Search this site    You Can Write Children's Books Author: Dils, Tracey E. ISBN: 0-89879-829-9 Pages: 120 Format: Paperback Publisher: Writer's Digest Books Published: March 1998 Condition: Price: USD $2.49 From Our Editors: Writing for kids has never been so clear as with this guide to the art and craft of storytelling for the rugrats. Can you? Well, according to author Tracy E. Dils, yes, You Can Write Children's Books. From the Publisher: If you've always enjoyed telling children stories, this book will guide you through the first steps - from writing them down to submitting them with confidence. From inspiration to publication, Tracey Dils shows you how to write the very best children's books and offers important tips for getting published. From The Critics Internet Book Watch:  Former children's book editor and award-winning author Tracey E. Dils shares guiding light, tips and insight into this difficult industry. An *on-point* instruction book, You Can Write Children's Books focuses writing for children through the following chapters: 1. What You Need to Know to Get Started; 2. Picture Books; 3. Beginning Readers, Chapter Books and Novels; 4. Nonfiction; 5. Look Like a Pro; 6. Find the Right Publisher for Your Book; 7. Give Your Manuscript a Fighting Chance; 8. Breaking Into Print; and Appendix. Chapter One, "What You Need to Know to Get Started," discusses the motives for becoming a children's writers (including a quiz-"Is Writing for Children For You," as well as the "Misconceptions About Writing for Children." Particularly helpful, in my opinion, is the full-page side bar "How to Keep Up," which suggests methods to keep aware of what's going on in the business and outlines possible resources. As with all following chapters, this one includes "Tips from the Top" and "Inspiration Exercises." My favourite chapter "Picture Books," touches upon "The Market and Audience," and goes into detail about "Form and Length" and "Types of Picture Books," "How to Make a Picture Book Dummy," "Subject Matter,"Plotting," and "What Editors Are Not Looking For," among other necessary topics. Particularly helpful is the self-critique side bar: "When you are finished with your dummy, review it thinking about these considerations: * Is there enough action to illustrate the thread you've chosen? *Is there too much action to illustrate? [With some exceptions, you'll want to introduce one basic action or image per page or two-page spread]. *Is there a variety of scenes or different actions of interest throughout the book? *Does every page move the story forward, both in terms of the plot and in terms of the visual action? *Will you story flow well with the art you envision?" These are just a few of the items suggested by Dil for revision. Likewise, Dils leads the aspiring children's writer through the many remaining chapters of the book, feeding him/her information on setting, plot, characters, dialogue, conflict, story (beginning, middle, ends), as well as vocabulary/readabilty, nonfiction vs. fiction, fascinating tidbits, statistics, formats and even "great examples to guide your writing," i.e., children's books that should not be missed. The basics are all here, defined and illustrated in this book, and presented in an easily understandable and readily applicable way. You Can Write Children's Books allows writers of all levels and experience to get something from it, whether it be reinforcement, motivation, or inspiration. Lynne Remick, Reviewer UnderCoverReader@aol.com Women Writer's Knowledge Cards Author: Pomegranate Publications ISBN: 0-87654-490-1 Pages: Format: Paperback Publisher: Pomegranate Communications Published: June 1997 Condition: Price: USD $3.99 Synopsis Not available How to Start a Home-Based Writing Business Author: Parker, Lucy V. ISBN: 1-56440-396-3 Pages: 329 Format: Paperback Publisher: Globe Pequot Pr Published: July 1994 Condition: Price: USD $ Amazon.com: A front-page byline in The New York Times! A People magazine cover story! A travel assignment in Katmandu! Dream on. "This is a book," says author Lucy V. Parker, "about commercial writing, business writing, nonfiction writing. It is a book about obtaining practical, often unglamorous assignments that can pay the bills." Sure, celebrity profiles and investigative journalism can be thrilling, but so can paying the rent. Besides, someone has to write all those newsletters, brochures, press releases, speeches, instructional manuals, and articles for employee magazines. With Parker's help, you can write a business plan, form a business, market your services, learn what to charge (and how to collect your due), and deal with taxes and contracts. Parker even tells you how to cope with the loneliness inherent in running a solo venture. Hint: online chat rooms are OK, but "people breaks" are better. With profiles of 10 successful professionals from a variety of specialties and a list of 60 key assignments for home-based writers. --Jane Steinberg --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book Description: Have you ever dreamed of starting your own home-based writing business? Have you been hesitant to put your plans into action? This comprehensive guide contains all the necessary tools and strategies you need to successfully launch and grow your own business. Author Lucy Parker, a successful home-based writer, shares her experiences and down-to-earth advice on every aspect of setting up and running a thriving home-based business. She shows you how to develop a business plan, estimate your start-up costs, price your services, and stay profitable once you're in business. From painless record keeping to savvy marketing techniques, her step-by-step methods are realistic, innovative, and easy to understand. Whether you want to earn your living writing advertising copy, producing flyers and brochures, or ghostwriting, with this guide at your side (or next to your computer) you may soon experience the satisfaction of building your own home-based business. Learn all about: Honing your writing skills; buying the right computer equipment; getting clients and referrals; effective networking; using the internet as a resource; bidding competitively; outshining the competition; controlling start-up costs; establishing a daily schedule; getting paid. Other special features include business-success worksheets, prospect-information forms, estimating forms, job-log and job-control forms, assignment checklist, guidelines for software selection and more. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Freelance Writing Advice From the Pros Author: Casewit, Curtis W. ISBN: 0-02-522490-5 Pages: 272 Format: Hardcover Publisher: Macmillan Publishing Company, Incorporated Published: April 1974 Condition: Price: USD $1.99 College Writing Skills with Readings Author: Langan, John ISBN: 0-07-036384-6 Pages: 665 Format: Paperback Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill College Published: January 1993 Condition: Price: USD $2.29 Book Description: Excellent condition, rarely used, fifth edition. Ship fast from WA state. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Writers Inc A Student Handbook for Writing & Learning Author: Sebranek, Patrick / Kemper, Dave / Meyer, Verne ISBN: 0-669-47186-0 Pages: 598 Format: Paperback Publisher: Great Source Education Group Published: February 2000 Condition: Price: USD $2.49 It's meant for high schoolers, but adults who haven't inhaled chalk dust for years might appreciate it even more. The process of organizing, researching and writing a paper is laid is out in easy-to-understand normal-speak. The chapters on grammar and usage are very user-friendly, and lots of extras (suffixes, parliamentary procedure, periodic table, metric system, the U.S. Constitution, world maps, etc.) make this an extraordinarily popular and useful household item. If you're feeling generous, you might even let the kid take it to school on occasion. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations Author: Turabian, Kate L. Honigsblum, Bonnie Birtwistle. ISBN: 0-226-81625-7 Pages: 320 Format: Paperback Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr Published: May 1987 Condition: Price: USD $2.29 Amazon.com: Newly revised to conform with the Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian's Manual for Writers provides comprehensive, detailed, superior guidance to writers of research papers. From "Parts of the Paper" (including the niceties of copyrights and dedications) to "Sample Layouts," everything to do with format is covered. Mechanics of style (abbreviations to quotations) are reviewed, there's help on tables and illustrations, and chapters on bibliographies, parenthetical references, note taking, and citations. There are suggestions for manuscript preparation, hints on word-processing software, and formatting for research papers' more complex features. When you're up to your eyebrows in research data, it's a vast relief to have quick, accessible, reliable answers to your questions of structure, scholarly propriety, and academic style. --Stephanie Gold From Booklist: A mainstay in high-school and college libraries for nearly 60 years, Turabian has now been updated to incorporate references to the fourteenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style [RBB O 1 93]. Founding author Turabian died in 1987; this edition was revised by John Grossman and Alice Bennett, who edited the most recent edition of The Manual of Style. The arrangement of the book remains the same. Chapters 13 and 14 show the ubiquity of computers. It is assumed that students now write their papers on a PC; typewriter users are referred back to the previous edition. The documentation chapters tell how to cite CD-ROM and online sources, and the bibliography at the end of the book has been updated. However, much of the book is unchanged. Librarians will want to see what kind of condition their 1987 edition of this book is in when deciding whether to purchase this new one. Sandy Whiteley --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate & Professional School Author: Stelzer, Richard / Hansen, Karen ISBN: 1-56079-855-6 Pages: 142 Format: Paperback Publisher: Peterson's Published: July 17, 1997 Condition: Price: USD $4.49 Card catalog description: Gaining admission to law, business, or medical school - as well as graduate school on the whole - is more competitive than ever. So how do you ensure that you have the edge over other applicants? One surefire way is to submit a thoughtfully crafted application essay or personal statement. It is through this personal statement that admissions officers gain insight into your personality and intellect. Good ones take time and preparation; bad ones may sabotage your chances for success. This one-of-a-kind book gives you valuable advice, including critical guidance on how to start, what to include, and what you should never say; dozens of examples of personal statements that worked at the most competitive schools; and what admissions directors at the top schools are looking for. Student's Guide for Writing College Papers Author: Turabian, Kate L. ISBN: 0-226-81623-0 Pages: 268 Format: Paperback Publisher: University Of Chicago Press Published: March 15, 1977 Condition: Price: USD $1.69 Book Description: This third edition of Kate L. Turabian's Student's Guide for Writing College Papers is designed for high school, junior college, or college students faced with writing their first long, documented paper. Besides the book's step-by-step directions for all aspects of paper writing, the sixth chapter, "Some Matters of Style," has been extensively revised, and the List of Reference Works useful to students has been recompiled and greatly expanded by Donald F. Bond, a specialist in bibliography. Students and teachers will appreciate a new system of numbering each paragraph which facilitates locating any desired item through the Index or cross-references in the text. Writing Themes About Literature Author: Roberts, Edgar V ISBN: 0-13-970723-9 Pages: 297 Format: Paperback Publisher: Prentice-Hall Published: 1973 Condition: Price: USD $1.69 Includes bibliographical references. Effective Letters in Business Author: Shurter, Robert L. ISBN: 0-07-057485-5 Pages: 238 Format: Paperback Publisher: McGraw-Hill Published: July 1984 Condition: Price: USD $1.69 "McGraw-Hill paperbacks"--Cover. Includes index. Research The Student's Guide to Writing Research Papers Author: Veit, Richard ISBN: 0-205-27338-6 Pages: 258 Format: Paperback Publisher: Prentice Hall Published: August 20, 1997 Condition: Price: USD $1.99 Book Description: Unlike comparable books, Research introduces two sample student research papers in the second chapter, giving students a clear idea of their final goal as they progress through each step of the research and writing process. While covering all the basic research conventions, the book places a unique emphasis on the actual purpose behind the conventions, helping students develop research skills useful across the curriculum. This book is equally effective as a classroom text and as a reference tool for student researchers. Includes everything one needs to know in the areas of library and internet research, using both primary and secondary sources, MLA and APA styles of documentation, evaluating sources and integrating them appropriately in a paper. For anyone needing a reference geared to writing researched papers or composing documents that are derived from sources that need to be cited and documented. From the Back Cover: Today's researchers are often overwhelmed with the thought of writing a "proper" research paper. Style, format, and proper documentation conventions are a continuous concern for the writer. This book will help put a writer's mind at ease. Unlike most comparable books, this one leads with sample research papers, giving the readers a clear understanding of the final goal as they progress through the process. The entire research and writing processes are covered step-by-step, from initial invention to final copyediting. New material includes sample MLA-style papers, a revision of the library chapter, and more. Writers-experienced and emerging. P. S. I Love You When Mom Wrote She Always Saved the Best for Last Author: Brown, H. Jackson, Jr. (Compiler) ISBN: 1-55853-071-1 Pages: 160 Format: Paperback Publisher: Rutledge Hill Press Published: April 1990 Condition: Price: USD $1.99 Book Description: "Mom loved to write to my sister and me," H. Jackson Brown writes.  "They began when I was an eight-year old camper away from home for the first time. When I opened Mom's letter, I would always read the P.S. first. I just couldn't wait to discover what revelations, humor, observations, admonitions, and encouragement she wanted to share with me." "No matter how hard you hug your money, it never hugs you back," says one P.S. "Middle age is when you have two choices and you choose the one that gets you home earlier, " says another. Jack Brown's mother shared valuable advice with him about the issues of wisdom, hope, humor, and faith. "Although some were written more than thirty years ago," Brown says, "they still run with truth and insight." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. On Writing Well An Informal Guide to Writing Non-fiction Author: Zinsser, William Knowlton ISBN: 0-06-271587-9 Pages: 300 Format: Hardcover Publisher: Harper Collins Published: June 1994 Condition: Price: USD $3.29 Amazon.com: Whether you write an occasional professional letter or a daily newspaper column, William Zinsser's On Writing Well should be required reading. Simplicity is Zinsser's mantra: he preaches a stripped-down writing style, strong and clear. He has no patience for excess (most use of adjectives and adverbs, he writes, just adds clutter) or tired phraseology (for instance, he'd like to outlaw all leads involving those "future archaeologists" most often found "stumbl[ing] upon the remains of our civilization"). He recommends that all writers of nonfiction read their work aloud (don't commit something to paper that you wouldn't actually say) and write under the assumption that "the reader knows nothing" (not to be confused with assuming the reader's an idiot). In addition to the chapters on the expected--usage, audience, interviews, leads--Zinsser also focuses on such trouble spots as science and technical writing, business writing, sports, and humor. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. --New York Times "On Writing Well belongs on any shelf of serious reference works for writers." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Comedy Writing Secrets Author: Helitzer, Melvin ISBN: 0-89879-510-9 Pages: 325 Format: Paperback Publisher: Writer's Digest Books Published: March 1992 Condition: Price: USD $3.99 Book Description: A comprehensive (and fundamental) guide to writing, selling and performing all types of comedy, including comments, advice, gags and routines from dozens of top comics. Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market Author: Eidenier, Connie Wright ISBN: 0-89879-382-3 Pages: 260 Format: Paperback Publisher: Writers Digest Books Published: February 1990 Condition: Price: USD $1.69 When Good People Write Bad Sentences 12 Steps to Better Writing Habits Author: Harris, Robert W. ISBN: 0-312-32804-4 Pages: 210 Format: Paperback Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Published: June 14, 2004 Condition: Price: USD $1.69 Book Description: At last, help for writers who can admit they have a problem.Do you get a lift by dangling a participle? Has your punctuation ever caused difficulties at home or at work? Do you consider yourself just a "social misspeller?"These are just a few of the warning signs that you might have an addiction to bad writing. But fear not. This practical guide to eliminating bad writing habits will put you on the path to recovery. Filled with accessible advice and examples, this "powerful 12-step program" identifies the most common writing mistakes and offers simple ways to correct them. Here, you can learn to overcome wordiness, formality, incompleteness, and other problems that stand in the way of clear communication. And as you learn to eliminate ineffective sentences, you'll be "writing off" jargon, mixed metaphors, clicheacute;s, and more.The advice in this ingenious and useful book has helped Tom G., Martha D., and Cathy W.* write more clearly, confidently, and persuasively. It can do the same for you - whether you write for school, work, or pleasure. If you've tried other programs, only to fall back on bad habits, let Standard English be your guide. This book will show you how.Get ready to improve your writing skills - one sentence at a time.*their real names About the Author: Robert W. Harris has worked as a technical and business writer for the past 20 years. He is the author of ten books, including Fun with Phone Solicitors and Understanding Desktop Publishing. Writing Research Papers A Complete Guide Author: Lester, James D ISBN: 0-673-15899-3 Pages: 298 Format: Paperback Publisher: Scott, Foresman Published: 1984 Condition: Price: USD $1.69 Bibliography: p. 246-285. Includes index. The Writer's Handbook 2004 Author: Abbe, Elfreida (Editor) ISBN: 0-87116-200-8 Pages: 1055 Format: Paperback Publisher: Writer, Inc. Published: September 2003 Condition: Price: USD $2.99 Book Description: The new 2004 edition of the definitive career resource for writers, now completely revised and updated! The Writer's Handbook provides professional writers with over 1,000 pages of essential information, how-to advice, and paying markets they won't find anywhere else! Part I presents more than 50 invaluable articles filled with professional advice from such prominent writers as Madeleine L'Engle, Lois Lowry, Robert W. Bly, M. J. Rose, Ray Bradbury, and Anne Lamott. Part II offers 3,000 quality book and magazine markets, along with updated details and contact information. It also features more than 300 additional resources, such as agents, writer's organizations, competitions, and conferences. New to this 2004 edition are dozens of "quick-look" checklists for writing, selling, and organizing work more efficiently, as well as extensive sidebars with tips for submitting work for publication, writing queries, and more. For writers who want a reliable one-stop source of top-notch professional advice and quality paying markets, The Writer's Handbook is the ultimate choice! About the Author: Elfrieda Abbe is the editor-in-chief of The Writer, America's oldest and most respected magazine for writers, with a circulation in excess of 40,000 subscribers. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers Authors: Hairston, Maxine / Ruszkiewicz, John J. ISBN: 0-673-46049-5 Pages: 813 Format: Hardcover Publisher: Good Year Books Published: January 1991 Condition: Price: USD $2.69 Book Description: The best-selling Scott Foresman Handbook has proven again with this edition that it is still the most comprehensive and innovative writing handbook available. Examples of real writers at work gives this book human expression and reinforces key points about writing, style, and mechanics. Readers using The Scott Foresman Handbook will know what good writing means today and what they will need to know in the future. It incorporates the latest theories and technologies, including civic literacy, visual rhetoric, online research, and service learning and other emerging trends. Topics include the writing process (finding and exploring a topic, focus and organization, drafting and revising, editing and proofreading, and evaluation); writing for academic and public forums; style (crafting opening and closing paragraphs, what kinds of language to use, effective sentences, and stylish sentences); visual design (documents, web sites); grammar, punctuation, and mechanics; research and writing; and documentation. An excellent reference resource for anyone needing to learn effective writing skills, whether for college, business, or other areas. --This text refers to the hardcover edition. Book Info: A reference book for writers who need advice about composing papers & reports, both in & out of college, & who occasionally need guidance about points of grammer or usage presented in a friendly manner designed with a problem solving approach. DLC: English language - Rhetoric. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. How to Write Letters for All Occasions Authors: Ingalls, Edna / Sheff, Alexander L. ISBN: 0-385-08924-4 Pages: 239 Format: Hardcover Publisher: Doubleday Published: August 1988 Condition: Price: USD $2.29 The Forest for the Trees An Editor's Advice to Writers Author: Lerner, Betsy ISBN: 1-57322-152-X Pages: 284 Format: Hardcover Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover Published: March 20, 2000 Condition: Price: USD $2.99 Amazon.com: One feels for Betsy Lerner's writers. Oh, sure, Lerner must be a fabulous agent. But too bad for them: In gaining her as an agent, they lost her as an editor. How rare and wonderful it must have been to have such an advocate, advisor, and, yes, admirer so firmly ensconced in publisher territory (at various times, Houghton Mifflin, Ballantine, Simon & Schuster, and Doubleday). In The Forest for the Trees, Lerner reflects on writing and publishing from an editor's point of view. There are so many books by writers and agents promising to disclose what editors really want; here, finally, is one straight from the source. Like all experienced editors, Lerner has seen writers at their best, and at their worst. "Like shrinks," she says, editors "have a privileged and exclusive view into a writer's psyche, from the ecstasy of acquisition to the agony of the remainder table." To writers, particularly unpublished ones, editors can seem imposing figures determined to thwart their success. They won't take calls, they don't offer feedback--sometimes they don't respond to queries at all. Guess what: Editors don't lug home hundreds of pounds of manuscripts to read each year because they aren't looking for good writing. "An editor gets off," says Lerner, "on the thrill of discovering a new writer." Editors crave "succinct, well-written cover letters," inspiration that comes from within (as opposed to from the bestseller list), and "catchy, clearly targeted title[s]." They detest unsolicited phone calls, "query letters that sound as if they were penned by Crazy Eddie," and writers who offer to "write it however I want it" (it's "like saying I'll be straight or gay; you tell me, I have no preference"). Lerner is aware of how excruciating it is for a writer to wait for feedback on his or her work. But she also lets writers in on a little secret of her own. "I'm always anxious about the author's response," she confides. "Will he or she take to my editing?" --Jane Steinberg From Library Journal: Lerner's credentials include editorial stints at Houghton-Mifflin, Ballantine, Simon & Schuster, and Doubleday. Working now as a literary agent, she shares an insider's perspective on the publication side of writing. Definitely not a "how-to" book or a style manual, this chatty, informal volume is anecdotal and encouraging to the novice or amateur writer. The first part describes various types of writers Lerner has worked with over the years and how a writer's personality influences both the writing and the ability to get published. Stronger and more helpful, the next section covers the process of manuscript submission and offers concrete advice about literary agents, query letters, multiple submissions, working with editors and publicists, and dealing with rejection and writer's block. Because of her unique approach, this book will find its audience among writers groups and workshops. Recommended for libraries supporting this activity. - Denise S. Sticha, Seton Hill Coll. Lib., Greensburg, PA. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. Reader's Digest Illustrated Reverse Dictionary Find the Words at the Tip of Your Tongue Authors: Editors of Reader's Digest / Glanze, Walter D. ISBN: 0-89577-352-X Pages: 608 Format: Hardcover Publisher: Readers Digest Published: March 1, 1991 Condition: good, missing dust jacket Price: USD $2.99 From Library Journal: Americanized and expanded from the British version, this delightful reference with some 70,000 entries, serves more than one purpose. It finds the precise word you want ( factitious under "fake," atomiser under "spray"); it teaches you new words ( eudonia under "Aristotle," deipnosophist under "dinner table"); it lists related terms (ballet steps, architectural words); and it illustrates varieties and parts (cheese, the ear, heraldry, papal vestments). It is sometimes quirky ("garden predators" are illustrated under "garden") and sometimes incomplete (only 19 words are listed under "Spanish terms"; only 20 dogs are shown under "dogs"), but it does more than a thesaurus and is lots of fun for just browsing. - Kitty Chen Dean, Nassau Coll., Garden City, N.Y. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. The Insider's Guide to Writing for Screen & Television Author: Tobias, Ronald B. ISBN: 0-89879-717-9 Pages: 194 Format: Hardcover Publisher: Writer's Digest Books Published: March 1997 Condition: Price: USD $2.29 From the Publisher: Industry insider Ronald B. Tobias reveals the creative, political and financial truths of writing for film and television. In candid, instructive interviews, he takes you behind the screens to show you how directors, actors and others look at a script. Learn from John McTiernan, Director of Die Hard and Hunt for Red October; Stephen Soderbergh, Writer and director of Sex, Lies and Videotape; Alan Arkin, Star of Glengarry Glen Ross; Charlton Heston, Star of The Ten Commandments; Patrick Markey, Producer of A River Runs Through It; Andrew Laszlo, Director of Photography of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier; Tom McGuane, Screenwriter of Missouri Breaks; and Jack Gilardi, Agent and executive vice president of International Creative Management, which represents many of Hollywood's leading talents. This book is like a screenwriting seminar you hold at home. Read it for the realities of writing for film. Then pull up to your keyboard and roll. The Practical Guide to Calligraphy Author: Sassoon, Rosemary ISBN: 0-500-27251-4 Pages: 96 Format: Paperback Publisher: Thames and Hudson Published: 1982 Condition: Price: USD $2.29 Learning the skill of calligraphy, or hand lettering, is not only an enjoyable and rewarding activity, but one that has practical value, for it is used increasingly nowadays in many professional areas. In map-making, in the preparation of architectural the preparation of architectural blueprints, in the design of book jackets, menus, invitations and in a multitude of related fields within the graphic arts, the distinctive character of hand lettering is often preferred to the more conventional appearance of mechanical type. Includes bibliogr