Creative Writing

Welcome to Draw It, Write It, Become It — the first student adventure in the Ask Charlie series! This isn't just a workbook—it's a magical journey of imagination, self-discovery, and authorship for creative kids ages 9–14. Guided by Charlie, their wise and funny AI sidekick, young creators will draw, dream, and write their way into becoming confident young authors. With every step, they unlock pieces of their inner world—and by the end, they’ll have not just a story, but the start of their very own book. Inside this creative workshop, kids will: Discover what makes them unique ...

“Far From Mars” contains nine creative nonfiction articles about individuals who live and work in Champaign-Urbana, two adjoining towns in east central Illinois. The pieces range from dog walkers who adore their Greyhounds to a cassette collector who hosts a local radio show and plays on-air music via the tapes he buys. Readers will also meet an established chef who is now part owner of a new restaurant, a recovered alcoholic turned antique collector, and a musician who performs solo despite a lingering cold that will alter his performance. The book concludes with an award-winning ...

From Dani Shapiro, best-selling author of Devotion and Slow Motion, comes a witty, heartfelt, and practical look at the exhilarating and challenging process of storytelling. At once a memoir, a meditation on the artistic process, and advice on craft, Still Writing is an intimate companion to living a creative life. Writers - and anyone with an artistic temperament - will find inspiration and comfort here.

Compelling characters are what keeps readers turning pages and buying books—from fantasies to mysteries to the great literary novel. But how to do you create characters that feel three-dimensional and real on the page? Counsellor and author Eileen Cook shares common psychological techniques to help you build your characters and take your story to the next level. This book covers understanding your character's backstory and how it impacts their choices in your book by doing a structured counselling interview, personality structure, and the Stages of Change.

What happens when an 82-year-old writer embraces artificial intelligence to co-create her books? In Books by Bots?, Marie Campbell takes you on a deeply personal and refreshingly honest journey into the world of AI-assisted writing. Far from a technical manual, this mini book explores the real questions behind the headlines: Can a machine help write something meaningful? Do readers care if a book was crafted with AI? Is it ethical not to disclose AI involvement? And what does all this mean for writers — especially those reinventing themselves later in life? Blending insight, encouragement...

Unlock the Secrets of Fear. Master the Mechanics of Dread. Whether you’re crafting a pulse-pounding thriller or slow-burning supernatural horror, Writing Suspense and Horror is your complete guide to gripping your reader—and never letting go. This comprehensive handbook takes you deep into the psychology of fear and the structure of tension. Learn how to create unforgettable characters, build dread scene by scene, and design plots that twist, tighten, and terrify. From atmospheric worldbuilding to heart-stopping finales, this book covers everything from genre history to hands-on craft. ...

Writing: A Spiritual Voice is not a technical book. Of those, there are many wonderful ones. It’s about tuning into the writer’s spiritual voice and the unique ways our writing develops because of listening and responding to the Divine. If you are a spiritual seeker and a writer, you will want to use your writing in the same way we use everything to align and expand our spiritual being. Writing is a long-term career. It takes time, money, perseverance, openness to learning, and passion. Making a mark as a writer usually accelerates slowly. Keep going. Keep giving. Remain true. Trust ...

Dive into the captivating world of "Poetry Unleashed" and embark on a transformative journey through the mesmerizing power of words. This enchanting anthology invites readers to experience the raw emotions, evocative imagery, and profound insights found within the artistry of poetry. Within the pages of "Poetry Unleashed," you will discover a diverse collection of poems that explore the depth and breadth of the human experience. From the bittersweet melodies of love and heartbreak to the triumphant verses of resilience and self-discovery, each poem unveils a new facet of our shared humanity...

It's every novelist's greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page-one rewrite. The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot).

The Mindful Creative Writing Teacher: A Toolkit for Creativity and Wellbeing is the essential companion for anyone teaching creative writing in today’s world. Francis Gilbert, bestselling author of I’m A Teacher, Get Me Out of Here! (Short Books), blends mindfulness, pedagogy, and social transformation in a pioneering approach to creative writing education. Inside, you’ll find: Research-informed strategies for building safe, inclusive, creative classrooms Mindful methods for feedback, assessment, and the art of redrafting Tools for decolonising the creative writing curriculum Ways to ...

Learning how to use narrative devices is the ultimate hack for writing interesting stories What narrative techniques help to surprise and interest the viewer? How can we unblock a plot that does not flow? How do you create suspense when the audience has already seen it all? How do resources such as Flebotinum, Rabbit Hole, or Red Herring work? Since humans emerged from caves, they have learned to tell stories to communicate and evoke emotions in others. While some do it monotonously, others manage to capture the attention of their audience and hold their interest until the end. How do they ...

Dive into the genius behind The Artist’s Way with exclusive, never-before-published Q&A’s, instruction manuals, and an Artist’s Way glossary. In this streamlined edition, Julia Cameron lays out the essential foundation of her Artist’s Way philosophy for anyone looking to get to the heart of her practice and begin immediately applying it to their own creative processes.

WRITING A MEMOIR ISN’T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART It’s for the brave souls willing to yank skeletons out of closets, dodge flying monkeys, and march straight into the dark forest of family secrets—no breadcrumb trail, no map, just guts and a pen. A Memoir by Any Other Name is Still Your Story And guess what? You’re the only credible witness. Framing Your Memoir Through the Fairytale Lens is the magic potion you've been searching for—a fresh, imaginative guide that transforms memoir writing from overwhelming to empowering. Why Do Memoir Writers Get Stuck? Three reasons, my dear: You ...

Poetry is more than rhyming words on a page. A poem is crafted by carefully selecting each word and rhythm. But how does a poet get started? Finding inspiration is as easy as looking at a picture.

Are you ready to embark on a journey into the world of romance fiction? Dive into "From Pen to Passion," where the art of crafting captivating love stories awaits. In this comprehensive guide, you'll discover the keys to unlocking the secrets of the romance genre. Whether you're a budding writer or a seasoned author, this book is your passport to creating heartwarming and emotionally resonant tales of love, desire, and connection. What You'll Find Inside: Crafting Unforgettable Characters: Learn how to breathe life into your heroes and heroines, making them relatable, multi-dimensional, and...

Does your child have big ideas but struggles to put them into words? ✨ Story Writing Kit for Kids Ages 8-12 is the ultimate guide to turning daydreams into dazzling stories. 🖊️ With easy-to-follow steps, creative prompts, and relatable examples, this book helps kids take their wildest ideas and shape them into stories they can be proud of. 🌟 Why Your Child Will Love It We know how tricky writing can feel for kids. That’s why this book is designed to make the process fun, clear, and exciting. 🎉 Whether it’s a magical adventure or a thrilling mystery, kids will learn how to ...

Are you tired of writing intermittently? Would you like to install a lifelong writing habit, one that gets your butt in the chair every single day? Then this is the book for you. Lifelong Writing Habit draws on well-tested neuroscience to help you install a daily writing habit that will endure for life. It contains a simple-to-understand system, with actionable steps at the end of every chapter.

The Story Grid is a tool developed by editor Shawn Coyne to analyze stories and provide helpful editorial comments. It's like a CT Scan that takes a photo of the global story and tells the editor or writer what is working, what is not, and what must be done to make what works better and fix what's not. The Story Grid breaks down the component parts of stories to identify the problems. And finding the problems in a story is almost as difficult as the writing of the story itself (maybe even more difficult).

Too often, companies and individuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the "creative types." But two of the leading experts in innovation, design, and creativity on the planet show us that each and every one of us is creative. In an incredibly entertaining and inspiring narrative that draws on countless stories from their work at IDEO, the Stanford d.school, and with many of the world's top companies, David and Tom Kelley identify the principles and strategies that will allow us to tap into our creative potential.

There's more to writing a successful fantasy story than building a unique world or inventing a new type of magic. From the writing of strong, action-packed scenes to the creation of dynamic, multi-dimensional characters, fantasy author Deborah Chester guides novices and intermediate writers through a step-by-step process of story construction. Whether offering tips on how to test a plot premise or survive what she calls the dark dismal middle, Chester shares the techniques she uses in writing her own novels.