So You Want to Write

Best-selling writer Piercy and her husband, novelist/publisher Wood, have been co-teaching writers' workshops for about ten years. Their book explores story openings, character building, the importance of dialogue and plot, and how to craft compelling narrative passages. It is rare for an acclaimed novelist to write a book designed to help would-be writers get the job done and get published; rarer still when she is joined by a publisher. For over ten years, best-selling author Marge Piercy and novelist/publisher Ira Wood have been co-teaching two popular master classes for writers nationwide who come to learn: How to begin a piece by seducing your reader; How to create characters that embody the contradictions of behavior; How to master the elements of plotting fiction; How to create a strategy for telling the story of your life; How to read in a new way , with a professional writer's critical eye; How to write about painful material without coming off as a victim. So You Want to Write offers hundreds of insider tips on writing today, including: The seven things never to forget when writing about loved ones; What no one will tell you about rejection letters; FAQ's about agents, work habits, how much writers really earn; What to do if your work is continually rejected; Overcoming the inner and outer barriers to creativity. -- from back cover.