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Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript
Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript is the first ever full roadmap for creating your own novella composed of flash fictions, or very short stories. Whether you’ve written a novella-in-flash before, or are a beginner newly experimenting, this flexible, step-by-step craft guide will support you to produce a high-quality manuscript of linked narratives.
• Winner of the 2024 Independent Press Award for Writing and Publishing
• Winner of the 2023 Cadmus Book Award for ‘Non-Fiction: Crafting/Hobbies/How-To’ books
• Winner of the 2023 Best Indie Book Award for ‘Non-Fiction: How-To’ books
• Reader Views Literary Awards 2023 – Silver Award for Writing/Publishing
• National Indie Excellence Awards 2023 – Finalist
• Next Generation Indie Book Awards – Finalist
• International Book Awards 2023 – Finalist
‘This is it, writers. This is all you need if you’re even thinking of writing a novella-in-flash. Michael Loveday has written the destined-to-become-a-classic bible on the form.’ (Kathy Fish, author of Wild Life: Collected Works)
‘An extraordinarily useful resource… Highly recommended for all writers, all teachers of creative writing, and anyone interested in new forms of expression.’ (David Gaffney, author of Out of the Dark and Sawn-Off Tales)
‘A beautifully written and practical guide for novella-in-flash writers. Michael Loveday effortlessly unlocks the secrets of this ever-evolving form of storytelling that is coming of age in our time.’ (Bambo Soyinka, Professor of Story, Bath Spa University)
‘Writers have been waiting for this book and we didn’t know it… Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash is destined to join the canon of invaluable books on writing.’ (Pamela Painter, author of Fabrications: New and Selected Stories)
• Winner of the 2024 Independent Press Award for Writing and Publishing
• Winner of the 2023 Cadmus Book Award for ‘Non-Fiction: Crafting/Hobbies/How-To’ books
• Winner of the 2023 Best Indie Book Award for ‘Non-Fiction: How-To’ books
• Reader Views Literary Awards 2023 – Silver Award for Writing/Publishing
• National Indie Excellence Awards 2023 – Finalist
• Next Generation Indie Book Awards – Finalist
• International Book Awards 2023 – Finalist
‘This is it, writers. This is all you need if you’re even thinking of writing a novella-in-flash. Michael Loveday has written the destined-to-become-a-classic bible on the form.’ (Kathy Fish, author of Wild Life: Collected Works)
‘An extraordinarily useful resource… Highly recommended for all writers, all teachers of creative writing, and anyone interested in new forms of expression.’ (David Gaffney, author of Out of the Dark and Sawn-Off Tales)
‘A beautifully written and practical guide for novella-in-flash writers. Michael Loveday effortlessly unlocks the secrets of this ever-evolving form of storytelling that is coming of age in our time.’ (Bambo Soyinka, Professor of Story, Bath Spa University)
‘Writers have been waiting for this book and we didn’t know it… Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash is destined to join the canon of invaluable books on writing.’ (Pamela Painter, author of Fabrications: New and Selected Stories)
- GenresWriting
216 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 13, 2022
This perfect craft guide does exactly what it says on the cover, because everything you wanted to learn about writing a novella-in-flash is here, it truly takes you from blank page to finished manuscript. In fact I believe Michael Loveday answers in “Unlocking the novella-in-flash” every question you will have, from “what is a novella-in-flash?” to “how do I write my own?”
I have written a novella-in-flash (and been lucky enough to have it published), but oh how I wish I could take this craft guide back in time … it would have been such a marvellous companion & writing aid as I worked through my own nif (novella-in-flash). I found Chapter 14 on “Tapestry and Linkage” particularly enlightening with its guidance on selecting which chapters go where. The guide is divided into three phases, and for me phase 3: Integration was incredibly helpful on talking through what to put in / leave out, giving you permission to experiment with chronology. There are too many excellent top tips to detail in this review (every section is packed with examples and exercise to work through yourself) but one of my favourites concerned generating standalone pieces (which you could submit elsewhere) and then how to integrate these pieces back into the structure of a nif. Loveday uses the analogy of composing a music album i.e. laying down the album tracks to sit alongside the hit singles - a light-bulb moment for me (I’ll remember this technique for any writing any future nifs).
My copy is plastered in yellow stickies and I will be continually returning and delving into different sections of this craft guide again and again.
Importantly, this guide contains many exercises and constructive advice that apply to and help with writing other forms of fiction, including short stories /flash fiction / novellas and novels. I’ve written in all forms and would definitely recommend Loveday’s guide when seeking guidance and inspiration on character development / structure / setting and creating new work. This clever book is an excellent guide to writing a novella-in-flash, and so much more ... think of it as a guide to writing good fiction and developing any narrative form.
I have written a novella-in-flash (and been lucky enough to have it published), but oh how I wish I could take this craft guide back in time … it would have been such a marvellous companion & writing aid as I worked through my own nif (novella-in-flash). I found Chapter 14 on “Tapestry and Linkage” particularly enlightening with its guidance on selecting which chapters go where. The guide is divided into three phases, and for me phase 3: Integration was incredibly helpful on talking through what to put in / leave out, giving you permission to experiment with chronology. There are too many excellent top tips to detail in this review (every section is packed with examples and exercise to work through yourself) but one of my favourites concerned generating standalone pieces (which you could submit elsewhere) and then how to integrate these pieces back into the structure of a nif. Loveday uses the analogy of composing a music album i.e. laying down the album tracks to sit alongside the hit singles - a light-bulb moment for me (I’ll remember this technique for any writing any future nifs).
My copy is plastered in yellow stickies and I will be continually returning and delving into different sections of this craft guide again and again.
Importantly, this guide contains many exercises and constructive advice that apply to and help with writing other forms of fiction, including short stories /flash fiction / novellas and novels. I’ve written in all forms and would definitely recommend Loveday’s guide when seeking guidance and inspiration on character development / structure / setting and creating new work. This clever book is an excellent guide to writing a novella-in-flash, and so much more ... think of it as a guide to writing good fiction and developing any narrative form.
July 11, 2022
When I saw this book was coming out, I had recently decided to do a full revision round on my own novella-in-flash, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. That said, I wish I'd had a copy when I started out! An absolutely brilliant and comprehensive guide to NiFs, which are (at least it seems to me) really taking off as a form, and overall a must-read for short fiction writers and readers alike. Wholeheartedly recommend.
August 2, 2024
An indispensable guide to writing a novella-in-flash that is full of helpful advice, examples and exercises. Highly recommended!
April 30, 2024
Not what I was expecting. It has good writing recommendations and tips.
August 2, 2024
Are We a Story or Are We Just Moments?
The novella-in-flash is one of those “overnight sensations”, like musicians or Hollywood stars, that have in fact been around and working hard behind the scenes for years. Despite the term “novella-in-flash” being relatively new to everyone’s ears, the form itself has been around for a long time. One of my favourites, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, was first published in 1991, and there are some even older. With the increasing interest in individual flash fictions (very short fictions), and with the greater understanding – or at least acknowledgement – of what they are, these novellas containing a number of linked flashes are becoming more mainstream, and more popular.
As a writer of novellas-in-flash myself, discovering Michael Loveday’s craft guide has been a godsend. Michael is one of the foremost experts in the form, and I have been to several workshops run by him and come away with many new ideas and endless enthusiasm for putting pieces together for a novella-in-flash. Indeed, both of my published novellas-in-flash exist because of ideas and encouragement Michael’s classes and advice have given me.
Unlocking the Novella-in Flash: From Blank Page to Finished Manuscript is the definitive guide to writing your own novella-in-flash. Everything you need is here, and Michael guides you from the moment you have the spark of your idea, through its formation, and to its completion; all the while along the way giving you expert direction and advice. It’s true that the novella-in-flash is a complex beast! There are several different types, or categories of novella, each one of which can be written in any genre or writing style, so the combinations are endless and the only limits are those of your imagination and stamina. Michael breaks down the process in easy-to-follow and motivating steps. He uses published examples to show you how the exercises can look in a finished novella, and he gives you ideas and scenarios that you can weave into your novella’s narrative.
The title of my review is taken from Part Two, Step #16 of the book. It talks about how 'a well-written novella-in-flash forces you to pay attention and to care about small moments.' Small moments; they are the life-blood of a flash fiction writer, something you learn to capture, harness and put to work to make your reader sit up, invest, and be a part of your character’s story, if only for an instant. In this chapter, Michael observes that ‘as human beings, we try to make sense of the jumble of events that constitute our lives.’ This is so true. We all have many thousands of these moments throughout our lives, and many of them pass us by and we ignore them. Flash fiction writers never ignore these moments. They collect them, hide them in drawers, in boxes, in notebooks and computer files. In this craft guide, Michael shows you what you can do with these filed-away scenes and snapshots, but also how to create them from scratch.
Whether you are coming to writing a novella-in-flash with a whole raft of stories and “moments” or sitting down with no idea what you are going to do, following this guide through from beginning to end will ensure you have a first draft at least, and it will probably be quite amazing.
The novella-in-flash is one of those “overnight sensations”, like musicians or Hollywood stars, that have in fact been around and working hard behind the scenes for years. Despite the term “novella-in-flash” being relatively new to everyone’s ears, the form itself has been around for a long time. One of my favourites, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, was first published in 1991, and there are some even older. With the increasing interest in individual flash fictions (very short fictions), and with the greater understanding – or at least acknowledgement – of what they are, these novellas containing a number of linked flashes are becoming more mainstream, and more popular.
As a writer of novellas-in-flash myself, discovering Michael Loveday’s craft guide has been a godsend. Michael is one of the foremost experts in the form, and I have been to several workshops run by him and come away with many new ideas and endless enthusiasm for putting pieces together for a novella-in-flash. Indeed, both of my published novellas-in-flash exist because of ideas and encouragement Michael’s classes and advice have given me.
Unlocking the Novella-in Flash: From Blank Page to Finished Manuscript is the definitive guide to writing your own novella-in-flash. Everything you need is here, and Michael guides you from the moment you have the spark of your idea, through its formation, and to its completion; all the while along the way giving you expert direction and advice. It’s true that the novella-in-flash is a complex beast! There are several different types, or categories of novella, each one of which can be written in any genre or writing style, so the combinations are endless and the only limits are those of your imagination and stamina. Michael breaks down the process in easy-to-follow and motivating steps. He uses published examples to show you how the exercises can look in a finished novella, and he gives you ideas and scenarios that you can weave into your novella’s narrative.
The title of my review is taken from Part Two, Step #16 of the book. It talks about how 'a well-written novella-in-flash forces you to pay attention and to care about small moments.' Small moments; they are the life-blood of a flash fiction writer, something you learn to capture, harness and put to work to make your reader sit up, invest, and be a part of your character’s story, if only for an instant. In this chapter, Michael observes that ‘as human beings, we try to make sense of the jumble of events that constitute our lives.’ This is so true. We all have many thousands of these moments throughout our lives, and many of them pass us by and we ignore them. Flash fiction writers never ignore these moments. They collect them, hide them in drawers, in boxes, in notebooks and computer files. In this craft guide, Michael shows you what you can do with these filed-away scenes and snapshots, but also how to create them from scratch.
Whether you are coming to writing a novella-in-flash with a whole raft of stories and “moments” or sitting down with no idea what you are going to do, following this guide through from beginning to end will ensure you have a first draft at least, and it will probably be quite amazing.
January 19, 2023
“Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript” is a substantial, vigorous, and robust volume written to empower and equip aspiring, new, and existing authors in their quest of becoming more skillful and efficient in their craft. The author, Michael Loveday, is an experienced writer and editor, whose decade-old proficiency places this book as a potent and invaluable gem.
The book is divided into three sections that feature various forms and approaches to creative writing, obstacles one is likely to encounter. Undoubtedly, authoring a novella is an exercise that requires expertise to navigate through effectively, right from generating prolific ideas to engendering a final draft ready for publishing. This book is a classic that is bound to spring its writing audience into the accomplished authors’ status, because of its effectual and priceless intelligence and articulateness. Poring it over will require readers to invest time, energy, patience, and constancy in order to draw in every inch of its detail and notation.
The author has notably dissected the writing process right from idea formation to editing the final blueprint, in meticulous one hundred plus pages, that reveal solid steps set to instill a unique set of skills such as identifying the topics that fascinate a writer, creation of characters and their personalities, and significance of the right setting and environment, especially when writing a novella that steps outside of realism towards fantasy, magic or science fiction.
Readers will need to look no further after encountering the prowess and adeptness displayed in this well-written work. It is a masterpiece in which Loveday has incorporated a wide range of experiences, with a rich array of appendixes and end-notes that allow readers to access supplementary files and data regarding the subject.
In conclusion, “Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript” is a five-star resource that will help thousands of writers produce the best possible version of their creative work, while also helping them find their unique voice in a scope that is highly competitive, and one that continues to demand high quality and distinctive reads.
The book is divided into three sections that feature various forms and approaches to creative writing, obstacles one is likely to encounter. Undoubtedly, authoring a novella is an exercise that requires expertise to navigate through effectively, right from generating prolific ideas to engendering a final draft ready for publishing. This book is a classic that is bound to spring its writing audience into the accomplished authors’ status, because of its effectual and priceless intelligence and articulateness. Poring it over will require readers to invest time, energy, patience, and constancy in order to draw in every inch of its detail and notation.
The author has notably dissected the writing process right from idea formation to editing the final blueprint, in meticulous one hundred plus pages, that reveal solid steps set to instill a unique set of skills such as identifying the topics that fascinate a writer, creation of characters and their personalities, and significance of the right setting and environment, especially when writing a novella that steps outside of realism towards fantasy, magic or science fiction.
Readers will need to look no further after encountering the prowess and adeptness displayed in this well-written work. It is a masterpiece in which Loveday has incorporated a wide range of experiences, with a rich array of appendixes and end-notes that allow readers to access supplementary files and data regarding the subject.
In conclusion, “Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript” is a five-star resource that will help thousands of writers produce the best possible version of their creative work, while also helping them find their unique voice in a scope that is highly competitive, and one that continues to demand high quality and distinctive reads.
January 23, 2023
If you want to write a novella-in-flash, this is a must-read guide. Part guide to what makes a novella-in-flash what it is, and part workbook to create your own, this book is packed full of gorgeous flash fiction examples as well as creative writing exercises, 'exploration tasks'. Following each step and completely the tasks (maybe cycling through two or three times) will leave you with a complete novella-in-flash draft, AND get you well on your way to editing it too.
January 29, 2023
If you're a fiction writer you should read this book. Better yet, buy this book so you can highlight and make notes. While it's primarily for writing a novella in flash, which is why I bought it, there is so much excellent advice I'm sure I'll be reaching for it again and again. I'm not usually one for writing prompts, but these are just right. I read it through, now can't wait to go back with pen in hand.
August 3, 2024
If you're a writer needing guidance on how to write a novella using flash fiction stories, get your copy of Michael Loveday’s book, Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript. It offers excellent guidance on how to write your novella. It's truly a soup-to-nuts craft book.
One reviewer noted that--"My copy is plastered in yellow stickies and I will be continually returning and delving into different sections of this craft guide again and again."--and I had to laugh out loud glancing glanced down at my dog-eared copy riddled with post-it-notes. (If I'd used a highlighter, every page would have been marked up.) That's the richness of Loveday's guide which includes writing tips and exercises not only on how to write a novella but also to offer advice on how to write well.
As I read through the pages, I felt as if I had a personal writing coach by my side, steering me in directions I wouldn't have taken on my own. Yes, it's that inspiring. For any writer intending to write a novella-in-flash, this is the book for you. Conversely, for any book reviewer curious about how to assess good flash novellas, read Loveday's book as research, you'll thank me later. Highly recommend this book.
One reviewer noted that--"My copy is plastered in yellow stickies and I will be continually returning and delving into different sections of this craft guide again and again."--and I had to laugh out loud glancing glanced down at my dog-eared copy riddled with post-it-notes. (If I'd used a highlighter, every page would have been marked up.) That's the richness of Loveday's guide which includes writing tips and exercises not only on how to write a novella but also to offer advice on how to write well.
As I read through the pages, I felt as if I had a personal writing coach by my side, steering me in directions I wouldn't have taken on my own. Yes, it's that inspiring. For any writer intending to write a novella-in-flash, this is the book for you. Conversely, for any book reviewer curious about how to assess good flash novellas, read Loveday's book as research, you'll thank me later. Highly recommend this book.
July 21, 2022
I bought this book partly because Michael Loveday edited my own novella-in-flash and I appreciated his helpful and professional guidance. The novella-in-flash has been around for a while now but has gradually gained more acceptance in mainstream publishing. Loveday's guide is a useful tool for anyone writing short fiction. It has extracts and pointers to published novella-in-flash fiction, as well as tools and writing prompts. An essential guide to all short fiction writers out there. Recommended.
November 20, 2023
As a newer writer, I comb the market for How-To craft books. I fill multiple shelves with books on writerly advice. Most of my resource books are heavily highlighted and sprout sticky notes up and down their pages.
But my copy of Unlocking the Novella-In-Flash is relatively pristine. Few Day-Glow markings. Only three sticky flags poking out. The reason is that this book is so finely laid out and the presentation so clean that little effort is needed to access the valued information.
I also appreciate the conversational tone. Professional but you experience the author's voice too.
My favorite page is 165.
I recommend this book for writers and teachers. Add it your craft collection.
But my copy of Unlocking the Novella-In-Flash is relatively pristine. Few Day-Glow markings. Only three sticky flags poking out. The reason is that this book is so finely laid out and the presentation so clean that little effort is needed to access the valued information.
I also appreciate the conversational tone. Professional but you experience the author's voice too.
My favorite page is 165.
I recommend this book for writers and teachers. Add it your craft collection.
August 15, 2024
This book is well structured and well written. It has been an incredible help while writing my novella in flash for my final writing project at university. The book is full of helpful tips and encouragement, particularly when building your characters. There are example flashes with explanations on techniques contained within them. I particularly love the opportunities to brainstorm ideas. A must have bible to keep on your writing desk.
August 5, 2024
Full of helpful, clear advice and suggested reading for aspiring writers of novellas-in-flash.
I'm slightly biased: the 'Writing Prompt: Home territory/Everyday world' includes as an example Gillian Walker's The World at the End of the Garden (2020), which I co-edited.
I'm slightly biased: the 'Writing Prompt: Home territory/Everyday world' includes as an example Gillian Walker's The World at the End of the Garden (2020), which I co-edited.
August 5, 2024
A great resource for writers - and for readers wanting to know more about the novella-in-flash form. Full of insight, helpful exercises, and sage advice.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews