The Art Of Computer Game Design


Chris Crawford
    The classic book on computer game design first published in 1984, this Kindle version presents the original text along with chapter notes by Chris Crawford reflecting on how game design has changed in the last 30 years.

Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success


W. Terry Whalin - 2005
    According to author and acquisitions editor W. Terry Whalin, this approach is backwards. About 80% to 90% of nonfiction books are sold from a book proposal. This mysterious document called a proposal contains many elements that will never appear in a manuscript―yet these details are critical to publishing executives who make the decision about publishing or rejecting an author’s project. In Book Proposals That Sell, Terry reveals 21 secrets to creating a book proposal that every author needs in order to create one that sells.

Short Story: From First Draft to Final Product


Michael Milton - 2013
    I spent time looking for a book which would show me how a "raw" story was developed through drafts, with comments received and the changes made. Struggling to find such a work, I decided to create my own, being transparent and honest in the details. Using the story that gained me an offer of a place on a Master's in Creative Writing, SHORT STORY will take you through three drafts of the work.The book details not only the major revisions, feedback given by a professional novelist and an academic, but also has a bunch of tips from my writers toolbox condensed between the drafts. I hope that the process provides something useful for you, be it a tip from the writing toolbox, a look at the editing process, or motivation in knowing that you can do better than I did!

Making Games with Python & Pygame


Al Sweigart - 2012
    Each chapter gives you the complete source code for a new game and teaches the programming concepts from these examples. The book is available under a Creative Commons license and can be downloaded in full for free from http: //inventwithpython.com/pygame This book was written to be understandable by kids as young as 10 to 12 years old, although it is great for anyone of any age who has some familiarity with Python.

Conflict, Action and Suspense


William Noble - 1994
    You make your reader burn to know what's going to happen next. You create tension…and build it…to the breaking point.William Noble shows you how to intensify that pressure throughout your story. You'll learn exactly what constitutes conflict, action and suspense, how they relate to other important ingredients in your story, and—perhaps most important—how to manipulate them.Through thorough, step-by-step instruction, you'll learn how to…• set the stage with techniques and devices that enhance drama.• introduce suspense from the very beginning of your story.• build suspense through cliff hangers, dialogue, mood, character    development, point of view, subtlety and indirection, and time and    place.• bring all that conflict, action and suspense to a gripping    conclusion.There are all sorts of ways to create tension in your prose—from using adjectives and nouns that drip with imagery to making quick scene cuts and transitions to accelerating the pace. Learn them here. Then use them, and your story will plunge your readers into a river of worry…and the current will carry them to The End.About the AuthorWilliam Noble is the author of several writing books, short fiction and nonfiction pieces. He has taught and lectured about writing at the Breadloaf Writer's Conference and others.

Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition: Prima Official Game Guide


Fernando Bueno - 2012
    Learn how the team created the Mass Effect universe from Cinematics to Characters, Art, Audio, and more• BONUS Digital Guide Access - With interactive multiplayer maps and video strategy• See Mass Effect 3 like never before - Discover environments and parts of the game you won't see anywhere else. Panoramic views will leave you amazed With this guide you will: • Fight YOUR Way - Multiple approaches to every key battle• Dominate in Multiplayer - Comprehensive maps prepare you for battle and help you survive• Choose the Best Gear - Every weapon and piece of armor revealed, including mods and upgrades• Take Earth Back - Class breakdowns and build recommendations give you the advantage you need against the reapers• Avoid Spoilers - Special callouts strategically placed and text turned upside down at critical story moments ensure your experience won't be spoiled

Children's Writer's Word Book


Alijandra Mogilner - 1992
    With its intuitive organization, you'll easily find appropriate words for children of various ages, and discover substitute words that might work even better.This comprehensive resource keeps you in touch with reading levels for today's kids, and saves you valuable research time by putting all the information you need in one volume. You'll find:- Lists of specific words that are introduced at seven key reading levels (kindergarten through sixth grade) - A thesaurus of those words with synonyms, annotated with reading levels - Detailed guidelines for sentence length, word usage, and themes at each reading level - A thorough explanation of guidelines for national standards on reading This new edition also addresses important timely topics of the day, such as disability issues and sensitivity to race, religion, and culture. Other new additions relate to divorce, the concept of death, space exploration, the internet, fantasy and science fiction, ethnic and cultural pride, and much more.With Children's Writer's Word Book, 2nd edition, you can rest assured you'll be able to address your young audience with a vocabulary and style they'll understand and enjoy--and improve your chances with children's publishers.

Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them


Francine Prose - 2006
    Written with passion, humor, and wisdom, Reading Like a Writer will inspire readers to return to literature with a fresh eye and an eager heart - to take pleasure in the long and magnificent sentences of Philip Roth and the breathtaking paragraphs of Isaac Babel; she is deeply moved by the brilliant characterization in George Eliot's Middlemarch. She looks to John Le Carré for a lesson in how to advance plot through dialogue and to Flannery O'Connor for the cunning use of the telling detail. And, most important, Prose cautions readers to slow down and pay attention to words, the raw material out of which all literature is crafted.

How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent


Noah Lukeman - 2008
    But few have been written by literary agents, who receive thousands of submissions each year and who grapple with them on a daily basis. Even fewer have been written by active literary agents who are willing to write from the trenches and offer their perspective on why they reject manuscripts, and why they accept them. And no books have been written from an agent's perspective on what it's like, step by step, to work with an agent on a daily basis, and on how to assure that you maintain a long, happy working relationship with your agent.How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent is the first book written from an active literary agent's perspective that teaches authors why agents reject or accept manuscripts; why they decide to represent certain authors and not represent others; the best way to approach agents; the best way to work with an agent on a daily basis; and that offers them dozens of specific resources to make the difference in their finally finding the perfect agents for their work. New York literary agent Noah Lukeman, President of Lukeman Literary Management Ltd, has represented multiple New York Times bestsellers, winners of the Pulitzer Prize and American Book Award, National Book Award Finalists, and has himself written three critically-acclaimed books on the craft of writing, The First Five Pages, The Plot Thickens, and A Dash of Style. During his last 13 years as a literary agent he has read thousands of manuscripts and represented hundreds of book deals, and in this book he shares his insider's perspective, offers insight and practical tips about what works and what doesn’t. How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent is a must-read for any author serious about getting published. Geared for a broad range of authors, its subject matter is relevant to authors of fiction and non-fiction, screenwriters, poets--any serious author--offering principles that will help lead to success no matter what your craft. Practical and engaging, filled with exercises, anecdotes and sidebars, this 200 plus page book takes you on a journey, and will bring you that much closer to finally landing a literary agent.How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent includes: * 10 Reasons Why You Need an Agent * 9 Steps to Building Your Bio (for Fiction) * 8 Ways to Build Your Non-Fiction Platform * 13 Factors to Consider When Evaluating an Agent * 24 Free Resources for Researching Agents * 11 Fee-Based Resources for Researching Agents * The 4 Musts of Submitting * 4 Keys to Successful Follow Up * 3 Resources to Protect you from Agent Scams * 5 Ways an Agent Can Take Advantage of You * To Use a Book Doctor? * 7 Ways to Protect Yourself in an Agency Agreement * To Hire an Attorney? * What it’s Like to Work With an Agent (a Step-by-Step Timeline) * A Publication Timeline Chart * 15 Ways to Assure a Great Relationship With Your Agent * 6 Reasons to Drop Your Agent * To Self Publish?"Lukeman’s advice is practical—and often entails multiple, time-consuming steps—without a hint of the flakiness that creeps into many writing guides."--Publishers Weekly (regarding The Plot Thickens) This 100,000 word file includes two additional books written by Mr.

Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More


Bryn Donovan - 2015
    Write faster...write more! MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS makes “show, don’t tell” much easier and helps you figure out your story more quickly. In this book, you’ll find: • lists of phrases for describing facial expressions, body language, gestures, physical appearance, and emotions • 175 master plot ideas, including romance, high-stakes, family, and workplace stories • lists of words for writing action scenes and love scenes • inspiration for figuring out character traits and quirks, backstories, occupations, motivations, and goals • lists for describing settings and writing dialogue • lists of good character names for contemporary stories...plus medieval England, Regency England, Wild West, and WWII settings • and more! Whether you’re writing novels or short fiction, screenwriting, or any other kind of storytelling, MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS is a rich source of inspiration you’ll turn to again and again. This book contains adult language.

How to Write a Page-Turner: Craft a Story Your Readers Can't Put Down


Jordan Rosenfeld - 2019
    It keeps readers guessing and characters on their toes. When you've got tension in place, stories leave readers breathless and wanting more. When it's missing, scenes feel inconsequential, plots drag, and characters meander.Learning the craft of writing can sometimes feel like a paint by numbers approach--connect compelling character A to plot event B. To avoid writing that's formulaic, predictable, and slow, How to Write a Page Turner will help you sew the threads of tension tight for an unforgettable story. You'll learn how to:- Recognize the essential tension elements of danger, conflict, uncertainty, and withholding, and add them to your fiction - Create levels of tension in your characters through flaws, dialogue, power struggles, and more - Build tension at energetic markers throughout the plot - Use intimate imagery, strong sentences, and well-chosen words to build tension in expositionWhile this book walks you through the key areas that need tension building, from character to plot, it also delves deeper, analyzing exceptional examples from contemporary fiction's most gripping page-turners. So as you dive into the inner conflicts of a character's deepest psyche, to the mechanics of how you reveal information to the reader, you'll also discover how to craft a story your readers can't put down!

A Poetry Handbook


Mary Oliver - 1994
    With passion and wit, Mary Oliver skillfully imparts expertise from her long, celebrated career as a disguised poet. She walks readers through exactly how a poem is built, from meter and rhyme, to form and diction, to sound and sense, drawing on poems by Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, and others. This handbook is an invaluable glimpse into Oliver’s prolific mind??—??a must-have for all poetry-lovers.

Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life


Chris Kohler - 2004
    Just some of the features readers will find in this book include:Profiles of some of the most fascinating Japanese video game designers in the industry, along with a critical look at Japanese video games from their earliest beginnings to new, exciting trends that ride the bleeding edge of popular culture.Explanations on why Japanese video games are unique and why they resonate so well with young American players.Fresh insight into classic Japanese video games and the elements that made them so different from American games, the origin of Nintendo, Japan's oldest and largest video game producer, Japanese Role-Playing Games, and much more!In addition, the future of the Japanese gaming industry is also explored.This product is available for sale worldwide.