Writing for the Reader: Practice in Prose Craft

by Jeff P. Jones

Finally, a rough-and-ready guide for the practicing prose writer who wants, most of all, to get writing. Writing for the Reader packs in a ton of writing practice. The handbook capitalizes on the commonalities between literary fiction and creative nonfiction to offer practice in 36 craft techniques, all aimed at improving your prose craft. A brief introduction of each technique is followed by examples and prompts. Ideal for the creative writing classroom or the solo writer, this handbook develops and deepens your writing practice.In writing, practice doesn’t make you perfect, but it’s the only way to get better. I don’t think I’m the most talented person on the planet, but I work really hard, you know? And part of what’s really hard is I work really hard at getting better at stuff, you know? David Foster Wallace You write by sitting down and writing. There’s no particular time or place—you suit yourself, your nature. Bernard Malamud Give everything a cosmic dimension, take your heart in your teeth, write a book. Viktor ShklovskyJEFF P. JONES has distilled two decades of award-winning literary writing and one decade of teaching creative writing into this handbook. His novel Love Give Us One Death won the George Garrett Fiction Prize, and his short story collection Bloodshot Stories won the Sunshot Prose Prize. His other prose has won a Puschcart, as well as the Hackney, Lamar York, Meridian Editors, A. David Scwhartz, and Wabash prizes. He lives on the Palouse. www.jeffpjones.com

80 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2018

About the author

JEFF P. JONES was educated at the University of Colorado at Denver, the University of Washington, and the University of Idaho. He’s a MacDowell Fellow, a Bread Loaf Fellow in Fiction, and his writing has won a Pushcart Prize, as well as the Hackney, Meridian Editors', A. David Schwartz, Wabash, and Lamar York prizes. LOVE GIVE US ONE DEATH, his debut novel, won the George Garrett Prize in Fiction. BLOODSHOT STORIES, his debut story collection, won the Sunshot Book Award.

His handbook WRITING FOR THE READER: PRACTICE IN PROSE CRAFT is available on Kindle and as a paperback through Amazon.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for authors and screenwriters. An excellent, quick read during the COVID era.