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In this article the authors share advice on writing nonfiction books, with a particular focus on information they wish they had known before starting their first nonfiction project. Emphasis is given to time management, recreation and exercise, and organization. Other suggestions include soliciting feedback and constructive criticism, choosing reading materials related to the book's subject, and using writing tools such as computer software.

An interview with writer Ken Follett is presented. When asked about a typical writing day, he describes his routine which includes making tea, interacting with his readers on social media, and getting exercise in between writing sessions. He discusses his motivations for writing his novel "Pillars of the Earth." Follett reads and enjoys books by authors Lee Child, Stephen King, and Elizabeth Strout, among others. INSET: The Ken Follett File.

An interview is presented with author Pete Hamill. When asked if he considers himself a novelist, he discusses the physical aspects of nonfiction writing. When asked about his writing process, he discusses developing characters in his mind and avoiding detailed outlines. Other topics include typical workdays, the book "Tabloid City," and the rhythm of sentences. INSET: The Pete Hamill File.

An interview is presented with U.S. author Walter Mosley. When asked about authors who have influenced him, he discusses authors such as Charles Dickens and Langston Hughes. When asked about his writing process, he discusses his routine of writing every morning for three hours. Other topics include establishing a daily quota, finding success later in life, and being happy as a writer. INSET: The Waler Mosley File.

This article presents a list of 25 suggestions for ways that authors can improve their writing. The author provides several suggestions for writing leads and openings that engage readers and that use smooth transitions to maintain their interest. Other suggestions are about crafting clear sentences and not assuming that readers have too much pre-knowledge of a subject. The author also suggests that writers use verbs to make their sentences more exciting.

This article presents first person narratives from a variety of authors all discussing the best piece of advice that they received about authorship and literary craft. Author Debby Applegate discusses advice that was given by novelist Kurt Vonnegut and historian Kathy M. Newman. Crime novelist Alafair Burke says the best advice she got was to think of oneself as a writer. Novelist Sue Grafton offers a command to authors to sit at their desks and just write.

Presents an interview with author Jayne Anne Phillips about the writing process and her book "Lark and Termite." Phillips discusses the importance of reading, books that she recommends in a fiction workshop she teaches at the State University of New Jersey's Rutgers-Newark campus, and how she first became a writer. INSET: The Jayne Anne Phillips File.

This article offers perspectives on writing from five first-time novelists, including Charles Bock, Fiona Maazel, Rachel Kushner, Mark Sarvas and Salvatore Scibona. The writers give insight into their writing process, how they began writing their novel, the revision process, and getting published. Advice is also given to other writers. INSET: The Panelists.

Presents an interview with author Elizabeth Cox. When asked how she got started as a writer, she discusses her pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts degree. When asked how she would describe her writing process, she responds that she tries to discover the story and get to know the characters. Other topics include short stories, sex crimes in literature, and the emotional world of characters. INSET: The Elizabeth Cox File.

Presents an interview with author Diana Gabaldon . When asked how she listens to her characters, Gabaldon discusses hearing some characters much more clearly than others. When asked how she has been able to continually grow two long-running characters, Gabaldon discusses how she rediscovers her characters each time she writes. When asked about incorporating historical information without slowing down the story, Gabaldon notes that you must establish a reason to provide the information. INSET: The Diana Gabaldon File.

In this article the author discusses the importance of creating an effective time and place for characters to interact in works of fiction. The author notes that when this is done well readers will experience the story and not feel as though they are being told a story. She explores how subtle details can reveal concepts of larger importance and discusses what can be reveled by describing daily domestic chores, food, flowers, medicine and clothing.

This article offers a few things to consider to make good travel pieces. First and foremost it is important to travel light. A travel writer should pack a notebook—not a laptop, but the old-fashioned kind, with pages made of paper, preferably one small enough to fit in the pocket. Along with the notebook, one should bring an easy-to-operate digital camera to provide with a visual record of a particular sight. Photographs can become an integral part of an article. Travel writing gets interesting when there are characters the reader can care about. INSET: Making a scene makes for a more effective opening.

This article presents questions and answers related to the Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA) in creative writing, including how necessary having one is to getting work as a writer, how the authors polled developed their crafts and how they made connections with other literary people. INSET: Meet our panelists.

This article discuss the process of developing a narrative in the context of the author's own writing history and process. Facets of creating a narrative that the author touches upon include the importance of an author's intimacy with his or her subject matter, advice on what parts of a story to leave out, and the importance of choosing a unifying theme when creating a piece of creative writing. INSET: Grieving the loss of place.

The author focuses on three of the six most common errors in fiction writing. He states his experience as a teacher and editor in determining these errors. He talks about what he calls "default omniscience" or a failure to properly use point of view in a story. He also talks about failures in effective use of flashbacks. He comments on withholding information and the use of false suspense.

This article provides a list of suggestions historical fiction writers can use to bring their stories to life. The article states that the writer should find good source materials, such as biographies, newspapers, memoirs, and diaries. It talks about developing a time line that focuses on time, place, events, and people. It suggests using real historical figures in the stories and to include historical context and anecdotes. INSET: What to do with stiff trial testimony.

Presents an interview with author Joseph Finder who offers advice to authors on what helps or hurts a story. Finder is the other of books including "Paranoia" and "Company Man." Finder discusses what sparked the idea for "Paranoia," what he's learned about the publishing world, and how he approaches the writing of a new novel. INSETS: Solving a problem of too much backstory;The Joseph Finder File.

This article discusses ways for writers to create believable, memorable characters. Suggestions include thinking of characters as real human beings, creating a character background sheet, and avoiding stereotypes. Also mentioned is giving characters tangible goals and making them sound like real people. An exercise for creating characters is given. Resources for further research are listed. INSET: Taking the boring out of the bland.

This article present five ways to fine-tune a manuscript. Tips on making dialogue sound more authentic, creating believable characters, and maintaining the correct point of view are given. Also mentioned are ways to develop interesting settings and how to incorporate descriptions of scenery into stories. Writing exercises are provided for each point.

This article focuses on the struggle of writing a play about a historical character and offers practical advice to avoid pitfalls. Pointers include giving life to the main character, choosing a character who represents a passionate interest, and conducting thorough research. An example from the play titled "Lincoln" by John Drinkwater is given. Resources for further reading as well as advice on how to troubleshoot playwriting problems are offered. INSET: Adding life to a dead scene.

This article offers guidelines in developing minor characters in a story. The interplay between minor and major characters can, without seeming unnatural, supply needed information about the protagonist or other principals. Minor characters with recurring parts can and should add depth and intensity to the world in which the plot develops and one's hero moves. William Shakespeare was adept at handling minor characters, often using them as humorous foils to relieve the tension in his tragedies and historical plays. INSETS: A character sets the time and place;Minor characters play major roles.

This article provides guidelines in using flashbacks in fiction writing. A flashback is a digression that, if skillfully done, works. To have a flashback that works, the following rules should be considered. Have a strong scene to depart from. Make sure flashbacks are motivated. When writing in past tense, to make it clear that one is writing a flashback, dip into the past perfect. Summarize dialogue. Keep flashbacks to one paragraph. Within flashback, summarize, don't dramatize. INSET: Flashback helps illuminate the past.

This article describes a successful writer's inability to get started on the next book. Finally, after many years and false starts, an idea comes out of the blue and makes all the difference.

The article discusses strategies for improving the quality of a work of fiction as recommended by North American authors. The author comments on the need to challenge oneself as a writer and its subsequent benefits to the literary plot. Other suggestions for developing successful fiction include integrating characters into the fictional universe, maintaining a critical stance during the revision process, and integrating surprising details into the story.

The article examines the author's personal approach and philosophy about writing novels. He discusses how he views writing as a form of thought, his love for and focus on the way words sound, and his attachment to the fictional worlds he created. He also comments on the impact his Georgia, U.S. born mother had on his desire to write fiction.

The article discusses how to incorporate and manage plot threads when writing a book. The author suggests that books have six to 11 plot points to maintain interest without being overwhelming. She also mentions that writers should be able to add or remove plot lines during the writing process and focus on the individual threads. INSET: Let us count the threads: two novels dissected.

An interview with author Christopher Paolini is presented. He focuses on his Eragon book series and the latest fourth book in the series, "Inheritance." Paolini describes his writing process and how he created a plot outline before he started writing "Eragon." He also discusses how he decided to self-publish "Eragon," his experience with self-publishing, and becoming a writer. INSET: The Christopher Paolini File.

An interview with author Caroline Leavitt is presented. Leavitt talks about how she incorporates her own life experiences and fears in her writing, and how it allows her to confront the issues and make an attempt at overcoming them. She also discusses how she first got published, how she develops characters and plot, and how she continues to be a successful author. INSET: The Caroline Leavitt File.

The article presents a list of 40 brief prompts to encourage and reinforce fiction writing technique, including copying a portion of conversation from real life and continuing it in fiction, taking an existing work and re-setting it in a different genre, and writing about the first thing you see out a window.

The article provides a five-step guide to beginning to write a piece of fiction. The author suggests that to prevent writers' block and anxiety, writers should avoid thinking in terms of how many words or pages they should produce and instead commit to writing for a specific period of time. It is also suggested that writers spend time observing their surroundings and other people, and experiment with writing from different perspectives. Dialogue and characterization are also discussed. INSET: Getting the idea: How the author's latest novel was born.

Presents an interview with author Peter Abrahams, who specializes in writing suspense novels. When asked about how he got started in writing, Abrahams talks about his first novel, "The Fury of Rachel Monette," and how he got it published. He also talks about his writing habits and processes, his preference for the term "crime fiction" to describe his books, and the categorization of him as a "midlist writer." INSET: The Peter Abrahams File.

This article discusses the use of a writing pyramid that authors can use to develop book ideas into completed manuscripts. The bottom level of the pyramid asks writers to create one sentence that summarizes the idea for the novel. Next, that sentence is expanded into a paragraph that provides a fuller description of the book's action and plot. Another level of the pyramid is about characters, their physical aspects, personality, and their development throughout the book. INSET: WORKOUT.

Presents an interview with Lisa Cron, who is a story consultant and literary agent. Cron makes the suggestion that would-be authors read bad books in order to have a better feeling for good literature. When asked about the mistakes that writers make, Cron comments on the relationship between authors and readers. Cron also talks about her writing students and about writing well. INSET: The Lisa Cron File.

This article discusses components of literature such as story, character, voice, situation, image and message as ways of relating to and authoring a work of fiction. Constructing the work beginning with the character is considered from the perspective of the pros and cons of this approach. The character's voice and the situation of the story, which the author notes is different than the plot, are considered along the same lines.

This article presents a reprint of an article of the same name by crime fiction author Ruth Rendell, which first appeared in the November 1987 issue of the magazine. Rendell presents suggestions for writing popular fiction, including the suggestion that would-be authors should read lots of fiction. She also discusses why she does not base her characters on real people and complains that the manuscripts of many unpublished authors are dull.

The author discusses his experience of writing several official novels in the James Bond 007 book series, which was originally begun by Ian Fleming and offers suggestions for writing novels in the thriller genre. The author suggests that people interested in writing spy novels must read them and another suggestion is to research the conflict of the novel to, in the author's case, figure out where the British agent Bond would likely be sent. Another suggestion is to create an outline and write the novel's first draft.

Presents an interview with mystery author Laura Lippman. When asked about mystery writing, she discusses how the crime novel provided a plot structure. When asked about books that influenced her writing, she mentions "Indemnity Only" by Sarah Paretsky and "Devil in a Blue Dress" by Walter Mosley. Other topics include adolescents in literature, writing habits, and researching novels. INSET: The Laura Lippman File.

Presents an interview with crime novelist T. Jefferson Parker. When asked about having a writing studio, he talks about making the transition from family man to being a writer with the proper psychic space. When asked about working with an outline, he discusses proposals for publishers. Other topics include writing sex scenes, sexual relationships and romance in crime fiction, and humor. INSET: The T. Jefferson Parker File.

This article presents a set of suggestions for writing travel essays. The author notes that travel is both an external and an internal voyage, so good travel writing should excite readers in multiple ways. One of the suggestions is that authors do research about the location while another is to find details that will give the place a unique identity. A third suggestion is to use well-crafted segues to move from topic to topic and another is that literary techniques be employed to add interest. INSET: How much of your personal experience belongs in your essay?.

This article presents a reprint of the article "Use Imagery to Bring Your Story to Life" by Stephen King, which appeared in the October 1980 issue of the journal. The author discusses the links between novels and films in that both rely strongly on imagery. Paragraphs from the novels "Salem's Lot" and "The Shining" are used to demonstrate the author's point. It is suggested that authors use verbs and active voice to give their work impact and he suggests that authors fully imagine scenes.

This article presents advice to authors about the benefits of writing in a variety of genres. The author discusses her own experience of postponing plans to write a cookbook in order to foster a career as a magazine writer. The author suggests that authors start small when experimenting with a different genre, research the genre to learn more about it, get advice from other writers in the genre, and consider their readers' reactions.

This article offers tips and advice to poets on the writing process and the use of line breaks in poetry. The author reflects on foregrounding certain words and images to demonstrate pauses and the placement of expressive emphasis. Other topics include setting the pace, comparisons with prose writing, and breaking up prepositional phrases.

Presents an interview with children's picture book author Louise Borden. When asked how she became an author of children's picture books, Borden discusses reading biographies of authors and studying the creative process. When asked to describe her writing process, she talks about reading the story aloud and writing with a child in mind. Other topics include research methods, poetic prose, and writer's block. INSET: The Louise Borden File.

The book discusses the author Anthony Trollope and the creative process for writing novels. The author suggests that Trollope's employment as a postal worker, his use of weekly writing goals, and his accessible literary style were key aspects of his success. Other topics include character development, sensationalism versus realism, and moral aspects of literature.

The author discusses writing techniques used in several articles. He notes the use of first-person narration in an article by journalist Victor Mallet describing his experiences exploring mines in South Africa. He notes how journalist Ron Burley tailored an article on customer service to a periodical's format. He comments on how journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis used her personal interests to write an article focusing on the differences between life in Hawaii and New York City.

In this article the author presents strategies for writing about ethic characters that appeal to a mainstream audience. She explores her own experience as an Indian-American author tying to get her work published. She discusses the importance of creativity in the writing process and developing characters that people can connect with regardless of ethnicity. She also explores how she struggled with and eventually overcame the process of writing about cultural differences.

In this article poet May Sarton presents a letter that she wrote to a young poet, which was published in a previous issue of "The Writer." Sarton discusses the process of writing poems, the importance of revision, and how to develop a poem from something small into something that will amaze publishers.

The author talks about her experiences writing the novel "Ordinary People." She comments about not using outlines when she writes, and of starting her stories with scenes from the middle first. She mentions writing a story with questions in mind and using the story to answer those questions. She talks about using incomplete short stories about the characters as part of the novel's foundation. She comments on the editing process and needing to let a scene sit for days or longer before editing it. INSET: Also by Guest.

The author offers advice on how to pursue a successful career as a freelance medical writer. Suggestions include focusing on a specialty, making contact with specific publications, and aiming for accuracy. In addition, the author notes that although rates may start low, being open to learning will help achieve success. Medical terminology books as well as resources for medical markets and organizations are listed.

The author reflects on how she incorporated her immigrant background into her writing and encourages other writers to learn from her experience whether they have an immigrant background or not. She offers suggestions such as overcoming the fear of writing, taking the perspective of an outsider and adding foreign words. In addition, she encourages writers to answer universal questions and offers tips on how to dispel cliches. Writer Eva Hoffman is quoted. INSET: You don't have to be an immigrant to write about the experience.