Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer
The Artistry, Joy, and Career of Storytelling
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $17.90
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Joe Hempel
About this listen
In the words of novelist Harlan Ellison, "The trick is not becoming a writer. The trick is staying a writer."
New York Times best-selling author and British Academy Award nominee J. Michael Straczynski knew he wanted to be a writer ever since he was a child. What he didn't know was how to actually become, or stay, a writer.
Now, he's giving fellow writers the comprehensive guide he wishes he had all along, personalized tips and techniques that can't be found in any other book on writing.
Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer culls from Straczynski's more than 30 years of experience writing for film, television, books, and comics. Designed for writers in any stage of their career, this quirky, insightful and often humorous book provides an inside look at these industries with advice and wisdom covering such topics such as:
- What fledgling writers need to know to improve and sell their work - and avoid wasting valuable time
- Tips for experienced writers who want to get to the next level
- Staying disciplined when writing is your day job
- Why writers should never wait for inspiration
- Story-planning strategies that don't kill your spontaneity
- Expert techniques for effective, memorable world-building
- How to get an agent and survive the writer's journey in more personal relationships
- Revising and editing with precision
- When and how to reinvent yourself as an artist
Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer includes Straczynski's unique, tried-and-true methodologies that will help storytellers sharpen their work so that it's polished and ready for publication. Part toolbox and part survival guide, this book will be an indispensable guide throughout your entire writing career, offering fresh and practical insights every step of the way.
©2021 J. Michael Straczynski (P)2021 BenBella BooksListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Secrets of Character
- Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character—specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the audience's precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable and unforgettable, and presents insider tips and tricks for writers of all levels and genres.
-
-
Leave politics out of it.
- By LKC on 08-22-23
By: Matt Bird
-
Becoming Superman
- My Journey From Poverty to Hollywood
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Peter Jurasik
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this dazzling memoir, the acclaimed writer behind Babylon 5, Sense8, Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, and Marvel’s Thor reveals how the power of creativity and imagination enabled him to overcome the horrors of his youth and a dysfunctional family haunted by madness, murder, and a terrible secret.
-
-
HEART WRENCHING PROSE FROM A PRO
- By Adam S Ridgewell on 07-25-19
-
Together We Will Go
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Dan Bittner, Neo Cihi, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Antonelli, a failed young writer looking down the barrel at 30, is planning a cross-country road trip. He buys a beat-up old tour bus. He hires a young army vet to drive it. He puts out an ad for others to join him along the way. But this will be a road trip like no other: His passengers are all fellow disheartened souls who have decided that this will be their final journey - upon arrival in San Francisco, they will find a cliff with an amazing view of the ocean at sunset, hit the gas, and drive out of this world.
-
-
Great cast, great writing, an emotional ride!
- By K Ikelman on 07-30-21
-
Write Your Novel from the Middle
- A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process...Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life.
-
-
Bell's excellent advice, less well conveyed
- By Jennifer on 09-14-20
By: James Scott Bell
-
On Writing
- A Memoir of the Craft
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.
-
-
Who needs a print edition when King reads King?
- By Cather on 11-18-05
By: Stephen King
-
Writing Tools (10th Anniversary Edition)
- 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Neil Kaplan
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ten years ago, Roy Peter Clark, America's most influential writing teacher, whittled down almost 30 years of experience in journalism, writing, and teaching into a series of 50 short essays on different aspects of writing. In the past decade, Writing Tools has become a classic guidebook for novices and experts alike and remains one of the best loved books on writing available. This new edition includes five brand-new, never-before-shared tools.
-
-
Refreshing
- By Danielle on 06-15-21
By: Roy Peter Clark
-
The Secrets of Character
- Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character—specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the audience's precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable and unforgettable, and presents insider tips and tricks for writers of all levels and genres.
-
-
Leave politics out of it.
- By LKC on 08-22-23
By: Matt Bird
-
Becoming Superman
- My Journey From Poverty to Hollywood
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Peter Jurasik
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this dazzling memoir, the acclaimed writer behind Babylon 5, Sense8, Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, and Marvel’s Thor reveals how the power of creativity and imagination enabled him to overcome the horrors of his youth and a dysfunctional family haunted by madness, murder, and a terrible secret.
-
-
HEART WRENCHING PROSE FROM A PRO
- By Adam S Ridgewell on 07-25-19
-
Together We Will Go
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Dan Bittner, Neo Cihi, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Antonelli, a failed young writer looking down the barrel at 30, is planning a cross-country road trip. He buys a beat-up old tour bus. He hires a young army vet to drive it. He puts out an ad for others to join him along the way. But this will be a road trip like no other: His passengers are all fellow disheartened souls who have decided that this will be their final journey - upon arrival in San Francisco, they will find a cliff with an amazing view of the ocean at sunset, hit the gas, and drive out of this world.
-
-
Great cast, great writing, an emotional ride!
- By K Ikelman on 07-30-21
-
Write Your Novel from the Middle
- A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process...Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life.
-
-
Bell's excellent advice, less well conveyed
- By Jennifer on 09-14-20
By: James Scott Bell
-
On Writing
- A Memoir of the Craft
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.
-
-
Who needs a print edition when King reads King?
- By Cather on 11-18-05
By: Stephen King
-
Writing Tools (10th Anniversary Edition)
- 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Neil Kaplan
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ten years ago, Roy Peter Clark, America's most influential writing teacher, whittled down almost 30 years of experience in journalism, writing, and teaching into a series of 50 short essays on different aspects of writing. In the past decade, Writing Tools has become a classic guidebook for novices and experts alike and remains one of the best loved books on writing available. This new edition includes five brand-new, never-before-shared tools.
-
-
Refreshing
- By Danielle on 06-15-21
By: Roy Peter Clark
-
Action
- The Art of Excitement for Screen, Page, and Game
- By: Robert McKee, Bassim El-Wakil
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Action explores the ways that a modern-day writer can successfully tell an action story that not only stands apart, but wins the war on clichés. Teaming up with the former co-host of The Story Toolkit, Bassim El-Wakil, legendary story lecturer Robert McKee guides writers to award-winning originality by deconstructing the action genre, illuminating the challenges, and, more importantly, demonstrating how to master the demands of plot with surprising beats of innovation and ingenuity.
-
-
Even More of the Same
- By Eric Marecek on 07-24-24
By: Robert McKee, and others
-
The Story Grid
- What Good Editors Know
- By: Shawn Coyne
- Narrated by: Dan Portnoy
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Story Grid is a tool developed by editor Shawn Coyne to analyze stories and provide helpful editorial comments. It's like a CT Scan that takes a photo of the global story and tells the editor or writer what is working, what is not, and what must be done to make what works better and fix what's not. The Story Grid breaks down the component parts of stories to identify the problems. And finding the problems in a story is almost as difficult as the writing of the story itself (maybe even more difficult).
-
-
good story, but audiobook needs an editor
- By Jeroen de Jong on 12-17-19
By: Shawn Coyne
-
Story Genius
- How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)
- By: Lisa Cron
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's every novelist's greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page-one rewrite. The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot).
-
-
As a fantasy writer, this book was not for me.
- By Wendy on 01-10-21
By: Lisa Cron
-
Writing Your Story's Theme
- The Writer's Guide to Plotting Stories That Matter (Helping Writers Become Authors)
- By: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Theme—the mysterious cousin of plot and character. Too often viewed as abstract rather than actionable, theme is frequently misunderstood and left to chance. Some writers even insist theme should not be purposefully implemented. This is unfortunate, because in many ways theme is story. Theme is the heart, the meaning, the point. Nothing that important should be overlooked. Powerful themes are never incidental. They emerge from the conjunction of strong plots and resonant character arcs.
-
-
Awesome info if you get past the drama.
- By wondernate on 10-05-21
By: K. M. Weiland
-
Structuring Your Novel
- Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story
- By: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do some stories work and others don't? The answer is structure. In this IPPY and NIEA Award-winning guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story's major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel's pacing and progression.
-
-
An Outstanding Resource for Writers
- By Richard Phillips (Bestselling Author of The Rho Agenda) on 02-01-15
By: K. M. Weiland
-
Outlining Your Novel
- Map Your Way to Success
- By: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Let outlines help you write a better book! Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal.
-
-
Doesn't explain how to outline
- By Nothing really matters on 01-28-16
By: K. M. Weiland
-
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t
- And Other Tough-Love Truths to Make You a Better Writer
- By: Steven Pressfield
- Narrated by: Steven Pressfield
- Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's a mantra real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this: "Nobody wants to read your shit." Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.
-
-
How to get over the mediocre part of yourself
- By RICHARD on 11-24-18
-
Save the Cat!
- The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
- By: Blake Snyder
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying.
-
-
Don't waste your time
- By Amazon Customer on 02-05-20
By: Blake Snyder
-
Writing for Emotional Impact
- Advanced Dramatic Techniques to Attract, Engage, and Fascinate the Reader from Beginning to End
- By: Karl Iglesias
- Narrated by: Karl Iglesias
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three kinds of feelings when reading a story: boredom, interest, and wow! To become a successful writer, you must create the wow feeling on as many pages as possible, and this requires writing that engages the reader emotionally. In his best-selling book, screenwriter Karl Iglesias explored the working habits of A-list Hollywood scribes. Now, he breaks new ground by focusing on the psychology of the reader.
-
-
Best audiobook by far for writing screenplays
- By FilmmakerSuperNova on 07-04-20
By: Karl Iglesias
-
Writing Creative Nonfiction
- By: Tilar J J. Mazzeo, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Tilar J J. Mazzeo
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bringing together the imaginative strategies of fiction storytelling and new ways of narrating true, real-life events, creative nonfiction is the fastest-growing part of the creative writing world. It's a cutting-edge genre that's reshaping how we write (and read) everything from biographies and memoirs to blogs and public speaking scripts to personal essays and magazine articles.
-
-
Not what I expected but useful
- By Nancy on 04-14-14
By: Tilar J J. Mazzeo, and others
-
How to Be a Writer
- By: David Quantick
- Narrated by: David Quantick
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Quantick interviews some of the best writers in a variety of fields to provide a detailed overview for living your life as a writer on a daily, practical level. In conversation with Caitlin Moran, Jon Ronson, Suzanne Moore, Mark Billingham, Emma Donoghue, Dennis Kelly and many others, David asks: when do you get ideas? When do you write? How do you deal with your money? Who do you have lunch with? How do you keep going?
-
-
This is so me!
- By Kate on 06-22-16
By: David Quantick
-
The Last Fifty Pages
- The Art and Craft of Unforgettable Endings
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What are the secrets for writing a great ending for your novel? How do you leave readers so satisfied that they'll want another book by you, right now? What tools and techniques can shape your last 50 pages into a powerful, unforgettable experience? Listen to this audiobook, and you will come away with a thorough knowledge of why great endings work and how to create them for every novel you write.
-
-
Not Great and Out Of Touch With The Times
- By Joseph Blackhurst on 12-22-20
By: James Scott Bell
Related to this topic
-
Save the Cat!
- The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
- By: Blake Snyder
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying.
-
-
Don't waste your time
- By Amazon Customer on 02-05-20
By: Blake Snyder
-
The View from the Bridge
- Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood
- By: Nicholas Meyer
- Narrated by: Nicholas Meyer
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Nicholas Meyer was asked to direct the troubled second Star Trek film, he was something less than a true believer. A best-selling author and successful director, he had never been a fan of the TV series. But as he began to ponder the appeal of Kirk, Spock, et al., he realized that their story was a classical nautical adventure yarn transplanted into space and - armed with that insight - set out on his mission: to revitalize Trek.
-
-
Mostly good
- By David W Braddock on 06-07-21
By: Nicholas Meyer
-
Directing Actors
- By: Judith Weston
- Narrated by: Judith Weston
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this essential guide to acting, internationally renowned directing coach Judith Weston demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want from a director, and what directors do wrong. She also goes over script analysis and preparation and how actors work, and she shares important and helpful insights into the director/actor relationship.
-
-
Directing Humans
- By Jacob Moore on 10-15-19
By: Judith Weston
-
The Stephen King Companion
- Four Decades of Fear from the Master of Horror
- By: George Beahm
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper, Claire Christie
- Length: 24 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Stephen King Companion is an authoritative look at horror author King's personal life and professional career, from Carrie to The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. King expert George Beahm, who has published extensively about Maine's main author, is your seasoned guide to the imaginative world of Stephen King, covering his varied and prodigious output: juvenalia, short fiction, limited edition books, best-selling novels, and film adaptations.
-
-
A Kingopedia: Books, Movies, Bio and Art
- By tru britty on 02-28-16
By: George Beahm
-
The Creative Habit
- Learn It and Use It for Life
- By: Twyla Tharp
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation and effort, and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter, musician, businessperson, or simply an individual yearning to put your creativity to use, The Creative Habit provides you with 32 practical exercises based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable 35-year career.
-
-
A much-needed shout-out to good habits
- By cvstuart on 03-27-13
By: Twyla Tharp
-
Ignore Everybody
- And 39 Other Keys to Creativity
- By: Hugh MacLeod
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 2 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular blog - gapingvoid.com - and a reputation for pithy insight and humor, in both words and pictures. MacLeod has opinions on everything from marketing to the meaning of life, but one of his main subjects is creativity. How do new ideas emerge in a cynical, risk-averse world?
-
-
Ignore this book !
- By Tim on 08-03-09
By: Hugh MacLeod
-
Save the Cat!
- The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
- By: Blake Snyder
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying.
-
-
Don't waste your time
- By Amazon Customer on 02-05-20
By: Blake Snyder
-
The View from the Bridge
- Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood
- By: Nicholas Meyer
- Narrated by: Nicholas Meyer
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Nicholas Meyer was asked to direct the troubled second Star Trek film, he was something less than a true believer. A best-selling author and successful director, he had never been a fan of the TV series. But as he began to ponder the appeal of Kirk, Spock, et al., he realized that their story was a classical nautical adventure yarn transplanted into space and - armed with that insight - set out on his mission: to revitalize Trek.
-
-
Mostly good
- By David W Braddock on 06-07-21
By: Nicholas Meyer
-
Directing Actors
- By: Judith Weston
- Narrated by: Judith Weston
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this essential guide to acting, internationally renowned directing coach Judith Weston demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want from a director, and what directors do wrong. She also goes over script analysis and preparation and how actors work, and she shares important and helpful insights into the director/actor relationship.
-
-
Directing Humans
- By Jacob Moore on 10-15-19
By: Judith Weston
-
The Stephen King Companion
- Four Decades of Fear from the Master of Horror
- By: George Beahm
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper, Claire Christie
- Length: 24 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Stephen King Companion is an authoritative look at horror author King's personal life and professional career, from Carrie to The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. King expert George Beahm, who has published extensively about Maine's main author, is your seasoned guide to the imaginative world of Stephen King, covering his varied and prodigious output: juvenalia, short fiction, limited edition books, best-selling novels, and film adaptations.
-
-
A Kingopedia: Books, Movies, Bio and Art
- By tru britty on 02-28-16
By: George Beahm
-
The Creative Habit
- Learn It and Use It for Life
- By: Twyla Tharp
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation and effort, and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter, musician, businessperson, or simply an individual yearning to put your creativity to use, The Creative Habit provides you with 32 practical exercises based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable 35-year career.
-
-
A much-needed shout-out to good habits
- By cvstuart on 03-27-13
By: Twyla Tharp
-
Ignore Everybody
- And 39 Other Keys to Creativity
- By: Hugh MacLeod
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 2 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular blog - gapingvoid.com - and a reputation for pithy insight and humor, in both words and pictures. MacLeod has opinions on everything from marketing to the meaning of life, but one of his main subjects is creativity. How do new ideas emerge in a cynical, risk-averse world?
-
-
Ignore this book !
- By Tim on 08-03-09
By: Hugh MacLeod
-
Slayers & Vampires
- The Complete Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Buffy & Angel
- By: Mark A. Altman, Edward Gross
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Julie McKay
- Length: 18 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two decades after its groundbreaking debut, millions of fans worldwide remain enthralled with the incredible exploits of Joss Whedon's Buffy Summers as well as Angel. Now, go behind the scenes of these legendary series that ushered in the new Golden Age of Television, with the candid recollections of writers, creators, executives, programmers, critics, and cast members. Together they unveil the oftentimes shocking true story of how a failed motion picture became an acclaimed cult television series.
-
-
Too much Joss schmoozing, too little new info
- By Onalee on 02-05-21
By: Mark A. Altman, and others
-
Make Noise
- A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling
- By: Eric Nuzum
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Make Noise brings all the wisdom, advice, practical information, and big-picture thinking that any individual or business needs to make a successful podcast. He identifies core principles - such as create empathetically, i.e., think like the audience listens, and stay focused on what’s unique to you and what you have to say. He helps listeners come up with a “Ten Word Description” that will guide them throughout the creative process and then gets into how-tos - how to develop character, story, voice, and more.
-
-
Excellent, thought provoking.
- By William Scott on 09-05-20
By: Eric Nuzum
-
Accidental Genius
- Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight and Content
- By: Mark Levy
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When it comes to creating ideas, we hold ourselves back. Thats because inside each of us is an internal editor whose job is to forever polish our thoughts, so we sound smart and in control, and so that we fit into society. But what happens when we encounter problems for which such conventional thinking fails us? How do we get unstuck? For Mark Levy, the answer is freewriting....
-
-
Great Ideas
- By Amazon Customer on 12-31-10
By: Mark Levy
-
Process
- The Writing Lives of Great Authors
- By: Sarah Stodola
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt
- Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ernest Hemingway, Zadie Smith, Joan Didion, Franz Kafka, David Foster Wallace, and more. In Process, acclaimed journalist Sarah Stodola examines the creative methods of literature's most transformative figures. Each chapter contains a mini biography of one of the world's most lauded authors, focused solely on his or her writing process.
-
-
Excellent!
- By Davina Rush on 04-10-15
By: Sarah Stodola
-
The Simpsons
- An Uncensored, Unauthorized History
- By: John Ortved
- Narrated by: John Allen Nelson, Justine Eyre
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Ortved's oral history is the first-ever look behind the scenes at the creation and day-to-day running of the television phenomenon known as The Simpsons, as told by many of the people who produce it.
-
-
Great Content, Awful Reading
- By JH Easton on 03-13-11
By: John Ortved
-
Unmistakable
- Why Only Is Better Than Best
- By: Srinivas Rao
- Narrated by: Srinivas Rao
- Length: 3 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After getting rejected from many business schools and fired from several sales jobs, Srinivas Rao decided to stop doing what he thought he was supposed to do and start working in a way that felt honest. He launched the Unmistakable Creative Podcast to interview some of the greatest minds in business - including Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, Pam Slim, Elle Luna, and Ryan Holiday - and found a surprisingly big audience. This book distills the lessons, anecdotes, and insights of the 500+ people he has interviewed.
-
-
Being Unique is a Necessity
- By The Treadmill Doctor on 08-03-16
By: Srinivas Rao
-
Big Magic
- Creative Living Beyond Fear
- By: Elizabeth Gilbert
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Gilbert
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
People of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear.
-
-
Biggest Inspiration In a Long Time
- By Gillian on 09-23-15
-
Story
- Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
- By: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.
-
-
Only 5 Chapters
- By Stephen Buck on 02-15-11
By: Robert McKee
-
Failing Up
- How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning
- By: Leslie Odom Jr.
- Narrated by: Leslie Odom Jr.
- Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leslie Odom Jr. burst on the scene in 2015, originating the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical phenomenon Hamilton. Since then he has performed for sold-out audiences, sung for the Obamas at the White House, and won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. But before he landed the role of a lifetime in one of the biggest musicals of all time, Odom put in years of hard work as a singer and an actor.
-
-
When you take one step, the universe takes two
- By Amy Aguilar on 04-11-18
By: Leslie Odom Jr.
-
Significant Zero
- Heroes, Villains, and the Fight for Art and Soul in Video Games
- By: Walt Williams
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When his satirical musings in a college newspaper got him discharged from the Air Force, it became clear to Walt Williams that his destiny in life was to be a writer - he just never thought he'd end up writing video games, let alone working on some of the most successful franchises in the industry - Bioshock, Civilization, Borderlands, and Mafia, among others. Williams pulls back the curtain on an astonishingly profitable industry that has put its stamp on pop culture and yet is little known to those outside its walls.
-
-
it's a bad autobiography not what the title says
- By Chelsea on 11-22-17
By: Walt Williams
-
Before and After the Book Deal
- A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book
- By: Courtney Maum
- Narrated by: Courtney Maum
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everything you've ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask is right here in this funny, candid guide by acclaimed author Courtney Maum. Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book has over 150 contributors from all walks of the industry, including internationally best-selling authors Anthony Doerr, Roxane Gay, Garth Greenwell, Lisa Ko, R. O. Kwon, Rebecca Makkai, and Ottessa Moshfegh, alongside cult favorites Sarah Gerard, Melissa Febos, Mitchell S. Jackson, and Mira Jacob.
-
-
A gem for early-stage writers
- By Ludmil Mitrev on 03-20-21
By: Courtney Maum
-
Pictures at a Revolution
- Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood
- By: Mark Harris
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is the epic human drama behind the making of the five movies nominated for Best Picture in 1967 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Graduate, In the Heat of the Night, Doctor Dolittle, and Bonnie and Clyde - and through them, the larger story of the cultural revolution that transformed Hollywood and America forever.
-
-
Would It Be Too Much To Ask?
- By Casey Keller on 12-31-08
By: Mark Harris
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Becoming Superman
- My Journey From Poverty to Hollywood
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Peter Jurasik
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this dazzling memoir, the acclaimed writer behind Babylon 5, Sense8, Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, and Marvel’s Thor reveals how the power of creativity and imagination enabled him to overcome the horrors of his youth and a dysfunctional family haunted by madness, murder, and a terrible secret.
-
-
HEART WRENCHING PROSE FROM A PRO
- By Adam S Ridgewell on 07-25-19
-
Earthlight
- A Random House Audiobook Original
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Erik Braa, Pete Bradbury, William DeMeritt, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
International tension is rising as the Russian military forms an Eastern Alliance to create a new age of Russian supremacy. The rest of the world is scrambling for a united response. Enter Project Earthlight. Earthlight is a NATO operation under U.S. command based in the ultimate military high ground: space. A group of the best fighter pilots is handpicked from around the world to fly the first generation of advanced planes capable of maneuvering in the vacuum of space and inside the atmosphere.
-
-
Amazing!
- By NM on 07-09-24
-
On Writing and Worldbuilding - Volume I
- By: Timothy Hickson
- Narrated by: Larissa Thompson, Merphy Napier
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing advice tends to be full of "rules" and "tips" which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire.
-
-
all hail mishka
- By M. M. on 03-25-21
By: Timothy Hickson
-
The Glass Box
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When she’s incarcerated under the authority of a shadowy new defense act, Riley is sent to one of a growing number of American Renewal Centers (ARCs)—institutions modeled after psychiatric facilities—for mandatory reeducation. Forced therapy, involuntary medication, solitary confinement, restricted rations, and more are all in the ARC program’s bag of dirty tricks designed to break down dissidents. Give in, and you go free. Resist, and … Riley declares a one-woman war against the gaslighting and manipulation in a struggle to take down the ARC program and its white-coated collaborators.
-
-
The poor Narration may force me to return this.
- By Soseverian on 02-23-24
-
Together We Will Go
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Dan Bittner, Neo Cihi, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Antonelli, a failed young writer looking down the barrel at 30, is planning a cross-country road trip. He buys a beat-up old tour bus. He hires a young army vet to drive it. He puts out an ad for others to join him along the way. But this will be a road trip like no other: His passengers are all fellow disheartened souls who have decided that this will be their final journey - upon arrival in San Francisco, they will find a cliff with an amazing view of the ocean at sunset, hit the gas, and drive out of this world.
-
-
Great cast, great writing, an emotional ride!
- By K Ikelman on 07-30-21
-
The Emotional Craft of Fiction
- How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface
- By: Donald Maass
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you. That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.
-
-
Read this if you're a writer
- By Reed Ramlow on 08-08-20
By: Donald Maass
-
Becoming Superman
- My Journey From Poverty to Hollywood
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Peter Jurasik
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this dazzling memoir, the acclaimed writer behind Babylon 5, Sense8, Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, and Marvel’s Thor reveals how the power of creativity and imagination enabled him to overcome the horrors of his youth and a dysfunctional family haunted by madness, murder, and a terrible secret.
-
-
HEART WRENCHING PROSE FROM A PRO
- By Adam S Ridgewell on 07-25-19
-
Earthlight
- A Random House Audiobook Original
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Erik Braa, Pete Bradbury, William DeMeritt, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
International tension is rising as the Russian military forms an Eastern Alliance to create a new age of Russian supremacy. The rest of the world is scrambling for a united response. Enter Project Earthlight. Earthlight is a NATO operation under U.S. command based in the ultimate military high ground: space. A group of the best fighter pilots is handpicked from around the world to fly the first generation of advanced planes capable of maneuvering in the vacuum of space and inside the atmosphere.
-
-
Amazing!
- By NM on 07-09-24
-
On Writing and Worldbuilding - Volume I
- By: Timothy Hickson
- Narrated by: Larissa Thompson, Merphy Napier
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing advice tends to be full of "rules" and "tips" which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire.
-
-
all hail mishka
- By M. M. on 03-25-21
By: Timothy Hickson
-
The Glass Box
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When she’s incarcerated under the authority of a shadowy new defense act, Riley is sent to one of a growing number of American Renewal Centers (ARCs)—institutions modeled after psychiatric facilities—for mandatory reeducation. Forced therapy, involuntary medication, solitary confinement, restricted rations, and more are all in the ARC program’s bag of dirty tricks designed to break down dissidents. Give in, and you go free. Resist, and … Riley declares a one-woman war against the gaslighting and manipulation in a struggle to take down the ARC program and its white-coated collaborators.
-
-
The poor Narration may force me to return this.
- By Soseverian on 02-23-24
-
Together We Will Go
- By: J. Michael Straczynski
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Dan Bittner, Neo Cihi, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Antonelli, a failed young writer looking down the barrel at 30, is planning a cross-country road trip. He buys a beat-up old tour bus. He hires a young army vet to drive it. He puts out an ad for others to join him along the way. But this will be a road trip like no other: His passengers are all fellow disheartened souls who have decided that this will be their final journey - upon arrival in San Francisco, they will find a cliff with an amazing view of the ocean at sunset, hit the gas, and drive out of this world.
-
-
Great cast, great writing, an emotional ride!
- By K Ikelman on 07-30-21
-
The Emotional Craft of Fiction
- How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface
- By: Donald Maass
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you. That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.
-
-
Read this if you're a writer
- By Reed Ramlow on 08-08-20
By: Donald Maass
What listeners say about Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jennifer Baratta She/Her
- 07-17-21
Joe Hempel is an outstanding narrator.
please listen or read this book after reading Becoming Superman by JMS. You can read or listen to Together We Will go by JMS afterwards.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joshua R. Holmes
- 03-03-22
Inspiration & advice from the creator of Babylon 5
If you need me, I will be behind my keyboard.
Strazynski is my new writing drill sergeant.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Hrafnkell Stefánsson
- 12-10-21
One of the best
I've been a working screenwriter for about 12 years now, read most screenwriting books that are out there. This ranks among the best. Recommend Becoming Superman as companion book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- 1genxer
- 02-12-22
Perfect for Writers.
Perfect book for any writer who feels alone with their thoughts and drive. Perfect for anyone trying to understand the writers in their lives. While this isn't a writing manual, it does cover many unsaid realities of what being a writer takes. Read it for insight, not for instruction.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jake Marley
- 07-08-21
My New Favorite Book
This isn't a How To Write book, but a How To Be a Writer book. Straczynski's charming honesty and his willingness to share failures along with his successes makes this an invaluable book to any new or established writers. I bought it on a whim--I've read quite a few comics by J. Michael Straczynski, but I've never seen Babylon 5--and as I listened to his advice and experiences, I was shocked to realize that I had found a portable mentor. He's insightful and encouraging, and for someone like me, this book was EXACTLY what I needed. There's HEART in these pages. If I ever get a chance to meet the man, I'm going to thank him. There are parts of this book that I won't forget, and even though I just finished it, I'm starting it up again.
If you want books on craft, I recommend THRILL ME by Benjamin Percy and ON WRITING by Stephen King . . . but then come get this book, and Straczynski will tell you how to take what you've learned and apply it to a life where you can BE a writer.
Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jeffrey Higgins
- 09-10-23
Wonderful
Enjoyable and informative book on the writing life. It’s full of gems. I highly recommend it for writers at any stage of their careers.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jay Parker
- 04-16-22
Narrator was whiney.
I'll need to get the hard copy. By the time I got to the end I had it with the narrator.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joseph Blackhurst
- 01-30-23
Excellent but a little too much ego
I recommend this book to every writer. The advice is unique and the encouragement is true. It is slightly geared more towards the film and tv writer but a lot is applicable too all writers. My only negative is the author often tells stories from his career that seem only to inflate his own ego or work through his own demons by convincing himself he was right in stories that involved him being a bit of a jerk.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Robert Tillsley
- 09-24-23
Concise, thought provoking, and practical
The first section was a little harrowing. Sharing his experiences was an act of vulnerability that set the stage for his reasoning and realism. JMS provided an outlook that is often forgotten. I found it relevant even as an indie author.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!