I HAVE THIS NIFTY IDEA ...Now what do I do with it? This book contains outlines for science fiction and fantasy novels which real authors (new and old) used to sell their books to major publishing companies . . . actual examples drawn from authors files, not idealized versions prepared just for a textbook. Whether youre a beginning writer looking to break into novels, an experienced professional seeking new tools and techniques to sell books, or a fan curious about the remarkable thought-processes of some of the great genre writers of our time, you will find something here which enlightens, educates, and entertains you. I Have This Nifty Idea is the perfect addition to every library of books on writing. Includes work by Robert Silverberg, David Brin, Joe Haldeman, Mike Resnick, Robert J. Sawyer, Barry N. Malzberg, Kevin J. Anderson, Charles Sheffield, Katharine Kerr, Jack Dann, Jack L. Chalker, and many more.

"I would urge other writers, at whatever point in their careers, to take the time to read this indispensable handbook....Telling Lies for Fun & Profit should be a permanent part of every writer's library."

-- From the Introduction by Sue Grafton

Characters refusing to talk? Plot plodding along? Where do good ideas come from anyway? In this wonderfully practical volume, two-time Edgar Award-winning novelist Lawrence Block takes an inside look at writing as a craft and as a career.

From studying the market, to mastering self-discipline and "creative procrastination," through coping with rejections, Telling Lies for Fun & Profit is an invaluable sourcebook of information. It is a must read for anyone serious about writing or understanding how the process works.

Everyone has a story. The Write-Your-Life-Story Workbook will help readers write their own stories about themselves and their family with memory-prompting and thought-provoking questions. Special sections on interviewing loved ones will make the writing process a collaborative effort among the entire family. Readers will explore memories from their entire life with sections on parents, siblings, childhood, high school, career, and prime adulthood. And just as there are two sides to every story, the forms will include space for two or more people to share their unique perspectives on an event or family story. Major life moments such as buying a first car, receiving a first job, and first meeting a future spouse will be covered. The book will be a great gift for children to give to parents so they can learn more about their parents' lives.

"No book in shorter space, with fewer words, will help any writer more than this persistent little volume." - The Boston Globe You know the author's name. You recognize the title. The advice of Strunk is as valuable today as when it was first offered. This book has conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use "the little book" to make a big impact with writing.

If writing about music is like dancing about architecture, you'd do best to hone your chops and avoid cliches (like the one that begins this sentence) by learning from the prime movers." How to Write About Music" offers a selection of the best writers on what is perhaps our most universally beloved art form. Selections from the critically-acclaimed 33 1/3 series appear alongside new interviews and insights from authors like Jonathan Lethem, Carl Wilson and Kim Cooper." How to Write About Music "includes primary sources of inspiration from a variety of go-to genres such as: the album review, the personal essay, the blog post and the interview along with tips, writing prompts, and advice from the writers themselves. An extensive further reader section accompanies each chapter for a complete picture of contemporary music writing.Music critics of the past and the present offer inspiration through their work on artists like Neutral Milk Hotel, J.Dilla, The Rolling Stones, Joy Division, Lana Del Rey, Nirvana, Nas, Radiohead and countless others." How to Write About Music" is an invaluable tool for anyone who has ever dreamed of getting their music writing published and a pleasure for anyone who loves to read about music.

For centuries writers have used participatory experience as a lens through which to better see the world at large and as a means of exploring the self. Considering various types of participatory writing as different strains of one style--immersion writing--Robin Hemley offers new perspectives and practical advice for writers of this nonfiction genre.
Immersion writing can be broken down into the broad categories of travel writing, immersion memoir, and immersion journalism. Using the work of such authors as Barbara Ehrenreich, Hunter S. Thompson, Ted Conover, A. J. Jacobs, Nellie Bly, Julio Cortazar, and James Agee, Hemley examines these three major types of immersion writing and further identifies the subcategories of the quest, the experiment, the investigation, the infiltration, and the reenactment. Included in the book are helpful exercises, models for immersion writing, and a chapter on one of the most fraught subjects for nonfiction writers--the ethics and legalities of writing about other people.
"A Field Guide for Immersion Writing" recalibrates and redefines the way writers approach their relationship to their subjects. Suitable for beginners and advanced writers, the book provides an enlightening, provocative, and often amusing look at the ways in which nonfiction writers engage with the world around them.
A Friends Fund Publication.

CARTOON KIDZMAG IS A MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN'S MAGAZINE THAT IS EDUCATIVE, ENTERTAINING AND FUN TO READ .IT CUTS ACROSS ALL RACIAL DIVIDE, IT'S A TOTAL FAMILY MAGAZINE WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Screenwriters and Screenwriting is an innovative, fresh and lively book that is useful for both screenwriting practice and academic study. It is international in scope, with case studies and analyses from the US, the UK, Australia, Japan, Ireland and Denmark. The book presents a distinctive collection of chapters from creative academics and critical practitioners that serve one purpose: to put aspects of screenwriting practice into their relevant contexts. Focusing on how screenplays are written, developed and received, the contributors challenge assumptions of what 'screenwriting studies' might be, and celebrates the role of the screenwriter in the creation of a screenplay. It is intended to be thought provoking and stimulating, with the ultimate aim of inspiring current and future screenwriting practitioners and scholars.

If there is one skill that separates the professional screenwriter from the amateur, it is the ability to rewrite successfully. From Jack Epps, Jr., the screenwriter of Top Gun, Dick Tracy, and The Secret of My Success, comes a comprehensive guide that explores the many layers of rewriting. In Screenwriting is Rewriting, Epps provides a practical and tested approach to organizing notes, creating a game plan, and executing a series of focused passes that address the story, character, theme, structure, and plot issues. Included are sample notes, game plans, and beat sheets from Epps' work on films such as Sister Act and Turner and Hooch. Also featured are exclusive interviews with Academy Award (R) winning screenwriters Robert Towne (Chinatown) and Frank Pierson (Dog Day Afternoon), along with Academy Award (R) nominee Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich).

While traditional writing is typically understood as a language based on the combination of words, phrases, and sentences to communicate meaning, modern technologies have led educators to reevaluate the notion that writing is restricted to this definition. Exploring Multimodal Composition and Digital Writing investigates the use of digital technologies to create multi-media documents that utilise video, audio, and web-based elements to further written communication beyond what can be accomplished by words alone. Educators, scholars, researchers, and professionals will use this critical resource to explore theoretical and empirical developments in the creation of digital and multimodal documents throughout the education system.

During WWII my father kept a diary during his 300 combat hours and 81 missions as a decorated P-47 fighter pilot in England. This book celebrates and honors my father and mother's participation in that difficult time.

The screenplay "Hunters in the Fog" looks into the mysteries of luck and fate in war. Why is it certain pilots, regardless of their refined skills in war, fall victim to death, chopped short in youth? My father turns over that question in his diary. He notes the near misses to himself and other pilots, the mysterious accidents, the horror of fiery death and the strange beauty and suspense of aerial warfare. With his advice, and inspired in part by the classic characters of Dumas' "The Three Musketeers," we fashioned a similar set of personalities who must survive 300 hours of deadly aerial combat to complete their tour of duty.