This week we’re highlighting books about writing, whether you want to become a writer or are a fan of fiction! *Look for these books on display: main floor of Library past the Reference desk.*
- How to Self Publish Your Book : a Complete Guide to Writing, Editing, Marketing & Selling Your Own Book / by Dr. Jan Yager – “A new world has opened to writers who wish to have their words turned into finished books. With technological advances in typesetting, printing, distribution, and sales, self-publishing has become a reality. But while converting your writing into a commercially available title may sound relatively easy–based upon the claims of some companies that offer this service–there are many important considerations you should be aware of before going to press. Publishing expert Dr. Jan Yager has created an easy-to-follow guide that will take you from a book’s conception and writing to its production and sales. Whether your work is fiction or nonfiction, ‘How to Self-Publish Your Book’ offers sound and proven advice at every turn, enabling you to avoid common pitfalls along the way to becoming a self-published author. The book is divided into three parts. Part One takes you through the initial manuscript preparation–setting your goals, writing, sequencing, editing, and proofing, as well as creating a business plan for your book’s eventual release. Part Two focuses on the actual production of your book. It explains the importance of cover and interior design, what you need to know about producing physical books and e-books, and how to turn your title into an audiobook. Part Three provides key information on how to market and sell your book–subjects that are crucial to a title’s success, but of which most writers have very little understanding. Also included is a valuable resource section that guides you to websites which offer essential information on self-publishing service providers, including complete self-publishing companies as well as freelance editors, proofreaders, printers, distributors, marketers, and publicists. Today, self-publishing workshops and lecturers charge hopeful writers hundreds of dollars, promising to turn their self-published books into bestsellers. The fact is that your book’s chance of success starts at its origin, not with the finished product. However you choose to produce your book, whether through a self-publishing company or through separate services, here is a complete road map to what lies ahead–based not on hype or wishful thinking, but on Dr. Jan Yager’s lifetime of experience in the world of publishing.”–Back cover
- Monster, She Wrote : The Women Who Pioneered Horror & Speculative Fiction / by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson – “‘Frankenstein’ was just the beginning: horror stories and other weird fiction wouldn’t exist without the women who created it. From Gothic ghost stories to psychological horror to science fiction, women have been primary architects of speculative literature of all sorts. And their own life stories are as intriguing as their fiction. Everyone knows about Mary Shelley, creator of Frankenstein, who was rumored to keep her late husband’s heart in her desk drawer. But have you heard of Margaret ‘Mad Madge’ Cavendish, who wrote a science-fiction epic 150 years earlier (and liked to wear topless gowns to the theater)? If you know the astounding work of Shirley Jackson, whose novel ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ was reinvented as a Netflix series, then try the psychological hauntings of Violet Paget, who was openly involved in long-term romantic relationships with women in the Victorian era. You’ll meet celebrated icons (Ann Radcliffe, V. C. Andrews), forgotten wordsmiths (Eli Colter, Ruby Jean Jensen), and today’s vanguard (Helen Oyeyemi). Curated reading lists point you to their most spine-chilling tales. Part biography, part reader’s guide, the engaging write-ups and detailed reading lists will introduce you to more than a hundred authors and over two hundred of their mysterious and spooky novels, novellas, and stories.”–Publisher description
- No plot? No problem! : a Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days / by Chris Baty, founder of National Novel Writing Month – “Completely revised and expanded with new tips, tricks, and advice from over 15 years of National Novel Writing Month. You’ve always wanted to write, but…just haven’t gotten around to it. ‘No Plot? No Problem!’ is the kick in the pants you’ve been waiting for. Let Chris Baty, founder of the literary marathon National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo), guide you through four exciting weeks of hard-core noveling. Baty’s pep talks and essential survival strategies cover the initial momentum and energy of Week One, the critical ‘plot flashes’ of Week Two, the ‘Can I quit now?’ impulses of Week Three, and the champagne and roar of the crowd during Week Four. Whether you’re a first-time novelist who just can’t seem to get pen to paper or a results-oriented writer seeking a creative on-ramp into the world of publishing, this is the adventure for you. So what are you waiting for? The ‘No Plot?’ approach worked for the over 300,000 people who’ve signed up for NaNoWriMo, and it can work for you. Let ‘No Plot? No Problem!’ help you get fired up and on the write track.”–Back cover
- Collaborative Worldbuilding for Writers and Gamers / by Trent Hergenrader – “The digital technologies of the 21st century are reshaping how we experience storytelling. More than ever before, storylines from the world’s most popular narratives cross from the pages of books to the movie theatre, to our television screens and in comic books series. Plots intersect and intertwine, allowing audiences many different entry points to the narratives. In this sometimes bewildering array of stories across media, one thing binds them together: their large-scale fictional world. ‘Collaborative Worldbuilding for Writers and Gamers’ describes how writers can co-create vast worlds for use as common settings for their own stories. Using the worlds of ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Lord of the Rings,’ ‘A Game of Thrones,’ and ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ as models, this book guides readers through a step-by-step process of building sprawling fictional worlds complete with competing social forces that have complex histories and yet are always evolving. It also shows readers how to populate a catalog with hundreds of unique people, places, and things that grow organically from their world, which become a rich repository of story making potential. The companion website collaborativeworldbuilding.com features links to online resources, past worldbuilding projects, and an innovative card system designed to work with this book.”–Back cover
- Elements of Fiction / by Walter Mosley – “In his essential writing guide, ‘This Year You Write Your Novel,’ Walter Mosley supplied aspiring writers with the basic tools to write a novel in one year. In this complementary follow up, Mosley guides the writer through the elements of not just any fiction writing, but the kind of writing that transcends convention and truly stands out. How does one approach the genius of writers like Melville, Dickens, or Twain? In the ‘Elements of Fiction,’ Walter Mosley contemplates the answer. In a series of instructive and conversational chapters, Mosley demonstrates how to master fiction’s most essential elements: character and character development, plot and story, voice and narrative, context and description, and more. The result is a vivid depiction of the writing process, from the blank page to the first draft to rewriting, and rewriting again. Throughout, the ‘Elements of Fiction’ is enriched by brilliant demonstrative examples that Mosley himself has written here for the first time. Inspiring, accessible, and told in a voice both trustworthy and wise, the ‘Elements of Fiction’ will intrigue and encourage writers and readers alike.”–Publisher description
As always, if you need help finding these books, or would like to place any on hold, don’t hesitate to “Ask a Librarian” for assistance.