Shut Up & Write!

by Judy Bridges

Shut Up & Write! is the winner of four national awards and the indispensable companion of many successful writers. Written for fiction and non-fiction writers at all levels, it demystifies the process of writing with easy-to-access tools, instruction, examples, and inspiration. It includes tips on writing fact and fiction; making characters come alive; selecting a point of view; the "get and give" of critiques; how to keep going when the going gets tough, and how to get happily published. Encouraging, humorous, straight-talking, Shut Up & Write! is filled with such practical information about the craft of writing and advice about the care and feeding of the Inner Writer that it's destined to become every writer's best friend.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

176 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Tracy Riva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shut Up & Write
By Judy Bridges
ISBN 978-0976474272 $19.95 ($13.57 at Amazon), Kindle ASIN B005PTWLC6 $3.99, NOOKbook 2940013276055 $3.99

I had the opportunity to read Shut Up & Write as a judge for the Global eBook Awards. I was a little intimidated by the title, I expected to open the book and find a Drill Sargent waiting inside roughly demanding I write, right now.

I was pleasantly surprised. Judy Bridges comes across on paper as extremely knowledgeable and personable. Her advice is based on years of experience and the exercises she gives are great.

I found the book to be interesting and not the least bit pedantic, which was another concern I had going into the reading. As a writer herself, Ms. Bridges knows her audience and writes in a way that I feel will appeal to most writers. Her style is direct, but not pushy, she shares examples of results she has gained using the very techniques in the books at classes she teaches, and the exercises she asks the reader to do are easy and result in productive writing.

Bridges style is approachable and her way of teaching is extremely helpful. I would recommend this book not only to beginning writers but also to experienced writers. You can learn to hone your craft through this book and develop your skills. I found this to be one of the more helpful books on writing that I have read.

[Pam Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great motivational book for new and established writers. Judy Bridges inspires and nudges -- if she can't get your stories going, nobody can.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the good fortune to attend a couple of writers’ workshops with the author and was delighted to get her book now that I live far away. Judy Bridges CT’s through the fluff and idealism in which new writers are often tangled.
Her direction, “shut Up and Write” is just what a writer has to do in order to get the “job” done. In her book, she offers great steps to actively get your story on paper. A great assistant for writers in the process, no matter experience. Judy can bark at you from her book and get you to focus on what is productively important! Now, get off good reads, iPad, the computer and write something today. You know that’s what you woke up to do today!

[Jeannée Sacken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight-talking, funny as all get-out, and not willing to accept excuses, Judy Bridges is a legend in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin writing community. Her book recreates the lessons and motivating magic that thousands have discovered in her popular roundtable critique groups and her writing course, Shut Up & Write. From how to develop believable characters who jump off the page to point-of-view to how best to organize your narrative whether fiction of non-fiction, this volume has it all. Now, you have the chance to have your own personal mentor, her distinctive and common-sense voice urging you on to write, showing you how to write well and to succeed.

[Tamara Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from my local library in preparation to write my first novel and I loved it. It was extremely informative and really caters to a visual and interactive learner (I am both). Chalked full of advice this book touches on all parts of the writing from ideas to publishing. It even touches on the dreaded writer’s block and possible solutions I never would’ve thought of myself. I can definitely see myself using all the easy to navigate diagrams. It’s safe to say the book far exceeded my expectations.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the offputting title, this was a very informative book. It would be a good book to use as a resource in creative writing classes. Most of the things in this book have been said before but it was nice to have it all in one place.

[John Marszalkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are plenty of great takeaways here.

[Roger Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good practical book. I liked it.

[Kibrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for non-academic writers

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to Door County, WI for hiking, and late in the week wished I had enrolled in Judy Bridges writing class at The Clearing instead. So I bought the book. Great how-to for putting aside excuses and putting words on paper.

[Lisa McCulloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

May be a little biased because I had the good fortune to spend a week at retreat with Judy and nine other Redbirds and put her words into practice. Support, encouragement and no-nonsense pragmatism. I have and will reference back for years to come.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok, i just didn't agree with some of the points.

[Karen Douglass · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given the many books about writing that I read, this one could not compete. It did not offer me anything new, but a reader new to the genre might well disagree.