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 Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:37 am
In case you haven't read it already, I highly recommend Steven King's "On Writing, a Memoir of the Craft." It's simply a book about how to write good stories. What makes it so great is that it is not a text book. It's Stephen King's take on what makes good stories, written in Stephen King language. So while its very enlightening, its also entertaining.
The opening to the book is also a short autobiography of Stephen King, so you can learn how he got started and how he came to be what he has become. You can learn a lot from his mistakes.
I think you can get the book for cheap at Walden Books. Last time I was in there I saw it on the bargain rack for $3. So if you don't have it already, get it. It's a very valuable resource.
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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:49 am
I read loads of how to books and I haven't come across a good one yet but I'll keep you informed with what I find.
I've recently...well I've bought a book called "How not to write a novel" by david armstrong. It's an interesting book cos it tells you things that people have done which they shouldn't have, for example " "chapter - how to... books...
A short extract:
"there are any number of books on the market that claim to be able to tell you how to write a bestseller. I know quite a few writers, including some who have written bestsellers. They're a mixed bunch, male and female, Britiah and AMerican, tall and short, gay and hetero. But they have one thing in common: none of them has learned to do what it is they do by reading a book about it"<<< so true.
(Declaimer-not my work etc)
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The Bookwyrm Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:47 am
I'm going to put this up as a Sticky, guys, so it stays at the top of the page and we can add to it at will. 3nodding
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Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:06 pm
I've never really found "how to write" books to be all that useful. My suggestion is just to read. Anything. But I recommend varying the genres and the subject-matter as much as possible.
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The Bookwyrm Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 5:00 pm
I know if any of you find yourselves like me, you end up up to your nose in essays (I'm a 3rd year English Advanced Major with a Sociology minor, so I do a lot of writing!). A friend of mine showed me this essay outline in my first year, and I swear I'd be lost without it! You can add to it or take away from it as you need to, because it's just a guide for what you want in your essay. But as it is here, this is an easy 7 page paper.
What's also great about this is that it can be altered and used to plan out chapters in a novel or story.
So feel free to make use of this! It was passed along to me, and I pass it along now to all of you. If you'd like a copy of it that actually has lines in it so you can print it off, just let me know, and I'll email the "word" file to you. 3nodding
Essay Outline for
General Statement:
Thesis:
Paragraph 1
1.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
2.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
3.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Paragraph 2
4.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
5.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
6.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Paragraph 3
7.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
8.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
9.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Conclusion:
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Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 7:23 am
Gypsy Blue : Sorry, but how is that thing meant to be used? sweatdrop
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 10:34 am
I've just gone out and bought the "Children's writers' & Artist yearbook 2005"
It's worth the money (?12.99 or $23.99 I think) Even if you're not looking to publish yet it gives you advice from novels and poems to prizes and festivals all over the globe.
So if anyone, like myself, is thinking about writing for the ages 0+-14+ I'd find it, read it or buy it.
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 4:59 pm
MaDMiDgEt In case you haven't read it already, I highly recommend Steven King's "On Writing, a Memoir of the Craft." It's simply a book about how to write good stories. What makes it so great is that it is not a text book. It's Stephen King's take on what makes good stories, written in Stephen King language. So while its very enlightening, its also entertaining. The opening to the book is also a short autobiography of Stephen King, so you can learn how he got started and how he came to be what he has become. You can learn a lot from his mistakes. I think you can get the book for cheap at Walden Books. Last time I was in there I saw it on the bargain rack for $3. So if you don't have it already, get it. It's a very valuable resource. I've been wanting to get that for a while. Is it worth buying? Or should I just get a copy from the library? Will I be using it more than once?
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:00 pm
I have a hard time with 'learn to write books'. I feel like they restrain me by putting into my head the idea that I have to write a certain way or else it is wrong. I'm certain that there is at least another person out there like me, and for that person, I suggest reading. Alot. Also, keep writing, and have your peers critique your work. Or we could do it. Anyways, constructive criticism helps alot. That's how I learned about parallel structure and all that fun stuff. The books help to get the creative ideas in your head. As my mom always tells me, there's nothing completely original in the world. By reading, you'll learn about demons, basics of basketball, and other things you might one day want to use in a story. So keep reading and writing!
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 4:50 pm
Everyone who's stuck on a rhyme should go to http://www.rhymezone.com/ It's great and it tells all sorts of things. Check it out.
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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:44 pm
Cereah I have a hard time with 'learn to write books'. I feel like they restrain me by putting into my head the idea that I have to write a certain way or else it is wrong. I'm certain that there is at least another person out there like me, and for that person, I suggest reading. Alot. Also, keep writing, and have your peers critique your work. Or we could do it. Anyways, constructive criticism helps alot. That's how I learned about parallel structure and all that fun stuff. The books help to get the creative ideas in your head. As my mom always tells me, there's nothing completely original in the world. By reading, you'll learn about demons, basics of basketball, and other things you might one day want to use in a story. So keep reading and writing! Got to agree with you there...I feel kind of limited by what is acceptable as a book/story/poem. I really prefer honesty to form in literature.
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Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 12:21 pm
I found an interesting web site. Those of you who like the gothic and horror short stories you may want to give this page a look in. It has tons of short stories to read from famous (all though dead) authors.
Enjoy
www.horrormasters.com
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 3:42 pm
I know a good website sorta like that. They have links to different essays on the gothic genre and some other stuff ... here's the link. Literary Gothic
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 10:23 am
I have a book called How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card. It's pretty good. It talks about the audience you are writing to, and how to not really make cliche characters and such. It's really good. I liked it and it was very helpful. I highly suggest looking it up.
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Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:11 am
eternal-phantom I have a book called How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card. It's pretty good. It talks about the audience you are writing to, and how to not really make cliche characters and such. It's really good. I liked it and it was very helpful. I highly suggest looking it up. Oh I LOVE Orson Scott Card. He's easily one of my favorite Science Fiction writers...EVER
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