Writers Digest 11-12-2024 Freemagazines Top

WRITE A COZY THAT CHARMS THE SOCKS OFF YOUR READERS
WRITERS HELPING WRITERS SINCE 1920
COZY WRITING,
COMFORT
READING
5 Techniques for WRITING
HOLIDAY ROMANCES
UNLOCK WRITING
SECRETS of Literary Titans
Understanding the ROLE OF

ANIMALS in Cozy Mysteries
FIND COMFORT Amid

Publishing Chaos
ANNOUNCING THE
WINNERS OF THE 93RD
ANNUAL WD WRITING
COMPETITION
W D I N T E RV I E W
Vanessa Riley
THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR
DISCUSSES THE REAL HISTORY BEHIND
HER NOVELS AND HER LATEST RELEASE,
MURDER IN BERKELEY SQUARE
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024
WritersDigest.com
E A R LY-BIR D DE A DLINE:
M AY 5, 2025
94 th ANNUAL
Writing
Competition
Write to win: $5,000, a trip to the WD Annual
Writing Conference, & more!
Enter up to 9 categories to win big in

our 94th Annual Writing Competition!
ONE GR AND PRIZE WINNER
WILL RECEIVE:
• $5,000 cash
• An interview in Writer,s Digest
• A paid trip to the Writer,s Digest Annual
Conference, including a pitch session with agents
Plus an additional $20,000 in cash and prizes for
category winners!
CATEGORIES:
• Genre Short Story • Nonfiction Essay or • Humor
• Mainstream/Literary Article • Rhyming Poetry
Short Story • Memoir/Personal Essay • Non-Rhyming Poetry
• Children,s/Young • Inspirational/Spiritual
Adult Fiction
READY TO WRITE YOUR SUCCESS?

IT ALL STARTS WHEN YOU ENTER TODAY!
WritersDigest.com/AWC
FEAT UR ES
COZY WRITING,
COMFORT READING
42
Finding Comfort
Amid Chaos
Publishing may be unpredictable, but
knowing what you can control and what
you value can help you find success—on
your terms.
26 BY TIFFANY YATES MARTIN
The Anatomy of
Cozy Charm
48
How to write a cozy that charms the socks off
The Imaginary
your readers. Mentorship
BY JANE K. CLELAND Unlock writing secrets from literary titans
to inspire and boost your work.
RILEY HEADSHOT © CELESTIAL STUDIO COVER BACKGROUND IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: REDKOALADESIGN
32 BY MICHAEL LA RONN
More Than Fluff

Understanding the role of animals in ON THE COVER
cozy mysteries. 2 6 Write a Cozy That Charms the Socks
BY DIANE KELLY Off Your Readers
3 6 5 Techniques for Writing Holiday
Romances
36 4 8 Unlock Writing Secrets of Literary

Titans
The Holiday Romance 3 2 Understanding the Role of Animals in

Cozy Mysteries
Recipe 4 2 Find Comfort Amid Publishing Chaos

5 8 Announcing the winners of the 93rd
Discover how to infuse your romances with fresh Annual WD Writing Competition
ideas, festive cheer, and a touch of spice. 5 2 WD Interview: Vanessa Riley
BY RYAN G. VAN CLEAVE
2 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

NOV EMBER / DECEMBER | VOLU ME 10 4 | NO. 6
INK W ELL
8 YULE BOOK FLOOD FOR NEWBIES

BY PAUL NICOLAUS
52 10 PLUS: Worth a Thousand Words • You, Yes, You! •

Poetic Asides • Write It Out
THE WD INTERVIEW:
C O LU M NS
Vanessa Riley 16 INDIELAB: Public Speaking Tips for Indie Authors
The acclaimed historical fiction author discusses BY CHRISTOPHER STOLLAR
her drafting process, the real history behind
19 INDIE AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Jane Gorman
her work, and her latest publication, Murder in
BY AMY JONES
Berkeley Square.
BY MORIAH RICHARD 2 0 WD 101: The ABCs of Freelance Success
BY DON VAUGHAN
2 2 WRITERS ON WRITING: The Kids Will Be

All Right
BY TJ KLUNE
2 3 MEET THE AGENT: Pam Gruber • High Line

Literary Collective
BY KARA GEBHART UHL
2 4 BREAKING IN: Debut Author Spotlight

BY MORIAH RICHARD
6 2 YOUR STORY: Out to Sea #129

6 8 AGENT ALCOVE: Picture book or short story?
Which is it?
BY MARY CUMMINGS
7 0 ON NONFICTION: A Recipe for Building a

Cookbook Platform
BY LISA HOWARD
58 7 2 PUBLISHING INSIGHTS: 4 Health & Wellness

Markets Open to Writers
BY ROBERT LEE BREWER
Make No Mistake 74 LEVEL UP YOUR WRITING (LIFE): Drawing on
The grand-prize winner of the 93rd Annual WD Your Life Experiences While Setting Boundaries
Writing Competition, Matt Strempel, shares his BY SHARON SHORT
approach to incorporating humor into his writing 76 BUILDING BETTER WORLDS: Law of the Land
and why having a trusted writing mentor matters. BY MORIAH RICHARD
BY AMY JONES
7 8 FOR ALL AGES: Dyslexic? Who says you can’t be
NEX T D R AF T
an author? Just ask Henry Winkler!
BY CHANAH WIZENBERG
6 5 THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY 8 0 FRONTLIST/BACKLIST: Island Paradise?

BY E.L. TENENBAUM BY AMY JONES
PLUS: 4 Learn by Example 5 Editor’s Letter 6 Contributors 8 8 Creative Quill
Writer’s Digest (USPS 459-930) (ISSN 0043-9525) Canadian Agreement No. 40025316 is published bimonthly, with issues in January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/
December by the Home Group of Active Interest Media HoldCo, Inc. The known office of publication is located at 2143 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312. Periodicals Postage paid at Des Moines, Iowa, and
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WritersDigest.com I 3
LEARNBYEX AMPLE
First-Person Point of View
COMPILED BY JESSICA STRAWSER
Grendel doesn’t bark when my key When I was in the hospital, my

hits the lock. mother told me, You don’t build a
That’s when I know something new house on a graveyard.
is wrong. She meant: Get out of Georgia.
Grendel, an eleven-year-old bea- —With My Little Eye,
gle mix, still barks at the mailman, Joshilyn Jackson
the neighbors, squirrels, cats—any (psychological suspense)
He waits, and I’m not stupid enough
strangers at all, despite his age and
to fill the silence. That trick only
flagging energy. And I can count on
works on people who don’t use
him barking with joy when I come
it themselves.
in the back door every evening. If
—A Good Day to Pie,
not for him, I’d always be greeted by
Misha Popp (cozy mystery)
stone-cold silence.
And that’s what I hear tonight.
I am not one of those bullshit
—Kill All Your Darlings,
macho guys who thinks he can go
David Bell (thriller)
on Survivor and then cracks two
days in because he’s out of hair gel. I
The air seemed to shimmer between us. My eyes did that
need my hair gel. Specifically, I need
separate move thing, waggling each one in an opposite
my Dirt from Jonathan Antin.
direction, that they’d come to do in moments of deep
—At Least in the City Someone
stress or confusion. I shook my head to rearrange them.
Would Hear Me Scream,
I shook it again. The wall between Leo and me was all
Wade Rouse (memoir)
but visible, shuddering. I could see it move. Even the
waiter wouldn’t approach.
If I were to uncoil my trumpet, I’d
—The Breakdown Lane, Jacquelyn Mitchard (literary fiction)
have four and a half feet of brass
pipe. This fact was on repeat in my
head at last night’s football game, I thought I heard birds that morning time just before the
because I was seriously consider- morning light, after I shot up scared of men so white they
ing dismantling my instrument so were blue. I’d been having dreams of blue men with blue
that I could wrap it around Branley’s breath, and the sound of birds was the slow squeaking of
swan-white neck and strangle her. wheels, the rolling of mountain howitzers approaching our
—The Female of the Species, camp at dawn.
Mindy McGinnis (YA) —Wandering Stars, Tommy Orange (historical fiction)
Jessica Strawser (JessicaStrawser.com) is editor-at-large for WD and the author of popular book club novels, including the Book of the
Month selection Not That I Could Tell and the People magazine pick The Next Thing You Know. Her most recent novel, The Last Caretaker,
debuted as an instant USA Today bestseller, and her next, Catch You Later, is forthcoming in October 2024.

EDITOR’SLETTER
AN ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA PUBLICATION
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Amy Jones
SENIOR EDITOR Cozy Writing, Comfort

Robert Lee Brewer Reading
MANAGING EDITOR Winter is not my favorite time of year. It tries
Moriah Richard
my patience for any number of reasons that
EDITORS
Sadie Dean
seem entirely trivial now, but in the moment
Michael Woodson make me irritable. Give me the warmth and
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT bright colors of spring year-round, please!
Hannah Spicer
That said, my absolute favorite thing to do
ART DIRECTOR is curl up in my reading chair with a stack of
Wendy Dunning
books, a cozy blanket, and a pile of purring cats
EDITORS-AT-LARGE
Tyler Moss
to keep me warm as I read for hours, my favor-
Jessica Strawser ite mug full of steaming black coffee by my side.
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Even better if the weather gives me a built-in excuse for not leaving the house. Of
Jane K. Cleland, Bob Eckstein,
Estelle Erasmus, Jane Friedman,
course, sitting on the end table is a notebook or two and my computer for jotting
Sharon Short, Elizabeth Sims, Jeff Somers, down ideas as they come to me. There’s something so satisfying about hunkering
Kara Gebhart Uhl, Ryan G. Van Cleave,
Don Vaughan, Ran Walker down and creating a cozy nook where you can escape to other (read: warmer)
MARKETING DESIGNER
places in your imagination when the weather outside is less than agreeable.
Samantha Weyer There are plenty of other ways writers and readers can find comfort in
COMPETITIONS MANAGER their work, and this issue aims to share them. Tiffany Yates Martin reminds
Tara Johnson
writers of ways to reframe their goals and find comfort in what they control
VP GENERAL MANAGER when the rest of the publishing world seems a bit chaotic. Michael La Ronn
Taylor Sferra
offers his technique for using the books and interviews of your favorite author
WRITER’S DIGEST (living or not) to create an imaginary mentorship. Not only does will it give
EDITORIAL OFFICES
P.O. Box 42534 you an excuse for comfort reading, but it also gives you the techniques to
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 analyze that work to improve your own writing.
[email protected]
No issue with a theme of “Cozy Writing, Comfort Reading” would be com-
BACK ISSUES plete without a deep dive on the cozy subgenre. Jane K. Cleland delves into
Digital back issues are available for
purchase at WritersDigestShop.com. the specific qualities that make a cozy mystery successful (plentiful examples
abound) and novelist Diane Kelly takes one of those qualities even further by
ADVERTISING explaining the many roles animals can play in cozy mysteries. Then, Ryan G.
NATIONAL ACCOUNT SALES MANAGER
April Krueger (715) 318-0996 Van Cleave breaks down what makes holiday romances so popular.
[email protected]
The WD Interview is none other than Vanessa Riley, who writes historical fic-
ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR tion of many types: biographies of lesser-known women, romances, and mys-
Julie Dillon (715) 257-6028
fax: (715) 997-8883 teries. Managing Editor Moriah Richard talked to her about how she infuses so
[email protected]
much of her research into the novels without losing sight of the plot or characters.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Finally, we announce the winners of our longest-running writing compe-
2143 Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50312 tition: the 93rd Annual WD Writing Competition. Grand-prize winner Matt
[email protected]
or call: (800) 333-0133 Strempel’s humorous short story “Botched” was sharp, witty, and delightfully
unexpected. Congratulations, Matt, on your well-deserved win!
PRIVACY STATEMENT
Active Interest Media HoldCo, Inc. is
Before you start reading through this issue, reflect on your writing prac-
committed to protecting your privacy. For tice. Does an unaccomplished goal or a topic or a specific part of the process
a full copy of our privacy statement, go to
aimmedia.com/privacy-policy. make writing stressful for you? Are there parts that bring you comfort? Ways
PHOTO © JASON HALE PHOTOGRAPHY
COPYRIGHT: 2024 by Active Interest to reduce stress and increase comfort may be found here, so grab your favor-
Media HoldCo, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa. ite drink, get cozy, and turn the page …
This publication may not be reproduced,
either in whole or part, in any form without Yours in Writing,
written permission from the publisher.
Printed in the USA
WRITER’S DIGEST MAGAZINE IS A REGISTERED
TRADEMARK OF ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA.
C O N TR IB UTOR S
LISA HOWARD (TheCulturedCook.com) is a

multilingual lifestyle writer and freelance editor who works
with magazines, culinary marketing firms, publishers,
and individuals. She’s also the author of two cookbooks,
Healthier Gluten-Free and The Big Book of Healthy
Cooking Oils, and she serves as leadership within the CHAIRMAN & CEO
Andrew W. Clurman
International Association of Culinary Professionals and
her local chamber of commerce. As a health speaker and CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Efrem Zimbalist III
cooking instructor, she helps her fellow eaters understand
where to find delicious ingredients, why those ingredients CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
are just as nutritious as they are delicious, and how to Brian Van Heuverswyn
prepare them. When she’s not cooking, she enjoys Latin CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
dancing, traveling, and making use of her language skills. Adam Smith
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

DIANE KELLY (DianeKelly.com) writes funny mysteries Gary DeSanctis
featuring feisty female lead characters and their furry, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
four-footed sidekicks. Diane is the author of more than MARKETING
Erica Moynihan
three dozen novels and novellas, including the Death and
Taxes white-collar crime series, the Paw Enforcement VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING
K-9 series, the House Flipper mystery series, the Busted Amanda Phillips
female motorcycle cop series, the Southern Homebrew VICE PRESIDENT, CIRCULATION
moonshine series, and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries Paige Nordmeyer
series. When not writing, Diane enjoys volunteering at VICE PRESIDENT,

her county animal shelter, playing with her cats, or hiking SALES OPERATIONS
Christine Nilsen
with her dog in the beautiful woods of her home state of
North Carolina. Find her on Instagram, X, YouTube, and VICE PRESIDENT, EVENTS
TikTok at @DianeKellyBooks. Julie Zub
VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL PRODUCT

DEVELOPMENT
TJ KLUNE (TJKluneBooks.com) is the New York Ashley MacDonald
Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary
Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGY &
RESEARCH
Sea, Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Kristina Swindell
Puppets, and the Green Creek series for adults, The
DIRECTOR,
Extraordinaries series for teens, and more. Being queer HUMAN RESOURCES
himself, Klune believes it’s important—now more than Scott Roeder
ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation DIRECTOR,

in stories. PRODUCTION
Phil Graham
DIRECTOR,
RETAIL SALES
Susan A. Rose
PAUL NICOLAUS (NicolausWriting.com) is a
Wisconsin-based writer whose work has appeared, in DIRECTOR, INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
print or online, in The Atlantic, Backpacker, Fodor’s Andrew Shattuck
Travel, Men’s Health, National Geographic, NPR,
Outdoor Life, Popular Science, Psychology Today, The
KLUNE HEADSHOT © COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR
Saturday Evening Post, Sierra, Smithsonian, and many

other publications. He has received fellowship or grant
awards from the American Society of Journalists and
Authors, Council for the Advancement of Science
Writing, National Association of Science Writers, and
Outdoor Writers Association of America. Currently, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT
Rob Yagid
Paul is looking to sell or option the film rights to a
recently completed narrative nonfiction piece that feels DIRECTOR, SALES OPERATIONS
Heather Glynn Gniazdowski
like a good fit for the big screen.

short SHORT story
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To make a long story (really) short...

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most of all, brief.
Submit your best stories that are 1,500 words or fewer.
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Regular Deadline
December 16, 2024
Enter online at
WritersDigest.com/SSS
Yule Book Flood for Newbies
Why Iceland’s holiday obsession with books can be a heavenly alternative to the
Christmas status quo—and how to try this tradition on for size no matter where
you live.
BY PAUL NICOLAUS
Y
ou deck the halls. You fill “Jólabókaflóðið is a cherished
the stockings. You bake the Icelandic tradition where the joy
snowman-shaped sugar of giving and receiving books is
cookies. You even write a witty year- intertwined with the celebration of
in-review to tuck inside cards after Christmas,” says Stella Jóhannesdóttir,
addressing and stuffing countless managing director of the Reykjavík
envelopes. Eventually, you catch your International Literary Festival and
breath, scratch your head, and won- senior rights agent at the Reykjavík
der why the very best of the season Literary Agency. “On Christmas
seemed to fly by. There must be a bet- Eve, it is customary for Icelanders to
ter way to slow down and invite the exchange books and spend the night
unique beauty and magic of Christmas reading, creating a cozy atmosphere at
into our homes and lives, right? home.” The tradition underscores the
Welcome, bookworms, to what nation’s literary culture and “brings
may soon become one of your most families together in a peaceful, shared
beloved holiday celebrations. Not experience of storytelling during the appreciates the calm and cozy vibe
long ago, my better half caught wind long winter nights.” that enters our home. Me? I’ve come
of an intriguing Icelandic tradition Even though we call the United to believe it may have something to
called Jólabókaflóðið (pronounced States home and have never stepped do with all the presence. Lots and lots
yo-la-bok-a-flot), which roughly foot in “the land of fire and ice,” our of presence.
translates into “Christmas Book family quickly embraced this literary
Flood,” and suggested our family fun. Why have we come to treasure BOOK FLOOD BEGINNINGS
try it. In short, it involves swapping it so much? According to the kid- Strange as it may seem, this lovely
books with loved ones and reading dos, at least part of the joy comes cultural tradition found its origins
those gifts, often with other pleasant from the tasty treats, like hot choco- amidst the harsh economic realities
elements, like a crackling fire or hot late, savored right along with the of war. In Iceland, paper was one of
drink, built into the experience. reading. My wife says she especially the few commodities not rationed

during World War II, explains Heiðar across the country that allows every- of the holiday celebration.” Come
Ingi Svansson, managing direc- one to pick and choose from recently Christmas Eve, all the buzz and
tor of IDNU publishing house and published titles. The catalog contin- excitement winds down into a mellow
president of the Icelandic Publishers ues to be printed each year, although state of bookish bliss as many devote
Association. Since many other items copies are now picked up in settings the night to reading—a practice
were in short supply, the country’s like libraries, grocery stores, and Jóhannesdóttir says “highlights the
people turned to books as their go-to swimming pools in addition to its deep cultural appreciation for litera-
gift—and the tradition stuck. online availability. ture and storytelling that is embed-
In doing so, Iceland only rein- It’s always fun to page through ded in Icelandic society.”
forced its cultural identity as a nation this catalog, according to Hildur
of book lovers, adds Svansson, who Björgvinsdóttir, a project manager of GLOBAL PHENOMENON
also serves as an Icelandic Literature events and education at the Reykjavík The appeal of this tradition is catch-
Center board member. Because the City Library. “Family members go ing on far beyond Iceland’s bor-
country’s population was not neces- through it and put their names next ders. In recent years, Svansson says
sarily big enough to support a year- to the books they are interested in he has noticed significant growth
round industry, publishers would reading,” she says. in worldwide awareness and inter-
essentially flood the market with new The seasonal surge in publishing est. Celebrating the Christmas Book
releases around Christmastime. To means new books can be found in Flood “can be a delightful addition to
this day, most new titles published in venues ranging from cafés and bars your holiday traditions, regardless of
Iceland are released in the last several to schools and workplaces. And the where you live,” adds Jóhannesdóttir.
months of the year. folks behind their creation tend to When asked why she thinks
get in on the action, too, as authors this tradition has gained interna-
HOLIDAY HUBBUB, deliver readings to enthusiastic tional attention, Emily Kilgore, the
BOOKISH BLISS crowds. Some writers throw publish- Minnesota-based author of The
Iceland’s rich literary tradition can ing parties, Björgvinsdóttir says, and Christmas Book Flood (Farrar, Straus
be traced all the way back to ancient because this is a small country with a and Giroux, 2022), highlights our
sagas and found in well-known say- small population, it is not uncommon tendency to gravitate toward customs
ings like “ad ganga med bok I maga- for Icelanders to personally know that are “easy to implement and foster
num,” or “everyone has a book in someone celebrating a book birthday. a bit of self-care.” She adds that giv-
their stomach.” The literary atmo- “The cold and dark winter ing books to loved ones and reading
sphere becomes especially vibrant months lend themselves to indoor while sipping hot chocolate “sounds
during the holiday season, which is activities, and reading is a favorite,” idyllic in our fast-paced society.”
perhaps most evident in the capital. Jóhannesdóttir points out. “Literary
“It is no exaggeration to say that discussions and readings can be HOW TO EMBARK ON YOUR
in Reykjavík, the time from early found in cozy book cafés, bookstores, FIRST FLOOD
October until Christmas is dedicated and libraries, fostering a communal For those of you curious enough to
to books in a massive way,” notes a sense of literary engagement.” The give this tradition a try, Kilgore says
site devoted to the UNESCO Cities nation’s literature is known for its there are really only a few simple
of Literature. “Books are the single “evocative descriptions of nature and guidelines to follow. First, find a book
most popular Christmas gift item in exploration of human resilience and to give to another person. Next, wrap
Iceland, and this is the time of year isolation,” which “resonates well dur- that book and save it until December
when books are quite literally the talk ing this introspective time of year.” 24. Then, on Christmas Eve, give it to
of the town.” She adds that the holiday season a person you love and begin to appre-
Jólabókaflóðið begins with the “intertwines the festive spirit with ciate the gift you receive in return,
publication of the first books in the a profound cultural celebration of preferably with a hot drink in hand.
fall and the subsequent publication of literature, making it a unique aspect Read on if you’d like a few additional
the Bókatíðindi, a book catalog tra- of Icelandic life where books are ideas to consider while initiating this
ditionally mailed out to households not just gifts but a fundamental part fun for the first time.
Start Small Make a Wish a short note on the book jacket, to help
Ease into this rather than going over- If you’d like, you can come up with memorialize this moment in time.
board from the get-go and feeling wish lists to help plan the gift-giving. Kilgore writes the word Jólabókaflóðið
frazzled by the end of it all. That could “Mimic the Icelandic tradition by along with the year, for example, so
mean that just you and your best creating a personal or family book that her family will eventually have a
friend or significant other exchange catalog,” Jóhannesdóttir suggests. “You collection of these books.
a gift. Or maybe just your household, can compile a list of books that each
Consider the Alternatives
kiddos included, seems like a nice way family member would like to read and
If circumstances make it difficult to
to kick things off. If all goes well, you exchange this list among each other to
purchase a new book or books this
can always expand your efforts next pick the perfect book to gift.”
year, Kilgore suggests picking out and
time to include more friends, more Think Outside the Box wrapping one you already have at
family, or even your entire book club. If you’re looking for kid-friendly home or stopping by the local library.
Do Your Homework options, you might explore more cre-
Create Coziness
“During Jólabókaflóðið, we keep up ative, interactive, or nontraditional
Whether you round up your warm-
with the news about which authors “reading” experiences. Some possibil-
est PJs, slippers, and blankets, light a
will be launching their books this ities include coloring books, reverse
few extra candles, or pour everyone
coloring books, and sticker doodle
fall,” says Jóhannesdóttir. “We visit a steaming mug of deliciousness, set-
books, to name a few.
bookstores and read excerpts, making ting the stage for your reading time
notes about whom to gift these books Build Memories can lead to even greater levels of
to and which ones we’d love to read Keep in mind you can add personal- relaxation and delight.
on Christmas Eve.” ized touches to your gifts, like writing
Ditch the Distractions
Close your laptop. Turn off the TV.
And shut down your cell phone if you
Worth a Thousand Words can. What else might leave you half-
listening to your loved ones or only
partially absorbing the words within
your new book? Do yourself a favor
and remove those potential disrup-
tions, too.
Savor Your Gifts
Silent reading while cuddling or sit-
ting near one another can be a won-
derful form of togetherness. Taking
turns sharing a passage or chapter
aloud can be, too. Regardless of how
you choose to enjoy the experience, I
wish you and yours an abundance
of presence.
Paul Nicolaus (NicolausWriting.com) is a

Wisconsin-based writer whose work has
“It’s a new book genre just for you called ‘In Limbo.’” appeared, in print or online, in The Atlantic,
Backpacker, Fodor’s Travel, Men’s Health,
National Geographic, NPR, Outdoor Life,
Bob Eckstein is a New York Times-bestselling author and a cartoonist. His new book is Popular Science, Psychology Today, The
Footnotes From the Most Fascinating Museums: Stories and Memorable Moments From Saturday Evening Post, Sierra, Smithsonian,
People Who Love Museums. and many other publications.

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You, Yes, You!
BY RAN WALKER
O
ver 90 percent of the
conversations I have had
with writers about point of
view revolve around only two: first
person and third person (namely,
limited or omniscient). That is not
surprising, though, given that most
stories in contemporary fiction tend
to revolve primarily around those two
points of view. During my creative
writing workshops, occasionally one
of my students will timidly venture
out into “second person” territory,
whether by accident or on purpose,
leaving other students to ponder
how to critique something that feels
instinctively different from first or of the painting (you), who is viewing revenge on you, whether you like it
third person, something that feels a Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and or not.” This excerpt is not entirely
little too personal. his wife, is also represented as a char- unlike Iain Pears’s novel The Portrait,
Second person feels different for acter in the mirror’s reflection in the a novel that expertly utilizes this
a reason. Beyond using or implying center of the painting. Second person technique. By making the reader into
the word you, it forces the reader to operates a lot like this. a character, the reader is now on the
become an active participant in the receiving end of all of the narrator’s
story. Being a participant to what is TYPES OF SECOND PERSON energies and motivations, not unlike
happening can affect the reader in The first form of second person the viewer in the aforementioned
ways that first and third person sim- makes the reader into the recipi- paintings. In spite of the reader’s
ply cannot. In many ways, it holds a ent of the actions of the narrator. active participation in the story, some
mirror up to the reading audience, Admittedly, this can look a lot like writers will argue this is not second
similar to the painting A Bar at the first person, especially when you see person, though by definition, it
Folies-Bergère by Edouard Manet, in “I” or “we” expressed outside of dia- actually is.
which a woman behind a bar faces logue. The key difference, though, is The second form of second person
you (the viewer of the painting), only that with first person, the reader is makes the reader into the protago-
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: FRANCESCOCH
for you to see her backside reflected passive, whereas with second person, nist of the story. This is a bit easier
in a mirror facing a man in a stove- the reader is an active participant in to spot, although it can be subtle as
pipe top hat (who is apparently the story. An example of this could well. Here is an example: “You wake
you). Likewise, in Jan van Eyck’s The something like this: “I have not seen up in the morning to find that you
Arnolfini Portrait (a painting my wife you in a decade, and the last time we have turned into a giant insect over-
and I had the good fortune of viewing saw each other, you besmirched my night.” This take on Franz Kafka’s The
firsthand last summer), the viewer reputation. Tonight I will have my Metamorphosis turns the reader into

the protagonist, as opposed to hav- Another benefit to writing in sec-
ing the reader observe Gregor Samsa ond person is that it allows you to RECOMMENDED
from a distance, the way third person explore other styles of writing and READING
would. By bringing the reader into the storytelling. For example, epistolary Looking for examples of stories
role of the protagonist, the reader can narratives, which many writers view written in second person? Here
have a more intimate experience with as first person (probably because are a few suggestions:
the story’s plot than another point of they are using a different, more lim- • You by Caroline Kepnes
view might provide. Using “you” as ited definition of second person as • The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
the protagonist of the story is the most applying only to protagonists) can • American Spy by Lauren
common and singular way in which turn the reader into a character in Wilkinson
many writers identify second-person the story by becoming the recipient • Suzanne by Anaïs
point of view. This is not to negate the of the actions or communications of Barbeau-Lavalette
aforementioned first form of second- another character. The Color Purple • Open Water by Caleb Azumah
person point of view, but merely to by Alice Walker is built around this Nelson
show that writers, like participants in epistolary form, as the protagonist, • Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
any other profession, have different Celie, must primarily speak her truth • In the Dream House by Carmen
takes on certain aspects of craft. through letters. Even a list of instruc- Maria Machado
tions, like “Pick up the clothes from • The Reluctant Fundamentalist by
BENEFITS OF USING the cleaners. Take out the leg of lamb. Mohsin Hamid
SECOND PERSON Set the oven to 400 degrees,” can take • “Conservation of Shadows” by
While second person is challeng- on a narrative structure and form a Yoon Ha Lee
ing to use in longer works (though story. The “you” here is implied, and • “Emergency Skin” by N. K.
Iain Pears pulled it off with ease), it is the reader is on the receiving end of Jemisin
more likely to be seen in short stories these instructions for these declara- • “Every Next Day” by Rebecca
and works of flash fiction, though not tive statements that are very much Burton
nearly as much as first- and third- written in second person. • “Stages of the Witch” by Eden
person points of view. Some writers Finally, writing in second person Royce
might view second person as a bit can simply be a way to mix it up with
more experimental in its style, and your writing and try new things. Poets hope that you will see the benefits
experimental elements in writing often try different forms, just to keep of how a writer can engage readers
tend to work more readily in shorter their creativity sharp. Narrative writers in very different ways to create an
works. But this style could be benefi- are no different. At the bare minimum, entirely unique, intimate, and engag-
cial in a number of ways, should you writing things in second person can ing reading experience. Altering our
decide to play around with it. be a simple writing exercise, even if perspectives or relationships with
One way it could be beneficial you have no plans to ever use it in any our characters can be useful in prac-
is that it allows you to approach meaningful way in your work. tice, as well as writing our stories,
your story from a fresh and unique
As a microfictionist, I have found and that unique perspective or rela-
perspective. To engage the reader,
that experimenting with language tionship can impact our readers in
you have to think differently in
and form can make writing much ways they may have never imagined
how you tell the story. You’ll want
more fun, much more engaging, and they’d experience.
to ask yourself what your readers’
when I come across writers who are
connection is to the plot at all times.
trying new and different things, espe-
The reader will essentially enter into
cially with point of view, it can bring
an unstated contract with you that Ran Walker is the author of more than 30
in a breath of fresh air to the form. books, the most recent of which is
you will take them into a story and
Apollo’s Toy Box. He is an associate
thrill them in a very intimate way, Whether you have a different per- professor at Hampton University, where he
one that is unlike what they are often spective on point of view or second- teaches creative writing. He lives in Virginia
times more accustomed to. person point of view in particular, I with his wife and daughter.
No matter what you write, a bit of poetic license can be a valuable asset to any writer’s arsenal.
6 WAYS TO WRITE the clip-clop of horse hooves, the

distant rumble of a train, or even the
6 COZY POEMS TO
COZY POEMS
Over the years, I’ve learned I’m kerplunk of a frog into water (for CHECK OUT
an emotional poet. I enjoy writing all my haiku fans out there). Even
• “Cozy Apologia” by Rita Dove
poems that evoke emotions and read- the frantic pace of city life has cozy
• “It is marvellous to wake up
ing poems that provoke emotions. potential when done well.
together” by Elizabeth Bishop
Some of my favorite poems—both to
Stay Inside • “My parents snoring” by Jericho
read and to write—have been cozy
Some people prefer to stay inside, Brown
poems, which to me isn’t a genre so which is just fine as far as cozy is con- • “O Autumn, Autumn!” by Effie
much as a feeling. For me, that feeling cerned. After all, there are few things Lee Newsome
is one of comfort even if there’s a bit cozier than the crackle of a fire or the • “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
of tension in the poem. Here are six soft glow of candlelight—and don’t for- Evening” by Robert Frost
ways to write cozy poems. get the companionship of a cat, dog, or • “This Is Just To Say” by William
Think Seasons other favored creature (is it possible to Carlos Williams
One great thing about seasonal poems pen a cozy poem featuring a snake or
is that they occur throughout the year. tarantula?). The comfort of shelter is a
resentment, but it can also be fer-
Another is that people tend to have real thing, especially when the storms
tile ground for funny anecdotes and
strong emotional connections with are raging or snow is blowing outside.
epiphanies. Remembering a friend
each season. For many, spring may Find the Joy from your youth or a special family
be about a reawakening of the natu- Cozy poems don’t have to be filled ritual may recall a poem that writes
ral world, though some may view it with joy, but bringing the joy can itself. Even childhood fears or strug-
through the prism of insects and aller- make a poem cozy as heck. If I find gles may provide paths to unexplored
gies. Autumn comes with bonfires and myself smiling with delight while fields—both for the readers and the
magic, summer promises heat and reading a poem, the chances are pretty poets who write them.
hangouts, and winter can be measured good I consider it a cozy poem—and
in cups of coffee and hot cocoa. Fall in Love
one I’d like to revisit and share with
When all else fails, write a love poem,
the people around me. There’s nothing
Get Outside which may be the coziest poem there
wrong with exploring other emotions,
Whether describing birds or trees, is. While the heat levels may be dialed
but try mining for the poetic gems of
many poets have found that getting back a bit, the emotions can still run
humor, happiness, and hope to see
outside is the best way to get into strong and deep. And don’t forget not
how they shine in the light.
writing cozy poems. As with the sea- all love poems are romantic; some
sons, most writers and readers have Evoke Nostalgia of the coziest love poems may be for
BREWER ILLUSTRATION © TONY CAPURRO
developed strong emotional connec- Dwelling on the past can be an friends, family members, mentors,
tions with the outside world. Capture emotional rabbit hole of anger and and other loved ones.
Robert Lee Brewer is senior editor of WD and author of The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms.
SHARE YOUR POETIC VOICE: If you’d like to see your poem in the pages of Writer’s Digest, check out the Poetic Asides blog
(WritersDigest.com/write-better-poetry/poetry-prompts) and search for the most recent WD Poetic Form Challenge.

Write It Out
Writing prompts to boost your creativity.
BY MORIAH RICHARD
S
elect one of these cozy settings and answer the fol-
lowing questions about it:
1. What kind of person would find this kind of

setting comfortable?
2. What does that person love to do?
3. What kind of things do they fear?
4. What makes them feel uncomfortable?
5. What would a dream-come-true scenario be for them?
Now take this person and write a short story based on
them and/or the setting! WD
LIVING ROOM PHOTO © GETTY IMAGES: 10’000 HOURS PARK PHOTO © GETTY IMAGES: PRASIT PHOTO RESTAURANT PHOTO © GETTY IMAGES: MARCOVENTURINIAUTIERI
Moriah Richard is managing editor of WD. Her Building Better Worlds column is a 2023 Eddie Awards winner.
INDIELAB
New rules. New strategies. New paths to success.
BY CHRISTOPHER STOLLAR
Public Speaking Tips for

Indie Authors
G
erald Ford once said that especially if you want to market Presentations. When you find the
if he went back to college your books. This column will right venues for a presentation
again, he would study cover public speaking tips for indie about your book, you are the expert
two things. authors. You’ll learn how to pitch that people (readers) have come to
You might think the 38th speaking engagements and also see and hear. This results in a deeper
President of the United States who deliver a powerful story-based connection to you and your book.”
succeeded Richard Nixon in 1974 presentation. First, though, let’s When you talk to a group
would have focused on politics or discover why authors should even of readers (your buyers) about
policies. But Ford said he’d “concen- consider learning this life skill when your book (your product), you
trate on two areas: learning to write our first love is usually writing. let yourself (your brand) come to
and to speak before an audience. life in a way that words can only
Nothing in life is more important WHY YOU SHOULD PRACTICE accomplish on one sensory level.
than the ability to communicate PUBLIC SPEAKING Yes, your personality can shine on
effectively.” Many practical reasons exist for paper. Yet there’s just something
That quote captures the power becoming a better speaker, from about seeing and hearing an author
of writing and speaking—showing overcoming private fears to helping either physically or virtually that
how you need both skills to succeed you establish your author platform. helps you connect with them on a
in life. Ford’s advice still holds true But the main benefit lies at the heart much deeper level.
50 years later. Even after the rise of of all good marketing plans: per-
the internet in 1969, the iPhone in sonal branding. While that’s impor- HOW TO PITCH SPEAKING
2007, and ChatGPT in 2022, noth- tant for any business, it’s vital for ENGAGEMENTS
ing remains more important than indie authors who often struggle to Indie authors sometimes equate
learning how to communicate. reach readers outside their circle of speaking engagements with book
Yet if you’re like me, you fear family and friends. signings—even though they’re com-
that second skill as a self-published “For self-published authors, get- pletely different experiences with
author. You find yourself focusing ting your book into the hands of distinct audiences. Book signings
more on the writing and less on readers who are specifically inter- usually won’t succeed unless you
the speaking. After all, some of us ested in your genre or your exper- have an existing fan base, while
authors chose this profession or tise is imperative,” wrote author speaking engagements guarantee a
passion in part because we prefer and Virginia Foundation for the niche audience that aligns with your
putting pen to paper instead of Humanities fellow Karen Chase story’s focus.
speaking in public. on Jane Friedman’s publishing When I first self-published The
But it’s crucial for those who blog. “Your title is one among mil- Black Lens, my crime thriller about
self-publish to practice both— lions. So how do you stand out? a teenage girl who fights back at

a pimp that forces her into sex means learning as much as possible the main theme you weave through-
trafficking, I intentionally did not about who exactly you’ll be address- out your talk and keep coming
hold a book signing for it right away. ing so you can tailor your talk to back to multiple times. During my
Instead, I contacted anti-trafficking their interests. presentations, I kept returning to a
organizations to pitch a presentation When I was invited to speak at question that haunted me the entire
about the more-than-three years of Shared Hope International’s annual time I researched, published, and
research I conducted as a former justice conference in San Diego, I spoke about The Black Lens:
reporter with a master’s degree in focused most of my presentation on Why can’t victims of human traf-
journalism. those years of research I conducted ficking just run away?
Of course, I brought books for for my award-winning novel. I That heartbreaking question
the audience to buy. But what got shared what I learned from inter- drove the heart of both my book
my foot in the door was my origi- viewing police officers, social work- and eventual presentations. The
nal research and personal brand. ers, and even victims of human traf- personal and human stories that
One event led to another until I was ficking, because I knew the people resulted from it tied everything
getting paid to speak at conferences attending that conference would be together in such a powerful way that
across the country. most interested in that story. no Generative AI tool ever could.
“Most authors have held at least By contrast, when Writer’s Digest “All successful creatives have to
one book signing that makes them invited me to speak at their annual speak and present in public,” wrote
want to give up writing altogether,” conference in New York City, I pre- Joanna Penn, author of Public
Chase wrote. “The sad little table at pared an entirely different presen- Speaking for Authors, Creatives,
a bookstore. The avoidant glances. tation. That’s because I knew this and Other Introverts. “But you don’t
The one lonely reader who tells you audience would be filled with fellow have to be … bouncing around on
their whole life story and waves writers—not social justice advo- stage with a booming voice and
goodbye without buying a book. The cates. I still focused on my research larger than life personality. You just
tiny number of book sales is barely while crafting an entirely distinct have to be you and tell your story in
enough to cover the container of ice talk titled How to Research Your your own way.”
cream needed to soothe your tired Novel Like a Reporter. That advice holds true for writ-
soul. Presentations, however, can “As you practice your prese- ing and speaking. So, practice
result in greater sales … So, stop ntation, keep in mind who will be both skills—and become the best
signing and start speaking.” listening,” wrote author and self- communicator possible.
Whether you write fiction or publishing CEO J.J. Herbert. “In
nonfiction, space operas or his- other words, who is your audience?
torical dramas, you are an expert If you have trouble answering this
in something and bring a powerful question, first ask yourself what your
point of view. So find local organi- book is about. The subject matter Christopher Stollar (ChristopherStollar
zations and conferences that match will largely influence the topic on .com) is an award-winning author and
accredited public relations professional
your expertise with their audience’s which you speak. For example, if
who works full-time in marketing at a
interests. If you pitch your speaker you wrote a business book, consider Fortune 100 company. His crowd-funded
bio with a unique presentation, the sharing a couple of key points from debut novel, The Black Lens, won Grand
book sales will follow. your work to connect with the Prize in the 2016 Writer’s Digest Self-
Published E-book Awards. As a former
audience and inspire their business
reporter with a master’s degree in
HOW TO DELIVER A POW- minds. If you’re writing fiction, journalism, Christopher conducted more
ERFUL STORY-BASED share a summary of not only your than three years of research for his novel
PRESENTATION book but also the story behind it.” that resulted in over a dozen speaking
Countless books have been written That story behind your book engagements at conferences across the
country. Christopher’s new research-based
about the skill of public speaking, should tie your entire presenta- novel, Respawn, is currently being pitched
yet one theme remains constant— tion together as you prepare for and to publishers by senior agent Paula Munier
knowing your target audience. That practice your speech. Think of it as of Talcott Notch Literary.
INDIELAB | WORKSHEET
Public Speaking
1. What subjects are you particularly knowledgeable about or do you feel comfortable speaking
about at length?
2. What unique point of view do you bring to these subjects?
3. Who is your target audience for this subject?
4. What organizations can you reach out to that would put you in front of your target audience?
5. Who are the contacts for these organizations?
6. What is the story behind your book? Write just a few sentences.
7. Draft a pitch for your speaking engagement.

INDIELAB | AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
BY AMY JONES
Jane Gorman
That’s an easy hole to dig too deep.
Thinking like a CEO does not come
naturally to me, so I had to spend
some time studying up on it.
MARKETING STRATEGY: I’ve spread a
wide net. Marketing options change
rapidly. A few years ago, I had a lot
of success with emailing services—
the kind that, if they select your
WHAT IS THE THING YOU LIKE MOST
book, let you offer a discounted
ABOUT INDIE PUBLISHING? I love
Scones and Scofflaws, A Blind Eye copy to thousands of people.
being in control of everything.
(Cozy mystery, traditional mystery; More recently, I found that social
OK, that sounds a little neurotic!
Blue Eagle Press) media ads offered a better return
But writing is my art, my form of
on investment. But I’ve also taken
WHY SELF-PUBLISH? When I started expression. I have an image in my
advantage of any opportunities to
writing professionally, I didn’t know mind that I work hard to capture on
get my books mentioned in print
that indie publishing was an option. the written page. I’ll have something
or at bookstore events or at the
After years perfecting the first book I to say about the value of a good
local library. Basically, I think about
wanted published, I spent two more editor below, don’t get me wrong.
where I hear about new books,
years on the pitching circuit. It was At the end of the day, though, my
and I work from there. But as I
hard, but a few good things came out books are my own.
mentioned, always pay attention
of it. First, I got some helpful feed-
WRITING ADVICE: Build your team. to the return on investment and be
back from the agents who asked to
Writing is a solo art, but you don’t willing to switch tracks.
read the manuscript. Second, I used
have to do it alone. I have been
that time to get to work on the next DON’T SKIMP ON … A good editor.
so fortunate to get to know some
book in the series. Interestingly, after Your editor is going to be an impor-
amazing authors. Talking with them,
hearing about the second book, one tant part of your writing life. And
working with them, sharing notes
agent who expressed interest recom- it’s not easy to find someone you can
and ideas has helped me more than
mended I switch the order around. work well with. I tried out a few dif-
I can express. I am always learning
These were the Adam Kaminski ferent editors, based on recommen-
from them. And one more piece of
mysteries, and the first book is set in dations from fellow writers, until
advice: Don’t stop before the fin-
Warsaw while the second book is in I found someone who was a great
ish line. You have a great idea and a
Washington, D.C. This agent liked editor and who also understood me
well-crafted story. Now perfect it.
the idea of the books but thought it and what I was trying to write. And
would be easier to sell a U.S.-based PUBLISHING ADVICE: This is a busi- while this is not an area where you
story. But I know Adam Kaminski ness and you’re the owner. Do your should skimp, bear in mind that
GORMAN HEADSHOT COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR
too well. His story starts in Warsaw. homework. Learn the field. The someone who charges more isn’t
It was around this time that I fact that you’re reading Writer’s necessarily better.
learned about the real possibility of Digest is a great start! But as a busi-
WEBSITE AND/OR SOCIAL MEDIA:
indie publishing. I stopped pitching ness owner, I had to learn about the
JaneGorman.com
and started focusing on my writing. legalities of setting up a business,
Facebook.com/Jane
Once I had the first three books in tax requirements, and budgeting.
GormanAuthor WD
the series ready to go, I made Budgeting was a big one, particu-
the leap. larly when it comes to marketing. Amy Jones is editor-in-chief of WD.
WD101
Making sense of the publishing world.
BY DON VAUGHAN
The ABCs of Freelance Success
M
any freelance writ- profile ever written, it slowly reveals street. But this approach to storytell-
ers, especially those at the underlying heart and soul of ing is a bore because it offers facts
the beginning of their its reluctant subject in ways never without heart, story without soul.
careers, tend to place almost all of before explored, propelling the nar- Not every work of nonfiction
their professional focus on one spe- rative forward through techniques will be art, of course. An instruc-
cific component: craft. They work that give it more of a literary feel tional piece about building a deck,
extra hard to master the basics of than a standard work of journalism. for example, must by its very nature
effective nonfiction writing because Talese’s profile of Frank Sinatra is be workman-like. To be considered
they understand how important art by any definition, raising the bar art, nonfiction must rise above its
they are to success in this very high for future efforts. inherent restrictions, as Talese and
competitive field. Another example of nonfiction Orlean have done, to involve the
And they’re right. A mastery of as art is The Library Book by Susan reader in a well-told, consequential
Craft is a key component to success Orlean. Ostensibly about the 1986 fire story rich with emotion and char-
as a freelance writer. But it is not the that devastated the Los Angeles Public acter. Understandably, raising facts
only one; equally important are the Library, Orlean uses the book to also and quotes to a higher literary stan-
Art and Business of freelance writ- explore the greater role of libraries dard can be difficult, but becomes
ing. Together, these components are throughout history and culture. In so easier with experience.
as stable as a three-legged stool. But doing, she deftly elevates The Library You can dramatically elevate the
ignore one or more, and instability Book well beyond a mere examination quality of your own writing by read-
is sure to follow. of a specific historical event. ing and studying nonfiction writers
In both of these examples, it is who are exceptionally skilled. In
A: NONFICTION AS ART the writer’s style that elevates their addition to Gay Talese and Susan
Art is a subjective term, and some- work to the status of art. Their Orlean, check out the works of John
ILLUSTRATIONS © GETTY IMAGES: SUDOWOODO, GMM2000
times difficult to define. In writing, choice of words, the cadence of their McPhee, perhaps the most precise
works of literary fiction are most sentences, the structure of their writer to put words on paper; Mark
commonly designated as art, while stories, and more combine to cre- Bowden; Nathaniel Philbrick; Mary
nonfiction often gets the short shrift. ate works of elegance and lasting Roach; Simon Winchester; and
But consider Gay Talese’s master importance. Such should be the goal similar authors.
class in celebrity biography, “Frank of all nonfiction freelance writers.
Sinatra Has a Cold,” first published But why? Many writers consider B: THE BUSINESS
in the April 1966 issue of Esquire nonfiction to be journeyman’s work, OF WRITING
magazine. Considered by most methodically laying down facts as if Serious freelance writers under-
observers to be the greatest celebrity they were cobblestones on a medieval stand that writing is a job; the

writer has a commodity in mean by craft? The Massachusetts information he needed to profile
demand—their skill and imagina- 2017 English Language Arts and Frank Sinatra, but it was his skill as
tion—that editors are eager to buy. Literary Framework, developed a writer, his dedicated approach to
The transactional nature of the by the Massachusetts Department craft, that made “Frank Sinatra Has
writer-editor relationship, from of Elementary and Secondary a Cold” such an important work.
assignment to payment, firmly Education, defines craft as “the artis- Slowly, methodically, through quotes
establishes the business component tic skill or technique with which an and observations and colorful com-
of freelance writing, and writers author puts together narrative and mentary, we learn what made Frank
ignore it at their peril. other elements in order to convey Sinatra tick, and the attributes that
Understandably, the business meaning and produce effect.” This made him one of the most notable
component may not be on every- definition is appropriate for both fic- personalities of the 20th century. It’s a
one’s radar. Writers just want to tion and nonfiction writing, though vivid portrait that likely would have
write and not be bothered with the forms are very different. been much different had Sinatra
mundane business tasks. But it’s With freelance writing, craft in agreed to be interviewed.
important to keep up with the busi- its purest form can be distilled down We become incrementally better
ness aspect of the job—failure to to the specific style “tools” the writer wordsmiths with every article we
do so can lead to tax headaches and uses to tell a compelling nonfiction write, and we shouldn’t hesitate to
money left on the table. Important story. These include (but aren’t limited experiment with the writing process.
issues to discuss with your accoun- to) the use of evocative quotes from Can the lede be stronger, more evoc-
tant or financial advisor include: sources, in-the-moment reporting ative? Do quotes effectively serve the
that places the reader in the middle of narrative by providing oomph and
• Federal and state taxes on your
pertinent events, vivid descriptions, insight? Is the structure appropri-
freelance income
and opinion informed by facts. ate for the story being told, or does
• Deductible professional
Gay Talese used all of these and it hobble it in some way? The unique
expenses
more in crafting his seminal por- structure of “Frank Sinatra Has a
• Establishing a home office
trait of Frank Sinatra. Because the Cold,” from its 324-word lede to its
• Professional insurance
singer refused to be interviewed, concluding sentences, is one of the
• Whether to establish an LLC
Talese had to rely on other jour- reasons the profile has endured as a
Staying abreast of the business nalistic techniques, honed during seminal work for nearly 60 years.
aspects of freelance writing can be his days as a reporter with The New
While it’s informative to look to
a challenge for busy writers, espe- York Times, to gather the informa-
towering figures like Gay Talese
cially those who are new to the field. tion he needed. He interviewed
and Susan Orlean for inspiration
Payment stubs and related materials numerous individuals in Sinatra’s
and instruction on improving our
should be kept in a special file for sphere, including his mother, Dolly,
craft, don’t try to become a clone.
easy access, as should assignment and son, Frank Jr. He was a note-
It greatly benefits freelance writ-
contracts, expense receipts, and taking fly on the wall during the
ers to develop their own voices and
editorial correspondence. This will taping of a television musical spe-
approaches to the work—to master
make filing taxes and other business cial, at a boxing match attended
the craft of writing in their own
responsibilities easier at the end of by Sinatra and his entourage, and
unique ways. The result will be arti-
the year. at a Beverly Hills nightclub where
cles with heft and nuance, and more
Sinatra imbibed with cronies and
work from appreciative editors. WD
C: THE IMPORTANCE provoked an altercation with fire-
OF CRAFT brand writer Harlan Ellison. Don Vaughan is a freelance writer based
The art and craft of freelance writ- This gave Talese, an adher- in Raleigh, N.C. His work has appeared
ing represent two sides of the same ent of the then-nascent “New in numerous publications, including WD,
Encylopedia Britannica, The Saturday
coin. Craft informs style, which in Journalism”—an unconventional Evening Post, and Scout Life. He is the
turn informs the aesthetic nature approach to reporting that incor- founder of Triangle Association of
of the work. But what do we porated literary techniques—the Freelancers (TAFNC.com).
WRITERSONWRITING
BY TJ KLUNE
The Kids Will Be All Right
I
met a student during my trav- remind them why hearing from a
els. He attended a school in a queer adult can be so important to
small, rural town that was 6th– queer youth—especially those who
th
12 grade, all in one building. I had aren’t out yet.
been asked to come to this school I was honestly ready to write the
to speak with the students about my whole thing off. But then, something
books, my advocacy. wonderful occurred. After the event,
I used the word queer a few I was asked to meet with select stu-
times. That word is important to me. dents. One of them happened to be
It reflects who I am. I had that word a 12-year-old boy. This boy marched
flung at me in anger and disgust right up to me, and without an
more than a few times in my life, but introduction, said, “I know all about
at some point, I refused to let it have the gay stuff.”
any negative power over me and I’m rarely speechless; consider we find ourselves in is worth it, if
reclaimed it for myself. it a gift (curse?) of my ADHD. only to ensure people like you get to
After the talk I gave in which I My mouth tends to move before grow up in a world where they get
used the word queer, I was told by my brain does. However, at this to be who they are. I am so grate-
the librarian who had invited me moment, I was knocked flat. What ful for you, and all that you bring to
that some of the school board had the hell was this preteen talking this place.
been in attendance, and they were about? What did he mean when he If it is that easy for a child, why
not happy. Why? Because of the said gay stuff ? is it so much harder for everyone
word queer. They were—as they So I asked him. else? This is why I use the word
said—“concerned” that it might Without missing a beat, the kid queer. This is why I write what I do,
have made some of the students said, “Last year, I had a girlfriend. because of people like this young
uncomfortable, and that I should She came out as trans, and now he’s man. If a kid can see that people
not have used that word. my boyfriend.” deserve love no matter what form
I was flabbergasted. I’d never Speechless, again. Twice in less they take, then maybe we should
had my language policed like that than a minute, and it was all because actually be listening to them. After
as an adult. To be told that who of this lovely, incredible young man. all, they are the future. And they are
I was might have made someone I remember saying, “You rock, my going to shine. WD
uncomfortable? Well, I told myself, guy,” and holding out my hand for
maybe they should have been a fist bump. We got wrapped up in
TJ KLUNE is the New York Times and
uncomfortable. Maybe it would the meet-and-greet that followed, so
USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary
open their eyes. I didn’t really get to follow up with Award-winning author of The House in the
I felt a little down on myself after this amazing kid. Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door,
I was told. I was worried I’d gotten So I want to say this to him: In the Lives of Puppets, and the Green
the librarian in trouble. I told her Wherever you are, you have given Creek Series for adults, the Extraordinaries
Series for teens, and more. Being queer
if there was any further pushback, me so much hope. You have proven himself, Klune believes it’s important—now
to let me know, and I’d be happy to to me that the future is not lost. more than ever—to have accurate, positive
speak to the school board myself, to You have shown me that the fight queer representation in stories.

MEET THEAGENT
BY KARA GEBHART UHL
Pam Gruber
HIGH LINE LITERARY COLLECTIVE
P
am Gruber (she/her) grew up outside Philadelphia, ABOUT ME
a self-described insatiable childhood reader whose “Both of my parents are visual
first “published” book could be found in her school’s artists, and I have a small
library when she was in the third grade. At the New York intaglio printmaking studio in
my basement.”
University Gallatin School of Individualized Study, Gruber
designed her own major around the concept of storytell- “My two favorite movies are
Clueless and The Fifth Element,
ing. She interned at the Junior Library Guild and Houghton which is also indicative of my
Mifflin (now Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). varied reading taste.”
“I got my start in the industry as an editor, working for
over a decade at Hachette Book Group and serving as the edi- FAVORITE
torial director at children’s media startup Rebel Girls before
DRINK: “A good, earthy one glance at it and
shifting gears,” Gruber says. “I eventually became a literary red wine” you’re inside the mind
agent when I realized my favorite part of the publishing busi- QUOTES: “What an
of another person …
ness was working closely with authors and artists, helping A book is proof that
astonishing thing a
humans are capable of
them to shape not only their stories, but also their careers.” book is. It’s a flat object
working magic.”
made from a tree with
As a new agent, Gruber was given some difficult advice: —Carl Sagan
flexible parts on which
“Maybe” means “no.” are imprinted lots of PLACE: Storm King
“I see so much merit in so many of the queries I receive, funny dark squiggles. But Art Center
but I’ve had to learn to be picky and wait for those stop-
everything-tell-everyone manuscripts to take on, otherwise SEEKING
I’d never get anything done!” she says. Turns out, the books “I’m always looking for adult, young adult, and
that excite her the most often are the easiest to sell. middle-grade fiction with literary voices and
Gruber’s clients write in varied categories, from adult con- commercial hooks.”
temporary rom-com and science fiction and fantasy to chil- “In all categories, I’m particularly interested in finding
dren’s and young adult. grounded fantasy that feels like folklore, stories
exploring under-represented mythologies, twisty
“I aim to sign authors, not just individual books, and speculative fiction, fantastical realism, and coming-of-
believe in collaboration, communication, creativity, and age stories (any age).”
mutual respect,” she says. “In my life outside of books (as if!), “In nonfiction, I’m drawn to a more narrative style,
I am aspiring art collector, avid window shopper, experimen- with an honest, relatable voice that has something
tal baker, and Pilates enthusiast slowly fixing up the antique to say about life or can fascinate me with new
information about the world.”
house I live in with my husband, son, and feline familiars.”
You can find Gruber online at HighLineLiterary.com
/agent-pam, ManuscriptWishList.com/mswl-post QUERY PET PEEVES
/pam-gruber, and Instagram @pjgruber. “Not including sample pages—at the end of the day
it always comes down to the writing.”
“Insisting your book has no comps—it’s OK if your
CLIENTS comps are old, if they’re movies, or if they’re the
Errands & Espionage by Sam Tschida (Forever, 2024) books that inspired you to write this one, if not so
obviously similar.”
Perfect Girl by Tracy Banghart (Feiwel & Friends, 2024)
“Belittling anyone—that includes yourself (don’t sell
For Human Use by Sarah G. Pierce (Redhook, forthcoming 2025)
yourself short!), agents, or other authors!”
Kara Gebart Uhl is a writer, editor, and author of Cadi & the Cursed Oak (Lost Art Press).
BREAKINGIN
Debut authors: How they did it, what they learned, and why you can do it, too. BY MORIAH RICHARD
Katie Coleman
Too Young for
Cancer
(Memoir, November,
Alcove Press)
“Too Young for Cancer highlights
best and worst in healthcare and
uncovers the silver linings and
beauty of humanity filling the
space in between as a young enough to see it finished, so I knew keep me motivated and moving,
woman battles for a diagnosis and I had to buckle down. ENTER THE especially when I hit blocks. WHAT
a fighting chance.” AGENT: I found my agent, Rachel I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY:
WRITES FROM: Austin, Texas PRE- Sussman, just before I was about to I would have likely completed my
YOUNG : I decided to write [this give up on traditional publishing memoir or even fully outlined it
book] because when I was initially and explore self-publishing (after a before querying. … I think I could
diagnosed with stage IV cancer at mountain of feedback I received that have saved myself quite a bit of
29 … I wanted to shed light on the books on illness don’t sell). I found rejection if I had figured that all out
mental battle, which is often twice her on QueryTracker, and when I ahead of time. ADVICE FOR WRIT-
as challenging as the physical fight saw she was looking for thought- ERS: When in doubt, just write.
against cancer, share how impor- provoking nonfiction and saw some NEXT UP: Continuing to focus my
tant it is to advocate for yourself, of the titles she represents, I thought efforts on advocacy and funding
and to highlight how empathy in the she’d be incredible to work with and research for rare cancers. WEBSITE:
face of uncertainty helped reshape that she may look beyond the sur- KatieKicksCancer.com
my damaged relationship with the face level of my diagnosis to see the
medical system. TIME FRAME: It deeper themes. BIGGEST SURPRISE:
COLEMAN PHOTO © SARI SINGERMAN ROBINSON PHOTO © NICKY WOO
took me about 7–9 months to get If I had known that it would take Ava Robinson
through the bulk of the writing for a little over two years from when I Definitely Better
my memoir, and it will be just over started writing for my book to be Now
two full years from when I began published, I think I may have been a (Mainstream fiction,
when it reaches publication. … I bit too overwhelmed to start. Mostly December, MIRA Books)
knew I only ever had three months due to where I was in my diagnosis, “Emma, a young woman in New
at a time within my control, so as my and that I really couldn’t plan that York City, navigates sobriety,
scans approached each three-month far in advance. WHAT I DID RIGHT: falling in love, and complicated
cycle, I would write nearly every Probably just getting it all out on family dynamics.”
free second I could to get it all out paper in my first draft. I didn’t spend WRITES FROM: Brooklyn, N.Y. PRE-
on paper. My biggest fear was start- much time tweaking it or trying to BETTER :I started writing Definitely
ing my memoir and not living long get the wording just right. It helped Better Now in January 2021. A few

months earlier, I’d lost a close friend had trusted writers who would look three years, including periods of
to a relapse and overdose. … Spoiler something over for me, whether weeks or months (the longest was
alert: Definitely Better Now has sad that be a short paragraph or an a year) when self-doubt overcame
moments, but overall, I think of it entire novel. WHAT I WOULD HAVE me, and I put the project to one
as a celebration of life and sobriety. DONE DIFFERENTLY: I can’t really say side before returning to it. ENTER
TIME FRAME: I wrote the first draft I’d change a thing! I’m very happy THE AGENT: I submitted about 60
in a few months and then worked with my publishing journey. ADVICE queries to agents seeking historical
on it for about two years before get- FOR WRITERS: Bet on yourself. It fiction and received four requests
ting an agent. I was able to work so can be so hard to sit down and write for the full manuscript before sign-
quickly because I was writing with every day when no one is asking you ing with the wonderful Alec Shane
a close friend. Every day, we would to and no one is waiting on it. You of Writers House. He worked with
log on to Zoom and write together can create accountability with com- me on further edits for another
for at least an hour. We’d also keep munity, but I think you also have to three months or so before submis-
track of our word counts on a convince yourself that one day what sions to publishers began. BIGGEST
shared spreadsheet. I don’t think I’d you’re writing will be published, even SURPRISE: It never ceases to amaze
have been able to finish the book if sometimes that feels delusional— me how much a good editor can see
half as quickly without that shared lean into it. NEXT UP: I just had a weaknesses (and strengths for that
accountability. ENTER THE AGENT: baby, so I’m enjoying lots of cuddles matter) in your work that you sim-
Researching agents was something and also working on a second novel! ply can’t because you’re too close to
I really enjoyed, and I used it as a WEBSITE: AvaRobinson.net it. Do your very best on early drafts,
way to procrastinate in the last few then seek an experienced editor.
months of editing. So, by the time You need their expertise, and you’ll
I was ready to send the manuscript Colin Mills probably have to pay for it. WHAT
out, I had a pretty extensive tiered Bitter Passage I DID RIGHT: I feel like I did every-
list. I queried six agents and got (Literary historical thing wrong (!) except the most
more than one offer of represen- fiction, January, Lake important thing of all: I didn’t stop.
tation. I ended up working with Union Publishing) WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFER-
Jamie Carr of The Book Group, and “A 19th–century Arctic expedition ENTLY: I wish I had sat down and
couldn’t be happier with my choice. descends into a chilling nightmare developed mental strategies to cope
BIGGEST SURPRISE: When I started in a gripping and epic historical with self-doubt and perfection-
sending my book out, I’d just gradu- novel of discovery, rescue, deliver- ism, even if they can’t be entirely
ated from an MFA program, and we ance, and survival by any means.” conquered. ADVICE FOR WRITERS:
were very well prepared for how to WRITES FROM: Brisbane, Australia. Invest some time in studying the
query agents, but the next steps felt PRE- PASSAGE : I only had a couple of many online resources on how to
like a mystery to me. I wasn’t sure short stories published when I fell structure an effective query for
what editor meetings would be like, down a rabbit hole reading about agents. It makes a huge difference to
what the difference between a pre- the lost Franklin Expedition, which your chances. NEXT UP: I’m work-
empt and an auction was, and how vanished in the Arctic in 1845 with ing on another story also set in the
advances worked. Jamie walked two ships and 129 men. The more 19th century, but not in the Arctic.
me through it all, but it’s a good I read about the expedition, the WEBSITE: ColinMills.com.au WD
thing for writers to prepare them- more questions I had, especially
selves for before they start querying about the likely motives and expe-
MILLS PHOTO © ANNELIE TRIA-MILLS
agents. WHAT I DID RIGHT: I think riences of the searchers. I started

the most helpful thing for me as a scribbling a story and wanted to
writer is working in a community. find out what was going to hap-
I’m so lucky to have other writers pen. TIME FRAME: I spent two years Moriah Richard is managing editor of WD.
to turn to for support. I’ve worked researching before starting to write Her Building Better Worlds column is a
with a writing group and always in earnest. The first draft took about 2023 Eddie Awards winner.
COZY WRITING ,
COMFORT READING
THE ANATOMY
of COZY CHARM
How to write a cozy that charms

the socks off your readers.
BY JANE K. CLELAND
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: ALONA STANOVA, REDKOALADESIGN

ome cozy mysteries are playful and humorous expertise, or their understanding of human nature—or
S (despite a corpse or two). Others are erudite and

resolute. Wherever your cozy falls on the spectrum
of light-hearted to serious, all successful cozies are laden
some combination of the three? As you review the fol-
lowing examples, think about how these jobs and leisure
activities might facilitate a sleuth ferreting out secrets, the
with charm. While the concept of charm is intangible, and heart of detective work, all while showcasing their charm.
thus hard to define, we know it when we see it because
• A local reporter, like Jaye Jordan in Nikki Knight’s
of how it makes us feel. Charm is soothing and homey.
Live, Local, and Dead mystery series
Reading a cozy mystery is as comforting as wearing a
• The owner of a small business, like Addie Greyborne,
favorite old sweater on a cold winter day.
who owns a bookshop, in Lauren Elliott’s Beyond
Of the five factors that successful cozy mysteries
the Page Bookstore Mystery series, or Izzy
share, three are clear-cut. While not necessarily easy to
execute, the parameters are unambiguous. The other two, Chambers Perry, who owns the Sea Harbor Yarn
though, require deft handling. Here are the three that are Studio in Sally Goldenbaum’s Seaside Knitters
straightforward: Society Mystery series
• A chef, like Henry Ross in Peter King’s Gourmet
• A wholesome tone with no graphic anything—no on- Detective mystery series
stage violence, no gory descriptions, no explicit sex, • A restaurant manager, like Lana Lee in Vivien Chien’s
and no cussin’. Noodle Shop mysteries
• A killer and victim who know one another, leading
to a motive that’s personal, not random. Motives can Whatever their occupation or avocation, charming
run the gamut from greed and fear to revenge and amateur sleuths show genuine interest in the people
hate, among others. and situations around them. When chatting, your sleuth
• A solution that depends on the sleuth’s deductive maintains eye contact. She doesn’t scan the room looking
abilities, not forensics. for someone more interesting to talk to. He doesn’t check
his phone while having lunch with a pal. On a video call,
The two remaining factors are: she wouldn’t look down, surreptitiously reading an email
• An amateur or semi-amateur sleuth who has a viable while her friend is describing a fight with her husband.
reason to poke her nose in other people’s business. To understand how to translate this imperative—
• A setting filled with quaint and unique elements. focus on the here and now—into concrete actions, adapt
the protocol known as active listening. While this four-
To add that elusive quality of charm to your cozy mys- step process increases communication efficacy, sleuths
tery, focus on your sleuth and your setting. who use this approach don’t merely get people talking
and keep them talking, both of which are crucial, they
THE CHARMING SLEUTH themselves are valued as caring, concerned citizens. (See
Think of the most charming person you know, then ask the sidebar on the following page for details.)
yourself why that person came to mind. What is it they Your sleuth should also employ “minimal encourag-
do or say that makes you think of them as charming?
ers,” short phrases that motivate people to confide in him.
Here’s what I bet you came up with: They care about peo-
Minimal encouragers subliminally signal your sleuth’s
ple in general and you in particular. They treat everyone
interest in what people have to say, which is, of course, a
with dignity and respect, including themselves. They’re
primary component of charm. They include actions like
strong, but not domineering. They’re generous, but not
smiling, nodding, and employing verbal reactions, like:
a pushover. Imbue your sleuth with these qualities, and
you’ll have created a character readers adore. The trick is • “You’re kidding!”
translating these abstract concepts into concrete behav- • “Mmhmm.”
iors and attributes—to show, not tell. • “Really?”
First, consider why your sleuth is good at detec- • “I see.”
tive work. Is it their observation skills, their specialized • “Then what?”
C O Z Y WRITING,
C O M FO R T READING
THE ACTIVE LISTENING PROCESS CHARM KILLERS

“Active listening” refers to a communication technique A charming sleuth would never:
developed by Dr. Thomas Gordon in the 1950s. He
• Use the word should
coined the term in his book Leader Effectiveness
• Criticize (“That was dumb.”)
Training. When a sleuth uses words and phrases such
• Speak in an aggressive or skeptical tone
as these at each of the four steps of the active listen-
• Dismiss someone’s worries
ing process, readers perceive him or her as charming.
• Offer platitudes
• ENCOURAGE
• Tell me more about ... ?
• I’d love to hear your thoughts about ... ? Among the most effective ways to add charm is
to give your amateur sleuth a beloved pet. In Paula
• GET THE FACTS
Munier’s Mercy Carr series, Mercy adopts Elvis, a
• What do you think happened?
Belgian shepherd with canine PTSD. Morgan Carter, a
• Why did you decide against ... ?
bookstore owner and cryptozoologist in Annelise Ryan’s
• PARAPHRASE Monster Hunter mystery series, adores Newt, a rescue
• So, you’re saying Mary plans on signing the dog of uncertain lineage. Cats are even more popular
lease on Thursday, is that right? in cozies than dogs, including Moishe in Joanne Fluke’s
• You seem confident that George will be happy in Hannah Swenson’s mystery series and Sneaky Pie Brown,
the new condo. Rita Mae Brown’s co-author of the Mrs. Murphy mys-
teries. Anything that humanizes your sleuth and shows
• SUMMARIZE
their caring nature will work to add charm. Give them a
• Then the next step is ...
volunteer job at a local nonprofit. Have them work at a
• Your recommendation is ...
community garden.
Weaving these qualities and behaviors together cre-
ates a full-bodied, believable, and charming character,
Another reliable way to add charm is to capitalize on
and those are the sleuths readers adore.
your sleuth’s ability to intuit what people are truly think-
ing or feeling. By mirroring the observed or unspo-
CHOOSE A CHARMING LOCATION
ken thought or emotion in dialogue, the person your
Most cozy mysteries take place in self-contained com-
sleuth is talking to will feel respected and valued, core
munities. This guideline serves several charm-inducing
ingredients of charm. For instance, let’s say a character
purposes, both logistical and thematic.
named Sally confides to your sleuth, Carole, that a date
From a logistical perspective, charm derives from
stood her up. Carole might reflect the unspoken emo-
contented familiarity. Knowing that character A takes a
tion with an empathetic reaction. An important note: It’s
walk along the river at 8 o’clock sharp every morning or
not enough for Carole to know Sally got stood up—she
that character B, locally renowned for his moody paint-
needs to know how Sally feels about it. Is Sally furious,
ings of meadows, sets up his easel on the village green on
embarrassed, sad? Carole, registering Sally’s tone of voice,
foggy days, provides welcome predictability, a comfort-
listening for what isn’t said, might respond by saying:
ing rhythm to daily life. In addition, this kind of consis-
• “Have you killed him yet?” (emotion reflected = tency ensures your sleuth will have plenty of suspects
rage) that she knows well to consider—and she’ll know where
• “That’ll put you on track to polish off a quart of Ben to find them. Your sleuth also knows the lay of the land,
and Jerry’s.” (emotion reflected = embarrassment, the secret spots where people go to hide or brood.
shame, or self-loathing) Thematically, cozies are, at their essence, stories about
• “When I need a good cry, I watch An Affair to finding community. A place where people value you for
Remember. How about you?” (emotion reflected = who you truly are, where you don’t need to pretzel your-
sadness) self to fit in. Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at

the University of Houston and one of the world’s leading WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE YOU?
experts in making meaningful connections, puts it this
way: “Fitting in and belonging are not the same thing. In As you think about where to set your cozy mystery,
fact, fitting in is one of the greatest barriers to belonging. start with determining your era and location. Do you
Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming want to set your mysteries in Rome at the turn of the
who you need to be in order to be accepted. Belonging, century? Victorian England? The near future?
on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we Cozy mysteries don’t need to be set in the pres-
are; it requires us to be who we are.” When we feel valued ent. Historical cozies abound. Consider, for example,
for who we truly are, we’re charmed. Margaret Frazer’s Sister Frevisse Medieval Mystery
series, where the sleuth is a nun during the reign
of Henry VI (Medieval England). In Sujata Massey’s
INSULAR SETTINGS ENHANCE
Perveen Mistry mystery series, Perveen Mistry is
CHARM
a young lawyer in 1920s Bombay, one of the first
A bucolic hamlet. An English country house. An island women admitted to the bar.
resort. When it comes to choosing an insular location, You don’t even need to feature humans in your
the possibilities are endless. As you review the follow- mystery for it to work as an über-charming cozy. In
ing locations (with corresponding examples), consider Juneau Black’s Shady Hollow mysteries, the sleuth is
how each lends itself to the requisite logistics and a newspaper reporter named Vera Vixen, a fox. The
supports the theme of belonging. woodland setting, in an unnamed boreal forest, is
home to a delightful array of quirky characters, from
• A small town or village
Gladys Honeysuckle, a gossipy hummingbird, to Joe, a
• Alexia Gordon’s Murder in G Major: A
moose with “quite a mug,” who runs the local coffee
Gethsemane Brown Mystery
shop named Joe’s Mug, to a brown bear named Orville
• A train traveling along an isolated route
Braun, the deputy chief of police, and a parade of other
• Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express:
critters each with a distinctive personality. Interestingly,
A Hercule Poirot Mystery
Shady Hollow’s era is unclear, but we know it’s not con-
• A cruise ship
temporary, since Vera develops film in a darkroom, and
• Elaine Viet’s Final Sail: A Dead-End Job Mystery
no one uses a cellphone or computer.
• A coffee shop in a big city
Whatever era and location you choose, identify
• Cleo Coyle’s Bulletproof Barista: A Coffeehouse
familiar elements that enable readers to immerse
Mystery (Note that neighborhoods within a large
themselves in your world.
city can offer the same kind of self-contained
environment as a small town.)
• A mountain lodge To bring a setting to life, integrate information that
• Diane Kelly’s Snow Place for Murder: A Mountain goes beyond the physicality of a place. Yes, readers want
Lodge Mystery to know the geography of the location, to smell the briny
• An assisted living facility air at a seaside enclave, hear the rain pattering the metal
• Richard Osman’s The Bullet That Missed: A roof at a mountain resort, feel the searing summer sun in
Thursday Murder Club Mystery a sleepy desert outpost, taste blackberries plucked from
bushes in a California commune, and see palm fronds
waving in a tropical oasis, but infusing your story with
You create this welcoming environment by adding ele-
charm requires that you take a holistic view of the set-
ments to the setting that evoke comfort, delight, and seren-
ting. Use the following four questions (and examples) to
ity: the aroma of fresh-baked bread, a lake dotted with
fire up your imagination.
sun-sparks dancing on the surface, the soft feel of a cotton
quilt, the taste of cinnamon in the homemade applesauce, a 1. What languages and dialects are spoken? Are there
kitten’s purr. Notice that all five of these examples include idioms, terminology, slang, or abbreviations specific
sensory references. Writing these charming elements using to the region? Does everyone in the location know
sensory cues brings everyday items and events to life. and use the local vernacular?
C O Z Y WRITING,
THREE MORE WAYS TO ADD CHARM TO YOUR COZY MYSTERY

RECIPES window signage espousing: “Save Our Coral Reefs”
Many cozies include references to food and drink, a and “Clean Up the Beach”
crowd pleaser certain to engender kinship. Several • Lizbeth, a retiree, wheels her miniature poodle around
actually include recipes. In Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy town in a pet carriage. The poodle, Trixie, wears styl-
Schulz mystery, Catering to Nobody, you’ll find recipes ish girlie outfits and pink bows in her fur.
for “Goldy’s Marvelous Mayonnaise” and “Wild Man’s
PUNS
Wild Rice Salad,” among others. Laura Childs’s Lemon
Many cozy mystery titles include puns. These titles
Curd Killer: A Tea Shop Mystery includes both recipes
don’t simply identify the book’s theme or focus, it also
and “tea time tips.” Mia P. Manansala’s Tita Rosie’s
alerts readers that a humorous and light-hearted tone
Kitchen Mysteries feature Filipino American cuisine that
will balance the sadness of the murder. Consider these
The Washington Post described as “mouth-watering.”
examples as you work on your own thematic puns.
QUIRKY CHARACTERS
• Donna Andrews’s Meg Langslow mystery series’ titles
Cozies usually include an ensemble cast comprised of
include puns related to birds: Round Up the Usual
quirky characters. According to the Merriam-Webster
Peacocks, Between a Flock and a Hard Place, and
dictionary, quirky refers to a personality attribute,
Cockatiels at Seven.
behavior, or mannerism that’s “unusual in [an] interesting
• The titles in the David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter
or appealing way.” Consider how characters like these
Mystery series’ use puns that reference dogs, such as
would spice up your cozy mystery:
Dachshund Through the Snow, Bark of Night, and Dog
• Celeste, a home health care aide has sky blue hair and Day Afternoon.
a cluster of stars tattooed on her neck • The puns in Nora Page’s Bookmobile Mystery series’
• Kyle, owner of a small-town hardware store, proudly titles allude to reading: Better Off Read, Read on
touts his “causes” with bumper stickers and shop Arrival, and Read or Alive.
• South Carolina’s Gullah Geechee • Dushore (Pennsylvania) Founder’s Day

• Hawai’i’s Pidgin celebration
• New England’s frappe (milkshakes elsewhere). In • Cannon Beach (Oregon) Sandcastle Contest
your location, would they order a sub, a hero, a • Mansfield (Texas) Pickle Parade
hoagie, or a grinder? • Hermann (Missouri) Wurstfest
• Louisiana’s Cajun
Bringing together seemingly disparate factors such
2. What are regional or local food favorites? Is there one
as culture, language, habits, standards, values, customs,
resident’s specialty that’s renowned? Are there con-
food, mores, pace of life, and so on, creates a delightful
tests or competitions?
world readers can envision, a place they want to visit and
• Colorado’s mountain trout
where they’re glad to stay a while.
• South Dakota’s kuchen
Cozy mystery readers want to feel part of a caring
• Caribbean jerk
community. You create this allure by building a delight-
• Chili cook-offs
ful, self-contained world populated by an engaging
3. Is there a musical style or instrument common to the
sleuth to create the kind of charm that knocks readers
region? Are there regularly scheduled musical events?
socks off. WD
• Kentucky’s bluegrass
• Louisiana’s zydeco
• Police and fire departments’ bagpipe bands
Jane K. Cleland (JaneCleland.com) is an Agatha-award winning
• Karaoke at a local tavern author and teacher, a contributing editor to WD, and a member of
4. What cultural or community events occur periodi- the Writer’s Digest University faculty. Check out Jane’s free monthly
cally or annually? webinars and YouTube shorties—FAQs answered in 1–3 minutes.

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COZY WRITING,
COMFORT REA D ING
MORE THAN
FLUFF
Understanding the role of

animals in cozy mysteries.
BY DIANE KELLY
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: NATBASIL, REDKOALADESIGN

ozy mystery covers make it clear what type of When a baby goes missing in Deadly Patterns,
C story readers can expect. The punny titles, the

lovely scenes you wish you could step into and,
in most cases, an adorable pet of some sort, head often
book three of Melissa Bourbon’s Magical Dressmaking
Mystery series, a goat leads the amateur sleuth away to a
manger, where the infant is hidden in the hay.
cocked in question. While it might be easy to write off the
… Thelma Louise bleated. She made it sound urgent.
pets as mere fluff, animal characters play a variety of criti-
Three short, three long, three short. Like the Morse
cal roles in these stories.
code distress signal, which made the hairs on the back
of my neck rise … She turned her glassy eyes to me
CLUE FINDERS
before taking off across my grandparents’ side of the
The natural curiosity of cats makes them both a meta-
yard. Will and I ran after her, sloshing through puddles,
phor for inquisitiveness and the perfect companion
the heels of my boots sinking into patches of mud.
for their nosy human counterparts in cozy mysteries.
Being close to the ground and infinitely flexible, cats can In The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews, a bird is itself
shimmy under furniture, bushes, or buildings. Strong a piece of evidence. Meg’s home is currently serving as a
legs and sharp claws enable them to climb bookcases, shelter for animals who would normally be at an official
trees, or roofs. Endowed with these feline superpowers, facility when an important clue comes to light.
cats are skilled investigators who see the world from a
variety of perspectives. They’re likely to spot something “I have to say,” she said finally. “I like this macaw
their caregiver would not, and bring the potential clue much better.” …
to the human’s attention. Sawdust, the sweet kitty in my “We’ve only ever had the one macaw,” I said. …
House-Flipper series, brings many clues to the attention “… What makes you think this isn’t the same
of carpenter Whitney Whitaker, including a tiny bead one?” I asked aloud.
of mercury on the floor of a fire station in Four-Alarm “The color, dear. The macaw you had yesterday
Homicide. was mostly a very harsh Prussian blue. It didn’t fit
While cats are certainly clever and craftly, canines your living room décor at all. This new macaw is a
make excellent cozy companions, too. Dogs’ superb very lovely shade of turquoise instead. Very nice.
olfactory capabilities make them scentsational sleuths, Matches the upholstery.”
sniffing out clues investigators might miss. Dogs can
lead their people partners on scent trails, giving a hint in CREATING EMPATHY FOR THE
which direction the investigation should go next. In my MAIN CHARACTER
Paw Enforcement series, K9 Brigit’s job is to assist Officer People with pets are typically nurturing types, who self-
Megan Luz in tracking suspects and searching for illegal lessly share their home, food, and bed with their four-
drugs. But the shrewd rescue dog-turned-K9 is willing legged friends. Giving a character a pet makes them
to go above and beyond for her partner and packmate. more likeable, especially if the pet is stubborn or high-
When the K9 team comes upon a crime scene in Bending maintenance, less readily lovable. Readers will have an
the Paw, Brigit sniffs more doggedly at one particular immediate affinity for the sleuth and will relate to the
puddle of blood, alerting Megan to the fact that there’s humor and headaches the pet brings to the character’s life.
something different about this pool that could be critical In Murder by Page One: A Peach Coast Library
to the case. Mystery by Olivia Matthews, librarian Marvey has
C O Z Y WRITING,
moved from Brooklyn to a tiny Georgia town. Things go In my book The Moonshine Shack Murder, a killer
south with her cat, too. follows modern-day moonshiner Hattie Hayes up a
dark, dangerous, and deserted mountain road. When
I’d stepped out of the living room for ten minutes,
the criminal forces her van to veer and roll over, Hattie’s
fifteen tops, to get my pendant-making materials.
cherished gray cat, named Smoky after the Smoky
I wanted to work on Jo’s gift. When I returned, I
Mountains, escapes his carrier and flees into the woods.
almost dropped my plastic tub of supplies. Phoenix
Smoky’s getaway adds drama to the scene.
had once again stacked all his worldly possessions
against my front door—his food bowl, bed, toys, and
blankets. He stood beside his belongings, returning
PETS AS PROTECTORS
Pets can meow or bark to warn of approaching dan-
my gaze in defiance …
ger. A pet might even directly defend the sleuth. In Two
Swallowing a sigh, I set the tub with my supplies
on the coffee table and faced him. “Phoenix, I sense
Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns, Maddy
your frustration. I’m frustrated too.”
Montgomery inherits not only her great aunt’s bakery,
I scooped him up from the entranceway and
but also an enormous English Mastiff named Baby.
carried him to my oversized, overstuffed, faux brown I opened the front passenger door and commanded
leather armchair. Phoenix turned his back to me in a Baby to get in.
feline snub. I wasn’t going to win him over so easily. He put his front paws on the seat and then
I petted him with long, slow strokes from the hoisted himself up and in. Once he was inside, I
crown of his head to his tail. “I’m very concerned that slammed the door. I hopped into the driver’s seat
you’re unhappy. I don’t like seeing you this way. You and looked across at my passenger. Baby was huge,
haven’t been yourself since our move.” but there was something very appealing about his
He deigned to send me a look over his shoulder eyes as he perched next to me in the car ...
before turning away from me again. “Hopefully, our “Well, Baby, I guess it’s you and me.” I looked
visit to the vet tomorrow will help me to understand into his eyes. He looked sad, and I wondered if he
what’s causing your unhappiness.” understood Aunt Octavia was gone. I stared at his
Phoenix shifted to lay across my lap. A good sign. giant muzzle. I certainly didn’t want to say anything
Perhaps he was forgiving me in stages. to offend him. I’d google later to find out how much
The attention Marvey pays to Phoenix shows what dogs understood, just to be on the safe side. As I
a kindhearted woman she is, making her an appealing pulled away from the curb, something banged the
character. hood of the car. I slammed on the brakes, and that’s
when I heard a string of expletives. I looked up and
RAISING THE STAKES saw a man banging his fist on the car’s hood.
It’s supremely suspenseful when a sleuth’s safety hangs A red-faced man with wisps of blond hair on
in the balance, and when a pet’s future is uncertain the either side of his head, but none on the top, glared
stakes rise exponentially. A pet parent has a lot to lose at me. “Watch where you’re going.”
if their beloved cat or dog escapes during a break-in. I rolled down the window. “I’m sorry. I didn’t
And if the killer turns his sights on the main character, see you.”
what will happen to poor, orphaned Mittens or Max? “Why not? Are you blind? I could have—”
Moreover, a character might take serious risks to ensure I was so distracted by apologizing that I wasn’t
their pet is safe, such as entering their home despite dis- paying attention to anything else. However, the
covering their front door kicked in or a window broken. abrupt end to the man’s tirade should have been
When readers are concerned not only for the amateur my warning that trouble was lurking. It wasn’t until I
sleuth’s well-being, but also for the well-being of the heard a low rumble that I remembered Baby. A split
character’s pet, the stakes increase. second later, two hundred and fifty pounds of canine

flesh landed in my lap, nearly knocking the air from out to be nothing more than an armadillo on the prowl
my lungs ... for dinner.
The man backed away from the window. His red Meri Allen’s Ice Cream Shop cozies feature a former
face turned white, as all the color drained away. cat-show diva named Sprinkles, who delights in trying to
trip shop owner Riley on the stairs. Meri says it took her
two books to realize that Sprinkles, like the killers, has
SOUNDING BOARDS
murderous intentions.
While spending time in a character’s mind can be
In Carola Dunn’s Valley of the Shadow, an interaction
insightful, prolonged contemplation of a case can slow a
between a cat and dog provides a bit of humor while also
story down. But when an amateur sleuth discusses their
setting the scene.
theories about a crime with their pet, it keeps things
moving along, even if the conversation is one-sided. The Tregeddles’ cottage opened directly onto the
Pets can consult on other matters as well. Willa, the narrow street. A large grey cat was asleep in the sun
protagonist in Korina Moss’s Cheese Shop Mystery on the slate windowsill, its tail hanging down. The tip
series, has an opinionated betta fish with a crush on Ted twitched. Teazle was usually very good with cats, but
Allen, host of the TV show “Chopped.” In Curds of Prey, this was too much for her.
Willa seeks an opinion on her outfit. Barking, she reared up against the wall, dancing
on her back legs. The cat whisked its tail away just in
“How do I look, Loretta? Be nice.”
time and stood up, back arched, hissing and spitting.
My fish tended to judge me a little for never
Naturally this incited Teazle to further frenzy.
looking as fabulous as she did, often swishing her red
As Eleanor pulled her away, the front door
crown tail like a flamenco dancer’s dress. This time
swung open.
she didn’t try to show off. She wiggled her iridescent
“What the ...!?” The small, wiry, weatherbeaten
blue body in approval.
man recognised Eleanor. “Oh, it’s you, Mrs. Trewynn.
“Thank you. I’ll leave Chopped on TV until I get
… Quite a voice your little un’s got, hasn't she?” He
home.” I put on a thin white cropped cardigan with
bent down and scratched under Teazle’s chin. By now
three-quarter length sleeves before slipping the strap
the Westie’s rear end was wagging madly, while the
of a small black purse across myself. “See you later.
cat was already apparently asleep, his tail carefully
Have fun with Ted,” I told her …
tucked up under his chin.
COMIC RELIEF As you plot your next cozy mystery, make room in your
Animal antics add fun touches of humor and expand cast for an animal character, and give the animal integral
the emotional breadth of a mystery. A sharp-clawed cat roles in your scenes. Whether it’s a calculating canine,
who swipes the killer’s ankles as he runs from police will a cunning kitty cat, or another type of animal entirely,
earn her weight in catnip. Giving pets a funny trait, such your story will be better for it. WD
as a habit of snoring, getting the zoomies, or rolling in
mud, will further endear them to readers. What’s more,
pets encourage people to do silly things, such as making
sweet talk in a high-pitched voice, sitting stock still so as
not to disturb the kitten catnapping on their lap, or driv-
ing all over town in search of the overpriced treats their
persnickety puppy prefers. Diane Kelly (DianeKelly.com) writes mysteries featuring feisty
In Rhythm and Clues, the third book of Olivia female lead characters and their furry, four-footed sidekicks.
Diane’s series include the Death and Taxes, Paw Enforcement,
Blacke’s Record Shop Mysteries set in Texas, an amus- House Flipper, Busted, Southern Homebrew, and Mountain Lodge
ing scare scene ensues when the killer who seemed Mysteries series. When not writing, Diane enjoys hiking with her
intent on forcing his way into the sleuth’s house turns dog and playing with her cats.
COZY WRITING ,
COMFO RT REA D ING
THE HOLIDAY
ROMANCE RECIPE
Discover how to infuse your romances with

fresh ideas, festive cheer, and a touch of spice.
BY RYAN G. VAN CLEAVE
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: ZOZODESIGN

allmark movies may have cornered the market best starting point to write a cozy and heartwarming
H on cheerful holiday romance, but there’s more

to the genre than mistletoe and happily-ever-
afters. From cozy hometown tales to steamy beachside
holiday romance.”
She also notes that “perhaps your experience with
holidays is more bitter, full of reminders of the fam-
flings, holiday romances offer a spectrum of emotions and ily you deserved and didn’t have, of core hurts that still
experiences. Whether it’s a feel-good family reunion or a run deep as an adult, of injustices that have never been
forbidden love affair, these stories share common threads: reversed. This also makes great inspiration for characters
offering relatable characters, capturing the spirit of the to experience a difficult season and come out changed
season, and delivering a love story that leaves us hopeful. from the other side. Readers look for stories where char-
In this article, we’ll delve into the diverse world of acters navigate their personal circumstances through
holiday romance, offering insights and tips for crafting familiar holiday traditions. Whether the characters love
your own holiday magic. or hate the holidays doesn’t matter—what does matter is
how the context of the holiday helps them through
THE MAGIC FORMULA: WHY HOLIDAY their journey.”
ROMANCES WORK
Holiday romances tap into a potent blend of nostalgia,
Universal Themes
escapism, and universal themes that resonate deeply
Holiday romances explore universal themes that resonate
with readers and viewers. These stories offer a comfort-
with audiences throughout the year, but especially dur-
ing escape from the stresses of daily life, transporting us
ing the holiday season. Themes of love, family, forgive-
to worlds where love conquers all and happy endings are
ness, and new beginnings are at the heart of these stories,
100 percent guaranteed.
reminding us of the importance of human connection
and the power of love to heal and transform.
Nostalgia and Escapism
The holidays hold a special place in our hearts, often Hallmark romances, in particular, emphasize the
filled with cherished memories of family gatherings, fes- importance of family and community, often featuring
tive traditions, and the warmth of togetherness. Holiday characters who return to their hometowns to reconnect
romances tap into this nostalgia, evoking a longing for with loved ones and rediscover their roots. These stories
simpler times and reminding us of the joy and wonder celebrate the simple joys of life, reminding us that true
we felt as children. happiness often lies in appreciating the people and tradi-
As author Mari Loyal, a romance novelist and author tions that matter most.
of Mistlefoe, suggests, “Whether it’s a religious one or
not, the ways to observe a holiday have been passed BUILDING THE DREAM: CRAFTING
down for generations and through communities, and THE HOLIDAY SETTING
more recently immortalized through media. Tapping The holiday setting is more than just a backdrop for your
into our early childhood memories of feeling safe and romance; it’s a character in its own right, influencing the
loved by our parents, the wonder we felt at the decora- plot, shaping character development, and evoking pow-
tions, the sweets, the gifts, the atmosphere of joy that erful emotions in your audience. Whether you’re writing
permeated the air well beyond our households, is the about a cozy Christmas village, a bustling New Year’s Eve
C O Z Y WRITING,
party, or a sun-drenched Valentine’s Day getaway, the key glamorous and exciting setting for urban romances.
is to transport your readers to a world of merry magic. (Book example: Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory)
Consider the specific holiday you’re writing about
Sensory Details: Painting a Vivid Picture
and choose a location that complements the theme and
The most effective way to bring your holiday setting
to life is through vivid sensory details. Appeal to all mood of your story.
five senses:
CREATING THE PERFECT PAIR:
• SIGHT: Describe the fiery hues of the sunset reflect- CHARACTERS WHO SPARKLE
ing on the ocean waves, the crackling fireplace, the Compelling characters are the heart and soul of any
vibrant colors of holiday decorations. romance, and holiday romances are no exception. So,
• SOUND: Evoke the sounds of carols playing in the commit to making your characters relatable, engaging,
distance, laughter echoing through the streets, the and capable of sparking chemistry that lights up the page
gentle clink of glasses in a toast.
or screen.
• SMELL: Transport readers with the aroma of ginger-
bread baking in the oven, pine needles filling the air,
Archetypes With Reimagined Flair
or the salty scent of the ocean on a tropical holiday.
Holiday romances often feature familiar character arche-
• TASTE: Tempt their taste buds with descriptions of hot
types, but with a spirited twist:
cocoa with marshmallows, spiced cider, peppermint
bark, or a delectable holiday feast. • THE WORKAHOLIC: This character is consumed by
• TOUCH: Let them feel the soft snowflakes on their their career, neglecting their personal life and the
skin, the warmth of a cozy blanket, or the smooth joys of the holidays. Their love interest often helps
texture of a seashell collected on the shore. them rediscover the importance of family, friends,
By engaging all of the senses, you’ll create a multi- and the simple pleasures of life. (Book example: One
dimensional experience that will draw readers into your Day in December by Josie Silver)
story and make them feel like they’re right there along- • THE SMALL-TOWN GIRL/BOY: This character embodies
side your characters. the charm and warmth of small-town living, often
contrasting with their love interest, who might be
Festive Locations: Choosing the a city dweller seeking a slower pace and a sense of
Perfect Backdrop community. (Movie example: Sweet Home Alabama)
The right location can set the tone for your entire holiday • THE GRUMP: This character is cynical, jaded, or dis-
romance. Here are a few iconic settings to consider: illusioned with love. Their love interest challenges
their negativity and helps them open their hearts
• SNOWY VILLAGES: Picture-perfect towns with charm-
to the possibility of happiness. (Movie example:
ing shops, bustling Christmas markets, and cozy inns
Valentine’s Day)
evoke a sense of nostalgia and warmth. (Book exam-
ple: The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan) • THE OUTSIDER: This character feels out of place dur-
• SKI RESORTS: Mountains covered in fresh powder pro- ing the holidays, perhaps due to family estrangement
vide a backdrop for winter sports, après-ski romance, or a sense of isolation. Their love interest provides a
and cozy nights by the fire. (Movie example: One sense of belonging and acceptance. (Book example:
Winter Weekend) The Hating Game by Sally Thorne)
• TROPICAL GETAWAYS: Sun-drenched beaches, palm • THE HOPELESS ROMANTIC: This character believes in
trees swaying in the breeze, and cheerful lū‘aus offer the magic of love and the holidays, often leading
a different kind of holiday appeal. (Movie example: them to create elaborate romantic gestures or embark
Christmas in the Caribbean) on whimsical adventures. (Book example: Dash
• BUSTLING CITIES: New York City at Christmas, London & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and
during Diwali, or Paris on Valentine’s Day offer a David Levithan)

LOVE BEYOND THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: HOLIDAY ROMANCES FOR
EVERY SEASON
While Christmas often takes center stage in the holiday • EXPLORE THEMATIC CONNECTIONS: Consider the
romance genre, there’s a whole world of love stories themes that are often associated with the holiday
waiting to be told throughout the year. Here are a few and weave them into your story, such as gratitude for
examples of books and movies that showcase the roman- Thanksgiving, new beginnings for New Year’s, or love
tic potential of other holidays: and romance for Valentine’s Day.
• CREATE FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE: Use sensory details to
• NEW YEAR’S EVE: New Year’s Eve (movie): An ensem-
evoke the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the
ble film featuring interconnected stories of love, loss,
holiday, immersing your readers in the situation.
and new beginnings on New Year’s Eve.
• DEVELOP HOLIDAY-SPECIFIC CONFLICTS: Craft conflicts
• VALENTINE’S DAY: The Proposal (movie): A rom-com
that are relevant to the holiday and can be resolved
about a woman who fakes an engagement with her
through the unique opportunities and challenges that
assistant to avoid deportation, only to fall in love
it presents, such as family drama during Thanksgiving,
for real.
• ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Leap Year (movie): A woman travels misunderstandings on Valentine’s Day, or the pressure
to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day, to make a fresh start in the New Year.
but unexpected events lead her to a different love • DON’T FORGET THE ROMANCE: While the holiday set-
interest. ting is important, remember that the core of your story
• EASTER: An Easter Bloom (movie): A young woman is the love story between your characters. Make sure
teams up with a veteran florist to save her family’s their relationship is compelling and believable, even
flower farm and unexpectedly falls for his son, the amidst the holiday chaos.
local pastor, during the Easter flower arrangement By exploring the diverse world of holiday romance,
competition. you can tap into new audiences, offer fresh perspec-
• THANKSGIVING: Pieces of April (movie): A dysfunc- tives, and create stories that resonate with readers all
tional family comes together for Thanksgiving, leading
year round.
to moments of laughter, tears, and reconciliation.
Loyal adds that “The one cardinal rule for writing
• HANUKKAH: The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer (novel):
a holiday romance relies on the tried-and-true adage
A touching story about a woman who rediscovers her
of knowing what you write. Holiday romance books
Jewish heritage and finds love during Hanukkah.
intersect two different conventions: the need for a hap-
• DIWALI: Bride and Prejudice (movie): This Bollywood-
pily ever after (or a happily for now) and knowing the
inspired take on Pride and Prejudice, set against the
holiday. To skirt both conventions is disingenuous and
vibrant backdrop of Diwali celebrations, explores
translates onto the page. This is just the same as going
cultural clashes and love across continents.
to a Christmas tree farm expecting majestic and fragrant
Tips for Writing Holiday Romances Beyond Christmas: natural pine trees, and instead finding a warehouse of
• EMBRACE THE UNIQUE TRADITIONS: Research and plastic trees that are half as short as you are. Both are
incorporate the specific traditions and customs associ- Christmas trees, but one satisfies expectations and the
ated with the holiday you’re writing about. other doesn’t.”
Creating Chemistry: Sparks That Fly • WITTY BANTER: Clever dialogue and playful teas-
Chemistry is essential for any romance, but it’s especially ing can create a sense of fun and flirtation between
important in holiday stories where the romantic con- characters.
nection needs to feel believable and heartwarming (or • SHARED EXPERIENCES: Bonding over shared interests,
sizzling, depending on the heat level). Here are a few tips hobbies, or holiday traditions can create a deeper
for creating sparks between your characters: connection.
C O Z Y WRITING,
• MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING: Characters who truly see Remember, the holiday season is a time of wonder
and understand each other, flaws and all, are more and possibility. Use this to your advantage by creating
likely to create a lasting bond. storylines that are both believable and uplifting, with
• OPPOSITES ATTRACT: The classic trope of opposites conflicts that are resolved through the kindness and gen-
attracting can create dynamic tension and spark erosity that the holidays inspire.
chemistry between characters with contrasting per-
sonalities or backgrounds. EMBRACE THE WARMTH: THE
ENDURING APPEAL OF HOLIDAY
Remember, the best romances are built on a founda-
ROMANCE
tion of mutual respect, trust, and shared values. Even in
Holiday romances hold a special place in our hearts.
steamy romances, emotional intimacy is just as impor-
They transport us to worlds of twinkling lights, cozy fire-
tant as the bow-chicka-wow-wow.
places, and blissful love stories. Whether it’s the nostal-
gic charm of a Hallmark movie, the steamy passion of
WEAVING THE LOVE STORY:
a holiday novel, or the enchanting connection in a TV
DEVELOPING HOLIDAY-THEMED PLOTS
miniseries, these tales offer a much-needed escape from
Holiday romances offer a treasure trove of plot possibili-
the stresses of daily life and a reminder of the magic that
ties, from classic tropes to unique twists. The key is to
exists during the holiday season.
weave seasonal traditions and events into your storylines,
Whether you’re an aspiring writer or a seasoned pro,
creating conflicts and resolutions that are both emotional
the various holiday seasons throughout the year offer a
and relevant to the season.
wealth of inspiration for crafting your own heartwarm-
ing (or steamy) tales of love and connection. By incor-
Classic Tropes With a Holiday Twist
porating the elements we’ve discussed—a festive setting,
Many beloved holiday romance tropes can be adapted to
holiday-themed conflicts, relatable characters, and a feel-
fit various holidays and heat levels:
good resolution—you can create stories that resonate
• REKINDLED LOVE: Childhood sweethearts reunite dur- with readers and leave them with a warm glow long after
ing the holidays after years of separation, reigniting the final page.
old flames and rediscovering lost love. (Book exam- So, grab a pen and paper, or fire up your laptop, and
ple: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren) let the spirit of the holidays guide your writing. And
• UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS: Strangers meet by chance if this article helps you write the Next Great Holiday
during holiday travel or events, sparking an instant Romance, go ahead and send along my share of the pro-
connection that blossoms into romance. (Movie ceeds—a mug of well-whipped-creamed hot chocolate,
example: Love Actually) served extra steamy, please. WD
• OVERCOMING FAMILY CONFLICTS: Estranged family
members come together for the holidays, forced to
confront past hurts and find a path towards forgive-
ness and reconciliation. (Movie example: The Family
Stone)
• FINDING LOVE WHILE STRANDED: A snowstorm,
delayed flight, or other holiday mishap leaves two
strangers stranded together, leading to unexpected
romance. (Movie example: A Christmas Detour)
• THE ACT OF GIVING: Characters find love and fulfill- Ryan G. Van Cleave (RyanVanCleave.com) is editor for Bushel
ment by volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating to a & Peck Books and has authored dozens of books, including The
Weekend Book Proposal and Memoir Writing for Dummies. As
charity, or spreading holiday cheer to those in need. The Picture Book Doctor (ThePictureBookDoctor.com), Ryan helps
(Book example: A Season for Second Chances by celebrity clients write stories for kids and bring them to life on the
Jenny Bayliss) page, stage, and screen.

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T U TO R I A L S.W R I T E R S D I G E S T.CO M
V I D E O S I N C LU D E :
5 TYPES OF SHORT
FICTION TO TRY
- RAN WALKER
6 UNIQUE EDITING IDEAS

YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER TRIED
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WRITING A PITCH VS.

WRITING A SYNOPSIS
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HOW TO GET STARTED

AS A FREELANCE WRITER
- C. HOPE CLARK
HOW TO GET STARTED

(OR RE-STARTED) IN WRITING
- SHARON SHORT
COZY WRITING,
COMFO RT REA D ING
FINDING COMFORT
AMID CHAOS
Publishing may be unpredictable, but knowing

what you can control and what you value can
help you find success—on your terms.
BY TIFFANY YATES MARTIN
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: A. ZABNINA, REDKOALADESIGN

t’s not your imagination—building a writing career value judgment if your writing career means you write
I is getting tougher. Recent statistics estimate that two

million new books a year are offered on Amazon.
Competition grows stronger, the market grows more
for your own enjoyment, or for a small group of readers
like family or special-interest groups.) You get to deter-
mine when you send your work out, and to whom—and
crowded, advances are decreasing, and more and more there are more avenues than ever to be published.
authors are competing for eyeballs—including against an Writers have unprecedented access to hire top-notch
onslaught of AI-generated books. professionals once available mostly only through big
Increasingly, publishing houses focus on debut publishing houses; more ability to find and reach readers
authors, the tradition of nurturing and building an directly; and more ways to market and even distribute
author’s career over years and multiple books seemingly their own stories. You have control over all those choices
a relic. If a single title’s sales don’t measure up to expec- relative to the business of writing.
tations, you may not get a shot at a second one—and yet What you don’t have control over is the outcome. You
much marketing and publicity is, more than ever, up to can’t influence whether agents or editors will accept your
most authors to shoulder. work, whether readers will buy it or how they will review
Regardless of their publishing path, authors assume it. No matter how brilliant your writing may be, art is the
ever more costs associated with publishing, as well as most subjective and mercurial of businesses, and often
ever more of the risks. They do the bulk of the labor of what makes one book a smash bestseller and another lost
creating the product on which our entire industry is in the slush pile is no more than chance or timing or luck
based, yet often benefit least from the commerce of it. or the right contacts.
In a time when it can feel daunting or even point- But you can control your own efforts and output,
less to try to pursue a writing career, how can you find a shifting away from defining your success or worth based
calm and confident center from which to free yourself to on outside attainments—the process, not the product.
produce your best work and create a fulfilling, long-term, You have complete control over what you write, how you
sustainable writing career no matter what current mad- write it, when, how often—all creative decisions about
ness is swirling around you in the industry? your work itself that you get to make.
But, like characters in our unedited stories bumbling
TAKE CONTROL around in circles and into dead ends, because they don’t
One reason we can feel out of control over our career is have clearly delineated goals and motivations, authors
because we base our goals on factors that don’t allow for may flounder in their careers because they fail to con-
it. Making order from chaos starts with reframing the cretely define what they want or look at their true rea-
way we think about our careers and what constitutes sons for wanting it. Identifying your own motivations
success for us. and goals hinges on three core elements:
That coin has two sides: the business and the art of
your career. Know Why You Write
Relative to the business side, despite how much may Established authors I work with often tell me that the fre-
be beyond your ability to influence, there is much that est they ever felt as writers, the most they ever enjoyed
you do have a say over. You get to decide what publishing it, was before they published or when they were between
path you want to pursue—if any. (There is no shame or publishing contracts. That’s when they didn’t worry about
C O Z Y WRITING,
deadlines or expectations or their platform or marketabil- revision? How about marketing? What does that look
ity; they just worked from the pure creative impulse that like in practice—a 40-hour workweek, broken up into
made them want to become writers in the first place. writing one manuscript while editing another, and also
But amid the chaos of the publishing world, it’s easy marketing and publicity and platform building? Fifty
to lose sight of that initial spark, our passion for the hours? Sixty? And are you factoring these expenses,
art and craft of writing: creating stories and worlds we where you must carry them yourself, into your net yield?
dream of, exploring our fullest imaginations, learning When books become your main product that
and honing our skills, expressing our inner selves on provides your income, your business model requires
the page. churning them out regularly, without fail. And market
Those satisfactions come from within you, rather than fluctuations are out of your control: Does your business
hinging on outside forces or opinions, and are attain- model allow for “dry spells” if one book doesn’t sell well,
able through your efforts. Staying connected to that core or advances drop, or you lose a publishing contract, or
“why” lays the foundation for agency and autonomy as an you fall behind in production of your stories?
author, so you never feel like a beggar at the table hop- When you consider what your goals actually mean
ing for scraps to be tossed your way, but rather a working and entail, do they still sound enjoyable to you? Is this
artist at the helm of your own creative career. what you had in mind when you dreamed of making
your living writing?
Know What You Want Maybe it is. But maybe it isn’t, and you realize that
But most of us didn’t get into this field because we actually, when you say you want to write full-time, what
wanted to sit in our attic retreats and write for the sheer you really mean is you do want to be Emily Brontë writ-
love of it, for no one’s eyes but our own. It’s human ing in her attic aerie, untroubled by the chaotic realities
nature to want to share our creative work and find an of the business or the world, simply living as a pure artist.
appreciative audience. It’s human nature—and practical- Or that it’s enough to write part-time, buying yourself
ity—to want to be paid for it. creative freedom with your “day job”—the way so many
Finding comfort within the chaos starts with defining authors do, even bestsellers.
what that specifically means for you. For instance: And maybe that’s already within your reach.
This is why it’s crucial to pinpoint goals and motiva-
• Do you want to write full-time and make a living
tions concretely and fully—for ourselves just as with our
from your writing?
characters. Your stories will never come together if you
• Do you want to augment your finances with
don’t … and neither will a rewarding writing career.
writing income?
• Do you want to be traditionally published?
Know What You Value
• Do you want to have more control over your books
Even though it may feel like it, art is not life.
and career and indie publish?
Besides the joy of pursuing your writing, and the
Whatever your goals, what does that mean or practi- potential of making money from it if that’s among your
cally look like? For instance, how much money do you goals, what else do you value for a full and meaningful
need to make from your writing to do it full-time? What life? What—and most importantly, who—matters most
are the current traditional publishing advances like, on to you? Your partner? Children? Pets? Your family of ori-
average? How likely is it you will sell through and make gin? Your family of friends? Your community—writing
additional royalties? Or how much can you reasonably and otherwise?
expect to make on a small-, hybrid-, or indie-publishing What does that look like to you in your ideal life? Do
track, where advances may be even smaller or nonex- you want time every day to devote to those people, to
istent? How many books will you need to publish each nourish yourself and these relationships? What does that
year given those estimates to make what you need to mean—specifically: Twenty minutes of meaningful con-
make to sustain a full-time writing career? versation? Shared activity and enjoyment? More?
What does that look like? How much time is required What about your other passions and interests, where
for writing each book? How much for editing and do they fit in? Is regular exercise important to you, or

being in nature, or hobbies like gardening or cooking or Do everything you can to set
rock-climbing or glass blowing?
Based on all your values, what does success mean to
yourself up for success, but
you? What would feel like enough: time well spent, life always coming back to your
thoroughly enjoyed? goals, your motivations, the
Once you define these parameters, what do you do
with them? They become the basis for how you build realities, and your values—
your writing career. They allow you to make decisions your definition of success,
and create a life that fulfills you.
on your terms—is your safe
TREAT YOUR WRITING CAREER AS harbor in any storm.
A BUSINESS
You know the setting—the realities of our industry. You
know your motivations—your why. You know your do they pay—is it enough to live on, or how much of
goals—your “enough.” You know the stakes—what it will you have to do to make your desired income? Is
you value. that feasible/sustainable? How, exactly? If not, how will
Now you have to create the plot—the actions you will you supplement that income, if you need to? Make a
take to reach the goals you desire, within your control. specific, concrete plan for soliciting and attaining paid
That means treating your writing as a business and as a work—and follow it.
career—and honoring your right to pursue it whether or
not it’s “profitable.” Adjust When Needed
Periodically revisit your mission statement and busi-
Have a Plan ness plan, and tweak as your situation, the market, or
Now that you’ve defined what you hope to achieve in its requirements change. Regularly revisit your goals:
your writing career, determine what you need to do to You are not stuck in the rut of the things you may have
attain those concrete goals. wanted in the past—people evolve and grow, and their
Create a mission statement and business plan—an goals must evolve with them.
actual written one that you keep. Make a flowchart, a Even with exact planning and diligent execu-
bullet list, a spreadsheet—whatever works for you to tion, there are no guarantees in any creative business.
delineate the steps on the path that are necessary to Publishing is a subjective industry and a mercurial one.
achieve your particularly defined goals. Do everything you can to set yourself up for success, but
That likely starts with creating a writing routine and always coming back to your goals, your motivations, the
treating it like any other firm commitment—like a job. realities, and your values—your definition of success, on
Writers write; they don’t just talk about writing. Schedule your terms—is your safe harbor in any storm.
your writing time and honor that. Keep learning your That doesn’t mean you don’t dream. Our dreams can
craft to hone your skills, as you would in any other field sustain us and help motivate us, but it does mean shift-
you want to master and succeed in. ing away from defining the attainment of those dreams
If your goals involve your stories reaching readers, as success. From valuing our success or worth based on
pinpoint the avenue(s) you want to pursue and learn the outside achievements rather than internal satisfactions.
steps involved—and then put them into action, creating Define your success not as what will make you happy,
a step-by-step, concrete plan for that too. but as what you can be happy with. It’s a subtle shift in
You wouldn’t dream of trying to launch any other thinking that keeps you from waiting for the holy grail
business without a researched market plan and bud- before you can actually enjoy your life or your career.
get—treat your writing career the same way and have
a budget for your time as well as your finances. What Stay in the Game
are the markets for selling your work? What do you It’s such oft-repeated advice for writers that it’s a cliché,
have to do to be competitive in those markets? What but the secret of creating a successful writing career is
C O Z Y WRITING,
persistence. And the main tool to be able to persist in Our reluctance to advocate for ourselves is often
this chaotic, challenging business is resilience. rooted in fear: fear that our work really isn’t good
And the way to create resilience is to remember that enough, or that no one else will want it. Fear that we’re
we are not our writing. We are not our writing careers. being greedy or arrogant for asking for more compen-
Our worth is not dependent on the performance or pop- sation or better terms, or that if we have the temerity to
ularity or perfection of our creative output. do so, whoever is offering for our work will change their
It can be hard to hold on to that in those literary dark minds or offer to someone else instead.
nights of the soul, when we may be beset by self-doubt, But if we don’t value our work and champion our
discouragement, even despair. But our creative output writing, who will? And why would anyone else value it?
has inherent value because we instill it. We don’t exist for If we don’t take the wheel of our own careers, then we’re
our writing—our writing exists because of us. As long as putting someone else in the driver’s seat, a passive pas-
you pursue it—on whatever level is meaningful to you— senger in our own lives.
you are a writer.
CONCLUSION
BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE Here’s a little mental check-in to begin to reclaim your
In any creative industry, where the person who often own career on your terms: If somebody told you that
benefits the least financially is the creator, it’s up to every you will never hit the heights you dream of, would you
artist to be their own advocate and champion, even if continue writing?
you’re lucky enough to have a support team behind you. If you can answer yes—right now, wherever you are
That means taking yourself seriously as a writer; valu- in your career—then you already have all the ingredients
ing and respecting your creative work, no matter where for forging the writing life you want, no matter how cha-
you are in your growth as an artist; and knowing when otic the industry.
to say no—and saying it. Even in an industry rife with With all the challenges of a creative life, it’s still one of
rejection, where too often the remunerative elements the noblest of human pursuits. Writing sheds light where
aren’t remotely commensurate with the effort and energy there is darkness. It brings people a greater understand-
the work requires, and artists are sometimes treated as ing of themselves and each other and the world. It con-
disposable, interchangeable manufacturers of “product,” nects them and brings them together. It makes our world
you get to decide your work’s worth. warmer and brighter and more hopeful.
Don’t be afraid to ask to be paid for your writing. And that’s the true comfort amid the chaos. WD
Don’t be afraid to negotiate for more money or to retain
more rights. Don’t be afraid to walk away if someone else For more on this topic, check out Tiffany’s new
doesn’t value your work the way you realistically believe book The Intuitive Author: How to Grow & Sustain a
it should be valued. If one of your goals for your writing Happier Writing Career.
career is to make money—which is fully legitimate and
valid—then you have to approach selling your work like
the business it is.
Advocating for yourself and your career also means
consciously creating the career you want; protecting
yourself and your intellectual property; and speaking
up for yourself to make sure you have a seat at the table. Tiffany Yates Martin (FoxPrintEditorial.com) is a 30-year career
You don’t have to follow others’ lead or wishes for your book editor working with major publishers and bestselling and
career: If you don’t want to use a pen name, you don’t award-winning authors. An in-demand speaker, presenter, and
regular contributor to writing outlets, she is also the author of
have to. If you don’t want to switch genres, don’t. If you Intuitive Editing: A Creative and Practical Guide to Revising Your
feel your agent or publisher isn’t a good fit for you any- Writing and the new The Intuitive Author: How to Grow and Sustain
more, don’t be afraid to end the relationship. a Happier Writing Life.

2024 WEBINAR
WITH TIFFANY YATES MARTIN
SAVE THE DATE!
DECEMBER 5
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Visit WritersOnlineWorkshops.com
to find out more and register.
COZY WRITING ,
COMFORT REA D ING
THE IMAGINARY
MENTORSHIP
Unlock writing secrets from
literary titans to inspire and
boost your work.
BY MICHAEL LA RONN
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: A. ZABNINA

very once in a while, I encounter an author whose the mentor exposes the mentee to new areas of thought
E writing style vibes with my own, and I feel a deep,

almost spiritual connection with that author.
A few years ago, I was reading a novel by Michael
that the mentee wouldn’t have otherwise considered.
Mentorships are often regular touch-bases either in per-
son or virtually.
Crichton and found myself really connecting with his However, with an imaginary mentor, you can’t meet
writing style. One night while writing my novel, I came with them because they are deceased or they are difficult
to a tricky cliffhanger. I wondered what Crichton would if not impossible to cultivate a relationship with.
have thought about it and how he would’ve handled it. Developing an imaginary mentorship allows you to
Later that night, while reading, I encountered a reap the benefits of the mentor’s wisdom, even though
similar cliffhanger in his novel that was almost identi- you’ll never meet them. Developing an imaginary men-
cal to the one in my novel, and it answered my question! torship allows you to reap the benefits of the mentor’s
Crichton handled the situation gracefully, with a tech- wisdom, even though you’ll never meet them.
nique that I wouldn’t have thought to use. In today’s information age, it’s easy to forget that so
The experience taught me that mega-bestselling much information is just a few clicks away. Not only
authors operate on a completely different level that is can you find virtually any book you want in any format
often hard to see. Crichton gave me a glimpse of it. (e-book, print, or audiobook), but you can also find a lot
That got me thinking—what else could he teach me? of information about your imaginary mentor online that
I would have loved to have coffee with him and talk can serve as a fulfilling replacement for a real mentor-
writing shop. ship. Sure, it’s not the same thing, but it’s not nothing.
There were only two problems. First, he is one of the You’d be surprised at what you can find.
top selling authors in history. Authors at his level don’t Let’s cover the steps to creating a great (imaginary)
have time to be mentors. Second, he passed away in mentorship that will take your writing to the next level.
2008. So much for coffee!
However, Crichton left nearly 30 novels (such as SELECT YOUR MENTOR
Jurassic Park, Congo, and The Andromeda Strain) and Who should your mentor be? Ideally, they should:
many interviews about his life and his writing, all easily
• be farther down the path you want to walk
available on the internet. I realized that there were still so
• have a writing style that is similar to or complements
many things about him that I could explore even though
your writing
he is no longer with us.
• have life experience you could benefit from
So, I decided to make Michael Crichton my mentor
anyway—my imaginary mentor! Also, the ideal imaginary mentor should be living
or recently deceased within the last few decades. This
THE IMAGINARY MENTOR will ensure that their advice is best tailored for you and
First, let’s define “mentorship.” It is an arrangement recent enough that you can apply the lessons to your
where a more experienced person (the mentor) provides craft. For example, there’s nothing wrong with choosing
guidance to a less experienced person (the mentee). Charles Dickens as a mentor, but the craft techniques he
Usually, the mentor is farther down the path the men- used are less likely to captivate the modern reader.
tee wishes to walk themselves. Other times, the men- Finally, your mentor should be someone with whom
tor might hail from a different life path entirely, and you share a deep, instinctual connection to their writing.
C O Z Y WRITING,
For example, I find that I approach scenes the same way dangerous landscapes with great tension. Studying
Michael Crichton did, especially in how he paints sen- Crichton’s execution was practical for me in many ways.
sory details. His approach is logical and meticulous (he It’s the sort of thing that pops up in novels again and
was a doctor before he became a writer, after all). He again. Those are the techniques you should look for.
shows me what is possible if I keep practicing my craft.
When I read his work, I intuitively understand what he RESEARCH YOUR MENTOR
is doing at the craft level. I just “get” it. This is the type of In addition to reading your mentor’s books, you should
connection you want. also research what you can find out about them online.
I also find Crichton’s life endlessly fascinating. He Do a web search and see what comes up. Here’s what
lived a life of many adventures, but he was also a compli- you might find:
cated man. That is the mark of a good potential mentor.
• Autobiographies
Just as in real life, mentors don’t have everything figured
• Biographies
out. In fact, it’s often their mistakes and negative life
• Magazine articles
experiences that make them such good sages.
• Print interviews
In any case, choose your mentor wisely.
• Video interviews
• Fan sites
READ THEIR BOOKS
It goes without saying that you should read your men- These are just a few of the resources you might
tor’s books. You should endeavor to read as many as you come across.
can, if not all of them. To truly benefit from the men- You may also find hidden gems. Michael Crichton
torship, you will need to become familiar with subtle wrote a travel memoir that detailed his travels around
nuances of their writing that you would miss if you only the world as well as his personal life.
read one or two of their books. When I studied the life of Arthur Hailey (a thriller
Approach every novel as if it can teach you some- author who was very popular in the 1960s and 1970s
thing. Read it first for enjoyment, then study three to five but who is less known today), I discovered that his wife
parts that captivated you. That’s where the lessons are. Sheila wrote a memoir about his life. It included detailed
Reading your mentor’s books also helps you track descriptions of how he researched and wrote his books.
their progression as a writer. Few successful authors start That was an unexpected pleasure.
at the top of their field. Start with your mentor’s first Go wherever the search engines take you, and keep an
novel and read forward. Watch them sharpen their craft open mind about what you might find.
before your very eyes.
You may find that the author uses certain techniques BUILD A “MAP” OF THE
again and again, and each time is a practice session. For MENTOR’S MIND
example, in almost every Crichton novel, the hero has As you read and research, you’ll develop an intuitive
to climb something dangerous in order to get away from understanding of your author’s writing and life. This will
the bad guys, like the famous electric fence scene in be vitally important.
Jurassic Park where the heroes are climbing a deactivated I recommend taking notes during your learning ses-
electric perimeter fence just as it is being powered back sions. You can use a physical notebook, but I prefer a
on. (I call this technique the “Crichton Climb.”) digital notebook like Apple Notes or Microsoft OneNote
Many people don’t know that Michael Crichton got to create a “living” document you can update as you
his start writing pulp novels in the 1960s, and this tech- learn new lessons. Digital notebooks will also help you
nique dates back to his earliest novels. By the time he stay more organized.
wrote the climbing scene in Jurassic Park, he had Write down the lessons you learn. Capture the “a-ha!”
perfected it. moments. Organize your thoughts. Over time, you will
In my own fantasy writing, I find that my characters build a robust knowledge base about your mentor’s
are often in similar situations where they have to traverse writing.

You’ll need to build a “map” of your mentor’s mind truly works. You may find that it contradicts what you
because it will prepare you for the next most important thought you knew.
step: asking your mentor questions. Again, that’s the mark of a good mentor!
ASK YOUR MENTOR QUESTIONS IT’S COOL TO HAVE IMAGINARY

Whenever you encounter a problem in your writing ses- FRIENDS
sions, ask, “What would my mentor do?” To recap:
Consult your notes. Read more of their books.
• Select your mentor.
Research your mentor online. See if you can find the
• Read their books.
answer. As you do, add to your notebook and keep build-
• Research them.
ing that map of their mind!
• Build a “map” of their mind.
If you do this enough, your imaginary mentor will
• Ask them questions.
be able to answer most of your questions. It’s like being
• Practice, practice, practice.
stuck in your novel, picking up the phone, and getting
advice on demand. The best part is that your imaginary Just as I learned countless craft advice from Michael
mentor is available 24/7/365! Crichton, you too can learn untold treasures from your
For even better results, develop multiple imaginary favorite authors. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at
mentorships. I have mentors in all the major genres: what you can discover.
fantasy, mystery, romance, science fiction, and thriller. I This method is also a great alternative for writers who
find that each of my mentors approach the same problem are too shy to approach a living mentor. Perhaps there is
differently, and that gives me valuable hints when I’m someone who could be your mentor but you’re afraid to
problem-solving in my writing sessions. ask them. Develop an imaginary mentorship instead!
Or, use an imaginary mentorship as a springboard to
For a more realistic experience, consider loading your an actual one. I once had a successful multiple New York
mentor’s mind “map” into ChatGPT or Claude and ask Times and USA Today bestselling novelist as my mentor.
them to roleplay as your mentor. Ask your questions, Before I mustered the courage to ask for the mentorship,
and you’ll have your own personal chat session full of I read all of his books and everything I could find about
advice and inspiration! his life. When we began the mentorship, I got more from
the experience because I asked thoughtful questions. He
also enjoyed it immensely because I respected his time
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and his wisdom.
It’s easy to study a mentor’s writing. It’s also easy to study In any case, studying other writers is a critical part of
their life. However, if you don’t apply the lessons to your being a writer. An imaginary mentorship is a fun way to
work in progress, then this entire exercise will be in vain. do it.
Deconstruct techniques and practice them in your Plus, you can brag to your writing buddies that you’ve
own fiction, in your own style. If you write a scene with a got a bestselling author as a mentor. They might look
telephone conversation, how does your mentor do it? at you a little funny when you explain that the mentor-
This is how you begin to deepen your writing craft. ship is imaginary, but after you explain it and how it has
My experience has been that many writers focus on helped your writing, they’ll be jealous and want an imag-
macro writing techniques like plotting, character arcs, inary mentor, too. WD
and world-building—and these are important things to
learn. However, the micro is where writers are made.
Elements like character introductions, settings, fight Michael La Ronn is the Amazon bestselling author of more than
90 science-fiction & fantasy novels and self-help books for writers.
scenes, kissing scenes, chapter openings, and chapter His book The Pocket Guide to Pantsing helps writers through the
endings are where mega-bestsellers excel. If you study murky process of writing a novel without an outline. It is available
your mentors in the micro, they’ll show you how writing wherever you purchase your books.
THE
WD INTERVIEW
Vanessa Riley
R
ecently, I was scrolling online, and I saw a reader Pick, an ABC “The View” Lit Pick, the 2024 Georgia
pose an interesting question: “Where is the history Mystery/Detective Author of the Year, the 2023 Georgia
in my historical romances?” Literary Fiction Author of the Year, and starred reviews
Vanessa Riley is one author for whom her readers from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.
never have to ask this question. Although she writes in World-building is where we began our conversation.
several historical subgenres—romance, mystery, and
biographical fiction—each story feels both grounded in Why is it so important to you to incorporate so much
the time and full of imagination. “The reason I love the specificity in your novels?
Regency is because I’ve read over 10,000 books in that Because when I got started, there wasn’t a space for
era, written in that era, written by modern people for these types of stories. And today you say something is
that era. I love it all,” she said. “And there’s room for so a fantasy and that’s a compliment. It wasn’t a compli-
much more storytelling.” ment when I started publishing. I remember my very
Riley has become an expert in the Regency, compiling first agent was shopping a book and we got some of the
research on everything from weapons to drugs and med- best rejection letters. “We love her voice. Does she have
ications to furniture and fashion—and that’s not even anything else? We love this. We just don’t know how to
touching the complex social and political climate that market it.” …
defined this time period. Something that features promi- They use that as a way to gatekeep and keep people
nently in her work is that the era was much more diverse from telling their stories or shaming people into telling
than modern schooling and media have led us to believe. the same story over and over with just different names
“It shocks me that the truth is there if you care to because they want to be accepted. They want to come
know,” she said. “I revere history. I feel very privileged to to the parties, they want to be in the club. I took a very
tell these stories. … Everybody is entitled to tell the story different route. I looked at the history, and the history
the way they want to tell it. You don’t have to go cradle is crazy and funny and scary and humane in aspects
the grave like me, but be aware of the choices you make.” that, at the time, just weren’t even being touched. And I
She’s also passionate about showcasing women in her said, “You know what, we’re going to play this game”—
work—not just brave ones taking on enormous tasks because the minute you get a detail wrong, that’s how
(though there are quite a few of those!) but also funny they used to exclude you from the club. So, it made me
women, messy women, women who love thrills and sharper, it made me dig deeper. And then you see this
drama, women who see the world in ways that men can- whole world of things that are just so interesting to me.
not. “Women, I find, have that power of observation, It made me strive to let you know this is the history.
mainly because we’re made to be quiet most of the time. We can still have our tropes. We can still be funny. But
So, we’re always observing and looking and observing we can ground ourselves in a history that is true, that
and looking.” may be different than what you have known and grown
Her dedication to walking the line between fact and up [with]. But I think that’s the exciting part. Here’s
fiction gives her readers the fully immersive experience another spin, another look. And then you get the doors
of stepping right into the world of her characters, some open to stories you probably would not have seen.
of whom were real people. It’s these details that make
her work stand out among the crowd and have earned You do not hoard your research. You have a website
her acclaim, including a “Good Morning America” Buzz where anyone can go and read about the things that

The acclaimed historical
fiction author discusses her
drafting process, the real
history behind her work, and
her latest publication, Murder
in Berkeley Square.
BY MORIAH RICHARD
THE WD INTERVIEW Vanessa Riley
you have come across while writing all of your books. This is real history, but there’s distance. … You get to
And none of this is even to mention your doctorate in have all that in that context but I’m very clear this is a
mechanical engineering! Have you always been some- romance. There are reader expectations and happy-ever-
one who finds joy in the research process? after. Now we have to feel these people falling in love. But
Absolutely. … Too much is gatekept. There were people I’m gonna throw in as much foolishness as possible.
who’ve always encouraged me in the earlier stages of my The fact that they are all somewhat in the Regency
career that if they had gatekept, I wouldn’t be [publish- world makes it easier for me because the dress, the talk,
ing]. And so that is my policy. … This goes back to the the hairstyles, the political movements, I understand that
early days. People had never heard of this history, and I intimately. And that’s the same regardless of if it’s a mur-
said, “Let’s put it out here. Let’s organize it so that it’s easy der mystery or if it’s romance. They’re very different, but
for everybody to see.” We’re [the] mothership now for all they share enough unique bonds that it’s a lot easier. If I
types of Regency, not just Black history but all types of were doing a contemporary and a historical, that might
history. We’re there for women’s activities, different polit- be more complicated because everything is different. It’s
ical movements. If I can find it, I put it there. all about the pre-work that you do. And I do a lot of pre-
[And] in my historical fictions … I have complete work for these stories.
bibliographies in the back of the book.
Something that your books have opened my eyes to
Can you tell me a little bit about something that is that for any kind of historical genre, not only does
greatly surprised you when you were researching, your setting have to be believable, but your dia-
and did you incorporate it into your work? logue has to be believable too. How do you navigate
When you go back and read all these conceptions of how that relationship between staying true to the history
we think, how sterile history is, how black and white, and of the language and making it so that your readers
then you see there’s all these shades of gray. That always aren’t going to get lost or confused?
blows my mind. I’ve read a lot of books during that particular time-
… Talking about Haitian history, Queen of Exiles, frame by the writers in that timeframe. Particularly Jane
the fact that she [Marie-Louise Christophe] was media- Austen. And what you understand is she’s telling a story.
stalked. I’ve found so many articles saying where she was It’s not without contractions. It’s not without color and
staying, how many attendants she had with her, what her the humor of the times. There are political angles that we
daughters were wearing, who was visiting them, all the may miss, but people reading it then did not miss.
different countries she was going to. Yet modern histo- Particularly with Mansfield Park, they’re talking about
rians will say that she was poor and unaccepted because the uncle having to go work on his habitations in the
she was Black, and nobody bats an eye. All they have to Caribbean, and she didn’t have to use the word slave or
do is look at newspapers, archives, or do a really good enslavement, but they all knew why he had to go. We
Google [search] and you’ll see that’s not the story. So far missed that, or we choose to miss that piece because we
from the story. have this fantasy that she wasn’t political, and she was
extremely political, and that’s why her word survives.
You released two books this year. The first is A There’s a beauty of understanding the period that you
Gamble at Sunset, a historical romance, and the are writing about and trying to get that right, but then
second is Murder in Berkeley Square, a historical remembering you’ve got present-day readers.
mystery. I cannot imagine holding both of those sto- Funny story—I was working as a consultant on Sense
ries in your head and the kind of deadlines that you and Sensibility, Hallmark’s reimagined movie. There’s this
had to meet! Can you tell me a little bit about how big ballroom scene. They have to come into the room
you navigate writing and publishing such different in order by age, but for the scene they did, they needed
genres so close together? these two [to enter together]. I was like, “This is the way,”
You have to know who you’re telling the story for—the and it was like, “Thank you, Vanessa, but we’re going
purpose of the story—and keep that very, very clear. For with this.” [Laughs]
my romance people, they want sweeping, they want epic. It’s a necessary balance. You get as much as you pos-
They want humor. They want chaos! [Laughs] sibly can. But for the moment that you’re trying to show,

We can still have our tropes. We can still be funny. But
we can ground ourselves in a history that is true, that
may be different than what you have known …
it’s got to be crystal clear what is going on. Whether on the page when you also have a whole major plot
you’re in film or written word, the language has to feel going on?
authentic. … It’s a fine balance, right? Sometimes we can’t see our-
Choosing how to bring the present world into this selves, and we need a strong voice to tell us or to share
language to draw closer to the modern reader is a chal- an opinion. Sometimes I use secondary characters to just
lenge, and I have fun with it sometimes. But there’s be the elephant in the room. Like, “You’re trying to do X,
always still a misperception of how people wrote versus Y, and Z, but do you see what is happening?” You need a
how they speak. … I’m very careful with that, and I try vocal conscience. Sometimes these secondary characters
and give you as much flavor as I can of the times, but it are being that. That gives them more time. Sometimes
has to be accessible. they are the humor hits, right? You know, “We’ve just
survived being killed. Let’s go get cheese.” [Laughs]
Is that something you feel you are very focused on … In all honesty, we do life with people, not props.
in your first drafts, or is that something you navigate I want to feel that community. And it’s another way for
more during the editorial process? me to make sure we round the cast out so people can see
I have a three-plus draft process. First time I write this themselves in these books. Oftentimes we don’t or …
book is horrible. [Laughs] I’m getting from point A to diverse characters sometimes get relegated to the best
point B. It’s white clothes, white rooms, white floors, friend, the wise-talking grandma, that smack talker, and
white sky. And if it’s a murder mystery, I got the “When whatever. Everybody needs to be relevant. And we all
will the body show up? And why does it make sense for play a part in their lives.
them to show up?” That first draft, that’s the two things So, this is how Lady Worthing works. This is how
I’m going for. Get from point A (beginning of story) to her world works. You take somebody out, her world is
point B (end of story). not the same. That’s an important thing. It’s by sitting
And how do we get there on the second and the third down before you start writing, and, for me, really think-
draft? We are tuning motivations. We are adding in the ing about who these characters are, and at the end of
colors. We are sharpening things. The final revision is the story, how would they change? How have each one
going through and looking at every spoken word as well of these people changed by the time you get to the end?
as every thought that’s written in that book. Is it sharp? Is That helps in the world-building, that helps to make
it going to leave a sting when the reader reads it? Magic every character dynamic. I’m trying not to put filler into
happens in editing. And you cannot edit a blank page. any of these stories. Every moment has to count. When
I relieve myself of trying to be cute and clever, and every moment counts, you are judicious in where sec-
I’m getting to the end on those first couple drafts. Then ondary characters show up where and the roles they play.
once I get to the end, I go back over and we sharpen and
we go back over and we sharpen, we go back over and In the Lady Worthing Mysteries, something that
we sharpen, and then we go back, we’re like, “Can I play I love so much about Abbie is her past is coming
a little bit? Can I just make this scene more impactful if I and knocking, and she’s like, “I can’t be bothered
say less?” with you right now. I have things to do. I’m busy.”
[Laughs] How do you navigate this very lively charac-
Something that I really love about your work is that ter who is often trying to shuffle around parts of her
these women have real relationships with each other. life that she’s unhappy with and focus on the excit-
Even if they are not the main character, they are a ing things that are in front of her?
living, breathing part of the main character’s life. Abbie’s a complicated wreck, and I love her for that.
Can you explain how you determine how much time She gets her real start because she’s curious: a man
and space to devote to these secondary characters who’s invested in her father’s firm, Lord Worthing, is
THE WD INTERVIEW Vanessa Riley
suspected—wrongfully—of embezzlement. She’s able [Christie] did with it was brilliant. You get wealthy
to puzzle things together. And she’s bold enough that people on an island, and you bump ’em all off, because
she lets the magistrate know what’s going on, and she they all deserved it. I think that’s brilliant. But the mech-
appears to be right. [Laughs] That gets Lord Worthing anism to get there is this toxic nursery rhyme.
free. Then that lets her godfather, who works for the I do a lot of research about the different rebellions
prince regent, put things in motion. Now she’s Lady in the West. I was like, Well, wait a minute. What if the
Worthing. She’s new in this creation of a title, and titles enslaved had a rhyme that they would taunt their own-
make people act certain ways. The fact that now she’s ers with before a rebellion started? And I could hear the
money makes people act certain ways, but she’s rhythm in the background and almost my father’s voice
still Abbie. that sang that rhyme. And I was like, this will prove a
You’re coming for a murder mystery, right? I am very point. This is very interesting.
clear, when you come for biographical fiction, you want So, you get people snowed in, and all these wealthy
a saga of a woman doing something incredible. It’s based men have gotten a piece of a rhyme that they have to put
on a true story. You come for a romance? You are coming back together to figure out who’s next to be killed. It’s a
for a romance. And when you come for a historical mys- way to say, “This is what I believe Agatha was trying to
tery, you are coming for the death. do.” I believe she was trying to make a point about what
You have Abbie. People are dropping dead around her stirs people to violence, but in the language of our time,
… She is sharp; she’s observant. [Abbie’s] been able to it’s bad now. … Some people distance themselves from
channel that into reason and figure out what’s going on. the past or want to forget about the past and say, “That
The politics of abolition are part of these crazy dyna- doesn’t matter.” So, let’s turn the tables. What does it feel
mics and how it affects a woman of color. A woman like if that is a nursery rhyme people are being taught
who has privilege is part of that integral story. And she’s before they commit violence? So, it’s a different take. It’s
always juggling. So, there are foils within her found a little sharper take than some of these some of these
family. … books. But I think it’s a very interesting one.
Trying to balance all these various things, it’s not at
all easy. But it’s enjoyable. I love writing her. She’s hilari- What last advice do you have for our readers?
ous. I love her, and I hope people can really get to love Find the things that you like, find the parallels of things
her and her—I hope people get to see her world more you like, and just add. There’s so much beauty. … Don’t
and more. limit yourself. I was doing Regency and bringing in all
these extra worlds when it wasn’t cool. … I want to
At the end of Murder in Berkeley Square, you encourage everyone who finds their lane, who knows the
include an author’s note in which you state that this stories they want to tell, to tell those stories, to perfect
particular book is an homage to Agatha Christie’s their craft, to study and learn, and to bring their A-game
And Then There Were None. Can you tell me about every time they get a chance. Every story has to be better
how that author’s note came to be and why you than the last. WD
included it?
Every one of my books, I have an author’s note. This was
something Beverly Jenkins taught me very early on. I had
gotten some horrible review, I’m whining, and she was
like, “Write an author’s note, babe.” [Laughs] Because,
once again, people don’t understand the history and the
author’s note helps it.
In this particular case, I love Agatha Christie, but I
questioned things. And Then There Were None had sev-
eral titles. The original one was almost a slave catcher
point of what they would do to a Black person once they Moriah Richard is managing editor of WD. Her Building Better
found them. … That has always affected me. Like, what Worlds column is a 2023 Eddie Awards winner.

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COZY WRITING,
COMFO RT REA D ING
MAKE NO MISTAKE
The grand-prize winner of the 93rd Annual WD
Writing Competition, Matt Strempel, shares his
approach to incorporating humor into his writing
and why having a trusted writing mentor matters.
BY AMY JONES
or Matt Strempel, creativity has always been part that’s my writing time.” Fortunately, his day job is also
F of his life, but the bug for writing didn’t really take
hold until he started working with his grand-
mother. She was “becoming frail in her wrists. And I said
grounded in creativity. With a background in graphic
design and experience writing copy at an ad agency,
Strempel now runs a creative agency where he gets to
to her, ‘You can either teach yourself how to type … Or I “scratch the writing itch by doing a lot of copywriting,
can type up your handwritten notes, and anything I can’t headline writing, and short- and mid-form copy.” He
read, you just tell me.’ We skipped the handwritten notes, used all this knowledge to write, design, and self-
and she just went straight to dictating. I realized that at publish his first novel which he called a “fairly dark …
first, I was typing out her stories, and then I was sort of historical drama.”
trying to help. I saw an opportunity to make something Yet Strempel won grand prize in the 93rd Annual
better, or just to spitball ideas with her. And I was like, this WD Writing Competition for his short story entry
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: A. ZABNINA
is so fun!” Strempel never looked back. in the humor category. In “Botched,” a husband and
Now, he uses his twice-weekly commutes to and wife celebrate their wedding anniversary each year
from his home in New South Wales to his job in Sydney by one-upping each other with the most creative gifts
for his writing. “I deliberately take the train even though associated with the traditional anniversary themes (e.g.,
it’s a lot quicker to drive,” Strempel says, “because it’s first anniversary: paper, second anniversary: cotton,
productive time I get. If I don’t have a pressing deadline, 25th anniversary: silver, etc.). As their 38th anniversary

approaches, Richard, the husband and narrator, struggles the pub one day randomly,” Strempel recalls, “and he was
to find the right gift, until he lands on something that sitting by himself very contentedly, sipping on a beer.
would solve both of their aging body-image issues: his And this character started to form: What would hap-
and hers cosmetic surgery in which some of his extra pen if the most dramatic possible moment could hap-
weight could be used to reverse the effects of gravity for pen to this guy, what would he do? Would he grab life
her. As the title suggests, those surgeries go comically by the horns and wrest back control of his life, careen-
awry. ing, derailing? Or would he ignore it and say, ‘Look, I’m
Learning that Strempel’s first novel was so drastically just a wind in the breeze and whatever happens to me, I
different from this story begged the question: How did will just deal with it.’” In the novel, Douglas’s best friend
you get from dark historical writing to something so is killed in a hit-and-run, which Douglas attempts to
funny? Strempel explained: “It was a pretty serious book, solve. Strempel says, “He’s just hopelessly ill-equipped for
and I found it really hard going, a bit of a slog. When I everything that comes at him. So even though it’s a very
sent it to one of my mates—probably my most trusted dramatic moment in his life—his best mate is killed—I
writing mate and mentor—he said, ‘Look, it’s good, but still thought there was a lot of opportunity for levity and
your writing really sings when you tell jokes.’ And it was to have a bit of fun with this.”
sort of the encouragement that I needed just to lean into As for the relationship between Strempel’s novel-
the lighter side of fiction.” length writing and his short stories, the novels take pre-
But for Strempel, writing more humorously doesn’t cedence but short stories also play an important role.
mean there’s a lack of substance in the content or less He remembers giving a manuscript of a project he was
attention paid to craft. He looks to some of his favor- working on early in his writing career to his friend Glenn
ite writers, such as David Sedaris and George Saunders, who told him, “‘This is great, but treat every scene like a
for inspiration, saying, “They make you giggle, but their jewel heist. [Laughs] Get in, steal the scene, get out, don’t
writing is spectacular.” Likewise, Strempel’s goal for his spend too much time on the buildup and the scenery
writing isn’t to write slapstick comedy, but rather, “There and all that sort of stuff,’ which most beginner writers are
might be a slapstick moment somewhere, but typically guilty of.” Strempel found that “short story is really good
it needs to be balanced with that pathos … I think that for getting that skill” so he’s continued using the form for
funny writing works best when it’s come off the back of a “refining the craft.”
little moment of poignancy.” It’s honesty like this that influences the core of
In the case of “Botched,” that moment of poignancy Strempel’s advice for other writers. He told Writer’s
(which we won’t spoil here) is tied to Strempel’s inspi- Digest, “I’ve been really fortunate to have people who I
ration for the story: “I had this … idea of what greater trust their judgment tell me, ‘Keep going with this, pur-
gift could a man give to his wife [laughs] when she was sue this. You’re not terrible at it.’ … Find a mentor. Find
feeling a bit self-conscious about the shape of her body, somebody who can steer you, pick up anything that is
and he had the solution attached to him. He [Richard] sort of inherently wrong with your writing. Maybe that
was like, I have got it. And in this idiot’s masculine lizard involves doing courses. Listen to every podcast on the
brain way, he went, This is such a romantic idea. I can’t craft of writing you can find. And find some trusted—
believe I haven’t thought of this. I can’t believe more men and I mean that: trusted—feedback partners who will tell
haven’t thought of doing this.” To read the full story, for you what sucks and what’s working. And you will refine
which Strempel won the $5,000 grand prize and more, your craft until you’re confident, and things just start
visit WritersDigest.com. working after that.”
Around the same time Strempel was notified of his
win, he had just released his second novel, The Derailing
of Douglas Jones, which was inspired by the stationmas- Amy Jones is editor-in-chief of WD. Follow her on Instagram
ter where he catches the train to Sydney. “I saw him at @AmyMJones_5.
C O Z Y WRITING,
WINNERS
Children’s/Young Adult 3. ONE-STAR REVIEWS by Jake West

1. CHOOSING WEEK by Ruth Scharff-Hansen 4. ARI AND DEAN (HARRY AND DINO) by Nicholas
2. THE ART OF MOTIVATION by Henry Weese Gaitanakais
3. UNTITLED PICTURE BOOK by Paige Cohen 5. BREAKING BURQUE – THE EYEBROWS by Sneaks Montoya
4. THE FIELD TRIP TO THE END OF THE WORLD by 6. BLACKSMITH AND MAIDEN, A LITTLE FAIRY TALE by
Sydney Weber Carl Imboden
5. MOMMIES ALWAYS COME BACK by Sherry Sallows 7. THE ANSWER IS … by Don Michalowski
6. THE CANON OF KATRINA QUINN by Anne Hanovich 8. PERFECT CRIMES by Chuck Collins
7. SNORKELING WITH SHARKS by Symantha Sanda 9. IT’S COMPLICATED by Pauline Hepler
8. MARTA BLOSSOMS by Rochelle Stretton 10. WORMS WITH THOSE FRIES? by Terry Sachko
9. BEWARE OF MONSTERS by Paige Cohen
TYLER GILLESPIE is the author of the essay collection The
10. ALL SHAPES BELONG by Theresa Rice
Thing About Florida: Exploring a Misunderstood State and
BROOKE VITALE is a children's book editor, author, and the poetry collections Florida Man: Poems, Revisited and the
proud founder of Charge Mommy Books. Over the course nature machine! (Autofocus, 2023). His humor writing can be
of her 15+ years at top New York publishers, Brooke Vitale found in The New Yorker, McSweeney's Internet Tendency,
has edited thousands of books, including bestselling titles and LGBTQ Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny.
Hide-and-Hug Olaf and Olaf’s Night Before Christmas.
Today, Brooke works as a freelance children’s book editor
and runs BrookeVitale.com, a website dedicated to helping Inspiration/Spiritual
aspiring authors navigate the publishing and self-publishing 1. MYSTICAL MESSAGES by Grace Ryan
industry. Brooke is also a prolific writer in her own right. 2. FAMILY MATTERS by Michelle Layer Rahal
She has worked with top children’s book publishers includ- 3. FLUTTER by Shelby Poulin
ing Penguin Random House, Scholastic, HarperCollins, and 4. FERTILE EMPTINESS by Marielena Zuniga
Disney Book Group to publish more than a hundred books, 5. GUZEN OR GIFT? By KK
including The Magic Is in You, The Mandalorian: A Clan of 6. FINN by Kristen Swanson
Two, and Goonies: An Illustrated Classic. 7. A NOTE FROM THE FRIEND EVERY PERSON SHOULD HAVE
by Tiffany Chartier
8. TAFFY by Karen Tinsley
Genre Short Story
9. BREATH AS A BLESSING by Angela Waldron
1. GOOD REASON by Jillian Grant Shoichet
10. THE HUSBAND, THE HOUND, AND THE GOOD SHEPHERD
2. BORDER CROSSING by Brian Huber
by Allia Zobel Nolan
3. THE POTOMAC SMELLED LIKE GUTS by Laura Garden
4. A PARTING GIFT by Susan Goodwin SHARON TORIS is the author of more than 30 books, includ-
5. THE APEX by Jennifer Slee ing The Stories of This House. She has appeared on Oprah,
6. THE LAST SUPER by Andrea Sumner GMA, ABC News, Lifetime, and many other shows and has
7. INK by Erich Noack been a judge for these contests for many years. She lives in
8. CHILD IN TIME by Keby Boyer New Jersey with her husband Joe and their cat Jinkx.
9. A SONG OF LOVE AND LONGING by Leslie Wibberley
10. FISHERMAN by Megan Ham Mainstream/Literary Short Story
AUDREY WICK is a writer and full-time English professor 1. OFFLINE FRIEND by Angie St. John
at Blinn College in Texas. She contributes to WD, and her 2. DO OR DASH by Patricia Ljutic
work has been published in college textbooks by Cengage 3. WINGMAN FROM HELL by Peter Morris
and W. W. Norton as well as literary journals and consumer 4. MOTHER’S MILK by Steven Sax
magazines such as Woman’s World. Her contemporary nov- 5. DONOVAN’S CALLING by Stacey Marinuzzi
els include her latest standalone, Seeing Us, an optometry- 6. THE WHEAT AND THE TARES by Austin Lovelace
themed romance. Readers can find her on X and Instagram 7. PERSUASIONS by Jill Martin
@WickWrites. 8. ARCTIC PEONIES by Birgit Lennertz Sarrimanolis
9. THE WRECK OF THE TRIUMPH by Baird Harper
10. SNAPSHOTS: A TRIPTYCH by Ernest Wiggins
Humor
1. IMPERFECT ENDINGS by Judith Carlough KRYSTEL CHENAULT is a writer and editor for an educa-
2. THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS by Jeanne Favini tion publisher, a PhD candidate, and lifelong creative

writer. She earned her B.A. in Creative Writing and M.A. in Non-Rhyming Poetry
Composition and Rhetoric, and taught college writing for 1. HIS NAME WAS YITZHAK by Redd Ryder
many years before transitioning to the publishing world. 2. MINOTAUR IN LOVE by Redd Ryder
She can usually be found writing horror stories, looking at 3. BROKEN PANTOUM by Jessika O’Sullivan
bugs in the forest, and not working on her dissertation. 4. SLAVE SHIP, ALABAMA by Redd Ryder
5. I AM TRYING TO ASK THE DEAD THEIR NAMES by
Memoir/Personal Essay Zachariah Claypole White

1. CUPCAKES AND ETERNITY by Kristin Eck 6. CONDEMNED by Dennis Rhodes
2. by Jennifer Rose
ASIA (1969)
7. NINETEEN KINDS OF MOSS by Sonya Schneider
3. LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER by Kira Schiavone
8. DISSOCIATION by Kim Kavanagh
9. THE SQUIRREL MADE HIS WAY by Alicia Cook
4. SEEKING THE THIRD by Alison Luterman
10. ADDING FLAVOR by Paul Tifford Jr.
5. NO SUCH THING AS JUST ONE M&M by Katrina Peacock
6. HARVEST by Catherine L. Hensley JOHN PHILIP DRURY is the author of five books of poetry:
7. TO WRITE OR NOT TO WRITE: THE CASE FOR BOTH by The Disappearing Town, Burning the Aspern Papers, The
Alan George Maki Refugee Camp, Sea Level Rising, and most recently The
8. NIGHT ROUNDS by Joseph Marr Teller’s Cage: Poems and Imaginary Movies (Able Muse
9. FIRST SHIFT by E.R.J. McKay Press, 2024). He has also written Creating Poetry and The
10. WHO YO PEOPLE by Pam Sam Poetry Dictionary, both from Writer’s Digest Books. His
awards include an Ingram Merrill Foundation fellowship,
EMMA FULENWIDER is a literary agent and former magazine a Pushcart Prize, two Ohio Arts Council grants, and the
editor, indie publisher, and one-woman assisted self- Bernard F. Conners Prize from The Paris Review. Bobby
publishing boutique. She believes that writing our stories and Carolyn: A Memoir of My Two Mothers (Finishing Line
heals the self, and sharing our stories heals the community. Press, 2024) will be his first book of narrative nonfiction.
A TEDx speaker, semi-published author, and book junkie, After teaching at the University of Cincinnati for 37 years,
she calls herself “the Lifestorian” and tags her content with he is now an emeritus professor.
#SavetheStory. Emma lives in the suburbs of Sacramento with
her husband, two kids and ever-expanding personal library.
Rhyming Poetry
1. INEXORABLE by Sarah Costin
Nonfiction Essay or Article 2. TORUS by Linda Drattell
1. RATIONAL DRUG DESIGN: GERTRUDE ELION AND HER
3. THE LIBERACE TERZA RIMA by Holly Eva Allen
MEDICINES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD by Leonardo
4. ENIGMATIC by Felicia De Chabris
Chung 5. FOOT-NOTES by Landon Porter
2. CANDY GIRL by Matt Cheek 6. THE BACKYARD OF THE UNIVERSE by Michael Olson
3. “THERE ARE NO PATIENTS. THERE ARE ONLY DANCERS.” 7. 17. ANONYMOUS by Jess X Moor
by Ember Reichgott Junge 8. TRANSFORM by Kathy O’Grady Bose
4. THE HOLY RIGHTEOUS QUEEN TAMAR: CHRISTIAN KING 9. WHILE WE SLEPT by Landon Porter
OF MEDIEVAL GEORGIA by Angela Waldron 10. YOU’RE NOT IN KANSAS, EITHER by Robert Daseler
5. ANATOLIAN SIKKE by Angela Waldron
6. ROSIE THE RIVETER by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds RJ CLARKEN writes humorous, poetic form rhyming poetry
7. MEIRINGEN, 1891 by Niki Fakhoori and middle grade historical fiction. Her work has been pub-
lished in Writer’s Digest, Möbius, AsininePoetry, Measure
8. WHAT’S IN A GNOME? by Justin Marlowe
Poetry Magazine, USA Today Online, Sol Magazine, Trellis
9. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF VALENTINO by Cindy Gentry
Magazine, and others literary journals. She is the author of
10. WATERMELON AND BUTTERCUPS: THE ISRAELI-
two books: Mugging for the Camera and Penny Wishes,
PALESTINIAN CONFLICT by Veronica Brown
and she was the editor of Goldfinch for 5 years. WD
KELLY BOYER SAGERT is a full-time freelance writer, editor,
and teacher with 35 years of experience with a significant
focus on nonfiction writing. She is the scriptwriter of the
Emmy Award-nominated documentary, Trail Magic: The
Grandma Gatewood Story, and scriptwriter for a film
debuting in 2024 about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman
to run for U.S. president—doing so in 1872!
YOURSTORY CONTEST #129
Out to Sea
Write a drabble—a short story of exactly 100 words—based on the
THE CHALLENGE:
photo prompt below.
Out of more than 230 entries,

Writer’s Digest editors and readers
chose these three winners.
me the little blue pill, I took it. The

changes started slowly. Colors were
brighter, more saturated. Shapes
developed an odd outline.
“Are you OK?”
I turned to the voice and saw a
human form enveloped in the page
of a book. In the crowd, I watched
the figures dance. Grids. Polka dots.
Stripes. I ran to the bathroom, gasp-
ing. In the mirror, I found no reflec-
tion. Only a dark, empty void.
Parable Without Words

By Janis Parker of Bordentown, N.J.
An old woman lived in a mixed

neighborhood of nationalities, dif-
ferent languages, different cul-
The Collection “Beautiful,” he repeated, his sharp tures. Heads full of words, but yet
By Jan Hoover of Jackson, Miss. mandibles glistening, his eight eyes they could not communicate with
shining, as he wrote some numbers. each other using the words. Facial
“Beautiful,” murmured Xylos. He Then, under the coordinates, on the expressions, actions spoke louder.
found them that morning, crowded museum label, he carefully printed: She enjoyed thoughts of a once
into a moving metal cylinder. Anthropomorphs, Third Planet beautiful city. She began picking
Using a neurotoxic fixative, he gen- from the Sun. up trash bags and soda cans strewn
tly euthanized and preserved the on sidewalks. One bagful at a time,
creatures. Now, with long steely the walkways became calmer, the
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: DEDRAW STUDIO
tongs, he sorted his specimens into Untitled words not needed. Simple action.
categories based on raiment, pel- By Danielle Kallas of Austin, Texas Eventually, plants and flowers
age, and skin type. So many kinds! began appearing on porches. People
A wonderful series! His director I don’t usually do things like this. smiled a little bit more. Words in
would be pleased. Xylos arranged But the music was vibrating in my their heads turned to expressive
them neatly in a glass case, each bones, and I had nothing else to gestures. This new language needed
specimen overlapping the next. do that day. So, when Zach handed no words. Just caring. WD

ENTERYOURSTORY
THE CHALLENGE: Write the first line of a story based on the prompt below. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story.
TO ENTER: Email your entry to yourstory

[email protected] with the subject
CONTEST #133 line “Your Story 133.” Entries must be
pasted directly into the body of the email;
attachments will not be opened. Include your
133
name and mailing address. Entries without a
name or mailing address will be disqualified.
NOTE: WD editors select the top 12 entries

and post them on our website (Writers
Digest.com/your-story-competition). Join
us online in January, when readers will vote
for their favorite to help rank the top 10
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: THOMAS BARWICK
winners! Follow @WritersDigest on

Instagram for Your Story updates.
The winner will be published in a future issue of Writer’s Digest.

DON’T FORGET: Your name and mailing address. One entry per person.
DEADLINE: December 23, 2024.
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2024 VIRTUAL CONFERENCES
Genre-Specific Instruction From Award-Winning
Authors, Plus Agent Feedback
HORROR
October 26
NONFICTION
November 16
HISTORICAL FICTION
December 6–8
First
F
Fi afft NEXTDRAFT
i t Draft
Revision and editing advice to take your first draft to the next level.
BY E.L. TENENBAUM
The Story Behind the Story

What’s Backstory, and What’s It Doing Here Anyway?
B
ackstory is vital for add- parts about backstory is that it’s more 3. What compels an important
ing depth to a world and familiar than many realize because secondary character to help the
its characters, and not just decisions regarding how much to protagonist or antagonist?
because it provides an origin story reveal about yourself regularly crop 4. How does the world the charac-
that sets up a potential prequel. up in all sorts of interactions with ters live in influence them?
Describing the nature, nurture, or others. Thus, it comes down to apply- 5. The same backstory—e.g., a
events shaping characters up to a ing what you already know in which- child who’s told you’ll never
certain point explains how they ever logical way fits your story. amount to much—can make a
affect present decisions and per- hero or a villain. Moreover, such
ceptions. So, in addition to giving WHO GETS A BACKSTORY? backstory affects the reader’s
some idea of what’s happened until Everyone! Including secondary perception, enough to make a
now, backstory especially impacts characters, antagonists, even imagi- villain sympathetic or a hero
the why of everything that happens nary worlds and familiar settings. reviled. This play on emotions
next. In short, backstory is context. Knowing a character’s (or world’s) is not just for fiction, but also
Bear in mind, backstory differs past doesn’t just clarify driving moti- well-used in nonfiction and
by genre. Certain genres intention- vations but also the choices affect- media bias.
ally withhold backstory to heighten ing the behaviors, perceptions, and
thrill, mystery, or suspense. Auto/ treatment of others. To solidify the WHAT IS BACKSTORY?
biography is entirely backstory, dig- plot, give secondary characters and Everything in a character’s life or
ging into the past to influence pres- antagonists backstories too, which world before the story begins.
ent opinion according to how far explains why they might help or hin- Backstory aligns with origin
someone’s come or who someone’s der a protagonist. The answers can story and provides important con-
become. Historical context reminds be straightforward or complicated text for a character’s makeup and
us that behaviors and norms are as long as they make sense and don’t world. Backstory can take a stan-
influenced by time, not just regard- detract from the main story. dard narrative form (albeit without
ing society but also the simple facts Backstory not only informs the overlong exposition), be autobio-
of what existed then. All to say, graphical, or relayed through a
reader but is also a way to encour-
although backstory is yours for the secondary source. Flashbacks are
age certain reactions or emotional
forming, it should be logical and, a tool of backstory used to trans-
responses.
when necessary, factual. port the reader to the past to
Consider:
Implementing backstory comes relive a pivotal moment or scene.
in knowing when, where, and how 1. Do feuding characters have Prologues can be past, present, or
much to include, so the reader gains familial or relationship “history”? future, to convey some experience
understanding sans unnecessary 2. Are their actions personal or of the world or foreshadow where
expositional overload. One of the best idealistic, and why? the story is going.
NEXTDRAFT
Consider:
1. What can a reader find out
through overhearing someone
else’s thoughts or conversa-
tion? A neighbor, co-worker, or
acquaintance appearing for just
a few lines can relay in dialogue
what should be avoided through
exposition.
2. What important information
about a world or character can
be gleaned from a glimpse at a
news article, photo, video, book-
shelf, closet, bedroom, pantry,
desk, car, and the like?
3. The progression of a story, or
series, can challenge and rewrite
already established backstory
through the discovery of new
information. Think on how an
opinion can be changed with
just a little more information.
Often, first impressions are Mimicking this sort of exchange is alongside the character. With an
accurate, but second impressions one technique for giving a reader omniscient narrator, the author
give context. information in a short, impactful can plant backstory all over for
way. the reader, even ahead of which-
WHEN TO USE BACKSTORY? Backstory can be planted in bits ever character needs to know it. An
As needed, but not all at once. early on and only become relevant advantage to multiple perspectives
The pace of revealing backstory is later. It can be revealed as the story is that backstory can avoid overlong
similar to how much you share with progresses or retroactively expanded exposition by spreading out between
the person you’ve just met at a party, only once the story necessitates an characters, yet still form a full pic-
expanding and deepening only as explanation from the past. ture for the reader.
the relationship grows. Consider: I stumbled upon such a trick
For stories where the characters in writing my multi-perspective
1. Does this need to be known?
aren’t visiting new locations, the Royal & Piper trilogy. As the story
2. Does this need to be known
backstory of their world and rela- is set in a fantastical world, many
now?
tionships is already well-known to aspects of the magic system must be
3. How much needs to be known?
them, so a writer should navigate relayed to explain the subsequent
4. Does this answer why are you
relaying necessary information in a effects on characters’ behavior and
like this?
natural way. choices. Partway through the book,
With friendship, as time passes Note that backstory works differ- the duchess of one perspective spies
and experiences accumulate, con- ently for first person, third person, on a formidable king using his
IMAGE © GETTY IMAGES: ALEUTIE
versations will inevitably refer- multiple perspectives, and different powers in a unique way. This scene
ence the past. Think on how a few styles of narratives. In first person, reveals through action important
words or a gesture elicits a reaction the character can only espy infor- information about a monarch’s
because both sides understand the mation by being present, which use of the magic system. Later,
backstory that needn’t be spoken. also means the reader discovers a young queen a kingdom away

accidentally discovers the same within religion, monotheism and HOW TO USE BACKSTORY?
power at a crucial point in the story. polytheism have different effects, However you logically can!
For her, this ability is entirely new, not only in beliefs and supersti- With a focus on writing well,
but the reader isn’t surprised at its tions but also ubiquity and pur- you can insert backstory in a num-
appearance—avoiding a deus ex pose of houses of worship. ber of ways. As wide as backstory is
machina—because it was briefly so are the means of relaying it to
planted earlier. Moreover, as the WHERE TO USE the reader.
queen has her own perspective, the BACKSTORY? Consider:
reader now experiences the feeling The fun part is that backstory can
1. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
of using a power that was only be planted all over and in almost
uses sparse “encyclopedic
glimpsed before. any way.
entries” to introduce each
We pick up information from
vignette-chapter, then tosses the
WHY USE BACKSTORY? all sorts of sources, and the same
reader right in.
Backstory “dimensionifies” charac- applies to worlds and characters.
2. Citizen Kane directed by Orson
ters and worlds by explaining why Conversations, style of speech, arti-
Welles begins with the last
they are the way they are. cles, playbills, presentations, intro-
words of a dying man and the
Past influences present in decid- ductions, stores, advertisements,
rest of the film is the backstory
ing the future. For good or oth- and more all provide clues or infor-
of those words.
erwise, backstory explains why mation about the type of world and
3. The Count of Monte Cristo by
someone has a particular: atti- characters in the story.
Alexandre Dumas has two parts.
tude, mannerism, worldview, fear, Consider:
The first sets up the backstory
assumption, tick, opinion, con-
1. DYSTOPIAN WORLDS: A simple for the specifically targeted plot
viction, irrationality, motivation,
line about product availability of revenge in the second part.
development, coping mechanism,
can reveal facts ranging from
nuance, and so on. Fully appreciating the importance
supply issues to supply choices.
Consider: and need for backstory, you’ll notice
2. FUTURISTIC WORLDS are often
writers have successfully implanted
1. Has someone had a rough expe- defined by available, or desir-
the past in a multitude of ways. The
rience that either helps or hin- able, technologies.
only limit is in what you can imag-
ders taking necessary action? 3. THRILLER ESPIONAGE: Something
ine. As with every tip and trick,
2. Was someone enabled or hurt in distinct as pronunciations or
a foremost principle is that with
a way that dictates actions now? regional customs can provide
strong writing and stronger story
3. Someone who grew up in a bro- clues or blow someone’s cover
logic, you can try anything. Just
ken or abusive home can per- entirely.
because someone hasn’t done it yet
petuate the cycle or go to great 4. PERSONAL EFFECTS: A wed-
doesn’t mean you can’t find a way to
lengths to prevent it. ding band worn on the wrong
get it done. WD
4. Someone’s optimism may finger, on a necklace, kept in
influence the course of events, a pocket, or only marked by
leading to impulsive choices or lighter skin hints at something
feeling less fear of risk because significant in a character’s past.
of blind trust that everything A scar automatically speaks to
will work out all right. blood spilled some time before.
5. A faulty education will impact Embarrassment, defiance, E.L. Tenenbaum (ELTenenbaum.com) is
someone’s decisions regarding shame, cover-up, deflection, a writer, essayist, and author of several
an item, place, or person. each reaction reveals something books. When not distracted building new
worlds or puttering around her Substack,
6. Religion or lack thereof deeply about the character’s personal- she enjoys presenting about writing to
influences a character or society’s ity and approach to dealing with fellow writers and has been a visiting
behaviors and mindset. Even the incident. author at schools around the world.
AGENTALCOVE
Literary agents on the business of publishing.
BY MARY CUMMINGS, GREAT RIVER LITERARY
Picture book or short story?

Which is it?
E
very day, my inbox has sub- over a longer span than in picture when the reader (listener) is a pre-
missions labeled as picture book texts. schooler. Is this about cooking?
book projects that are actu- 7. Past tense is more commonly used. Eating? Time with Mom? Learning
ally written in short story form and 8. The story isn’t reliant upon illus- Mom’s stories? Something else?
aren’t suited to today’s picture book trations. Or, the narrative seems Here’s another example, from the
market. There isn’t a simple and clear to call for “transcription” of the opening of a manuscript:
way to define the difference, but I words into illustration, rather
Long ago, back when the sun
hope this article helps children’s pic- than allowing space for an illus-
was young, a little boy named
ture book writers. trator to create a visual narrative
Benjamin lived in a dark for-
I will be using excerpts of actual that brings the story to life but
est. It had been a hard season.
submissions, changing specifics to also adds new elements.
protect identity, but keeping features 9. It may include more characters Benjamin’s grandmother had
like sentence construction, general or plot elements than a picture passed from a strange fever, his
vocabulary, etc. to illustrate points. book can support. mother had died from a broken
There are exceptions, and not all heart, and his dog had been
Let’s look at some examples. eaten by fierce bears.
agents and editors would agree with
everything I’m pointing out that, as One morning, Tayler was helping “Long ago” is the conventionally
I’m reading submissions, say “short Mom cook a delicious breakfast accepted opening for folk tales
story!” So, what are these features? of fried fritters. Tayler enjoyed and oral storytelling. It also gives
cooking with Mom. She told a feeling of writing from an earlier
1. There’s a different kind of flow to
colorful stories about her old era (pre-21st century). It’s inviting
sentences in a short story.
neighborhood of Queens in New as a short story. But for a picture
2. The writing is in a loosely con-
York. Tayler learned Mom’s cookbook, we need to know very quickly
versational style.
ing tricks and was the first to taste
3. It lacks the “chiseled and pol- a particular hurdle that can be
her exquisite meals. And Tayler
explored and resolved in about
ILLUSTRATION © GETTY IMAGES: FRANK RAMSPOTT
ished” quality of most contempo-

adored tasting fresh fried fritters.
rary picture book texts. 200–500 words: words that will be
4. The word count is on the The above example would be expanded upon by illustrations.
long side. helped by editing. The tone is con- Here, we realize that Benjamin’s life
5. Sentences are constructed differ- versational and has digressions and is hard and dangerous, but we don’t
ently than in picture book texts “fuzziness” common to speech. We have hints of where the story will
and tend to be longer. can’t tell where the story is taking us take us—and 50 words (the length
6. Time is a specific element in the and don’t know quite where to put of this excerpt) are too many for the
story, with events taking place our attention. That’s a big problem situation to be so unclear.

I recently received an extremely Mama shared her wisdom with by the stream one day, Ida saw
long submission (839 words), pre- Ida, and as the little cub grew, so that her reflection was the same
sented as a picture book project. In did their closeness. The little cub size as Mama Bear’s.
addition to other issues, it had mul- was eager to learn everything
tiple sub-plots and time references possible from her wise Mama. If, as you read this article, it struck
that would be challenging to a pre- Ida wanted to be as quick as you that your writing style is a
schooler or kindergartener listener. her Mama, climb trees as high as match to short stories rather than to
It’s important to keep in mind that her Mama, and catch fish as big picture books, there are options in
their personal experience with time as her Mama’s! the marketplace for you. Children’s
is limited because they haven’t lived When Ida felt unsure of her magazines, such as Ladybug and
long enough for terms like “the fol- place or left out with the other Highlights, reach thousands of chil-
lowing month” and “by summer- bear cubs, she knew that Mama dren. They also make great credits
time” to truly make sense to them. Bear would be waiting for her. (clips) for your bio. WD
In the next example, the language Mama Bear always knew whether After 13 years as an agent for kids’ books
isn’t “tight.” The author hasn’t looked Ida needed a warm hug or a play- with Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises, in
at every word to be sure that it has ful game. The two understood 2021, Mary Cummings opened her own
energy and is pulling its weight. It isn’t one another, without words. agency: Great River Literary. She’s sold
books to Abrams; Knopf; Delacorte;
reliant upon illustrations to enlarge Over the years, Ida had
HarperCollins; FSG; Feiwel & Friends; Holt;
the meaning. And, its timespan is too grown to be just as big and Beach Lane; Paula Wiseman Books; Viking;
long for a picture book text: strong as Mama Bear. Standing Little, Brown; Candlewick; and many others.
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ONNONFICTION
The art and craft of writing nonfiction.
BY LISA HOWARD
A Recipe for Building a

Cookbook Platform
O
ne way or another, every- GETTING STARTED platform and your community. You
body thinks about food First, you’ll need to find your peo- usually don’t put your head right
every day: eating food, ple. Dianne Jacob, author of the into the pie unless you’re partici-
cooking food, shopping for food, perennially popular Will Write for pating in a pie-eating contest at the
going out for food. If you’re an Food, highlights the significance fair—you’re going start with one
aspiring cookbook author, then you of figuring out what niche you’ll slice at a time. If you start by grab-
have plenty of opportunities to build fill. “A cookbook should not just be bing a fork and a knife and one slice
your platform, ranging from writ- your overall philosophy of ‘I love of your platform pie, the next thing
ing culinary newsletters to teaching food,’” she points out. “It needs to you’ll realize is that you’re sitting
cooking classes. You can join groups have a focus. It’s not about every- next to somebody who’s doing the
that overlap with your food focus, thing—you need to decide what’s same thing. So, then you share a
like a mycological group if you’re going to be your specialty. That’s a piece of your pie with the person sit-
writing about mushrooms or a gar- foundational question to ask your- ting next to you, and all of a sudden,
dening club if you’re writing a book self.” Whether you’re drawn to a you’re building your community.”
centered on farmer’s market finds. particular cuisine or ingredient, or
“If you’re the food expert creating you have expertise with a medically ESTABLISHING YOUR BRAND
that kind of content in an adjacent driven way of eating, seek out those Inevitably, as you start sharing
group, then you’re not compet- existing subgroups and see what what you’re learning and helping
ing against your colleagues—you’re they’re talking and writing about. your audiences, you’ll figure out
standing out as the expert,” says Who do you want to help? Let your your style. Kathy Hester, author of
Sally Ekus, president and lead agent curiosity get the better of you! Read 10-plus vegan cookbooks and an
of The Ekus Group, a literary agency books, ask questions in forums, online cooking instructor with a
specializing in cookbooks and culi- show up at library talks, join asso- dedicated fan base, says that part of
nary works. Agents, publishers, and ciations in your field of interest (and her brand is making everyone feel
readers all want trusted experts who not just ones aimed at authors), and cozy and seen as much as possible.
are both passionate and profes- follow your favorite experts on their She’s also a big believer in always
sional. For an eventual cookbook social media feeds. Then start shar- being willing to try new ways to
author, that means establishing an ing what you’ve learned. connect with audiences. “In the
audience and interacting with their “You have to start somewhere,” beginning,” she says, “you don’t
audience. Building a community = Ekus says. “Think of it as a pie. Each know what you’ll ultimately be good
building a platform. slice of that pie is a part of your at and enjoy, so be open-minded.”

Case in point for her: Although likely lose yourself in your message Figuring out what
she had long said she’d never do and have a great time sharing your
live video, now it’s her bread and thoughts—it won’t be about you,
kind of atmosphere
butter, and she has hosted two live it’ll be about however you’re trying you want to create
cooking classes online every month to help your audience. Are you an will help you figure
for more than four years. Not only avid gardener and cook? Do a class
out what exactly
does she love doing it, she’s also able on how to successfully grow herbs,
to maintain a strong connection veggies, edible flowers, and fruits you’re offering your
with her audience—she gets to hear at your community center. Love audiences and readers.
what’s on their minds and what food history? Approach your library
they’d like to know more about. about doing a program that com- an experienced cookbook editor
It’s a classic example of passion bines food lore with cooking tips. to learn how to write recipes or get
uniting with purpose. Figuring out Just like teaching cooking classes, coached on how to write a cook-
what kind of atmosphere you want a big benefit to doing speaking book. If you’re struggling with
to create will help you figure out engagements is getting immediate speaking in front of audiences,
what exactly you’re offering your feedback in the form of questions join an improv group! That’ll be a
audiences and readers. and comments, all of which will give fun way to get comfortable speak-
you ideas for future talks and books. ing from a podium. Toastmasters
BUILDING YOUR PLATFORM International likewise offers wel-
Another way to build and define EXPANDING YOUR SKILLS coming ways to learn how to present
your presence is to write. If you As you continue to find and interact and communicate more effectively.
don’t have any bylines under your with your audiences, keep sharpen-
As you continue to build your plat-
belt, pitch local magazines. Start a ing your skills. “Cookbook writ-
form and your skill set, think lon-
newsletter even if you just persuade ing is about being a good writer,”
gevity—you want to like what you
a few friends to subscribe to it. Start says Jacob. “The same tools and
do for a long time. It’s what Ekus
a blog and ask friends to make some techniques you use as a writer are
refers to as the “art and science” of
of your recipes and give you feed- relevant in food writing.” Ekus
publishing. “The science is how to
back. Getting feedback is impor- agrees with that, pointing to Jane
build your platform,” she explains,
tant—recipe writing is a technical Friedman’s website and newsletter
“and then the art is how to con-
skill, and you’ll get better at it faster as being go-to resources for writers
tinue to have a platform, which is
if people tell you what’s working regardless of genre. For cookbook-
networking, building community,
and what isn’t. (If you know anyone centric resources, she recommends
and cultivating relationships. It’s
who’s writing their own cookbook, the “Everything Cookbooks” pod-
people thinking of you when they’re
volunteer to be a recipe tester and cast (hosted by four seasoned
thinking about whatever your topic
give them feedback.) Putting words cookbook authors) and Raeanne
of expertise is. The art is all of the
to page will force you to home in on Sarazen’s The Complete Recipe
nuances about publishing.” And
your core message. Writing Guide. Ekus herself runs a
it’s about sharing the pie. Always
Speaking is much like writing in Facebook group called How to Be a
remember to share the pie. WD
that you need to map out what you Cookbook Author, which provides
want to say, convey your ideas effec- budding and established authors a
tively, and be concise. Odds are, you place to ask questions, get resources,
Lisa Howard is a freelance writer, editor,
can pair your food focus with top- and connect with people. and health educator who loves to share
ics that would interest community Professional associations like her joy of cooking deliciously nutritious
groups, library patrons, and other the International Association of foods. She’s also the author of two
cookbooks, Healthier Gluten-Free and The
local audiences. While public speak- Culinary Professionals likewise
Big Book of Healthy Cooking Oils, and
ing might seem mildly terrifying at offer ways to network and con- she serves as leadership within the
first, if you’re talking about a sub- nect—another piece of that “plat- International Association of Culinary
ject you’re passionate about, you’ll form pie.” Or you could work with Professionals.
PUBLISHINGINSIGHTS
4 Health & Wellness Markets Open

to Writers
W
ith all things cozy on seeking fresh voices to tell the story alive USA is a bimonthly publica-
my mind, I want to of living and thriving with ADHD. tion geared to the eco-conscious
explore health and We are looking for blog posts by consumer.
wellness markets open to freelance parents, adults with ADHD, educa- The editors say, “alive has been
writers. After all, there are few tors, spouses, and experts. The best the leader in natural health for a
things more comforting than the bloggers write about their personal very long time—more than 45 years!
thought of a healthy mind and body, experiences and share the strategies/ We love that we’re the first-choice
and the following markets endeavor tools that work best for them.” resource for millions of people
to help their audiences navigate Potential writers can send blog who take responsibility for being
both health and wellness, whether post ideas along with a 500- to 800- engaged and informed about their
through personal experiences, word sample blog post to submis own health and wellness.”
medical experts and studies, reviews [email protected]. That Prospective writers can send
of products and services, or just the email address is also where experts general queries to editorial@alive
latest news and techniques. can pitch possible webinar topics. .com; but they can also directly
What was once a robust print Please note that webinar contribu- query Editor-in-Chief Tracy
magazine market—even just a few tors should hold an M.D., Ph.D., Peternell (tracy.peternell@alive
years ago—is shifting into a more or M.S. degree and be a recognized .com) for both the Canadian and
digital experience. There is still an authority in the field. U.S. editions. Note that articles
audience for reading advice, but The editors say, “ADDitude submitted on speculation will not be
many people also like to consume .com hosts 2–4 online webinars read or receive a response. Writers
their health and wellness content via each month. These are available to with accepted queries will receive
podcasts and videos, which opens our audience at no cost and pro- a requisition form, contract, and
new opportunities for writers will- moted via email newsletters, social blank invoice.
ing to adapt to the changing land- media posts, and online advertise- The editors say, “We invite you
scape. Here are four health and ments. Webinars last one hour and to submit unique, creative, and
wellness markets to get you started. draw 10,000–20,000 registrations on inspired queries that align with the
average. Webinar audio is then con- health focus or theme of each sched-
ADDITUDE verted to podcast format and posted uled issue. Please be sure to include
(ADDitudeMag.com) on ADDitude’s ‘ADHD Experts’ a distinctive perspective and a
ADDitude is a quarterly magazine podcast on iTunes.” unique concept, practice, or ground-
covering attention deficit disorder breaking area of research.”
for families and adults living with ALIVE
ADHD. Freelancers looking to break (Alive.com) SELF
into this market will find their best Founded in the 1970s, alive is a (Self.com)
opportunities through ADDitude’s magazine that has editions for both Originally a print magazine, SELF
blogs and webinars. Canada and the U.S. alive Canada has evolved into a health and well-
The editors say, “The editors of is a monthly publication focused on ness brand that reaches millions of
the ADDitude website are always natural health and wellness, while people each month across a wide

range of platforms, including web,
video, and social media.
4 TIPS FOR BUILDING AUTHORITY ON A SUBJECT
The editors say, “Our goal is As the publishing landscape continues to shift for nonfiction freelance writ-
to help people take good care of ers, one thing becomes increasingly clear: Authority matters. For health
themselves, their loved ones, and and wellness markets, authority might mean a medical degree, but how can
their communities. Sometimes we normal freelancers build authority? Here are a few tips:
do that by reporting on individual
• LEAN INTO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Using ADDitude as an example, a
actions that can make a difference;
freelancer who has ADHD (or who has a family member dealing with
sometimes we do it by highlighting
ADHD) can lean into their personal experience to build authority on the
efforts to make systemic or institu-
specific subject—because they’ve experienced it.
tional change. We pride ourselves on
• SPEAK WITH EXPERTS. One of the most tried-and-true methods for
publishing trustworthy content that
developing authority on a subject is to speak with subject-matter authori-
exemplifies our core brand values of
ties. Bonus points if you’re able to connect authorities from different (but
inclusivity, accuracy, autonomy,
complementary) fields.
and empathy.”
• RESEARCH THE SUBJECT. Writers with personal experience who have inter-
Prospective writers can pitch sto-
viewed experts are already well on their way to being authorities on their
ries for the SELF website in the fol-
subject. But they can still take it up to another level by researching their
lowing core verticals: health, fitness,
subject, especially if they can gather the answers to common (and maybe
food, beauty, love, and life. Send
less common) questions.
emails to Alisa Hrustic (alisa_hrus
• SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW—AND DON’T KNOW—ABOUT YOUR SUBJECT.
[email protected]) for general
Most people respect authority and admire honesty. Don’t overinflate
health and health features; Theresa
what you know about a subject; be honest about what you do know—and
Tamkins (theresa_tamkins@conde
don’t—and always be seeking to learn more about your subject. It’s OK to
nast.com) for health stories through
admit, even as a burgeoning authority, that you’re learning too.
a condition-specific lens; Christa
Sgobba (christa_sgobba@conde
nast.com) for fitness, sports, food, the piece, turnaround time, and meet you wherever you are in your
cooking, and nutrition; Cathryne special expertise.” health journey.”
Keller (cathryne_keller@conde Since Shape does reach so many
nast.com) for wellness lifestyle; SHAPE people, they have a more involved
and Abbey Stone (abbey_stone@ (Shape.com) vetting process before writers can
condenast.com) for shopping- Founded in 1981, Shape was (like pitch pieces. Prospective writers
related pitches, including gift guides. SELF) originally a print magazine should send a note about their expe-
Subject lines should follow the for- but is now an online destination rience with a few sample articles
mat of “PITCH: Working Headline serving millions of readers every to the editors at [email protected]
Here,” and queries should include a month. The site is divided into the to receive more information about
working headline or two, a couple following categories: Fitness, Beauty, their pitching guidelines, rates, and
paragraphs about the proposed Health and Wellness, News and content areas of focus.
piece, and a little bit about the Trends, Food and Nutrition, What The editors say, “We’re always
writer. Fees currently start at $450 to Buy, and Apparel and Gear. looking for talented journalists and
for short and quick news stories, The editors say, “At Shape, well- expert contributors to help bolster
$500 for reported service stories, ness is for all. Whether you are our mission to create a more equi-
and $800 for features. working toward a specific fitness table, accessible, and approachable
The editors explain, “We’re mak- goal or just hope to feel better and culture of wellness.” WD
ing an effort to standardize our rates have more energy, our team of writ-
as much as possible. As a general ers, editors, personal trainers, and Robert Lee Brewer is senior editor of
rule, we may pay more based on the wellness enthusiasts aims to provide WD and author of The Complete Guide of
amount of reporting expected for science-backed tools and tips to Poetic Forms.
LEVELUPYOUR
WRITING(LIFE)
Advice and tips to boost your writing skills.
BY SHARON SHORT
Drawing on Your Life Experiences

While Setting Boundaries
Y
ou may have seen adver- argue it’s nearly impossible to write for her husband’s murder. I too
tisements geared at writers anything without drawing on at least felt a wish for vengeance, not
for T-shirts with a saying some personal experiences as well as for anything nearly as dramatic
along the lines of Be careful, or I’ll what interests you. as a loved one’s murder, but for
put you in my next book. Why not use this to your advan- a hurt from a personal rela-
Amusing, but it leads to a serious tage? Here are ways you can do so: tionship gone awry. Mind you,
question: How much of your life, I wasn’t actively seeking ven-
• THEMATICALLY —Consider what
as a writer, do you want to put into geance, but I did project that
your novel? Or your memoir? draws you to the piece you’re inclination onto my protagonist.
It’s impossible to write anything working on now. For example, As I worked through my per-
without including something of I’m personally always fasci- sonal situation, I realized what
yourself, the writer. After all, the nated by the theme of “freedom.” I really wanted was healing and
idea, the impetus for your work What might that mean person- a renewed trust in community,
comes from … you. Your brain. ally? How do societal strictures, and that ultimately became the
Your imagination. Your creativity. or personal foibles, hold people need for my protagonist as well.
But you might protest … I’ve back from being free to be their • PLOTTING —The roman à clef is
obviously never lived on Mars in the authentic selves? What are the a subgenre of fiction in which
year 3057, or time-traveled, or lived boundaries for individual free- authors use their life experience
in 1850s Europe, or been a detective, doms if actions might harm oth- as the basis for their story but
ers? That became the theme of
ILLUSTRATIONS © GETTY IMAGES: FRANK RAMSPOTT, WILDPIXEL
or a trapeze artist, or a photojour- overlay it with a veneer of fic-

nalist. I’m just making up my story! my newest novel, Trouble Island. tion. For example, a roman à clef
It’s not about me! • CHARACTERIZATION —Do the author might change names, dis-
Well, your work may not be issues your characters are deal- tinguishing characteristics, loca-
about you directly (unless you’re ing with in some way overlap tions, or modify specific events.
writing an autobiography or mem- issues you are personally work- But you don’t have to go that far,
oir—and more on that in a moment) ing through? For example, when if you don’t want to, to enhance
but it is from you, and therefore, is I was first writing The Widows your plot with your own experi-
about you—or at least, aspects of (under my Jess Montgomery ences. For example, in one of my
you—in perhaps subtle but never- pen name), my main charac- humorous mystery novels (Death
theless deep ways. What’s more, I’d ter initially sought vengeance by Deep Dish Pie), I drew on

hometown parades I’d attended Spend some time brainstorming talk about our work and personal
many times to create a parade or journaling on this topic and see inspirations.
scene. I’ve pulled on hikes, corn what might enhance or even guide Perhaps because at one point in
mazes, swimming in a lake, and your writing. my career I wrote a weekly humor-
more to directly create scenes or ous column focusing on family life
enhance imagined scenarios. NOW, AS FOR YOU DEAR (Sanity Check) for my hometown
• POINT OF VIEW —I don’t mean WRITER … newspaper, I’ve spent a lot of time
the literary element, but your In the first part of this column, I’ve thinking about what I’m willing to
actual point of view. How gotten a lot more personal than I share—or not.
do you see the world? Scary, usually do, both in discussing my When it comes to details about
inspiring, funny? A mix of own work and how my own life family and friends, and past experi-
several perspectives? What is experiences have informed my work. ences, I’m much more guarded. For
your viewpoint on issues of In doing so, I had to consider just example, in explaining that I knew
the day? What do you believe how much I wish to reveal about my I wanted to become a writer as a
about humanity, or spiritually? personal life. child, I’m willing to share that in
Being clear with yourself about While it might be appealing to an often-chaotic childhood home,
your viewpoints—or even that think, Well, I’ll just be a writer who books were my refuge. Reading
you are uncertain about your hides away from the world, that’s not developed my imagination and my
beliefs—can help create not only realistic and never has been. (After desire to write. I’m happy to share
characters but the overall tone, or all, we know quite a few details that as a way to speak up against
voice, of your work. about that most famously reclusive book banning, as well as to explain
of writers, Emily Dickinson!) how writing has always been a part
If you write personal essays or Even being an introvert who of my life.
memoirs, you might wonder how sometimes writes with a pen name However, I’m not interested in
the preceding suggestions apply to can’t shield you entirely from reveal- going into details of what “often
you. After all, in nonfiction, aren’t ing parts of yourself to the literary chaotic” means, with the exception
you supposed to share the facts of world. (Trust me … I know!) of in a few personal essays.
your experiences? Yes, but … it’s Writers are often asked, either by And you know what? No one, so
impossible to detail every moment. industry professionals (agents, edi- far, has ever pressed me for details
You—and your readers—would tors, publicists) and by readers: on “chaotic.”
quickly become bored. So, dear writer, as you are consid-
In my personal essays, I carefully • What inspired the work?
ering how to draw on your experi-
consider which details to include and • Where did you grow up?
ences for your writing, also spend
which to omit. If the details of an • Are there family members,
time considering where your own
experience don’t directly relate to my teachers, mentors who have
boundaries and comfort zones are
theme (for example, what my father aided your growth as a writer?
in sharing in a public manner your
and I had for breakfast on a road trip • What does your family think of
personal life. Telling the truth on
your work?
had no bearing on the point of the social media and in interviews need
• Why did you want to become
trip—to get to know one another not be the same as tell all. WD
a writer?
better). It’s a tricky balance: You
don’t have to share every thought or I’ve been asked these questions,
detail, but you must include details and more.
that preserve the verisimilitude of the As writers who are seeking our
experience you’re documenting. audience, we often put ourselves Sharon Short (SharonShort.com) is the
Whatever genre you write, I “out there” via social media or email award-winning author of more than 14
novels, most recently the Kinship Historical
encourage you to consider how newsletters. Sometimes, we’re inter-
Mystery Series (as Jess Montgomery)
drawing on your personal views and viewed by journalists. Or we attend and the forthcoming historical suspense,
experiences can inform your work. a conference and are on a panel to Trouble Island.
BUILDINGBET TERWORLDS
Tips for making your story concrete.
BY MORIAH RICHARD
Law of the Land
M
agic is outlawed and
forbidden. But the main
character is a magician,
or at least is close to magic in some
way. Instant conflict!
This plot is surely familiar to
you, whether you’ve watched BBC’s
“Merlin” or you’ve read the Legacy
of Orïsha series by Tomi Adeyemi.
Putting your characters in direct
opposition to society’s laws is a great
and easy way to introduce obstacles
in your stories. Fantasy isn’t the
only genre that utilizes this idea; the
sci-fi novel Braking Day by Adam
Oyebanji employs an illegally con-
structed AI as part of the plot, and
Vanessa Riley’s historical romance For example, if you have a migra- have just as much (if not more) influ-
A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby con- tory society without formal written ence over the community members
tends with a widow’s fight to be rec- laws, who defines what’s appropri- as other members of government.
ognized in the eyes of the law. ate behavior in the community? A Just as important as these details,
The important point in all of council of elders, perhaps, or maybe how do the people in the commu-
these works is that the laws don’t there’s a queen or some other kind nity feel about the governance? Are
crop up for a little drama whenever of leader. Or if there’s a small town there factions of rebels standing
it’s convenient for the plot—they’re where an elected official—like a mag- up to unjust laws and systems of
clearly stated and a major factor in istrate—is supposed to act out the oppression? Are they beloved lead-
the world-building from the begin- will of the king or queen, are the laws ers who truly want to do the best
ning. Each writer had to approach actually carried out as intended? Or for their community and have the
their storytelling in such a way that does corruption make it harder for full faith and support of those in
it wouldn’t surprise the reader or the laws to be carried out? their care? The attitudes people have
seem unbelievable. You might also consider religious toward the laws often indicate how
laws alongside of societal ones. For willing they are to follow them.
ILLUSTRATION © GETTY IMAGES: CSA IMAGES
GOVERNANCE example, it might not be illegal for

While we can spend an entire article someone to consume animals, but it TYPES OF LAWS
just talking about types and struc- goes against the region’s popular reli- There are 21 types of laws in the U.S.
tures of governance, when talking gion, making it harder for people to today. However, unless your story
specifically about laws, we just need get ahold of animals for consumption directly deals with things like corpo-
to determine who is making the or making meat-eaters outcasts. In rate life or intellectual property, out-
laws and why. this case, the religious leaders would lining those laws won’t be much use.

Instead, you want to focus on Who is considered when it comes to Punishment
things that will be more immedi- universal rights? Who is excluded? Beyond enforcement is how convic-
ate to your plot. For instance, are What are the reasons for this, and tions are carried out. Generally, the
there labor laws that prevent work- how does it affect the way that soci- greater the crime, the harsher the
ers from being treated poorly? Are ety is run? punishment. But this also depends
children forced to work? Are there on who is making the laws. For
protections in place for natural areas ENFORCEMENT example, if you have a royal fam-
or are they at the mercy of industry? Another aspect of the law is its ily leading the nation, they’ll most
Make a list of some simple laws enforcement. Modern-day police likely view crimes against the crown
that will be integral to your charac- forces are a very recent creation. In (dissent, theft of royal goods, mur-
ters. Things like trade, property, and ancient Greece, there were pub- der of royal officials) to be worse
health that might become compli- licly “owned” enslaved people who than stealing bread at the market-
cations for your plot are exactly the acted largely in the interest of pub- place or murdering your neighbor
kind of details you’ll want to focus on. lic order and did not participate in over a land dispute. At the end of
investigations. In fact, throughout Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Rights history, crimes were by and large (spoiler alert!), the Capitol fire-
Merriam-Webster defines a right considered private matters handled bombed District 12 as a response to
as “the power or privilege to which between citizens. Confucianism in the rebellion being centered there.
one is justly entitled.” As we know China served to promote harmony This fuels Katniss’s desire to take
from our global history, society’s and teach people their roles, form- down the Capitol and leads to the
attitude toward a person’s rights ing societal order. On the American events of the final novel.
changes, and the laws change along frontier, there was a system of You can use punishment as a way
with them. county sheriffs, rangers, constables, to explore oppression and unfair-
For example, Americans like to and marshals, all with different ness. Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables
say that “women” gained the right jurisdictions and influence. opens with Jean Valjean’s 19-year
to vote in 1920. However, that law Depending on the makeup of sentence coming to an end after he
only applied to white women. Native your world, you might have societ- was imprisoned for stealing bread
American women were not recog- ies that vary in their enforcement. In for his sister’s starving children. The
nized as U.S. citizens until 1924 with Tolkien’s Middle-earth, for example, rest of the book hinges on his
the passage of the Snyder Act and the Shire only had the voluntary role struggle to lead a normal life in the
were still denied voting rights in of the Watch, where Shirriffs were aftermath. Similarly, you can use
individual states until around 1962. the only forms of defense or deter- punishment as a way to further
Asian American immigrant women rent. Though there was never cause move your plot and explore various
were denied citizenship until the for Tolkien to write much in the themes of injustice, morality,
Immigration and Nationality Act of way of law and order in the realms and sacrifice.
1952. Black women were not legally of Men, we can assume that it’s
No matter if you’re writing about
allowed to vote until 1965 when more closely related to how enforce-
outlaws plotting their next big job
the Voting Rights Act was passed. ment is carried out in George R.
or an unassuming citizen getting
Latin American women (and oth- R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire
caught up in a rebellion, you might
ers for whom English was not their series. They are both based on
want to consider how law and order
first language) were denied voting Medieval times, after all.
will influence your plot. WD
rights based on literacy tests until as Instead of getting lost outlining
late as 1975 when the Voting Rights the entire justice system, ask your-
Act was expanded. To this day, vot- self: If my character breaks the law,
ing remains a contested right that is who do they need to look out for/
hotly debated and fought for. fear? How could they avoid getting Moriah Richard is managing editor of WD.
In your world-building, what caught? What would their chal- Her Building Better Worlds column is a
kinds of rights seem “self-evident”? lenges be? 2023 Eddie Awards winner.
FORALL AGES
Writing and publishing advice for picture books, middle-grade, and young adult storytelling.
BY CHANAH WIZENBERG
Dyslexic? Who says you can’t be an

author? Just ask Henry Winkler!
F
or many of us, the name
“Henry Winkler” is synony-
mous with The Fonz, the
character from the 1970s sitcom
“Happy Days,” who showed us what
cool was—ayyyy.
What you may not know is that
Winkler has severe dyslexia. But he
also has superpowers: improvisa-
tion and imagination. In fact, that’s
what cinched the deal for him when
“Happy Days” was being created.
During the audition for the show,
he made it through about six lines
of dialogue when he forgot the rest.
Henry being Henry, he improvised,
taking a step back, turning his palms
up, and saying “ayyyy.” Then he went then, he worked sporadically direct- Accommodating Henry’s dyslexia
home. A few days later, on his birth- ing and producing some films and was their next task. It became Lin’s
day, he got the call that he secured the television shows. job to sit at the computer and type
role. His life was about to change. In 2002, a Broadway show while Henry walked or paced and
Arthur Fonzarelli was origi- Winkler was in closed. He returned talked. They exchanged ideas, and as
nally a secondary character. By the home to Los Angeles. Work had Winkler described it, “we argued over
third season, because of Winkler’s dried up, and he didn’t know what every word.” Oliver and Winkler have
extraordinary improvisational skills to do. Henry sought help from his found that they work best working
and talent, The Fonz, or Fonzie, agent, Alan Berger, who suggested in two-to-three-hour chunks. When
became the leading character of the he write about his dyslexia. “I can’t they are close to publication, they
series. Unfortunately, once The Fonz do that, I’m dyslexic,” said Winkler. may work five to seven days in a row.
became an icon, it typecast Winkler. Whereupon Berger said he’d intro- Their first series was Hank Zipzer,
When “Happy Days” closed its duce Winkler to his good friend about a boy with dyslexia; his tri-
doors in 1984, no one would hire Lin Oliver, an accomplished writer als and tribulations at school and at
him. He was unaware at the time, of television series, film, children’s home. The themes of humor, being
but that challenge would set the books. Winkler agreed to meet with a good friend, and applauding dif-
foundation for him to become Oliver for lunch. A lunch, for the sec- ferences thread through the series,
something he never envisioned—a ond time, would be life-changing. resulting in a delightful read. The
successful children’s author. Until That lunch led to their first series. first two publishers they approached

turned them down. The third, just out of college working to write the side of the duck, also turning it
Penguin Putnam, gave them a try. children’s books, they realized there on its side, to create the wing.” In
They started with a contract for two weren’t many resources for writers this way, Santat has shown children
books. That turned into four, and and illustrators of children’s books. who have dyslexia that letters don’t
four turned into 20! To advertise it, Oliver and Mooser have to be our enemies—they can
The books are based on Henry’s chipped in $50 each to place an ad be our friends. Kids and adults with
experiences growing up, and the in Writer’s Digest magazine. They dyslexia see certain letters flipped
characters are based on real people. ran the ad for two years. Now, 52 around and upside down, especially
It was with this series that Penguin years later, SCBWI is the largest the letters Dd and Pp. He’s taught
asked if they would be interested writing organization in the world. them they can draw using letters
in using a new font called Dyslexie, Twenty-five years later, illustra- rather than lines and shapes.
created by Christian Boer, a graphic tor and Caldecott Medal winner Winkler says anyone can draw
designer who has dyslexia. Once Dan Santat learned of SCBWI from using Dan’s ideas. Letters can trans-
Oliver and Winkler saw the font, another ad in Writer’s Digest. He form into shapes to draw ducks and
they had to use it. decided to attend a SCBWI confer- more. “I learned that there is not
With the Dyslexie font, Oliver ence, bringing his portfolio with one way to do things.”
explains, “the descending marks of him. When he showed his illus- Winkler continues, “From Lin,
the letters are longer, and the ascend- trations to the authors, including I learned the rules and process
ing marks of the letters are higher Oliver, “there was a great competi- of writing.”
with more spaces between words. The tion to sign him up to do books.” Oliver has this to say about
margins are larger too.” (If you would Santat was booked solid with proj- working with Winkler and Santat:
like to see what it looks like, you can ects. Twenty years passed before “Having done books with many
pick up a copy of Hank Zipzer at your Santat became the illustrator for authors, it’s a very rare case when
local bookshop or library and go to Detective Duck. “Writer’s Digest has you work with pleasant people that
DyslexieFont.com/en/). a role in this long historic way, con- you absolutely love. It doesn’t feel
The Hank Zipzer series was necting everything together into this like work. It’s just a fun experience.”
such a success, Winkler and Oliver new wonderful series,” states Oliver. Santat adds, “When working
decided to write another based on During the pandemic, Winkler with people who you love, admire,
Hank before his dyslexia diagnosis. and his wife were in New Hampshire and respect, it’s fun. I find that there
These prequels became Here’s Hank. on vacation. While working on a jig- is more in me than I ever thought
Both Hank Zipzer and Here’s saw puzzle of a duck swimming in a because I’m in an environment that
Hank (for grades 4–6) have become beautiful little pond, Winkler took is positive, trusting, and open to the
bestselling series. Parents of chil- a picture of it and sent it to Oliver. creative process. I’m having the time
dren with dyslexia are seeing their “That’s where our duck lives.” Now of my life!”
children become excited about read- they had something to give to Santat Henry Winkler offers this advice:
ing, many for the first time. to visualize what they wanted in their “Write from your own voice. It’s never
With those books under their illustrations of the duck. With more too late to follow your dreams!”
belts, they developed a brand-new brainstorming sessions over Zoom, Detective Duck #2: The Case
series, Detective Duck. Winkler they narrowed the focus to what of the Missing Tadpole will be out
happens to love ducks, and in the would become Detective Duck. October 15, 2024. WD
Hank Zipzer books, Hank is reading Santat sometimes uses letters in
Chanah Wizenberg is a freelance writer.
a book titled Detective Duck. They his drawings. For example, the let- In addition, she writes poetry and short
loved that title and decided to use it ter D. He used that letter to create stories, published in several anthologies,
for their new chapter books. the body of the duck. “I turned the including Heron Clan VIII, Fine Lines, and
Lin Oliver co-founded the letter, so the flat side of the D was the annual TAF (Triangle Association of
Freelancers) Omnibus. Chanah is currently
Society for Children’s Book Writers on top, creating her back, the bot- working on a humorous poetry book. She
and Illustrators with Stephen tom side her belly. Next, I took the lives in Raleigh, N.C., with her dog Asha
Mooser. In 1972, when they were same letter and again, attached to and cat Marmalade.
FRONTLIST/BACKLIST
Whether hot off the presses or on the shelves for years, a good book is worth talking about.
BY AMY JONES
Island Paradise?
Frontlist to force Rosita’s hand to agree to the
Trouble Island by Sharon Short quick sale of the home that’s been
(Minotaur Books, Suspense, in her family for generations. He
December 2024) threatens her with being stuck on
the island with him and his crew for
SYNOPSIS: It’s the start of winter,
the entire winter, something Rosita
1932, and Aurelia Escalante is pre-
desperately doesn’t want. Then, after
paring to hunker down on Trouble
Rosita turns up dead in the water,
Island in the middle of Lake Erie
the weather takes a turn for the
where she can keep a low profile in
worse and slows down each step of
her position as maid to lady of the
identifying her killer and getting off
manor, Rosita McGee. But Aurelia
the island.
isn’t who she seems to be—she’s the
Additionally, for a locked-room
wife of a murdered gangster—so
murder mystery like Trouble Island,
taking care of Rosita, who is mourn-
creating a strong motivation for
ing the loss of her young son and
each character to be a potential
refusing to take visitors, offers the
suspect is key. Writers interested
perfect hideout.
in writing their own locked-room
Perfect until the boat of Rosita’s
a dead body and a host of people story could reverse outline Short’s
husband, notorious prohibition
who each have more than enough novel detailing each character’s
gangster Eddie McGee, appears
motive to commit the crime. motivation and the point at which
without warning, carrying a doctor,
that motivation is revealed because
Rosita’s cousin, a down-on-his-luck FOR WRITERS: If you want to make
both are so expertly done.
famous actor, Eddie’s right-hand- the most of nature in your story,
man, and another gangster who Sharon Short’s Trouble Island
Backlist
Rosita believes killed her son—all demonstrates how you can use
What Never Happened by
trying to get Rosita to sell the house it both to help and hinder your
Rachel Howzell Hall
to the gangster with immediate characters. From the first pages,
ILLUSTRATION © GETTY IMAGES: FRANK RAMSPOTT
(Thomas & Mercer, Thriller,

effect. With Aurelia’s disguise at risk when Aurelia is taking her final
August 2023)
of being discovered and a boat prac- swim before hanging up her
tically begging to be used, Aurelia homemade wetsuit for the winter, SYNOPSIS: Twenty years ago, when
plans her escape until she discovers readers know the unpredictable Colette “Coco” Weber was a teen-
Rosita dead in the water. waters of Lake Erie in the winter ager, she was rebellious for the first
As the first ice storm of the season will be a driving force of the story. and only time: She snuck out of
advances sooner than expected, After Eddie arrives, the impending her family’s new home on idyllic
Aurelia is trapped on the island with winter serves his goal as he uses it Catalina Island to hang out with

mainland to prevent the spread
of COVID-19 and Coco starts
identifying a pattern in the deaths,
she receives new threats in the form
of her own obituary. Now she must
solve the murders while trying not to
become the next victim.
FOR WRITERS: If you’re looking to

create an ominous tone that drives
a character (and reader) to under-
standable paranoia, this book does
exactly that, starting with Coco’s
backstory. Returning to the island
where one’s family was brutally
murdered would rightfully put
anyone on edge. Then, the strange
potential new friends. When she occurrences start off slow—Coco is
returned, she found her entire fam- in a new town, so of course things
ily murdered. Because the island will seem strange to her, but it’s also
thrives (and survives) on tourism, enough that it makes Coco question
the murders were quickly swept her own judgment and brush it off
under the rug and the first available as a side effect of her past trauma.
suspect was convicted, no matter
Just as she starts to figure out her
how shoddy the evidence.
new norm—or accept that unusual
Now, Coco is called back to the
happenings are the norm—things
island after her elderly aunt appears
to need additional assistance. For get more bizarre: broken windows,
Coco, the timing couldn’t be better, unlocked doors, missing women.
having recently gotten out of a toxic Then, Howzell Hall rachets up
relationship and being laid off from the tension by trapping Coco on
her job writing obituaries at a news- the island. Readers see the date
paper in L.A. Her college friend at the start of each new chapter:
Maddy owns the only newspaper on present-day chapters always happen
Catalina and promises Coco a cushy in March 2020. At first, it’s easy to
job while she gets back on her feet.
ignore the date, but Howzell Hall
But things start to unravel:
ensured that as things get worse for
Coco receives threatening phone
Coco, references to a virus come up
calls from her ex; new evidence is
found clearing the man convicted in passing. Naturally, when Coco’s
of her family’s murders, proving life is truly in danger, her only
the real murderer is still on the means of escape to the mainland are
loose; break-ins and other odd shut down, forcing her to confront
occurrences happen at Coco’s home; whoever is threatening her life. WD
and widowed elderly women start
dying in unusual numbers. When Amy Jones is editor-in-chief of WD. Follow
the island shuts down ferries to the her on Instagram @AmyMJones_5.
C ON FE RE NCE GUIDE CLASSIFIEDS: READING NOTICES
NEW JERSEY AUTHOR PROMOTION

CONFERENCE GUIDE ST
31 ANNUAL WINTER POETRY AUTHOR WEBSITES & PUBLICITY: Look
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024 professional, sell more books with a custom
& PROSE GETAWAY, presented
website. Social media and marketing services:
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be more than one workshop University. January 17–20, 2025, at
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N.J. Advance your craft and energize COACHING
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DISQUIET PRIZE FOR FICTION, NONFICTION,
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CREATIVEQUILL
A playground for your pen.
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Swipe Right on Character Development: Lessons From Personal Ads

Character development can feel Likes Jane Austen in Bed book events, writing conferences,
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WRITE A COZY THAT CHARMS THE SOCKS OFF YOUR READERS

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS SINCE 1920

Understanding the ROLE OF

FIND COMFORT Amid

Enter up to 9 categories to win big in

READY TO WRITE YOUR SUCCESS?

26 BY TIFFANY YATES MARTIN

More Than Fluff

36 4 8 Unlock Writing Secrets of Literary

The Holiday Romance 3 2 Understanding the Role of Animals in

Recipe 4 2 Find Comfort Amid Publishing Chaos

2 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

8 YULE BOOK FLOOD FOR NEWBIES

52 10 PLUS: Worth a Thousand Words • You, Yes, You! •

2 2 WRITERS ON WRITING: The Kids Will Be

2 3 MEET THE AGENT: Pam Gruber • High Line

2 4 BREAKING IN: Debut Author Spotlight

6 2 YOUR STORY: Out to Sea #129

7 0 ON NONFICTION: A Recipe for Building a

58 7 2 PUBLISHING INSIGHTS: 4 Health & Wellness

6 5 THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY 8 0 FRONTLIST/BACKLIST: Island Paradise?

PLUS: 4 Learn by Example 5 Editor’s Letter 6 Contributors 8 8 Creative Quill

Grendel doesn’t bark when my key When I was in the hospital, my

4 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

SENIOR EDITOR Cozy Writing, Comfort

LISA HOWARD (TheCulturedCook.com) is a

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

series. When not writing, Diane enjoys volunteering at VICE PRESIDENT,

VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL PRODUCT

ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation DIRECTOR,

Saturday Evening Post, Sierra, Smithsonian, and many

6 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

To make a long story (really) short...

8 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

Paul Nicolaus (NicolausWriting.com) is a

10 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

GRAND PRIZE: ENTER IN ONE (OR MORE!)

12 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

6 WAYS TO WRITE the clip-clop of horse hooves, the

14 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

1. What kind of person would find this kind of

Public Speaking Tips for

16 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

2. What unique point of view do you bring to these subjects?

3. Who is your target audience for this subject?

5. Who are the contacts for these organizations?

7. Draft a pitch for your speaking engagement.

18 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

The ABCs of Freelance Success

20 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

The Kids Will Be All Right

22 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

24 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

agents. WHAT I DID RIGHT: I think riences of the searchers. I started

How to write a cozy that charms

26 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

S (despite a corpse or two). Others are erudite and

THE ACTIVE LISTENING PROCESS CHARM KILLERS

28 I WRITER’S DIGEST I November/December 2024

THREE MORE WAYS TO ADD CHARM TO YOUR COZY MYSTERY