Book picks similar to
From Plot to Narrative by Elizabeth Ellis
storytelling
education
stanford-ce-books
storytelling-classics
The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion
Elle Luna - 2015
We arrive at this crossroads over and over again, and every day. And we get to choose. Starting out or starting over, making a career change or making a life change, the most life-affirming thing you can do is to honor the voice inside that says your have something special to give, and then heed the call and act. Many have traveled this road before. Here’s how you can, too. #choosemust An inspirational gift book for every recent graduate, every artist, every seeker, and every career change.
Amazon Ads Unleashed: Advanced Publishing and Marketing Strategies for Indie Authors
Robert J. Ryan - 2019
But how do you get them to work?Have you bought books that promised answers, or paid hundreds of dollars for courses, yet still struggle to profit? Do you belong to a secret Facebook group . . . but fear you're being ripped off?Amazon ads are hard to master. But if you do, they’ll reward you. They tap into an audience hungry for books, and willing to pay full price.The ads follow a standard pay per click advertising model. Marketers have had two decades to figure out how that model works. There’s a skillset for the job.This book explains it.If you’re tired of rumors, guesses and secret strategies, this book shows you:
How to tap into a buying audience
The neuroscience behind clicks that don’t convert (and how to get more that do)
The tactics of expert optimization
Ad types to avoid (and why)
Why scaling is so hard
This book gives you the knowledge to advertise at profit. It’ll surprise you, and bust the myths holding you back.You’ll never look at advertising the same way again. Are you ready to unleash your Amazon ads?
What writers think about this series…
“This is, by far, the best indie how-to guide I have read.”“Best advice I’ve seen yet.”“Brilliant!”“This author's expertise is truly awesome, as is his flair for communicating complex concepts painlessly.”“This guy SO knows what he's talking about.”“Wow, powerful stuff. Loving this series!”“Game changer.”
The 2,548 Wittiest Things Anybody Ever Said
Robert Byrne - 2012
Byrne’s own wit, diligent research, and creativity combine to form a fresh go-to reference that serves readers better than Google—no Wi-Fi required. The 2,548 Wittiest Things Anybody Ever Said is an all-new collection of clever quips and laugh-out-loud punch lines from Gracie Allen to Frank Zappa, on such topics as sex, divorce, religion, fashion, animals, and money: STEVE MARTIN: “I’d do anything for a good body except exercise and eat right.” JON STEWART: “War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography.” NORA EPHRON: “Successful parents have adult children who can pay for their own psychoanalysis.” This compilation, to be enjoyed by generations young and old, deserves a place of honor on every language lover’s bookshelf.
Zane - The Guardian Angel
Joann I. Martin-Sowles - 2013
Yet, it was an honor Zane had not wished for.On Laney’s nineteenth birthday, Zane fell with the mission to keep her safe, but he was never given that opportunity...In this Brookehaven Vampires novella, you will step into the mind of Laney’s guardian angel, get a glimpse of his life before the fall, and see what our world looks like from his point of view.
Song Maps: A New System to Write Your Best Lyrics
Simon Hawkins - 2016
Does any of the following sound familiar? - You worry that the lyrics you write just don't deliver their full potential but can't figure out why, even though technically they tick all the right boxes. - You have great ideas but your finished lyrics somehow fall short of the emotional impact you wanted and, as a result, your songs get passed over. - You have a busy schedule with limited time to write and have wasted too many hours chasing un-writable lyric ideas. - You wonder how some professional songwriters always seem to get a particular dynamic in their lyrics, consistently writing songs better than 90% of what you hear on the radio. - You are perhaps nervous about going into a pro co-writing session because you fear your ideas aren't worth bringing into the writing room. - You know you have so many great titles waiting to be written but haven't found a way of systematically developing them into well-crafted lyrics. - After writing an amazing hooky Chorus and a great supporting first Verse, you hit the dreaded wall that is “second verse curse”. In Song Maps – A New System to Write Your Best Lyrics, I deliver simple, logical, well-defined solutions to these issues and more: I give you seven well-developed professional templates for you to bring your lyrics to life. I also provide you with a tried and tested process for writing lyrics using Song Maps. And I'll reveal the songwriter’s secret weapon. Much of this book contains new material. This is because, while I enjoyed building a firm foundation of knowledge about the craft from the songwriting programs at Berklee Music School and other sources, I discovered Song Maps afterwards, from my experience as a professional songwriter, writing either on my own or in the writing rooms of Nashville. Having been signed as a staff songwriter at Universal Music Publishing in Nashville, being nominated and winning awards for my songs including Grammys, Doves and hymn-writing awards, and after spending many years studying thousands of techniques and developing them in my own songwriting and in the writing room, I've had the privilege of teaching the material in this book to hundreds of songwriters and seeing a step change in their writing. I have been blessed to watch them find their authentic voice in writing ideas to their full potential, helping them achieve their dream to move from writing flat 2D lyrics to fabulous High Definition full-color 3D lyrics. As you assimilate Song Maps into your writing workflow, your songwriting will shift away from tentative, self-conscious, inhibited writing to strong, bold, intentional and vulnerable writing that does full justice to your original ideas, ultimately allowing you to make the impact you deserve as a songwriter. If you implement the simple, easy-to-understand concepts in this book, I promise you your songs will be better crafted than 90% of the songs you hear on the radio. It will also transform your effectiveness as a co-writer. Importantly, no matter where your songs end up, you will be confident you have written a brilliant lyric and you have served your co-writers well. Let this book help you transform your lyric writing by using Song Maps in your songwriting workflow and take your song ideas to their ultimate potential by writing your best, truly golden, spectacular songs.
Blue Sparrow: Tweets on Writing, Reading, and Other Creative Nonsense
Ksenia Anske - 2013
It's a compilation of my daily ramblings as a first time novelist encouraging myself and others to bite the bullet and do it despite the fear of the blank paper, the insecurities, and the angst every writer faces when trying to bleed the story out. My Twitter followers asked me to make this book. They said they want to carry it around in their pockets and take it out each time they feel stuck, scared, or simply need to smile. They tell me my tweets are encouraging and funny. You be the judge.
The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life & Work (Works)
Joseph Campbell - 1990
Illustrated throughout with photographs from Joseph Campbell's family archive and with a new, revised introduction, The Hero's Journey introduces the reader first-hand to Joseph Campbell the man, his discoveries, his terminology, and his thinking.
The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future
Ryder Carroll - 2018
Out of sheer necessity, he developed a method called the Bullet Journal that helped him become consistently focused and effective. When he started sharing his system with friends who faced similar challenges, it went viral. Just a few years later, to his astonishment, Bullet Journaling is a global movement. The Bullet Journal Method is about much more than organizing your notes and to-do lists. It's about what Carroll calls "intentional living:" weeding out distractions and focusing your time and energy in pursuit of what's truly meaningful, in both your work and your personal life. It's about spending more time with what you care about, by working on fewer things. His new book shows you how to... • Track the past: Using nothing more than a pen and paper, create a clear and comprehensive record of your thoughts. • Order the present: Find daily calm by tackling your to-do list in a more mindful, systematic, and productive way. • Design the future: Transform your vague curiosities into meaningful goals, and then break those goals into manageable action steps that lead to big change. Carroll wrote this book for frustrated list-makers, overwhelmed multitaskers, and creatives who need some structure. Whether you've used a Bullet Journal for years or have never seen one before, The Bullet Journal Method will help you go from passenger to pilot of your own life.
Make It Till You Make It: 40 Myths & Truths About Creating
Brendan Leonard - 2016
Nobody gets tapped with a magic wand and suddenly has the ability to produce art, music, photos, films, or writing—they just do it. And you probably should too. Make It Till You Make It breaks down 40 myths and truths about the pursuit of creative expression, whether you want to make $0 a year doing your thing or $100,000 a year.
Put the Cat In the Oven Before You Describe the Kitchen
Jake Vander-Ark - 2012
This little book is brief and easy to understand. It won’t bore you with mundane grammar rules or the crap you learn in English class, but offers concrete suggestions on how to improve your writing.From lighthearted pointers for beginners to hard-core truths about the craft, Put the Cat In the Oven is a must-have desk reference for anyone who refuses to put down the pen.
Learning from Lincoln: Leadership Practices for School Success
Harvey B. Alvy - 2010
The authors identify 10 qualities, attributes, and skills that help to explain Lincoln's effectiveness, despite seemingly insurmountable odds:1. Implementing and sustaining a mission and vision with focused and profound clarity2. Communicating ideas effectively with precise and straightforward language3. Building a diverse and competent team to successfully address the mission4. Engendering trust, loyalty, and respect through humility, humor, and personal example5. Leading and serving with emotional intelligence and empathy6. Exercising situational competence and responding appropriately to implement effective change7. Rising beyond personal and professional trials through tenacity, persistence, resilience, and courage8. Exercising purposeful visibility9. Demonstrating personal growth and enhanced competence as a lifetime learner, willing to reflect on and expand ideas10. Believing that hope can become a realityChapters devoted to each element explore the historical record of Lincoln's life and actions, then discuss the implications for modern educators. End-of-chapter exercises provide a structure for reflection, analysis of current behaviors, and guidance for future work, so that readers can create their own path to success--inspired by the example of one of the greatest leaders of all time.
Single Is Not A Curse
Tony A. Gaskins Jr. - 2013
Most people hate being alone and we fear being stuck that way forever. Single life can be a blessing if you allow it to be. This book will teach you exactly what things to focus on while single so that you get the most out of single life. If you deal with single life the right way it will make for a much better married life.
The Outcast
Patti Larsen - 2014
I barely remembered moving, feet flying over the hardwood, hands slamming against the glass and throwing it open, hurtling out into the dew-wet grass. Fire climbed from a curled up ball of humanity, near the edge of the hedge row leading to the park on the other side of our property. I staggered to a halt, power reflexively tightening around me, ready to attack, when the figure unbent, half sitting, half lying on the ground, her face turned up toward me. “RUN!” Her scream pierced me to my soul, froze my magic in place before it could harm her. Flames burned her, devoured her, dark hair and eyes on fire, but she managed to stagger to her feet, eyes pure gold as she gestured toward me. “Sydlynn Hayle, if you love your family, run and don’t look back!” Things have never been better for Sydlynn Hayle and her family, living out their lives in Wilding Springs, Pennsylvania. Her battles and struggles have come to a halt, her two young children happy and well-adjusted, marriage to her beloved Quaid all she could ever ask for. But when a woman of flame appears to her and warns her of impending danger, Syd understands at last the quiet she’s enjoyed has all been a smoke screen, hiding the truth. Her old enemies have returned to destroy her and everything her family has fought for, with repercussions that could threaten the very Universe. So much for happily ever after.
Codename: Chandler Trilogy - Three Complete Novels
J.A. Konrath - 2013
She’s an assassin without remorse or fear, doing the bidding of an agency so secret that only three people know of its existence. But when her cover gets blown, she becomes the target of a wide-reaching conspiracy led by a mysterious figure whose connection to Chandler goes far beyond what she could have imagined. Now she faces an explosive twenty-four hours—a single day in which everyone she encounters seems hell-bent on ending her life. With any past ally suddenly a possible traitor and every present emotion a weakness for her enemies to exploit, Chandler must tap into her deepest reservoirs of strength and skill in order to survive. But her survival is just the beginning as she confronts a murderous lunatic with a personal agenda, a squad of assassins just as skilled as she is, and a diabolical plot to unleash nuclear holocaust across the globe.Spree:Super spy and assassin Chandler has just barely averted nuclear annihilation when the very organization she works for has her brought in on treason charges, trussed up for interrogation. After a run-in with Chicago Homicide cop Jack Daniels, Chandler discovers one of her sisters, Fleming, has been transferred to a black ops site where the modus operandi is torture and death. Chandler launches a breakneck mission to infiltrate an impossibly secure prison—putting her on a collision course with a squad of violent psychopaths trained to negate her precise skill set. As old enemies reemerge and new ones appear around every corner, Chandler will rely on the help of unexpected allies, including an ex-mob enforcer named Tequila and a firefighter named Lund. But even they may not be enough to stop what lurks within the unlisted military base: a rogue government agency plotting to destabilize the entire nation—and conquer the world.Three:Time is running out for Chandler, the elite assassin whose mission to rescue her sister from a notorious black ops prison landed her at the top of the nation’s Most Wanted list. Burned by her handlers and forced to work with her mortal enemy in a race to preserve the very government that wants her dead, the living weapon has become a ticking time bomb. In saving her sister, Chandler unleashed a power-mad American president dead set on controlling the world—no matter how many millions of innocent people he must kill to do it. To stop him, Chandler will go deeper than she’s ever gone before, pushing her body and mind to their absolute limits. All the while she is hunted by the one man who knows her every secret, her every hiding place—and her every weakness. Infiltrating the White House, crashing a bullfight in Mexico City, hijacking a blimp in Toronto…these are just the beginning of the end, as the Codename: Chandler trilogy races towards its stunning conclusion.