Get Started in Creative Writing by Stephen May
Get Started in Creative Writing will help writers at the very beginning of their creative journey to gain confidence and find inspiration, and then support you in the completion of your first pieces of creative writing – a short story, a poem, a draft of a novel or screenplay. Each chapter includes a central writing exercise and four shorter ones, while key quotes, key ideas and focus points will be clearly signposted and will summarise important concepts and advice. At the heart of each chapter is a ‘Workshop’. The Workshop is a key exercise, in which you will gain a deeper insight into the craft of writing.
In addition to coverage of all the key genres and their conventions, this new edition includes an expanded section on self- and digital publishing, to reflect recent advances in technology and the wide variety of digital platforms now available for the distribution of creative writing. There will be a section on the latest trend of creative journalling, and insight into how to tap the potential of the Internet to be the world’s largest creative writing workshop.
My Thoughts;
I obtained my copy of this book through Netgalley, so thanks to them, the author and the publisher.
I think this book is exactly what it says it is in the blurb. It is a great book for writers new to creative writing. Each chapter is filled with easy to understand information on the subject at hand (each area of creative writing being broken down into its own area) with tasks being set to get your creative juices flowing. And it does start from an extremely basic level. Set for someone who is just thinking about going into creative writing, because the initial tasks (workshops) are on obtaining notebooks, viewing the people around you, making notes, freewriting, talking to relatives and even looking at your own life timeline. There are some ideas in there that you might find quite handy though. Basic though they seem, those people who may have been writing for a while, may not have thought of some of the things in here.
The chapters, after getting your creative juices flowing, then goes on to cover the whole host of creative writing concepts from short stories, (even blogging), novels, stage plays, to television screenplays and films. Even if you are not at the beginning of your journey and are happily ploughing through a novel, this book may hold some great information about, for instance, writing television screenplays and how to break into that area of work. because it’s not just about the writing, the book does also tell you about how and where to submit these pieces of creative writings you have been doing.
An interesting and comprehensive book, that can easily be skipped through should you not want to read a chapter.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
Maybe something good if you’re looking to broaden your writing scope.
Margot Kinberg says
Thanks, Rebecca. This sounds like a useful tool for people who are ready to get started making that leap from a vague story idea to actually tapping writing creativity.
Prashant C. Trikannad says
Rebecca, thanks for highlighting this book. A reading course in creative writing is always welcome.
Murees Dupé says
Thank you so much for sharing. I am always looking for new books on writing. I feel like I can always learn more or at least one thing I didn’t know before.
Jacqui Murray says
When I first started writing, I read quite a few beginning books. I never believed advice given once, but when it is offered over and over by qualified people, I began to trust. This sounds like the sort of book I would have enjoyed and kept in my library, right next to Janet Burroway/