Creative Writing

For a quarter century, more than a million readers and listeners—scribes and scribblers of all ages and abilities—have been inspired by Anne Lamott’s hilarious, big-hearted, homespun advice. Advice that begins with the simple words of wisdom passed down from Anne’s father—also a writer—in the iconic passage that gives the book its title.

This Scene Revision and Plotting Guidebook Can Take Your Writing Skills to the Next Level! This isn't just a writing manual; it's a blueprint for writing narratives that resonate deeply with readers and sell. Elevate your writing to new heights with this definitive guidebook, crafted to fuse the simple techniques in crafting stronger beginnings, creating dramatic scenes, and developing lifelike characters. Packed with easy-to-follow instructions and invaluable advice for building a comprehensive storyline, including extensive character creation templates and tools for creating a page-...

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A WRITER? Do you have a book in your head, but you don’t know where to start? Learn how to generate story ideas, create structure and setting, and bring unforgettable characters to life with the helpful strategies in The Write Formula. Now you can take your idea from concept to completion and become the author you’ve always wanted to be. “David’s thoughtful and incisive editing work, including deep thematic and structural guidance lifted my manuscript from a teetering new draft to a polished, well-developed one. David is the perfect editor who lasers in ...

2022 Updated Second Edition! Most writers struggle with creating a captivating story. The fastest way to improve your writing skills is by applying the “Deep Point-of-View” technique, which can transform any novel from mediocre storytelling into riveting prose. This guide includes hundreds of amazing ways to use “show don’t tell” to submerge readers so deeply into a scene they will experience the story along with the characters. Plus, this useful guide includes a Thesaurus with inspiring word choices! Writers will learn to: Revise Shallow Writing Deepen Characterization Craft ...

F--k the F--kity F--kin' F--ker. Fans of Katherine Dunn won't be surprised that this was her father's favorite sentence, or that, as a young girl, she heard it as a kind of profane poem, a secret song. For many of us, the language of Geek Love carries a similar staying power, born of Dunn's agile use of language and her strange, beautiful diction. And as a true exegete of the expletive, she remained undividedly devoted to obscenity - both as scholar and practitioner.

Writing: A Spiritual Voice is not a technical book. Of those, there are many wonderful ones. It’s about tuning into the writer’s spiritual voice and the unique ways our writing develops because of listening and responding to the Divine. If you are a spiritual seeker and a writer, you will want to use your writing in the same way we use everything to align and expand our spiritual being. Writing is a long-term career. It takes time, money, perseverance, openness to learning, and passion. Making a mark as a writer usually accelerates slowly. Keep going. Keep giving. Remain true. Trust ...

Over a decade ago, when Writing Down the Bones first appeared, Natalie Goldberg started a revolution in the way we practice writing. Now, for the first time, Goldberg reads her classic work, while offering new commentary about the creative, spiritual, and practical dimensions of writing. This collector's edition also includes an exclusive interview with the author.

Antonio Maranhao'sThe Notion Bible give a powerful and versatile productivity tool that can help you organize your life, streamline your work, and unleash your creativity. Whether you're a student, a professional, an entrepreneur, or simply someone who wants to get more done in less time, Notion has something to offer. With its intuitive interface, flexible structure, and endless possibilities, Notion is the ultimate Swiss Army Knife of productivity apps. But what makes Notion so special? Why are millions of people around the world using it every day? In this article, we'll take a closer ...

What good will it do to skillfully craft a written argument if you lose your audience? Simple emails, formal reports, blogs, presentations, articles—they need punch to gain influence. Clear structure and logic alone won’t do. To engage readers, you need to make mentally stimulating choices in language—choices that electrify your readers’ mental hotspots. Veteran journalist Bill Birchard reveals the secret of making that happen. He blends the findings from a global cadre of psychologists and neuroscientists with lessons from his long, successful career as a professional writer.

At the root of all creative expression is a deep, inborn, and very human desire to be heard and understood. Ask yourself this simple question: why write at all? Once you've managed to answer this question for yourself, you'll have found something that will be incredibly valuable to your writing career, wherever it takes you: your purpose. Tapping into the deep roots of why you are compelled to write at all is a brilliant way to unlock your true motivations and your ultimate reason for writing.

Do Your Readers Care What Happens To Your Characters? No matter what type of fiction you write, it's the characters that draw readers in. In fact, if the reader doesn't care about the characters, the most gripping plot won't carry the day. So how do you get readers to care? Character diagrams, checklists, and charts can only take you so far. You need to know your characters--and love (or hate) them--just as you do real people, which means learning about your characters from the inside out. In Creating Compelling Characters From The Inside Out you'll explore your characters' loves, lives, ...

Poetry is more than rhyming words on a page. A poem is crafted by carefully selecting each word and rhythm. But how does a poet get started? Finding inspiration is as easy as looking at a picture.

Do you have a head brimming with ideas but struggle to bring them to life? This book is your guide to unlocking the creative power within you, no matter your field! In "Creative Confidence," you'll discover a five-step framework to conquer self-doubt, ignite your imagination, and transform your ideas into tangible results. Learn to silence your inner critic, that pesky voice that whispers doubts and stifles your creative spirit. Embrace your unique creative identity and discover the power of your own perspective. Master brainstorming techniques to generate a flood of ideas, without fear of ...

• Are you a writer, painter, photographer or other creative soul? • Are you an inventor, designer, scientist, engineer or entrepreneur? • Do you long for an unlimited flow of creative ideas? • Do you know how to instantly turn on your creative flow? • Are you ready to access highly original creative ideas? • Are you willing to get out of the way and simply receive? Sara Wiseman is the award-winning author of numerous books on intuition, spirituality and creativity, and hosts popular podcasts and blogs that teach the secrets of creative intuition. Prior to that, she worked for ...

Over the course of the past twenty-five years, Julia Cameron has taught thousands of artists and aspiring artists how to unblock wellsprings of creativity. And time and again she has noticed an interesting thing: Often when her students uncover their creative selves they also undergo a surprising physical transformation - invigorated by their work, they slim down. In The Writing Diet, Cameron illuminates the relationship between creativity and eating to reveal a crucial equation: Creativity can block overeating.

Can you learn how to write comedy? Absolutely - anyone can. Scott Dikkers will tell you how. He's co-founder and longest-serving editor-in-chief of The Onion, the world's most popular humor publication, and founder of The Onion Training Center at the Second City in Chicago. He's also a number one best-selling humor author and winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. In How to Write Funnier, he tells you everything you need to know to start writing funny stories, how to write funny scenes, and how to write funny sketches.

DO YOU want readers to find your stories un-put-downable?DO YOU want to create stories readers love? WRITE GREAT SCENES gives you a key set of tools to becoming a writer whose works readers can't stop reading. The most fundamental building block of any novel isn't the character or the plot or anything except the scenes. If you learn how to write great scenes you'll be well on your way to creating novels readers can't put down. This book breaks down what makes a great scene, the four critical elements every great scene needs, and provides you with an entire toolkit of Page-Turner Techniques ...

The traditional writing workshop was established with white male writers in mind; what we call craft is informed by their cultural values. In this bold and original examination of elements of writing - including plot, character, conflict, structure, and believability - and aspects of workshop - including the silenced writer and the imagined reader - Matthew Salesses asks questions to invigorate these familiar concepts. He upends Western notions of how a story must progress.

The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop is a call to create healthy, sustainable, and empowering classroom communities. Award-winning educator Felicia Rose Chavez exposes the invisible politics of power and privilege that have silenced writers of color for far too long. It's more urgent than ever that we consciously work against traditions of dominance in the classroom, but what specific actions can we take to achieve authentically inclusive communities? The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop is a clear, compelling guidebook on a necessary step forward.

There are times when our inspiration needs a boost and all it takes to rev it up is something basic or obvious that we haven't thought of for a while. A simple idea can spark a story or poem, a song, sculpture, painting or design, a recipe, podcast and more. Inside this book you'll find topics and examples to help ignite your creativity. Also included are writing prompts to get the gears turning. While they may appear customized for writers and poets, they're for everyone with an artistic flare. Behind every work of art (written or otherwise) is a story. Use these prompts yourself. Share ...