Looking Back on National Novel Writing Month

This year, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I wasn't going to, but one of my friends and I decided to participate together. I've done NaNoWriMo before, and I remember those years as being fairly easy--I was able to jump in and write 50,000 words without too much trouble.  Things were much different this year. For one, I decided to take NaNoWriMo more seriously than I had in the past. This meant that I had an outline for my story, which is something I usually don't do. Before, when I've tried outlining novels before writing them, I've either never finished the outline, or I haven't followed it when writing. The novel I had been working on was a complete mess, though, so I decided to start over for NaNoWriMo, which meant: an outline.

The outline worked out much better than I thought it would. For the first time, I actually followed what I had written in the outline. It made the writing process a tiny bit easier. That being said, I struggled more with NaNoWriMo this year than I had in past years. Part of it was finding motivation, but fortunately, my friend is an amazing writing partner, and she did a great job holding me accountable. We texted each other every day just to check in to see how things were going.

Some days were better than others. It didn't take too long for me to fall behind on daily word counts. Even when I did catch up, I'd fall behind again the next day. I also discovered that despite my outline, I was writing scenes in my novel that weren't in the outline. It worked, though, because the scenes fit in with the story, and I was still able to follow the outline. I also discovered as I wrote that some things in my outline needed to be moved around, which I did during the writing process.

If you're thinking about trying to do NaNoWriMo next year, here are some things I've learned this year.

Have a support system.

Writing is often a solitary activity, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a support system. This can be in the form of having a writing partner (or partners), or just letting your friends and family know that you're going to write a book in one month, and you need their support and encouragement. For me, having a writing partner was the best support system, as she held me accountable, kept me motivated, and was able to share in my excitement and frustration throughout the month.

Know your writing process.

Everyone has a different writing process. If you need an outline, have one prepared before November 1, that way you're not scrambling to outline when you should be writing. If you prefer not to have an outline, still know the basics of your story--what the main conflict is, who your characters are--before you start writing.

Also, know what time of day is best for you to write. For some people, it's in the morning. For some, it might be the middle of the day, or during your lunch hour. For some people, it's at night. A lot of writing advice will tell you to get up early to write, and you should--if that's what works best for you. Don't fight your natural body clock--write when you know you'll be the most focused on it.

Check in with NaNoWriMo's two Twitter accounts, @NaNoWriMo and @NaNoWordSprints.

The first account is great because writing coaches are there to answer your questions. The second account is great because you can participate in virtual writing sprints, with prompts. Either way, it's fun to participate online and be connected with other people who are participating in NaNoWriMo.

Have fun!

This is probably the best piece of advice I can give if you're going to participate in NaNoWriMo. Yes, writing 50,000 words in 30 days can be stressful, but don't forget that the process is supposed to be fun. Don't worry about having a perfect first draft. Let things get messy. At this point, you're writing for you, not for an audience, so make sure you enjoy it.

Did you participate in NaNoWriMo this year? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

NaNoWriMo

It's National Novel Writing Month!  Have you taken up the challenge to write a 50,000 novel in 30 days? The folks at the NaNoWriMo website make it so easy - sign up for free, track your word count, get pep talks from famous authors, attend write-ins locally, and, for those who find it hard to commit, you can even print out and sign a Month-Long Novelist Agreement and Statement of Understanding, acknowledging that "the the month-long, 50,000 word deadline [you] set for [yourself] is absolute and unchangeable."

Why NaNoWriMo?  You love writing.  You love the challenge (or could use a motivator).  Also, according to the website: "Over 250 NaNoWriMo novels have been traditionally published. They include Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Hugh Howey’s Wool, Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, Jason Hough’s The Darwin Elevator, and Marissa Meyer’s Cinder."

If you have been participating your word count should be just past the halfway mark, around 28,000 words as of November 17th. Just two weeks left to go! We are participating this year, and we are running way, way behind at around 14,000 words.  One of our writing buddies, in Alaska, just did an 11-hour lock-in writing marathon.  It might come to that for us! Our region (USA: New Mexico: Albuquerque) has many helpful events scheduled, including Write-Ins at a variety of locations. There are also Word Sprints on Twitter, Virtual Write-Ins, and more - check the Official NaNoWriMo calendar.

If you are feeling like you could use some inspiration, there's a Get Inspired page on the NaNoWriMo site, or, consider checking a writing guide from the library catalog!  Some standouts include:


No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty [eBook]

The Writer's Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life by Priscilla Long

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott [eBook]

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King [eBook + eAudio]

Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life by Natalie Goldberg

How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead: Your Words in Print and Your Name in Lights by Ariel Gore 

Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story by Ursula K. Le Guin [eBook] 

Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers by Carolyn See 

Still Writing: The Pleasures and Perils of a Creative Life by Dani Shapiro  

On Writing by Eudora Welty 

Plotto: The Master Book of All Plots by William Wallace Cook [eBook]

A Kite in the Wind: Fiction Writers on Their Craft edited by Andrea Barrett and Peter Turchi [eBook]

Why We Write: 20 Acclaimed Authors on How and Why They Do What They Do edited by Meredith Maran 

  

For more writing guides, try a subject search of "Authorship - Handbooks, manuals, etc." or "Authorship".

If you haven't been participating, there's always next year, or there are other NaNoWriMo-style events during the year - Playwriting Month, Gothic Novel Writing Month, 24 Hour Comics Day, Script Frenzy. 

Links

The NaNoWriMo Blog

Best Books for Writers [Poets & Writers]

Great First Lines: Middle Grade Edition

The Summer Reading Program is coming, and one of my favorite things about this time of year is visiting elementary schools and talking to the students about books and reading. I love having elementary school students judge books by their covers and first lines. A couple of weeks ago, I did a post on great first lines in young adult fiction; today, I'm sharing the great first lines from the books I took to my elementary school visits, along with the students' reactions.

"The calendar said early March, but the smell in the air said late October."
--The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Not surprisingly, the kids didn't love that first line, but they did love the cover of the book.

"The way I see it, I stopped being a kid on April 12, 1951."
--Catch You Later, Traitor by Avi

This was another first line they didn't love, but the students asked me to keep reading, and by the time we got through the first four (short) paragraphs, they were hooked.

"There were so many dead bodies stuffed into Gram's freezer chest that it was kind of like wandering through a cryonics lab."
--Turn Left at the Cow by Lisa Bullard

The kids loved this line so much that they asked me to read it a second time.

"'Stay out of trouble.' Kids hear that all the time, and most of the time, we barely pay attention. But when an FBI agent says it, and it's the fourth time in two weeks that you've been to the federal building in Boston? You listen."
--Ollie and the Science of Treasure Hunting by Erin Dionne

This was actually the first three paragraphs of the book, and this was one book that had a variety of reactions. Some kids liked it, some didn't, and most were undecided.

"Rye and her two friends had never intended to steal the banned book from the Angry Poet--they'd just hoped to read it."
--The Luck Uglies by Paul Durham

Most of the kids liked this line, and why not? I'm intrigued enough by characters stealing a banned book from an angry poet, and the kids were, too.

"I was on my tippy-toes, bouncing up and down on the first step of the bus, stuck behind my second cousin, Danisha, and her melon-sized butt."
--Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana

This line got a ton of laughs, which was what I was going for. One class had me read it a second time just because they thought it was hilarious.

"Of all the items that can clog your plumbing, an overweight Arctic mammal is probably the worst."
--Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done by Stephan Pastis

Some of the kids liked this line, but most didn't, which surprised me.

"In the shadow of our apple tree, looking out across a river at a city full of glass and whispers, I take my dad's hand and watch our enemy fly toward us."
--The Dark Wild by Piers Torday

Everyone loved this line, which wasn't a surprise.

"'Elliot von Doppler, you come down here right now or I swear, I'll boil you in soup and serve you to your father'!"
--The Creature Department by Robert Paul Weston

I've used this book two years in a row at these events, and each time, almost everyone loved it.

What are your favorite first lines in middle grade fiction? Let us know in the comments!

Reading for Creative Writers

Reading has always been inextricably tied to writing for me.  I know I'm not the only one out there who feels this way, because I've spoken to plenty of library-going book-lovers who are also writers of some kind.  As we read, we feed off of the creativity an author has put into their work and use it as fuel for our own writing.  We are inspired by character development and complex plot lines, by delicate prose and intense description.  We are readers who love to write, and even if we are not reading explicitly to improve our writing, we read like writers - hungrily, and with an open mind to the possibilities contained in a good book.

Even though I have loved writing since I learned how to do it, I scarcely consider myself a fledgling author.  I have only ever taken one creative writing class, and that was back in college.  To be honest, I have been resistant to begin writing for fun again, and even more resistant to self-educating about it.  I had adopted the attitude that if I were a good writer, I would naturally produce good work with practice; there wasn't much I could learn to help me improve, and the way my writing started out would be the way it would always be.  But I've had to change my mind about that.  I've discovered that, like anything, there are definite steps I can take and methods I can use to better my writing. 

There are so many great works to learn from by example, and fantastic books of instruction we can turn to as well.  The library has a nice variety of the latter, several of which I'm eager to share with you.

Let's begin where the joy of writing first takes root.  Most of us with a penchant for writing have loved it since we knew how to form wobbly letters with tiny hands.  Do you remember the feeling?  For little ones, there are not many books about the exhilaration of writing a story, which is why I adore this twist on Little Red Riding Hood for 5 to 8 year olds.  It is full of super cute illustrative details, and because the story instructs in such a fun-filled way, it hardly feels like it is packed with tips for great story making.

(As a truly exciting side note, I'd like to mention that we've partnered with PBS to bring you a kid's writing contest for children in K through Third grades.  The deadline for entry to the contest is March 31st, so if you know any inspired kiddos, don't wait to get them started!  You can find entries at any of our branches, and we have planned some workshops to help participants along.  Check these and others out and register here.)


For older children (about 8 years and up), there are two books by a favorite childhood author of mine - Gail Carson Levine.  Her most recent on the subject of writing came out in December: Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink.  I know it's a children's book, but I can't wait to read it.  Before Writer to Writer, she wrote Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly.  Appropriately, many titles for teens and "tweens" deal  - in a fun and engaging way, of course - with the building blocks of good writing.  Here are a few: 

Grammar Girl by Mignon Fogarty

So, You Want to Be a Writer?: How to Write, Get Published, and Maybe Even Make it Big! by Vicki Hambleton and Cathleen Greenwood

My Weird Writing Tips by Dan Gutman


If you search in our catalog for books about writing, you will find everything under the sun, from grant writing to writers' thoughts on writing, from "the best of," to literacy issues. Here are some that stand out specifically for creative writers:

For the Young at Heart

Writing Books for Kids and Teens by Marion Crook

Writing New Adult Fiction by Deborah Halverson
Check out our recent post New & Novel: Romantic Fiction for New Adults, specifically about NA, a category dedicated to people ages 18-26.

Let That Crazy Child Write by Clive Matson




Specific Types of Creative Writing

On Writing Romance: How to Craft a Novel That Sells by Leigh Michaels.

The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction: The Complete Guide to Finding Your Story, Honing Your Skills, & Glorifying God in Your Novel by Jeff Gerke

Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy by the editors of Analog and Isaac Asimov's science fiction magazine


General Writing Guides

Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
This one I have never forgotten from my creative writing class in college.

Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose

Fast Fiction:  A Guide to Outlining and Writing a First-Draft Novel in Thirty Days by Denise Jaden
Have you heard of NaNoWriMo?  This book would be a great place to start preparing.

The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
I know a published author who loves this book and has adopted some daily practices from it that help keep her writing juices flowing.

The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing by Alice LaPlante

Writing With Emotion, Tension and Conflict by Cheryl St John 



If you also consider yourself a writer, what do you like to write?  Have you read any great books that have helped you on your way?  Please comment!  

J.K. Rowling: Should She Stop Writing?

Back in February, Lynn Shepherd posted an editorial on Huffington Post's UK blog about J.K. Rowling and why Rowling should stop writing. Shepherd equated Rowling's The Cuckoo's Calling (written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith) to a monopoly, suggesting that the high sales of the book resulted in other books not being sold or possibly even given shelf space. Here are some of Shepherd's thoughts about The Cuckoo's Calling phenomenon and J.K. Rowling writing adult fiction:

"The book [The Cuckoo's Calling] dominated crime lists, and crime reviews in newspapers, and crime sections in bookshops, making it even more difficult than it already was for other books - just as well-written, and just as well-received - to get a look in. Rowling has no need of either the shelf space or the column inches, but other writers desperately do. And now there's going to be a sequel, and you can bet the same thing is going to happen all over again."

"By all means keep writing for kids, or for your personal pleasure - I would never deny anyone that - but when it comes to the adult market you've had your turn. Enjoy your vast fortune and the good you're doing with it, luxuriate in the love of your legions of fans, and good luck to you on both counts. But it's time to give other writers, and other writing, room to breathe."

Shepherd's editorial got me thinking--is it fair? While I understand the frustration Shepherd expresses--the same frustration is expressed often when celebrities publish fiction--in that it's hard to be published, and Rowling's books might mean other, equally talented, adult fiction writers won't get published. Still, I'm not sure I agree with Shepherd's sentiments. After all, J.K. Rowling had to start somewhere, too. According to Wikipedia, it took her approximately four years to write Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and twelve publishing houses rejected the manuscript before Bloomsbury purchased the manuscript and published it in 1997.

What this means is, Rowling's publishing story isn't unlike that of other authors. It proves, in fact, how difficult it can be to get published. Did the success of Harry Potter make it easier for Rowling to publish adult fiction? Maybe. Does that mean she shouldn't continue to write and publish adult fiction, and instead let lesser-known and unknown authors publish it instead? I'm not so sure. After all, if she should stop writing adult fiction for those reasons, then so should many other authors--Stephen King, James Patterson, Danielle Steel, and other bestselling authors. In addition, if Rowling has had her turn with adult fiction, then can't it also be said that she's had her turn with children's fiction, and possibly just writing in general? The age level a book is written for doesn't make it easier or harder to be published--it's likely that there are just as many unknown children's authors as there are adult fiction authors, so can't it be said that if Rowling writes more children's fiction, she's taking shelf space and other resources away from children's authors who haven't been published yet? (That is, of course, if we follow Shepherd's logic.)

What do you think? Do you agree with Shepherd, and that Rowling has had her turn with adult fiction? Should Rowling only write children's fiction, or should she celebrate her success as a writer for multiple age levels across multiple genres, and continue to write anything she wants to write?

Books for Writers

We all know a good story when we hear one.  If a story is amazing then we can't stop thinking about it, we stay up late reading it, we tell everyone we know that they have to read it too.  Many people who love to read good stories, or hear good stories also like to write them too.  However, the discipline of writing can be difficult.  To those who love books and stories, reading comes easy.  All you have to do is pick up the story and lose yourself in it, but getting started writing a story to lose yourself in can be tricky.  There are so many books to help you with writing that it can be hard to pick just one to focus on.  Here is a list of my favorite books on writing:

Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron
I happened to find myself leafing through this book, and when a fellow library worker saw me with it he praised it so much I knew I had to read it.  This book shows the neuroscience behind our reaction to storytelling to help you write the best story you can.  The science is fascinating, and the tips are helpful.

You Can't Make this Stuff Up: The Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction -- From Memoir to Literary Journalism and Everything in Between by Lee Gutkind
This book helped define "creative non-fiction" for me by showing me that non-fiction can be as exciting to read as fiction if you write it well.  This book also includes a list of great and not great creative non-fiction written over the past twenty years.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
I was thrilled when someone recommended this book to me several years ago.  If there's any writer who should write a book on writing it's King, who has published novels, short stories, non-fiction, and screenplays over the past forty years.  This book is part memoir, part reminiscing about writing his books, and part giving advice to those who wish to write their own.  It's a great book no matter how you read it. 

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
This book was first published in 1986, and has become a favorite among writing workshops, with its combination of Zen wisdom and tips to get the creative juices flowing.  Goldberg (who lives in Northern New Mexico, where she often gives writing workshops) has published other books on writing, including one due to come out this spring, The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life With Language. 

Only As Good As Your Word by Susan Shapiro
Shapiro tells the story about her formation and education as a writer with lessons from her writing mentors.  This is an interesting book because it is the memoir of a struggling writer, with advice from old writing professionals. 

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
You can't be a good writer without at least thinking of grammar and references.  This is classic book to answer the little questions about errors that plague you while writing.


There are many more books about writing, so many that I'm sure I haven't even heard of something that might be your favorite.  There are websites with prompts to get you started, there are writing groups to help you through the rough patches, but the best writing education is a love of reading and a passion for telling a good story.  Happy storytelling!

Plagiarism in Writing

A movie came out recently called The Words, starring Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Irons.  It is about an author so desperate to be published that he takes another man's manuscript and has it published as his own.  Watching this movie lead me to wonder what other writers have been accused of plagiarism.

The charge of plagiarizing is a very serious one.  Taking another writer's words and passing them off as your own is theft and high schools and universities suspend and expel students caught plagiarizing their papers.  Punishment can be equally harsh for novels, biographies and memoirs that are published and found to be plagiarized.  Kaavya Viswanathan, who was accused of stealing passages of her book How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life from other authors, was dropped from her two book publishing contract and forced to give back a half million dollar advance.  Viswanathan is a recent example of an author accused of plagiarism.  Here is a short list of other authors accused of plagiarism:

Alex Haley's book Roots, which traced his ancestors back to Africans captured and sold into slavery, was said to have portions copied from his book The African by Harold Courlander.  Haley has said the plagiarism was unintentional, but offered an apology and settled a lawsuit brought by Courlander.

The book The Wild Blue by historian Stephen Ambrose contained passages of the book Wings of Morning by historian Thomas Childers.  After Ambrose apologized, investigations into his other books showed more of his writings contained passages very similar to other authors' works. 

In 1998 James A. Mackay published a biography of Alexander Graham Bell which author Robert V. Bruce said was taken from his book called Alexander Graham Bell and the Conquest of Solitude, which had won a Pulitzer Prize in 1973.  Mackay's book was removed from publication, but in 1999 he was again accused of plagiarizing his biography of John Paul Jones, founder of the US Navy.  Once again he had stolen his work from a Pulitzer Prize winning biography by Samuel Eliot Morison.

Doris Kearns Goodwin has had several books come under question, including The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys.  She is said to have settled with another writer before that book was published because of a miscommunication of citing sources.  (Not citing sources correctly can be called plagiarism.)

Quentin Rowan's spy thriller, Assassin of Secrets, is said to be just copied sections of other authors' books.  The publisher Little, Brown, and Company pulled the book from shelves and offered refunds to customers who had already bought copies.  Rowan later admitted to copying and pasting paragraphs from novels he liked into work he called his own in a piece he wrote called, "Confessions of a Plagiarist."  He says he did this not just for Assassin of Secrets, but for other writings he had published as his own original work. 

Because most writers read so many books it can be hard to find the line where inspiration becomes copying.  Ideas are taken from everywhere, and writing that is based on or expanded on someone else's ideas that already exist is not plagiarism.  Just because something is similar does not necessarily mean that the writer has taken it from another writer.  It seems like there is no end to YA vampire series, but they do not contain the same passages or characters.  Romance writers often write similar plots, but in most instances (there are a few exceptions), the author's work is original.  (Romance author Janet Dailey has admitted to stealing passages from Nora Robert's works.)  The advice has always been to write from your heart, which can be difficult in academic writing or journalism, but is really the best way to find your own voice. 

 

Here are some library books to help you source writing for school or research:

MLA Handbook for Writer's of Research Papers by Joseph Gibaldi

The Facts on File Guide to Style by Martin H. Manser

Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide by James D. Lester

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White  (Also available in ebook format!)

The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism by Colin Neville (Ebook)


 

Books on Writing

I write. A lot. And I expect that I always shall.

And I plan to improve my writing as I go. So I look for inspiration and insight everywhere. "Everything is grist for the writer's mill." With that goal, I examine every book on writing that I encounter.

Here are some of the best.

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The Lie That Tells a Truth: A Guide to Writing Fiction by John Dufresne

I encountered this book just a few weeks ago, but it is already on my "most recommended" list.

Dufresne's book reminds us of several very important and basic truths right from the start:

• You can't have written unless you write
• There's an infinity of things you can write about
• There's no such thing as a perfect first draft
• Good writing is good re-writing

Writing is not just putting words on paper or disc. The process of writing includes observing the world around us so we can mine the details to put into stories to make them believable and captivating. Dufresne provides exercises to increase our awareness of those details, and a wide range of examples of inspirations for story material. There are also many different exercises to encourage and maintain the flow of writing. The book also thoroughly addresses that which is oh-so-essential to quality writing: mindful editing and re-writing.

Conversational and humorous, The Lie That Tells A Truth provides the beginning writer with perspective on the craft (aided by many insightful quotes from authors and artists), plus editing guidelines useful to writers of any experience level.

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Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury



Ray Bradbury recently passed away, but in addition to his many memorable fictions he has left us this timeless book on the nature of writing.

Not so much a "how-to" as a "why-to", this book moves on to "have-to" -- if you feel you have to write to let out all of the details you have accumulated about life, if you cannot rest properly unless you have written, if you feel you have to give time to your observations and ideas or you might just burst, then this book is for you.

In true Bradbury fashion, it's really all about love: loving life, appreciating it to the fullest, then letting that love and excitement start your writing and fuel it every day. "I get up each morning and step onto a land mine and get blown to bits," writes Bradbury, "then I spend the rest of the day putting myself back together."

I defy anyone to read two pages of this wonderful, inspirational book without Ray stirring your blood and getting you excited about the possibilities of life. And wanting to write about them.

“And what, you ask, does writing teach us? First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right.”  - Ray Bradbury

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Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark

Lots of books on writing offer "tricks of the trade". Note that Roy Peter Clark promises not tricks but "tools" and "strategies" -- the writer as craftsperson, with a box of tools essential to the craft.

In workmanlike fashion, the author structures the book into four sections: "Nuts and Bolts," "Special Effects," "Blueprints," and "Useful Habits." Roughly half the book is devoted to creative techniques and strategies; the remainder presents tools for critiquing and tightening what has already been written. (Roy Peter Clark comes from a journalism background, and naturally supports clear and concise writing. But the techniques provided are important for writing clean fiction as well.)

This book is highly browsable -- open it to any page and you'll find a tool to help make your writing better. If fact, a writer might find it useful to copy the chapter concepts onto cards (Chapter 28: "Put odd and interesting things next to each other") and draw a card at random to apply to the day's writing.

You'll find yourself returning to it again and again. Then buying a copy. And recommending it to other writers.

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Stein on Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies by Sol Stein

"Inside information" from a veteran editor.

As mentioned elsewhere, there is no such thing as a perfect first draft. But even established authors can be so close to a project that they miss simple errors in the final draft.

Stein provides time-tested techniques for analyzing your writing, recognizing common traps that even the best writers fall into, and fixing any problems you find.

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Flash Writing: How To Write, Revise and Publish Stories Less Than 1000 Words Long by Michael Wilson

Why flash fiction? According to the book jacket, "flash fiction is one of the hottest literary trends of the 21st century. Online magazines crave it, mainstream publications such as Esquire, The New Yorker, and Vanity Fair publish it, and many other markets and contests seek it."

Why this book? Because the characteristics that make for a good short-short story - brevity, clarity, and punch - are also the characteristics of good writing in any genre.

True to the material, Flash Writing offers brief, clear sections that present guidelines for writing a story 250-1,000 words long. But the skills, exercises, and insights can be applied to any writing, of any length.

(Mostly) New & (Definitely) Noteworthy Essays

The fa­mil­i­ar es­say­ist [in the genre’s hey­day] didn’t speak to the mil­lions; he spoke to one read­er, as if the two of them were sit­ting side by side in front of the crack­ling fire with their cravats loosened, their fa­vor­ite stim­u­lants at hand, and a long even­ing of con­ver­sa­tion stretch­ing be­fore them. His view­point was sub­ject­ive, his frame of ref­er­ence con­crete, his style di­gress­ive, his ec­cent­ri­cit­ies con­spicu­ous, and his laughter usu­ally at his own ex­pense.
~Ann Fadiman

When thinking of the world "essay", don't let your mind get drawn into images of school homework assignments.  From Michel de Montaigne to Christopher Hitchens, essayists seek to entertain, enlighten, & engage with their very personal viewpoint. Today might not be the "heyday" of the essayist, but I think that there are some fine essays out there for your reading pleasure, on a disparate variety of subjects, from art to caving, fashion to Def Leppard, creating to being. As Alexander Smith says in "Of the writing of essays", "Everything I see or hear is an es­say in bud. The world is every­where whis­per­ing es­says, and one need only be the world’s amanu­en­sis." 

Higher Gossip: Essays and Criticism by John Updike [eBook only in our catalog]

Cleopatra's Nose: 39 Varieties of Desire by Judith Thurman

Otherwise Known as the Human Condition: Selected Essays and Reviews, 1989-2010 by Geoff Dyer

Woolgathering by Patti Smith

Magic Hours: Essays on Creators and Creation by Tom Bissell

Living, Thinking, Looking : Essays by Siri Hustvedt

Art Objects: Essays on Ecstasy and Effrontery by Jeanette Winterson

When I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson

In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood  [eBook only in our catalog]

Scribble, Scribble, Scribble: Writings on Politics, Ice Cream, Churchill, and My Mother by Simon Schama

Lost in Language & Sound, or, How I Found My Way to the Arts: Essays by Ntozake Shange

Believing is Seeing: Observations on the Mysteries of Photography by Errol Morris

Pulphead : Essays by John Jeremiah Sullivan

For the Time Being by Annie Dillard [eBook only in our catalog]
Dancing at the Edge of the World: Thoughts on Words, Women, Places by Ursula K. Le Guin

Something to Declare by Julia Alvarez

Remembered Rapture: The Writer at Work by Bell Hooks

Other Colors: Essays and a Story by Orhan Pamuk

The Merry Recluse: A Life in Essays by Caroline Knapp


For a variety of short pieces on different topics, try a keyword search in the catalog using the words "best writing".  You'll find collections that include the best of writing on language, science, spirituality, music, travel, the military, & more in recent years.

Yes, You Can Write a Script in April!

From the website: "Script Frenzy is an international writing event in which participants take on the challenge of writing 100 pages of scripted material in the month of April. As part of a donation-funded nonprofit, Script Frenzy charges no fee to participate; there are also no valuable prizes awarded or 'best' scripts singled out. Every writer who completes the goal of 100 pages is victorious and awe-inspiring and will receive a handsome Script Frenzy Winner's Certificate and web icon proclaiming this fact."


The Info

Who: You and everyone you know. No experience required.

What: 100 pages of original scripted material in 30 days. (Screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, and graphic novels are all welcome.)

When: April 1 - 30. Every year. Mark your calendars.

Where: Online and in person (if you want!). Hang out in the forums, join your fellow participants at write-ins, and make friends by adding writing buddies online.

Why: Because you have a story to tell. Because you want a creative challenge. Because you’ll be disappointed if you missed out on the adventure. Because you need to make time for you.

How: Sign up. Tell everyone that you are in the Frenzy. Clear your calendar. (U.S. participants: Get your taxes done now!) Start some wrist exercises. Have fun!


The 5 Basic Rules of Script Frenzy

1) To be crowned an official Script Frenzy winner, you must write a script (or multiple scripts) of at least 100 total pages and verify this tally on ScriptFrenzy.org.

2) You may write individually or with a partner. Writing teams will have a 100-page total goal for their co-written script or scripts.

3) Script writing may begin no earlier than 12:00:01 AM on April 1 and must cease no later than 11:59:59 PM on April 30, local time.

4) You may write screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, comic book and graphic novel scripts, adaptations of novels, or any other type of script your heart desires.

5) You must, at some point, have ridiculous amounts of fun.


For books on writing screenplays, try a subject search in the library catalog under Motion Picture Authorship or Television Authorship. For tips on creating a graphic novel, check under Graphic Novels - Authorship.

There will be 3 Script Frenzy write-ins at the Cherry Hills Library on Saturdays in April: on the 16th, 23rd & 30th, from 2-5 p.m. Join us if you're looking for a place to write or a place to meet with other Script Frenzy participants for help getting started, to discuss plot problems, or just get a little support!