Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly


Gail Carson Levine - 2006
    She shows how you, too, can get terrific ideas for stories, invent great beginnings and endings, write sparkling dialogue, develop memorable characters—and much, much more. She advises you about what to do when you feel stuck—and how to use helpful criticism. Best of all, she offers writing exercises that will set your imagination on fire.With humor, honesty, and wisdom, Gail Carson Levine shows you that you, too, can make magic with your writing.

The Map: To Our Responsive Universe, Where Dreams Really Do Come True!


Boni Lonnsburry - 2013
    “The Map” doesn’t just tell you what is possible in this life – it shows you, step-by-simple-step, exactly how to get from Point A (where you are) to Point B (where your greatest heartfelt dreams are found). Jam-packed with plenty of delicious detail, this “GPS to your dreams” can help you pinpoint an exact path to creating the life you were born to live, while revealing how to: Uncover your true dream – not just the one you may have “settled for” over the years Identify, root out, and reprogram any limiting beliefs that have been holding you back Know when – and how – to take action on your dreams (because taking action is the one step most “dreamers” never get to) Tell whether your desires are manifesting, or not … since it can sometimes take a while for the universe to line up everything needed for your dream to materialize, and it may appear to you that nothing’s happening (but you’ll know to watch for these signs) Be happy, no matter what – and never again be tossed around by unexpected pot-holes along the road of Life (“The Map” can steer you onto smoother highways every time.) Also includes a powerfully simple Daily Checklist of steps so you can create your dream life as quickly and elegantly as possible! Boni Lonnsburry has developed a proven, straightforward system for turning dreams into reality. She went from being broke, alone, jobless and nearly homeless … to being the owner of a multimillion-dollar business, married to the man of her dreams, and living a life she truly loves. Boni has shown thousands of people how to manifest their dreams. And now she wants to show you too, in “The Map”.

My Guide to RPG Storytelling


Aron Christensen - 2012
    This guide includes suggestions on how to prepare a campaign, running each session, dealing with problem players, how to create memorable NPCs and more.Please note that this is not a basic how-to for role-playing and is not affiliated with any particular gaming system or company.Table of ContentsForeword, by Erica LindquistChapter 1: On StorytellingChapter 2: Before Your GameChapter 3: Building Your StoryChapter 4: Running Your GameChapter 5: Players Player CharactersChapter 6: ProblemsChapter 7: Rules MechanicsChapter 8: Setting NPCsChapter 9: The EndPlease note that this is not a basic how-to for role-playing and it is not affiliated with any particular gaming company.

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading


Mortimer J. Adler - 1940
    It is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension for the general reader. And now it has been completely rewritten and updated. You are told about the various levels of reading and how to achieve them – from elementary reading, through systematic skimming and inspectional reading, to speed reading, you learn how to pigeonhole a book, X-ray it, extract the author's message, criticize. You are taught the different reading techniques for reading practical books, imaginative literature, plays, poetry, history, science and mathematics, philosophy and social science. Finally, the authors offer a recommended reading list and supply reading tests whereby you can measure your own progress in reading skills, comprehension and speed.This a previously-published edition of ISBN 9780671212094

The Da Vinci Method - Break Out & Express Your Fire


Garret LoPorto - 2005
    Discover and master the fiery temperament shared by great leaders, entrepreneurs, artists and AD/HD-ers. Are you: - Impulsive? - Risk-taking? - Distractible? - Sensation-seeking? - Insightful or Intuitive? Do you: - Crave risk and excitement? - Have an addictive personality? - Rebel against authority? - Think differently? Then you are a DaVinci. Discover the secret genius that drives risk-takers, rebels, entrepreneurs, artists and ad/hd-ers to achieve greatness. Learn how to express this fire and harness it productively. About the Author Garret LoPorto, has been featured in The New York Times, Money Magazine, The Boston Globe and The London Financial Times. He is a successful entrepreneur, CEO, presenter at MIT, U.S. & International patent-pending inventor, and father of two children. He lives with his wife and children in Concord, Massachusetts.

Roget's Thesaurus of Words for Writers: Over 2,300 Emotive, Evocative, Descriptive Synonyms, Antonyms, and Related Terms Every Writer Should Know


David Olsen - 2013
    Under the time-tested banner of Roget's Thesaurus, this collection will quickly become the most essential tool on your desk when you're working on your next piece. Far from an ordinary word list, each entry in this book is organized by meaning and offers a list of compelling word choices that relate to the ideas you'd like to use. It also provides a pronunciation guide, definition, antonyms, synonyms, and a sample sentence for each listing. Filled with thousands of unique and compelling words, this book will help you find inspiration, expand your vocabulary, and create one-of-a-kind sentences for any writing assignment. With Roget's Thesaurus of Words for Writers, you'll set your projects in the right direction and engage your audience--one word at a time.

On Bullshit


Harry G. Frankfurt - 1986
    Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted. Most people are rather confident of their ability to recognize bullshit and to avoid being taken in by it. So the phenomenon has not aroused much deliberate concern. We have no clear understanding of what bullshit is, why there is so much of it, or what functions it serves. And we lack a conscientiously developed appreciation of what it means to us. In other words, as Harry Frankfurt writes, "we have no theory."Frankfurt, one of the world's most influential moral philosophers, attempts to build such a theory here. With his characteristic combination of philosophical acuity, psychological insight, and wry humor, Frankfurt proceeds by exploring how bullshit and the related concept of humbug are distinct from lying. He argues that bullshitters misrepresent themselves to their audience not as liars do, that is, by deliberately making false claims about what is true. In fact, bullshit need not be untrue at all.Rather, bullshitters seek to convey a certain impression of themselves without being concerned about whether anything at all is true. They quietly change the rules governing their end of the conversation so that claims about truth and falsity are irrelevant. Frankfurt concludes that although bullshit can take many innocent forms, excessive indulgence in it can eventually undermine the practitioner's capacity to tell the truth in a way that lying does not. Liars at least acknowledge that it matters what is true. By virtue of this, Frankfurt writes, bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are.

Quiet Your Mind: An Easy-to-Use Guide to Ending Chronic Worry and Negative Thoughts and Living a Calmer Life


John Selby - 2004
    John Selby, researcher, therapist, and educator, points out that we are indeed a nation of unwitting thinkaholics. In his essential new book, Quiet Your Mind, he offers us an easy-to-follow mind-management process through which we can learn to let go of fear-based mental habits and enter a more heart-centered, intuitively-clear, and spiritually-peaceful engagement with everyday life.With solid scientific grounding, yet written in a heart-to-heart tone, Selby offers a precise exposé of how anxious thoughts focused on mental judgments, beliefs, and attitudes generate emotions such as irritation, worry, guilt, anger, and despair – leaving little room in our lives for positive spontaneous engagement with the world. In this definitive guidebook, Selby teaches how we can transcend such fear-based ideas and attitudes that hold us back in life, through potent yet easily-mastered techniques to quiet over-busy thoughtflows and nurture more present-moment, love-based mindstates.

They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing


Gerald Graff - 2006
    In addition to explaining the basic moves, this book provides writing templates that show students explicitly how to make these moves in their own writing.

Blogging for Dummies


Susannah Gardner - 2008
    Well-run blogs do more than offer an outlet for your thoughts. They've actually influenced everything from a company's image to the outcome of a local election. Because the blogosphere is pretty crowded, it's a good idea to find out a bit about the anatomy of a blog, what makes a good one, and what it takes to keep one going before you dive right in and start sharing with the world. Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition gives you all the basics so you can get a good start. And if you've been around the blog a few times and want to advance to the next level, Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition even takes a look at podcasting and videoblogging.You'll find out how to:Make your blog stand out in a crowd, build an audience, and even make it pay Choose the best software options, boost readership, and handle comments Generate revenue from your blog with ads and sponsorships Protect your privacy and your job Deal with spam and the inappropriate comments from that guy who posts several times a day Find your niche Attract and keep readers Use your blog to promote your business, cause, or organization Add audio, video, cool widgets, and more Ready? Get Blogging for Dummies and let's get started!