If you want to know how... HandbookforWritersofEnglish Punctuation,commonpracticeandusage PracticalResearchMethods Up-to-datewaystomasterresearchinsixstages WritingYourLifeStory Howtorecordandpresentyourmemories forfuturegenerationstoenjoy TouchTypingin10Hours Gainavaluableskillthatwilllastalifetime QuickSolutionstoCommonErrorsinEnglish AnA–Zguidetospelling,punctuationandgrammar howtobooks Pleasesendforafreecopyofthelatestcatalogue: HowToBooks SpringHillHouse,SpringHillRoad, Begbroke,OxfordOX51RX,UnitedKingdom [email protected] www.howtobooks.co.uk howtobooks Published by How To Content A division of How To Books Ltd Spring Hill House, Spring Hill Road, Begbroke, Oxford OX5 1RX. United Kingdom. Tel: (01865) 375794. Fax: (01865) 379162. email: [email protected] www.howtobooks.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or stored in an information retrieval system (other than for purposes of review) without the express permission of the publisher in writing. The right of Ade` le Ramet to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. © Copyright 2007 Ade` le Ramet First published 1997 Second edition 1999 Third edition 2001 Fourth edition 2003 Fifth edition 2004 Sixth edition 2006 Seventh edition 2007 First published in electronic form 2007 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 1 84803 222 4 Cover design by Baseline Arts Ltd, Oxford Produced for How To Books by Deer Park Productions, Tavistock Typeset by PDQ Typesetting, Newcastle- under-Lyme, Staffs NOTE: The material contained in this book is set out in good faith for general guidance and no liability can be accepted for loss or expense incurred as a result of relying in particular circumstances on statements made in the book. 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Contents Listofillustrations ix Preface xi Acknowledgements xii 1 Gettingstarted 1 Makingtimetowrite 1 Wheredoyougetyourideas? 3 Writingaurallyandvisually 5 Drawingonyourownexperiences 6 Lookingbackintoyourpast 7 Read,read,read 9 Checklist 11 Assignment 11 2 Writingnon-fiction 12 Writingaboutwhatyouknow 12 Casestudy 12 Lettingoffsteam 12 Changingworkintoleisure 14 Relatingyourlife-story 18 Tellingtravellers’tales 23 Casestudy 27 Findingfunnymoments 28 Followingwhereyourideasleadyou 29 Checklist 29 Assignment 30 3 Creatingfictionalcharacters 31 Basingcharactersonrealpeople 31 Casestudy 35 Visualisingbackgrounds 36 Involvingyourselfinyourcharacters’lives 38 Changingthecharacter 41 Relatingtoyourcharacter 44 Casestudy 45 v vi / CREATIVE WRITING Howwouldyoureactiftheyapproachedyou? 46 Creatingconflict 48 Checklist 50 Assignment 50 4 Settingandatmosphere 52 Gettingafeelofplaceandtime 52 Visitinglocations 55 Casestudy 57 Casestudy 61 Imaginingwhatitwouldbeliketobethere 62 Wearingdifferentclothesandcostumes 63 Checklist 66 Assignment 66 5 Showingnottelling 68 Reactingandinteractingwithpeopleandsurroundings 68 Feelingtheheat 70 Shiveringagainstthecold 72 Casestudy 73 Revealingemotions 74 Expressingfeelings 75 Casestudy 77 Movingyourcharactersaroundtheroom 78 Speedingandslowingthepacewithvocabulary 78 Flashingbackandforthintime 80 Checklist 83 Assignment 84 6 Writingrealisticdialogue 85 Developingagoodear 85 Actingoutasituation 87 Losingyourtemper 92 Fallinginlove 93 Creatingrealisticaccentsanddialects 94 Casestudy 94 Swearingandslang 96 Casestudy 97 Checklist 98 Assignment 98 CONTENTS / vii 7 Findingtruelove 100 Writingaromance 100 Findingflawsattractive 101 Overcominginsurmountableobstacles 102 Drivingfastcarsandwearingfancyclothes 105 Enjoyingsexandfood 106 Heighteningallthesenses 107 Bringingtheheroandheroinetogether 108 Historicalsettings 108 Checklist 110 Assignment 110 8 Haunting,thrillingandkilling 111 Introducinganoteofsuspense 111 Confrontingthefearswithin 112 Casestudy 113 Contrastingnormalitywithterror 115 Writingamurdermystery 116 Casestudy 118 Choosingamurderweapon 118 Plottingandplanning 120 Twistingthetale 123 Lookingtothefuture 125 Checklist 128 Assignment 128 9 Writingforchildren 129 Thinkingbacktoyourchildhood 129 Lookingatlifethroughachild’seyes 130 Casestudy 132 Playingaroundwithideas 134 Writingforeducationalmarkets 135 Casestudy 138 Anthropomorphisinganimals 139 Writingaboutchildren 141 Writingpicturebooks 142 Checklist 144 Assignment 145 viii / CREATIVE WRITING 10 Sendingyourworktoapublisher 146 Seeingyourworkinprint 146 Playwritingforyourlocaldramagroup 147 WritingforestablishedTVcharacters 148 Enteringcompetitions 149 Vanitypublishing 150 Self-publishing 151 Writingasynopsis 156 Presentingyourmanuscript 157 Approachinganeditor 161 Copyrightingandsyndication 162 Keepingrecords 164 Findingsupportfromotherwriters 165 Glossary 169 Answerstoassignments 172 Usefuladdresses 173 Usefulwebsites 175 Onlinedictionaries 175 Furtherreading 176 Index 179