Several new books of interest to writers arrived this week at the library:
- Thanks, But This Isn't For Us: A (Sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing Is Being Rejected by Jessica Page Morrell
Review from Library Journal: Morrell takes us through the school of hard knocks faced by writers who are struggling to get published. Without removing the creativity from creative writing, Morrell convincingly portrays the craft of writing for publication as no accident of fate by revealing the "trade secrets" of the publishing industry through the eyes of that all-important gatekeeper, the editor. Having seen too many writers making the same mistakes, Morrell examines what makes a book publishable and what makes a story suck. She goes over dozens of common writing mistakes—from character, to plot, to dialog—and helps the would-be author find the ways in which to fine-tune a manuscript to avoid another rejection letter.
- Teach Yourself How to Write Your Life Story by Ann Gawthorpe
From the publisher: If you've ever wanted to write down your life story, but never found the time or the confidence, this book is for you. It will help you to find a style that suits you, to collect and structure all the information you need, to plan your story and discover your voice. There are lots of practical tips and reassuring advice if you're feeling daunted, and there is a complete list of all the options available for publishing your book.
- The Elements of Story: Field Notes on Nonfiction Writing by Francis Flaherty
Review from Library Journal: Playing on the title of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, Flaherty, a New York Times editor who teaches journalism at New York University, shares 50 simple and insightful tips on the many elements writers can convey in stories. Not a style guide, this is instead a nuts-and-bolts examination of the larger elements of a story. First and most adamantly, he stresses the importance of bringing a human face to every story. Flaherty gives us real and invented examples of the cream of the crop of nonfiction writing in the form of narrative news articles. VERDICT This book can be read in one fell swoop to expose yourself to the full spectrum of story elements—such as theme, motion, artfulness, truth and fairness, leads, and titles—or it can be used as a guide during the process of writing non