Many of us know that book marketing can be expensive and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

As a Women’s National Book Association member, you have access to affordable and professional-level promotional services — for less than the cost of a dinner out.

The WNBA Member Books program provides year-round visibility and support from the national community for only $30 per year. That’s less than ten cents a day.

Here’s what you’ll get when you join:

• A personalized ad with up to 3 of your book titles and an author photo to connect with readers
• Your Featured Book displayed on every major page of the WNBA national website
• A link to a website of your choice
• A full year of advertising

This program was created exclusively to help WNBA authors gain exposure without the high price tag of traditional marketing.

To participate, pay via check or PayPal on the WNBA website here, complete the enrollment form, and email the completed form, along with up to three book cover images, your website link, and your author photo, to promo@wnba-books.org.

If you’ve been looking for an easy, budget-friendly way to spread the word about your book, this is it.

Take advantage of this exclusive member opportunity and put your work in front of the readers, writers, and industry professionals who visit the national WNBA website every day!

Ready to showcase your book? Join the Member Books program here.

by B. Lynn Goodwin
lgood67334@comcast.net
www.writeradvice.com

Do you have a piece of writing that you want to share? One of the best ways to get noticed and to build your resume and reputation is to enter your work, including excerpts from a longer work, in writing contests.

Is your work ready to share?

Here’s a list of some of the things a judge might ask:

• Do you care about the main character?
• Are there conflicts?
• Could the plot go in more than one direction?
• Is a setting suggested?
• How is the description?
• How is the pace?
• Is the dialogue believable?
• Is the tone appropriate?
• Given the subject and situation, is there an appropriate balance of dialogue, action, narration, and reflection?
• Will a reader stop paying attention at any point?
• Does the story draw you in or do you feel like you’re outside watching it?
• Would you buy this book or story?
• Will you remember this story tomorrow?
• Is language used effectively?
• Does the author make exceptional use of word choice, imagery?
• Are right and wrong complex? Is there more than one way of looking at the issues?
• Are the characters likeable but flawed? Will readers identify?
• Was the writing clear and accessible, too dense to fathom, or somewhere in between?

If you’re not sure how to answer, check with a trusted writing partner or peer.

How do you find contests that are right for you?

Google, reliable referrals, and news from writer’s organizations are all great places to start. Check the requirements carefully. Then, read one or two winners to see if your writing is something they’re likely to choose.

For example, if you write flash or micro fiction or memoir, WriterAdvice.com hosts a competition here. You can also go to Writeradvice.com and click on the Latest Contest header to find contest information. I host a list of other contests and markets in a variety of genres here.

What do you need to do before you submit to a contest that’s right for your writing?

Make a list of the contest’s requirements – all of them. Even the technical ones about whether to include your name and what font to use.

Change the color, or strike through each one, after you’ve made the necessary changes so that you won’t be automatically eliminated.

I’ve had people submit 2,000 words to a Writer Advice contest where the word limit is 750. I e-mail them about their glitch and encourage them to fix the problem. Most contests just eliminate those who don’t follow directions. If your work doesn’t fit, do not submit.

What should you know about contest judges?

Tastes vary. So do opinions.

Get a feel for what each contest wants by reading their submission requests and looking at their website. There are plenty of contests out there.

(Side Note: Contest judges don’t want you to explain your work or ask why you weren’t a winner. If they respond to questions, they might tell you your purpose should have been clearer in the piece.)

Should you ask for feedback if it is available?

Maybe. It depends on who’s giving the feedback, what she’s written, and what his editing background is. Visit the judge’s website and read the opening of her latest publications on Amazon. There’s no charge to read a sample.

When you ask for feedback, keep what’s useful and disregard the rest. Better still, save it because it might make sense later as your skills grow.

I’ve given feedback to more than one author who used it and won elsewhere.

What if no feedback is available?

Submit if you think you meet the criteria. Keep a list of where you’ve submitted for future reference. Then move on. Some contests only respond to winners.

Should you pay to enter a contest?

Opinions vary. I believe that skilled judges and administrators should be compensated for their knowledge and their time.

Some contests have sponsors and don’t need to charge. Some contests are simply looking for material to publish. There’s nothing wrong with paying a professional for her time and her feedback. It’s a service – not a scam.

Be as professional as you can when you submit your work. Be aware that tastes vary. Be willing to put your work out in the world when it feels right.

I’ve been a contest judge for many years at several places, and I speak from experience when I say that, although not every piece is right for every contest, excellence rises to the top.

Author Bio
B. Lynn Goodwin wrote three award-winning books, a YA called Talent, a sequel called Disrupted, plus a memoir titled Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62. She writes author interviews, book reviews and articles for WriterAdvice, www.writeradvice.com, which she owns, and for Story Circle Network, where she teaches. She is on the boards of Story Circle Network and the Women’s National Book Association—NorCal and is a writing contest judge. She edits every genre except poetry and loves helping writers improve.

The Women’s National Book Association is now inviting members to participate as volunteer readers for the 2026 Great Group Reads (GGR) program!

As a volunteer, you’ll help the WNBA curate a list of outstanding books for book clubs, libraries, classrooms, and readers nationwide. The final list is shared with booksellers, librarians, reading groups, and literary organizations across the country. As a volunteer reader, you’ll help shape community discussions in the year to come.

Why Participate?

Serving as a Great Group Reads is a rewarding opportunity to:

• Contribute your insight and perspective to a nationally recognized WNBA program
• Help shape a list that reaches readers and book groups across the country
• Enjoy books provided free of charge and shipped directly to your home

What’s Involved?

WNBA members selected as GGR readers are expected to:

• Read approximately 20–25 books between February and July 2026
• Read some titles in e-book format, as not all titles are available in print
• Share thoughtful feedback via a private committee blog

Participants must be WNBA members in good standing, with dues paid by March 2026.

Interested?

If you’d like to participate, or want more details about the process and time commitment, please email ggr@wnba-books.org for more information.

Let’s build a strong, engaged Great Group Reads committee for 2026 and continue WNBA’s tradition of championing excellent books by women authors!

If you dream of being a published author, this is one event you don’t want to miss! The San Francisco Writers Conference (SFWC) is one of the largest and most top-rated writers’ conferences in the country, and it takes place Feb 12-15, 2026 at the beautiful Hyatt Regency by the waterfront. Better yet, you can now get $100 off when you register online – see details below!

Attendees will join 100+ esteemed presenters and hundreds of fellow writers from across the country and world at this 4-day event. The SFWC aims to help writers become published authors, master the craft of writing, and navigate the business of publishing. Plus, it’s one of the friendliest and most welcoming conferences around!

Presenters this year include best-selling authors, literary agents, acquiring editors, indie editors, and publishers from major publishing houses as well as small presses. There will also be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, audiobooks, podcasting, and author websites. No matter where you are in the writing journey, this conference has something for everyone.

Use the promo code Tf3S4K6S to take $100 off your registration price today! Take advantage of this special offer and join hundreds of other fellow writers at this year’s San Francisco Writers Conference in February.

by Nina Amir

Not all writers start out as writers. Some begin as activists who want to make a difference or create change. They decide to write a book that inspires and motivates readers to take new action, like join a cause or movement.

Maybe, like them, you are an activist who regularly works to bring about the change you want to see in the world. Maybe you’ve marched, protested, written letters, or joined forces with others to make a difference.

The history of the modern world is replete with instances of people instigating and inspiring change. Think Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi… More recently, think No Kings protests and the #metoo, #blacklivesmatter, #FridaysForFuture, and #takeaknee movements.

After all your efforts, you may wonder how best to make a difference. Protests, letters, phone calls, marches…they help but don’t always result in change.

It’s time to change your tactics—especially since you are a writer. Put your words to use. Allow them to make a positive and meaningful difference. Author the change you want to see in the world.

That’s right. Become an Author of Change by writing a transformational or change-inspiring book.

Books Inspire and Motivate Change

Why should you “author change”? Simple. Books have incredible power to transform lives and inspire people to action. And a popular or successful book—one that speaks to the masses—gets read and shared. Such a book can inspire action.

That means your book can create change, and you can author change via your book. Those who read it begin to discuss and share about your cause. As more people read the book and engage with others about its message, more people join your movement.

That means change begins to happen.

I’m sure you know of a few books that have inspired change, like Walden: Life in the Wood by Henry David Thoreau, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, and Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. More recent ones include What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World by Prentis Hemphill, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want by Ruha Benjamin, and The Guided Imagery Cure: The Best Proven Methods for Quickly Resolving and Healing Trauma by Dr. Chris Portman—just to name a few.

Today many writers see themselves as change agents. The online statement at OccupyWriters.com provides just one example. It says: “We, the undersigned writers and all who would join us, support Occupy Wall Street and the Occupy Movement around the world.” There you’ll find the names of such well-known writers as:

• Margaret Atwood
• Noam Chomsky
• Samuel R. Delany
• Neil Gaiman
• Ursula K. Le Guin
• Ann Patchett
• Salman Rushdie
• Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)

Change Starts with You

A word of caution: If you want to change the world—or individual lives, communities or organizations, you need to change. First and foremost, you need to become the type of writer who can inspire others. You have to become a leader…and inspirational one at that.

Plus, you must become the type of author who does what it takes—everything it takes—to help your book get in the hands of the most readers possible. That means you have to change into a book marketer, speaker, leader, social media personality, movement maker, community engagement expert…and any other role that helps you book succeed.

Not only that, you must embody the change you want to see in the world. You must become a superb role model for the change you want to inspire.

Beyond that, you must understand how people change. With this knowledge, you can move people toward the change you want to create. You help them change. Without such knowledge, you’ll find it challenging to move your readers to new action or motivate them to join your cause.

Amplify Your Message

To create the change you wish to see in the world, find people willing to join your cause. You want people to join your movement or take up your cause.

Therefore, authoring change requires you to attract an engaged community around your mission or message. These are the people who personally take on the changes or take the actions you suggest.

You can gather people around you and your cause—and your book—in person. You could create an organization, go out and speak, or use MeetUp.com, for example.

Or you can use the power of the Internet. Create a blog and publish posts often and consistently. Share those posts on social media sites. Start groups on Facebook or LinkedIn. Use the power of live video by offering webinars or posting Instagram reels, Facebook Live events, or YouTube videos. You can even start a forum where your followers can gather.

Put your efforts toward creating an engaged and motivated community of change agents—those who want to be part of your movement. They also will purchase your book, give it to friends, review it, and talk about it online. They will change or take action to create change and motivate those they know to do the same.

That’s how movements start. That’s how you ensure that you can, indeed, author change.

Write for Change

That leaves the book… To become an author of change, you write a transformational or change-inspiring book. How do you do that?

Develop an inspiring and motivating message to share. Provide your readers with specific ways in which to take action. And share your message or mission in a way that makes readers want to get on board.

That means your message must connect with your readers on an emotional level or you must share it in a manner that allows them to do so. And your mission—your Big Why—must be one they share or relate to.

The prescriptive information included in your book—the steps, strategies, or tools—must feel doable to your readers. Also, they must understand how taking action will change their lives, their communities, their organizations, or the world.

Start Small

Don’t feel you have to change the world. You can start by changing individual lives. That’s what Eckart Tolle did with The Power of Now and A New Earth. Or you can change organizations, which is what John P. Kotter and Dan S. Cohen did with The Heart of Change.

If changing the world is your mission, go for it! Even if you want to write for change with a memoir or novel, you can do it. Consider Shrill by Lindy West, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, or The Red Pencil: Convictions from Experience in Education by Theodore R. Sizer. Take a look at The Overstory by Richard Powers, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

The best way to write a book that inspires change is to read other books that have accomplished this goal. You can use the structure and tone of the books to model your own. “Success leaves clues”— this quote is attributed to Brad Thor but has been repeated by Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, and many others because it’s true.

The world always needs change on a variety of levels. Of course, change starts with you and then radiates outward. But you can make a positive and meaningful difference with your words. You can author change. Why not start today?

If you’d like to know if you are prepared to author change, take this short quiz and find out. And to learn more about becoming an Author of Change, read Change the World One Book at a Time: Make a Positive and Meaningful Difference with Your Words.

What type of change do you want to inspire with your book? Tell me in a comment below, and please share this post with another writer.

Nina Amir, the Inspiration to Creation Coach, is an Amazon bestselling hybrid author. She supports writers on the journey to successful authorship as an Author Coach, nonfiction developmental editor, Transformational Coach, and Certified High Performance Coach (CHPC®)—the only one working with writers.

Nina’s most recent book, Change the World One Book at a Time: Make a Positive and Meaningful Difference with Your Words, was released on January 6, 2026, by Books that Save Lives. Previously, she wrote three traditionally published books for aspiring authors—How to Blog a Book, The Author Training Manual, and Creative Visualization for Writers. Additionally, she has self-published a host of books and ebooks, including the Write Nonfiction NOW! series of guides. She has had 19 books on the Amazon Top 100 List and as many as six books on the Authorship bestseller list at the same time.

Nina also coordinates the SFWC’s Personal Growth for Writers track and the Writing for Change Summit. She offers a conference scholarship for nonfiction writers writing for change.

by Nita Sweeney

Each November since 1999, hundreds of thousands of writers around the globe have taken the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge. Their goal? Write 50,000 words of fiction in 30 days. NaNoWriMo thrived by creating a global online and in-person community that offered a deadline and a structure that made an impossible goal doable.

Unfortunately, in April of this year, the nonprofit behind NaNoWriMo ceased operations for a variety of reasons, some scandalous, some financial, some organizational. As a result, the official website, forums, regional write-ins, and word-count trackers are no longer available.

If you were a WriMo (a NaNoWriMo enthusiast) like me, or had always meant to sign up, you might wonder: What now? While the official event will no longer happen, the spirit of NaNoWriMo lives on. Because writers will always find ways to write, they will also create gatherings, set ridiculously-ambitious goals, and support each other through the messy, exhilarating work of drafting books.

Here is a wholly incomplete list of NaNoWriMo alternatives:

Create Your Own Challenge

At its core, NaNoWriMo was simple: a self-imposed word-count goal within a fixed time frame. You don’t need an official website for that. Choose a goal that excites and challenges you whether it’s 50,000 words in November, 10,000 words in a weekend, or 100 words a day for a year.

Set your start and end dates, write down your rules, and commit. Maybe shout it on social media to add accountability. Create your own spreadsheets or use an app like Google Sheets, Notion, or Airtable to track your progress. A paper calendar will do. Feel the dopamine hits as you check off each day.

Join Online Writing Communities

The real magic of NaNoWriMo wasn’t the word tracker; it was the community. Writers encouraged each other, celebrated milestones, and shared the inevitable struggles of drafting. You can find that sense of connection in other places.

• Discord Servers: Many writing-focused Discord groups now host their own word sprints and challenges. A quick search for “writing Discord” will reveal dozens of welcoming communities.
• Reddit: Subreddits like r/nanowrimo, r/writing, and r/keepwriting remain active and supportive.
• Facebook Groups: Plenty of former NaNoWriMo regional groups have migrated to Facebook, where they continue to hold events and cheer each other on.
• Novel November (NovNov): The folks at ProWritingAid have created something that looks a lot like NaNoWriMo. It might scratch the WriMo itch.
• Reedsy Novel Sprint: The Reedsy folks have come up with their own version as well. It includes prizes up to $5,000.

These spaces offer accountability, camaraderie, and sometimes even lifelong friendships.

Explore Year-Round Challenges

Other organizations have long offered similar programs:

• Camp NaNo (Independent Spin-Offs): While the official camps once run by NaNoWriMo are gone, many writers still host their own “camps” in April and July. These are smaller, flexible challenges that let you set your own goals.
• StoryADay May: A long-running challenge where participants draft a short story every day in May. Great for generating raw material and experimenting with style.
• 12×12 Challenge: Aimed at picture book writers, this challenge encourages participants to draft 12 manuscripts in 12 months.
• FebFlash or FlashNaNo: Various unofficial events focus on short fiction bursts rather than novels.

Sniff around the interwebs and find a challenge that fits your genre, style, and schedule.

Find Writing Apps and Tools

If what you’ll miss most about NaNoWriMo is the word-count tracker, plenty of apps exist to fill that void.

• 4thewords gamifies writing by turning word counts into battles with monsters.
• Pacemaker lets you set detailed writing plans and track progress with visual graphs.
• Scrivener (beloved by many novelists) has built-in project targets and daily word goals.

These tools won’t replace community, but they do provide structure and motivation.

Form or Join a Writing Group

One of the best legacies of NaNoWriMo is that it introduced writers to each other. If you miss that, why not start—or join—a smaller writing group?

A group can be as casual as a weekly coffee shop meet-up where everyone writes for an hour, or as structured as a critique circle with scheduled submissions. Online groups via Zoom or Slack can work just as well as in-person gatherings. Check Meetup for preexisting groups, too.

Having even one accountability partner can provide the same kind of encouragement NaNoWriMo once offered at scale.

Redefine “Winning”

NaNoWriMo offered a clear benchmark: 50,000 words in 30 days. But many writers felt crushed when they “lost” by falling short of that number, even if they’d written more than they ever had before.

You decide what success looks like. You could:

• Finish a messy first draft of any length.
• Write daily for a month.
• Revise a project
• Keep a writing journal.

Focus on progress to sustain a healthier, longer-lasting writing life.

The Spirit Lives On

While it’s sad to see NaNoWriMo go, we writers are tenacious and resourceful. We’ll find ways to gather, cheer each other, and prove that creativity thrives in many ways.

After all, NaNoWriMo was never just a website.

Tiny Bio
Bestselling author and coach Nita Sweeney “won” NaNoWriMo eighteen times. She used the challenge to draft three of her books including the award-winning memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target and the Wall Street Journal featured Make Every Move a Meditation. As a coach, Nita helps artists (mostly writers), athletes (mostly runners), and leaders (mostly lawyers) thrive. Learn more about Nita and her work at nitasweeney.com.

Big news for the literary world: Anthropic, one of the leading artificial intelligence companies, has agreed to pay at least $1.5 billion to authors in what is now the largest copyright infringement settlement in U.S. history.

Why This Case Matters

In recent years, technology companies have raced to build sophisticated AI models, training them on enormous amounts of text, including pirated collections of books from “shadow libraries” such as LibGen and Books3.

According to the lawsuit, Anthropic, a San Francisco-based AI company founded by former OpenAI researchers, used hundreds of thousands of copyrighted books taken from illegal sources to train their AI models. Alleging large-scale copyright infringement, authors Charles Graeber, Kirk Wallace Johnson, and Andrea Bartz sued Anthropic in 2024.

The Settlement at a Glance

In September 2025, the lawsuit against Anthropic reached a truly historic conclusion. The company will pay at least $1.5 billion, plus interest, to affected authors. Each infringed work with a registered U.S. copyright will be compensated $3,000, with payments made in four installments over the next two years. Attorneys’ fees and costs will not exceed 25 percent of the total settlement fund.

The agreement covers infringement up to August 25, 2025, while leaving open the possibility of claims for future violations. As part of the settlement, Anthropic has also agreed to destroy their pirated datasets.

What Happens Next for Authors

So what does this mean for authors? On October 10, 2025, a draft list of affected books will be released. Following that, the settlement administrator will create a searchable database where authors can learn if their works are included. Later, official notices will be sent out with instructions on how to file a claim and secure payment.

At present, the draft list already includes about 465,000 titles. If the total eventually surpasses 500,000, Anthropic has agreed to continue paying $3,000 for each additional work. For now, we don’t know exactly which books are included, so mark your calendars for October 2025 when more information becomes available.

The Bigger Picture

While Anthropic’s settlement is groundbreaking, it’s not the end of the story. Just this month, Apple was sued by authors Grady Hendrix and Jennifer Roberson in a separate class action case. That lawsuit alleges that Apple also relied on pirated datasets such as Books3 to train its AI models. The fact that other companies are facing similar legal challenges shows that this settlement is part of a much larger reckoning over how creative work is treated in the age of AI.

Join the Conversation

One of the strengths of the Women’s National Book Association is the way we lift each other up. If your book appears, we hope you’ll share the news in the comments. Not just so we can celebrate with you, but so that other members can learn more about how this process is unfolding. And if you discover that a friend, colleague, or fellow author’s work is included, let us know about that, too.

Each book on the settlement list is a testament to creative effort, and each author who receives compensation is a reminder that our voices are stronger together. The Anthropic settlement win proves that solidarity matters, our creative labor matters, and intellectual property must be respected, even in the fast-moving world of AI.

Award-winning author of Your Goal Guide and WNBA-SF’s very own networking ambassador Debra Eckerling shares tips on formatting your book proposal to maximize success with agents and publishers!

The main thing to remember about a book proposal is you want to give every person who reads it—agent, publisher, editorial board—a reason to say “Yes” and limit the reasons they might find to say “No.” They are looking for a good, salable book, and yours may be what they are seeking.

However, when a proposal has too many errors—aka distractions—the reader may never even consider the content. That is why formatting is so important. You want to present your proposal as professionally as possible, so you make it easy for the decision-maker to move forward.

Your 1st “Do”: Remember the basics…

Read the full article on Writer’s Digest to learn these key “Dos” & “Don’ts” on formatting your book proposal and visit her new Substack for more tips!