Creative Writing: How to Develop Successful Writing Skills for Fiction and Non-Fiction Publication (Successful Writing)

263 Pages·1999·0.8 MB·English

by  Adele Ramet

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Page 1
Creative Writing
Page 2
A selection of other How To Books
Achieving Personal Well-Being Thriving on Stress
Awakening the Writer Within Unlocking Your Potential
Building Self-Esteem Using the Internet
Buying a Personal Computer Writing a CV that Works
Copyright & Law for Writers Writing a Non-Fiction Book
Creating a Twist in the Tale Writing a Pantomime
Freelance Teaching & Tutoring Writing a Report
Getting into Films & Television Writing a Textbook
How to Do Your Own Writing about Travel
Advertising
How to Do Your Own PR Writing an Assignment
How to Get into Radio Writing an Essay
How to Start Word Processing Writing & Publishing Poetry
How to Study & Learn Writing & Selling a Novel
How to Work from Home Writing Business Letters
How to Write a Newsletter Writing Erotic Fiction
How to Write a Press Release Writing Features & Interviews
Improving Your Written EnglishWriting for Publication
Making Money from Writing Writing for Radio
Managing Your First Computer Writing for Television
Managing Your Personal Writing Historical Fiction
Finances
Managing Your Time Writing Humour
Mastering Business English Writing Reviews
Maximising Your Memory Writing Romantic Fiction
Publishing a Book Writing Science Fiction, Fantasy &
Horror
Research Methods
Researching for Writers Writing Short Stories & Articles
Starting to Write Writing Your Dissertation
Other titles in preparation
The How To series now contains nearly 250 titles in the following
categories:
Business & Management Personal Finance
Computer Basics Self-Development
General Reference Small Business
Jobs & Careers Student Handbooks
Living & Working Abroad Successful Writing
Please send for a free copy of the latest catalogue for full details (see
back cover for address).
Page 3
Creative Writing
How to develop successful writing skills for fiction and
non-fiction publication
Adèle Ramet
2nd edition
How To Books
Page 4
By the same author in this series
Creating a Twist in the Tale
Writing Short Stories and Articles
Cartoons by Simon Ramet
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
© Copyright 1999 Adèle Ramet.
Published by How To Books Ltd, 3 Newtec Place,
Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE, United Kingdom.
Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].
email: [email protected]
www: howtobooks.co.uk
First published 1997
Second edition 1999
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.
Note: The material contained in this book is set out in good faith for
general guidance and no liability can he accepted for loss or expense
incurred as a result of relying in particular circumstances on
statements made in the book. The laws and regulations are complex
and liable to change, and readers should check the current position
with the relevant authorities before making personal arrangements.
Produced for How To Books by Deer Park Productions.
Typeset by PDQ Typesetting, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.
Printed and bound by The Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

Page 5
Contents
List of illustrations 8
Preface 9
Acknowledgements 10
1 11
Getting started
Making time to write 11
Where do you get your ideas? 13
Writing aurally and visually 14
Drawing on your own experiences 14
Looking back into your past 15
Read, read, read 16
Checklist 18
Assignment 18
2 19
Writing non-fiction
Writing about what you know 19
Letting off steam 19
Changing work into leisure 20
Relating your life-story 23
Telling travellers' tales 26
Finding funny moments 28
Following where your ideas lead you 29
Case studies 29
Checklist 30
Assignment 30
3 31
Creating fictional characters
Basing characters on real people 31
Visualising backgrounds 34
Involving yourself in your characters' lives 35
Changing the character 39
Relating to your character 40
How would you react if they approached you? 41
Creating conflict 43
Page 6
Case studies 44
Checklist 44
Assignment 45
4 46
Setting and atmosphere
Getting a feel of place and time 46
Visiting locations 48
Imagining what it would be like to be there 53
Wearing different clothes and costumes 54
Case studies 56
Checklist 56
Assignment 57
5 58
Showing not telling
Reacting and interacting with people and surroundings 58
Feeling the heat 60
Shivering against the cold 61
Revealing emotions 62
Expressing feelings 63
Moving your characters around the room 64
Speeding and slowing the pace with vocabulary 65
Flashing back and forth in time 66