Book picks similar to
Writing Dialogue: The Importance of Character Agenda by Paula Berinstein
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non-fiction-all
nonfiction-writing
mfa-required-reading
Blueprint Your Bestseller: Organize and Revise Any Manuscript with the Book Architecture Method
Stuart Horwitz - 2013
Whether you’re tinkering with your first one hundred pages or trying to wrestle a complete draft into shape, Horwitz helps you look at your writing with the fresh perspective you need to reach the finish line.Blueprint Your Bestseller introduces the Book Architecture Method, a tested sequence of steps for organizing and revising any manuscript. By breaking a manuscript into manageable scenes, you can determine what is going on in your writing at the structural level—and uncover the underlying flaws and strengths of your narrative.For more than a decade this proven approach to revision has helped authors of both fiction and nonfiction, as well as writers across all media from theater to film to TV.
One Continuous Mistake: Four Noble Truths for Writers
Gail Sher - 1999
In this unique guide for writers of all levels, Gail Sher—a poet who is also a widely respected teacher of creative writing—combines the inspirational value of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way with the spiritual focus of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Here she introduces a method of discipline that applies specific Zen practices to enhance and clarify creative work. She also discusses bodily postures that support writing, how to set up the appropriate writing regimen, and how to discover one's own "learning personality." In the tradition of such classics as Writing Down the Bones and If You Want to Write, One Continuous Mistake will help beginning writers gain access to their creative capabilities while serving as a perennial reference that working writers can turn to again and again for inspiration and direction.
The Pocket Muse: Ideas and Inspirations for Writing
Monica Wood - 2002
The stimulating visuals laced throughout the book uniquely capture the essence of the literary imagination and provide salve for the writer's soul.
Wood delves below the surface of a writer's life and illustrates her apt points with both pictures and words. She says, "Treat yourself! Buy an expensive pen, a box of colorful paperclips, a fine, handmade notebook or a leather bookmark." In other words, allow yourself a moment to luxuriate in your gift of words. She also reminds us of the need to be disciplined and to avoid being sidetracked by those little distractions -- for example, you might hold off on checking your email in the morning until you've written at least three pages.
In relation to character development in fiction, the author points out that a good plot complication will either thwart or alter the character's desire. She reminds you to instill your characters with life. And, she offers an extremely useful tool -- using differently colored markers to highlight action, reflection, and dialogue in your prose. This ingenious technique will assist you in knowing when you are telling rather than showing and will allow you to create vivid action that will involve the reader in your characters and plot. All in all, Wood has authored an innovative, inspirational pocket muse that is produced in a handy carry-along size and is so unique it doesn't even require numbered pages. It is all about inspiration, digging deep, and keeping the faith as you spin out prose that will long be remembered. (Evie Rhodes)
Writing Day In and Day Out: Living a Practice of Words
Andi Cumbo-Floyd - 2015
The world says that writing doesn't matter much. Our families and jobs need us. We have to make money. The ugly voices in our head tell us we're not good enough. There are a ton of reasons why we choose to not write. . . and yet, if we are writers, we must find a way to the page. Over and over again. Often one of the hardest things for writers is allowing ourselves the time and space to write when so many other obligations fill our time. Writing Day in and Day Out is a book for writers who would like to find that time and space and build a practice of writing in their daily lives.In this intimate volume, Cumbo-Floyd tells about her own writing practice, shares suggestions - but never rules - for how you might find a way to more words in your daily life, and offers encouragement for the days when writing seems to be too far away or too painful.
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English
Patricia T. O'Conner - 1996
The bestselling grammar book has been updated and revised to include the latest and greatest on the basics and subtleties of English, and features a new chapter on the language of the Internet.
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy
Orson Scott Card - 1990
Your readers are curious and want you to take them beyond ""The Fields We Know,"" to help them explore the infinite boundaries of the worlds you create.Here, science fiction great Orson Scott Card shares his expertise in these genres. You'll learn:- What is and isn't science fiction and fantasy, and by whose standards -- and where your work fits in.- How to build, populate, and dramatize a credible, inviting world your readers will want to explore.- How to use the MICE quotient -- milieu, idea, character, event -- to structure a successful story.- Where the markets are and how to reach them to get published.The knowledge and skills you gain through this book will help you effectively lead your readers into the strangeness you create -- one tantalizing step at a time.
Write Naked: A Bestseller's Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success
Jennifer Probst - 2017
New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Probst reveals her pathway to success, from struggling as a new writer to signing a seven-figure deal. Write Naked intermingles personal essays on craft with down-to-earth advice on writing romance in the digital age. Probst will teach you how to:Commit to your current work-in-progress, get focused, and complete it on scheduleReveal raw emotions and thoughts on the page to hook your readersAssemble a street team to promote and celebrate your booksOvercome writer's block with easeDevelop themes that tie together your books and seriesWrite the most difficult elements of romance--including sex scenes--with skill and styleRegardless of the genre, every novelist faces a difficult task. Creating authentic characters and an engaging plot are challenging enough. But attempting to break into the hotter-than-ever romance genre, which is constantly flooded with new titles and fresh faces? It can feel impossible. This is where Probst's Write Naked comes in. To survive--and thrive--you need the help and wisdom of an expert. Written in Probst's unmistakable and honest voice, Write Naked is filled with the lessons and craft advice every writer needs in order to carve out a rewarding career.
Kindle Bestseller Publishing: Write a Bestseller in 30 Days!
Gundi Gabrielle - 2017
All her books reached #1 within just a few days of publishing and over time, she developed a Step-by-Step, proven and easy-to-follow System that can help you reach Bestseller status with your very first book. "Kindle Bestseller Publishing" is part 5 of the “The Sassy Way…..when you have NO CLUE!” series, that teaches Internet Marketing to total beginners. You might not think of Kindle Publishing as a marketing tool, but it is actually: One of the fastest, most efficient ways to build a following online! For your blog, your social media platforms, your business or any service you are offering. In addition, KINDLE PUBLISHING offers the following BENEFITS: - The Prestige of being a published - or even Bestselling - Author - Instant Authority in your Field - New clients and customers on auto-pilot who will trust you a lot more, because you have already proven yourself - Passive Income - Automatic List Building. Email marketing is widely considered the most powerful marketing technique of all, more than Facebook and Google Ads combined. Publishing a book on Amazon can help you build your mailing list on auto-pilot - and Amazon even pays you to do it….. This book will teach you STEP-BY-STEP how to go from zero to published - and - possibly a Bestseller! It is NOT an in-depth WRITING COURSE although some basic instructions and tips are provided. “Kindle Bestseller Publishing” focuses on the Marketing aspects of publishing a book on Amazon and in particular, what it takes to reach Bestseller status - the “science” behind it. Important areas that will be covered include:: - Researching profitable Book Ideas - Understanding Amazon’s Algorithm and how new readers can find you - How to optimize your meta data, including your book title to trigger Amazon’s algorithm to promote your book heavily - Category and Keyword Research and how Bestseller ranking on Amazon works - How to market your book during Launch Week and much more….
The Writer's Notebook: Craft Essays from Tin House
Dorothy AllisonD.A. Powell - 2009
Jim Shepard, Aimee Bender, Steve Almond, D. A. Powell, Chris Offutt, and others distill elements of writing and share insights into the joys and pains of their own work. They explore a wide range of topics, everything from writing dialogue to the do’s and don'ts of writing about sex. With how-tos, close readings, and personal anecdotes, The Writer's Notebook offers aspiring wordsmiths advice and inspiration to hone their own craft. Included is a CD of workshop discussions and panels
Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping
Matthew Salesses - 2021
The traditional writing workshop was established with white male writers in mind; what we call craft is informed by their cultural values. In this bold and original examination of elements of writing—including plot, character, conflict, structure, and believability—and aspects of workshop—including the silenced writer and the imagined reader—Matthew Salesses asks questions to invigorate these familiar concepts. He upends Western notions of how a story must progress. How can we rethink craft, and the teaching of it, to better reach writers with diverse backgrounds? How can we invite diverse storytelling traditions into literary spaces?Drawing from examples including One Thousand and One Nights, Curious George, Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, and the Asian American classic No-No Boy, Salesses asks us to reimagine craft and the workshop. In the pages of exercises included here, teachers will find suggestions for building syllabi, grading, and introducing new methods to the classroom; students will find revision and editing guidance, as well as a new lens for reading their work. Salesses shows that we need to interrogate the lack of diversity at the core of published fiction: how we teach and write it. After all, as he reminds us, "When we write fiction, we write the world."
Hope in the Mail: Reflections on Writing and Life
Wendelin Van Draanen - 2020
Or, at least, saved her from a life of bitterness and despair. Writing helped her sort out what she thought and felt and wanted. And digging deep into fictional characters helped her understand the real people in her life better as well.Wendelin shares what she's learned--about writing, life, and what it takes to live the writing life. This book is packed with practical advice on the craft: about how to create characters and plot a story that's exciting to read. But maybe even more helpful is the insight she provides into the persistence, and perseverance, it takes to live a productive, creative life. And she answers the age-old question Where do you get your ideas? by revealing how events in her own life became the seeds of her best-loved novels.Hope in the Mail is a wildly inspirational read for anyone with a story to share.
The Writer's Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life
Priscilla Long - 2010
The Writer's Portable Mentor helps writers understand and incorporate the regular practices of virtuoso creators; provides a guide to structuring literary, journalistic, or fictional pieces or entire books; opens the door to the sentence strategies of the masters; provides tools for developing a poet's ear for use in prose; trains writers in the observation skills of visual artists; and guides them toward more effective approaches to getting their work into the world. Says Maya Sonenberg, Director of the Creative Writing Program at University of Washington, "I have never seen anything quite like Priscilla Long's book. It presents a true alternative for the advanced writer."
28 Books to $100K: A Guide for Ambitious Authors Who Want to Skyrocket Their Passive Income By Writing a Book a Month
Michelle Kulp - 2020
They also found that 80% of authors make less than $6,000 per year, which is not a livable income.Michelle Kulp, 10x bestselling author, has been writing a book a month since 2019 and has generated thousands of dollars in passive income now using this system.If you are any type of expert - coach, speaker, consultant, trainer, healer, CEO, business owner - this is the perfect way to share your knowledge, attract new clients, and increase your following and author-ity!Here's some of what you'll discover in 28 Books to $100K: Why volume boosts visibility?How to write books that people want.Why shorter is better?6 types of short books to write.50 templates to help you create your Killer Titles.How to launch like a Pro and become a #1 bestselling author.16 Rapid Writing Secrets to help you get your book written fast.The Bestseller Checklist.7 Questions You Must Ask Before You Write Your Book.Your 12-Month Book template.The Self-Publishing Checklist.The extra rocket fuel your books need to keep selling.Your Income Tracking Chart.The 30-Day Roadmap to Writing a Book a MonthAnd More!If you're ready to turn your dreams into a reality, make passive income by self-publishing and become a 6-Figure Author, click the BUY NOW button and let's get started on this new brand new path!
4 A.M. Breakthrough: Unconventional Writing Exercises That Transform Your Fiction
Brian Kiteley - 2009
Behind the theory of exercises is an attitude of curiosity and expectancy, a desire to ask questions of yourself and of the world, to boldly—or not so boldly—stick a toe into the waters of something fresh, provocative, and exhilarating. To create fiction on the verge.In The 4 A.M. Breakthrough, companion to The 3 A.M. Epiphany, award-winning author and professor Brian Kiteley presents you with another 200 stimulating exercises, designed to help you expand your understanding of the problems and processes of more complex, satisfying fiction and to challenge you to produce works of which you never thought yourself capable.You'll learn how to:Train your writing instincts, so creation becomes a more organic, automatic processTackle challenging concepts and themes, such as Language Games, The Mind, Money & Class, and History, laying a foundation for larger, more significant writing projectsMake your writing process more fun and experimental, so you'll approach your fiction in the spirit of discovery, rather than with anxietyOpen the book. Choose an exercise. Surprise yourself.Anything can happen—even at 4 a.m.
If You Can Talk, You Can Write
Joel Saltzman - 1993
But think about writing something and panic sets in. Overcome this crippling response by learning how to "talk" on paper. Joel Saltzman tells it like it is--with compassion, humor, and the "uncommon wisdom" of famous writers, artists, and musicians. Based on his popular workshop for the UCLA Writers' Program, this is a program with proven results.