NCW Libraries

Presents advice on the basic elements of narrative prose, covering point of view, sentence length and complex syntax, indirect narration, grammar, punctuation, and the sound of writing.

"A literary agent and freelance editor recommends simple fixes for common mistakes that cause book proposals to be rejected. A wide range of topics are covered, including genre conventions, narrative structure, manuscript formatting, and editing for both fiction and non-fiction books"--

"Divides the creative writing process into five simple steps, from inspiration to publishable story, and includes in-depth treatment of the graphic novel genre with writing prompts"--Provided by publisher.

Outlines "steps of writing a story from beginning to end. Learn how to gather inspiration and develop a story's characters. Then visualize and organize your story's plot with a writing map. And after you've written a really rough draft, check out tips for revising your work"--Page 4 of cover.

The Newbery Award—winning author of Dead End in Norvelt shares advice for how to be the best brilliant writer in this funny and practical creative writing guide perfect for all kids who dream of seeing their name on the spine of a book. With the signature wit and humor that have garnered him legions of fans, Jack Gantos instructs young writers on using their "writing radar" to unearth story ideas from their everyday lives. Incorporating his own...

"In her years as a writing coach, Judy Reeves has found twin urges in women. They yearn to reclaim a true nature obscured by traditional roles and to write about, through, and beyond this process. Reeves herself experienced this need, which informed her most popular workshop and now this workshop in a book. Reeves focuses consecutively on the cycles that make up a woman's life, from Wild Child, Mother/Sister/Daughter, and Loves and Lovers to explorations...

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is publishing a monthly series of e-only essays to correspond with Katherine Paterson's two-year term as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The subjects of the essays include: writing and literature for young people, the wonder and imagination found within great books, common questions novice writers ask, and Katherine's own personal experiences throughout her historic career.

"How on Earth did we fix upon our twenty-six letters, what do they really mean, and how did we come to write them down in the first place? Michael Rosen takes you on an unforgettable adventure through the history of the alphabet in twenty-six vivid chapters, fizzing with personal anecdotes and fascinating facts. Starting with the mysterious Phoenicians and how sounds first came to be written down, he races on to show how nonsense poems work, pins...

"In his essential writing guide, This Year You Write Your Novel, Walter Mosley supplied aspiring writers with the basic tools and practical advice needed to write a novel in a single year. In this complementary follow up, Mosley guides the reader through the fundamental building blocks of fiction to deliver a master class on the writer's craft. In a series of conversational and instructive chapters, Mosley breaks down the art of fiction to its most...

"From the Booker-shortlisted author of Umbrella, a world-girdling collection of writings inspired by a life lived in and for literature. From one of the most unusual and distinctive writers working today, dubbed "the most daring and delightful novelist of his generation" by The Guardian, Will Self's Why Read is a cornucopia of thoughtful and brilliantly witty essays on writing and literature. Self takes us with him: from the foibles of his typewriter...