“….but it is in a scene that you capture the hearts and imaginations of your readers.” This book falls under a classic category and is a wonderful companion to Make a Scene, by Jordan E. Rosenfeld, from the review a few months ago. Especially as writers come away from November marathon writing and are ready […]
Have you ever wished you could take a copy of that workshop you just listened to on developing powerful scenes, and the article you read a few months back on great characterization, and take the one chapter out of the book on writing that really explained POV, then put them all together into your own […]
One of my criteria for a book to make a classic category is its ability to continue to strengthen a writer’s skill from beginner to advanced. As I recently reviewed this excellent Make a Scene for a workshop I was struck again by the combination of simplicity and depth that Jordan Rosenfeld brings to understanding […]
Well-known literary agent Donald Maass has likely ruffled several feathers in his introduction as he differentiates between status seekers and storytellers. However the purpose is not to throw stones, but instead to enable each writer to recognize their potential and the responsibility to reach deeper, regardless of genre or market. “Having something to say, or […]
Every writer has his or her bookshelf favorites. It’s important to find the writing mentors that can expand our depth and style in the stories we hunger to write. But there are also some mentors whose writing principles cross over genres and over years. They define what is a classic. These are the craft books […]
Showing & Telling is an excellent addition to any writer’s library. She cuts through confusion, misunderstanding, and error, to provide practical understanding towards achieving balance between them, in both fiction and nonfiction. As a freelance editor and writer, and sometimes a preliminary judge in a writing contest, I have been struck at the inconsistencies, and sometime […]
At the Mount Hermon Writer’s Conference this past month I found myself in several discussions over the pro and cons of first person versus third person point of view. And invariably sometime in the discussion I would begin talking about Wild Ink, even though no one I spoke with wrote YA. But this book reaches […]
James Scott Bell quotes Sun Tzu: “The principle on which to manage an army is to set up one standard of courage which all must reach.” In The Art of War For Writers, James Scott Bell applies Sun Tzu’s principles for clarity in battle planning to encourage quality, craftsmanship and courage to writers. Not to […]
90 Days to Your Novel by Sarah Domet “Inspiration resides in your heart; habit resides in your fingers. Inspiration propels; habit completes.” One of the premises in this book is to develop the “necessary writing habits that will help you see this project through.” That is, write daily or as near to as possible. Sarah […]
The Productive Writer, by Sage Cohen
“The good news is that anything is possible in the realm of productivity if you are clear about the path or goal you are choosing, and committed to discovering and doing what it takes to get you there.” Sage Cohen says that productivity is a lifestyle choice and by the time you finish this book […]
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