Urban fiction, also known as street lit, hip-hop lit, gansta lit, or ghetto lit, tells the story of life in the inner-city, generally with a gritty, dark tone. The plot shines a light on the harsh realities of life in the city, including hard subjects...

Strong stories need a plot, a setting, and most importantly, engaging characters. Agents and editors will tell you that all stories are character-driven. However, if your characters are stereotypes, one-dimensional, or predictable, the reader will soon...

There is a burgeoning demand for short memoir and personal essays in literary magazines and anthologies. These publications range from nonpaying to significant compensation. In this webinar, award-winning author Jeanne Lyet Gassman examines the differences...

There are many paths to success for authors beyond submitting your writing to publishers. Contests open the door to both publication and financial awards. Grants and fellowships provide financial support for your work, and residencies offer time to concentrate...

As you're putting the finishing touches on your manuscript, focus your attention on the overall presentation of your book. Front matter—the content of your manuscript preceding the main body text—is usually the first place a potential reader will look...

NONFICTION AUTHORS: You love to do research & have great ideas for nonfiction articles, but how do you get them traditionally published? You have written personal essays about your life. Is there a market for stories like these? What about a nonfiction...

In order to write a screenplay that will be read by the people who buy scripts, it is essential, carved in stone, that your screenplay follows the correct format – to the letter. There is no room for creativity or individuality as far as format is concerned...

Sitting in front of a screen and struggling to put even one word on it is a writer’s nightmare. You must cultivate your imagination to spur it on during writing sessions. To do this, it is important to find and identify the triggers that will infuse...