Alumni and In Memoriam

In Memoriam

WU contributor KL Burd passed away suddenly in 2021. Though his time writing for us was brief, we won’t soon forget his questing mind and positive spirit.

WU alum and multi-published bestselling author MJ Rose passed away suddenly in 2024. Her impact upon the industry and on writers directly was profound, and she will be dearly missed by many.

Teacher, editor, WU contributor, and UnConference session leader Susan DeFreitas passed away in 2025. We’ll remember her for and miss her heartfelt encouragement, her wisdom, and her vibrant spirit.

Alums

We think we have the best contributors on the planet, so when someone needs to bow out to make room for other things, we’re sincerely sad to see them go. We’ve created this page as a tribute to them. We’re grateful they shared their wisdom and talents with us for as long as they were able. Links will take you to a collection of their posts.