Author: John Casey
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393244008
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 171
Book Description
For students and writers alike, a brilliant guide to the craft of writing by the National Book Award–winning author of Spartina. National Book Award winner John Casey is a masterful novelist who is also an inspiring and beloved teacher. In Beyond the First Draft he offers essential and original insights into the art of writing—and rewriting—fiction. Through anecdotes about other writers’ methods and habits (as well as his own) and close readings of literature from Aristotle to Zola, the essays in this collection offer “suggestions about things to do, things to think about when your writing has got you lost in the woods.” In “Dogma and Anti-dogma” Casey sets out the tried-and-true advice and then comments on when to apply it and when to ignore it. In “What's Funny” he considers the range of comedy from pratfalls to elegant wit. In “In Other Words” he discusses translations and the surprising effects that translating can have on one’s native language. In “Mentors” he pays tribute to those who have guided him and other writers. Throughout the fourteen essays there are notes on voice, point of view, structure, and other crucial elements. This book is an invaluable resource for aspiring writers and a revitalizing companion for seasoned ones.
Beyond the First Draft: The Art of Fiction
Author: John Casey
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393244008
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 171
Book Description
For students and writers alike, a brilliant guide to the craft of writing by the National Book Award–winning author of Spartina. National Book Award winner John Casey is a masterful novelist who is also an inspiring and beloved teacher. In Beyond the First Draft he offers essential and original insights into the art of writing—and rewriting—fiction. Through anecdotes about other writers’ methods and habits (as well as his own) and close readings of literature from Aristotle to Zola, the essays in this collection offer “suggestions about things to do, things to think about when your writing has got you lost in the woods.” In “Dogma and Anti-dogma” Casey sets out the tried-and-true advice and then comments on when to apply it and when to ignore it. In “What's Funny” he considers the range of comedy from pratfalls to elegant wit. In “In Other Words” he discusses translations and the surprising effects that translating can have on one’s native language. In “Mentors” he pays tribute to those who have guided him and other writers. Throughout the fourteen essays there are notes on voice, point of view, structure, and other crucial elements. This book is an invaluable resource for aspiring writers and a revitalizing companion for seasoned ones.
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393244008
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 171
Book Description
For students and writers alike, a brilliant guide to the craft of writing by the National Book Award–winning author of Spartina. National Book Award winner John Casey is a masterful novelist who is also an inspiring and beloved teacher. In Beyond the First Draft he offers essential and original insights into the art of writing—and rewriting—fiction. Through anecdotes about other writers’ methods and habits (as well as his own) and close readings of literature from Aristotle to Zola, the essays in this collection offer “suggestions about things to do, things to think about when your writing has got you lost in the woods.” In “Dogma and Anti-dogma” Casey sets out the tried-and-true advice and then comments on when to apply it and when to ignore it. In “What's Funny” he considers the range of comedy from pratfalls to elegant wit. In “In Other Words” he discusses translations and the surprising effects that translating can have on one’s native language. In “Mentors” he pays tribute to those who have guided him and other writers. Throughout the fourteen essays there are notes on voice, point of view, structure, and other crucial elements. This book is an invaluable resource for aspiring writers and a revitalizing companion for seasoned ones.
The Art of Fiction
Author: John Gardner
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307756718
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
This classic guide, from the renowned novelist and professor, has helped transform generations of aspiring writers into masterful writers—and will continue to do so for many years to come. John Gardner was almost as famous as a teacher of creative writing as he was for his own works. In this practical, instructive handbook, based on the courses and seminars that he gave, he explains, simply and cogently, the principles and techniques of good writing. Gardner’s lessons, exemplified with detailed excerpts from classic works of literature, sweep across a complete range of topics—from the nature of aesthetics to the shape of a refined sentence. Written with passion, precision, and a deep respect for the art of writing, Gardner’s book serves by turns as a critic, mentor, and friend. Anyone who has ever thought of taking the step from reader to writer should begin here.
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307756718
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
This classic guide, from the renowned novelist and professor, has helped transform generations of aspiring writers into masterful writers—and will continue to do so for many years to come. John Gardner was almost as famous as a teacher of creative writing as he was for his own works. In this practical, instructive handbook, based on the courses and seminars that he gave, he explains, simply and cogently, the principles and techniques of good writing. Gardner’s lessons, exemplified with detailed excerpts from classic works of literature, sweep across a complete range of topics—from the nature of aesthetics to the shape of a refined sentence. Written with passion, precision, and a deep respect for the art of writing, Gardner’s book serves by turns as a critic, mentor, and friend. Anyone who has ever thought of taking the step from reader to writer should begin here.
Monet Paints a Day
Author: Julie Danneberg
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
ISBN: 158089240X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 34
Book Description
In November 1885, impressionist painter Claude Monet vacationed in Étretat, France, where he spent his days outside, painting scenes of the seaside village. One morning he rose early and carried all of his supplies and half-finished paintings out to the cliffs and rocky beach, finally stopping to paint the arch called Manneporte. Eager to capture the scene before him, and aware that he must work quickly to catch the light, Monet became so engrossed in his work that he forgot to watch the incoming tide. Based on a true incident, MONET PAINTS A DAY introduces readers to the life and nature of this illustrious impressionist. Interspersed throughout the story are excerpts from the painter’s notes and letters, while a second layer of text and back matter includes information about Impressionism as a whole. Lush watercolor illustrations in the Impressionist style give readers a visual for this artistic movement. A bibliography is also included.
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
ISBN: 158089240X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 34
Book Description
In November 1885, impressionist painter Claude Monet vacationed in Étretat, France, where he spent his days outside, painting scenes of the seaside village. One morning he rose early and carried all of his supplies and half-finished paintings out to the cliffs and rocky beach, finally stopping to paint the arch called Manneporte. Eager to capture the scene before him, and aware that he must work quickly to catch the light, Monet became so engrossed in his work that he forgot to watch the incoming tide. Based on a true incident, MONET PAINTS A DAY introduces readers to the life and nature of this illustrious impressionist. Interspersed throughout the story are excerpts from the painter’s notes and letters, while a second layer of text and back matter includes information about Impressionism as a whole. Lush watercolor illustrations in the Impressionist style give readers a visual for this artistic movement. A bibliography is also included.
Beyond the First Draft
Author: John Casey
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 0393241084
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
For students and writers alike, a brilliant guide to the craft of writing by the National Book Award–winning author of Spartina. National Book Award winner John Casey is a masterful novelist who is also an inspiring and beloved teacher. In Beyond the First Draft he offers essential and original insights into the art of writing—and rewriting—fiction. Through anecdotes about other writers’ methods and habits (as well as his own) and close readings of literature from Aristotle to Zola, the essays in this collection offer “suggestions about things to do, things to think about when your writing has got you lost in the woods.” In “Dogma and Anti-dogma” Casey sets out the tried-and-true advice and then comments on when to apply it and when to ignore it. In “What's Funny” he considers the range of comedy from pratfalls to elegant wit. In “In Other Words” he discusses translations and the surprising effects that translating can have on one’s native language. In “Mentors” he pays tribute to those who have guided him and other writers. Throughout the fourteen essays there are notes on voice, point of view, structure, and other crucial elements. This book is an invaluable resource for aspiring writers and a revitalizing companion for seasoned ones.
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 0393241084
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
For students and writers alike, a brilliant guide to the craft of writing by the National Book Award–winning author of Spartina. National Book Award winner John Casey is a masterful novelist who is also an inspiring and beloved teacher. In Beyond the First Draft he offers essential and original insights into the art of writing—and rewriting—fiction. Through anecdotes about other writers’ methods and habits (as well as his own) and close readings of literature from Aristotle to Zola, the essays in this collection offer “suggestions about things to do, things to think about when your writing has got you lost in the woods.” In “Dogma and Anti-dogma” Casey sets out the tried-and-true advice and then comments on when to apply it and when to ignore it. In “What's Funny” he considers the range of comedy from pratfalls to elegant wit. In “In Other Words” he discusses translations and the surprising effects that translating can have on one’s native language. In “Mentors” he pays tribute to those who have guided him and other writers. Throughout the fourteen essays there are notes on voice, point of view, structure, and other crucial elements. This book is an invaluable resource for aspiring writers and a revitalizing companion for seasoned ones.
The Art of Revision
Author: Peter Ho Davies
Publisher: Graywolf Press
ISBN: 1644451344
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
The fifteenth volume in the Art of series takes an expansive view of revision—on the page and in life In The Art of Revision: The Last Word, Peter Ho Davies takes up an often discussed yet frequently misunderstood subject. He begins by addressing the invisibility of revision—even though it’s an essential part of the writing process, readers typically only see a final draft, leaving the practice shrouded in mystery. To combat this, Davies pulls examples from his novels The Welsh Girl and The Fortunes, as well as from the work of other writers, including Flannery O’Connor, Carmen Machado, and Raymond Carver, shedding light on this slippery subject. Davies also looks beyond literature to work that has been adapted or rewritten, such as books made into films, stories rewritten by another author, and the practice of retconning in comics and film. In an affecting frame story, Davies recounts the story of a violent encounter in his youth, which he then retells over the years, culminating in a final telling at the funeral of his father. In this way, the book arrives at an exhilarating mode of thinking about revision—that it is the writer who must change, as well as the writing. The result is a book that is as useful as it is moving, one that asks writers to reflect upon themselves and their writing.
Publisher: Graywolf Press
ISBN: 1644451344
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
The fifteenth volume in the Art of series takes an expansive view of revision—on the page and in life In The Art of Revision: The Last Word, Peter Ho Davies takes up an often discussed yet frequently misunderstood subject. He begins by addressing the invisibility of revision—even though it’s an essential part of the writing process, readers typically only see a final draft, leaving the practice shrouded in mystery. To combat this, Davies pulls examples from his novels The Welsh Girl and The Fortunes, as well as from the work of other writers, including Flannery O’Connor, Carmen Machado, and Raymond Carver, shedding light on this slippery subject. Davies also looks beyond literature to work that has been adapted or rewritten, such as books made into films, stories rewritten by another author, and the practice of retconning in comics and film. In an affecting frame story, Davies recounts the story of a violent encounter in his youth, which he then retells over the years, culminating in a final telling at the funeral of his father. In this way, the book arrives at an exhilarating mode of thinking about revision—that it is the writer who must change, as well as the writing. The result is a book that is as useful as it is moving, one that asks writers to reflect upon themselves and their writing.
The Gilded Life of Matilda Duplaine
Author: Alex Brunkhorst
Publisher: MIRA
ISBN: 1460389816
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
A “bittersweet romance” of family secrets, forbidden love, and the true price of wealth among Hollywood elites—“a charming and well-crafted read” (Library Journal, starred review). When young journalist Thomas Cleary is sent to dig up quotes for the obituary of a legendary film producer, he gains access to the exclusive upper echelons of Hollywood society. Entering a world of private jets and sprawling mansions, his life and career take off beyond his wildest dreams. Then he meets Matilda Duplaine . . . Beautiful and mysterious, Matilda has spent her entire life within the walls of her powerful father’s Bel-Air estate. Thomas is entranced, and the two begin a secret love affair. But the more he learns about the mysterious woman’s identity, the more he realizes that privilege always comes with a price.
Publisher: MIRA
ISBN: 1460389816
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
A “bittersweet romance” of family secrets, forbidden love, and the true price of wealth among Hollywood elites—“a charming and well-crafted read” (Library Journal, starred review). When young journalist Thomas Cleary is sent to dig up quotes for the obituary of a legendary film producer, he gains access to the exclusive upper echelons of Hollywood society. Entering a world of private jets and sprawling mansions, his life and career take off beyond his wildest dreams. Then he meets Matilda Duplaine . . . Beautiful and mysterious, Matilda has spent her entire life within the walls of her powerful father’s Bel-Air estate. Thomas is entranced, and the two begin a secret love affair. But the more he learns about the mysterious woman’s identity, the more he realizes that privilege always comes with a price.
Beyond Deserving
Author: Sandra Scofield
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1504012011
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
Gully Fisher’s twin sons will soon be 45, and are the push and pull of their clan. Michael is almost too good; immune to consternation, he is the family rock, while Fish is the family maverick, acting out what the others cannot bring themselves to do. Michael’s wife, Ursula, spends her days rearranging the lives of failed families, and craves a deeper intimacy with her taciturn husband and her two children. Katie, still seduced by Fish’s tales of Vietnam and jail, has a new job and a boyfriend, and thinks of breaking away. The elder Fishers, celebrating 50 years of marriage, teeter on the line between suppressed anger and fierce loyalty. When Katie and Fish’s 9-year-old daughter, Rebecca, appears from Texas (where she is being raised by Katie’s mother), she lurches across this landscape and the entire family is beset by a summer of little squalls. By the fall, a few secrets are out, and they’re all better for it. This is a novel full of the telling: poignant details that illustrate the fabric of domestic life, allowing the reader a shock of recognition. It is often funny, sometimes sad, always wise. All the Fishers are emotionally complex characters who reveal fresh insights into human nature and relationships. At a time when groups are springing up all over the country in order to provide instant intimacy and support for people lost in their selfhood and history, this is a novel demonstrating that love can be messy, silly, painful, and utterly idiosyncratic—that marriage and family can be uniquely defined. The Fishers are such a family, loving because they are bound, because they have the habit, and because the larger world can’t understand them. They love more than they know how to say, and they love beyond deserving.
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1504012011
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
Gully Fisher’s twin sons will soon be 45, and are the push and pull of their clan. Michael is almost too good; immune to consternation, he is the family rock, while Fish is the family maverick, acting out what the others cannot bring themselves to do. Michael’s wife, Ursula, spends her days rearranging the lives of failed families, and craves a deeper intimacy with her taciturn husband and her two children. Katie, still seduced by Fish’s tales of Vietnam and jail, has a new job and a boyfriend, and thinks of breaking away. The elder Fishers, celebrating 50 years of marriage, teeter on the line between suppressed anger and fierce loyalty. When Katie and Fish’s 9-year-old daughter, Rebecca, appears from Texas (where she is being raised by Katie’s mother), she lurches across this landscape and the entire family is beset by a summer of little squalls. By the fall, a few secrets are out, and they’re all better for it. This is a novel full of the telling: poignant details that illustrate the fabric of domestic life, allowing the reader a shock of recognition. It is often funny, sometimes sad, always wise. All the Fishers are emotionally complex characters who reveal fresh insights into human nature and relationships. At a time when groups are springing up all over the country in order to provide instant intimacy and support for people lost in their selfhood and history, this is a novel demonstrating that love can be messy, silly, painful, and utterly idiosyncratic—that marriage and family can be uniquely defined. The Fishers are such a family, loving because they are bound, because they have the habit, and because the larger world can’t understand them. They love more than they know how to say, and they love beyond deserving.
The Art of Fiction
Author: David Lodge
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 1448137799
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 255
Book Description
In this entertaining and enlightening collection David Lodge considers the art of fiction under a wide range of headings, drawing on writers as diverse as Henry James, Martin Amis, Jane Austen and James Joyce. Looking at ideas such as the Intrusive Author, Suspense, the Epistolary Novel, Magic Realism and Symbolism, and illustrating each topic with a passage taken from a classic or modern novel, David Lodge makes the richness and variety of British and American fiction accessible to the general reader. He provides essential reading for students, aspiring writers and anyone who wants to understand how fiction works.
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 1448137799
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 255
Book Description
In this entertaining and enlightening collection David Lodge considers the art of fiction under a wide range of headings, drawing on writers as diverse as Henry James, Martin Amis, Jane Austen and James Joyce. Looking at ideas such as the Intrusive Author, Suspense, the Epistolary Novel, Magic Realism and Symbolism, and illustrating each topic with a passage taken from a classic or modern novel, David Lodge makes the richness and variety of British and American fiction accessible to the general reader. He provides essential reading for students, aspiring writers and anyone who wants to understand how fiction works.
The Last Draft
Author: Sandra Scofield
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0143131354
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 274
Book Description
The definitive handbook for the novelist who is ready to revise This wise and friendly guide shows writers how to turn first-draft manuscripts into the novels of their dreams. A critic, longtime teacher, and award-winning novelist, Sandra Scofield illustrates how to reread a work of fiction with a view of its subject and vision, and how to take it apart and put it back together again, stronger and deeper. Scofield builds her explanations around helpful concepts like narrative structure, character agency, and core scenes, using models from classic and contemporary writers. The detailed, step-by-step plan laid out in The Last Draft offers invaluable advice to both novice and experienced writers alike. In Scofield, they will find a seasoned, encouraging mentor to steer them through this emotional and intellectual journey.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0143131354
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 274
Book Description
The definitive handbook for the novelist who is ready to revise This wise and friendly guide shows writers how to turn first-draft manuscripts into the novels of their dreams. A critic, longtime teacher, and award-winning novelist, Sandra Scofield illustrates how to reread a work of fiction with a view of its subject and vision, and how to take it apart and put it back together again, stronger and deeper. Scofield builds her explanations around helpful concepts like narrative structure, character agency, and core scenes, using models from classic and contemporary writers. The detailed, step-by-step plan laid out in The Last Draft offers invaluable advice to both novice and experienced writers alike. In Scofield, they will find a seasoned, encouraging mentor to steer them through this emotional and intellectual journey.
Telling True Stories
Author: Mark Kramer
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1440628947
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Book Description
Interested in journalism and creative writing and want to write a book? Read inspiring stories and practical advice from America’s most respected journalists. The country’s most prominent journalists and nonfiction authors gather each year at Harvard’s Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism. Telling True Stories presents their best advice—covering everything from finding a good topic, to structuring narrative stories, to writing and selling your first book. More than fifty well-known writers offer their most powerful tips, including: • Tom Wolfe on the emotional core of the story • Gay Talese on writing about private lives • Malcolm Gladwell on the limits of profiles • Nora Ephron on narrative writing and screenwriters • Alma Guillermoprieto on telling the story and telling the truth • Dozens of Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists from the Atlantic Monthly, New Yorker, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and more . . . The essays contain important counsel for new and career journalists, as well as for freelance writers, radio producers, and memoirists. Packed with refreshingly candid and insightful recommendations, Telling True Stories will show anyone fascinated by the art of writing nonfiction how to bring people, scenes, and ideas to life on the page.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1440628947
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Book Description
Interested in journalism and creative writing and want to write a book? Read inspiring stories and practical advice from America’s most respected journalists. The country’s most prominent journalists and nonfiction authors gather each year at Harvard’s Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism. Telling True Stories presents their best advice—covering everything from finding a good topic, to structuring narrative stories, to writing and selling your first book. More than fifty well-known writers offer their most powerful tips, including: • Tom Wolfe on the emotional core of the story • Gay Talese on writing about private lives • Malcolm Gladwell on the limits of profiles • Nora Ephron on narrative writing and screenwriters • Alma Guillermoprieto on telling the story and telling the truth • Dozens of Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists from the Atlantic Monthly, New Yorker, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and more . . . The essays contain important counsel for new and career journalists, as well as for freelance writers, radio producers, and memoirists. Packed with refreshingly candid and insightful recommendations, Telling True Stories will show anyone fascinated by the art of writing nonfiction how to bring people, scenes, and ideas to life on the page.