How do you create a successful story that captures readers from its first page and never lets them go until the final page is turned?
The secret is a delicate balancing act between allowing a story a mind of its own and holding tightly to its reins.
Award-winning author Lisa Lenard-Cook takes you through the entire writing process, showing you how to
nurture your ideas--the seeds of your fiction--so they bloom more fully
develop nuanced characters with distinct voices that intrigue readers,
manage your story's "mind"--carefully pacing your scenes
navigate the intricacies of the revision process--so your own edits are more
efficient and effective
Combining practical advice with down-to-earth candor, The Mind of Your Story illuminates the often-elusive elements of fiction and helps you turn your creative obsessions into that mysterious yet undeniable connection with readers.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Beautiful Book Design but Nothing Fresh:
Grace Ring, the designer of this book, has stolen the show. It's visually captivating. Unfortunately, the text by Lisa Lenard-Cook is not as original. If you are one of Ms Lenard-Cook's students, or a member of her community at the Writer's Digest site, you will certainly want to own this summary of her teachings. If, however, you have taken classes elsewhere, attended conferences, or have read other books about writing, you will find nothing new here. It isn't that her advice isn't sound, because it... more info
Fiction Demystified:
Lisa Lenard-Cook not only writes in an engaging style, but also clarifies all the concepts of literary fiction, such as character, plot, setting, POV, narrative distance, dialogue, language, style, pacing, and tense, plus includes a third section covering the importance of the revision process. More than a writer's manual, this book offers the reader a firm foundation from which he or she can begin to build stories that draw upon the power of "right brain" thinking, to get at the core of our creative... more info
Pretty book, little substance:
I have to agree with reviewer Livvy -- this is a lovely book (aesthetically), but once I delved into it, there seems to be little actual substance to improve one's writing. I kept expecting some advice or tips on how to push through into new ground, but most of the information was generalized description, no real "meat." For example, one suggestion it to take a book by a favorite author and copy a section of text in order to learn how the author thinks. Hmm...haven't I heard that somewhere before? Oh... more info
Utter Brilliance:
I own many books on writing, but this one blows them all away. It's as simple as that. It isn't your standard "how to write" text. Rather, it's the sort of book that makes you think. Other books go into the basics of writing, and while this one does touch upon each subject, it serves more as inspiration and nourishment for your muse. It shows you how to take your writing to the next level--to make an ordinary, dull story into something unique, with layers and nuances. As you read it, your mind makes... more info
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