The best and worst thing about being a travel writer is that there is no clear pipeline to success. No two writers will follow the same path and the journey is universally and almost necessarily circuitous. At our hearts, writers are professional observers, and it takes time to cultivate our worldview. (How My Travel Writing Strengthened My Fiction.) As a baseline, you must love travel so much that you are willing to ruin it for yourself. Or at least the glamorous veneer of it. Being a writer, after all, is a human experience. It requires the full spectrum of rapturous joy and crushing lonelin ..read more

I once spotted a woman reading a book while walking her dog down the street, her head bowed over a hardcover balanced in one hand and her dog’s leash in the other. Isn’t that what all writers want? To craft a book that holds our readers so enthralled they can’t bear to put it down either to go to bed or walk the dog? (Surprise vs. Suspense, and How to Pair Them in Your Writing.) Of all the elements that make a book riveting, one of the most critical is suspense. Suspense can come from fear that something awful will happen, anxiety that something good won’t happen, or anticipation of when somet ..read more

We often think of broken hearts and breakups as solidly romance genre topics, but the end of close platonic friendships can be just as tragic or explosive. Jealousy, betrayal, neglect, misunderstanding, or simply diverging interests can create distance in even the closest relationships, romantic or not, at any age.  (How to Write Inner Conflict in Fiction.) Whether you’re writing about a slow, tapering off of a friendship or an earth-shattering throwdown, here are a few tips in setting up your breakup. 1. Establish a believable friendship. Readers won’t care about friends breaking up if t ..read more

Myah Ariel is the author of debut contemporary romance When I Think of You (Berkley '24). Her early love of movies led her from Arkansas to New York City where she earned a BA in cinema studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She also holds an MA in specialized journalism for the arts from USC Annenberg. For several years Myah worked across multiple roles in the film and entertainment industry before pivoting to work in academia. As a medical mom and a hopeless romantic, Myah is passionate about inclusive love stories. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Myah Ariel Photo by Berkley Roman ..read more

After today's poem, we'll be three-fifths of the way through this challenge. Remember in the beginning when we were all writing such optimistic poems? Well... For today's prompt, write a pessimistic poem. Think about what's gone wrong, is going wrong, and will go wrong in the future. Some people would say this line of thinking means having a bad attitude; others would contend that it's just taking off those rose-colored sunglasses. Whatever your take is on pessimism, write it out today. Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit the ..read more

Conflict and emotion are at the heart of every story, fiction or nonfiction. In this issue, we cover topics ranging from how to present conflict and emotion differently based on age range or genre to how hot-button issues in the publishing industry affect writers (and how they can avoid those conflicts). Subscribe to Writer's Digest today for this to be your first issue. Writer's Digest Features include: + The WD Interview: Alyssa Cole: The award-winning author of When No One Is Watching takes a deep dive on the role of conflict in stories and creating the complex characters in her newest thr ..read more

Give me ghosts, werewolves, angels, vampires, and demons. I’ve been reading supernatural horror since I was a kid, and now I incorporate supernatural horror elements in much of what I write. I love how diverse supernatural horror is and how it can be used in so many ways to serve a story.  (What Are Creepypasta Stories?) In my debut novel, Sisters of the Lost Nation, I use supernatural elements to inspire fear while providing the protagonist with opposition. My tips for writing supernatural horror are based on how I use it in the book. Here they are. 7 Tips for Writing Supernatural Horror ..read more

It has been just over a year since the launch of ChatGPT and the subsequent widespread awakening of the power and perils of AI, particularly among authors and publishers. What previously felt like science fiction—an autonomous, generative-AI engine that could author unique and credible written output based on simple prompts—was suddenly not only real, but ubiquitous. (Do AI Dream of Electric Deeps?) Along with journalists grappling with AI-generated news stories, teachers trying to weed out essays their students didn’t write, and technologists warning of the existential threat to humanity of u ..read more

Will Cockrell has spent more than 20 years as a senior editor, writer, and consultant for national magazines including Men’s Journal, Outside, Men’s Fitness, and GQ. His work has been awarded by the American Society of Magazine Editors and Professional Publishers Association U.K. A former outdoor guide, Cockrell has covered Everest throughout his career, and has visited Everest base camp in Nepal. He lives with his family in Los Angeles, California. Find more at his website, WillCockrell.com, and follow him on Instagram. Will Cockrell Photo by Dave Mullin In this interview, Will discusses what ..read more

For today's prompt, take the phrase "Not (blank)," replace the blank with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: "Not the Only One," "Not Like This," "Not Without Eating One More Piece of Pie," and/or "Not Sure What I Was Saying." Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them. Note on commenting: If you wish to comment on the site, go to Disqus to create a free new account, verify your account on this site below (one-time thing), and then comment ..read more