Write On!

Posted Nov 3, 2017

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and this week’s #FridayReads will help you get started on that novel you’ve been meaning to write.  Also, Come Write In with us on Sunday, November 5th from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM.  We’ll have writing activities and refreshments to help with writer’s block.  

Beyond the First Draft: The Art of Fiction by John Casey

Fiction brings characters to life, takes readers to other worlds, and explores life from different perspectives, but how do writers’ successfully accomplish this?  In Beyond the First Draft, National Book Award Winner John Casey (Spartina, and Compass Rose), looks closely at writers’ works, offering insights and meditations on voice, humor, point of view, structure, and other fictional elements. From Aristotle to Zola, Casey’s insightful and vivid essays captured what he’s seen, listened to, and experienced in his career as both a writer and a teacher.  Casey’s introduction sums it up in a nutshell - “No, I can’t teach someone to write, but I can teach someone to rewrite.”  

Guide to Writing the Mystery Novel: Lots of Examples Plus Dead Bodies by Barbara Gregorich

From James Patterson to Sue Grafton, mystery novels are very popular - maybe you’re thinking about writing one!  With topics like mysterious deaths, unsolved crimes, puzzles, and elements of surprise, there’s plenty of content for writers to explore.  In Guide to Writing the Mystery Novel, Barbara Gregorich gives an overview of plot, character, and settings suitable for mystery fiction with easy to follow examples to follow including motives, mean, and opportunity, cause and effect, and foreshadowing.  Gregorich will also help you throughout the writing process and overcome obstacles all while hiding clues and throwing suspicion on unsuspecting characters.  This book is suitable for beginning or advanced writers.         

One of the best ways to improve your writing skills is to read.  Check out some of our “best” writing compilations:



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