Episodes

  • How to Be a More Media-Savvy Author (with Paula Rizzo)

    How to Be a More Media-Savvy Author (with Paula Rizzo)
    Apr 15 2025
    The first job of a writer is to actually write their book. The next is to promote it. But getting in front of a camera or microphone and talking to a live audience isn't as easy at it may sound, and authors who are used to having thousands of words in a book to lean on may need to come up with just a few minutes of sound bites to help them get their point across. In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," content editor Michael Woodson chats with media coach and author Paula Rizzo about why it's important for writers to learn to be media-savvy, the different kinds of media that can help them promote their work, and how to have every possible answer ready in their back pocket.
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    39 mins
  • Writing Whatever You Want (with author Hilary Leichter)

    Writing Whatever You Want (with author Hilary Leichter)
    Mar 18 2025
    In publishing, we spend a lot of time talking about genre, and a lot of authors know exactly what genre they're interested in writing in. But what about writers who have story ideas that don't easily fit into any one genre category? Should they shift the story to better fit a marketing mold, or should they just keep writing and faith that their unique story will find the right home? In this episode of "Writer's Digest Presents," content editor Michael Woodson chats with author Hilary Leichter, author of Temporary and Terrace Story, about ignoring craft rules, not thinking about your readers, and when to ask yourself what you're afraid of.
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    38 mins
  • Getting Started In Screenwriting

    Getting Started In Screenwriting
    Feb 18 2025
    Screenwriting is a completely different animal than novel writing—there are different rules, there are different ways to get feedback, there are different expectations...but understanding screenwriting can help you navigate your own stories whether or not you're interested in filmmaking. In the first episode of season four of the "Writer's Digest Presents" podcast, content editor Michael Woodson sits down with Script magazine's editor-in-chief Sadie Dean to help writers get started in screenwriting. Check out these screenwriting resources from Sadie: Script Magazine: https://scriptmag.com/ Script University: https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/store SimplyScripts: https://www.simplyscripts.com/ Script Reader Pro: https://www.scriptreaderpro.com/ The Internet Movie Script Database: https://www.imdb.com/
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    40 mins
  • How to Fictionalize Personal History: A Chat With Sharon Short

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

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

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

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

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