Several Short Sentences About Writing
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Narrated by:
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Verlyn Klinkenborg
About this listen
Most of what you think you know about writing is useless. It's the harmful debris of your education - a mixture of half-truths, myths, and false assumptions that prevents you from writing well. Drawing on years of experience as a writer and teacher of writing, Verlyn Klinkenborg offers an approach to writing that will change the way you work and think. There is no gospel, no orthodoxy, no dogma in this book. What you'll find here isn't the way to write. Instead, you'll find a way to clear your mind of illusions about writing and discover how you write.
Several Short Sentences About Writing is a book of first steps and experiments. They will revolutionize the way you think and perceive, and they will change forever the sense of your own authority as a writer. This is a book full of learning, but it's also a book full of unlearning - a way to recover the vivid, rhythmic, poetic sense of language you once possessed.
An indispensable and unique book that will give you a clear understanding of how to think about what you do when you write and how to improve the quality of your writing.
©2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Words on the Move
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- By: John McWhorter
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like? And have you ever wondered why some people from New Orleans sound as if they come from Brooklyn?
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Review By a Fan
- By Margaret on 09-25-16
By: John McWhorter
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Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
- The Untold History of English
- By: John McWhorter
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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A survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar. Why do we say "I am reading a catalog" instead of "I read a catalog"? Why do we say "do" at all? Is the way we speak a reflection of our cultural values? Delving into these provocative topics and more, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue distills hundreds of years of fascinating lore into one lively history.
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Great for casual linguists
- By Bertie on 01-11-10
By: John McWhorter
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The Art of Nonfiction
- By: Ayn Rand
- Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Rand takes listeners step by step through the writing process, providing insightful observations and invaluable techniques along the way. She discusses the psychological aspects of writing and the roles played by the conscious and subconscious mind. She talks about articles and books, explaining how to select a subject and theme, how to identify your audience, and how to write the first draft.
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Great Content, but the narrator is annoying
- By Ms on 01-26-09
By: Ayn Rand
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Draft No. 4
- On the Writing Process
- By: John McPhee
- Narrated by: John McPhee
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Draft No. 4 is an elucidation of the writer's craft by a master practitioner. In a series of playful but expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he's gathered over his career and refined during his long-running course at Princeton University, where he has launched some of the most esteemed writers of several generations. McPhee offers a definitive guide to the crucial decisions regarding structure, diction, and tone that shape nonfiction pieces and presents extracts from some of his best-loved work, subjecting them to wry scrutiny.
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McPhee is the Craft
- By Darwin8u on 09-19-17
By: John McPhee
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Six Memos for the Next Millennium
- By: Italo Calvino, Geoffrey Brock - translator
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 3 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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At the time of his death, Italo Calvino was at work on six lectures setting forth the qualities in writing he most valued and which he believed would define literature in the century to come. Here, in Six Memos for the Next Millennium, are the five lectures he completed, forming not only a stirring defense of literature but also an indispensable guide to the writings of Calvino himself. He devotes one "memo" each to the concepts of lightness, quickness, exactitude, visibility, and multiplicity.
By: Italo Calvino, and others
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He Held Radical Light
- The Art of Faith, the Faith of Art
- By: Christian Wiman
- Narrated by: John Lescault
- Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Christian Wiman explores the relationships between art and faith, death and fame, heaven and oblivion. Above all, He Held Radical Light is a love letter to poetry, filled with moving, surprising, and sometimes funny encounters with the poets Wiman has known.
By: Christian Wiman
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The Enchanted Hour
- The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction
- By: Meghan Cox Gurdon
- Narrated by: Meghan Cox Gurdon
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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A Wall Street Journal writer’s conversation-changing look at how reading aloud makes adults and children smarter, happier, healthier, more successful, and more closely attached, even as technology pulls in the other direction.
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advice to take to heart
- By Brian on 04-30-20
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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
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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....
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Great Ideas
- By Amazon Customer on 12-31-10
By: Mark Levy
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Draft No. 4
- On the Writing Process
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- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
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Draft No. 4 is an elucidation of the writer's craft by a master practitioner. In a series of playful but expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he's gathered over his career and refined during his long-running course at Princeton University, where he has launched some of the most esteemed writers of several generations. McPhee offers a definitive guide to the crucial decisions regarding structure, diction, and tone that shape nonfiction pieces and presents extracts from some of his best-loved work, subjecting them to wry scrutiny.
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McPhee is the Craft
- By Darwin8u on 09-19-17
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The Secrets of Story
- Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers
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The Secrets of Story is a revolutionary and comprehensive writing guide for the 21st century, focused on clever ways to get an audience to fully identify with an all-too-human hero. Authors will learn to how to cut through pop culture noise and win over a jaded modern audience by rediscovering the heart of writing: shaping stories that ring true to our shared understanding of human nature.
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Good Story Impossible? 'Au Contraire'!
- By Gillian on 05-26-17
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Refuse to Be Done
- How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts
- By: Matt Bell
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
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They say writing is rewriting. So why does the second part get such short shrift? Refuse to Be Done will guide you through every step of the novel writing process, from getting started on those first pages to the last tips for making your final draft even tighter and stronger.
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many great tips
- By lauren on 06-30-24
By: Matt Bell
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Stein on Writing
- A Master Editor Shares His Craft, Techniques, and Strategies
- By: Sol Stein
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Stein on Writing provides immediately useful advice for writers of fiction and nonfiction, whether newcomers or accomplished professionals. As Sol Stein, renowned editor, author, and instructor, explains, "This is not a book of theory. It is a book of usable solutions, how to fix writing that is flawed, how to improve writing that is good, how to create interesting writing in the first place."
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Excellent advice and examples for better writing.
- By Jane on 06-22-12
By: Sol Stein
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The Glamour of Grammar
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
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Early in the history of English, glamour and grammar were the same word, linked to enchantment and magical spells. Now grammar brings to mind language bullies and bored-out-of-their-skulls students. Roy Peter Clark, one of America’s most influential writing teachers, wants to change that by putting the glamour back into grammar.
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Wasteful
- By ABID on 12-05-13
By: Roy Peter Clark
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Write Away
- One Novelist's Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life
- By: Elizabeth George
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Elizabeth George has spent years teaching writing, and in Write Away, she shares her knowledge of the creative process. George combines clear, intelligent, and functional advice on fiction writing with anecdotes from her own life, the story of her journey to publication, and inside information on how she meticulously researches and writes her novels.
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too much just reading books
- By Holly on 11-22-20
By: Elizabeth George
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Draft No. 4
- On the Writing Process
- By: John McPhee
- Narrated by: John McPhee
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Draft No. 4 is an elucidation of the writer's craft by a master practitioner. In a series of playful but expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he's gathered over his career and refined during his long-running course at Princeton University, where he has launched some of the most esteemed writers of several generations. McPhee offers a definitive guide to the crucial decisions regarding structure, diction, and tone that shape nonfiction pieces and presents extracts from some of his best-loved work, subjecting them to wry scrutiny.
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McPhee is the Craft
- By Darwin8u on 09-19-17
By: John McPhee
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The Secrets of Story
- Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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The Secrets of Story is a revolutionary and comprehensive writing guide for the 21st century, focused on clever ways to get an audience to fully identify with an all-too-human hero. Authors will learn to how to cut through pop culture noise and win over a jaded modern audience by rediscovering the heart of writing: shaping stories that ring true to our shared understanding of human nature.
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Good Story Impossible? 'Au Contraire'!
- By Gillian on 05-26-17
By: Matt Bird
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Refuse to Be Done
- How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts
- By: Matt Bell
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
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Overall
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They say writing is rewriting. So why does the second part get such short shrift? Refuse to Be Done will guide you through every step of the novel writing process, from getting started on those first pages to the last tips for making your final draft even tighter and stronger.
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many great tips
- By lauren on 06-30-24
By: Matt Bell
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Stein on Writing
- A Master Editor Shares His Craft, Techniques, and Strategies
- By: Sol Stein
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Stein on Writing provides immediately useful advice for writers of fiction and nonfiction, whether newcomers or accomplished professionals. As Sol Stein, renowned editor, author, and instructor, explains, "This is not a book of theory. It is a book of usable solutions, how to fix writing that is flawed, how to improve writing that is good, how to create interesting writing in the first place."
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Excellent advice and examples for better writing.
- By Jane on 06-22-12
By: Sol Stein
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The Glamour of Grammar
- By: Roy Peter Clark
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- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Early in the history of English, glamour and grammar were the same word, linked to enchantment and magical spells. Now grammar brings to mind language bullies and bored-out-of-their-skulls students. Roy Peter Clark, one of America’s most influential writing teachers, wants to change that by putting the glamour back into grammar.
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Wasteful
- By ABID on 12-05-13
By: Roy Peter Clark
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Write Away
- One Novelist's Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life
- By: Elizabeth George
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Best-selling author Elizabeth George has spent years teaching writing, and in Write Away, she shares her knowledge of the creative process. George combines clear, intelligent, and functional advice on fiction writing with anecdotes from her own life, the story of her journey to publication, and inside information on how she meticulously researches and writes her novels.
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too much just reading books
- By Holly on 11-22-20
By: Elizabeth George
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Long Story Short
- The Only Storytelling Guide You'll Ever Need
- By: Margot Leitman
- Narrated by: Margot Leitman
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Did you ever wish you could tell a story that leaves others spellbound? Storytelling teacher and champion Margot Leitman will show you how! With a fun, irreverent, and infographic approach, this guide breaks a story into concrete components with ways to improve content, structure, emotional impact, and delivery through personal anecdotes, relatable examples, and practical exercises.
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Draw in your audience by telling stories
- By A. Yoshida on 10-27-16
By: Margot Leitman
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20 Master Plots
- And How to Build Them
- By: Ronald B. Tobias
- Narrated by: Barry Abrams
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
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The best stories linger in the hearts and minds of readers for decades. These tales gain their power through plots that connect with the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level. Ronald B. Tobias details these 20 time-tested plots. Each is discussed and analyzed, illustrating how a successful plot integrates all the elements of a story. Tobias then reveals how to use these plots effectively in your own work.
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Some Good Ideas
- By Christine Amsden on 10-05-20
By: Ronald B. Tobias
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How to Write Short
- Word Craft for Fast Times
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In How to Write Short , Roy Peter Clark turns his attention to the art of painting a thousand pictures with just a few words. Short forms of writing have always existed - from ship logs and telegrams to prayers and haikus. But in this ever-changing Internet age, short-form writing has become an essential skill. Clark covers how to write effective and powerful titles, headlines, essays, sales pitches, Tweets, letters, and even self-descriptions for online dating services.
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Ironically long
- By Amazon Customer on 03-14-16
By: Roy Peter Clark
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Meander, Spiral, Explode
- Design and Pattern in Narrative
- By: Jane Alison
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Meander, Spiral, Explode is a singular and brilliant elucidation of literary strategies that also brings high spirits and wit to its original conclusions. It is a liberating manifesto that says, Let's leave the outdated modes behind and, in thinking of new modes, bring feeling back to experimentation. It will appeal to serious readers and writers alike.
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Maybe changed my writing life
- By Daniel A. Boyd on 12-27-20
By: Jane Alison
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The Memoir Project
- A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text For Writing & Life
- By: Marion Roach Smith
- Narrated by: Marion Roach Smith
- Length: 3 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Whether or not one has lived an exceptional or dramatic life, we inherently understand that writing memoir—whether it’s a book, blog, or just a letter to a child - is the single greatest portal to self-examination. Stop treading water in writing exercises or hiding behind “writer’s block” and learn how to write with intent. Marion Roach Smith’s disarmingly frank but wildly fun tactics offer you simple and effective guidelines that work. Your legacy beings now.
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amazing what you can learn from brevity
- By Schwartz-Burrill on 09-15-11
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Pity the Reader
- On Writing with Style
- By: Kurt Vonnegut, Suzanne McConnell
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Here is an entirely new side of Kurt Vonnegut, Vonnegut as a teacher of writing. Of course he's given us glimpses before, with aphorisms and short essays and articles and in his speeches. But never before has an entire book been devoted to Kurt Vonnegut the teacher. Here is pretty much everything Vonnegut ever said or wrote having to do with the writing art and craft, altogether a healing, a nourishing expedition.
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Unlistenable
- By Grant Swalwell on 01-06-20
By: Kurt Vonnegut, and others
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The Craft of Scene Writing
- Beat by Beat to a Better Script
- By: Jim Mercurio
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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No one comes out of a movie talking about structure. What audiences love and remember about a movie are great scenes. Marlon Brando in the back seat in On the Waterfront giving his "I could'a been a contender" speech. Meg Ryan's fake orgasm in Katz's Deli in When Harry Met Sally with the climactic punch line: "I'll have what she's having." In Superbad, Jonah Hill professing "I love you" to his friend Michael Cera by touching his nose with a "boop".
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Abridged and censored- not the full book!
- By Jonathan on 10-02-20
By: Jim Mercurio
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Zen in the Art of Writing
- By: Ray Bradbury
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione
- Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!" Zest. Gusto. Curiosity. These are the qualities every writer must have, as well as a spirit of adventure. In this exuberant book, the incomparable Ray Bradbury shares the wisdom, experience, and excitement of a lifetime of writing. Here are practical tips on the art of writing from a master of the craft - everything from finding original ideas to developing your own voice and style.
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Evocative fuel for any Muse!
- By Amazon Customer on 03-22-18
By: Ray Bradbury
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The Spooky Art
- Thoughts on Writing
- By: Norman Mailer
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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"Writing is spooky," according to Norman Mailer. "There is no routine of an office to keep you going, only the blank page each morning, and you never know where your words are coming from, those divine words." In The Spooky Art, Mailer discusses with signature candor the rewards and trials of the writing life, and recommends the tools to navigate it. Addressing the listener in a conversational tone, he draws on the best of more than fifty years of his own criticism, advice, and detailed observations about the writer's craft.
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Interesting....but
- By the pilgrim on 03-01-20
By: Norman Mailer
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The Way of the Writer
- Reflections on the Art and Craft of Storytelling
- By: Charles Johnson
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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An award-winning novelist, philosopher, essayist, screenwriter, professor, and cartoonist, Charles Johnson has devoted his life to creative pursuit. His 1990 National Book Award-winning novel Middle Passage is a modern classic, revered as much for its daring plot as its philosophical underpinnings. For 33 years, Johnson taught and mentored students in the art and craft of creative writing. The Way of the Writer is his record of those years and the coda to a kaleidoscopic, boundary-shattering career.
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Awesome!
- By Michael Thomas on 02-16-24
By: Charles Johnson
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Show, Don't Tell
- Writers Guide Series
- By: Sandra Gerth
- Narrated by: Rosemary Benson
- Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Show, don't tell is probably the single most important piece of advice given to writers. But many writers struggle to understand this powerful principle or have difficulty applying it to their own work. Even experienced authors sometimes don't grasp the finer nuances of showing and telling. In this book, Sandra Gerth draws on her experience as an editor and a best-selling author to show you how to show and tell you when to tell.
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A Great Teaching Tool
- By Ann McCambridge on 10-06-22
By: Sandra Gerth
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Storycraft
- The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)
- By: Jack Hart
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Hart covers what writers in this genre need to know, from understanding story theory and structure, to mastering point of view and such basic elements as scene, action, and character, to drafting, revising, and editing work for publication. Revealing the stories behind the stories, Hart brings listeners into the process of developing nonfiction narratives by sharing tips, anecdotes, and recommendations he forged during his decades-long career in journalism.
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Christopher Grove must be Computer Generated
- By Camron on 07-10-19
By: Jack Hart
What listeners say about Several Short Sentences About Writing
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Joe
- 04-02-21
Highly recommended.
Great book and narrator. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning how to write concisely.
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- Kelly Gardner
- 11-23-20
A great listen!
This book was worth the listen. Great voice. Great message. I learned so much! I will say some of the exercises would be easier with the physical book. I will look at getting a copy.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Mike Christensen
- 02-13-22
Unlearn What You Have Learned (About Sentences)
This is essentially an entire English class in the form of a book, specifically focused on word choice and sentence structure, and pushing against all the lessons we were all taught in school. That may be good or bad, depending on what you’re looking for.
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- Jonathan
- 02-23-24
Slow
Author made his point well. It’ll take me a few listens to get it. It may take a few more listens and a lot of writing.
I wonder if he could’ve read the book slower.
Maybe he could add some longer pauses.
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- Josiah
- 10-16-18
A new way to think about writing
This audio book will give you a new way to look at your writing. Revision is writing. Writing is revision.
The examples at the end will help you to understand how to look at your sentences, pick apart the parts of speech, and realize the power of each word.
Top takeaways:
Use powerful verbs.
Revise as you write.
Unlearn most formal training.
Relearn to write as if the reader is reading between the lines.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Tom
- 07-21-22
Wonderfully poetic Manual for anyone who would try to write.
If all books of instruction were written as beautifully as this one, more of us would love to learn!
There are so many great lessons here for novice and veteran writers who either forgot or never learned the basic skills of putting pen to paper. Chapter Three alone is worth the price of admission and the Final Chapter is a terrific Final Exam full of examples of how to improve any sentence.
Buy this book before writing your next Great American Novel or a Thank You Note to your Aunt Clara. Four Stars ****
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- DnTA
- 12-30-22
word choice and knowledge and research
The author's pleasant voice narrates his book. He's very into word choice and knowing the word being used. I love that he wants authors to know the definition of words they choose. He gives examples of sentences he admires and doesn't. He explains why some sentences don't work. The topic could be very arrogantly expressed with scorn and derision but this author keeps the subject light and explains well in a conversational style that draws the reader/listener in and kept me listening til the end.
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- caroline donahue
- 02-13-24
Dry wit and great advice
I have never before laughed out loud listening to a writing craft book. Klinkenborg‘s deadpan voice is perfect for this book of practical advice. I particularly loved the final chapter where he broke down individual sentences and suggested alternatives. Awkward sentences didn’t know what hit them and immediately jumped to attention with Klinkenborg‘s quick fixes. I expect this will be a regular relisten. Excellent, but tough advice to follow for any writer. It‘s worth the effort to apply these rules; better writing awaits!
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- Shawn Bailey
- 12-01-20
Go ahead. Download it.
A few things hit home. Like trusting your readers and not dumbing things down for them. Breaking out of the templates you were handed in school. And at the end, he actually goes through a bunch of sentences and explains what's wrong with them in layman terms. Hardly anyone does this in 'How to Write' books, though it seems requisite.
The only thing I really disagree with is the turning over of sentences in your head until you get them perfect before writing them down. He gives his reasons. I just disagree. The hardest thing about writing is just... writing. So throwing up on the paper is fine as long as you get it down. I would rather have a so-so short story completed that I never have time to revise to perfection, than nothing but the first two perfect paragraphs of said story. I rant.
Overall, would recommend as there are plenty of ideas to pick and choose from.
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10 people found this helpful
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- khcloward
- 05-07-21
One long tangent thought
The author has some good ideas, but failed to distill those ideas and present them in a comprehensive form. This book is a collection tangential ramblings. The book has potential to be good, but requires a significant rewrite.
The performance is monotone and uninspired. The performance would have been better suited for a book on hypnosis.
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6 people found this helpful