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John Truby's famous 22 steps of storytelling are now collected in book form. Previously, his method was only available on expensive cd's or seminars. Truby disdains the 3 act structure, and gets specific so that a writer can figure out which scene to write next, and why.

Updated Nov 1, 2008

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Writing a Screenplay?

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13 Ways of Looking at the Novel: Jane Smiley

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First there are 13 chapters about novels, including 2 on your novel (the writing and the rewriting). Then there are her comments on the 100 novels she read in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, as she attempted to make sense of the world. Jane Smiley is one of my favorite writers, and she has also taught fiction writing extensively.

Updated Jul 23, 2008

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On Writing

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King details how many words he writes a day, how long it takes him to create a first draft, how he edits. Essential information for writers, eminently readable.

Updated Jun 25, 2008

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Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

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The most important chapter in this book is called "Shitty First Drafts" - because if you can't get past the gap between what you imagine and what actually comes out of your pen, you won't ever get your story finished.

Updated Jun 25, 2008

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A Story Is a Promise: Good Things to Know Before You Write That Screenplay, Novel, or Play

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I took Bill Johnson's seminar at Screenwriter's Expo 2, and it was completely inspiring. This book will remind you of the basics as you set out on your writing journey.

Updated Jan 12, 2007

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Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

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This excellent book will introduce you to 2 invigorating concepts:
Morning Pages, where you write without stopping for 3 pages first thing each day (kind of the like Peter Elbow's freewrite); and the Artist's Date - where you take your inner artist on a fun excursion. Julia Cameron also introduces a somewhat radical idea - that humans were born to create, and that when they do they please God, the ultimate creator. The fire and brimstone types won't like that a bit.

Updated Jan 6, 2007

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Writing With Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process

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Peter Elbow had trouble writing, and developed a technique to get a powerful voice into even the most mundane writing assignments. At the heart of his method is the 10 minute freewriting exercise. He's an original thinker and will help you be more original, too.
I love his idea about writing a research paper: rather than get bogged down, and possibly use the research as a delaying tactic, he suggests writing a quick draft with what you know at the beginning, which will then sharpen your mind to the actual facts as you come across them.

Updated Jan 6, 2007

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Max out your Productivity

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Room to Write

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If you like to warm up with an exercise before getting down to "serious" writing, this book has 200 studies, each a self-contained page that begins with a description, then an assignment, then a quote by a famous writer. One of my favorites is called "Failing" - crossed through, because "there's no such thing as failing." The assignment is "today write a full page of junk..." And the quote by Samuel Beckett: "Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

Updated Jan 7, 2007

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Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting

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Here is everything you need to know about story structure. Wish I'd read this book long ago - it would have saved me loads of time. I also took the seminar, but it is exactly the book, except for the 3rd day where McKee dissects Casablanca. The seminar costs around $400, and the book is 25 bucks. So I'd go for the printed word. If you want to hear the master's voice, you can get the audio version. One of my favorite movies, Adaptation, sends up McKee's strict demeanor and cult-like devotees.

Updated Jan 24, 2007

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The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life

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Do you ever wish you had someone to hold your hand while you're slogging through your character's backstory? Figuring out what they wear, how they eat, their financial status, fashion sense, values? This author addresses all that in the first chapter "Characterization: the outer life." Other chapters include: The Journey, Suspense, Conflict, and Transcendency.

Updated Jan 7, 2007

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Write that novel in 2008 - a list by kayzee

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