Book picks similar to
Good with Words: Writing and Editing by Patrick Barry
writing
non-fiction
languages
work-references
The Elements of Style
William Strunk Jr. - 1918
Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by showing you how to enliven your sentences.
The Easy Way to Write Short Stories That Sell
Rob Parnell - 2013
If you've ever felt that you had a story inside you - and wanted to know how to write and get it published, this book is for you. This book is intended for amateur and professional writers who may have lost their way. It guarantees inspiration, motivation, effective ways to counter 'writer's block' and provides you with easy, step by step instructions on how to write a short story that will sell.Rob Parnell is the respected author of 28 books on writing. Over the last eleven years Rob has taught over 100,000 students and subscribers from all over the world. His website, The Easy Way to Write, is considered one of the best writer's sites online.In The Easy Way to Write Short Stories That Sell, Rob Parnell explains how the first and best way to progress in a writing career is to master the art of short story writing. Here's what he says:"I don't know about you but at school they told us short story writing was harder than novel writing. For a full time writer this statement is nonsense - but it does show how short story writing is respected and even regarded with some degree of awe."The good news is that I can teach you the easy way to create a very publishable short story - and very quickly."My short story writing course has been downloaded more than any other of my resources - something like 90,000 times in the last ten years. I've completely revised its contents and included an up-to-date listing of all the short story markets currently available to the aspiring short story writer."Plus, to help and encourage new writers, I've added a link to another of my popular courses, The Easy Way to Achieve Writing Success. It's a free e-course available from a link at the end of The Easy Way to Write Short Stories That Sell.Here's what's included in this book:"A thorough examining of the art and craft of short story writing - and how to easily make money writing short stories for publication.PART ONE: MINDSET"We look at mental preparation and having the correct writer's mindset before we start. We examine time management, your self belief mechanisms, and goal setting. PART TWO: THE BASICS"Here we ponder the nature of inspiration and originality. How to come up with ideas, characters and subject matter for your stories. We also discuss more specific writing issues like genre, scope, style and how to deal with them.PART THREE: Construction Time"Here I introduce the 7-Step Story Generator, an easy way to come up with powerful short story ideas in less than ten minutes. In a whole new section I also show how to create instantly compelling characters."We delve in to character's agendas, their interactions, and the consequences of facing and overcoming obstacles. "Plus, how to use the 5-Point Plot Structure, and create compelling stories through the use of proper style and tone, the correct point of view, tense, and the all important twist at the end of your stories."For fan fiction and romance writers I explain the ‘1-2-3-Bang’ theory and other short story structures.PART FOUR: WRITING YOUR STORY"Here we examine the opening paragraph and its importance, professional techniques like fast writing, self-editing, formatting and polishing the final edit.
Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage
Bryan A. Garner - 1987
With great detail and care, Garner explains what legalese is, how it can be simplified, and how far legal writers can go in simplifying it. The topics are alphabetically arranged for ease of reference: simply look up any phrase or grammatical category you're interested in, and you're likely to find the final word on the subject. Shortly after the completion of this massively expanded second edition, the late Charles Alan Wright said: The first edition of this book has been praised around the world as both the most reliable guide to legal usage and the most fascinating to read. The second edition outdoes even its predecessor.
1001 Most Useful Spanish Words
Seymour Resnick - 1996
Included are definitions of common Spanish words arranged by such categories as foods, numbers, days of the week, months, colors, the seasons, and family. The heart of the book is a dictionary, from a to zapato, in which each word is used in a Spanish sentence (with English translation) demonstrating its proper use. This useful learning and teaching tool was compiled by Seymour Resnick, a noted language teacher. It belongs at the fingertips of anyone studying the Spanish language.
Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks
Keith Houston - 2013
Whether investigating the asterisk (*) and dagger (†)--which alternately illuminated and skewered heretical verses of the early Bible--or the at sign (@), which languished in obscurity for centuries until rescued by the Internet, Keith Houston draws on myriad sources to chart the life and times of these enigmatic squiggles, both exotic (¶) and everyday (&).From the Library of Alexandria to the halls of Bell Labs, figures as diverse as Charlemagne, Vladimir Nabokov, and George W. Bush cross paths with marks as obscure as the interrobang (‽) and as divisive as the dash (--). Ancient Roman graffiti, Venetian trading shorthand, Cold War double agents, and Madison Avenue round out an ever more diverse set of episodes, characters, and artifacts.Richly illustrated, ranging across time, typographies, and countries, Shady Characters will delight and entertain all who cherish the unpredictable and surprising in the writing life.
Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps:Volume 1 - New York City
Joe Bruno - 2011
Although Italian-American criminals are covered, this is not just another Italian mafia book. The book covers the Jewish gangsters as well (who truly were the pioneers of organized crime) and the Irish gangs, who were one of the first ethnic groups to run the New York City rackets. Joe even presents a few "lady gangsters" too.Most of all, “ Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1- New York City" is easy to read. The short-chapter format is a stroke of genius. It is interesting, informative, entertaining, and to the point. You won't be bored reading it. Joe Bruno has hit the mark in presenting Old New York the way it really was. Rough and bloody! Mathew J. Mari - Criminal Attorney
Quick Cheats for Writing With Dragon: Hidden Tricks to Help You Dictate Your Book, Work Anywhere and Set Your Words Free with Speech Recognition (Dictation Mastery for PC and Mac)
Scott Baker - 2016
No confusion. Just solid, fail-safe tips for writers to take their dictation to the next level. From the author of "The Writer's Guide to Training Your Dragon", this mini-guide will help you choose the right microphone, transcribe on-the-go with Dragon and put you on the path to sky-high word counts. You will also learn little-known tricks, such as:- Dictating into programs Dragon doesn't support - such as Scrivener;- Preventing a crash from taking your dictated text with it;- Creating a "Quiet Profile" for when you need to dictate without disturbing others;- Using the same profile on multiple computers - and keeping it updated;- Running your desktop Dragon app on an iPad or Android tablet - anywhere, anytime.Designed to get you up-and-running with this powerful software in no time, "Quick Cheats for Writing with Dragon" may make you want to never look at a keyboard again!
It Was The Best Of Sentences, It Was The Worst Of Sentences: A Writer's Guide To Crafting Killer Sentences
June Casagrande - 2010
But too many writers--and writing guides--overlook this most important unit. The result? Manuscripts that will never be published and writing careers that will never begin. In this wickedly humorous manual, language columnist June Casagrande uses grammar and syntax to show exactly what makes some sentences great--and other sentences suck. With chapters on "Conjunctions That Kill" and "Words Gone Wild," this lighthearted guide is perfect for anyone who's dead serious about writing, from aspiring novelists to nonfiction writers, conscientious students to cheeky literati. So roll up your sleeves and prepare to craft one bold, effective sentence after another. Your readers will thank you. "From the Trade Paperback edition."
The Business of Being a Writer
Jane Friedman - 2018
Too often missing from these conversations is the fact that writing is also a business. The reality is, those who want to make a full- or part-time job out of writing are going to have a more positive and productive career if they understand the basic business principles underlying the industry.The Business of Being a Writer offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive. It is meant for early-career writers looking to develop a realistic set of expectations about making money from their work or for working writers who want a better understanding of the industry. Writers will gain a comprehensive picture of how the publishing world works—from queries and agents to blogging and advertising—and will learn how they can best position themselves for success over the long term.
Writing Horror
Mort Castle - 1997
This definitive anthology enables you to learn from some of the genre's biggest names as they share their wisdom on developing horror that will shock and excite readers and editors alike.
Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction
Tracy Kidder - 2013
The story begins in 1973, in the offices of The Atlantic Monthly, in Boston, where a young freelance writer named Tracy Kidder came looking for an assignment. Richard Todd was the editor who encouraged him. From that article grew a lifelong association. Before long, Kidder’s The Soul of a New Machine, the first book the two worked on together, had won the Pulitzer Prize. It was a heady moment, but for Kidder and Todd it was only the beginning of an education in the art of nonfiction.Good Prose explores three major nonfiction forms: narratives, essays, and memoirs. Kidder and Todd draw candidly, sometimes comically, on their own experience—their mistakes as well as accomplishments—to demonstrate the pragmatic ways in which creative problems get solved. They also turn to the works of a wide range of writers, novelists as well as nonfiction writers, for models and instruction. They talk about narrative strategies (and about how to find a story, sometimes in surprising places), about the ethical challenges of nonfiction, and about the realities of making a living as a writer. They offer some tart and emphatic opinions on the current state of language. And they take a clear stand against playing loose with the facts. Their advice is always grounded in the practical world of writing and publishing.Good Prose—like Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style—is a succinct, authoritative, and entertaining arbiter of standards in contemporary writing, offering guidance for the professional writer and the beginner alike. This wise and useful book is the perfect companion for anyone who loves to read good books and longs to write one.
Outlining Your Novel Box Set: How to Write Your Best Book (Helping Writers Become Authors)
K.M. Weiland - 2016
Weiland
With over 300 pages of step-by-step guidance, these two individual books have 440+ five star reviews on Amazon and have helped thousands of authors write better books.
Can Outlining Help You Write a Better Story?
These bestselling guides will help you choose the right type of outline to unleash your creativity, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, and aid you in discovering your characters.
--OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL--
Award-winning author K.M. Weiland’s bestselling Outlining Your Novel shows you how to embrace outlines in a way that makes the writing process fun, inspiring, and easy.
Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal.
Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will help you choose the right type of outline for you, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, aid you in discovering your characters, show you how to structure your scenes, explain how to format your finished outline, instruct you in how to use your outline when writing the first draft, reveal the benefits of outlining, and dispel the misconceptions.
--OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL WORKBOOK—
Now it’s time to put those lessons to use! The Outlining Your Novel Workbook presents a guided approach to getting the bones of your story down on paper, identifying plot holes, and brainstorming exciting new possibilities.
Containing hundreds of incisive questions and imagination-revving exercises, this valuable resource will show you how to:
Create your own personalized outlining process
Brainstorm premise and plot ideas
Discover your characters
Choose and create the right settings
Organize your scenes
And so much more!
This accessible and streamlined workbook will empower you to create a powerful outline—and an outstanding novel.
Start writing your best book today!
The 10% Solution
Ken Rand - 1998
Ken Rand offers his own advice and twenty-five years of experience for the benefit of other writers.His no-nonsense approach to editing fiction will do more to make writing more professional.
How to Write Short Romance Kindle Books: A 40 Minute MASTERCLASS
Nina Harrington - 2015
Over the past seven years, I have created 19 award-winning romance novels for two international publishers and over 1.2 million copies have been sold in 28 countries around the world in 23 languages. The good news is that romance fiction is as popular as it has ever been. Just look at the Amazon Bestsellers top 100 paid list. It is dominated by romance titles. Writing short romance Kindle books is an ideal home-based business, with minimal start-up costs. You work where and when you choose, writing the kind of romance stories that you love to read –and then publish them for free! What’s more, short fiction is fast to both read and to write. No more procrastination! You can create passive income from day one with short romance stories that only took you a few hours to write. This eBook guides you through an intense Masterclass on the key techniques that you need to start writing short romance fiction, which you can then publish on the Amazon Kindle platform. As a professional romance author, I have broken down the process of writing romance fiction into: A complete nine-step plan packed with the essential information you need to write your own short romance fiction, from understanding the different types of romance categories through to advanced story structure. A proven six-layer character development technique to help you to create compelling three-dimensional characters readers will love! As a bonus, I have included a section with practical advice on how to transform your manuscript into an eBook. This detailed Fast-Track guide has been designed to be around 40 minutes long, which means that there is no filler, just quality information from the start. Your complete starter plan is written in straightforward language and each step has been tried and tested. I know that it works because this is the system that I use to create my own award-winning romance fiction! Take a risk and learn How to Write Short Romance Kindle Books today – it could be the key to a new career and a brilliant entrepreneurial small business. It is much easier than you think. Just take that first step! NEW SPECIAL OFFER! This eBook is part of the ROMANCE SELF-PUBLISHING BOOK BUNDLE (Books One to Three): All the Information you need to Write, Publish and Promote your Romance Kindle Book. Available now at a great sale price. http://amzn.to/1NpEGx2
Write a Novel: How to Outline a Book in Three Hours
Shaunta Grimes - 2020
And yes--so can you! This method is not only effective, it’s fun. You’ll never worry about the blank page again!An outline, or plot, is really just a roadmap through your story. A flexible roadmap. One possible route. There might be detours, once you start writing. You might take side trips you didn’t even see coming.But your roadmap helps you make sure you’re always headed in the right direction. Even diehard pantsers need to know where they’re going, if they want to actually get there.This three-hour method for outlining a book is my exact method for making sure that when I start writing a story, I finish it. I’m excited to teach it to you.You’ll learn how to:- Go from the spark of an idea to five key plot points.- Expand your key plot points into 30 or 40 scenes.- Use those scenes to write a fast zero draft.If you’re ready to actually write that book, this is the first step!Shaunta Grimes writes young adult and middle grade novels. She runs an online writing community, Ninja Writers, that has more than 50,000 members from around the world.