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Title: Discovering the Writer Within: 40 Days to More Imaginative Writing by Bruce Ballenger, Barry Lane ISBN: 0-89879-739-X Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: March, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (3 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: 40 Days to Become a Writer
Comment: "Discovering the Writer Within" is like having a classroom in your backpack. It's organized by days, and each day starts with an exercise. This is followed by a section that briefly asks you questions about what you wrote. Following this comes a longer bit in which one of the two authors (Bruce Ballenger or Barry Lane--they initial these passages) discusses the exercise and its related principles at length.
Often the author will take the opportunity to share his own exercise results, complete with commentary on what works and what doesn't, why, and what the author got out of the exercise.
This book is primarily designed for those people who don't really call themselves writers yet. It's for people who aren't sure of what they're doing or how to go about getting started. If you haven't written professionally yet, if you still sit around wondering what you should do when confronted with a blank page, this could be the perfect book for you.
One of the better aspects of this book is the very personal voice it's written in. Usually co-authored books are written in a neutral voice in order to avoid noticeable differences between each author's work; in this case each author is allowed to retain his voice. Sometimes one or the other will even discuss his reactions to one of the other author's exercises. This very personal viewpoint is often exactly what's needed to convey the real lessons Ballenger and Lane are trying to teach. It also makes the material more interesting, and gives you the feeling that you really are sitting in a small classroom with an interesting and enthusiastic teacher.
Ballenger and Lane are teachers as well as writers, and it shows--in a good way. They neither kill your enthusiasm with criticism nor promise that evaluation and revision don't matter. They use their own experiences to show the ups and downs of being a writer, and the lessons to be learned therein.
To be honest, I really couldn't find any problem with this book. The only remotely negative thing I can think of is the fact that most of this book will be old hat to experienced writers--but then, it isn't aimed at experienced writers.
Rating: 5
Summary: Great Starting Point For Ending Writer's Block
Comment: This book allowed me to silence the internal critic in me that kept telling me that my feelings don't matter, aren't interesting, and probably aren't spelled right. :)
Overall, this book allows one to be freed from tyrannous writing rules. There are forty exercises in the book that guide you in essential techniques such as brainstorming, clustering, freewriting, and revision. This book allows one to open up their creative wellspring to pour forth a gusher of new ideas and possibilities.
Rating: 5
Summary: Perfect starting point for beginner writers.
Comment: Fantastic book for the person who can hear the writer inside them saying, "write something, write something..." but need a place to begin. I was in a writer's block when I picked up the book, lost from not having something assigned to me from a teacher or writing class. Once I started, I couldn't stop coming up with ideas. I have shared the book with friends who have always wanted to write and weren't sure they could, and now we discuss results over the phone. A really enjoyable book!
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Title: Writing As a Road to Self-Discovery by Barry Lane ISBN: 0898795370 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 1993 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Why We Must Run With Scissors: Voice Lesson in Persuasive Writing by Barry Lane, Gretchen Bernabei ISBN: 0965657477 Publisher: Discover Writing Company Pub. Date: August, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
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Title: Live Writing : Breathing Life into Your Words by Ralph Fletcher ISBN: 0380797011 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 April, 1999 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: After THE END: Teaching and Learning Creative Revision by Barry Lane ISBN: 0435087142 Publisher: Heinemann Pub. Date: 07 December, 1992 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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Title: Writing from Personal Experience: How to Turn Your Life into Salable Prose by Nancy Davidoff Kelton ISBN: 0898799724 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: May, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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