Download or read book How Not to Write a Novel written by Howard Mittelmark and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-03-17 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "What do you think of my fiction book writing?" the aspiring novelist extorted. "Darn," the editor hectored, in turn. "I can not publish your novel! It is full of what we in the business call 'really awful writing.'" "But how shall I absolve this dilemma? I have already read every tome available on how to write well and get published!" The writer tossed his head about, wildly. "It might help," opined the blonde editor, helpfully, "to ponder how NOT to write a novel, so you might avoid the very thing!" Many writing books offer sound advice on how to write well. This is not one of those books. On the contrary, this is a collection of terrible, awkward, and laughably unreadable excerpts that will teach you what to avoid—at all costs—if you ever want your novel published. In How Not to Write a Novel, authors Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman distill their 30 years combined experience in teaching, editing, writing, and reviewing fiction to bring you real advice from the other side of the query letter. Rather than telling you how or what to write, they identify the 200 most common mistakes unconsciously made by writers and teach you to recognize, avoid, and amend them. With hilarious "mis-examples" to demonstrate each manuscript-mangling error, they'll help you troubleshoot your beginnings and endings, bad guys, love interests, style, jokes, perspective, voice, and more. As funny as it is useful, this essential how-NOT-to guide will help you get your manuscript out of the slush pile and into the bookstore.
Download or read book The 29 Most Common Writing Mistakes and how to Avoid Them written by Judy Delton and published by Betterway Books. This book was released on 1991 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Twenty-nine tips for writers on how to avoid being their own worst enemy when it comes to writing and selling their work.
Download or read book The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes written by Jack Bickham and published by Writer's Digest Books. This book was released on 1997-09-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes When you write fiction, you march onto a minefield. This book gives you a map. Oh, what tricky terrain you're traveling! You must reckon with: Character, Conflict, Point of View, Dialogue, Editors, Editors, and Editors, who--by returning stories they see as problem-plagued--can burst your hopes of publication. Where are the problems? Editors rarely take the time to map them out, so Jack Bickham has. In this book, he spotlights the 38 most common fiction writing land mines--writing mistakes that can turn even dynamite story ideas into slush pile rejects. And he guides you in overcoming them. In to-the-point style, he shows you how to: conquer procrastination--and put ink on paper regularly dump wimpy characters--and build characters ready to act look for trouble--and create conflicts for your characters cut coincidence--and put better-than-life logic into fiction escape the fog--and find and stick to your story's direction free feelings--and fire your fiction with passion and emotion In short, Bickham helps you take a giant step toward publication. Read this book. Strengthen your writing. And start setting off explosions where they belong: on the sales charts.
Download or read book One Continuous Mistake written by Gail Sher and published by Penguin. This book was released on 1999-04-01 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on the Zen philosophy that we learn more from our failures than from our successes, One Continuous Mistake teaches a refreshing new method for writing as spiritual practice. In this unique guide for writers of all levels, Gail Sher—a poet who is also a widely respected teacher of creative writing—combines the inspirational value of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way with the spiritual focus of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Here she introduces a method of discipline that applies specific Zen practices to enhance and clarify creative work. She also discusses bodily postures that support writing, how to set up the appropriate writing regimen, and how to discover one's own "learning personality." In the tradition of such classics as Writing Down the Bones and If You Want to Write, One Continuous Mistake will help beginning writers gain access to their creative capabilities while serving as a perennial reference that working writers can turn to again and again for inspiration and direction.
Download or read book How to Not Write Bad written by Ben Yagoda and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-02-05 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ben Yagoda's How to Not Write Bad illustrates how we can all write better, more clearly, and for a wider readership. He offers advice on what he calls "not-writing-badly," which consists of the ability, first, to craft sentences that are correct in terms of spelling, diction (word choice), punctuation, and grammar, and that also display clarity, precision, and grace. Then he focuses on crafting whole paragraphs—with attention to cadence, consistency of tone, sentence transitions, and paragraph length. In a fun, comprehensive guide, Yagoda lays out the simple steps we can all take to make our writing more effective, more interesting—and just plain better.
Download or read book Outlining Your Novel written by K. M. Weiland and published by Penforasword Publishing, LLC. This book was released on 2011-07 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This bestselling guide will help you choose the right type of outline to unleash your creativity as a writer, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, and aid you in discovering your characters.
Download or read book Artful Sentences written by Virginia Tufte and published by Conran Octopus. This book was released on 2006 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In Artful Sentences: Syntax as Style, Virginia Tufte shows how standard sentence patterns and forms contribute to meaning and art in more than a thousand wonderful sentences from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The book has special interest for aspiring writers, students of literature and language, and anyone who finds joy in reading and writing."--Publisher's description.
Download or read book The Time Traveler s Wife written by Audrey Niffenegger and published by Night Bookmobile Editions. This book was released on 2021-04-30 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A most untraditional love story, this is the celebrated tale of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who inadvertently travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare’s passionate affair endures across a sea of time and captures them in an impossibly romantic trap that tests the strength of fate and basks in the bonds of love. “Niffenegger’s inventive and poignant writing is well worth a trip” (Entertainment Weekly).
Download or read book 100 Writing Mistakes to Avoid written by Maeve Maddox and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2013-01-25 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published in a Kindle Edition, this revised edition of 100 Writing Mistakes to Avoid plus Basic English Grammar is now available in print.
Download or read book Write Great Fiction Plot Structure written by James Scott Bell and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2004-09-22 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Craft an Engaging Plot How does plot influence story structure? What's the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that's gone off course? With Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure, you'll discover the answers to these questions and more. Award-winning author James Scott Bell offers clear, concise information that will help you create a believable and memorable plot, including: • Techniques for crafting strong beginnings, middles, and ends • Easy-to-understand plotting diagrams and charts • Brainstorming techniques for original plot ideas • Thought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapter • Story structure models and methods for all genres • Tips and tools for correcting common plot problems Filled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like an experienced pro.
Download or read book Error free Writing written by Robin A. Cormier and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Anyone who's ever had to edit or proofread his or her own work knows how difficult and time-consuming it can be. You read and re-read your document, but errors still manage to slip by. Then, once it's too late to make changes to your document, the same errors have a maddening way of becoming glaringly obvious. And nothing is more frustrating than having an important business letter, memo, or resume sabotaged by an embarrassing error. Error-Free Writing gives you a simple, proven four-step writing and editing method that will help you produce error-free documents virtually every time. It also makes the writing process itself easier, while greatly reducing the deadline-related stress many business professionals experience when writing.
Download or read book 100 Tips to Avoid Mistakes in Academic Writing and Presenting written by Adrian Wallwork and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-07-17 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains one hundred typical mistakes relating to papers, proposals, oral presentations, and correspondence with editors (e.g. journal submissions), reviewers (rebuttal letters), and editing agencies. The book is primarily intended for non-native English speaking researchers. However, it is also useful for editing agencies in order to help new or inexperienced editors spot the kinds of mistakes they need to correct in order to ensure their clients successfully have their papers published. Each section of a paper is covered separately: titles and abstracts; introduction and literature review; methods, results and tables; discussion and conclusions. Teachers of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) will learn which areas of writing and grammar to focus on including readability, word order, sentence length, paragraphing, ambiguity and punctuation. The last section in the book highlights the key areas where presenters make the most mistakes in terms of the use of English. Other books in this series: English for Writing Research Papers English for Presentations at International Conferences English for Academic Research: Grammar, Usage and Style English for Academic Correspondence English for Academic CVs, Resumes, and Online Profiles English for Academic Research: Writing Exercises English for Academic Research: Grammar Exercises English for Academic Research: Vocabulary Exercises English for Academic Research: A Guide for Teachers
Download or read book The Savior s Champion written by Jenna Moreci and published by . This book was released on 2018-04-24 with total page 562 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hoping to save his family, one man enters his realm's most glorious tournament and finds himself in the middle of a political chess game, unthinkable bloodshed, and an unexpected romance with a woman he's not supposed to want.
Download or read book Smash Poetry Journal written by Robert Lee Brewer and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-03-19 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Poetry Journal to Poem Your Days Away! Don't wait for inspiration to strike! Whether you're an aspiring or published poet, this book will help you get in a frame of mind to make creative writing a consistent part of your life. With prompts from Robert Lee Brewer's popular Writer's Digest blog, Poetic Asides, you'll find 125 ideas for writing poems along with the journaling space you need to respond to the prompt. • 125 unexpected poetry prompts such as from the perspective of an insect, about a struggle, or including the word change • Plenty of blank space to compose your own poems • Tips on unique poetic forms and other poetry resources Perfectly sized to carry in a backpack or purse, you can jot down ideas for poems as you're waiting in line for a morning coffee or take it to the park for a breezy afternoon writing session. Wherever you are, your next poem is never more than a page-turn away.
Download or read book The Stars Never Rise written by Rachel Vincent and published by Delacorte Press. This book was released on 2015-06-09 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From RACHEL VINCENT, New York Times bestselling author, comes the first book in a new series about a girl who must join forces with rogue exorcists to save her sister and, ultimately, humanity. Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she’s too busy trying to actually survive. Her town’s population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago. When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she’ll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie’s sin has put her in serious trouble. To keep them both alive, Nina will need to put her trust in Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie? Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can’t survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.
Download or read book Editor Proof Your Writing written by Don McNair and published by Linden Publishing. This book was released on 2013-04-01 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Book Writing Mistakes written by Jim Edwards and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-09-08 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here's how to avoid the mistakes most new business book authors make that doom their results before they really even get started! In this breakthrough NEW book about writing your own business book, you'll discover how to avoid the mistakes that keep you from selling more books, getting more subscribers, and building up your own audience of loyal readers. Here's just a sample of the book writing pitfalls and landmines we'll help you avoid in this incredible book: Why not having a clear understanding of exactly who will buy your book and WHY may be the biggest mistake of all!... How trying to write an entire book without a strategy for getting started quickly every time you sit down to write dooms you before you even begin... Why thinking the only way to make money with a book is through Amazon sales will kill your results... How to sidestep boring chapter titles that make your book's contents read like a cheap restaurant menu (boring!)... Why you should never assume people are willing to do things the "traditional" way (and why they NEVER want to take notes while reading your book).... How following traditional advice about your book's title can really destroy your sales!... ... and much, MUCH More! Don't miss this ground-breaking book that will help you STOP worrying about putting a ton of work into writing a book that nobody buys and START using your own unique business book to get more customers, make more money, and skyrocket your credibility in the marketplace. Grab your copy right now!
