The act of writing a memoir may feel daunting, but it doesn't have to be! With 70 inspiring topics, these pages invite you to capture meaningful parts of your life through briefly written snapshots. Each topic starts with a list prompt to help spark ideas followed by a few questions for reflection, and then plenty of space to explore your memories in more detail. From reflecting on your best childhood friends and memorable trips to embarrassing moments and toughest experiences, use this journal as a tool for self-discovery and create a mini memoir that will keep your stories alive for generations to come.

From the former U.S. Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winner, an illuminating dissection of poetic form for students, enthusiasts, and newcomers alike A Little Book on Form brilliantly synthesizes Hass's formidable gifts as both a poet and essayist. In it he takes up the central tension between poetry as genre and the poetics of the imagination. A wealth of vocabulary exists with which to talk about poetry in traditional formal terms. But the more intuitive, creative parts of a poet's work and processes are more elusive: if the most interesting aspect of form is the shaping power of the essential, expressive gestures inside it, how do we come to a language in which to speak about form as the search for the radiant shapes- the wholeness or brokenness-we experience inside powerful works of art? In suggestive, informal "notes," Haas thinks through the idea of a poem from its barest building blocks-the one line haiku, the brief epigram or prayer-to the complex villanelle and sonnet, and beyond them, to the grand forms of elegy and ode through which poets across human cultures have investigated the shapes of grieving and desiring. His approach singularly employs postmodern perspectives on shape, thought, feeling, content, and movement, calling on Catullus and Allen Ginsberg, Kobayashi Issa and Czeslaw Milosz. Begunb as a project for students of poetry, A Little Book on Form is anything but-Hass investigates the ancient roots of the poetic impulse, taking a wide-ranging look at the most intense experience of human thought and feeling in language.

The fast and easy way to write your memoir

Memoir writing is a growing phenomenon, and not just by celebrities and politicians. Everyone has a story to tell, and "Memoir Writing For Dummies" provides hopeful writers with the tools they need to share their life stories with the world and become published authors.

With easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions--along with helpful tips and advice on how to get published--"Memoir Writing For Dummies" shows you how to put pen to paper and hone the craft of writing a truly compelling memoir. You'll get advice on how to explore your memories, map out your story, perfect your plot, setting, character, and dialogue, and so much more.Includes tips on getting over writer's blockGuides you through every step of the writing and editing processesCovers the best ways to market a finished memoir

Packed with proven tips and writing tricks of the trade, "Memoir Writing For Dummies" gives you everything you need to ensure your life story is never forgotten.

Who is allowed access to a crime scene? What happens when a body is discovered? Will a blood transfusion alter DNA? How can the distribution of gunshot residue inform your plot? The Real CSI - A Forensic Handbook for Crime Writers answers these questions and more in a unique and exclusive insight into crime scene investigation. Using real-life examples and case studies, experienced CSI Kate Bendelow shines a light behind the yellow tape and debunks the myths popularized by the 'CSI Effect'. Each chapter explores the latest procedures in contemporary practice including: Crime Scene access and preservation; fingerprints and DNA profiling; footwear; trace evidence; Fire scenes; drugs and toxicology and, finally, firearms. Packed with insider knowledge, handy tips and compelling storylines, this is the definitive guide for all crime writers who wish to write with authenticity and authority.

In Signs of Writing Roy Harris re-examines basic questions about writing that have long been obscured by the traditional assumption that writing is merely a visual substitute for speech. By treating writing as an independent mode of communication, based on the use of spatial relations to connect events separated in time, the author shows how musical, mathematical and other forms of writing obey the same principles as verbal writing. These principles, he argues, apply to texts of all kinds: a sonnet, a symphonic score, a signature on a cheque and a supermarket label. Moreover, they apply throughout the history of writing, from hieroglyphics to hypertext. This is the first book to provide a new general theory of writing in over forty years. Signs of Writing will be essential reading for anyone interested in language and communication.

Writing great song lyrics requires practice and discipline. "Songwriting Without Boundaries" helps songwriters commit to routine practice through fun writing exercises. This unique collection of sense-bound prompt challenges helps songwriters develop the skills they need to:

tap into their senses and inject their writing with vivid details
effectively use metaphor and comparative language
add rhythm to their writing and manage phrasing

Divided into four sections, this guide features four different fourteen-day challenges with timed writing exercises, along with examples from other songwriters, poets and prose writers. Contributing writers will include: multiple Grammy winning songwriter Gillian Welch; professional songwriter Mike Reid (?I Can?t Make You Love Me? [performed by Bonnie Raitt]); professional poet Caroline Harvey, who was featured on HBO's Def Poetry Jam; a host of songwriters from the Berklee College of Music faculty; and more.

In this book Marina Lambrou explores the dimension of narrative storytelling described as 'the disnarrated' - events that do not happen but which are referred to - across three genres of texts: personal narratives; news stories; and fiction (literary and film). The book begins by asking why such disnarrated narratives are nevertheless considered tellable. It moves on to examine the pervasiveness of this phenomenon in news reports about "near misses" and the shared personal narratives about dangerous experiences, where "truth" is expected to be central their telling. It further discusses how disnarration is generated in counterfactual "what if?" scenarios in fiction where characters follow alternative, forked paths with fascinating unexpected consequences. This engaging work offers original insights to anyone interested in storytelling and will appeal in particular to scholars of language and literature, stylistics, narratology, media, film and journalism.

Find some humor, sadness, joy, and everything in between in your life.

The author, Gaurav Patel, brings at least a few of these emotions to anyone who likes to read poetry. "Web of Life" includes the following: LonelinessDepressedHumorThoughtsHappiness

"Web of Life" is just simply everyday reading enjoyment.

Discover how to create stories that build suspense, reveal character, and engage your audience with this ultimate guide to writing. When it comes to writing bestsellers, it's all about the plot. Trouble is, plot is where most writers fall down-but you don't have to be one of them. With this book, you'll learn how to create stories that build suspense, reveal character, and engage readers-one scene at a time. Celebrated writing teacher and author Martha Alderson has devised a plotting system that's as innovative as it is easy to implement. With her foolproof blueprint, you'll learn to devise a successful storyline for any genre. She shows how to: -Use the power of the Universal Story -Create plot lines and subplots that work together -Effectively use a scene tracker for maximum impact -Insert energetic markers at the right points in your story -Show character transformation at the book's climax This is the ultimate guide for you to write page-turners that sell!

A simple journal that offers one question per day, to be answered on the same day for five years in a row. The questions range from the prosaic ("What did you have-for lunch today?") to the contemplative ("Can people really change?")', giving readers a comprehensive look back at their thoughts and feelings over a five year span. For anybody who has ever given up journaling after being intimidated when facing a blank page, this book makes it easy to take a snapshot of your inner life in just a few minutes each day. The beauty of this journal is that it enables readers to track their emotional growth as well as keep track of memories, and provides an interesting walk down memory lane a few years later. The simple one question prompts make this book to journaling as adult colouring books are to art - a gateway product with built-in creative inspiration. The specially sized package features a printed flexi-bound cover, four-colour endpapers, quality paper, and bookmark ribbon.

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This is a versatile book of inspiring, ready-to-use, creative writing activities. Each activity has been designed to encourage writers, providing interesting and fun projects that promote positive healthy emotions, such as thankfulness, fun, happiness, hopefulness, love, wonder, inspiration, creativity, etc. This title includes activities that are attractively presented to help inspire the writer and enhance the appearance of the project. The activities help writers to explore a wide range of positive emotional experiences that may contribute to their wellbeing and mental health. This title includes simple and fun activities that can be used with individuals or groups. It encompasses a wide variety of practical, everyday writing styles and skills, such as thank you cards, shopping lists, instructions, recipes, etc. The activities are not intended to explore painful emotional experiences so can be used safely by non-professionals and individuals working on their own. This book is useful for anyone working with older children, teenagers, and adults of all ages, and in a wide variety of contexts.

Incorporating readings representing new voices and styles in nonfiction that will appeal to contemporary readers, this classic composition reader continues to provide engaging, instructive models of the rhetorical modes. A wealth of new selections appear in this respected modes-based reader, continuing its tradition of offering high-quality, accessible readings, both classic and with a contemporary "edge" and style. The readings encourage students to take a stand on questions of culture, identity, and value in college communities, in the workplace, and in society. Thorough introductions to each rhetorical pattern, numerous exercises, and sample student essays throughout the book emphasize practical concrete writing strategies. A thematic table of contents and table of "Essay Pairs"-which groups essays particularly well-suited for study and discussion-make this book versatile and convenient for instructors to adapt for their classes.

From one of America's most influential writing teachers, a collection of 50 of the best writing strategies distilled from 50 writing and language books -- from Aristotle to Strunk and White. With so many excellent writing guides lining bookstore shelves, it can be hard to know where to look for the best advice. Should you go with Natalie Goldberg or Anne Lamott? Maybe William Zinsser or Donald Murray would be more appropriate. Then again, what about the classics -- Strunk and White, or even Aristotle himself? Thankfully, your search is over. In Murder Your Darlings, Roy Peter Clark, who for more than 30 years has been a beloved and revered writing teacher to children and Pulitzer prize-winners alike, has compiled a remarkable collection of 50 of the best writing tips from 50 of the best writing books of all time. With a chapter devoted to each piece of advice, Clark expands and contextualizes the original author's suggestions, and offers anecdotes about how each one helped him or other writers sharpen their skills. An invaluable resource for scribblers of all kinds, Murder Your Darlings is an inspiring and edifying ode to the craft of writing.

"Part-time Writer" guides the reader through all aspects of writing - from the embryonic stages of researching and planning, to the hard slog of the writing and editing, through to the presentation of the manuscript, and finally, approaching agents and publishers. At each stage, the author explains how she did it - and how the reader can do it too. How can I write engaging dialogue? What can I do to make my characters 'live' on the page? Must I always 'show and not tell'? How can I transform a hobby into a book? When is the right time to show my work to others? How should I present my manuscript? Do I need an agent? Where can I publish my work? Should I self-publish? Where can I find the time to write a novel? In her inimitable style, Marjorie Quarton merges literary memoir, anecdotes and straight talking to provide invaluable insights into the realities of being a writer, while offering indispensable advice on the trade, making this book a must-have for any aspiring author.

This book is a unique collection of new interviews with award-winning writers - novelists, poets, playwrights and children's writers. Each writer discusses their process, both mental and physical: why they write, who they write for, where and how often they write, their recurring themes, their problems and achievements. The interviews are personal, honest, informative, intriguing and often humorous. Each writer has also chosen a short extract from one of their works as an example of their style. Together their stories offer a fascinating insight into what makes a successful writer. This engaging collection inspires and delights: it is sure to appeal to anyone who loves reading or has ever wanted to be a writer.

The Writer's Reader is an anthology of essays on the art and life of writing by major writers of the past and present. These essays offer a wealth of insights into how writers approach their craft and represent a practical resource as well as a source of inspiration. The writings collected here range from classic to less well-known, historical to contemporary, and include, for example, essays on the vocation of writing by Natalia Ginzburg, John Berger, Edwidge Danticat, Julia Alvarez, and Flannery O'Connor; thoughts on preparing for writing by Roberto Bolano, Henry Miller, Jorge Luis Borges, Ha Jin, and Cynthia Ozick; and essays on the craft of writing by authors such as Italo Calvino, Colm Toibin, Virginia Woolf, Philip Roth, Lydia Davis, David Foster Wallace, and Zadie Smith. Taken together, this collection is a must-read for any student or devotee of writing.

"If you're ready to graduate from the boy-meets-girl league of screenwriting, meet John Truby . . . his lessons inspire] epiphanies that make you see the contours of your psyche as sharply as your script."--"LA Weekly" John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry, and his students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood's most successful films, including "Sleepless in Seattle," "Scream," and "Shrek." "The Anatomy of Story "is his long-awaited first book, and it shares all his secrets for writing a compelling script. Based on the lessons in his award-winning class, Great Screenwriting, "The Anatomy of Story "draws on a broad range of philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative.

This how-to-write fiction book is comprised primarily of exercises introduced by brief but informative essays on the aspects of fiction. Long on specifics and short on theoretical information so often found in books about the art of writing, this text provides a practical, hands-on approach to writing fiction. Organized by the elements of fiction and concluded by an anthology of contemporary fiction, this book helps all fiction writers hone and improve their craft. The elements of fiction-character, point of view, dialogue, plot, style and revision. For those interested in improving fiction-writing skills.

The history of fiction has been dominated by the novel and the short story. But now a brave new genre has emerged: very brief fiction. FLASH! identifies the qualities that make for excellent flash fiction, demystifies the writing process and guides writers by exercise and example through the world of the very short story. John Dufresne's characteristic warmth, wit and humour remind writers of the joy in the creative process, making this a perfect guide for any writer interested in trying a new form.

From rags-to-riches-to-rags tell-alls to personal health sagas to literary journalism everyone seems to want to try their hand at creative nonfiction. Now, Lee Gutkind, the go-to expert for all things creative nonfiction, taps into one of the fastest-growing genres with this new writing guide. Frank and to-the-point, with depth and clarity, Gutkind describes and illustrates each and every aspect of the genre, from defining a concept and establishing a writing process to the final product. Offering new ways of understanding genre and invaluable tools for writers to learn and experiment with, You Can't Make This Stuff Up allows writers of all skill levels to thoroughly expand and stylize their work.