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Excelling at the Craft of Writing: 101 Ideas to Move your Prose to the Next Level
Looking to elevate your craft?
Since 2011, the WordServe Water Cooler—the official blog of the WordServe Literary Agency—has allowed writers to encourage, engage, and enrich each other on their writing journeys. Now, the best of the Water Cooler’s writing on craft has been compiled in one place. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, have been working on a novel for decades or are just dipping your toes into the world of publishing, the tips and tricks offered here will take your craft to the next level. The easy-to-read, engaging essays cover a range of topics, from organizing and outlining your work to creating powerful characters and dialogue to fine-tuning your language, style, and voice. With proven advice from more than thirty published authors, Excelling at the Craft of Writing moves from the first seeds of starting your writing project up to the last stages of creating a proposal and pitching your work to agents. For any writer hoping to reinvigorate their writing, this is the place to start.
Since 2011, the WordServe Water Cooler—the official blog of the WordServe Literary Agency—has allowed writers to encourage, engage, and enrich each other on their writing journeys. Now, the best of the Water Cooler’s writing on craft has been compiled in one place. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, have been working on a novel for decades or are just dipping your toes into the world of publishing, the tips and tricks offered here will take your craft to the next level. The easy-to-read, engaging essays cover a range of topics, from organizing and outlining your work to creating powerful characters and dialogue to fine-tuning your language, style, and voice. With proven advice from more than thirty published authors, Excelling at the Craft of Writing moves from the first seeds of starting your writing project up to the last stages of creating a proposal and pitching your work to agents. For any writer hoping to reinvigorate their writing, this is the place to start.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2016
3 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Greg Johnson
190 books27 followersGreg Johnson has been in publishing for more than 25 years. Before becoming a full-time literary agent in 1994, he wrote and published 20 works of nonfiction with traditional publishers, as well as being an editor for a teenage boys magazine for five years. In his years as an agent, he has personally represented more than 2,300 books and negotiated more than 1,800 contracts to over 85 publishing houses. These works include adult trade books (non-fiction and fiction), children’s books, specialty Bibles, movie options, video curricula, audio products, gift books and greeting cards.
While Greg’s stable of authors is near full, he will occasionally take on new authors and new projects. Along with representing a broad array of adult fiction, primarily in the Christian market, Greg works with pastors and speakers, male and female, who have important and compelling messages to author for their constituents. He has also carved a niche by representing military nonfiction/memoir for those who have served our country from WWII until today. Business books, health and humor rounds out what he is looking to acquire.
Greg is married to Becky and together they are parents of six adult children and seven grandchildren. They make their home near Denver, Colo.
~http://www.wordserveliterary.com/part...
While Greg’s stable of authors is near full, he will occasionally take on new authors and new projects. Along with representing a broad array of adult fiction, primarily in the Christian market, Greg works with pastors and speakers, male and female, who have important and compelling messages to author for their constituents. He has also carved a niche by representing military nonfiction/memoir for those who have served our country from WWII until today. Business books, health and humor rounds out what he is looking to acquire.
Greg is married to Becky and together they are parents of six adult children and seven grandchildren. They make their home near Denver, Colo.
~http://www.wordserveliterary.com/part...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 23, 2016
Many treasures of writing advice fill this book!
Excelling at the Craft of Writing is a book filled with multiple gems of writing advice. This is a conference worth of writer workshops all in one resource. The essays are written by successful authors of the WordServe Literary agency and reflect their wordsmith talents.
Divided into eight sections, the first part is Nonfiction Essentials. Even though I’m a fiction writer, I found useful information in this section. Essays on devotional writing inspired me to develop my skills in this area.
The middle sections cover essential information for fiction writers…characterization, dialogue, plotting, timing, structure, setting the scene, style, language, voice, and process. There are many ideas for making your novel shine…to keep readers turning the pages. I especially liked the excellent pointers for creating strong, reader-involved characters.
The final chapters give tips which apply to all writers…revising, editing and pitching. These essays suggest many ways to edit your manuscript, with a final part which covers query letters, pitching and proposals.
Whether you are a nonfiction author or an author of fiction, you will find great tips for improving your writing so your work moves to the next level. You’ll be encouraged with inspirational thoughts, such as “There may be people out there who need what you have to write.” (Laurie Short) From my needle-crafter and writer’s perspective, my favorite inspirational line from this book is Jan Drexler’s comparison of a quilter to an author: “But the thing quilting and writing have most in common? The finished product is a work of your heart that you share with others.” Exactly!
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my review. I’m pleased to offer my honest opinion.
Excelling at the Craft of Writing is a book filled with multiple gems of writing advice. This is a conference worth of writer workshops all in one resource. The essays are written by successful authors of the WordServe Literary agency and reflect their wordsmith talents.
Divided into eight sections, the first part is Nonfiction Essentials. Even though I’m a fiction writer, I found useful information in this section. Essays on devotional writing inspired me to develop my skills in this area.
The middle sections cover essential information for fiction writers…characterization, dialogue, plotting, timing, structure, setting the scene, style, language, voice, and process. There are many ideas for making your novel shine…to keep readers turning the pages. I especially liked the excellent pointers for creating strong, reader-involved characters.
The final chapters give tips which apply to all writers…revising, editing and pitching. These essays suggest many ways to edit your manuscript, with a final part which covers query letters, pitching and proposals.
Whether you are a nonfiction author or an author of fiction, you will find great tips for improving your writing so your work moves to the next level. You’ll be encouraged with inspirational thoughts, such as “There may be people out there who need what you have to write.” (Laurie Short) From my needle-crafter and writer’s perspective, my favorite inspirational line from this book is Jan Drexler’s comparison of a quilter to an author: “But the thing quilting and writing have most in common? The finished product is a work of your heart that you share with others.” Exactly!
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my review. I’m pleased to offer my honest opinion.
December 24, 2016
No matter what your interest in writing, fiction, non-fiction, devotionals, you will find value in this book.
Each chapter is super short, which makes if very easy to pick up, read a nugget and put it down and pick back up when you have a minute. I really appreciated that as I seem to only have a few minutes at a time most days.
What is exciting about this book is that this is the first in a series full of wonderful advice for the aspiring writer.
I am mostly interested in writing fiction but I found value in reading the chapters on non-fiction as well, because you never know and it could even help with writing a blog or an article for a magazine.
If you are a writer and looking for something to spark your brain this is a book you will want to have ready to read.
A copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Each chapter is super short, which makes if very easy to pick up, read a nugget and put it down and pick back up when you have a minute. I really appreciated that as I seem to only have a few minutes at a time most days.
What is exciting about this book is that this is the first in a series full of wonderful advice for the aspiring writer.
I am mostly interested in writing fiction but I found value in reading the chapters on non-fiction as well, because you never know and it could even help with writing a blog or an article for a magazine.
If you are a writer and looking for something to spark your brain this is a book you will want to have ready to read.
A copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews