iWriterly is your go-to resource for all things bookish. Learn how to write and edit your novel, query literary agents, all about the book publishing process, and updates about the book community—including book reviews, book hauls, bookshelf tours, and more.
Meg LaTorre will take you through novel writing: from concept to the bookshelves (and everything in between)… awkwardly. There will also be plenty of bookish nerdiness, complete with bloopers.
Videos are posted every Wednesday.
iWriterly launched Query Hack, a query critique program where writers have the opportunity to submit their queries for FREE feedback from an industry professional. As part of iWriterly’s mission to give back to the writing community and help writers achieve their publication goals, blogs and videos will be published periodically, critiquing individual queries and providing recommendations for areas of improvement.
To learn more about Query Hack, click here.
Check out the latest videos!
Join Meg LaTorre and a group of the RevPit editors for NaNoWriMo writing tips and sprints. This special event is part of RevPit’s NaNoWriMo-themed contest. However, all are welcome to participate in the writing sprints (not simply those taking part in the RevPit contest).
This event is broken into two parts:
- Writing/editing tips
- Writing sprints (20 minutes on // 5 minutes to rest)
RevPit editors introduce themselves and share 1) one common concern they see in RevPit submissions, 2) one common trait they see in writers who excel in the revision process, and 3) one tip for writers participating in NaNoWriMo. After which time, the writing sprints begin!
All writers want our prose to read smoothly and have the reader fully engaged without being pulled from the story. In order to do that, it’s important to cut back on filler words, which make sentences read clunkier. Learn what words to use less frequently in your novel in this iWriterly video.
Are you looking to hire a developmental editor to work with you on your manuscript? In this iWriterly episode, we will discuss when writers SHOULDN’T work with a freelance developmental editor.
If you’re looking to launch your very own freelance book editing career, learn the steps to becoming a professionally-qualified developmental editor in this iWriterly video.
Are you looking to hire a developmental editor to work with you on your manuscript? Or maybe you’re hoping to launch your very own freelance book editing career. In this iWriterly episode, Meg LaTorre will discuss what a developmental editor is and how they fit into today’s publishing landscape. This is the first video in a new series all about book editing, specifically developmental editors.
The iWriterly team attends New York Comic Con 2018 and vlogs some of their adventures at the show.
We are launching a new series on iWriterly: Writerly Updates! Many of you have been asking about the status of Meg LaTorre’s two manuscripts: the adult fantasy she was querying and what she’s been calling her adult steampunk. In this episode, Meg shares a glimpse insider her writing journey (why her summer was one of lessons and picking herself up), and what she intends to do next with these manuscripts.
On this episode of iWriterly, Meg LaTorre does the Author Origin tag (for AuthorTube/AuthorTubers).
Tired of getting form rejections from agents? Or, perhaps you haven’t started querying yet and you’re looking to stand out in the query box. Learn how to write specific vs. vague conflict in a query in this iWriterly video.
Are you looking to take your author platform to the next level and ramp up your social media content and engagement? Learn more about how to use Twitter and Instagram in this special iWriterly collab with Brittany Wang.
Being an author no longer means only writing. Learn how to take your author platform and social media presence to the next level—without losing your sanity—in this iWriterly video.
Do you aspire to make writing your full-time occupation? Learn the eight ways you should treat your passion like a job to make that dream a reality in this iWriterly video. If you aren’t looking to make writing a full-time career, this video can teach you how to improve your creative productivity and online presence for even greater success as a modern-day author.
Interested in reading EVALENE’S NUMBER or more YA dystopian books in general? Join Meg for this *SPOILER* book review of EVALENE’S NUMBER.
If you’re a writer trying to get your work published, you’re likely all too familiar with the feeling of rejection—from literary agents, editors, contest hosts, or literary magazines. If your work is published, then you may be used to receiving a rejection in the form of bad reviews from readers. Regardless of your publishing status, all writers receive rejections at some point. Learn how to cope with those rejections in this iWriterly video.
AuthorTube is a YouTube channel where published and aspiring authors creator videos on the craft of writing, inside look into publishing, author platform, marketing, vlogs, and more. Mandi Lynn created an online course called AuthorTube Academy to assist writers who are either looking to launch their own AuthorTube channels or who are looking to improve their existing ones. The iWriterly team received free access to the AuthorTube Academy course in exchange for an honest review. Meg LaTorre will provide her feedback on what she loved about the course as well as where she thought there was room for improvement.
Literary agent Kaitlyn Johnson of the Corvisiero Literary Agency answers our questions on querying, how many clients an agent takes on each year, submission (the process, types of materials sent, how many editors are reached out to at once), author platform (and how that impacts publication goals), and what the author-agent relationship looks like.
Meg LaTorre of iWriterly participates in the story idea writing tag, co-created by Brooke Passmore and Bethany Atazadeh (tagged by Brooke).
iWriterly and Wolfshot Publishing join forces to create a two-part collab on how to make an AuthorTube or BookTube channel. (Click here to watch Cam’s video.)
Join Meg LaTorre of iWriterly as she shares her summer 2018 goals, including author platform and writing updates.
For writers hoping to traditionally-publish their manuscripts and who are seeking literary representation, “the call” is when a literary agent and writer will talk about a possible business relationship (and usually when an agent offers representation). Join Meg LaTorre in this iWriterly video to learn what questions you should ask literary agents on “the call” when you’re considering literary representation.
Do you struggle to fit writing into your busy schedule? Do other activities always seem to take priority over your writing? Learn how to prioritize your time so you can write more and achieve your dreams.
Whether you’re published or yet-to-be-published, it’s important for writers to build an author platform, specifically their social media presence, right away. Author platforms are essential for both traditionally- and self-published authors in today’s modern world. But what social media platforms are the best avenues for your books? Learn what platforms you can utilize in this iWriterly video.
Whether you’re a published or aspiring author, all writers need to have an author website. But for aspiring authors, specifically, it can be confusing to know what to have on your author website. Learn what you should include on your author website in this iWriterly video.
To learn more about the craft of writing as well as the publishing industry, tune into Meg LaTorre’s list of her top 11 writing resources.
The iWriterly team asks a group of writers the following question: What is your greatest struggle in your journey as a writer? Thirteen writers (traditionally-published, indie-published, and yet-to-be-published) share what they do to overcome hurdles in their writing careers. The writing community unites in this thirteen-person collab.
Special thank you to all of the writers who shared their experiences in this video.
Do you have wrist pain or carpal tunnel syndrome that impacts your daily life and keeps you from writing your book? If you aren’t eager to get surgery or injections as a first-line treatment, or if you’re experiencing minor wrist pain and want to be proactive to prevent the condition from worsening, here are some things you can do to alleviate the pain.
Meg LaTorre gives a glimpse into her writing process in this iWriterly video, including coming up with the book idea, outlining, outlining, more outlining, getting to know the characters, as well as her critique partner (CP)/beta reader process.
Once upon a time, authors were able to write books and get them published, so long as they were a decent writer. That’s no longer the case. Now, both self-published and traditionally-published writers must establish an author platform to either get published or to have success while publishing in today’s modern world. Learn author platform basics in this iWriterly video.
iWriterly participates in the AuthorTube Newbie Tag, which was originally created by Jenna Streety.
Learn some of the reasons that go into deciding if you should self-publish (vs. traditionally-publish), where self-published authors can cut if they’re on a tight budget, what aspects you shouldn’t skimp on, why beta readers/critique partners are crucial, author platform, and more in this special collab with Natalia Leigh.
Learn how discipline, such as setting word count goals for yourself, making a writing schedule, and taking your time to get feedback/edit your work, can help to make your dreams of publishing a book a reality.
Is writing a book one of your dreams, but you don’t know where to start, how to outline the general events of your book, or even what events are essential to have?
Learn the basics of outlining your novel, word counts for genres/age groups, important research for writers, and how to learn more about today’s publishing marketplace in this iWriterly video, part two in the How to Write a Book series.
Do you have ideas for a book but don’t know where to start or how to write a novel? Or maybe you’ve written several manuscripts in the past and are looking to standardize your process. Learn how in the first video of this three-part series.
Get an inside look at Kim Chance‘s debut novel, KEEPER, her writing process, and author platforms in this iWriterly video.
KEEPER is a YA fantasy about sixteen-year-old bookworm, Lainey Styles, who is attacked by the ghost of an ancient witch. Lainey soon discovers she’s a Keeper, a witch whose job is to guard a spell book from a dangerous warlock. It was published in January of 2018 by Flux Books.
Voice is an element that can make or break a book. Whether you’ve written a book or are working on your manuscript, learning how to create distinct voices for your characters is key.
Many writers once they finish a book don’t know where to go next and either immediately jump to querying or working with a freelance editor. Learn when (and if) you should work with a freelance editor in this iWriterly video.
Join iWriterly for an exclusive interview with Angela Ackerman, indie author and co-founder of the popular websites, Writers Helping Writers and One Stop For Writers. You may also know Angela from her many helpful tweets, providing published materials from a variety of different publications and platforms on the craft of writing.
These days, many first-time authors write books featuring protagonists who are writers or love to read books… or both. While there’s no one “right” way to write a story, consider carefully how you can write your story in the most gripping way possible to have readers eagerly turning the pages.
While some people the writing community claim critique partners and beta readers aren’t necessary—or even that they negatively impact your manuscript—outside feedback from critique partners/beta readers is one-hundred percent vital to the success of your manuscript. Learn the difference between critique partners and beta readers and what types of feedback is the most important in this iWriterly video.
Learn how to show vs. tell in your writing in iWriterly’s new series, Improving Your Writing.
The iWriterly team goes to NYC for the launch of Sasha Alsberg (Abookutopia) and Lindsay Cummings’ new book, ZENITH (The Androma Saga #1).
Writers are a strange group of people. We hole ourselves up in rooms or in the corner of a public area with the sole wish of being left to record our cluttered thoughts. Our minds are a dangerous breeding ground of stories—as though 54 tabs are open on a web browser and all vying for attention. As such, it may come as no surprise that many writers do some of the same weird things. This iWriterly video breaks down the stereotypes: the myths, rumors, and legends surrounding the story weavers of society.
Have you written a novel and are seeking literary representation? Are you submitting queries to literary agents but with no success? iWriterly has launched Query Hack, a FREE query critique opportunity for novel writers.
Looking to get your book traditionally published but not sure how to get a literary agent? Watch the latest iWriterly video to learn how to secure literary representation—including how much editing your manuscript actually needs, how to write a query letter, what the key differences are between a query letter and synopsis, how to most effectively query a literary agent, and what to do if/when you have the “big call” and receive an offer of representation.
Finding a gift for book-lovers and soon-to-be-book-lovers for holidays, birthdays, or other celebrations can be tough—particularly finding the perfect book they won’t be able to put down (thereby becoming as addicted as you are). However, gift giving is made seamless in the latest iWriterly video that breaks down the 15 types of friends and the books they will love.
It’s time for BOOK HAUL 2017! Yes, that’s right: bookish fangirling has come to iWriterly.
For the readers and non-readers alike, check out our reading list (our very unofficial book recommendations 2017). We have not only our main book recommendations list, but we also have an honorable mentions section and series continuation. A handful of these reads are new book releases, while others are new books… only to Meg.
Learn about the biggest pitfalls to avoid in prologues, the types of prologues a writer can utilize, and when a prologue can strengthen a writer’s manuscript in this iWriterly video.
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