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In The Writers Mentor, bestselling author, teacher, and writing coach Cathleen Rountree addresses the most common dilemmas of both aspiring and professional writers. Written in a question-and-answer format, this book stands apart from other books on writing by its linking of practical information on effective writing strategies with inspirational stories from the lives of famous writers.Cathleen Rountree responds to such questions as: How do I get ideas for writing? What should I do when I am stuck and just staring at a blank page? What is the best time of day to write? How do I set a writing schedule? What can I do to achieve a state of'flow'when writing?In anwering these questions, she shares not only what she has learned from her own experiences in writing and publishing eight books, but also many of the writing secrets of famous literary figures--from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Included are tips from Anne Tyler, Mark Twain, Arthur Miller, Margaret Atwood, Tennessee Williams, Maya Angelou, Ernest Hemingway, Diane Ackerman, Virginia Woolf, Isabel Allende, Pablo Neruda, Doris Lessing, and more. Included in each chapter is a feature called'The Writer's Mentor Suggests,'which gives readers a list of concrete suggestions and tips around the writing topic. A wonderful feature in every chapter is a look at the writing life through films such as The Shining, Bridget Jones'Diary, and Shakespeare in Love.

From the bestselling author of Woe Is I: A guide to grammar fundamentals that's sympathetic to the struggling writer and often just plain funny” (The Seattle Times). Whether you need to improve your skills for work or school, or aspire to the Great American Novel, a grounding in grammar, spelling, and punctuation is essential—not just to make you look like a professional but to communicate effectively in emails, essays, or anything you need to write. This painless, practical book is filled with short, snappy chapters, crystal-clear examples, and a “playful sense of humor” (The New York Times Book Review)—covering everything from “Pronoun Pileups” and “Verbs That Zing” to “What to Do When You're Stuck.” With these simple, straightforward tips, you can learn how to sort your thoughts and make sentences that make sense. “Students writing papers, employees preparing reports, and those who just want to be understood in print may benefit from this fun-to-use answer to Strunk and White. O'Connor uses humor as she takes apart sentences and their parts and shows how each element is used effectively.” —Booklist

Although many educators want to help their students overcome their writing challenges, most higher education instructors do not have formal training in teaching writing. This book provides a detailed roadmap for college educators to help students make substantial improvements in their writing, particularly in courses where writing is a component, but not the primary focus.This accessible guide offers conceptual tools and practical strategies, including lesson plans, stock comments instructors can use to explain frequently occurring writing problems, and writing prompts to help struggling students address writer's block. Covering topics such as managing grading time, reducing students'anxiety about writing, giving clear and formative feedback, troubleshooting, and providing practical tips for helping ESL students, this book is a one-stop shop for assisting students across academic disciplines.By implementing the guidance offered in this manual, college and university faculty and instructors can guide students effectively and efficiently in improving their writing.

The fourth edition of the timeless composition guide, including an introduction by E. B. White and a foreword by Roger Angell. First published in 1919 as a primer for Cornell University students, The Elements of Style became a renowned reference for writers of all kinds. With a straightforward manner that exemplifies its own advice, this succinct book covers everything from tips on proper comma usage to the principles of effective communication. The manual also includes lists of common errors to avoid, making it an indispensable asset for anyone seeking to write clear, correct, and engaging prose. Later reissued with revisions, an introduction, and a chapter on writing by E. B. White, The Elements of Style is now in its fourth edition and features a foreword by White's stepson, the essayist Roger Angell.

If you feel like you've got the wrong tone of voice, don't understand the ins-and-outs of grammar, or just don't feel confident writing about yourself without sounding like an idiot, read this book. Copywriter Tait Ischia is brief and to the point in an interesting and engaging way. Which is exactly what you want the words on your website/marketing stuff/professional bio to be too, right? Feel confident in what you say and how you say it when you put fingers to the keyboard. Waffling on should really be reserved for weekend breakfast.

The A to Z of Creative Writing Methods is an alphabetical collection of essays to prompt consideration of method within creative writing research and practice.Almost sixty contributors from a range of writing traditions and across multiple forms and genre are represented in this volume: from poets, essayists, novelists and performance writers, to graphic novelists, illustrators, and those engaged in multi-media writing or writing-related arts activism. Contributors bring to this collection their distinct and diverse literary and cultural contexts, defining, expanding and enacting the methods they describe, and providing new possibilities for creative writing practice.Accessible and provocative, A to Z of Creative Writing Methods lays bare new developments and directions in the field, making it an invaluable resource for the teachers, research students and scholar-practitioners in the field of creative writing studies.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this clarion call to pick up a pen and find yourself from “one of our most astute chroniclers of modern life” (The New York Times Book Review), #1 New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen shows us how anyone can write, and why everyone should. What really matters in life? What truly lasts in our hearts and minds? Where can we find community, history, humanity? In this lyrical new book, the answer is clear: through writing. This is a book for what Quindlen calls “civilians,” those who want to use the written word to become more human, more themselves. Write for Your Life argues that there has never been a more important time to stop and record what we are thinking and feeling. Using examples from past, present, and future—from Anne Frank to Toni Morrison, from love letters written after World War II to journal reflections from nurses and doctors today—Write for Your Life vividly illuminates the ways in which writing connects us to ourselves and to those we cherish. Drawing on her personal experiences not just as a writer but as a mother and daughter, Quindlen makes the case that recording our daily lives in writing is essential. When we write we not only look, we see; we not only react but reflect. Writing gives you something to hold onto in a changing world. “To write the present,” Quindlen says, “is to believe in the future.”

Improving the quality of your writing starts with rethinking your assumptions and developing healthier writing habits. This book will help you do both. Become a Better Writer: How to Write with Clarity and Simplicity is a practical guide for those who wish to write more clearly and concisely. Drawing on their extensive experience as writers and editors, the authors discuss tools and tips for making your writing accessible and meaningful to your target audience. The book is readable and engaging, covering different kinds of writing (including reports, essays, emails, novels and speeches) across a wide range of subjects. The examples discussed are derived from real-world material and are particularly relevant to the African context. The book will be especially useful to writers of non-fiction.

'Brilliant, time-tested and clear'advice that will help writers at all stages, in all genres, write their very best book—and then make it better. As a freelance editor for more than a decade, Williams has shepherded books from rough draft to polished manuscripts bought by Big Five houses, university and literary presses, and for independent publishers. Now, she distills everything she's learned from editing hundreds of drafts, coaching writers past creative blocks, and navigating authors through querying and publication, into this useful guide for every step from idea to book.Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro from Blank Page to Book divides writing and revision into distinct stages, with a new focus in each draft. Williams'frank, funny voice encourages writers to tackle even big editing tasks with a sense of humor and a feeling that someone who understands is on their side.With plenty of fresh examples, insider wisdom, and snappy footnotes, Seven Drafts teaches story, character, elements of writing craft and structure, how to seek and use feedback, and the publication process. This book will prove invaluable for the writer mindset, with transformative advice on using envy to fuel your own work, finding a writing community, and literary citizenship. Editors and teachers will discover nuts and bolts of what they'already know'and elevate their students'work while refining their own methods.You'll laugh. You'll write. You'll finish your book, with Seven Drafts on your side.Praise for Seven Drafts'Like a friend privately taking you aside, delivering the honest truth you need, in a way that makes you enthusiastic to keep on going, even when the work gets very hard.'—Jane Friedman, publishing expert and author of The Business of Being a Writer'...understands at a molecular level what makes prose work.'—Christopher Buehlman, author of The Blacktongue Thief'...crucial, clear, and inside-secret information...to elevate our grammar, style, and storytelling with precision and joy.'—Diane Zinna, author of The All-Night Sun

This three-in-one guide is the perfect addition to any professional or amateur writer's bookshelf. Aimed at those who use language in their day-to-day lives, it is divided into three parts. The Grammar Guide provides clear, comprehensive guidance on sentence structure, parts of speech and punctuation; the Vocabulary Builder helps you choose the right word by listing commonly confused, misused and cliched words; the dictionary of Literary Terms provides concise definitions of linguistic forms. The budding writer can use this guide to quickly enhance their style and improve their word power. The rules and advice provided are accompanied by usage examples throughout.

Explanation Points is a curated collection of disciplinary knowledge and advice for publishing in rhetoric and composition. Covering a variety of topics in an approachable, conversational tone, the book demonstrates how writing faculty from diverse career trajectories and institutions produce, prepare, edit, revise, and publish scholarship. Rhetoric and composition is a uniquely democratic field, made of a group of scholars who, rather than competing with one another, lift each other up and work together to move the field forward. This lively, engaging, story-anchored book offers advice from a range of authors—including emeritus faculty, prolific authors, and early career researchers. Organized by various stages in the writing and publishing process, Explanation Points presents the advice shared between colleagues, passed along from professor to student, or offered online in abbreviated tweets and updates. The best advice book on writing and publishing in the field, Explanation Points is a useful resource for rhetoric and composition scholars including faculty, graduate students, and advanced undergraduate students; writing center administrators, staff, and consultants; graduate pratica and seminars; writing workshop classes; and editors, associate editors, assistant editors, and other academic journal staff. Contributors: Tim Amidon, Chris Anson, Nancy G. Barron, Ellen Barton, Michael Baumann, Steve Bernhardt, Kristine L. Blair, David Blakesley, Lynn Z. Bloom, Marcia Bost, James Brown, Amber Buck, Rebecca Burnett, Joyce Carter, Kate Comer, Janice Cools, Marilyn Cooper, Craig Cotich, Ellen Cushman, Gabriel Cutrufello, Courtney Danforth, Sid Dobrin, William Duffy, Norbert Elliot, Jessica Enoch, Doug Eyman, Michael Faris, Jenn Fishman, Linda Flower, Brenda Glasscot, Laura Gonzales, Jeffrey T. Grabill, Laurie Gries, Bump Halbritter, Joseph Harris, Byron Hawk, Douglas Hesse, Troy Hicks, Bruce Horner, Asao Inoue, Darin L. Jensen, Erin Jensen, Johndan Johnson-Eilola, Gesa E. Kirsch, Sarah Kornfield, Ashanka Kumari, Christina M. LaVecchia, Donna LeCourt, Barbara L'Eplattenier, Heather Lettner-Rust, Justin Lewis, Julie Lindquist, Tara Lockhart, Andrea Abernethy Lunsford, Katie Manthey, Lisa Mastrangelo, Ben McCorkle, Heidi McKee, Cruz Medina, Laura R. Micciche, Holly Middleton, Lilian Mina, Janine Morris, Joan Mullin, Kim Hensley Owens, Jason Palmeri, Mike Palmquist, Steve Parks, Juli Parrish, Staci Perryman-Clark, Mya Poe, Jacqueline Rhodes, Jeff Rice, Jim Ridolfo, Shirley K Rose, Stuart A. Selber, Jody Shipka, Naomi Silver, Ryan Skinnell, Trixie Long Smith, Kyle Stedman, Patrick Sullivan, Carrie Strand Tebeau, Christie Toth, John Trimbur, Chris Warnick, Kathleen Blake Yancey

Vanquish Your Writing Doubts & ObstaclesWriting is a vulnerable occupation; it is both personal and intimate. The act of writing, cycles of revision, and the confusing publishing industry can shatter a writer's confidence, leaving you feeling like an imposter, overcome with rejection. Survival--and success--requires commitment, honesty, courage, resilience, sacrifice, and miles and miles of heart.You have everything you need as a writer--it lies within, in the form of consistency and self-confidence. With Write Smart, Write Happy, best-selling author Cheryl St. John will help you unlock your skills, guiding you to overcome every hesitation, obstacle, form of writer's block, and procrastination habit you have. Within these pages, you'll learn to: • Organize your writing life by using a planner, scheduling your yearly goals, and acknowledging career plans. • Sharpen your saw by recharging your creativity, developing positive motivation, and creating healthy writing habits. • Affirm your beliefs by overcoming self-doubt, learning to use affirmations, and altering your thinking. • Conquer remaining fears by releasing tendencies towards perfectionism and establishing strategies for habitual success.Written with a no-nonsense attitude, St. John's'advice from the trenches'will help you take an introspective look at your own writing habits and life. Through examples and inspiration from writers who struggled with--and overcame--rejection and reservations, discover the path towards writing smarter and happier today.

Want to get published and paid for your writing? Let Writer's Market 2019 guide you through the process with thousands of publishing opportunities for writers, including listings for book publishers, consumer and trade magazines, contests and awards, and literary agents--as well as new playwriting and screenwriting sections. These listings feature contact and submission information to help writers get their work published. Beyond the listings, you'll find all-new material devoted to the business and promotion of writing. Discover the secrets to ten-minute marketing, how to make money covering live events, and seven steps to doubling your writing income. Plus, you'll learn how to do video effectively, create a business plan for success, and so much more. This edition includes the ever-popular pay-rate chart and book publisher subject index! You also gain access to: • Lists of professional writing organizations • Sample query letters

Find the courage to create your best writing life. Whether you're a fledgling writer or a veteran with years of experience, fearlessness--that elusive blend of self-acceptance, confidence, and curiosity--is the defining quality of those who find fulfillment and success. Truly fearless authors banish writer's blocks with ease, receive critiques gracefully, and infuse their passion for the craft into every word they write. Filled with insightful wisdom and practical advice, Fearless Writing teaches you how to thrive as a writer, no matter your genre or career path. You'll learn how to: • Find and enter a Flow state in which writing is a natural, deeply satisfying process. • Quiet both internal and external critics and embrace the inherent value in your work. • Use love, emotional engagement, and curiosity as the guiding principles for what you write and how you share it with others. • Overcome rejection, procrastination, and other obstacles that stifle your creativity.From the blank page to the first draft, and from querying to marketing, the writing life is filled with challenges, roadblocks, and new experiences. With Fearless Writing, you'll find the inner strength to embark on a bold journey--and build a lifelong career in the process.

Write It Short, Sell It Now Short stories and personal essays have never been hotter--or more crucial for a successful writing career. Earning bylines in magazines and literary journals is a terrific way to get noticed and earn future opportunities in both short- and long-form writing.Writing & Selling Short Stories & Personal Essays capitalizes on the popularity of these genres by instructing on the two key steps to publishing short works: crafting excellent pieces and successfully submitting them. You'll learn how to: • Develop different craft elements--including point of view, character, dialogue, scene writing, and more--specifically for short stories and essays. • Recognize the qualities of excellent short works, using examples from recently published stories and essays in major journals. • Understand the business of writing short, from categorizing your work and meeting submission guidelines to networking and submitting to writing contests. • Master the five-step process for submitting and selling like a pro.Featuring advice and examples from a multitude of published authors, Writing & Selling Short Stories & Personal Essays is a must-have for any writer's bookshelf.

Enthrall your readers, love the process, & become the writer you are meant to be! Writers are given a wealthy of opportunities to cultivate a successful writing life, break out, and find an audience for their work. Yet so many writers, from beginners to veterans, find their careers stuck in neutral. The solution is simple: Just write. Write yourself past fears, doubts, and setbacks, and use your desire for writing excellence to deeply immerse yourself in the craft. In Just Write, best-selling author and veteran writing coach James Scott Bell shows you how to develop unforgettable stories while leading a rewarding writing life. You'll learn how to master the nuances of fiction, discover what readers really want, and persevere through the challenges of getting started, conquering writer's block, and dealing with rejection. Look inside to discover how to: • Brainstorm new concepts for your fiction and develop a believable premise. • Create memorable characters that keep your readers coming back for more. • Study classic & contemporary novels to improve your writing. • Effectively market yourself as a writer. • Manage your time to maintain peak efficiency.Fulfilling writing careers are developed through hard work, an investment in practice, and complete dedication to the process. Don't succumb to excuses or procrastination. Dive into your career with gusto and enthusiasm. Fall in love with writing every day.Just write.

Empower Your Writing Through Craft and Community! Writing can be a lonely profession plagued by blind stumbles, writer's block, and despair--but it doesn't have to be. Written by members of the popular Writer Unboxed website, Author in Progress is filled with practical, candid essays to help you reach the next rung on the publishing ladder. By tracking your creative journey from first draft to completion and beyond, you can improve your craft, find your community, and overcome the mental barriers that stand in the way of success.Author in Progress is the perfect no-nonsense guide for excelling at every step of the novel-writing process, from setting goals, researching, and drafting to giving and receiving critiques, polishing prose, and seeking publication.You'll love Author in Progress if... • You're an aspiring novelist working on your first book. • You're an experienced veteran looking for ways to enhance your career and connect with your writing community. • You've finished your first draft and want to know the next steps. • You're seeking clear, effective advice about publication-from professionals who are'down in the trenches'every day.What's InsideAuthor in Progress features: • More than 50 essays from best-selling authors, editors, and industry leaders on a variety of writing and publishing topics. • Advice on writing first drafts, conducting research, building and fostering community, seeking critique, revising, and getting published. • An encouraging approach to the writing and publishing process, from authors who've walked this path.

Produce your best work. Live your best life. Make your greatest impact. You have everything you need--and you are everything you need--to do the writing you are meant to do. And yet the path to success can be difficult to find and follow. Veteran author and writing guide Sage Cohen believes that ferocity is your best compass for finding your true way forward. She shows you how to transform your attitude and practices so you can: • Unleash your creativity • Cultivate your strengths • Overcome resistance, fear, and other obstacles • Define success on your own terms • Move intentionally toward your goals • Become unstoppable in your evolutionIn this collection of contemplative and inspiring essays, you'll unlock the secrets to naming your deepest desires, eliminating the challenges that hold you back, and committing to your practice. Fierce on the Page is your trustworthy companion for crafting your best writing and your best life. Join the conversation about the fierce writing life at fierceonthepage.com.

An analysis of the fundamental narrative structure, why it works, the meanings of stories, and why we tell them in the first place.The idea of Into the Woods is not to supplant works by Aristotle, Lajos Egri, Robert McKee, David Mamet, or any other writers of guides for screenwriters and playwrights, but to pick up on their cues and take the reader on a historical, philosophical, scientific, and psychological journey to the heart of all storytelling. In this exciting and wholly original book, John Yorke not only shows that there is truly a unifying shape to narrative—one that echoes the great fairytale journey into the woods, and one, like any great art, that comes from deep within—he explains why, too. With examples ranging from The Godfather to True Detective, Mad Men to Macbeth, and fairy tales to Forbrydelsen (The Killing), Yorke utilizes Shakespearean five-act structure as a key to analyzing all storytelling in all narrative forms, from film and television to theatre and novel-writing—a big step from the usual three-act approach. Into the Woods: A Five-Act Journey into Story is destined to sit alongside David Mamet's Three Uses of the Knife, Robert McKee's Story, Syd Field's Screenplay, and Lajos Egri's The Art of Dramatic Writing as one of the most original, useful, and inspiring books ever on dramatic writing.Praise for Into the Woods“Love storytelling? You need this inspiring book. John Yorke dissects the structure of stories with a joyous enthusiasm allied to precise, encyclopedic knowledge. Guaranteed to send you back to your writing desk with newfound excitement and drive.” —Chris Chibnall, creator/writer, Broadchurch and Gracepoint“Outrageously good and by far and away the best book of its kind I've ever read. I recognized so much truth in it. But more than that, I learned a great deal. Time and again, Yorke articulates things I've always felt but have never been able to describe.... This is a love story to story—erudite, witty and full of practical magic. I struggle to think of the writer who wouldn't benefit from reading it—even if they don't notice because they're too busy enjoying every page.” —Neil Cross, creator/writer, Luther and Crossbones“Part ‘how-to'manual, part ‘why-to'celebration, Into the Woods is a wide-reaching and infectiously passionate exploration of storytelling in all its guises... exciting and thought-provoking.” —Emma Frost, screenwriter, The White Queen and Shameless

Practice. Polish. Persist.Your writing journey can take you many places: hiking through steep mountains, traversing unknown territory, hurdling both roadblocks and rejections. Even the siren song of fame and fortune can distract you from your true purpose: to express yourself in an authentic and meaningful way, and to share your words with others.A Writer's Guide to Persistence is your road map through the rugged terrain of the writer's path. You'll discover advice and techniques for cultivating a fruitful, deeply meaningful writing life by practicing your craft, polishing your work, and persisting through even the toughest challenges.Inside you'll find: • Practical ways to balance writing with the rest of your life: taming your busy schedule, increasing your productivity, and committing to a writing practice • Advice for developing authentic work: finding your voice, writing bravely, and breaking the blocks to creative flow • Methods for stretching your skills through craft and revision • Thoughts on pushing through rejection and doubt, submitting strong, nourishing yourself to avoid burnout, and keeping your mind and body fit Filled with journaling exercises and much-needed motivation, as well as insights from best-selling writers in a variety of genres, A Writer's Guide to Persistence will help you find the joy and purpose inherent in a writer's life. Your journey to publication and success may take a lifetime, but you can sow the rewards of writing with every step.'A compassionate and intelligent guide for any writer who's just starting out or one who needs the understanding and encouragement of a great writing coach. Rosenfeld offers practical solutions for every concern, from how to find the time to write to getting through writer's block.'--Patricia V. Davis, best-selling author

Prime Your Freelance Writing Career for Success!So you want to be a freelance writer. Great! But now you're faced with a laundry list of questions: Should I freelance full time or part time? Should I write for magazines, newspapers, or online markets? How do I dream up the perfect article idea, and how do I pitch it successfully? How do I negotiate contracts, foster relationships with editors, and start getting steady work while avoiding financial panic attacks and unpleasant ulcers?The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing answers all of these questions--and much more. From breaking in to navigating the basics of the business, this book is your road map to a fruitful and rewarding freelance life. You'll learn how to: • Dig into various markets, including consumer magazines, trade journals, newspapers, and online venues. • Make your digital mark and build your writing platform. • Pitch like a pro and craft solid query letters that get responses. • Conduct professional interviews in person, by phone, or by e-mail. • Write and structure various types of articles, from front-of-the-book pieces to profiles and features. • Quit your lackluster day job, and live the life you've always wanted.Filled with insider secrets, candid advice, and Zachary Petit's trademark humor and blunt honesty, The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing won't just show you how to survive your freelancing writing career--it will teach you how to truly thrive.

Elevate Your Writing From So-So To Spectacular!Great writing requires more than an original idea, compelling characters, or a scintillating plot. An author needs all of these to be successful, but writing--and writing well--also demands an entirely different skill set.Spellbinding Sentences arms you with the tools you need to master the power of the English language. In this book, you'll learn the different qualities of words and the many ways those words can be combined to create sentences that hook readers. You'll emulate sentences from your favorite writers, practice proven techniques, and develop your skills one step at a time. The result? Your ability to craft excellent sentences will become second nature--and those sentences will hold your readers spellbound, page after page.'Barbara Baig's Spellbinding Sentences is a tribute to the pleasure and vitality of the English language. Never prescriptive and always clear, this enlightening book is sure to help all those wishing to add grace and strength to their writing.'--Jane Brox, award-winning author of Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light, one of TIME magazine's top ten nonfiction books of 2010'Spellbinding Sentences is sophisticated and down-to-earth at the same time. Barbara Baig has distilled decades of experience into this wise book.'--Edward Dolnick, New York Times best-selling author of The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece

Transform Your Blog into a Book!The world of blogging changes rapidly, but it remains one of the most efficient ways to share your work with an eager audience. In fact, you can purposefully hone your blog content into a uniquely positioned book--one that agents and publishers will want to acquire or that you can self-publish successfully.How to Blog a Book Revised and Expanded Edition is a completely updated guide to writing and publishing a saleable book based on a blog. Expert author and blogger Nina Amir guides you through the process of developing targeted blog content that increases your chances of attracting a publisher and maximizing your visibility and authority as an author.In this revised edition you'll find: • The latest information on how to set up, maintain, and optimize a blog • Steps for writing a book easily using blog posts • Advice for crafting effective, compelling blog posts • Tips on gaining visibility and promoting your work both online and off • Current tools for driving traffic to your blog • Strategies for monetizing your existing blog content as a book or other products • Profiles of bloggers who received blog-to-book deals and four new'blogged-book'success storiesWhether you're a seasoned blogger or have never blogged before, How to Blog a Book Revised and Expanded Edition offers a fun, effective way to write, publish, and promote your book, one post at a time.

Join the New Adult Fiction revolution!From Sylvia Day's Bared to You to Jamie McGuire's Beautiful Disaster, new adult fiction has arrived--and it's hotter than ever. But there's more to this category than its 18-to-26-year-old characters: The success of your story depends on authentically depicting the transition of your young protagonists from teenhood to adulthood. With Writing New Adult Fiction, you'll learn how to capture the spirit of freedom, self-discovery, and romance that defines the new adult experience. • Create memorable characters that act and sound like new adults. • Sculpt a distinct personality for your fiction with POV, voice, tone, and word choices. • Build a unique, captivating plot that satisfies your audience from beginning to end. • Learn tools for revising effectively and efficiently in a speed-driven market. • Weigh the options for your path to publication: traditional, indie, and hybrid. The new adult category is filled with opportunities to break in with distinct plots and original characters. Make your mark by writing a novel that's fresh, unique--and wholly new adult!

Endless ideas at your fingertips, and at the turn of a page...Need an idea for a short story or novel? Look no further than The Writer's Idea Thesaurus. It's far more than a collection of simple writing prompts. You'll find a vast treasury of story ideas inside, organized by subject, theme, and situation categories, and listed alphabetically for easy reference.Author and award-winning writing instructor Fred White shows you how to build out and customize these ideas to create unique plots that reflect your personal storytelling sensibilities, making The Writer's Idea Thesaurus an invaluable tool for generating creative ideas and vanquishing writer's block--for good.Inside you'll find: • 2,000 unique and dynamic story ideas perfect for novels and short stories of any genre or writing style • Twenty major idea categories, such as The Invasion of X, The Transformation of X into Y, Escape from X, The Curse of X, and more • Multiple situations that further refine the major categories, such as The Creation of Artificial Life, The Descent Into Madness, Love in the Workplace, The Journey to a Forgotten Realm, and more • Invaluable advice on how to customize each idea.The Writer's Idea Thesaurus is an interactive story generator that opens the door to thousands of new story arcs and plotlines.

Learn how to make your story soar!In the physical world, gravity, force, and other elements of physics govern your abilities and can be utilized to enhance your every movement. In the world of writing, story physics can be harnessed in much the same way to make your novel or screenplay the best it can be. In Story Physics, best-selling author Larry Brooks introduces you to six key literary forces that, when leveraged in just the right way, enable you to craft a story that's primed for success--and publication.Inside Story Physics, you'll learn how to: • Understand and harness the six storytelling forces that are constantly at work in your fiction. • Transform your story idea into a dramatically compelling concept. • Optimize the choices you make in terms of character, conflict, subplot, subtext, and more to render the best possible outcome.These literary forces will elevate your story above the competition and help you avoid the rejection pile. With Story Physics, you won't just give your story wings--you'll teach it how to fly.'Larry Brooks speaks my kind of language about story. Any writer, even those trucking in the world of nonfiction, will benefit from going deeper into the physics of storytelling as Brooks explains in these pages.'- James Scott Bell, best-selling author of Plot & Structure'Larry Brooks has done it again! If you liked Story Engineering, I suspect you're going to love Story Physics, which dives even deeper into the essence of story. Story Physics is an essential addition to every novelist's bookshelf.'- Randy Ingermanson, author of Writing Fiction for Dummies

Writing a book is fun and easy--yes, FUN AND EASY--but it may not always feel that way. How do you find the time to write? How do you keep momentum? How do you deal with the horror of showing anyone a single sentence of your work-in-progress? The answers remain fun and easy, and author Elizabeth Sims will take your hand, dispel your worries, and show you how it's done in this stress-free guide to accomplishing your dream of writing your book.In You've Got a Book in You, Elizabeth is that encouraging voice guiding you through the entire process, from finding the right time and place to gathering all of your creative tools to diving right in and getting it done--page by page, step by step. It's easier than you think, and it all starts right here, right now.'This guide is witty, warm, and wise--and wonderfully down-to-earth as well. Elizabeth Sims doesn't just tell you that you've got a book in you, she shows you how to pour it out using your own creative spirit, common sense, and persistence.'~Lori L. Lake, author of The Gun Series and The Public Eye Mystery Series'If you're searching for the spark of inspiration to get started writing a book, and the nourishment to sustain you to THE END, Elizabeth Sims's You've Got a Book in You will show you how to find it in yourself.'~Hallie Ephron, award-winning author of There Was an Old Woman'You won't find an easier-to-follow or more inspirational writing guide.'~L.J. Sellers, author of the bestselling Jackson mysteries'By focusing the high beams of her intelligence (and humor!) on the twisty trail of book-writing, in You've Got a Book in You, Elizabeth Sims proves herself a true writer's friend. As she guides you from the creation of a'working title'through her (brilliant!)'Making-It-Better Process,'this well-established pro plays her most impressive cards--stacking the deck in favor of YOU!'~Jamie Morris, Director, Woodstream Writers'Elizabeth Sims packs a twelve-week writing course into 280 pages. Inspirational and yet extremely hands-on, You've Got a Book In You will give newbies confidence to forge ahead and will remind veteran writers why they began writing in the first place--for the joy of it. I won't be surprised when the brilliant terms'stormwriting'and'heartbrain'become part of every writer's lexicon.'~Julie Compton, author of Tell No Lies and Keep No Secrets'The book is encouraging and inspiring, practical and witty. As a seasoned writer, I appreciate the reminders about the importance of putting yourself on a writing schedule. No more excuses. The many'writing blasts'are very helpful and will get any writer out of the starting blocks. I especially enjoyed the section,'Writing with the Masters.'What better way to get inspired, get a feel for different styles, and get jump-started on your writing? Excellent advice that I plan to incorporate in my future classes.I concur with Sims that'writer's block'is greatly exaggerated. Is there any other profession that claims such a phenomenon?'Excuse, me, but I have'book-keeping block,''playing music block,'or'painting block'today? I don't think so. Get yourself on a schedule, read some Sims, write with the masters, and you'll be on your way. You'll be glad you met this friend on your journey to becoming a successful writer.'~Gesa Kirsch, Ph.D., Professor of English, Director of Valente Center for the Arts and Sciences, Bentley University

Craft an Emotionally Charged Story That Will Resonate with ReadersEmotional impact shouldn't be dropped into your novel as an afterthought or forced upon your story with a pair of pliers and an iron grip. It should be carefully sewn into the fabric of the story to create tension-filled moments that will keep readers turning pages. In Writing with Emotion, Tension, & Conflict, you'll learn how to layer emotional moments and deep connections to create a tapestry filled with conflict, pathos, and genuine feeling. • Create emotional depth, conflict, and tension in your novel by carefully crafting your plot, characters, setting, word choice, and more. • Learn what makes readers'tick'--and what will elicit the strongest emotional responses. • Write believable, emotional scenes and dialogue--and trim away the sappiness.When writing a novel, your ultimate goal is to make readers smile, weep, rage, and laugh right along with your characters. Writing with Emotion, Tension, & Conflict will show you how to evoke a multitude of feelings in your readers--and keep them coming back for more.

The journey to become a successful writer is long, fraught with peril, and filled with difficult questions: How do I write dialogue? How do I build suspense? What should I know about query letters? How do I start?The best way to answer these questions is to ditch your uncertainty and transform yourself into a KICK-ASS writer. This new book from award-winning author Chuck Wendig combines the best of his eye-opening writing instruction--previously available in e-book form only--with all-new insights into writing and publishing. It's an explosive broadside of gritty advice that will destroy your fears, clear the path, and help you find your voice, your story, and your audience.You'll explore the fundamentals of writing, learn how to obtain publication, and master the skills you need to build an army of dedicated fans. No task is too large or small for the kick-ass writer. With his trademark acerbic wit and gut-punch humor, Wendig will explain: • How to build suspense, craft characters, and defeat writer's block. • How to write a scene, an ending--even a sentence. • Blogging techniques, social media skills, and crowdfunding. • How to write a query letter, talk to agents, and deal with failure--and success! Whether you're just starting out or you need one more push to get you over the top, two things are for certain--a kick-ass writer never quits, and chuck Wendig won't let you down in this high-octane guide to becoming the writer you were born to be.

Capture the minds, hearts, and imaginations of 21st century readers!Whether you're a commercial storyteller or a literary novelist, whether your goal is to write a best-selling novel or captivate readers with a satisfying, beautifully written story, the key to success is the same: high-impact fiction. Writing 21st Century Fiction will help you write a novel for today's readers and market, filled with rich characters, compelling plots, and resonant themes. Author and literary agent Donald Maass shows you how to: • Create fiction that transcends genre, conjures characters who look and feel more'real'than real people, and shows readers the work around them in new ways. • Infuse every page with an electric current of emotional appeal and micro-tension. • Harness the power of parallels, symbols, metaphors, and more to illuminate your novel in a lasting way. • Develop a personalized method of writing that works for you.With an arsenal of thought-provoking prompts and questions, plus plenty of examples from best-selling titles, Writing 21st Century Fiction will strip away your preconceived notions about writing in today's world and give you the essential tools you need to create fiction that will leave both readers and critics in awe.

Map out your idea and finish your story in 7 stages!This book will show writers how to develop their ideas into a finished novel by working through it in 7 stages, while learning how to mapping out their story's progress and structure so they can evaluate and improve their work. It teaches writers to visualize their story's progress with a story map that helps them see all the different components of their story, where these components are going, and, perhaps most importantly, what's missing.The book simplifies Aristotle's elements of good writing (a.k.a. that each story should have a beginning, a middle and an end) into easily applicable concepts that will help writers improve their craft. The author helps readers strengthen their work by teaching them how to focus on one aspect of their story at a time, including forming stories and developing ideas, building strong structures, creating vibrant characters, and structuring scenes and transitions. Thought-provoking questions help writers more objectively assess their story's strengths and weaknesses so they may write the story they want to tell.

Where do you get your ideas?It’s a question that plagues every writer. And once you’ve got an idea, what then? Ideas without a plan, without a purpose, are no more than pleasant thoughts. So how do you come up with those ideas, and how do you turn them into writing that will engage your reader?The Writer’s Idea Book is here to help you find the answers. Utilizing more than 400 prompts and exercises, you’ll generate intriguing ideas and plumb their possibilities to turn them into something amazing.This indispensable guide will help you: • Develop good writing habits that foster creativity • Explore your own life for writing material • Draw inspiration from the world around you • Find form for your ideas, develop them into a piece of writing, and make them betterLet The Writer’s Idea Book give you the insight and self-awareness to create and refine ideas that demand to be transformed into greater works, the kind of compelling, absorbing writing that will have other writers asking'where do you get your ideas?'

Set your creativity free with a writing guide that “wakes you up like a cross between morning coffee and a friendly Zen master” (Jack Kornfield). Natalie Goldberg, author of the bestselling Writing Down the Bones, shares her invaluable insight into writing as a source of creative power, and the daily ins and outs of the writer's task. Topics include balancing mundane responsibilities with a commitment to writing; knowing when to take risks as a writer and a human being; coming to terms with success, failure, and loss; and learning self-acceptance—both in life and art. Thought-provoking and practical, Wild Mind provides an abundance of suggestions for keeping the writing life vital and active, and includes more than thirty provocative “try this” exercises as jump-starters to get your pen moving. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Natalie Goldberg, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection.

Find the focus, energy, and drive you need to start—and finish—your bookEveryone has dreamed of writing a book, but so many start writing only to stall out due to writer’s block, mental fatigue, and other challenges. Write-A-Thon helps you overcome those stumbling blocks and complete your book once and for all. And you don’t have to type away for years on end. Here’s a plan that’ll help you write your book—in twenty-six days!Write-A-Thon gives you the tools, advice, and inspiration you need to succeed before, during, and after your writing race. Solid instruction, positive psychology, and inspiration from marathon runners will give you the momentum to take each step from here to the finish line. • Start out well prepared: Learn how to train your attitude, your writing, and your life—and plan your novel or nonfiction book. • Maintain your pace: Get advice and inspiration to stay motivated and keep writing. • Bask in your accomplishment: Find the best ways to recover and move forward once the marathon is over and you have a completed manuscript in hand.Writing a book in twenty-six days may seem impossible—especially if you don’t write full time—but in Write-A-Thon, Rochelle Melander will teach you the life skills, performance techniques, and writing tools you need to finish your manuscript in less than a month—guaranteed!

Make Writing a Part of Your Daily RoutineIt isn't always easy to carve out time to devote meaningful thought and energy to your writing. Hectic schedules, distractions, and creative blocks all too often interrupt the dream - postpone it for another day.But with 366 provocative entries - each addressing a specific facet of the writing craft, and accompanied by an in-depth reflection and a stimulating exercise - The Daily Writer provides you with easy entry points into that elusive space where words matter most and helps you to embrace writing as a way of seeing the world.Whether you're looking for a way to better integrate writing into your life, get warmed up before you dive into a bigger work in progress, or overcome an old case of writer's block, The Daily Writer can help you establish and maintain an inspired devotion to the craft.

A special 10th anniversary edition of Roy Peter Clark's bestselling guide to writing, featuring five bonus tools. Ten years ago, Roy Peter Clark, America's most influential writing teacher, whittled down almost thirty years of experience in journalism, writing, and teaching into a series of fifty short essays on different aspects of writing. In the past decade, Writing Tools has become a classic guidebook for novices and experts alike and remains one of the best loved books on writing available. Organized into four sections,'Nuts and Bolts,''Special Effects,''Blueprints for Stories,'and'Useful Habits,'Writing Tools is infused with more than 200 examples from journalism and literature. This new edition includes five brand new, never-before-shared tools. Accessible, entertaining, inspiring, and above all, useful for every type of writer, from high school student to novelist, Writing Tools is essential reading.

The 101 Rules You Need to Know•but no one has ever told youYou already have a million writing books. You know the principles, the lectures, the'expert'techniques. And you've discovered that sometimes tried-and-true just equals tired.In Robert's Rules of Writing, successful author Robert Masello stomps out status quo writing advice and delivers 101 uninhibited techniques to improve your writing that include: • Burn your journal (See rule 1) • Strip down to your briefs (See rule 38) • Spend time gossiping (See rule 61) • Buy the smoking jacket (See rule 56) • Skip the Starbucks (See rule 7) • De-claim! De-claim! (See rule 63)Whether you're a fiction writer, freelancer, memoirist, or screenwriter, Robert's Rules of Writing gives you the unorthodox advice to transform your writing life and get published!

Guidance on how to turn those flashes of inspiration into finished pieces, from the author of Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind. Any writer may find himself or herself with an abundance of raw material, but it takes patience and care to turn this material into finished stories, essays, poems, novels, and memoirs. Referencing her own experiences both as a writer and as a student of Zen, Natalie provides insight into the struggles and demands of turning ideas into concrete form. Her guidance addresses ways to overcome writer's block, deal with the fear of criticism and rejection, get the most from working with an editor, and improve one's writing by reading accomplished authors. She communicates this with her characteristic humor and compassion, and a deep respect for writing as an act of celebration. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Natalie Goldberg, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection.