Beyond Style

Beyond Style
Author: Gary Provost
Publisher: Writers Digest Books
Total Pages: 187
Release: 1988
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780898793147

Offers writers advice on style, pace, unity, sound, imagery, identification, credibility, subtlety, tension, form, and viewpoint

Beyond Style - Mastering the Finer Points of Writing

Beyond Style - Mastering the Finer Points of Writing
Author: Gary Provost
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2015-12-17
Genre: Reference
ISBN:

To write well, you must reach beyond the classroom basics of composition, get a grip on the more complex concepts, and learn how to create books, articles, and stories that move—not only from the editor’s desk to the bookstore, but also in the minds of your readers. In this book, accomplished writer Gary Provost helps you tackle that tough task. Here you’ll touch the soul of fine fiction and nonfiction. You’ll explore the intangibles: the relationships between form and content, proportion and pacing, slant and theme. And you’ll gain a new perspective on how words work together. In that newfound knowledge you’ll find power—power Provost helps you transfer to the page. In candid, conversational style, he shows you: • how to balance event and dialogue to keep the pace lively • why unity is essential to a story—and how to maintain it • how to make the written word pleasing to the ear • the value of fresh, strong imagery • how startling originality will keep your readers interested • how to make your story credible—even when it’s fiction • how subtlety allows your reader to participate in the action • how to tighten up the tension at every level of your story Provost makes no promise that the work will be easy. He promises only that your books, articles, and stories will get better. There are, after all, no magic words—except those you put on the page.

How to Tell a Story

How to Tell a Story
Author: Peter Rubie
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2015-12-17
Genre: Reference
ISBN:

Drawing on Provost's proven philosophies, Rubie examines every facet of storytelling, from narrative hooks to fulfilling climaxes. Through advice, exercises, and an outstanding array of examples, you'll learn to create gripping narratives powered by strong characters. You'll discover the secrets of sequencing, of weaving subplots into rich stories, of manipulating story pace to increase conflict, tension, and surprise. “Rarely does a writing guide arrive with the authority of HOW TO TELL A STORY.” Publishers Weekly. "HOW TO TELL A STORY is a must for anybody who writes nonfiction or fiction -- television and screenwriters included." - Hugh Wilson, creator of WKRP in Cincinnati, director of The First Wive's Club. "A most useful book that will aid anyone tying to become a writer of fiction. I recommend it highly." - Roderick Thorp, bestselling author of River, Die Hard, and Detective. "Gary Provost was one of the best friends a writer ever had. He knew that all writers face a hard challenge: to take their ideas, aspirations, and vapors of creativity, and make them concrete for the reader. How to do it? Treat writing as a craft, with techniques that can be learned, with tricks that can be taught. In this book, Peter Rubie shows Gary Provost at his best." William Martin, author of Cape Cod and Annapolis. "HOW TO TELL A STORY offers a harvest of time-tested problem-solving techniques that will enrich every writer's art and craft. It's a feast of innovative, clearly stated advice that will nourish a writer's confidence and career. Read it and you will reap its many rewards." - Gerald Gross, author of Editors on Editing: What Writers Need to Know About What Editors Do. "Peter Rubie and Gary Provost have got it right. HOW TO TELL A STORY covers everything a novice writer needs to learn and a professional writer needs to remember. It's earned a permanent place on my desk." - Barbara Shapiro, author of Blind Spot and See No Evil. "In this unique book, the time honored ability of story telling has been dissected, examined carefully and defined in detail for the writer. With a fresh new look at what makes a story exciting and compelling, HOW TO TELL A STORY outlines for the writer all the secrets of dramatic story telling. Every writer should read this book before writing another paragraph." - Keith Wilson, M.D., novelist, and author of Cause of Death: A Writer's Guide to Death, Murder, & Forensic Medicine.

The Fast-track Course on how to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal

The Fast-track Course on how to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal
Author: Stephen Blake Mettee
Publisher: Quill Driver Books
Total Pages: 132
Release: 2002
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781884956225

The hard, cold fact about getting a book published is that without something close to divine intervention an author is going to have to write a sales piece, called a book proposal, that will attract the attention of an editor or an agent. In fact, at most publishers, this sales piece is going to have to hold up under the scrutiny of a committee made up of a bevy of editors and a pod of sales and marketing people. With The Fast-Track Course on How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal, Mettee, a seasoned book editor and publisher, cuts to the chase and provides simple, detailed instruction that allows anyone to write a professional book proposal and hear an editor say Yes! According to Mettee, the first rule is: Do no harm. Too many authors don't pay enough attention to the small things like spelling and grammar and manuscript format that are needed to make their book proposals appear professional. They may have a great idea for a book and be eminently qualified to write it but they schmuck it up with slovenly disregard for the easy stuff. The last rule is: Be persistent. If you quit after your first rejection slip or after the thirteenth or the thirtieth, you'll never get published. Many books that are rejected scores of times go on to be best-sellers. You're not defeated until you give up.

Feature and Magazine Writing

Feature and Magazine Writing
Author: David E. Sumner
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2013-01-04
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1118305132

Updated with fresh facts, examples and illustrations, along with two new chapters on digital media and blogs this third edition continues to be the authoritative and essential guide to writing engaging and marketable feature stories. Covers everything from finding original ideas and angles to locating expert sources Expanded edition with new chapters on storytelling for digital media and building a story blog Captivating style exemplifies the authors’ expert guidance, combining academic authority with professional know-how Comprehensive coverage of all the angles, including marketing written work and finding jobs in the publishing industry Essential reading for anyone wishing to become a strong feature writer Accompanied by a website with a wealth of resources including PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and Q&As that will be available upon publication: www.wiley.com/go/sumnerandmiller

100 Ways to Improve Your Writing

100 Ways to Improve Your Writing
Author: Gary Provost
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 180
Release: 1985-10-01
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1440672660

This is the one guide that anyone who writes--whether student, business person, or professional writer--should put on the desk beside pencil, pen, typewriter, or word processor. Filled with professional tips and a wealth of instructive examples, this valuable, easy-to-use handbook can help you solve any and all writing problems.

Make Every Word Count

Make Every Word Count
Author: Gary Provost
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2015-12-17
Genre:
ISBN:

From the author of Beyond Style: Mastering the Finer Points of Writing, Gary Provost's Make Every Word Count is a guide to assist writers of both fiction and nonfiction. Topics include: style, use of jargon, avoiding cliches, tone, intention, characterization, credibility, description, dialogue, viewpoints, and many more.

Make Your Words Work

Make Your Words Work
Author: Gary Provost
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2020-06-07
Genre: Reference
ISBN:

Gary Provost practices what he preaches in Make Your Words Work. He helps you learn to write well by, among other things, writing well himself. His warm, witty, entertaining instruction teams with solid examples as well as exercises. Get the good word now. This is the writing course to help you make your work more powerful, more readable, more salable.

Management Insights from Motivational Slokas

Management Insights from Motivational Slokas
Author: Karanam Nagaraja Rao
Publisher: Educreation Publishing
Total Pages: 275
Release:
Genre: Education
ISBN:

In India, the Sanskrit literature is an abundant ocean of knowledge and the more we explore, the more we get. In this book, there are around 108 selected slokas, many of which are from Bhartruhari Niti Sataka, Vidura Niti, Kautilya's Arthasastra, Maha Bharatha, Pancatantra and few others. These slokas are basically for the rulers of the kingdoms and are also known as subhashitas (literal meaning is good words of advice). In olden days these Subhashitas were viewed with great respect. Kautilya opined that Subhashita is on par with other basic requirements like water and food. There are many books in English giving the literary meaning of these subhashitas / slokas. But, in this book, an attempt is made to interpret them from leadership and managerial perspectives. And again for the question, why from ancient wisdom, it is felt that people who want happiness in life are increasingly looking towards spirituality as an alternative to materialistic culture. They need some 'spiritual hooks' or 'skyhooks' to cling upon to justify their decisions. The slokas provide the ground on which spiritual thoughts can propel and proliferate. For those who cannot read Devanagari script, an English version of the sloka in I-Trance format is provided. This book is highly useful for practicing managers, leadership coaches, mentors and the CEOs. Though the title of the book refers managerial insights, the book includes psychological, sociological, and human centric perspectives of the business environment.