The Writing category has 232 audiobooks on Listento.it, with an average listener rating of 4.6★ across 523 ratings. The most-rated is Bird by Bird.
How to Write Funnier
Summary
Learn how to write a funny story. Can you learn how to write comedy? Absolutely - anyone can. Scott Dikkers will tell you how. He's co-founder and longest-serving editor-in-chief of The Onion, the world's most popular humor publication, and founder of The Onion Training Center at the Second City in Chicago. He's also a number one best-selling humor author and winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. In How to Write Funnier, he tells you everything you need to know to start writing funny stories, how to write funny scenes, and how to write funny sketches. But that's just the beginning. How do you get a job in comedy? How do you write for The Onion? How do you write for the New Yorker? How do you get published in McSweeney's? How do you write for money? How do you become a career comedy writer? It's all in How to Write Funnier. Writers Scott has mentored, trained, or hired for their very first comedy-writing job have gone on to win several Emmy Awards, written movies nominated for an Academy Award, and become best-selling authors themselves. How to Write Funnier gives you the step-by-step process professionals use to create hilarious comedy articles, prose pieces, and stories that jump off the page, grab readers by the sphincter, and make them LOL. Inside: The 13 most common mistakes in humor writing The 11 different ways to structure a humor piece How to get ideas for writing a great story Eight steps for how to get feedback on your writing that will truly make it funnier
©2019 Scott Dikkers (P)2020 Scott Dikkers
Writing to Persuade
Summary
From the former New York Times Op-Ed page editor, a definitive and entertaining resource for writers of every stripe on the neglected art of persuasion. In the tradition of The Elements of Style comes Trish Hall's essential new work on writing well - a sparkling instructional guide to persuading (almost) anyone, on (nearly) anything. As the person in charge of the Op-Ed page for the New York Times, Hall spent years immersed in argument, passion, and trendsetting ideas - but also in tangled sentences, migraine-inducing jargon, and dull-as-dishwater writing. Drawing on her vast experience editing everyone from Nobel Prize winners and global strongmen (Putin) to first-time pundits (Angelina Jolie), Hall presents the ultimate guide to writing persuasively for students, job applicants, and rookie authors looking to get published. She sets out the core principles for connecting with readers-laid out in illuminating chapters such as "Cultivate Empathy," "Abandon Jargon," and "Prune Ruthlessly." Combining boisterous anecdotes with practical advice, Hall offers an infinitely accessible primer on the art of effectively communicating above the digital noise of the 21st century.
©2019 Trish Hall (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
How to Write a Book: How to Write a Bestselling Book In 21 Days or Less!
Summary
You can write a best-selling book, and get it published in 21 days or less! Have you ever wanted to write and publish your very own book? For many people this is a lifelong dream that unfortunately, never gets accomplished. Most people think writing a book will take months, or even years. That is no longer the case, and this audiobook is going to show you why, and more importantly how, you can get a book done in less than 21 days! This audiobook is your blueprint on how to successfully write a best-selling book in 21 days or less, and has been specifically designed for non-fiction book writing. Fiction writers will also learn many very valuable tips on writing faster, and self-publishing more effectively. Follow the eight step plan for writing an eBook fast. How to Write a Book: How to Write a Bestselling Book In 21 Days or Less!, details a step-by-step system for completing a book in less than 3 weeks. The best part? It can be done in an easy-to-follow eight step process: 1. How to find a topic to write about - Days 1 to 3 2. Set up your environment for success - Day 4 3. Gathering information and thinking outside the book - Days 5 to 7 4. Creating an outline that will captivate readers - Days 8 to 9 5. Writing the first draft! - Days 10 to 15 6. Taking your book from ordinary to extraordinary - Days 16 to 18 7. Becoming a published author - Days 19 to 20 8. Letting the world know - Day 21 You can write an eBook in 21 days! Just follow this blueprint, and you'll learn a proven system for writing fast.
©2017 John Ossai (P)2017 John Ossai
Talk to Me
Summary
From respected journalist, professor, and founder of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, an audiobook that demystifies the art and science of interviewing, in the vein of On Writing Well or How to Read Literature like a Professor. “Dean Nelson is one of the best interviewers around.” (Anne Lamott) Interviewing is the single most important way journalists (and doctors, lawyers, social workers, teachers, human resources staff, and really, all of us) get information. Yet to many, the perfect interview feels more like luck than skill - a rare confluence of rapport, topic, and timing. But the thing is, great interviews aren’t the result of serendipity and intuition, but rather the result of careful planning and good journalistic habits. And Dean Nelson is here to show you how to nail the perfect interview every time. Drawing on 40 years of award-winning journalism and his experience as the founder and host of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, Nelson walks listeners through each step of the journey from deciding whom to interview and structuring questions, to the nitty-gritty of how to use a recording device and effective note-taking strategies, to the ethical dilemmas of interviewing people you love (and loathe). He also includes case studies of famous interviews to show listeners how these principles play out in real time. Chock-full of comprehensive, time-tested, gold-standard advice, Talk to Me is an indispensable guide to the subtle art of the interview guaranteed to afford listeners with the skills and confidence they need the next time they say, “talk to me.”
©2019 Dean Nelson (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers
The Art of Nonfiction
Summary
In 1958, and again in 1969, Ayn Rand gathered a small group of her friends and acquaintances and gave an informal course on writing. At once a fascinating philosophical discourse on the art of creation and an invaluable guide for the aspiring writer, these edited transcripts are a treasure that will challenge, edify, and illuminate the way to more powerful writing. 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.
©2001 Estate of Ayn Rand (P)2003 Blackstone Audiobooks
Killing the Top Ten Sacred Cows of Indie Publishing
Summary
As indie publishing flourishes, many, many myths form around this new booming area of publishing. USA Today best-selling author and major indie blogger Dean Wesley Smith takes a cut at killing some of the myths before they can take root. From the myth that indie writers can't get books into bookstores (they can) to the idea that indie publishing must be easy (it is and it isn't), Dean knocks 10 myths down one after another and might just save you years of wasted time. Author of the acclaimed Killing the Top 10 Sacred Cows of Publishing, this companion WMG Writer's Guide for indie writers and publishers will become a necessity for your reference shelf.
©2014 Dean Wesley Smith (P)2015 Dean Wesley Smith
Iliad: CliffsNotes
Summary
The CliffsNotes study guide on Homer's Iliad supplements the original literary work, giving you background information about the author, an introduction to the work, and critical commentaries, all for you to use as an educational tool that will allow you to better understand the work. This study guide was written with the assumption that you have read Iliad. Reading a literary work doesn’t mean that you immediately grasp the major themes and devices used by the author; this study guide will help supplement your reading to be sure you get all you can from Homer's Iliad. CliffsNotes Review tests your comprehension of the original text and reinforces learning with questions and answers, practice projects, and more. For further information on Homer and Iliad, check out the CliffsNotes Resource Center at www.cliffsnotes.com.
©2000 Wiley Publishing, Inc. Adaptation of original text (c) 2011, Wiley Publishing, Inc. (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
Write Away
Summary
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. George's solid understanding of craft is conveyed in the enticing manner of a true storyteller, making Write Away not only a marvelous, interesting, and informative book, but also a glimpse inside the world of a beloved writer.
©2004 Susan Elizabeth George (P)2019 Tantor
Self-Published Millionaire: The Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Publishing and Marketing Your First Book
Summary
Crack the code of profitable self-publishing Learn how to plan, write, publish, and market your book from a proven seven-figure author. Are you struggling to take your first steps as a writer? Is the self-publishing process a mystery to you? Are you feeling lost and alone in a maze of Online publishing? Have you discovered that marketing a book is much harder than writing it? Do you need a no-nonsense, step-by-step guide to self-publishing that’s written by one of the world’s most successful indie authors? Learn from the best Joseph Alexander has set the self-publishing world alight by writing and publishing more than 120 books in six years. Earning over $2,500,000 in royalties, he's one of the most successful indie writers in the world and perfectly placed to help you become a self-published sensation. Self-Published Millionaire is a step-by-step breakdown of Joseph’s unbelievably effective writing and publishing process, and teaches you hundreds of skills, techniques, and secrets you can use to leverage your success on Amazon KDP, iBooks, Kobo, and beyond.... You’ll master every stage of the writing process, from planning and writing, to publishing and marketing, to email automation and outsourcing. Every chapter is jam-packed meaningful insights that will help you dominate your writing niche. While Self-Published Millionaire focuses mainly on Joseph’s nonfiction writing and publishing “machine”, co-writer Tim Pettingale adds invaluable knowledge for fiction authors taken from his 20+ years’ experience in the traditional publishing industry. Why buy Self-Published Millionaire? Discover how to instantly generate fresh ideas for hundreds of marketable books Avoid writer’s block and exponentially increase your output Learn the secret of leveraging successful book titles and subtitles Master the publishing process and go from Word to worldwide distribution in minutes Write a blurbs and product descriptions that actually work to sell your book In Self-Published Millionaire, Joseph teaches the exact self-publishing formula that took him from private guitar teacher, to more than $2000 a day in royalties. Includes exclusive publishing tools: Bonus 1: Download free book templates, cover guides, Photoshop videos, formatting tutorials, and more from our dedicated website. Bonus 2: Get the exact email text that Joseph used to generate over $4,000 of sales in 48 hours. Wherever you are in your journey as a writer, Self-Published Millionaire is the Rosetta Stone of self-publishing success. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get you published Scroll up to buy it now and take your first step to self-publishing success.
©2018 Joseph Alexander, Tim Pettingale (P)2018 www.self-published.co.uk
When Books Went to War
Summary
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks in every theater of war. Comprising 1,200 different titles of every imaginable type, these paperbacks were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They wrote to the authors, many of whom responded to every letter. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity. They made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. When Books Went to War is an inspiring story for history buffs and book lovers alike.
©2014 Molly Guptill Manning (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Love and Other Ways of Dying
Summary
In this moving, lyrical, and ultimately uplifting collection of essays, Michael Paterniti turns a keen eye on the full range of human experience, introducing us to an unforgettable cast of everyday people. Michael Paterniti is one of the most original and empathic storytellers working today. His writing has been described as "humane, devastating, and beautiful" by Elizabeth Gilbert, "spellbinding" by Anthony Doerr, and "expansive and joyful" by George Saunders. In the 17 wide-ranging essays collected for the first time in Love and Other Ways of Dying, he brings his full literary powers to bear, pondering happiness and grief, memory and the redemptive power of human connection. In the remote Ukranian countryside, Paterniti picks apples (and faces mortality) with a real-life giant; in Nanjing, China, he confronts a distraught jumper on a suicide bridge; in Dodge City, Kansas, he takes up residence at a roadside hotel and sees, firsthand, the ways in which the racial divide turns neighbor against neighbor. In each instance Paterniti illuminates the full spectrum of human experience, introducing us to unforgettable everyday people and bygone legends, exploring the big ideas and emotions that move us. Paterniti reenacts François Mitterrand's last meal in a rustic dining room in France and drives across America with Albert Einstein's brain in the trunk of his rental car, floating in a Tupperware container. He delves with heartbreaking detail into the aftermath of a plane crash off the coast of Nova Scotia, an earthquake in Haiti, and a tsunami in Japan - and, in searing swirls of language, unearths the complicated, hidden truths these moments of extremity teach us about our ability to endure and to love. Michael Paterniti has spent the past two decades grappling with some of our most powerful subjects and incomprehensible events, taking an unflinching point of view that seeks to edify as it resists easy answers.
©2015 Michael Paterniti (P)2015 Audible, Inc.
How to Write Short
Summary
America's most influential writing teacher offers an engaging and practical guide to effective short-form writing. 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. With examples from the long tradition of short-form writing in Western culture, How to Write Short guides writers to crafting brilliant prose, even in 140 characters.
©2013 Roy Peter Clark (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC
Four Weeks to Finished
Summary
In Four Weeks to Finished, writers will learn important tips on increasing productivity and avoiding costly mistakes. In this era of instant gratification media, writers must produce at a faster and faster pace, making it possible to get their work into the marketplace more quickly. This, however, is easier said than done. Four Weeks to Finished is a valuable tool for an expert or novice to becoming a prolific author and mastering the job of writing for a living. With over 50 novels published by three different publishers, Jake Bible has learned a lot about staying focused! He knows he has to stay at the top of his writing game because writing is money. And he's ready to share his experience. "I found it engaging, funny, and informative. I was especially struck by the instruction to keep the ideas simple." (Nathan Ballingrud, author of North American Lake Monsters, winner of the Shirley Jackson Award) "If you want to write more fiction and publish it consistently, you need to read and heed this book. Jake Bible finished three books and a novella while you read this." (Terry Mixon, best-selling author of the Empire of Bones saga and co-host of the Dead Robots Society podcast)
©2018 Jake Bible (P)2018 Jake Bible
Before and After the Book Deal
Summary
Everything you've ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask is right here in this funny, candid guide by acclaimed author Courtney Maum. Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book has over 150 contributors from all walks of the industry, including internationally best-selling authors Anthony Doerr, Roxane Gay, Garth Greenwell, Lisa Ko, R. O. Kwon, Rebecca Makkai, and Ottessa Moshfegh, alongside cult favorites Sarah Gerard, Melissa Febos, Mitchell S. Jackson, and Mira Jacob. Agents, film scouts, film producers, translators, disability and minority activists, and power agents and editors also weigh in, offering advice and sharing intimate anecdotes about even the most taboo topics in the industry. Are MFA programs worth the time and money? How do people actually sit down and finish a novel? Did you get a good advance? What do you do when you feel envious of other writers? And why the heck aren't your friends saying anything about your book? Covering questions ranging from the logistical to the existential (and everything in between), Before and After the Book Deal is the definitive guide for anyone who has ever wanted to know what it's really like to be an author.
©2020 Courtney Maum (P)2020 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
Writing the Novel from Plot to Print to Pixel
Summary
Lawrence Block, the award-winning crime fiction author, is almost as well known for his instructional books for writers and contributed a monthly column on fiction to Writers Digest for 14 years. Writing the Novel was his first book for writers and remained continuously in print since its original appearance in 1978. But the world of publishing has changed in the past 40 years, and Block has now expanded and updated his original text, bringing each chapter up to date and adding welcome new material on the audiobook revolution, the phenomenon of self-publishing and what perils and opportunities await the new novelist - and the veteran as well. Unlike many advice-givers, Block doesn't tell you what book to write, or the one and only way to write it. He holds that every novel is different, and so is every novelist; his aim is to give you the tools to enable you to find your own way. Here are some chapters: 1. Why Write a Novel? 2. Deciding Which Novel to Write 3. Read...Study...Analyze 4. Developing Plot Ideas 5. Developing Characters 6. Outlining 7. Using What You Know...and What You Don't Know 8. Getting Started 9. Getting It Written 10. Snag, Dead Ends, and False Trails 11. Matters of Style 12. Length 13. Rewriting 14. Getting Published 15. The Case for Self-Publishing 16. The Case Against Self-publishing 17. How to Be Your Own Publisher 18. Doing It Again 19. Now It's Up to You! Writing the Novel from Plot to Print to Pixel is half again as long as the original version, and Lawrence Block has managed to retain all the 1978 text while bringing it up to date. As he would be the first to tell you, you don't need this book - or any other - to succeed as a novelist. But thousands of writers have found it helpful. And most of us feel we can use all the help we can get.
©2016 Lawrence Block (P)2016 Lawrence Block
Howdunit!
Summary
Nominated for the 2021 Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Critical/Biographical book. Ninety crime writers from the world’s oldest and most famous crime writing network give tips and insights into successful crime and thriller fiction. Howdunit! offers a fresh perspective on the craft of crime writing from leading exponents of the genre, past and present. The book offers invaluable advice to people interested in writing crime fiction, but it also provides a fascinating picture of the way that the best crime writers have honed their skills over the years. Its unique construction and content mean that it will appeal not only to would-be writers but also to crime fans. The principal contributors are current members of the legendary Detection Club, including Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Peter James, Peter Robinson, Ann Cleeves, Andrew Taylor, Elly Griffiths, Sophie Hannah, Stella Duffy, Alexander McCall Smith, John Le Carré and many more. Interwoven with their contributions are shorter pieces by past Detection Club members ranging from G. K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr to Desmond Bagley and H. R. F. Keating. The book is dedicated to Len Deighton, who is celebrating 50 years as a Detection Club member and has also penned an essay for the book. The contributions are linked by short sections written by Martin Edwards, the current president of the Club and author of the award-winning The Golden Age of Murder.
©2020 Martin Edwards (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Thinking Theme: The Heart of the Matter
Summary
Why do some books linger in memory long after they are over? Why are some books reread, recommended, shared in the classroom? How can you add your book to this distinguished company? The key is theme, giving your story a dynamic idea that lends it power and purpose. William Bernhardt explains what theme is, how it is best revealed, and how to find the theme that, handled correctly, will distinguish your book from all the others. Plus, in the final chapter, Bernhardt explains how your book can have a positive impact on the world in which you live. William Bernhardt is the best-selling author of more than 40 books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid novels. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. He has received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large". The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What is a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this book is for you.
©2017 William Bernhardt (P)2017 Babylon Books
Perfecting Plot: Charting the Hero's Journey
Summary
Even the most unique and interesting characters will not engage readers if their journey - the plot - fails. In this audiobook, best-selling author William Bernhardt reveals the secrets that will keep readers riveted to the page. He explains the importance of matching character to plot and the key distinction between surprise and coincidence. Bernhardt discusses how to enrich your story by layering three levels of conflict and, in the final chapter, analyzes the primary plot structures that have delighted readers since the first story was told. The audiobook also includes exercises designed to help writers apply these ideas to their own writing. William Bernhardt is the best-selling author of more than 30 books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid novels. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. He is the only person to have received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given “in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large.” The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What is a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this audiobook is for you.
©2013 William Bernhardt Writing Programs (P)2014 Babylon Books
How to Write a Children's Book
Summary
Do you want to know how to write a children's book? Have you ever said, "I've always wanted to write a book for kids!" but then never got around to it? Maybe you didn't know where to start, or how to get a good idea. Now you can start to write your book for children when you listen to How to Write a Children's Book, brought to you by the Institute of Children's Literature. There are so many different kinds of children's books - from picture books to chapter books, middle grade novels, and young adult - it's hard to know which way to go. Should you decide you're going to write for a particular age group and then come up with an idea that fits them? Or should you decide to write a story or article about a particular idea, then choose the age group that's right for it? Almost anything can become a nonfiction topic for young listeners, given their curiosity and appetite for facts about the world around them. But each topic has to be aimed at the right readership. You'll have a much better handle on all of this, and more, once you listen to the chapter "How Old Is Your Reader?" How to Write a Children's Book will start you on your way to being an author. Whether you want to have a full-blown career writing children's books, be traditionally published, self-published, or simply want one book to hand down to your own children and grandkids, How to Write a Children's Book will help you.
©2016 Institute of Children's Literature (P)2016 Institute of Children's Literature
The Art of Writing a Non-Fiction Book
Summary
Would you like to write a non-fiction book that readers love? Writing a non-fiction book that excites your readers and which earns you money is both art and science. In this detailed, yet practical writing book, I explain all you need to know about writing your non-fiction book, step-by-step. In this book for non-fiction writers, you'll discover: Why successful non-fiction authors spend lots of time researching their book before writing it The secret behind outlining a non-fiction book that's worth publishing (and which is easy to write) How to take charge of the editing process, before it takes charge of you What you need to know about book covers, book titles and self-publishing What to do when you finish writing your book (it's not what you think) My name is Bryan Collins, I'm an author from Ireland, and I've published a number of popular non-fiction books. Over the past few years, learning how to write non-fiction books changed my life. I discovered it's natural to wonder if you're not good enough and what to do about it. I learnt how aspiring writers create great books and then transform themselves into successful authors. Once I put their writing techniques into practice, I connected with readers, and I started earning an income from my writing. And isn't that the dream for most authors? So, I set out to share what I discovered about book writing with other aspiring authors. Now, this book isn't everyone. It's not going to help you write fiction or poetry, but it will help you write your non-fiction book. It will help you become a published non-fiction author.
©2017 Bryan Collins (P)2017 Bryan Collins