Make Your Script's Opening Pages Stand Out

March 20

The opening pages of a script matter far more than you think. They are the chance a busy Literary Manager, Agent, Producer, or Actor gives you to impress them with your command of craft, story and above all, characters. If you can impress those people with your skills in those pages, there’s a great chance they’ll keep reading. And that is the first hurdle to overcome in the obstacle course that is a screenwriting career. Get them to keep reading.

Mystery & Thriller Virtual Conference

March 21 - 23

Writer's Digest University's 11th Annual Mystery & Thriller Virtual Conference is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn about the craft of this genre directly from bestselling Mystery and Thriller authors. This event includes SEVEN all-new, one-hour webinar presentations!

Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home.

Irresistible First Chapters

March 27

First pages and chapters carry a lot of weight: They must introduce characters and give readers a reason to care about what happens to them; set up enough suggestion of conflict or friction to intrigue; create questions that keep us turning pages; while giving readers enough information to orient us to the story and set up the journey to come.

In other words, they have to hook your readers, whether that’s your ultimate audience for your book or the gatekeepers of the industry.

Freelance Writing

March 13 - June 26

No other market is as open to the freelance writer as the magazine market. From trade and association publications, to special interest magazines, to regional and national consumer publications, editors are looking for writers who can deliver well-researched, reader-targeted articles on deadline. In this course, you will work with a published article writer to develop, research and write two articles suitable for publication in magazines you've identified as appropriate markets.

Description: Bring Your Writing to Life

March 13 - April 10

Descriptive writing, when done well, creates an immersive reading experience. Readers love to get lost in a good book, feeling as though they’re in another time and place, walking in characters’ shoes, seeing, hearing, experiencing, smelling, touching right along with the characters. In this course, you will learn how to effectively use descriptive techniques to elevate your writing into an immersive reading experience for your readers, including agents and editors.

Writing and Producing the Short Film

March 13 - April 10

If you want to be a produced screenwriter, there’s never been a better time to make it happen for yourself! There’s no reason to wait around for a producer to call when you can start to build your credits and body of produced work on your own. With everything you need already in your phone and laptop, you can produce your own short film and propel your writing and/or directing career forward with little to no budget.