Starting to Write 2ed

CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1: Where Do I Start? One Minute Overview Reading Becoming a Critic Desert Island Books Keeping a Notebook The Diary The Miscellany or Commonplace Book Recording Dreams Start Them Today! Thinking like a Writer Starting Close to Home What Else? Putting the Hours In Do I Need a Study? Your First Practice Poem Prayer Your Turn Now What Is a First Draft? Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 2: Practical Stuff One Minute Overview Essential Reference Kit Handbook/Yearbook Dictionary Thesaurus Rhyming Dictionary Historical Reference Your Public Library Research Computers and the Internet Improving your Punctuation and Grammar Down to the Detail Adjectives, Adverbs and Modifiers Active and Passive More on Layout Anything Else? Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 3: Focusing on Poetry, Prose and Short Stories Prose or Poetry? Why Bother with Genre? Which Genre for Me? Form in Poetry Rhythm Rhyme Problems with Rhyme Imagery Problems with Imagery Defining a Short Story Aim and Direction Moving On Pointers for You Practising Narrative Drive Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 4: Becoming a Creative Writer One Minute Overview Imitation and parody Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Parody Exercise Observation Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3 Engaging Five Senses Examples Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3 Slow Down! Contrast and Variety Exercise Conflict and Resolution Exercise Point of View An Example How about You Building a Character Get to Know Your People Habits and Hooks Exercise Plotting and Planning How Much Working Out? Devices and Other Mechanisms Sub-plots Basic Plots and Ideas Good Middles and Satisfying Ends Exercises A Challenge - Try Reading This Show, Don't Tell An Example Another Example Exercise Editing Your Work More Revision More editing - Sharpening the Focus Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes One Minute Overview Therapy or Writing? Making it Work: Some Examples Archaism What About Period Drama? Cliche and Stereotype Stream of Consciousness - Right or Wrong? Why it Doesn't Work - and What to Do About It The Right Register Exercise Writing, not Speaking What's Wrong? Better Starting Techniques Exercise Plagiarism Essential Things to Do Morality Tales Looking Outside Yourself Are Famous People Different? Caution: Ego in Transit An Example Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 6: Beat the Block One Minute Overview The Block What Is Writer's Block? Does It Exist? See Things In Perspective If you think you have Writer's Block Some Solutions Exercises to Keep You Going Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 7: Dealing With Rejection and General Troubleshooting Dealing With Rejection Why Editors Reject Don't Give Up Finally - Troubleshooting: Sixteen Common Concerns Expressed by New Writers Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 8: Towards Publication One Minute Overview Studying the Market Where Does My Work Belong? Now Try the Following Big Press, Small Press Take Action Submitting Your Work What Is a Synopsis? The Covering Letter Trying An Agent Poetry Magazines What Happens Next? Exercise Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 9: Self-publishing and competitions Self-Publishing What About the ISBN? Marketing Wait a Minute - What's a Press Release? Selling to Shops Where Else? Competitions and Prizes Types of Competitions Where Do I Find the Entry Forms? How To Enter Competitions Schemes, Scams and Vanity Dohh! What Else? Avoid Them! What Is OK? Extra: What Happens To Your Book? The Lowdown on Blurb On Your Side Conclusions Tutorial Section Points for Discussion Practice Questions Chapter 10: Joining In One Minute Overview Classes and Courses Which, What, and Where Get Yourself Organised! Complaints Department Clubs, Groups and Societies The Writer's Group The Reading Group The Literary Society What Should You Look For? Community Arts Festivals Performing and Entertaining How to Read In Public Prose Writers Poets and Dramatists What Is a Performance Poet? Now Select Your Work Refining Your Performance Writing Practice Running An Event Go For It! Conclusions Tutorial Section Points For Discussion Practice Questions Bibliography Index