The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing: A 16-Step Program Guaranteed to Take You from Idea to Completed Manuscript
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Nice, structured system -great for long term projects
  • X + Y Does Not Equal a Good Novel
  • WRITING MODES STAND THE TEST OF TIME
  • THE ONE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!
  • Less than and I expected, and more...
 The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing: A 16-Step Program Guaranteed to Take You from Idea to Completed Manuscript
Evan Marshall
Manufacturer: Writer's Digest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1582970629

Book Description

By following this 16-step writing program, any writer can fulfill the dream of completing a novel that is ready to submit to agents and editors. No matter what type of novel the reader wants to write--western to romance to literary to fantasy--this program will work.

It breaks down the novel-writing process into small, manageable tasks that even the most inexperienced writers can achieve. Readers will learn how to find a hook, create a conflict, develop a protagonist and set her into motion.

Formerly an editor and now a successful literary agent, Marshall knows the marketplace. His expertise illuminates every subject, from insightful advice about choosing the right story to strategies for building that story with an eye toward publication. He includes plenty of diagrams, charts and section sheets to make following the program easier, and there's even a section with proven advice and information for writing effective query letters and submitting manuscripts for publication.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Nice, structured system -great for long term projects.......2007-08-25

The methodology presented in this book is great for creating interweaving plot and sub-plots, with depth to more than just the lead protagonist and antagonist. By following the steps, you end up with a good story line that has peaks and valleys.

A key part of this process that lets it work with the weekend or part-time novelist is how it has you create detailed sections from various character's view point, listing the action and subsequent reactions to those scenes. This can be done over a period of time, and then when those are finished, you go back and write out the scenes in detail as your first draft. Again, something that can be done over a period of time as you have it, without losing track of the story because you have already outlined it.

Definitely recommended for genre fiction in particular.

3 out of 5 stars X + Y Does Not Equal a Good Novel.......2007-02-09

I haven't read many books about how to write a novel, but I can tell that this one has problems. If you want to write formulaic fiction, this book is for you. If your book may falls into a rigid predetermined word count that can be divided into 175,236 words and 113 sections, you're off to a good start. Marshal relies on the "section" system. He calls sections what most writers call scenes: the bits and pieces of your book where your characters act and talk. Marshal says you should have a preset number of words and then create a certain number of sections to fit with this word count. However, this adds up to working a formula if you're not careful.

What is lacking is how to develop good characters. Marshal provides a character fact sheet, but it's just a wrapsheet of what your character looks like, characteristic phrases he or she uses, and whether or not the character smokes. That's as about in depth as it gets.

I just keep envisioning Marshal typing, "a tablespoon of villain, a cup of subplot, a dash of the Point of Hopelessness, and there you have your novel." All in all it's not a terrible book, but you must take it with a grain of salt. On the surface the Marshal Plan looks rigid. But you don't have to follow it rigidly. It provides guidelines that you as a creative writer can follow or not follow as they fit into your writing.

4 out of 5 stars WRITING MODES STAND THE TEST OF TIME.......2006-11-08

The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing includes plenty of practical and thought-provoking material, but there are two chapters that set this book apart from the competition.

One of the many concepts that confused me as a novice writer was the terminology used to describe different types of writing. Different books described narrative, summary, scene, exposition, dialogue, introspection, flashbacks, and recollections, but none provided a satisfactory explanation of each and how they relate to one another, especially for use by a novelist.

In chapters 10 and 11, Evan Marshall describes five writing modes: action, summary, dialogue, feelings/thoughts, and background. He defines each and outlines their uses. As soon as I read about the writing modes, I began incorporating them into my writing and into my study of writing. Years later, I still find writing modes to be insightful in concept and helpful in practical use.

Marshall's writing modes offer a superior model for understanding and explaining the different types of writing used to construct fiction. For me, the writing modes have stood the test of time. I continue to be amazed that more articles and books about fiction-writing don't incorporate them.

The chapters addressing writing modes are well worth the cost of purchasing The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing.

5 out of 5 stars THE ONE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!.......2006-07-19

Marshal's book does not tell you what to write, but instead gives one a great guideline on how to organize your thoughts, chapters, events, and keep things moving. The advice inspired me, organized me, and gave me a sign ahead to keep swimming toward. Excellent book that is exactly what I've always been waiting for, it delivers all it promises, and more. Stuck? This is definately the book you need, for it is the ideal method for those who find outlines work best for them.

4 out of 5 stars Less than and I expected, and more..........2006-05-17

I'll be honest: when I bought this book, I was suspicious already. The promise of the book was too kitschy, too close to those "write a novel in 10 days" things. Well, I bought it nevertheless, and read it all. And although it did not deliver the magic formula that ir promised, it did deliver a structured plan to put the ideas in order and to achieve some balance in any long story. The dullness or keenness of your story will depend on things that are actually not in the Marshall Plan, but if you follow the plan at least you can monitor the balance and be sure you don't get too dispersed. Nowadays, I don't follow the Marshall Plan, but I do follow a plan. For me, the best thing in the book was to teach me that you can have a plan, and how you can create your own plan. And here, it was helpful.
One comment on context: it seems to me (although I think it's never explicitly said) that Mr. Marshall follows Jack Bickham ("Writing and Selling your Novel", "Scene and Structure"), who follows Dwight Swain ("Techniques for the Selling Writer"). To take more profit from the Marshall Plan, I suggest reading Swain first, who's the mastermind of the M-R stimulus and Scene/Sequel structuring, and it's incredibly clear and crisp. Then read Bickham, who adds some more insights and is clear in a very different way ("Writing and Selling..." is enough; "Scene and Structure" is a rehash). Then read Marshall, and you'll see where is he coming from, for he's not as fathomable as Swain.
One more thing: apart from the Plan, Mr. Marshall gives some tips on writing in general. These are very few, but good. I was really surprised.
Models of Value: Eighteenth-Century Political Economy and the Novel
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Models of Value: Eighteenth-Century Political Economy and the Novel
    James Thompson , and James Thompson
    Manufacturer: Duke University Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Classics | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0822317214

    Book Description

    James Thompson examines the concept of value as it came to be understood in eighteenth-century England through two emerging and divergent discourses: political economy and the novel. By looking at the relationship between these two developing forms—one having to do with finance, the other with romance—Thompson demonstrates how value came to have such different meaning in different realms of experience. A highly original rethinking of the origins of the English novel, Models of Value shows the novel’s importance in remapping English culture according to the separate spheres of public and domestic life, men’s and women’s concerns, money and emotion.
    In this account, political economy and the novel clearly arise as solutions to a crisis in the notion of value. Exploring the ways in which these different genres responded to the crisis—political economy by reconceptualizing wealth as capital, and the novel by refiguring intrinsic or human worth in the form of courtship narratives—Thompson rereads several literary works, including Defoe’s Roxana, Fielding’s Tom Jones, and Burney’s Cecilia, along with influential contemporary economic texts. Models of Value also traces the discursive consequences of this bifurcation of value, and reveals how history and theory participate in the very novelistic and economic processes they describe. In doing so, the book bridges the opposition between the interests of Marxism and feminism, and the distinctions which, newly made in the eighteenth century, continue to inform our discourse today.
    An important reformulation of the literary and cultural production of the eighteenth century, Models of Value will attract students of the novel, political economy, and of literary history and theory.

    The Creed Room: A Novel of Ideas
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • great reading!
    • Great Reading
    • A Perfect Balance Between Fiction and Philosophy
    • Something for Everyone
    • Put it on the reading list for Philosophy 101 and beyond
    		 The Creed Room: A Novel of Ideas
    Daniel Spiro
    Manufacturer: Aegis Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0974764523

    Product Description

    Sam Kramer is the kind of school teacher who is born to provoke—whether it’s his students’ thoughts or his principal’s anger. In his classroom, he’s in charge. But he soon finds himself a pawn in someone else’s classroom when he responds to a cryptic ad in the Washington Post and visits an old Victorian mansion. There, he and eight others are given a proposition: for a handsome fee, work together over the next several months to develop a new creed for humankind, a unifying philosophy that will give hope to an increasingly divided world. The group starts out with great devotion to the man who brought them together. What they don’t realize until later is that this “benefactor” may in fact have created the creed room for his own, more sinister purposes.

    Daniel Spiro’s characters pull no punches as they spar about religious fundamentalism, racism, poverty and the question of God. Sometimes, these characters find common ground. They also find romance. And in the end, they change history.

    The Creed Room is a dramatic, thought-provoking journey through the ideological divide that now strangles the American soul. Fortunately, Mr. Spiro doesn’t simply diagnose the problem; the “creed” he offers as a solution succeeds in marrying many of the best ideas on both sides of the Great Divide.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars great reading!.......2007-06-13

    How many of us have daydreamed about taking part in a think-tank discussion group with no other agenda than to kick around solutions to world problems? That is the premise of this novel experiment in philosophy. Sam Kramer, a young man in his late twenties, dropped out of law school to follow his bliss and 'make a real difference' by becoming a public school teacher. Although initially praised as a wonderful teacher, within a few years the reality of public school regimentation and ubiquitous cover-your-rear bureaucratic administrative policies is starting to get to him, and he begins to question his career decisions. At this point, he reads a rather cryptic insert in the Want Ads, and winds up as part of a small group, a cross-section of 'regular folks,' who are contracted and paid generously by a person known to them only as The Benefactor to meet on a regularly scheduled basis and discuss their views of life and society.
    The ultimate assignment for this group is to come up with a social/political manifesto on which they can all agree, or on which each person can agree with most of it, and where disagreements continue, that each person will at least know and understand the view he or she opposes. The plot is thickened by various alliances and love interests that arise within the group and how these are worked through so that the overall project stays on track. Obviously a novel like this relies heavily on dialogue rather than plot, and Spiro manages to keep the dialogue interesting, moving and realistic. Unlike many other such philosophical novels, in which each character represents and speaks for a certain hard and fast view, Spiro brilliantly gets the various views and positions on issues outlined and explained through characters who are themselves intellectually complicated, often arguing as much with themselves as others in the group. Never once in the course of reading did I get the feeling this was simply Philosophy 101 by another name.
    As the group moves toward success in its assignment, a question that lurked only in the background comes to the fore - "What is to be done with this manifesto, as well as the hours and hours of video-recorded dialogue of the group?" This points toward the larger question of how knowledge is used in modern society, a question that haunted many social theorists who have confronted it. The Benefactor, it turns out, owns all of this material and will make all decisions as to what will be done with it. Although it is never clearly resolved, there are ominous hints that they have mainly functioned all these months as a well-paid focus group for social and political ideas, and that the material will now be used not for idealistic purposes but rather for extremely conservative political spin doctors and pitch men to comb through for phrases and unconscious expressions, thus formulating evermore convincing ways of selling the conservative ideology to people across the political spectrum.
    Despite these dark hints, this is a very enjoyable and readable novel, a great first effort by Daniel Spiro. Aegis Press as yet has a very limited catalog, but if it keeps publishing books like this one, it will soon be making its mark in serious literature.

    5 out of 5 stars Great Reading.......2007-04-02

    My objective in reading the Creed Room was to capture an overview of Spinoza's Philosophy. But I was captivated by the writer's style and the fluid narrative by which he conveyed his philosophical message. Mr. Spiro seduces the reader's interest in Philosophy by somehow being insightful on both an earthy sensual and transcendental level at the same time. The Creed Room is a vehicle for any reader eager to experience the lucidity with which Spiro translates philosophical ideas into a practical creed.

    5 out of 5 stars A Perfect Balance Between Fiction and Philosophy.......2007-01-19

    The Creed Room by Daniel Spiro is an engaging, thought provoking read that examines a wide range of social and political issues through the eyes and ideas of its richly developed characters. It is highly readable, and extremely entertaining, as one easily and quickly gets caught up in the characters and storyline. Yet Spiro skillfully balances the entertainment with philosophy as he encourages the reader to look at many ideas from new perspectives. This book truly makes you think!!

    5 out of 5 stars Something for Everyone.......2006-12-05

    I'm a businessman, not a philosopher. I read books on airplanes or in hotel rooms, not in my library; but I read and enjoyed this book on several levels.

    Wit & Wisdom - the author has a knack for taking deep thoughts or pointing out societal hypocrisies in a way that is thought-provoking, approachable and funny. The witticisms may be terse, but leaves a lasting impression; especially his exchanges with his precocious high school students.

    Respect for Points of View - the main point of his book is to encourage us all to think more deeply about issues and to respect, explore and incorporate other people's competing points of view. In this sense, it is a great relief from partisan arguments where each side paints the other side as irresponsibly ignorant. This new approach is frankly a more thoughtful, realistic and grown-up approach that I hope to embrace and share with my family and friends. More importantly, if more people approached issues in this manner, the world would be better for it.

    Real Life - not to spoil the book for you, but the main character is a tortured soul thirsty for a big gulp of validation. The plot turns and twists are not those you'd expect, and will take you in a few surprising directions that keep the fiction interesting.

    Taste of the Classics - I am not a budding philosopher because I never had the patience for gazing at my navel while agonizing over the concept of being; but in reading this book, I got a great appreciation for great thinkers and how their thoughts from decades, centuries and millennia ago relate to the seemingly insurmountable problems we face today. It's a truly refreshing perspective that by itself makes this book a must read for people who think and want to have a say about the issues we face today.

    5 out of 5 stars Put it on the reading list for Philosophy 101 and beyond.......2006-11-25

    Are you a philosophy teacher? Looking for a reading that makes sense to students who believe philosophy and theology are boring? Want to have a philosophical take on American society and soul? This is the book! Spiro's understanding of philosophers and philosophical issues is that of a professional, and his story is most realistic.
    What a Novel Idea!: Projects and Activities for Young Adult Literature
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • What A Novel Idea!
    		 What a Novel Idea!: Projects and Activities for Young Adult Literature
    Katherine Wiesolek Kuta
    Manufacturer: Teacher Ideas Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    5. A to Z : Novel Ideas for Reading Teachers A to Z : Novel Ideas for Reading Teachers

    ASIN: 1563084791

    Book Description

    Each of the sixty reproducible classroom-ready activities has general guidelines that describe the purposes for the project, how to use it, evaluation points, and variations that increase student participation and motivation, and a variety of assessment activities. Designed around the new IRA/NCTE Standards, (reading, writing, representing, viewing, speaking, and listening) these stimulating activities applicable to a variety of novels create opportunities for students to develop their skills as readers, writers, and speakers. Three sections center on reading and writing activity projects (e.g., essays, news stories, letters), visual display projects (e.g., charts, posters, bookmarks), and speaking and listening activities.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars What A Novel Idea!.......2000-03-31

    I found this book extremely helpful! I am a college student that has been doing some teaching for the past few semesters. I have used numerous books that would help plan lessons to be taught. This book was the most helpful and interesting. It offers may fun and interesting comprehension activities that are easily taught to many different ages of students. The strategies in this book can be used when teaching a book or story that the students may be reading. "What A Novel Idea" is an excellent resource that I would recommend to any teacher that is looking for new and fun activities to help monitor their students' comprehension of a text.
    The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy's Great Idea
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Beyond My Expectations
    • Are you kidding?
    • Better than The Babysitters Books
    • Awesome!
    • Brilliant adaptation!!
    		 The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy's Great Idea
    Ann Martin
    Manufacturer: GRAPHIX
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    1. The Baby-Sitters Club: The Truth About Stacey The Baby-Sitters Club: The Truth About Stacey
    2. Bsc #02: Claudia And The Phantom Phone Calls (Baby-Sitters Club: Collector's Edition) Bsc #02: Claudia And The Phantom Phone Calls (Baby-Sitters Club: Collector's Edition)
    3. Mary Anne Saves The Day (BSC Graphix) Mary Anne Saves The Day (BSC Graphix)
    4. The Baby Sitters Club The Baby Sitters Club
    5. Bsc #34: Mary Anne And Too Many Boy (Baby-Sitters Club: Collector's Edition) Bsc #34: Mary Anne And Too Many Boy (Baby-Sitters Club: Collector's Edition)

    ASIN: 0439802415

    Book Description

    In this new graphic novel edition of the very first BABY-SITTERS CLUB book, Raina Telgemeier captures all the drama of the original in warm, spunky illustrations. Witness Kristy's eureka moment, when she gets the idea for a "baby-sitters club" and enlists her best friends, shy Mary Anne and artistic Claudia, in an exciting new venture. But the baby-sitting business isn't the only thing absorbing their attention: Kristy is having a hard time accepting her stepdad-to-be, and the newest member of the gang, Stacey, seems to be hiding a secret.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Beyond My Expectations.......2007-08-13

    I became a Baby-Sitters Club fanatic at the age of nine. I'd make frequent trips to the library to read as many books as possible; back then, there were only about 40 -- now (including mysteries, super specials, and spinoffs) -- there are hundreds. Over the years, I've made an effort to collect old copies of the books at thrift stores. Yes, even as an adult, I still have a soft spot for the BSC books.

    When I saw they'd made a graphic novel of Kristy's Great Idea, I didn't expect it to be anything special. However, from the first page of this book, I was hooked.

    The text is taken nearly word-for-word from the book, and the illustrations, believe it or not, are amazingly similar to the pictures I had stored in my imagination since I picked up my first BSC book over fifteen years ago. For example, in the first chapter of the book, Kristy is sitting in a warm classroom with bees buzzing around; I remember feeling that warmth while reading the book's descriptions. The same is true with the illustrations in the graphic novel -- the shadows, the look on Kristy's face, the way her hair is drawn, somewhat damp-looking in that scene -- you feel hot right along with her.

    A few things have been updated from the original story; for example, the baby-sitters' outfits in the illustrations reflect current fashion trends... they're not straight out of the 80's, as the oufits described in the book. However, they're still true to the characters: Mary-Anne with her plaid skirts, Kristy with her jeans, Claudia with her funky outfits, Stacey with her chic ensembles.

    In addition, the way each character is drawn reflects their personality perfectly -- Kristy has broad movements; Mary Anne, on the other hand, is often seen with her face lowered, as she (at least in the early BSC books) is extremely shy around strangers. Then there's Janine, Claudia's sister. In the original novel, her scenes of obnoxious grammar-correcting aren't particularly special; in the graphic novel, these scenes come off as completely hilarious. The looks on the Baby-Sitters Club members' faces are priceless. Other scenes, like the one where Kristy "baby-sits" for Pinky and Buffy, are much funnier with illustrations.

    The illustrations are worth a thousand praises and they bring a whole new life to the story. I am eager to read and view the next graphic novel, The Truth About Stacey, and hope that more BSC graphic novels are to come.

    1 out of 5 stars Are you kidding?.......2007-01-02

    I'm sorry, but I've read the reviews about this new graphic novel version of the BSC and I can't believe what I'm seeing. Like most little girls of the late 80's and early 90's, I was a huge fan of the BSC book series. I read and collected most of the series. So I was disappointed when I found they weren't being printed anymore, but even more so when I discovered the new graphic novel version in the book store. While graphic novels certainly have their value and place, I feel it cheapens this series--turning a classic series into little more than a comic book. Don't underestimate your child's intelligence--get her the originals.

    5 out of 5 stars Better than The Babysitters Books.......2006-05-15

    When I was little these book were very popular. They had movies which I loved to watch. But I was so little and the books were so long that I realy did not want to read them. I still do not want to read them because they are still a bit to long and they are just long boring books. This book is so great I read it in less than 3 days.I found this book at a book fair at my school and wanted it very bad. I love the comics on every page I think it makes it more interesting and it is more creative. You see many books out there and most of them are not very interesting once you buy it and start reading it. I love to read books but one thing I hate is SUMER READING. Most comic books are for boys but they do make some for girls but this is the best book I have ever read.
    Happy Reading
    Magb42240
    Hopkinsviile,Kentucky

    5 out of 5 stars Awesome!.......2006-04-30

    I love everything about this book. Raina Telgemeier managed to capture the characters perfectly, and there's so much energy in the drawings. She also does a really good job distilling the book's original text. If you like the BSC, or liked it as a kid, you'll definitely enjoy this.

    5 out of 5 stars Brilliant adaptation!!.......2006-04-19

    A fantastic adaptation of the first BSC book!! All BSC fans need to have a copy; kids who haven't been introduced to the original series will really like it too!
    Sencilla Fanta: Sketches And Ideas Of Ashley Wood
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • NO GO!
    • If you like fresh idea and spontaneity.
    • Descent and indescent.
    • Sencilla Fanta
    		 Sencilla Fanta: Sketches And Ideas Of Ashley Wood
    Ashley Wood
    Manufacturer: IDW Publishing
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1932382976

    Book Description

    Get a peek inside the mind of this creative powerhouse with a deluxe, 320 page sketchbook. Offering a fascinating view of the process that results in Ashley Wood's breathtaking art, Sencilla Fanta is a must for all his admirers.

    Customer Reviews:

    1 out of 5 stars NO GO!.......2006-08-25

    this book for the price could have been done in a smaller format at a much less expensive price. i like woods work alot but these really are just a bunch very minimal drawings streched out to make a hearty meal, no can do. it misses the mark big time. spend your bucks and buy process recess by james jean . that came today and woww!!!!

    5 out of 5 stars If you like fresh idea and spontaneity........2006-07-31

    This book is so Cool, with all B&W illustration. Very rough & quick sketches and a lots of spontaneity.

    4 out of 5 stars Descent and indescent........2006-05-29

    This was a gift, I love ashley wood, but I expected that there be maybe one or 2 painted peices throughout the whole book. It looks like this is a sketch compilation. Also its overtly sexual for the most part. Take that as good or bad as you wish. Wood still presents amazing talent and education - thrilling pieces.

    4 out of 5 stars Sencilla Fanta.......2005-09-30


    As Ashley Wood says in the introduction for this book, it's not like a completed book, it's messy, and full of unfinished drawings, yet it keeps all of Ashley Wood's work fascinating look, girls, robots and weird people dwell this book and make it a must for any fan of Wood's creation, and of course of all the addicted to illustration...
    Developing Story Ideas, Second Edition
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • A basic textbook for beginner groups
    • Are you in kindergarden?
    • Uninspiring
    • For Type A personalities with no love for story telling
    • Finally...
    		 Developing Story Ideas, Second Edition
    Michael Rabiger
    Manufacturer: Focal Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0240807367

    Book Description

    The vast majority of screenplay and writing books focus on story development and have little to say about the initial concept that generated the piece. Developing Story Ideas offers writers a spectrum of resources and a structure of writing practice so that anyone can quickly and reliably generate a wide variety of stories in a broad range of forms. It first shows you how to observe situations, acts, and themes-and use these observations as the basis for storytelling. Exercises and projects help you draw an artistic self-profile to summarize what you most need to investigate in your creative work.

    Micahel Rabiger, a renowned teacher, author, educator, and mentor, proves we all have the inner resources and life experiences to be creative. He guides aspiring writers step by step to come up with quality story ideas in a broad range of forms: a screenplay, short story, documentary, or play.

    * Feeling stuck? Learn to quickly and reliably generate creative ideas for stories, scripts, and more
    * Exercises and projects help you quickly develop a wealth of material
    * Step-by step approach suitable for beginners.

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars A basic textbook for beginner groups.......2007-07-19

    With the 2nd edition, the author continues to claim that you could use this book by yourself. But nearly every exercise throughout the book requires a classroom of people or at least a writing partner, and they're not adaptable for working alone (despite the author's insistence).

    Although I think some reviewers were a little harsh, they're also correct about the basic substance. The book is really a broad answer to the question "Where do you get your ideas?" Other writing books, including screenwriting ones, answer "Where do you get your ideas" in a chapter or two, so a whole book on this - even with all its short chapters - feels repetitive.

    It appears that the exercises are where the author most relies on clarifying and expanding his points, rather than within the text that precedes them, so a writer working alone is out of luck. I know I keep coming back to this, but the group-dependent techniques also may not benefit new writers once they're out on their own. Personally, most writers I've known do work alone. They find their ideas on their own and they develop those ideas and write on their own, so these methods may be counterproductive for how the writing life usually works.

    On the positive side, I liked his CLOSAT idea: labeling notes in your writer's notebook with Character, Location, Object (think "props"), Situation, Act (deed or action), and Theme for easy reference, and I'll likely go back through mine and do just that for my current project. Otherwise, I've attempted to make use of both editions and just can't.

    3 out of 5 stars Are you in kindergarden? .......2007-05-20

    This book seems written for people who has not finished kindergarden. It has no substance and nothing of real interest for real writers. He does mention some important topics... but don't explain further... You can find that info much better developed in other books.

    When I was reading it I was desperately searching for info on how to develop story ideas. Really, the subject -story ideas- is one of the most important subjects. It turns out that it is also one of the most difficult subjects in story telling and I've seen very few authors really understand how you create a story.

    I read this book once and have not touched it since.

    If you are a complete amateur or just want to write stories for yourself or for your family... then may be you could make use of it.

    Do you want a summary of the info in the book? Here it is:

    -Writers with the skills to write story ideas will be in great demand.

    -Search inside your soul, in your memory for those moments that were lifechanging, for those feelings you don't like or the ones you liked the most, and for those people who influenced you the most... Then use those ideas and themes to develop your story ideas.

    -Not enough? Then search in magazines for pictures that might inspire you...

    You get the idea.

    1 out of 5 stars Uninspiring.......2006-10-18

    This book was not at all helpful to me. It contained no new information or insights.

    2 out of 5 stars For Type A personalities with no love for story telling.......2006-07-31

    This book is a textbook and it feels like one from beginning to end. "Pedantic" is a gross understatement. The exercises are useful but I think a budding writer might find this program more harmful than helpful, in it's desire to make sure you're always following his rules. In the end his approach might get you some ideas.. but not before it sucks all the fun out of the creative process.

    If, on the other hand, you are a type A personality who really wants a rigid set of rules so you can feel secure in tackling something creative, maybe this will work for you. But my impression is that the aim of the book is to make storytelling so complicated and boring that he wants you to give up writing by the time you finish reading it. I'm a writer who buys all these books as way of refreshing my process and finding new inspiration. "Inspiring" this book is not.

    5 out of 5 stars Finally..........2005-12-02

    I have a shelf full of books on scriptwriting, directing, and other general movie making topics. However, the one thing that has held me back on my first short film was the lack of story. Rather - the lack of a GOOD story. I was very happy to stumble across this book. Finally someone has written not about putting your idea on paper, but GETTING the idea in the first place ("priming the pump", as the book says). You not only read the principles, but are encouraged to apply them with the many hands-on exercises presented throughout.

    I believe this book is definitely a worthwhile read for anyone experiencing writer's block.
    Speed Bump: Cartoons for Idea People (Speed Bump series)
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A fine survey which gathers these into themed chapters
    • Dave Coverly eats worms
    • Quirky, laugh out loud humor
    		 Speed Bump: Cartoons for Idea People (Speed Bump series)
    Dave Coverly
    Manufacturer: Ecw Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1550226584

    Book Description

    Relationships, health, work, and kids as well as philosophy and aliens are explored in this collection of thoughtful, hilarious panels from the widely syndicated Speed Bump cartoon. Oddball segues, drink recipes, caption contests, and prose pieces by the cartoonist furnish additional jokes and a wider perspective on the development of the comic strip. Aficionados and new fans of the cartoonist and his strip will find a thorough and amusing look at this popular cartoon.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars A fine survey which gathers these into themed chapters.......2005-02-10

    There's no single theme to Speed Bump: Cartoons For Idea People, no basic philosophy - but his 'outtakes' appear in over 200 newspapers around the country and Speed Bump is a fine survey which gathers these into themed chapters, includes the author's introduction to each, and even presents a small portion of color cartoons with the black and white winners. Dave Coverly is funny and pointed: Speed Bump is running in its 10th year and has been nominated for numerous awards, so place this book at the top of the list.

    5 out of 5 stars Dave Coverly eats worms.......2005-01-15

    This is the funniest second book ever written by Dave Coverly....he is by far the best comic panelist working today. Plus I think he's completely kicked his Beanie Baby habit.

    5 out of 5 stars Quirky, laugh out loud humor.......2004-12-28

    It has been a long time since I've read a cartoon book that is laugh out loud funny. Dave Coverly's quirky sense of humor and drawing skills combine to create a book that is hard to put down until you have read every one of the cartoons. In fact I didn't put it down until I had completed it and had to keep sharing individual cartoons with others as I went along. A joy to read and sure to put a smile on your face, Speed Bump is highly recommended humor.
    The City in Literature: An Intellectual and Cultural History
    Average customer rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    • not very specific!
    		 The City in Literature: An Intellectual and Cultural History
    Richard Lehan
    Manufacturer: University of California Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0520212568

    Book Description

    This sweeping literary encounter with the Western idea of the city moves from the early novel in England to the apocalyptic cityscapes of Thomas Pynchon. Along the way, Richard Lehan gathers a rich entourage that includes Daniel Defoe, Charles Dickens, Emile Zola, Bram Stoker, Rider Haggard, Joseph Conrad, James Joyce, Theodore Dreiser, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Raymond Chandler. The European city is read against the decline of feudalism and the rise of empire and totalitarianism; the American city against the phenomenon of the wilderness, the frontier, and the rise of the megalopolis and the decentered, discontinuous city that followed.
    Throughout this book, Lehan pursues a dialectic of order and disorder, of cities seeking to impose their presence on the surrounding chaos. Rooted in Enlightenment yearnings for reason, his journey goes from east to west, from Europe to America. In the United States, the movement is also westward and terminates in Los Angeles, a kind of land's end of the imagination, in Lehan's words. He charts a narrative continuum full of constructs that "represent" a cycle of hope and despair, of historical optimism and pessimism.
    Lehan presents sharply etched portrayals of the correlation between rationalism and capitalism; of the rise of the city, the decline of the landed estate, and the formation of the gothic; and of the emergence of the city and the appearance of other genres such as detective narrative and fantasy literature. He also mines disciplines such as urban studies, architecture, economics, and philosophy, uncovering material that makes his study a lively read not only for those interested in literature, but for anyone intrigued by the meanings and mysteries of urban life.

    Customer Reviews:

    2 out of 5 stars not very specific!.......2001-12-05

    An ok general analysis of the theme of the city in literature but some major problems limit the interest of the book. The focus is largely on works written in English. There are only a handful of pages on Baudelaire, Balzac, Calvino, Dostoevsky; nothing on Kerouac and the Beats; a great deal on Eliot and Joyce that reads more like a summary of their work instead of an analysis of the role of the city in their work. The book's emphasis on Modernism also overplays the theme of alienation and the city, and almost completely ignores the element of cultural cross-pollination and creativity that can result from a stimulating urban milieu. By spending so much time on Eliot's "Four Quartets, " a reader might get the impression that there is nothing redeeming about cities and they only serve to grind down the masses with their impersonality and distance from nature.
    This book is perhaps best suited for a bright high school student who is looking for a good frame in which to put some of their reading. Otherwise, head back to Jane Jacobs, Lewis Mumford and others. Good bibliography in here, however....
    The Cambridge Companion to Montaigne (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • A wide ranged guide to Montaigne
    		 The Cambridge Companion to Montaigne (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)

    Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    5. Montaigne: Essays Montaigne: Essays

    ASIN: 052152556X

    Book Description

    Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) is known for his innovative method of philosophical inquiry which mixes the anecdotal and the personal with serious critiques of human knowledge, politics and the law. His rejection of fanaticism and cruelty and his admiration for the civilizations of the New World mark him as a predecessor of modern notions of tolerance and acceptance of otherness. An international team of contributors explores the range of his philosophy and also examines the social and intellectual contexts in which his thought was expressed.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars A wide ranged guide to Montaigne.......2005-09-30

    I have found the book useful and full of bright insights about Montaigne, his person and his time. It is clear, well written, scholar but plain in language.

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