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MusingSES. MusingSES. MusingSES. MusingSES. MusingSES. Coppervale International » The Meditations. DRAWING OUT THE DRAGONS is, I feel, the most meaningful thing I’ve ever written.

Coppervale International » The Meditations

It’s the first in a series of three books that I call The Meditations, which I hope will help change your life, and how you choose to live it. In its pages, I talk about the things that I believe are most important in this life; about things I believe are true, and meaningful, and worth sharing. I tell stories drawn from my own life: examples about overcoming obstacles and adversity; stories about how making choices in your life is like drawing a Dragon; vignettes about how I came to do what it is that I love most in the world for my job. But most importantly, I tell each and every reader that they can make the same kinds of choices that I did – and that I believe in them. Sometimes, being told that is the thing that we need most in our lives. DRAWING OUT THE DRAGONS: A Meditation on Art, Destiny, and the Power of Choice Price: $19.99 Drawing out the Dragons Bookplate Set Price: $2.00. Holly Lisle's Official Author Homepage.

Best Author-on-Author Insults in History. The Passive Voice. Writer Beware ® Blogs! The Shatzkin Files. 5 editor’s secrets to help you write like a pro. I do a lot of copyediting, both of books and advertising collateral.

5 editor’s secrets to help you write like a pro

I’ll let you in on a secret that still surprises me, although I’ve seen it hundreds of times now. If you looked at the raw work of most professional writers, you’d be pretty underwhelmed. Professional writers get work because they hit their deadlines, they stay on message, and they don’t throw too many tantrums. Some pros have a great writing voice or a superb style, but as often as not, that gets in the way. When you know that the best word is “prescient,” it’s hard to swallow when an account manager tells you the client won’t know what it means.

Professional writers rely on editors to fix their clunks. Editing, like writing, takes time to learn. 1. Have you ever heard a four-year-old run out of breath before she can finish her thought? Sentences are building blocks, not bungee cords; they’re not meant to be stretched to the limit. 2. A paragraph supports a single idea. 3. Nouns ending in -ing are fine. 4. 5. 75 Books Every Writer Should Read. Whether you want to make writing your career or just want to know how to improve your writing so that you can pass your college courses, there is plenty of reading material out there to help you get inspired and hone your skills.

75 Books Every Writer Should Read

Here’s a collection of titles that will instruct you on just about every aspect of writing, from the basics of grammar to marketing your completed novel, with some incredibly helpful tips from well-known writers themselves as well. Writing Basics These books address things like structure, plot, descriptions and other basic elements of any story.

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers: You can improve the quality of your writing by adding a mythical quality to them with advice and insight from this book. Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler: Whether you agree with the ideas in this book or not, you’ll find it a useful and informative read for writing. Advice from Authors. Free and Low Cost Ways to Market and Promote Your Book - theWritersSite. “You have a responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself.” A Transcript of Joss Whedon’s 2013 Wesleyan Commencement Speech. “You are all going to die.”

“You have a responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself.” A Transcript of Joss Whedon’s 2013 Wesleyan Commencement Speech

Joss Whedon, famed writer, director, and living symbol of nerdly equality, opened Sunday’s Wesleyan graduation commencement speech with this statement, and like most things that issue forth from Whedon the humor of the statement masked a deep truth about living. Whedon was present to accept an honorary Master of Letters from his alma mater (class of ’87) and was charged with delivering the commencement speech for the graduating class of 2013.

In it, the writer touched upon what it is to go forth and change the world, and how it begins with being present for the changes within yourself. Read the full transcript below. “Two roads diverged in a wood and…” No! I sat through many graduations. That was it! So, what I’d like to say to all of you is that you are all going to die. This is a good commencement speech! You look great. And the weird thing is… your body wants to die.