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These how2rite titles may help you in your writing life. This page includes books dealing with technique. Click the jacket to order. For other categories click here
Technique
becoming a writer go
bestseller go
the craft of novel writing go
the creative writing course book go
how to plot your novel go
how to write a blockbuster go
plotting and writing suspense fiction go
 oxford style manual go
research for writers go
stephen king on writing go
the five-minute writer go
the 38 most common fiction writing mistakes go
write and sell your novel go
writing for success go
writing short stories go
writing the modern mystery go
writing the novel from plot to print go

Becoming a Writer
by Dorothea Brande

The Mammy of all writing instruction books. Originally published in 1934; but as fresh now as ever. The final sentence of the author's introduction reads: "This book is all about the writer's magic."

It describes a writer's temperament and how to develop a writer's habits, originality, and insight, imitate exemplary works, read critically, and overcome writing difficulties.

It also teaches how to reach personal quietness in order to summon the muse, and how to write by agreement with yourself.

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Bestseller
by Celia Brayfield

Bestseller Brayfield tackles the Zen of fiction bestsellerdom.

Her premise is that stories define a puzzling world and help to defuse our more primitive fears, the most significant continuing to haunt and nourish our imaginations.

Her belief is based on a study of how myth works through cultures. From there she constructs methods of story shaping, research, narrative techniques and style.

Brayfield demystifies the process of writing but highlights the hard work that is involved.

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The Craft of Novel Writing
by Dianne Doubtfire

This guide has been revised and updated and is designed to help anyone master the techniques of writing a straight novel in the main, though its thoughts and observations apply equally to category novels.

It covers all aspects of the craft and answerers questions that confront all novices.

The author has written 12 novels, short stories and was a lecturer and tutor in creative writing from 1952 to 1997.

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The Creative Writing Course Book

The coursebook grew out of the creative writing programme at East Anglia University.

The MA was founded some 30 years ago by Malcom Bradbury and Aengus Wilson.

A comprehensive guide for improving creative writing the book takes aspiring writers through three stages of practice. Contributions from some 40 authors provide a pool of information, experience and advice.

It includes material on: gathering - getting started, learning how to keep notes, making observations and using memory; shaping - looking at structure, points of view, character and setting; and finishing - being your own critic, joining workshops, finding publishers.

Exercises and activities encourage writers to develop their skills either alone or as part of a group of writers.

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How to Plot Your Novel
by Jean Saunders

Jean Saunders draws on her own wide experience as a prolific novelist and short story writer (80 novels and 600 stories so far) to lead the aspiring novelist from the initial idea, developing it into a workable plot to produce a page-turner.

Characterization, background settings, methodical construction and making use of library resources are dealt with in a clear, down-to-earth fashion.

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How to Write a Blockbuster
by Sarah Harrison

From the author of The Dreaming Stones, and "The Flowers of the Field" this inspirational guide to writing a potential bestseller covers capturing the elusive "X" factor, generating the narrative drive, and how to write about sex.

Packed with anecdotes from a funny writer and public speaker, the book takes the reader through all the stages of writing the Big Book.

Sarah Harrison wrote nine novels and is a popular radio broadcaster in Britain.

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Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction
by Patricia Highsmith

Quills and carbon paper and typewriters are things of the past; but here Patricia Highsmith reveals the universal secrets of the writer's craft.

Suspense writer Highsmith tells it as she sees it. Here she discusses technique before words are even written down in the first place.

Highsmith was born in Texas in 1921, grew up in New York, spent most of her life in Europe and died in Switzerland in 1995.

Her creation, the great conman Tom Ripley wanders Europe and lives on in her books and the films made of them.

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 Oxford Style Manual

The Oxford Style Manual unites the Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors and the Oxford Guide to Style (once known as Hart's Rules) for the first time.

The laws, conventions and effects of copyright and stylistic mysteries are all meticulously detailed in Oxford Style Manual's first sixteen chapters.

The second half is an alphabetical listing of written dos and don'ts.

The Manual is an essential reference tool for authors and publishers, copy-editors, proofreaders, copywriters, and those who write website copy.

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Research for Writers
by Ann Hoffman
A research guide for writers and journalists offering practical advice on organization and methods of research for obtaining information from and about foreign countries.

It includes advice on using the internet for research and information on the new British Library and Family Records Centre.

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The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes
by Jack M. Bickham

The important writing questions asked and answered for beginners and improvers alike.

Bickham identifies problems and suggest how you might consider and tackle them.

Each writer is unique and carries their own voice; but this book will help make the journey a little less critical.

Readers may find they become more observant about their writing and may consider planning a little more and making notes, once they have read this book.

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Stephen King On Writing
by Stephen King

On Writing really is two books: an autobiography and a tough-love lesson for aspiring novelists.

The personal story shows how a writer grew out of a misbehaving kid.

King's focus is always on what it all means to the craft.

Here, the reader receives a full writer's tool kit including a reading list, writing assignments, a corrected story and advice on money, plot and character, and the basic building block of the paragraph and literary models.

King is a superb craftsman and here he shares his insight into the world of writing.

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The five-minute writer
by Margret Geraghty

Many people who say they would love to write also say they don't have the time to do so.

With that in mind, Margret Geraghty has compiled the five-minute writer to encourage writers to begin the pleasant journey to being a writer.

Each chapter --- there are 57 of them in this book --- offers a writing-related discussion followed by an optional five-minute exercise.

You are encouraged to dip in to the chapters at any point that suits you and spend some time in the company of an experienced writing guide.

Margret Geraghty has run writing workshops for a number of years and for 12 yeras contributed a monthly column on writing to Writing Magazine.

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Write and sell your novel
by Marina Oliver

All you need to know to write and sell your own novel can be found in this updated third edition, from how to start writing, honing your work with other writers through to the process of publication.

It includes lists of names and addresses for publishers, author contacts and resources.

Marina Oliver is a prolific writer in her own right and here shares some of her knowledge with both the beginner and accomplished writer in mind.

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Writing for success
by Patricia O'Reilly

Writer and lecturer O'Reilly lays out practical advice to beginners and experienced writers alike in her consideration of writing for success, whether it be financial or personal reward.

Little experience is assumed as the author visits the early stages of a writing career and suggests ways to progress.

Fiction writing is covered, as are the easier-to-access areas of non-fiction.

Potential markets in print journalism, and sound broadcasting are reviewed and practical advice on approaching an editor or producer with work is included.

Patricia O'Reilly's great attribute is in taking a large subject, writing for success, and making it accessible, and believable, to all.

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Writing short stories
by Ailsa Cox

As a guide this book helps to encourage inventiveness and exploration of the diversity of the genre.

It introduces key aspects of the craft of short story writing, including structure, dialogue, characterization, viewpoint, narrative voice and more.

It shows how a wide variety of published writers have approached the short story genre.

Activities are included at the end of each chapter.

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Writing The Modern Mystery
by Barbara Norville

Norville describes the most popular styles of mysteries, discusses plotting, character development, and background, and tells how to prepare and submit a manuscript.

A common failing amongst new writers was, not surprisingly, is inexperience. Norville was a Mystery editor for ten years at Simon & Schuster and in a career of more than 20 years turned many authors into professional writers.

She developed a set of blueprints to ease the way, and this book is a distillation of those blueprints.

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Writing the Novel from Plot to Print
by Lawrence Block

Block is a hugely successful writer of crime novels and for some years was a columnist with Writers Digest in the USA.

Here he chats openly about the work of a crime writer as seen through his own experiences.

The book offers aspiring novelists guidelines for developing plot ideas, characters, and the storyline as well as rewriting the manuscript, finding a literary agent, and getting work published.

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