Digital Issue: Writer's Digest December 2008

Digital Edition

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SPOTLIGHT: BRAVE NEW WORLD

E-books: Take 2
BY ZACHARY PETIT
Digital books are once again on the upswing. Will the resurging medium pave the way to a brave new world for writers?

The Future Now
BY BOB SACKS AND SAMIR HUSNI
Two publishing insiders debate whether print magazines will survive—or even thrive—in the next century.

Does Free Pay?
BY JORDAN E. ROSENFELD
Author Chris Anderson thinks you should consider giving your book away. Here's why.

[FEATURES]

THE WD INTERVIEW: BRAD THOR
BY MARIA SCHNEIDER
Brad Thor hit No. 1 with his seventh novel, The Last Patriot, but it came at a cost. Find out why Thor's passion keeps him writing—even in the face of death threats.

The Next Best Thing to Being There
BY JORDAN E. ROSENFELD
Low-residency MFA programs offer writers the chance to grow from a distance.

Lighting Up the Stage
BY JESSIE GRIDLEY
Annual WD Writing Competition grand-prize winner Jacob M. Appel's comedic stage play puts a wife and a mistress at odds over one man, but for very different reasons. PLUS: The top 10 winners from every competition category.

[COLUMNS]

Questions & Quandaries
BY BRIAN A. KLEMS
Copyrighting pseudonyms, contractions and 'begging the question.'

Ask the Pro: Long-Form Journalism Lives on
BY KARA GEBHART UHL
The editor of The New York Times Magazine explains why thoroughness is more important than elegance.

First Impressions: In the Game
BY JORDAN E. ROSENFELD
The quirky story of Dave Fromm's semi-pro basketball days in Czechoslovakia finds success. PLUS: More notable debuts.

This Writer's Life: My Final Column
BY KEVIN ALEXANDER
All good things come to an end, including This Writer's Life. Our columnist recounts the past four years spent chronicling his young career.

Your Story: Survival Suburbia
BY STEVE MARTINEZ
The winning entry of contest #13. PLUS: Your Story #15 prompt.

The Conference Scene: The Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference
BY LINDA FORMICHELLI
Learn how to polish your poems.

Postscript: Not so Fast
BY BOB WOODIWISS
If you feel like the pace of the world is moving faster than ever, consider the publishing industry.


InkWell
FRESH IDEAS, TIPS, NEWS AND INSPIRATION FOR LIVING THE WRITING LIFE

• Off the Clock
• The Roeder Report:
• How to Write Fiction That's Ready for the Big Screen
• Miranda Rights for Writers' Subjects

Writer's Workbook
LESSONS AND EXERCISES FOR WORKING ON SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF YOUR WRITING

• Fiction: Pacing
  
• Nonfiction: Regional Articles
  
• Poetry: Look at a Thing
  
• Marketing: Word of Mouth

PLUS:
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR'S LETTER
READER MAIL