Finish Your Book: From the Opening to the Ending

May 21

Every new idea arrives with a spark. We’re energized, eager, ready to begin. That momentum carries us forward for a few weeks. But, somewhere along the way, enthusiasm fades. Whether it’s the early draft, the messy middle, or even late-stage revisions, most writers hit a point where the work feels harder than it should—and finishing begins to feel out of reach.

In this dynamic live webinar, Polly Campbell shares proven strategies to help you choose the right idea, sustain your energy, and build a writing practice that carries you from draft to completed project—no matter what gets in the way.

Perfecting Submission Materials Boot Camp

May 26 - 29

Agents get literally thousands of submissions a year, including query letters, sample pages, and synopses. Of those thousands, they request a full manuscript from few and offer representation to even fewer.

In this boot camp from Fuse Literary Agency, attendees will learn how to put together a short yet effective query letter and a one- to two-page book synopsis (fiction). They’ll also learn some best practices for submitting their query, pages, and synopsis to agents.

Amping Up Tension and Suspense to Keep Readers Turning Pages

May 28

Suspense and tension are among the most important elements of compelling, readable stories that grab your reader and compel her to turn the page—in every single genre. These two key craft elements are the engine of story.

In this webinar, learn why a lack of tension and suspense may be what’s keeping you from that publishing contract or bestseller list, or costing you reader investment. We’ll examine how to determine whether you have enough suspense and tension in your story, along with tips for how to develop these elements so that readers are compelled to keep turning pages.

Building New Worlds: Improving Your Fantasy Craft

May 21 - July 2

Brand new to WDU!

Writing a fantasy novel is about making a world of magic and fictitious lands feel real, while at the same time adhering to the often rigid standards of publication. Feeling overwhelmed? Curious to know more? Eager to learn? Then this course is for you. Let’s make your world a reality.

Show Me the Stakes: Writing Conflict That Actually Hooks

May 21 - June 25

This course will show you how to make every page pulse with the thing that matters most: consequence. You’ll learn to pin down what’s really at risk for your characters, raise the cost of failure, and revise your scenes so readers can’t look away.

Writing the Memoir 201

May 21 - August 13

Transform your memoir from a work-in-progress into a compelling, polished story through six focused sessions that sharpen your themes, strengthen your structure, and give you a clear plan for finishing with confidence.

Writing the Middle Grade Book

May 21 - July 16

Any middle-grade book author will tell you that writing an effective book is more challenging than reading one! Take this online course and learn the essential elements of writing for kids and how to break into children’s publishing.

Research for Writers

May 21 - June 18

In this online writing course, you will learn how to manage your research time and effort, and even become comfortable with it. You’ll learn how to find resources, streamline the process, and organize results.

Copyediting Certificate Program

May 28 - August 20

Writer's Digest is proud to offer our Copyediting Certificate Program. This course will provide training for aspiring copy editors in order to give them practical and marketable workplace skills. As a student in this certification course, you will progress from the fundamentals of grammar, form, and composition to advanced copyediting skills.