Storytelling has been around since the beginning of our existence. No one really knows when the first story was told, but the best stories—the truly epic tales—were passed down from one generation to the next, and were eventually recorded on clay tablets, papyrus, and paper as gifts from our ancestors. For writers, storytelling is just as important to us now as it was in ancient times, although the stories have changed. Today’s stories reflect what’s going on in modern society and how open we’ve become to talking about issues that were previously taboo. Now we have books about multicultural issues, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, and GLBT issues. We have stories written by people outside of their gender and ethnicity. We write stories to attract publicity, and we tell stories that captivate an audience of book lovers. These are just some of the stories and storytelling methods you’ll learn in this issue. MORE >>

Whether you are looking to boost your income or work on your craft, we know that education is an important part of a writer’s career. That’s why WOW! handpicks qualified instructors and targeted classes that women writers will benefit from. All of the courses operate online and are taught one-on-one with the instructor. The flexibility of the platform allows students to complete assignments on their own time and work at their own pace in the comfort of their own home. Visit the classroom page and check out our current line up of workshops: fiction writing, writing for children, screenwriting, creativity, memoir, personal essay, grammar, food writing, freelance writing, novel writing, finding a literary agent, blogging, social networking for authors, independent publishing, and more. MORE >>

Regina Brooks is the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC in Brooklyn, New York. A boutique literary agency, Serendipity represents a diverse list of authors and illustrators in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. Kathy Higgs-Coulthard caught up with Regina over a cup of tea at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ 2012 winter conference to discuss storytelling in young adult literature and memoir. MORE >>

Is it possible to create engaging multicultural characters who are believable and true when we haven’t walked in their shoes? What does it take to bring to life a Korean heroine from another era or a young Afghan protagonist in the throes of war? When the very culture and family life that shapes your characters and stories are foreign to you, it’s easy to fall into clichés or keep your distance. But with a healthy dose of respect and solid research, you CAN create multicultural characters that will capture the hearts of your readers. Five incredible authors, editors, and agents share their successes and struggles on the road to publishing memorable multicultural books based on characters that refused to step aside. BJ Marshall interviews literary agent Elise Capron, editor Marilyn Brigham, and authors Gayle Brandeis, Caren McNelly McCormack, and Lisa See. And that’s not all! Be sure to check out the bonus article: Words in the Dust: A Case Study in Writing Multicultural Fiction with Author Trent Reedy and Scholastic’s Editor Cheryl Klein. MORE >>

You’ve taken the time to create characters that are so real you’d know them if you met them on the street. Your setting is so vibrant you could step into it and explore for a week. Yet, readers fail to connect with your story. When you ask them why, they just don’t connect with your characters or your setting. They’re inaccessible. What have you done wrong? You probably forgot to build a bridge. Just like in the world you navigate every day, a bridge in fiction spans a gap. It enables your reader to move from her familiar, everyday life into your story. Sue Bradford Edwards shows you how to figure out what you’re missing in your story and how to fix character and setting problems that will help your reader span the gap. MORE >>

Nobody ever said writing historical fiction was easy. Not only do you have to create vibrant characters, captivating plotlines, and a voice that leaps off the page, but you also have to do hours upon hours (even years!) of research, convince readers that you know as much or more than they do about their favorite time periods, and get every last setting detail exactly right. Why would anyone undertake such a huge task like writing a historical fiction novel, when writing itself is already difficult? Margo L. Dill interviews five successful historical fiction authors—Darci Hannah, Adrienne Sharp, Karen Kondazian, Beverly Patt, and Clara Gillow Clark—about what it’s like to write these novels, how much research it takes, what to do with all the facts and figures when telling a story, and how to get a historical fiction book noticed among the vampires, werewolves, and spy thrillers. They also share some of their favorite writers and tips for starting out in this difficult genre. MORE >>

A really good memoir combines the art of storytelling with subject matter many often consider taboo. These books have all the same elements of a best-selling work of fiction: engaging characters, snappy dialogue, enticing setting, and a story that opens up slowly, drawing the reader in with each word. Chynna Laird interviews four amazing authors—Michelle O’Neil, Jill Talbot, Lisa Vaughn, and Nicole Johns—who share their best tips on how to talk about taboo subjects (such as alcoholism, homosexuality, and eating disorders) while still telling an engaging story that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer. MORE >>

We may be entering the Golden Age of Flash Fiction. Now that there is a cell phone in every pocket, and our attention spans are on the decline (not to mention lack of ample time for digging into massive tomes), flash fiction is ideally suited to the modern reader. In Japan, entire novels are published serially, bit by bit, on cell phone screens; and reading apps for small digital devices have popped up in the United States as well. To get a grip on what’s happening in the world of flash fiction, Suzanne Kamata talks to four experts, including literary agent Andrea Hurst, Tara Masih, Stefanie Freele, and Meg Pokrass. MORE >>

Perhaps you’ve written your own submission-ready manuscript. Maybe you’ve snagged an agent or even garnered a publishing contract. Possibly, you’ve decided to self-publish. So sometime soon, you may stand with your book in hand. But are you ready to stand up in front of a crowd and tell your story? Do you have the skills you’ll need to make readers fall for you? Because great storytellers sell books! It’s not enough today to be a great written storyteller. You have to master public speaking skills, too. Cathy C. Hall interviews authors Sally Apokedak, Elizabeth Dulemba, Janice Hardy, Donny Seagraves, and Jo Kittinger who share their best tips for facing the crowds. MORE >>

When authors set out to do publicity, they often focus on the book and the content of their story. That means they miss a great opportunity to capture an audience’s attention: authors should tell their own personal stories—whether it is in interview, speaking engagement, online forum, or mingling at a book signing. Oh, you think, no one is interested in you and your story? You’re wrong: there are six types of personal stories, which are guaranteed to draw interest. Darcy Pattison shares these six types of stories and provides you with personal story examples. MORE >>

Kate White may not sport an S on her favorite blue shirt or wear a red cape. She may not leap tall buildings in a single bound either. But this modern-day Superwoman who juggles the world’s most famous magazine brand discovered a way to avoid kryptonite early in her career, and that magic formula has allowed her to diversify. While White oversees duties at Cosmopolitan as its editor-in-chief, she finds balance as a critically acclaimed author of both nonfiction and fiction. Her latest saga in the Bailey Weggins series, So Pretty It Hurts, was released this month. This fall, Sweet Success, a nonfiction follow-up to Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead . . . But Gutsy Girls Do: Nine Secrets Every Career Woman Must Know will be out. LuAnn Schindler chats with Kate about what it’s like to be at the helm of Cosmo, her writing routine, and what women really want. MORE >>