Creative Writing

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".

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.

Editing your own writing can feel like doing your own brain surgery. After you’ve completed your manuscript and you’re standing at the foot of Revision Mountain, climbing to the summit can feel impossible. It’s hard to look at your own writing with the objective eye needed to shape it into a tight, polished, publishable story - but just like writing, self-editing is a skill you can learn.

How to Write a Screenplay is the guide you need! We will teach you how to write a screenplay in seven easy steps. This guide is designed to provide you with all the tools you need in a concise, easy-to-understand format that will answer all your burning questions and get you on your way to successful screenplay writing.

Learn the craft of creating a page-turning romantasy novel in this easy-to-follow guide from writing expert and renowned author of The Savior’s Series, Jenna Moreci. In How to Write Romantasy, Moreci takes you from your first kernel of inspiration through the resolution of your novel, ensuring...

A guide should give clear directions and then get out of your way. In this unique collaboration that bridges two generations, best-selling author Dan Millman and his co-author (and daughter) Sierra Prasada help orient you as you make your own way through five universal stages of creativity: Dream, Draft, Develop, Refine, and Share.

There's more to writing a successful fantasy story than building a unique world or inventing a new type of magic. From the writing of strong, action-packed scenes to the creation of dynamic, multi-dimensional characters, fantasy author Deborah Chester guides novices and intermediate writers through a step-by-step process of story construction. Whether offering tips on how to test a plot premise or survive what she calls the dark dismal middle, Chester shares the techniques she uses in writing her own novels.

The prestigious annual story anthology, featuring prize-winning stories by a diverse and exciting array of writers, including Wendell Berry, Alice Hoffman, Dave Eggers, Ling Ma, Lori Ostlund, and Anthony Marra. Continuing a century-long tradition of cutting-edge literary excellence, this year's...

A practical guide to using witchcraft and the power of the written word to develop a magical creative practice. Word Witches are spellcasters of language. They are storytellers, poets, writers, and ritualists who know that writing anything is a form of channeling: spirits, ancestors, collective...

A guide to writing a full-length transformational nonfiction book, from an editor with two decades' experience working with authors from all walks of life. "I know I have a book in me." "I've always wanted to be an author." "People always ask me when I'm going to write my book." "I have a story...

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury comes the second novel in the Angels Walking series about divine intervention and second chances—the dramatic story of a woman desperate to find deeper meaning in her life. Growing up in a comfortable home, Mary Catherine wanted for...

An indispensable guide in the bestselling Save the Cat! story structure series that reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any young adult novel a success, from an accomplished novelist and the author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. In Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel...

This creative writing audiobook has eight manuscripts in one. Become a great creative writer today!

Discover what every new and aspiring author needs to know about the publishing industry and how to navigate all the complicated feelings that come with writing a book in this no-nonsense guide from literary agent, author, and creator of the popular newsletter Agents & Books Kate McKean. Writers...

This is a book for everyone who writes or approves copy: copywriters, multichannel marketers, creative directors, freelance writers, marketing managers...even small business owners and information marketers. It reveals dozens of copywriting techniques that can help you write both print and online ads, emails, and websites that are clear, persuasive, and get more attention-and sell more products. Among the tips revealed:

One of Canada's greatest journalists shares a half century of the stories behind the stories. From his vantage point harnessed to a tree overlooking the town of Huntsville (he tended to wander), a very young Roy MacGregor got in the habit of watching people—what they did, who they talked to...

A definitive collection of wisdom on every style of writing and a celebration of the transformative power of the written word from one of the most influential writers and thinkers of the modern age, C. S. Lewis, the beloved author of the Chronicles of Narnia series, Mere Christianity, The...

From the New York Times bestselling author of Someone Like You comes a heartwarming story about childhood friends, broken lives, and an age-old promise, proving it’s never too late for love. Years ago, the day before Ellie moved from Georgia to California, she and her best friend Nolan sat...

A Most Anticipated Book for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, Goodreads, LitHub, and Book Riot A Best Book of the Summer for Esquire, Electric Lit, and Town & Country A People Book of the Week From “one of our most profound writers of speculative fiction” (The New York Times)...

More and more makers, designers, writers, and artists are in demand as we enter the Age of Creatives. By understanding the new strategies and mindset required to succeed, you can manage other creatives successfully. For creators, getting that promotion to management is exciting but can also be...