Writer’s Digest Annual Conference 2023 Sessions You Won’t Want to Miss
If you’ve been following Writer’s Digest on any of our social media channels or are signed up for our newsletters or subscribe to the magazine, chances are you’ve heard that the 2023 Writer’s Digest Annual Conference is coming up (August 17-20th to be exact!). Previously, I’ve highlighted what I’ve been looking forward to in NYC this summer in a recent podcast episode and offered an extensive recommended reading list of books by our speakers.
Here, I’d like to highlight some specific sessions that we don’t always feature at the conference. Of course, we’ll have the always-popular sessions about writing query letters, how to pitch article ideas, writing dialogue, creating nonfiction book proposals, and making your first pages stand out. But each year, we also like to include session topics that will surprise and delight attendees; sessions that put a new spin on a popular topic or inform writers about something they didn’t know they wanted to know about.
Below are some exciting sessions that at #WDC23 you won’t want to miss!
The Hybrid Author’s Path with Vanessa Riley
No longer does the publishing pathway look like a fork in a road where one direction leads to traditional publishing and the other leads to self-/indie publishing. Learn to differentiate which of your book ideas are best suited to each market from Vanessa Riley, the successful hybrid author of more than 25 books.
Media Training for Authors with Paula Rizzo
We’ve all seen a cringe-worthy interview where we wished the interviewer hadn’t asked that awkward question that puts the guest author on the spot. Or one where the author says something that seems innocuous but then turns into a media firestorm. In an effort to help authors prepare for future public events, Paula Rizzo offers media training tips for authors.
Villains Need Love Too with Yasmin Angoe
I’ve been hooked on Yasmin Angoe’s Knight trilogy, starting with Her Name Is Knight, since I learned about them earlier this year (thank you, NetGalley for early access to the third and final book!). They’re brilliantly written political thrillers with some seriously complicated villains. After reading these books, I can think of no better person to offer instruction about writing villains than Angoe.
Climate Fiction: How, What, Where, When, Why with Bruce Holsinger
Climate fiction is become ever more prevalent on bookstore shelves. Even books that don’t seem to be about the world’s climate often allude to it in some way. Bruce Holsinger, author of the incredible climate fiction book The Displacements (which I recommended here), introduces a range of approaches to writing climate fiction and some of the controversies.
Taking Your Story to #BookTok with Jess Zafarris
Walk into any B&N and you’ll spot a table overflowing with #BookTok recommended reading. What is #BookTok and how can you use it to your advantage? WD’s former content strategist Jess Zafarris shares her vast TikTok know-how.
Travel for Research with Eliza Knight
Who doesn’t dream of writing off traveling as book research? (I’m already planning my next Italy trip to be a research trip!) But there’s a lot to consider to make the trip worthwhile and legitimately useable for tax purposes. Eliza Knight offers tips for this and what to do when travel just isn’t possible.
Microsoft Word Unleashed with Michael La Ronn
Look, we all think we know how to use Microsoft Word. Just open it up and type, right? But there are some incredible (and incredibly frustrating) features that, if you know how to use them, can make your writing life easier. Michael La Ronn shares how.