Seven Steps on the Writer's Path


Book Description

The blank page, the impossible deadline, the rush of inspiration: There is no profession more maddening or more rewarding than being a writer. Yet surprisingly, all writers pass through the same sequence of stages in the course of their careers. It was this remarkable insight that inspired veteran authors Nancy Pickard and Lynn Lott to write one of the wisest and liveliest guides to the literary life ever penned— a volume of astonishing revelation, warm reassurance, brilliant encouragement, and welcome humor. No matter what you write or how much recognition you’ve received, you are bound to pass through the seven steps on the writer’s path: Unhappiness, Wanting, Commitment, Wavering, Letting Go, Immersion, and Fulfillment. Whether you’re a wannabe writer or a published literary veteran, you’re bound to find this book a source of true delight, vital wisdom, and lasting inspiration.




Seven Steps on the Writer's Path


Book Description

"Don't live with a lover or roommate who doesn't respect your work," says the short story writer Grace Paley. "Buy time" to write if you have to, she goes on to say. In fact, "borrow to buy time," if you have to. Do anything, in other words, to make it possible for yourself to write. "Write what will stop your breath if you don't write," Paley says. In other words, if you privately think, "I'll die if I can't write," that may just be true. And so the ultimate loyalty to yourself is to write in order to save your life. In exchange for your life, know that your writing will ask a lot of you. It will drive a hard bargain. Writing asks a lot of all of us who do it, as does any art, or anything worth doing. Be prepared to give it what it requires. The blank page, the impossible deadline, the exhilarating rush of inspiration, the perils of publication: There is no profession more maddening or more rewarding than being a writer. Yet surprisingly, all writers, no matter how famous or successful, pass through the same sequence of stages in the course of their careers. It was this remarkable insight that inspired veteran writers Nancy Pickard and Lynn Lott to pool their talents and write a book. The result is one of the wisest and liveliest guides to the literary life ever written -- a volume of astonishing revelation, warm reassurance, brilliant encouragement, and welcome humor. Drawing on their own experience as writers of fiction and nonfiction as well as the insights of scores of colleagues, Pickard and Lott follow the trajectory of the writer's life from the first time that inner voice whispers "I want to write" to the burst of accomplishment that comes when the book is finished, the vision expressed, the dream made real. No matter what you write or how much recognition you've received, if you're serious about writing as a profession, you are bound to pass through the seven steps on the writer's path. Pickard and Lott call these steps Unhappiness, Wanting, Commitment, Wavering, Letting Go, Immersion, and Fulfillment. Are you sunk in a pit of loneliness and confusion, burdened by pressures you can neither name nor escape? Welcome to the stage of Unhappiness, what Pickard and Lott call the "precreative state." Don't worry, Tolstoy and Stephen King have been there before you, and somehow they cleared the abyss of Wanting (desires you can't shake, jealousies that sting like bees) and climbed the ladder of Commitment. Wavering is where you hit the wall, tread water, and succumb to the dread paralysis of writer's block and the abuse of unsympathetic editors and critics. E. B. White said a writer is like a surfer waiting for the perfect wave -- and in the stage of Letting Go, that wave finally crests, releasing the torrent of creativity that carries you through the deeply satisfying stages of Immersion and Fulfillment. Pickard and Lott are the buddies every writer dreams of -- always there to light the way and lighten your mood, generous with advice and sympathy, and bold enough to give you the occasional kick in the pants. Whether you're a "wanna-be" writer or a published literary veteran, you're bound to find this book a source of true delight, vital wisdom, and lasting inspiration. Book jacket.







Seven Steps to Writing Success - Persuasive Writing Manual (Second Edition)


Book Description

Are you ready to transform your students into masters of persuasion? Packed with practical, time-saving classroom resources, this manual makes planning and implementing the Seven Steps just as fun as learning it! Inside this Step-by-Step guide, you’ll find: • theory and techniques for each Step • annotated writing samples showing the techniques in action • fun and flexible curriculum-aligned writing activities and templates • over 100 differentiated writing topics, plus picture prompts • planning and assessment resources • a ‘Putting It All Together’ chapter.




Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review


Book Description

This dynamic guide to doing literature reviews demystifies the process in seven steps to show researchers how to produce a comprehensive literature review. Teaching techniques to bring systematic thoroughness and reflexivity to research, the authors show how to achieve a rich, ethical and reflexive review. What makes this book unique: Focuses on multimodal texts and settings such as observations, documents, social media, experts in the field and secondary data so that your review covers the full research environment Puts mixed methods at the centre of the process Shows you how to synthesize information thematically, rather than merely summarize the existing literature and findings Brings culture into the process to help you address bias and understand the role of knowledge interpretation, guiding you through Teaches the CORE of the literature review – Critical thinking, Organization, Reflections and Evaluation – and provides a guide for reflexivity at the end of each of the seven steps Visualizes the steps with roadmaps so you can track progress and self-evaluate as you learn the steps This book is the essential best practices guide for students and researchers, providing the understanding and tools to approach both the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of a rigorous, comprehensive, literature review.




7 Steps to Better Writing


Book Description

Finally, a book that shows how to vastly improve your writing using modern technology! This book lays out 7 steps that will enhance your writing. These proven methods yield superior results. As you apply them, you'll communicate better and achieve more influence. You'll learn how to better identify your readers' needs and write to capture their interest. You'll sense how to control the tone of your writing so it rings true with your readers. You'll understand how to collect and organize the information you need to be persuasive. This book shows you how to exploit the power of the internet, how to quickly find information, and how to use it to full advantage. You'll learn how to make interviews productive. You'll find tools to help you capture information so it's easy to recall and reuse. You'll discover how to brainstorm more effectively, whether you work alone or are part of a team. You'll come to know how to use mind-mapping software to spur your creativity. You'll see how to use Ishikawa Diagrams to structure your ideas. And, you'll grasp how to check your thinking for completeness. You'll be provided with dozens of techniques for organizing your thoughts and material. You'll learn approaches for analyzing problems, proposing changes, persuading others, explaining complex topics, telling stories, and generating powerful sales copy. You'll know how to capture attention, hold the reader's interest, and drive home your point. You'll acquire the ability to draft faster with better results. You'll see how to focus on what works. You'll pick up tips on how to better use voice recognition software to go for speed, control your tone, always have more relevant things to say, and write compelling summaries and conclusions. You'll learn how to edit with power and confidence. You'll realize how to spot and eliminate unclear themes, incorrect assumptions, lapses in logic, irrelevant information, and inappropriate amount of evidence--both too little and too much. You'll find simple explanations of grammar. And in doing so, you'll get the tools you need to craft sentences that really work to communicate your ideas. You'll gain the ability to keep your writing simple and clear. In addition, you'll learn how to check the sound of what you have written using text readers so it resonates with your readers. In short, you'll become a master of crafting powerful and persuasive language. In addition, you'll improve your ability to proof your work, so you are not embarrassed by making stupid errors. You'll be introduced to a sequenced approach to proofreading that minimizes your effort and provides the best results. And finally, you'll learn how to apply these many insights and tips to write better emails, letters, memos, reports, presentations, articles, blogs, websites, and business proposals. THE RESULT. You'll find the words to express your thoughts and feelings. And, your proposals, reports, and emails will get the attention they deserve. This is a book for people in business, government, non-profit organizations, and education. It's a book for those writing serious material for their jobs and their callings. This book contains everything necessary to improve your writing, and there's no fluff. In the time it takes to read this book--less than 4 hours--you can start becoming a stronger writer. After investing only 8 hours--one normal workday--in doing some of the recommended exercises, you'll see improvements in your writing. Is it magic? No. It's just good advice backed up by extensive research and decades of experience. You too can write better, even exceptionally well. 7 Steps to Better Writing will help you do it.




Seven Steps to Writing Success - Beginner Writers Manual


Book Description

Set your beginner writers on the path to writing success! Establish a solid foundation for pre-writers and beginner writers by focusing on visual and verbal communication techniques. Packed with practical, time-saving classroom resources, this manual makes planning and implementing the Seven Steps in F–2 simple and fun! Inside this Step-by-Step guide, you’ll find: • theory and techniques for each Step • ‘before and after’ writing samples showing the techniques in action • fun and flexible curriculum-aligned activities for beginner writers • brainstorming, planning and writing templates • planning and assessment resources • a ‘Putting It All Together’ chapter.




Writing in the Environmental Sciences


Book Description

As an environmental scientist, you are used to writing scientific articles, but how confident do you feel writing policy or regulatory documents? Do you feel you have the necessary writing skills to influence policy and inform the public? This refreshingly clear guide provides environmental scientists and conservation professionals with an effective writing process that can be applied in a range of financial, political, or organizational contexts. Baker outlines a replicable seven-step writing formula based on practical experience that acknowledges the complexities inherent in the worlds of endangered species, habitat conservation, and recovery planning. Using the formula, scientists will be able to communicate confidently and successfully with a multitude of audiences. Baker's guide is written for scientists, not professional writers. In it, best practices abound. Practical examples, strategies, and diagrams guide the reader at every step, and selected resources are provided for further reference.




Seven Steps to Confident Writing


Book Description

Not everyone is a natural writer. In fact, most people don’t think that much about writing until they’re called upon to write something like an office memo or a wedding speech and find themselves paralyzed with self-doubt. Author and writing coach Alan Gelb specializes in helping anxious writers find their voice, drawing upon techniques that can improve anyone’s writing, sometimes in a matter of days. His compact and easy-to-use guide demystifies the writing process and shows readers how to sculpt concise sentences, shape well-structured paragraphs, polish a final draft, and combat procrastination. Best of all, readers will see for themselves that writing is not an inborn talent but a skill that can be mastered with a bit of patience and perseverance.




It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys


Book Description

Overbooking? Running late? Feeling overwhelmed by clutter and to-dos? Management consultant Dr. Marilyn Paul guides you on a path to personal change that will bring true relief from the pain and stress of disorganization. Unlike other books on getting organized, It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys offers a clear seven-step path to personal development that is comprehensive in nature. Drawing on her own experience as a chronically disorganized person, Paul adds warmth, insight, humor, and hope to this manual for change and self-discovery. She introduces the notion of becoming “organized enough” to live a far more rewarding life and make the difference that is most important to you.