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Unlock your creative potential and write something special Ever dream of writing a book, article, poem, or play that means something to you—and maybe to someone else as well? Do you have an idea you're ready to get down on paper? In Creative Writing For Dummies, you'll learn how to unleash your creative side and become a confident and productive writer. Discover the essential elements of storytelling, including structure, characterization, setting, dialogue, and plot, as you navigate the countless ways you can express yourself with the written word. Explore the media and methods you can use to help find an audience—from traditional to self-publishing, social media, blogging, and more! Creative Writing For Dummies also shows you how to: Write in all sorts of different formats, including screenplays, scripts, creative nonfiction, poetry, short stories, novels, and beyond Navigate the world of social media and learn how it can contribute to getting your work read by more people in more places Understand the new, online nature of contemporary journalism and the proliferation of news and blogging sites A can't-miss roadmap to getting your first—or hundred-and-first—story, poem, or script committed to paper, Creative Writing For Dummies is an essential read for aspiring, amateur, and professional writers everywhere.

This may come as a shock, but brilliant writing and clever wordplay do not a published author make. True, you'll actually have to write if you want to be a writer, but ultimately literary success is about much more than putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys). Before you snap your pencil in half with frustration, please consider the advice writer, teacher, and self-made lit star Ariel Gore offers in this useful guide to realizing your literary dreams. If you find yourself writing when you should be sleeping and scribbling notes on odd pieces of paper at every stoplight, you might as well enjoy the fruits of your labor. How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead is an irreverent yet practical guide that combines solid writing advice with guerrilla marketing and promotion techniques guaranteed to launch you into print—and into the limelight. You'll learn how to: • Reimagine yourself as a buzz-worthy artist and entrepreneur• Get your work and your name out in the world where other people can read it• Be an anthology slut and a brazen self-promoter• Apply real-world advice and experience from lit stars like Dave Barry, Susie Bright, and Dave Eggers to your own careerCheaper than an M.F.A. but just as informative, How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead is your catapult to lit stardom. Just don't forget to thank Ariel Gore for her inspiring, hands-on plan in the acknowledgments page of your first novel!

Do you have what it takes to write a book that meets your goals? Writing a good book is more than coming up with a great idea and putting pen to paper. In Write the Book You're Meant to Write you'll learn how to: - align your writing with your own life goals, - evaluate your book's commercial potential, - make sure your book meets evolving industry and reader standards,undertake effective marketing, and - navigate today's complex publishing world. Whether you're writing fiction, nonfiction or memoir, Write the Book You're Meant to Write: A Guide for First-time Authors provides the critical advice you need for a successful transition from aspiring writer to respected author. Step by step, Gail Woodard helps you explore the different avenues for your book, understand what's possible and make conscious choices right from the beginning.

A prolific and award-winning writer, Lee Martin has put pen to paper to offer his wisdom, honed during thirty years of teaching the oh-so-elusive art of writing. Telling Stories is intended for anyone interested in thinking more about the elements of storytelling in short stories, novels, and memoirs. Martin clearly delineates helpful and practical techniques for demystifying the writing process and provides tools for perfecting the art of the scene, characterization, detail, point of view, language, and revision—in short, the art of writing. His discussion of the craft in his own life draws from experiences, memories, and stories to provide a more personal perspective on the elements of writing. Martin provides encouragement by sharing what he's learned from his journey through frustrations, challenges, and successes. Most important, Telling Stories emphasizes that you are not alone on this journey and that writers must remain focused on what they love: the process of moving words on the page. By focusing on that purpose, Martin contends, the journey will always take you where you're meant to go.

Sometimes setting pen to paper requires bravery, and writing well means breaking free of the rules learned in school. Liberating and emboldening the beginning writer are the goals of Ted Kooser and Steve Cox in this spirited book of practical wisdom that brings to bear decades of invaluable experience in writing, teaching, editing, and publishing. Unlike “how to write” books that dwell on the angst and the agony of the trade, Writing Brave and Free is upbeat and accessible. The focus here is the work itself: how to get started and how to keep going, and never is heard a discouraging word such as “no,” “not,” or “never.” Because of the wealth of their experience, the authors can offer the sort of practical publishing advice that novices need and yet rarely find. Organized in brief, user-friendly chapters—on everything from sensory details to a work environment, from creating suspense to revising and taking criticism—the book allows aspiring (and practicing) writers to dip in anywhere and find something of value.

This book describes and examines the fear of exposure one faces when creating for cultural consumption. Examining the work of Cixous, Foucault, Irigaray, Spinoza, Hegel, Hakim Bey, Heidegger, Kathy Acker, Derrida, and Kierkegaard, the author finds spaces where fear and anxiety give way to connection and community.Alison Leigh Brown is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Northern Arizona State University. She is currently at work on a book about deception.

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

A finalist for the National Book Critics Circle AwardIn February 2016, Ahmed Naji was sentenced to two years in prison for “violating public modesty,” after an excerpt of his novel Using Life reportedly caused a reader to experience heart palpitations. Naji ultimately served ten months of that sentence, in a group cell block in Cairo's Tora Prison. Rotten Evidence is a chronicle of those months. Through Naji's writing, the world of Egyptian prison comes into vivid focus, with its cigarette-based economy, home-made chess sets, and well-groomed fixers. Naji's storytelling is lively and uncompromising, filled with rare insights into both the mundane and grand questions he confronts. How does one secure a steady supply of fresh vegetables without refrigeration? How does one write and revise a novel in a single notebook? Fight boredom? Build a clothes hanger? Negotiate with the chief of intelligence? And, most crucially, how does one make sense of a senseless oppression: finding oneself in prison for the act of writing fiction. Genuine and defiant, this book stands as a testament to the power of the creative mind, in the face of authoritarian censorship.

'WAYB remains an indispensable companion for anyone seriously committed to the profession of author, whether full-time or part-time; and as always it is particularly valued by those who are setting out hopefully on that vocational path.'- David LodgeRevised and updated annually, this bestselling guide includes over 3,500 industry contacts across 12 sections and 80 plus articles from writers across all forms and genres, including award-winning novelists, poets, screenwriters and bloggers. The Yearbook provides up-to-date advice, practical information and inspiration for writers at every stage of their writing and publishing journey.If you want to find a literary or illustration agent or publisher, would like to self-publish or crowdfund your creative idea then this Yearbook will help you. As well as sections on publishers and agents, newspapers and magazines, illustration and photography, theatre and screen, there is a wealth of detail on the legal and financial aspects of being a writer or illustrator.Additional articles, free advice, events information and editorial services at www.writersandartists.co.uk

Writing is, and always will be, an act defined by failure. The best plan is to just get used to it. Failure is a topic discussed in every creative writing department in the world, but this is the book every beginning writer should have on their shelf to prepare them. Less a guide to writing and more a guide to what you need to continue existing as a writer, On Writing and Failure: Or, On the Peculiar Perseverance Required to Endure the Life of a Writer describes the defining role played by rejection in literary endeavors and contemplates failure as the essence of the writer's life. Along with his own history of rejection, Marche offers stories from the history of writerly failure, from Ovid's exile and Dostoevsky's mock execution to James Baldwin's advice just to endure, where living with the struggle and the pointlessness of writing is the point.

From veteran teacher and acclaimed author Joni B. Cole comes the revised and expanded edition of her popular writing guide Good Naked. Once again, Cole's humor and wisdom shine through as she debunks long-held misconceptions of how we're supposed to write, replacing them with advice that works. Feeling overwhelmed? Having trouble getting started or staying motivated? In this edition, Cole offers more stories, strategies, tips on craft, and exercises to serve new and seasoned writers from the first draft to the final edit. Writers will even find help making peace with rejection.Admirers as well as newcomers to Cole's work appreciate her uniquely cheerful approach, time tested to foster creativity and productivity. Keeping this generous and essential guide close by will provide a jump start to inspiration and a daily reminder of the meaning, humor, and happiness that can be discovered in your own writing life.

In this combination memoir and craft book, award-winning author Jerry Apps shares the next phase in his life story begun in Limping through Life and Once a Professor. Beginning with a boyhood surrounded by storytellers, Jerry takes readers along on his path to becoming one of the Midwest's best-known and most revered writers. In characteristic no-nonsense style, he shares the joys, disappointments, and frustrations of the writing life and describes the genesis and creation of many of his best-known books. In recounting his nearly six-decade writing career, Jerry provides an insider's view into the creative process, delving into sources for ideas, research strategies, and guidelines and essential tools for writing. Along the way he recalls his relationships with publishers, editors, TV producers, librarians, booksellers, and others and shares a scrapbook's worth of stories—some funny, some heartwarming, a few of them harrowing—from the road. A book for book lovers!

A memoir by the New York Times–bestselling author and longtime chronicler of America's wealthy elite. Born in Connecticut in 1929 and educated at Williams College, Stephen Birmingham went on to create a literary niche with his numerous nonfiction works about New York's—and the nation's—upper class, particularly focusing on Jewish, African American, and Irish communities, as well as old-money WASPs. He also drew on his “intimate knowledge of the private lives of the rich and famous” to write bestselling works of fiction such as The Auerbach Will (The New York Times Book Review). In this book, Birmingham's attention is turned to his own life, both personal and professional, allowing us to learn about the man who created such compelling portraits of glittering parties, exclusive addresses, and, in some cases, rags-to-riches sagas that epitomize the American dream—and the American struggle. In the end, his story is as fascinating as those of the aristocrats he documented. “When it comes to the folkways of the rich, the powerful, and the privileged, Stephen Birmingham knows what he's talking about.” —Los Angeles Times

Bestselling author Robert Masello guides working and aspiring writers alike with the hard-won advice, tricks of the trade, and indispensable encouragement that only a seasoned professional can provide.Although there's no shortage of books on writing and publishing, there's none quite like Robert's Rules of Writing: 111 Unconventional Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know. Drawing on his many years of experience as an award-winning journalist, TV writer, and the author of over twenty books published by mainstream houses and translated, to date, into nineteen languages, Robert Masello addresses all the issues that confront, and all the problems that beset, writers of all stripes.Whether you're working on a novel or a script, a memoir or a blog, an epic poem or a newspaper piece, you're going to have to find the best way to express yourself clearly, persuasively, and entertainingly. You'll have to find your own personal voice (much harder than it sounds) and use that unique voice to convey your story, your thoughts, and your opinions, to the many readers out there that you're eager to reach; with complete candor and welcome irreverence, Robert's Rules of Writing offers the inside knowledge that will help you do just that. As provocative as they are amusing, these rules are purposely designed to challenge the old axioms and get you thinking afresh about your work.In well over a hundred short but pithy takes, Masello guides you over hurdles, around obstacles, and through the seemingly insurmountable barriers to completion and ultimately publication—hooray!—of your writing. It's a lively, thought-provoking, and often downright funny addition to any veteran, or fledgling, writer's shelf.

Pro rozpoznávání autorství básnických textů nabízí současná stylometrie řadu metod založených na analýze pestré škály textových rysů (např. frekvence slov, frekvence znakových n-gramů). Jeden podstatný aspekt těchto textů ovšem zůstává stranou, a to jejich stránka versologická. Tato kniha proto na třech korpusech básnických textů (českých, německých a španělských) analyzuje, do jaké míry lze versologické charakteristiky využít jako indikátor autorství. Versologické charakteristiky jsou dále využity při řešení dvou případů sporného autorství (veršované drama The Two Noble Kinsmen a básně připisované Gavriilu Batěnkovovi).

How to Build, Grow and Maintain a Successful Writing Career That You Love

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.

Today's professionals recognize the need to elevate written communication beyond argument-driven pedantry, political polemic, and obtuse pontification. Whether the goal is to write the next serious work of best-selling nonfiction, to develop a platform as a public scholar, or simply to craft clear and concise workplace communication, The Art of Public Writing demystifies the process, showing why it's not just nice, but necessary, to connect with those inside and outside one's area of expertise. Drawing on a diverse set of examples ranging from Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species to Steven Levitt's Freakonomics, Zachary Michael Jack offers invaluable advice for researchers, scholars, and working professionals determined to help interpret field-specific debates for wider audiences, address complex issues in the public sphere, and successfully engage audiences beyond the Corner Office and the Ivory Tower.

Everything a writer needs to know about the law. This accessible, reader-friendly handbook will be an invaluable resource for authors, agents, and editors in navigating the legal landscape of the contemporary publishing industry. Drawing on a wealth of experience in legal scholarship and publishing, Jacqueline D. Lipton provides a useful legal guide for writers whatever their levels of expertise or categories of work (fiction, nonfiction, or academic). Through case studies and hypothetical examples, Law and Authors addresses issues of copyright law, including explanations of fair use and the public domain; trademark and branding concerns for those embarking on a publishing career; laws that impact the ways that authors might use social media and marketing promotions; and privacy and defamation questions that writers may face. Although the book focuses on American law, it highlights key areas where laws in other countries differ from those in the United States. Law and Authors will prepare every writer for the inevitable and the unexpected.

Obwohl Praktiken des Lektorats und des Mentorats zum alltäglichen Bestandteil schriftstellerischer Tätigkeiten gehören, wurden sie von den Literaturwissenschaften bislang kaum untersucht. Der bilinguale Band versammelt Akteure aus dem literarischen Feld sowie der Autorschafts- und Schreibprozesstheorie, welche die Öffnung des Schreibprozesses grundlegend reflektieren. Ihre Beiträge umfassen nicht nur Erfahrungsberichte von Autor_innen, Lektor_innen und Mentor_innen sowie Einblicke in Lehrmethoden des literarischen Schreibens an Hochschulen in verschiedenen Ländern Europas, sondern auch theoretische Ansätze zu einer intersubjektiven literarischen Praxis sowie Entwürfe für dialogische Literaturbegriffe im Zeitalter des Publizierens im Internet. Although practices of editing and mentoring are part of an author's daily activities, they have previously been largely neglected by the literary studies. The bilingual volume therefore assembles players from the fields of literary production and theories of authorship and the writing process, who discuss the development towards an opening up of the creative writing process. Their contributions encompass not only reports of experiences made by authors, editors, and mentors and insights into teaching methods applied in creative writing classes at higher education institutions in different European countries. They also explore theoretical approaches to an intersubjective literary practice as well as suggestions for the definition of a dialogic notion of literature in the age of online publishing.

Named a Best Book of 2018 by New York Magazine, the Washington Post, Publisher's Weekly, NPR, and Time, among many others, this essay collection from the author of The Queen of the Night explores how we form identities in life and in art. As a novelist, Alexander Chee has been described as “masterful” by Roxane Gay, “incendiary” by the New York Times, and'brilliant'by the Washington Post. With his first collection of nonfiction, he's sure to secure his place as one of the finest essayists of his generation as well.How to Write an Autobiographical Novel is the author's manifesto on the entangling of life, literature, and politics, and how the lessons learned from a life spent reading and writing fiction have changed him. In these essays, he grows from student to teacher, reader to writer, and reckons with his identities as a son, a gay man, a Korean American, an artist, an activist, a lover, and a friend. He examines some of the most formative experiences of his life and the nation's history, including his father's death, the AIDS crisis, 9/11, the jobs that supported his writing ​— ​Tarot-reading, bookselling, cater-waiting for William F. Buckley ​— ​the writing of his first novel, Edinburgh, and the election of Donald Trump. By turns commanding, heartbreaking, and wry, How to Write an Autobiographical Novel asks questions about how we create ourselves in life and in art, and how to fight when our dearest truths are under attack. Named a Best Book by: Time, Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Wired, Esquire, Buzzfeed, New York Public Library, Boston Globe, Paris Review, Mother Jones,The A.V. Club, Out Magazine, Book Riot, Electric Literature, PopSugar, The Rumpus, My Republica, Paste, Bitch, Library Journal, Flavorwire, Bustle, Christian Science Monitor, Shelf Awareness, Tor.com, Entertainment Cheat Sheet, Roads and Kingdoms, Chicago Public Library, Hyphen Magazine, Entropy Magazine, Chicago Review of Books, The Coil, iBooks, and Washington Independent Review of Books Winner of the Publishing Triangle's Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction • Recipient of the Lambda Literary Trustees'Award • Finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay • Finalist for a Lambda Literary Award for Gay Memoir/Biography

“Powerful” essays exploring the experience of the writer—and the nature of experience itself (Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Shortlisted for the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Award in Nonfiction Jenny Boully's essays are ripe with romance and sensual pleasures, drawing connections between the digression, reflection, imagination, and experience that characterize falling in love as well as the life of a writer. Literary theory, philosophy, and linguistics rub up against memory, dreamscapes, and fancy—making the practice of writing a metaphor for the illusory nature of experience. Betwixt-and-Between is, in many ways, simply a book about how to live. “[Boully's] prose is reminiscent of Lydia Davis'—spare, elliptical, unexpected—and sometimes, in her rhythmic cadences, of Gertrude Stein's... Graceful meditations on love, loneliness, and the magic of words.” —Kirkus Reviews “Jenny Boully is a deeply weird writer—in the best way.” —Ander Monson

This book demystifies the writing process, empowering you to write your own novel or short story. The author explains expert technique in a clear and jargon-free way, with examples from twenty-five masters of prose. For aspiring writers of all ages and abilities, Read This If You Want to Be a Great Writer will motivate and strengthen your writing talent.

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.

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.

All writers conduct research. For some this means poring over records and combing, archives but for many creative writers research happens in the everyday world—when they scribble an observation on the subway, when they travel to get the feel for a city, or when they strike up a conversation with an interesting stranger. The Art of Creative Research helps writers take this natural inclination to explore and observe and turn it into a workable—and enjoyable—research plan. It shows that research shouldn't be seen as a dry, plodding aspect of writing. Instead, it's an art that all writers can master, one that unearths surprises and fuels imagination. This lends authenticity to fiction and poetry as well as nonfiction. Philip Gerard distills the process into fundamental questions: How do you conduct research? And what can you do with the information you gather? He covers both in-person research and work in archives and illustrates how the different types of research can be incorporated into stories, poems, and essays using examples from a wide range of writers in addition to those from his own projects. Throughout, Gerard brings knowledge from his seasoned background into play, drawing on his experiences as a reporter and a writer of both fiction and nonfiction. His enthusiasm for adventure is infectious and will inspire writers to step away from the keyboard and into the world. “Research can take you to that golden intersection where the personal meets the public, the private crosses the universal, where the best literature lives,” Gerard writes. With his masterly guidance, anyone can become an expert in artful investigation.

No matter who you are, your story is a part of something big—the fabric of history and the human experience. Once written and shared, your story will change someone. And that someone is most likely you. A Story that Matters offers an accessible and simplified way to get your stories written. Each chapter is divided into three sections: the first discusses memoir writing in the context of themes—motherhood, childhood, relationships, professional life, and spiritual journey; the second provides basic writing and editing prescription, with a focus on common beginner mistakes and roadblocks; and the third provides a sample story related to the life theme discussed in the first section of the chapter. Chock full of writing and editing lessons that focus on how to get a first draft written and how to craft the draft into a compelling story, A Story That Matters explores our ability to help, heal, and connect to others through story, reminding us of the greater need for a broader array of authentic voices in the story-sharing universe.

It's easy for people to write about their feelings in a journal. It's more difficult, however, to convert personal experiences into stories worthy of publication—fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. Filled with engaging exercises, Write from Life guides writers in identifying story-worthy material and transforming their raw material into finished pieces, through conquering fears associated with personal exposure, determining a story's focus, shaping the material into a cohesive whole, and editing and revising as needed. Writers working in any form will find this book invaluable for supplying them with the inspiration and practical instruction they need to get their experiences and emotions into print. In addition, they will learn to:Tap into difficult, guarded parts of their lives to tell the stories they desireWrite emotionally intense materialDecide which literary form is right for their storiesCreate the illusion of real speech with effective dialogueTell their stories with authorityDevelop effective beginnings, middles, and endsShare their work with others and deal with reactions courageouslyFiles'friendly, encouraging advice makes it a pleasure for writers to write the stories they are most passionate about. In an age when publishing can mean pushing a button on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog, there is an enduring urge to send stories out into the world. In an atmosphere of misinformation and lies that social media and the ease of publishing may encourage, we especially crave truth. The time to start telling it is now—so many aspiring writers have truths worth sharing and stories begging to be told!Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

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.

Veteran author Cecil (Cec) Murphey made a double commitment when he started writing professionally: (1) He would never stop learning and improving, and (2) He would do whatever he could to help other writers. This book is part of that commitment.In Writer to Writer, Cec shares valuable, bite-sized lessons he's learned on his journey, such as:• How to get beyond the amateur look;• Why writing articles is a good place to start;• The importance of showing and telling;• Choosing the best words and tenses;• Using dialog to move your story along;• Writing from the right perspective;• Keeping your reader happy;• Working with publishers, editors, and agents;• Making a living as a writer.It's possible to become an excellent writer, and the tips and advice provided in Writer to Writer from a master at his craft promise to guide you on the right path.Note: WRITER TO WRITER is a previously published work, and is not substantially different from the original edition.

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

Beloved author Cecil (Cec) Murphey says, “The best kind of writing occurs when it comes from the heart. It's called being authentic or transparent. Too many writers have an insatiable need to be accepted, liked, or admired, and those needs become more important than being true to their convictions. Be you when you write.”But having the courage to tap into your innermost self and write purely from your spirit doesn't always come naturally, which is why he wrote Unleash the Writer Within to guide you along the way. In this book, Cec helps you:• Answer why you write;• Find the real you;• Understand your inner critic;• Determine your strengths and weaknesses;• Honor, embrace, and grow your voice;• Discover your rhythm;• Overcome your barriers to honest writing.Unleash the Writer Within is sure to become your most-used and marked-up writing companion. It also serves as an excellent resource for writers'events, group discussions, and conferences.Note: UNLEASH THE WRITER WITHIN is a previously published work, and is not substantially different from the original edition.

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.

All writers yearn for success and recognition. And now we are entering a golden era in which self-publishers are in the driver's seat. In The Author's Toolkit, aspiring authors, students, and even established writers will find the resources they need to achieve their goals and avoid common writer pitfalls. Updated and expanded to cover the changes in copyright fees and registration, the newest developments in electronic publishing, the growth of ebooks and print on demand, and tips for using social media for promotion and community, this detailed guide offers advice on every step of the writing and publishing process. Readers will learn how to:•Develop and research fiction and nonfiction ideas•Find a “hook” to attract reader interest•Organize a plot and delineate characters•Format for print and ebook readers•Find an agent•Understand literary contracts•Market and promote a finished book•Obtain backing such as crowdfundingWritten in an informative and easy-to-understand style, this guide is a treasure chest of resources and tools for writers seeking professional advice.Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

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.

Pulitzer Prize–winning author James A. Michener has written about everything from the pristine islands of the South Pacific and the endless wilds of Africa to Spanish bullfighters, American revolutionaries, and pirates of the Caribbean. Now Michener turns to his favorite and most personal subject: the written word. Reproducing pages from his own handwritten rough drafts and working manuscripts, Michener walks the reader through a step-by-step guide to the entire process of writing, editing, revising, and publishing. Addressing challenges specific to both fiction and nonfiction, all the while providing thoughtful and useful solutions, James A. Michener's Writer's Handbook is an invaluable resource for book lovers, editors, and, of course, writers—aspiring and accomplished alike. Praise for James A. Michener “A master storyteller... Michener, by any standards, is a phenomenon.”—The Wall Street Journal “Sentence for sentence, writing's fastest attention grabber.”—The New York Times “Michener has become an institution in America, ranking somewhere between Disneyland and the Library of Congress. You learn a lot from him.”—Chicago Tribune “While he fascinates and engrosses, Michener also educates.”—Los Angeles Times

The sensory details that infuse our everyday experience—the smell of a favorite dish cooking, the texture of a well-worn coat, hearing a song that reminds you of a person or a time in your life—can be used to add richness and spark to what we write. Whether you are a professional writer (or want to be one) or someone who just enjoys writing for the joy of self-expression, Writing from the Senses will show you how to tap into an endless source of engaging material, using your senses as prompts. Laura Deutsch explores all kinds of writing—from memoir and journaling to fiction, journalism, poetry, travel, food writing, and more.

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.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KIRKUS REVIEWSGood Prose is an inspiring book about writing—about the creation of good prose—and the record of a warm and productive literary friendship. 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.Praise for Good Prose “Smart, lucid, and entertaining.”—The Boston Globe “You are in such good company—congenial, ironic, a bit old-school—that you're happy to follow [Kidder and Todd] where they lead you.”—The Wall Street Journal “[A] well-structured, to-the-point, genuinely useful, and fun-to-read guide to writing narrative nonfiction, essays, and memoir... Crisp, informative, and mind-expanding.”—Booklist “A gem... The finer points of creative nonfiction are molded into an inspiring read that will affect the would-be writer as much as Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird or Stephen King's On Writing.... This is a must read for nonfiction writers.”—Library Journal “As approachable and applicable as any writing manual available.”—Associated Press

Brenda Ueland was a journalist, editor, freelance writer, and teacher of writing. In If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit she shares her philosophies on writing and life in general. Ueland firmly believed that anyone can write, that everyone is talented, original, and has something important to say. In this book she explains how find that spark that will make you a great writer. Carl Sandburg called this book the best book ever written about how to write. Join the millions of others who've found inspiration and unlocked their own talent.

Producing Canadian Literature: Authors Speak on the Literary Marketplace brings to light the relationship between writers in Canada and the marketplace within which their work circulates. Through a series of conversations with both established and younger writers from across the country, Kit Dobson and Smaro Kamboureli investigate how writers perceive their relationship to the cultural economy—and what that economy means for their creative processes. The interviews in Producing Canadian Literature focus, in particular, on how writers interact with the cultural institutions and bodies that surround them. Conversations pursue the impacts of arts funding on writers; show how agents, editors, and publishers affect writers'works; examine the process of actually selling a book, both in Canada and abroad; and contemplate what literary awards mean to writers. Dialogues with Christian Bök, George Elliott Clarke, Daniel Heath Justice, Larissa Lai, Stephen Henighan, Roy Miki, Erín Moure, Ashok Mathur, Lee Maracle, Jane Urquhart, and Aritha van Herk testify to the broad range of experience that writers in Canada have when it comes to the conditions in which their work is produced. Original in its desire to directly explore the specific circumstances in which writers work—and how those conditions affect their writing itself—Producing Canadian Literature will be of interest to scholars, students, aspiring writers, and readers who have followed these authors and want to know more about how their books come into being.

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

As Carolyn See says, writing guides are like preachers on Sunday—there may be a lot of them, but you can't have too many, and there's always an audience of the faithful. And while Making a Literary Life is ostensibly a book that teaches you how to write, it really teaches you how to make your interior life into your exterior life, how to find and join that community of like-minded souls you're sure is out there somewhere.Carolyn See distills a lifetime of experience as novelist, memoirist, critic, and creative-writing professor into this marvelously engaging how-to book. Partly the nuts and bolts of writing (plot, point of view, character, voice) and partly an inspirational guide to living the life you dream of, Making a Literary Life takes you from the decision to “become” a writer to three months after the publication of your first book. A combination of writing and life strategies (do not tell everyone around you how you yearn to be a writer; send a “charming note” to someone you admire in the industry five days a week, every week, for the rest of your life; find the perfect characters right in front of you), Making a Literary Life is for people not usually considered part of the literary loop: the non–East Coasters, the secret scribblers. With sagacity, a magical sense of humor, and an abiding belief in the possibilities offered to “ordinary” people living “ordinary” lives, Carolyn See has summed up her life's work in a book so beguiling, irreverent, and giddily inspiring that you won't even realize it's changing your life until it already has.

Veteran editor Don McNair lays out an easy-to-follow and systematic method for clearing up foggy writing writing that's full of extra, misused, and overused words in this guide to producing sparkling copy that attracts readers, agents, editors, and sales. McNair explains the common mistakes made by most writers and shows how eliminating unnecessary words strengthens action, shorten sentences, and makes writing crackle with life. Containing 21 simple, straightforward principles, Editor-Proof Your Writing teaches how to edit weak verb forms, strip away author intrusions, ban redundancies, eliminate foggy phrases, correct passive-voice sentences, slash misused and overused words, and fix other writing mistakes. A superb addition to any writer's toolkit, this book will not only make writing clearer and more grammatical, it will also make it more concise, entertaining, and appealing to publishers.