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The Red Sneaker Writers #5
Sizzling Style: Every Word Matters
Sizzling Style is what distinguishes a spellbinding book from an ordinary one. The writer who understands the fundamentals of fictional writing style knows how to capture readers and never let them go. Too often aspiring writers are frustrated by rejection, not realizing that the problem is not the story but the way they are telling it. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt brings his down-to-earth approach to the subject of style, revealing everything you need to know to write with the art and craft of a seasoned professional. Bernhardt goes beyond memorizing rules to a fresh approach, a philosophy of writing that will transform your work and take it to a higher level. Because as William Goldman famously said, “No one really knows what will be commercial, but everyone knows good writing from bad writing.” The book also includes exercises designed to help writers apply this approach to their own writing.
William Bernhardt is the bestselling author of more than thirty books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid novels and Nemesis: The Final Case of Eliot Ness, currently in production as an NBC miniseries. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. He is the only person to have received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large."
The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What is a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this book is for you.
William Bernhardt is the bestselling author of more than thirty books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid novels and Nemesis: The Final Case of Eliot Ness, currently in production as an NBC miniseries. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. He is the only person to have received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large."
The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What is a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this book is for you.
138 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2014
29 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
William Bernhardt
96 books511 followersWilliam Bernhardt is the author of over sixty books, including the bestselling Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid legal thrillers, the historical novels Challengers of the Dust and Nemesis, three books of poetry, and the ten Red Sneaker books on fiction writing.
In addition, Bernhardt founded the Red Sneaker Writers Center to mentor aspiring writers. The Center hosts an annual writers conference (WriterCon), small-group seminars, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-weekly podcast. More than three dozen of Bernhardt’s students have subsequently published with major houses. He is also the owner of Balkan Press, which publishes poetry and fiction as well as the literary journal Conclave.
Bernhardt has received the Southern Writers Guild’s Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (University of Pennsylvania) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (Oklahoma State), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large." He has been nominated for the Oklahoma Book Award eighteen times in three different categories, and has won the award twice. Library Journal called him “the master of the courtroom drama.” The Vancouver Sun called him “the American equivalent of P.G. Wodehouse and John Mortimer.”
In addition to his novels and poetry, he has written plays, a musical (book and score), humor, children stories, biography, and puzzles. He has edited two anthologies (Legal Briefs and Natural Suspect) as fundraisers for The Nature Conservancy and the Children’s Legal Defense Fund. OSU named him “Oklahoma’s Renaissance Man.”
In his spare time, he has enjoyed surfing, digging for dinosaurs, trekking through the Himalayas, paragliding, scuba diving, caving, zip-lining over the canopy of the Costa Rican rain forest, and jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion winning over $20,000.
When Bernhardt delivered the keynote address at the San Francisco Writers Conference, chairman Michael Larsen noted that in addition to penning novels, Bernhardt can “write a sonnet, play a sonata, plant a garden, try a lawsuit, teach a class, cook a gourmet meal, beat you at Scrabble, and work the New York Times crossword in under five minutes.”
In addition, Bernhardt founded the Red Sneaker Writers Center to mentor aspiring writers. The Center hosts an annual writers conference (WriterCon), small-group seminars, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-weekly podcast. More than three dozen of Bernhardt’s students have subsequently published with major houses. He is also the owner of Balkan Press, which publishes poetry and fiction as well as the literary journal Conclave.
Bernhardt has received the Southern Writers Guild’s Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (University of Pennsylvania) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (Oklahoma State), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large." He has been nominated for the Oklahoma Book Award eighteen times in three different categories, and has won the award twice. Library Journal called him “the master of the courtroom drama.” The Vancouver Sun called him “the American equivalent of P.G. Wodehouse and John Mortimer.”
In addition to his novels and poetry, he has written plays, a musical (book and score), humor, children stories, biography, and puzzles. He has edited two anthologies (Legal Briefs and Natural Suspect) as fundraisers for The Nature Conservancy and the Children’s Legal Defense Fund. OSU named him “Oklahoma’s Renaissance Man.”
In his spare time, he has enjoyed surfing, digging for dinosaurs, trekking through the Himalayas, paragliding, scuba diving, caving, zip-lining over the canopy of the Costa Rican rain forest, and jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion winning over $20,000.
When Bernhardt delivered the keynote address at the San Francisco Writers Conference, chairman Michael Larsen noted that in addition to penning novels, Bernhardt can “write a sonnet, play a sonata, plant a garden, try a lawsuit, teach a class, cook a gourmet meal, beat you at Scrabble, and work the New York Times crossword in under five minutes.”
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 17, 2019
I found this book extremely helpful. It helped me put a name to the feeling that had been nagging me since the read-through of my recent draft and I was left encouraged that my writing could be improved in a reasonably straightforward way. I have since zeroed in on my word choice and can tell you that it makes such a difference in my writing! This book a quick and easy read. If you're struggling with style, I highly recommend!
June 11, 2014
Based on the high reviews I'm seeing, I'm guessing this author solicits reviews just like he solicits every single chance he gets in every single writing book he's written for the reader to purchase something else in his collection...
I purchased each book in his writing series at the same time and trudged through them because I didn't want to waste my money. Little did I know, I had already wasted it.
I purchased each book in his writing series at the same time and trudged through them because I didn't want to waste my money. Little did I know, I had already wasted it.
January 14, 2021
Selesai baca dalam 2 hari saja karena memang tipis (134 halaman di Scribd). BRAIN FOOD YANG SANGAT MENGENYANGKAN. Lihat kepala saya? Kepala saya bersinar setelah baca buku ini. I've been enlightened and I will never write the same way again. Buku ini sangat recommended buat siapa pun yang lagi galau revisi/swasunting naskah, harus ngehapus-hapusin paragraf panjang dan kalimat tapi bingung mana aja yang mau dihapus. This book will help you solve and take care of those lengthy sentences and paragraphs!!! Exactly what I needed.
March 19, 2019
Practical, concise style guide, with many examples. Easy to understand.
Stresses the importance of being concise and using sentence structure that will not distract the reader from the story. Explains how to do this with plenty of examples. Stresses the importance of the choice of words the writer uses. Points out words, phrases, and sentence structures that don't sizzle. Has an excellent appendix that summarizes the important style guidelines taught in the book.
Stresses the importance of being concise and using sentence structure that will not distract the reader from the story. Explains how to do this with plenty of examples. Stresses the importance of the choice of words the writer uses. Points out words, phrases, and sentence structures that don't sizzle. Has an excellent appendix that summarizes the important style guidelines taught in the book.
June 30, 2021
The entire Red Sneaker series is very accessible for new novel writers and helped me get my first novel from idea to polished, published product. I recommend it for anyone who is trying to write their first novel or wants to.
June 8, 2020
The best Red Sneaker book yet! I got the most help out of this one for some reason. Good practical points regarding the use of language, etc.
September 5, 2020
LOVE HIS SIZZLING STYLE! I've learned so much from him!
August 15, 2014
In this fifth book in the excellent Red Sneaker Writer Series, William Bernhardt tackles his most difficult topic, writing style. He wisely begins this expedition into better writing by distinguishing style from voice. Here, as in his impressive workshops, he sets the budding writer at ease. He is not out to change who they are as a writer or what story they want to tell. He is here to help each writer express themselves more clearly to their readers.
Through seven direct and information rich chapters, he defines style, distinguishes it from grammar, relates it to artistic technique, then dives in at the level of specific style issues. His concluding chapters: "Clarity and Precision", "Spotlight on Verbs"; and "Other Style Issues" provide detailed instruction and enlightening examples of how to communicate with impact, emotion, and clarity. Between the initial sections on the role of style and the concluding chapters on how to improve style, he inserts the most valuable chapter in the book, called "Harnessing the Lightning."
In "Harnessing the Lightning," Bernhardt is at his best, providing vivid examples of how a single word can change everything. He goes on to demonstrate the importance of freeing the critical thought from unnecessary or confusing context. By choosing the best word, putting it in the right place, and cutting away unessential verbiage, he helps the writer truly capture their readers’ interest and connect with them at an emotional level.
As in all of the fine books in this series, Bernhardt follows his own advice. He stays focused and leaves out the fluff. The book is clear, concise, and immensely useful. Once again real-world exercises at the end of each chapter allow the reader to apply what they have just learned directly to their own work in progress. I defy anyone to perform these exercises without improving their own writing.
Buy this book. Read this book. Use this book. Your readers will thank you.
Through seven direct and information rich chapters, he defines style, distinguishes it from grammar, relates it to artistic technique, then dives in at the level of specific style issues. His concluding chapters: "Clarity and Precision", "Spotlight on Verbs"; and "Other Style Issues" provide detailed instruction and enlightening examples of how to communicate with impact, emotion, and clarity. Between the initial sections on the role of style and the concluding chapters on how to improve style, he inserts the most valuable chapter in the book, called "Harnessing the Lightning."
In "Harnessing the Lightning," Bernhardt is at his best, providing vivid examples of how a single word can change everything. He goes on to demonstrate the importance of freeing the critical thought from unnecessary or confusing context. By choosing the best word, putting it in the right place, and cutting away unessential verbiage, he helps the writer truly capture their readers’ interest and connect with them at an emotional level.
As in all of the fine books in this series, Bernhardt follows his own advice. He stays focused and leaves out the fluff. The book is clear, concise, and immensely useful. Once again real-world exercises at the end of each chapter allow the reader to apply what they have just learned directly to their own work in progress. I defy anyone to perform these exercises without improving their own writing.
Buy this book. Read this book. Use this book. Your readers will thank you.
July 30, 2014
Read this immediately after reading 'Dynamic Dialogue' and 'Perfecting Plot.' Which, of course, reinforces my belief about William Bernhardt's writing books that they could all be one big book. Anyway, this was useful stuff. A lot of writers don't seem to worry as much about their style as they do about the other stuff, so this is good to think about. Lots of useful insights, nothing life changing. But worth the time and money nonetheless, for sure.
August 4, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. There were lots of little tips that made a big difference. As a brand new writer I struggled with several questions.
1) How much description is too much? How much is too little?
2) A sentence fragment may sound better and more realistic, but is that going to annoy the reader?
3) How can I make this sentence have more impact?
I felt like this book helped answer these questions and gave me the confidence to write my second book.
1) How much description is too much? How much is too little?
2) A sentence fragment may sound better and more realistic, but is that going to annoy the reader?
3) How can I make this sentence have more impact?
I felt like this book helped answer these questions and gave me the confidence to write my second book.
October 17, 2014
This is a handy little book to bring those of us who skipped college English up to speed. I'll admit that, reading this at the same time as Stephen King's On Writing, Bernhardt's book paled in comparison. But what it lacks in actual style, the book makes up for in brevity and completeness.
I particularly wish that every indie author would read the section at the end about often-confused words. If I read about one more shirt that compliments someone's eyes, I think I really might scream....
I particularly wish that every indie author would read the section at the end about often-confused words. If I read about one more shirt that compliments someone's eyes, I think I really might scream....
June 12, 2014
Inspirational book on writing tight and correct way. I highly recommend it to everyone! Worth listening to again and again - just like the other books in the series.
April 18, 2015
Great constructive advice.
I thought I'd finished with my first novella until I read this book. I'm back to the editing phase. Thanks for the good informatIon.
I thought I'd finished with my first novella until I read this book. I'm back to the editing phase. Thanks for the good informatIon.
January 26, 2018
Good points, but none very in-depth. Not much new here (largely stuff I had gathered just from being a reader) but it's good for a brief run-through/refresher while I'm revising my novel.
February 7, 2017
Most of the other books in this series are extremely helpful. I'd classify this one a somewhat helpful.
BRian
BRian
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January 22, 2015I need to go back and reread it.
May 5, 2016
I love this series. It's a great way to review the basics and polish your writing skills.
May 13, 2018
Infinitely approachable, no-nonsense style, full of wit and humor and hope. Never gives the impression that the reader CAN'T write publishable material, but makes it clear that writing well is hard work. "Remember, every time you write you have the power to change the world. So do the best job you possibly can. Set the world on fire."
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews