Creative Writing

From his vantage point harnessed to a tree overlooking the town of Huntsville (he tended to wander), a very young Roy MacGregor got in the habit of watching people—what they did, who they talked to, where they went. He has been getting to know his fellow Canadians and telling us all about them ever since.

For 50 years, writers at every stage of their careers have turned to the literary nonprofit organization Poets & Writers and its award-winning magazine for resources to foster their professional development, from writing prompts and tips on technique to informative interviews with published authors, literary agents, and editors. But never before has Poets & Writers marshalled its 50 years’ worth of knowledge to create an authoritative guide for writers that answers every imaginable question about craft and career - until now.

If the book tells a true story, you're listening to nonfiction. How else do you know? Quick, fun examples help you get the facts on nonfiction.

You can take audiences to faraway places. You can make giraffes burp and hippos sing. You can turn the sky purple and make audiences wonder what’s coming next. You can write awesome stories!

Young writers discover techniques for crafting persuasive opinion essays. Think rabbits make the best pets or that winter is better than summer? Share your opinion through writing! This engaging nonfiction book includes basic writing instructions, tips, and prompts tailored to beginning writers' needs. Perfect for research writing, browsing, or for fun!

You can make listeners smile. You can give them goosebumps or the giggles. You can even make them cry. You can show listeners the world the way you see it. You can write cool poetry!

You can tell listeners how much an elephant eats. You can reveal key moments in Babe Ruth’s life. You can list facts about Mars, airplanes, or Halloween. You can write excellent reports!

You can wish your cousin a happy birthday. You can share the latest news from school. You can ask your favorite basketball star for playing tips. You can write great letters and emails!

Ready to build a fairy tale? First, you’ll need the right tools. Open this title in the Writer’s Toolbox series and discover plenty of tips and tools to get you started. Soon you’ll be writing magical adventures like a pro!

In The Geography of Genius, acclaimed travel writer Weiner sets out to examine the connection between our surroundings and our most innovative ideas. He explores the history of places, like Vienna of 1900, Renaissance Florence, ancient Athens, Song Dynasty Hangzhou, and Silicon Valley, to show how certain urban settings are conducive to ingenuity.

What exactly is a primary source? How does it compare to other types of sources? Emerging listeners need to know the difference. Listeners will also be introduced to the concept of plagiarism, how to choose sources for their writing and reports, checking source dates and accuracy, and more.

Writing fact-based nonfiction for large general audiences requires two different skills: the ability to conduct rigorous research and to craft engaging prose. Tilar J. Mazzeo is one of the few people with extensive experience in both arenas, as a tenured academic and a New York Times best-selling author whose books have been made into a major motion picture and translated into more than 15 languages. She is also a sought-after writing coach with a passion for helping others communicate their expertise more broadly.

How to Edit Writing is the guide you need! We will teach you how to edit writing in seven easy steps. This guide is designed to provide you with all the tools you need in a concise, easy to understand format that will answer all your burning questions and get you on your way to thorough and successful editing.

From his earliest work in the 1950s to today, Willie looks back at the songs that have defined his career, from his days of earning $50 each to his biggest hits, from his less well-known songs (but incredibly meaningful to him) to his concept albums. Along the way, he also shares the stories of his guitar Trigger, his family and “family,” as well as the artists he collaborated with, including Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Dolly Parton, and many others.

Things are scary right now. We’re all being swept along by a tidal wave of history, and it’s easy to feel helpless. But we’re not helpless: We have minds, and imaginations, and the ability to visualize other worlds and valiant struggles. And writing can be an act of resistance that reminds us that other futures and other ways of living are possible. Full of memoir, personal anecdote, and insight about how to flourish during the present emergency, Never Say You Can’t Survive is the perfect manual for creativity in unprecedented times.

Whether you’re a born storyteller or need a little assistance from spellcheck and the thesaurus, Lauren Bingham is here to help you make it the “write time” to make your author’s dreams a reality. How to Write a Book: A Book for Anyone Who Has Never Written a Book (But Wants To) is filled with insight into what makes writers tick and how to bring the passion out on paper.

A guide should give clear directions and then get out of your way. In this unique collaboration that bridges two generations, best-selling author Dan Millman and his co-author (and daughter) Sierra Prasada help orient you as you make your own way through five universal stages of creativity: Dream, Draft, Develop, Refine, and Share.

In 2018, novelist Jami Attenberg, faced with a looming deadline, needed writing inspiration. Using a bootcamp model, she and a friend set out to write one thousand words daily for two weeks straight. They opened this practice to Attenberg’s online community and soon hundreds then thousands of people started using the #1000WordsofSummer hashtag to track their work and support one another. What began as a simple challenge between two friends has become a literary movement—write 1,000 words per day without judgement, or bias, or concerns about writer’s block, and see what comes of it.

This is an excerpt from the book Creative Writing Career: Becoming a Writer of Movies, Video Games, and Books. This section comprises the entire section on video game writing, to include video game writer interviews, and is Part Five of the book.

This is an excerpt from the book Creative Writing Career: Becoming a Writer of Movies, Video Games, and Books. This section comprises the entire section on screenwriting, including screenwriter interviews, and is part four of the book.