two new books coming out in September 2017 (the Guide to Literary Agents 2017 or the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market 2017).

Be sure to check out the submission guidelines and pay close attention to a few things you need to do in order to be eligible. And as always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

The Manuscript Academy

September 21, 2016Literary, Writing Conferences & GetawaysAbrams Books, Adriann Ranta Zurhellen, Agents, Ali Fisher, Alloy Entertainment, Amadan Shih, Author, Bradford Literary Agency, Chuck Sambuchino, Conference, Editors, Erica Finkel, Faculty, Foundry Literary + Media, GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING, Guide To Literary Agents, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Jalissa Corrie, Jessica Sinsheimer, Julie Falatko, Katharine Sands, Laura Barbiea, Learning, Lee & Low Books, Linda Camacho, Manuscript Wish List, Megha Parekh, Melissa Edwards, Middle Grade Fiction, Monica Odom, Picture Books, Prospect Literary, Publishing, Regina Brooks, Roseanne Wells, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, Serendipity Literary Agency, Stephanie Stein, Stonesong Literary, TarcherPerigee, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency, The Manuscript Academy, Tor/Forge Books, Virtural Conference, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Writer's Digest, Young-adult fictionpdpabst

the-manuscript-academy

The creator of Manuscript Wish List, Jessica Sinsheimer, now brings her adoring fans The Manuscript Academy. How amazeballs is this? The website proclaims it had the writer’s need, comfort, and budget in mind when creating the academy. And oh, how true! A writer can watch classes, panels, and ask questions in the forums from the coziness of their home. Hooray, no traveling!

Faculty includes:

Laura Barbiea: Social media manager at Alloy Entertainment, a publishing arm of Warner Brothers Entertainment. Actress.
Regina Brooks: Founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC.
Linda Camacho: Literary agent at Prospect Agency.
Jalissa Corrie: Marketing & Publicity Assistant at LEE & LOW BOOKS.
Melissa Edwards: Literary agent at Stonesong.
Julie Falatko: Author of Snappsy the Alligator (Viking 2016) and other books.
Erica Finkel: Works at Abrams Books from picture books to young adult novels.
Ali Fisher: Editor at Tor/Forge Books in the children’s and young adult division.
Monica Odom: Literary agent at Bradford Literary Agency.
Megha Parekh: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group.
Adriann Ranta Zurhellen: Literary agent at Foundry Literary + Media.
Chuck Sambuchino: Writer’s Digest Books edits the Guide to Literary Agents and managed the Guide to Literary Agents Blog. He is also an author of humor books.
Katharine Sands: Literary agent at Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.
Amanda Shih: Assistant Editor at TarcherPerigee.
Jessica Sinsheimer: Associate Agent at the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency and known for #MSWL, ManuscriptWistList.com, #PubTalkTV
Stephanie Stein: Associate Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Roseanne Wells: Literary agent at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

With that kind of line-up, how can you NOT sign up for this? For the Children’s conference: PB to YA starting November 5, 2016 the cost will be $179. Some of the things the academy promises is:

Priority booking of one-on-one meetings
Submit your first page for a chance to be read to our panel
Craft and business classes
Forums and networking
Live literary events
Everything you’d learn at a conference–without leaving home

To learn about other conferences or to learn how to register, go to The Manuscript Academy.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

“DEAR LUCKY AGENT” CONTEST

September 16, 2016Contests, LiteraryAgent Judge, Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2017, Chuck Sambuchino, contest, Corvisiero Literary Agency, Dear Lucky Agent Contest, Fantasty, Feedback, Fiction, Guide to Literary Agents 2017, Literary Agent, Manuscript, Marisa A Corvisiero, Middle Grade, Sci-Fi, Three Winners, Writer's Digest, Writers Market, Writingpdpabst

DearLuckyAgent24

Chuck Sambuchino announced Writer’s Digest is hosting the 23nd “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest. The agent judge is Marisa A. Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

marisa-corvisiero-literary-agent

Marisa A. Corvisiero is the founder of the Corvisiero Literary Agency and their Senior Literary Agent. Before starting her own agency, Marisa worked at the L. Perkins Agency, where she learned invaluable lessons and made a name for herself in the industry. Marisa is seeking creative stories with well developed plots and rich characters with unique voices. She will consider Contemporary Romance, Thrillers, Adventure, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, or any combination thereof, unique concepts in Fantasy, Adventure and Science Fiction for middle-grade and Picture Books with special stories to deliver a subtle non didactic message. In non-fiction, she enjoys out of the box and high concept spiritual, self-improvement, science, and business books for all ages. You can visit her on Twitter at @mcorvisiero.

Even though you can query Marisa with different age groups that interest her, THIS contest is for completed MIDDLE GRADE novels across all genres — from realistic to contemporary to speculative sci-fi and fantasy. The contest is now live and runs through the end of September 19, 2016 (PST). There will be three winners! First place wins a critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work by your agent judge (and she reserves the right to request the full manuscript). Second place gets a free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com ($50 value)! And third place gets their choice of any of Chuck’s two new books coming out in September 2017 (the Guide to Literary Agents 2017 or the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market 2017).

Be sure to check out the submission guidelines and pay close attention to a few things you need to do in order to be eligible. And as always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

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