Download or read book How to Write a Novel written by Nathan Bransford and published by Nathan Bransford. This book was released on 2019-10-15 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author and former literary agent Nathan Bransford shares his secrets for creating killer plots, fleshing out your first ideas, crafting compelling characters, and staying sane in the process. Read the guide that New York Times bestselling author Ransom Riggs called "The best how-to-write-a-novel book I've read."
Download or read book On Writing Fiction written by David Jauss and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-06-02 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The pieces of a satisfying novel or story seem to fit together so effortlessly, so seamlessly, that it's easy to find yourself wondering, "How on earth did the author do this?" The answer is simple: He sat alone at his desk, considered an array of options, and made smart, careful choices. In On Writing Fiction, award-winning author and respected creative writing professor David Jauss offers practical information and advice that will help you make smart creative and technical decisions about such topics as: • Writing prose with syntax and rhythm to create a "soundtrack" for the narrative • Choosing the right point of view to create the appropriate degree of "distance" between your characters and the reader • Harnessing the power of contradiction in the creative process In one thought-provoking essay after another, Jauss sorts through unique fiction-writing conundrums, including how to create those exquisite intersections between truth and fabrication that make all great works of fiction so much more resonant than fiction that follows the "write what you know" approach that's so often used.
Download or read book Still Writing written by Dani Shapiro and published by Grove/Atlantic, Inc.. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This national bestseller from celebrated novelist and memoirist Dani Shapiro is an intimate and eloquent companion to living a creative life. Through a blend of memoir, meditation on the artistic process, and advice on craft, Shapiro offers her gift to writers everywhere: a guide of hard-won wisdom and advice for staying the course. In the ten years since the first edition, Still Writing has become a mainstay of creative writing classes as well as a lodestar for writers just starting out, and above all, an indispensable almanac for modern writers.
Download or read book The Making of a Story written by Alice LaPlante and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2009-12-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Los Angeles Times bestseller: wonderfully lucid and illuminating, Alice LaPlante’s guide to writing fiction “recalls Francine Prose’s bestseller, Reading Like a Writer” (Library Journal). The Making of a Story is a fresh and inspiring guide to the basics of creative writing—both fiction and creative nonfiction. Its hands-on, completely accessible approach walks writers through each stage of the creative process, from the initial triggering idea to the revision of the final manuscript. It is unique in combing the three main aspects of creative writing instruction: process (finding inspiration, getting ideas on the page), craft (specific techniques like characterization), and anthology (learning by reading masters of the form). Succinct, clear definitions of basic terms of fiction are accompanied by examples, including excerpts from masterpieces of short fiction and essays as well as contemporary novels. A special highlight is Alice LaPlante's systematic debunking of many of the so-called rules of creative writing. This book is perfect for writers working alone as well as for creative writing classes, both introductory and advanced.
Download or read book Writing the Fiction Series written by Karen S. Wiesner and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-05-02 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The definitive guide to crafting a series! From the Hunger Games Trilogy to the Jack Reacher series, from Harry Potter to Harry Dresden, there's no denying that writers--and readers--have caught series fever. But if you're contemplating writing a series, there are plenty of considerations you'll need to make first. Writing the Fiction Series is the complete guide to ensuring your series stays hot after the first, fourth, or even fifteenth book. Inside, you'll learn how to: • Write a series that captures the hearts of readers and stands out in a sea of competition. • Find the focus of your series, develop your idea, and plan ahead. • Hone in on the two most important aspects of series writing: characters and consistency. • Utilize a variety of series organization techniques, complete with downloadable worksheets and checklists. • Market your series effectively and increase your sales. With insights from nearly 100 series authors and publishers, as well as "Grow Your Series Muscles" exercises, Writing the Fiction Series is the only book you'll need to write a series that sizzles.
Download or read book Writing Fiction Step by Step written by Josip Novakovich and published by Story Press. This book was released on 1998-08-15 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Writing Fiction Step by Step gives you more than 200 exercises that will sharpen your writing skills while helping you develop complete short stories, even novels. &break;&break;In this sequel to his very popular Fiction Writer's Workshop, Whiting Award-winning author Josip Novakovich shows you that writing fiction is about making connections–between character and plot, setting and conflict, memory and imagination. You'll make these connections by linking the exercises. A character invented in chapter two can appear in a scene outlined in chapter eight and can speak in a voice developed in chapter ten. &break;&break;Embark on a unique writing journey and learn step by step how to craft fiction that captivates readers.
Download or read book Writing Fiction written by Janet Burroway and published by Little Brown. This book was released on 1987 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The most widely used and respected book on writing fiction, Writing Fiction guides the writer from first inspiration to final revision. Supported by an abundance exercises, this guide/anthology explores and integrates the elements of fiction while offering practical techniques and concrete examples. A focus on the writing process in its entirety provides a comprehensive guide to writing fiction, approaching distinct elements in separate chapters while building on what has been covered earlier. Topics include free-writing to revision, plot, style, characterization, dialogue, atmosphere, imagery, and point of view. An anthology of diverse and contemporary short stories followed by suggestions for discussion and writing exercises, illustrates concepts while offering variety in pacing and exposure to this increasingly popular form. The book also discusses key issues including writing workshops, using autobiography as a basis for fiction, using action in stories, using dialogue, and maintaining point of view. The sixth edition also features more short short stories than any previous edition and includes quotation boxes that offer advice and inspirational words from established writers on a wide range of topics--such as writing from experience, story structure, openings and endings, and revision. For those interested in developing their creative writing skills.
Download or read book British Women Writing Fiction written by Abby H.P. Werlock and published by University of Alabama Press. This book was released on 2000-02-09 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Original essays by American and British scholars offer a reader-friendly introduction to the work of Angela Carter, Doris Lessing, and a dozen other British women writers British women in the second half of the 20th century have produced a body of work that is as diverse as it is entertaining. This book offers an informal, jargon-free introduction to the fiction of sixteen contemporary writers either brought up or now living in England, from Muriel Spark to Jeanette Winterson. British Women Writing Fiction presents a balanced view comprising women writing since the 1950s and 1960s, those who attracted critical attention during the 1970s and 1980s, and those who have burst upon the literary scene more recently, including African-Caribbean and African women. The essays show how all of these writers treat British subjects and themes, sometimes from radically different perspectives, and how those who are daughters of immigrants see themselves as women writing on the margins of society. Abby Werlock's introduction explores the historical and aesthetic factors that have contributed to the genre, showing how even those writers who began in a traditional vein have created experimental work. The contributors provide complete bibliographies of each writer's works and selected bibliographies of criticism. Exceptional both in its breadth of subjects covered and critical approaches taken, this book provides essential background that will enable readers to appreciate the singular merits of each writer. It offers an approach toward better understanding favorite authors and provides a way to become acquainted with new ones.
Download or read book The Lie That Tells a Truth A Guide to Writing Fiction written by John Dufresne and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2004-08-17 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This is the most practical, hard-nosed, generous, direct, and useful guide to writing fiction." —Brad Watson Finally, a truly creative—and hilarious—guide to creative writing, full of encouragement and sound advice. Provocative and reassuring, nurturing and wise, The Lie That Tells a Truth is essential to writers in general, fiction writers in particular, beginning writers, serious writers, and anyone facing a blank page. John Dufresne, teacher and the acclaimed author of Love Warps the Mind a Little and Deep in the Shade of Paradise, demystifies the writing process. Drawing upon the wisdom of literature's great craftsmen, Dufresne's lucid essays and diverse exercises initiate the reader into the tools, processes, and techniques of writing: inventing compelling characters, developing a voice, creating a sense of place, editing your own words. Where do great ideas come from? How do we recognize them? How can language capture them? In his signature comic voice, Dufresne answers these questions and more in chapters such as "Writing Around the Block," "Plottery," and "The Art of Abbreviation." Dufresne demystifies the writing process, showing that while the idea of writing may be overwhelming, the act of writing is simplicity itself.
Download or read book The Art of Writing Fiction written by Andrew Cowan and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-08-22 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An elegant and intimate insight into the personal and practical processes of writing, Andrew Cowan’s The Art of Writing Fiction draws on his experience as a prize-winning novelist and his work with emerging writers at the University of East Anglia. As illuminating for the recreational writer as for students of Creative Writing, the twelve chapters of this book correspond to the twelve weeks of a typical university syllabus, and provide guidance on mastering key aspects of fiction such as structure, character, voice, point of view, and setting, as well as describing techniques for stimulating creativity and getting the most out of feedback. This new edition offers extended consideration to structure, point of view, and the organisation of time in the novel, as well as the conduct of the Creative Writing workshop in the light of the decolonising the curriculum movement. It features additional writing exercises, as well as an afterword with invaluable advice on approaching agents and publishers. The range of writers surveyed is greatly expanded, finding inspiration and practical guidance in the work of Margaret Atwood, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Richard Beard, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Richard Ford, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Anjali Joseph, James Joyce, James Kelman, Ian McEwan, Arundhati Roy, Sam Selvon, Vikram Seth, and Ali Smith, among many others. With over 80 writing exercises and examples taken from dozens of novels and short stories, the new edition of The Art of Writing Fiction is enriched by the author’s own experience as a novelist and lecturer, making it an essential guide for readers interested in the theory, teaching, and practice of Creative Writing.
Download or read book The Complete Guide to Writing Fiction written by Barnaby Conrad and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A complete and concise guide to writing and selling long and short fiction, including outlining, narrative writing, details, description, pacing, and action.
Download or read book The Change of Narrative Modes in Chinese Fiction 1898 1927 written by Pingyuan Chen and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-02-17 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the Chinese fictions (xiaoshuo) published between 1898 and 1927 – three pivotal decades, during which China underwent significant social changes. It applies Narratology and Sociology of the Novel methods to analyze both the texts themselves and the social-cultural factors that triggered the transformation of the narrative mode in Chinese fiction. Based on empirical data, the author argues that this transformation was not only inspired by translated Western fiction, but was also the result of a creative transformation in tradition Chinese literature.
Download or read book The Science of Science Fiction Writing written by James Gunn and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2000-10-31 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by one of the leading authorities on writing, publishing and teaching science fiction, The Science of Science Fiction Writing offers the opportunity to share in the knowledge James Gunn has acquired over the past forty years. He reflects on the fiction-writing process and how to teach it, and the ideas he has shared with his students about how to do it effectively and how to get it published afterwards. The first section discusses why people read fiction, the parts of the short story, the strategy of the science fiction author, scene as the smallest dramatic unit, how to speak well in print, suspense in fiction, how to say the right thing, and how to give constructive criticism. The second section takes a more philosophical approach. Here, Gunn elaborates on the origins of science fiction, its definition, the worldview of science fiction, and the characters that appear in science fiction novels. The third section highlights well-known sci-fi authors: H.G. Wells, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Henry Kuttner, C.L. Moore, and others, and the impact they have had on the development and progression of science fiction.
Download or read book Who s Buying Which Popular Short Fiction Now What Are They Paying written by Anne Hart and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2007-09-20 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Online booksellers are rapidly becoming online publishers. Sell your short fiction or nonfiction to the newest markets. Anyone who publishes your compiled short stories, novels, or nonfiction is looking for more opportunities to market your work. If you have published your stories or nonfiction with a mainstream or print-on-demand publisher, that firm cooperates with online booksellers. They probably want to leverage serial rights opportunities with your short stories, articles, or nonfiction excerpts from your books. After publication, you need to drive people to online booksellers' Web sites and your own to create visibility. The revolution is in virtual book tours and online marketing with booksellers. Another hidden market is short story publishing rights' auctions online to create visibility. You sell your writing as you'd sell a product at one of the online auctions. Long before finding any publisher or after the "face-out shelf life" of your book is over, sell or pre-sell your creations online. Offer short stories or articles to the public for a small fee to download. The music and movie industry do it. So can you. Online booksellers already are famous for a targeted community of readers that buy online. That's only one hint of hidden markets for authors that want to be well-paid for short stories or brief nonfiction. Here's how to write, customize, and market precisely what these merchants want. Here's how to pose the least financial risk to them.
Download or read book The Fiction Writer s Guide to Alternate History written by Jack Dann and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2023-07-13 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive guide to the speculative sub-genre of alternate history fiction, this book maps the unique terrain of this vibrant mode of storytelling and then explains how to write it. First giving a concise conceptual overview and the critical tools to differentiate the different forms of counterfactual fiction, Jack Dann lays out the 'tricks of the trade' such 'Heinleining', how to create recognizable 'divergent points' and how to employ paratextual elements and 'layering' to overcome readers' unfamiliarity with invented counterfactual events and cultures. Alongside this, Dann takes you step-by-step through a complete short story to demonstrate, line-by-line, how alternative history fiction works. As well as Dann's exacting methodology for writing professional quality alternate history stories, this book also features a live-on-the-page Q&A with some of the most esteemed alternate history writers working today, including Kim Stanley Robinson, John Birmingham and Lisa Goldstein among many others, who will detail their own particular hacks, theories, processes, methods and strategies. Combining extensive and deep knowledge of the field with accessible writing advice, this is the ultimate guidebook to the broad and complex sub-genre of counterfactual and alterative history fiction.
Download or read book On the Art of Writing Fiction written by and published by . This book was released on 1894 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Writing 21st Century Fiction written by Donald Maass and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-10-16 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Capture the minds, hearts, and imaginations of 21st century readers! Whether you're a commercial storyteller or a literary novelist, whether your goal is to write a best-selling novel or captivate readers with a satisfying, beautifully written story, the key to success is the same: high-impact fiction. Writing 21st Century Fiction will help you write a novel for today's readers and market, filled with rich characters, compelling plots, and resonant themes. Author and literary agent Donald Maass shows you how to: • Create fiction that transcends genre, conjures characters who look and feel more "real" than real people, and shows readers the work around them in new ways. • Infuse every page with an electric current of emotional appeal and micro-tension. • Harness the power of parallels, symbols, metaphors, and more to illuminate your novel in a lasting way. • Develop a personalized method of writing that works for you. With an arsenal of thought-provoking prompts and questions, plus plenty of examples from best-selling titles, Writing 21st Century Fiction will strip away your preconceived notions about writing in today's world and give you the essential tools you need to create fiction that will leave both readers and critics in awe.
