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Mini-Lessons, Strategies, Activities
Develop descriptive writing skills using great activities, models, and reproducibles. Students will learn the steps to presenting their ideas in an orderly way, supporting their ideas with essential facts, and directing their writing to a specific audience. ... Read more

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"Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.Amazon.com Review
Short and snappy as it is, Stephen King's On Writingreally contains two books: a fondly sardonic autobiography and atough-love lesson for aspiring novelists. The memoir is terrificstuff, a vivid description of how a writer grew out of a misbehavingkid. You're right there with the young author as he's tormented bypoison ivy, gas-passing babysitters, uptight schoolmarms, and alaundry job nastier than Jack London's. It's a ripping yarn that castsa sharp light on his fiction. This was a child who dug Yvette Vickersfrom Attack of the Giant Leeches, not Sandra Dee."I wantedmonsters that ate whole cities, radioactive corpses that came out ofthe ocean and ate surfers, and girls in black bras who looked liketrailer trash." But massive reading on all literary levels was acraving just as crucial, and soon King was the published author of "IWas a Teen-Age Graverobber." As a young adult raising a family in atrailer, King started a story inspired by his stint as a janitorcleaning a high-school girls locker room. He crumpled it up, but hiswriter wife retrieved it from the trash, and using her advice aboutthe girl milieu and his own memories of two reviled teenage classmateswho died young, he came up with Carrie. King gives uslots of revelations about his life and work. The kidnapper characterin Misery, the mind-possessing monsters in TheTommyknockers, and the haunting of the blocked writer in TheShining symbolized his cocaine and booze addiction (overcomethanks to his wife's intervention, which he describes). "There's onenovel, Cujo, that I barely remember writing."

King also evokes his college days and his recovery from the van crashthat nearly killed him, but the focus is always on what it all meansto the craft. He gives you a whole writer's "tool kit": a readinglist, writing assignments, a corrected story, and nuts-and-boltsadvice on dollars and cents, plot and character, the basic buildingblock of the paragraph, and literary models. He shows what you canlearn from H.P. Lovecraft's arcane vocabulary, Hemingway's leanness,Grisham's authenticity, Richard Dooling's artful obscenity, JonathanKellerman's sentence fragments. He explains why Hart's War is a greatstory marred by a tin ear for dialogue, and how Elmore Leonard's Be Cool could be theantidote.

King isn't just a writer, he's a true teacher. --Tim Appelo ... Read more

Customer Reviews (959)

Why is the Kindle version so expensive?
This will be a brief review. The book is great for a writer and answers the question (at least for a lot of his books) where did he get the idea for this? I own it in both hardback and paperback, and wanted it for the Kindle but am just curious why the Kindle electronic version costs so much? If Amazon and the publishers would get the "long tail" concept through their head and lower the prices on the Kindle books it would increase the use greatly as well as increase profits as more readers switch to this medium.

"Hangin' wit Steve..."
The immediate impression I had upon finishing this fun and informative memoir from renowned novelist Stephen King was that this was largely a cathartic effort, one which I felt he needed to finish following his horrific roadside near death accident in 1999. True, the bulk of this comparatively short work deals with his thoughts and lessons learned on writing as a craft, but the, ironically, best writing here is when he describes his accident and subsequent recovery. I was overtaken with King's spirit and his seemingly underlying drive to recover that made his chapter on the accident marvelous reading and, thus, made this book another in the long line of King "must reads."

Beginning with a biography that extols his surprisingly (at least to me) destitute life as a young teacher and writer, we learn indirectly about his talent and, importantly, his cavernous and macabre imagination. Seeming to take stories out of this struggling life, King shares how rejection after rejection only fortified his resolve...justified with the "Carrie" novel as his breakthrough. Bouts with drugs and alcohol are, again, revelatory especially with the story of how he remembers little of his work on "Cujo", being "drunk throughout the writing of it."

The chapters where King essentially teaches the "class" on creative writing are helpful, but, I felt that the important points are the seemingly common sense attributes...write constantly, write what you know, stay true to yourself...etc. All these things seem to me to be common knowledge, but the notion that "to write well, one must read a lot" was, although again common sense, revelatory nonetheless. Giving many examples of expanding rough drafts into literarily useable works, it was his example of how he "cut" much out of the initial draft of his short story "1408" that really shows his expertise and, humbly, how far someone like me has to go to approach that level.

Fans of King may be turned off by a short non-fiction work as this, but "On Writing" reveals a lot of how King formulates his stories and does the most, I feel, to get to the core of the "mind of the master." And, as with virtually all King works, this one is also fun and easy to read. Highest recommendation.

Writing
As a newwriter, I found this book to be the best tool I have found to date.Every thing I read made sense and it was an easy delightful read.I have read extensively all of my life, and horror is not one of my fortes, but Stephen King is a wonderful writer and was willing to pass on so much knowledge that itwas breathtaking.I was born with a speech defect that was not corrected until I was a senior in high school so I have had a love/heat affair with words and he helped me realize how great words on paper really are.Thank you, Stephen King.

Not A King Fan But Loved This Book
I don't read scary books and I haven't read a single one of Stephen King's books until this one.I knew he was super smart and funny from the article he writes in Entertainment Weekly.After reading "On Writing," I just like him so much.Part-way through the book I went out and bought a copy for my best friend.I really don't know how someone could not like this book.I loved the autobiographical section and it made me hunger to know more about him and his life.The writing section is told with a passion for the craft and humor that somehow makes it all stick in the brain. Other reviews are far better at formulating what is really good about this book but I just had to write something to add another five star to the pile!

Entertaining and Informative!!
If I'm being honest, I have to confess that I've never read one of Stephen King's novels. Having said that, there is no mistake that the man is one of the best selling authors of all time, a true success.
I really, really enjoyed reading 'On Writing.' It was funny, enjoyable, educational, and interesting. Who better to seek advice on writing from than Stephen King.
Great book, even if you're not looking to become a writer. ... Read more

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A quick and handy, easy to use guide to writing an essay. ... Read more

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Excellent essay book
Strategies for Writing Successful Essays is an excellent book for the beginning essayist. It is written in clear, consise wording not 'college speak'. I was totally lost until I picked up a copy of this book. It evenhas suggestions for essays. Only 200 pages so it's easy to find what youare looking for. ... Read more

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Millions of people dream about making money as a freelance grant writer. But grant writing is different than any other type of writing?it requires specific elements as well as a certain style and know-how. By the nature of this series, this book is a clear, concise, and easy-to-follow guide. Covering the basic skills every grant writer needs, they will learn how to get the funds they are asking for?no matter how stringent the submission guidelines. This book explains all a prospective grant writer needs to know, including how to:

• Find the money up for grabs
  
• Apply for government and foundation grants
  
• Build community collaborations and partnerships
  
• Write a statement of need
  
• Develop a budget and budget narrative
  
• Fill out appropriate paperwork
  

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Nolimit2thetruth
Picked up a few books on grant writing, either it was a text book or two much Information that I was trying to grasp.OMG, I just wanted a book that would explain grant writing in away that an average person could get it and not feel overwhelmed.Finally I found this small book which was concise and straight forward without all the confusing lingo. Within the first few chapters it gives some very valuable information without you having to get to the end of the book.It gives you the meat and potatoes and that is what I love about this small book that gives a big punch.It is a step in the right direction and I highly recommend it for people like me who are new to grant writing. ... Read more

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Composition Textbook
The book came in great condition, brand new! I have finished reading it for class and it's not that bad. It actually tries to relate to occurences that I will understand easily and connect to in my expiereinces with writting, reading and even note taking and studying.

Overprices
This is an excellect book--and later I'll write a fuller review--but for Bedford/St. Martins to charge 36 bucks for this slender volume is outrageous. I had wanted to recommend it as the summer book for all our incoming froshers, but not at this price. Too bad. Keith Hjortshoj, you've written a great book. Unfortunatly, not enough people will read it.

Eric Boyer
Director of the English Program
Cazenovia College
Cazenovia, New York 13210 ... Read more

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Strategies for Empirical Research in Writing is a particularly accessible approach to both qualitative and quantitative empirical research methods, helping novices appreciate the value of empirical research in writing while easing their fears about the research process. This comprehensive book covers research methods ranging from traditional experiments to newer practices such as focus groups, using graphics and real-life examples to clarify concepts.Readers do not need a scientific background to understand the issues involved, and they will find this book non-threatening.Though Strategies is friendly and even humorous in tone, it takes research in writing seriously, advocating rigorous design and implementation of empirical research projects to establish credible findings. This book introduces readers to methods and strategies for research and provides them with enough knowledge to become discerning, confident consumers of research in writing. Topics covered include: library research, empirical methodology, quantitative research, experimental research, surveys, focus groups, ethnographies, and much more.Anyone (novice or guru) who needs to perform statistically valid research. ... Read more

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Useful but Too Pricey
MacNealy's text is full of useful information, especially to someone new to research like myself. However, the price is an absurd beat-down on the wallet. Frankly, much of the same information is available by a more recent printing in Hughes & Hayhoe's A Research Primer.

Both books present essentially the same information though each volume emphasizes different points. The print size and smaller margins in MacNealy's text make it more difficult to use & note comments; H&H's volume is larger, easier to work with & notate, and has summaries at the end. That said, MacNealy does provide some more detailed discussions and examples than H&H. However, if H&H was supplemented by reading about 5-10 different and current research publications from your field, I suspect you'd be just fine.

If MacNealy's publisher would update and/or reprint the volume so it was available for circa $40, it's worth it. At over $70, I don't think so. ... Read more

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An accessible, hands-on approach to planning, creating, and assessing public policy documents--now updated with material on online communication

Now in a new edition, Writing Public Policy is a practical, concise guide to writing and communicating in public policy processes. Designed to help students understand and perform common types of communication used in solving public problems, this text explains the standards and functions of communicating in the public sector and teaches the use of selected public policy communication genres. Catherine F. Smith presents a general method for planning, producing, and assessing communications in a variety of real-life contexts and situations of public policy work.

New to the second edition:

* The text is updated to meet the needs of today's tech-savvy students, and now features a new appendix on adapting policy writing to the Web
* Examples show policy problems from a global perspective, and U.S. policy making by all levels of government
* A new appendix on clear writing
* A new companion website (www.oup.com/us/smith) offers additional guidance and writing samples

Hands-on and accessible, Writing Public Policy, Second Edition, teaches know-how and techniques needed to effectively communicate in the democratic process of making public policy. It is a particularly useful tool for any student preparing for a career in politics, government, public relations, law, public policy, journalism, social work, public health, or in any role concerned with public affairs. ... Read more

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In Writing Through Childhood, Shelley dares us to rethink our beliefs about how we design writing workshops, use writer's notebooks, choose appropriate genres, and teach spelling. ... Read more

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How to best teach writing and writing workshops to children
Writing Through Childhood: Rethinking Process And Product by Shelley Harwayne (Co-Director, Teachers College Writing Project; Founding Principal, Manhattan New School; and Superintendent of District #2) challenges modern conceptions on how to best teach writing and writing workshops to children. Drawing upon her ten-year experience as the principal of a school, and someone who personally watched children grow as writers from kindergarten through sixth grade, Writing Through Childhood is filled cover to cover with memories, samples, astute observations, and serious, personal experience of helping children learn to express and improve themselves. A fascinating read and highly recommended for both writing teachers of grade-school children. ... Read more

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This versatile guide will improve the skills of virtually every type of writer, from professional copywriters to students. Its interactive lessons entertain as they inform, encouraging writes to test their knowledge, learn new techniques and pay attention to detail. ... Read more

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Words Matter
Words matter.Or, as Bill Hybels says in his nifty book,Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs, "Language Matters."

I write a weekly eNews for my nonprofit clients--and review a book a week. So I wondered, what gem-of-a-book should I put on display to celebrate the 200th edition of my eNews? I have a five-foot stack of prospects behind my office door. More choices than a Baskin-Robbins megastore.

I decided that words matter--so the winner is a book to empower my writing (maybe yours too). After 200 book reviews, I fear my color commentaries are growing stale. I needed new juice--and Stephen Wilbers' "Keys to Great Writing" quenched that thirst.

Wilbers writes a syndicated newspaper column on effective writing. Those weekly insights were my guarantee that his book held promise. It met my test: fast-moving, creative, 50 or more underlined pages. In a word: buried treasure. (Oops. Two words.)

Much of the writing we endure today is shockingly bad: website grammar and typos (it's versus its), rushed emails, smudged business letters, boring "From the CEO" columns, news reports with no news--is there no shame?

Wilbers begins with a self-assessment on your writing expectations.Set a goal:
Level 1: Basic Competence
Level 2: Above-Average Competence
Level 3: Exceptional Competence
Level 4: Extraordinary Competence
Before you check Number 4, here's the standard: "To write with such extraordinary insight and beauty that people will be reading what I have written one hundred years from now." (How about...a week from now?)

His five keys to great writing will surprise you: Economy, Precision, Action, Music and Personality.Hum along: "One of the most important things you can do to sharpen your style is to reawaken yourself to the sound of your words, to tune your ears to the rhythm and cadence and flow of your language. It is in this context that you should ask, How can I make this music more pleasing to my readers? What techniques can I learn from accomplished writers? What techniques can I discover on my own?"

Trust me--no decent book on great writing would dare bore you.This book informs and inspires: how to avoid three common patterns of monotonous sentence structure; why you should follow a long sentence with a short, snappy one; don't stack nouns. And when writing a letter of apology--there's one cardinal rule: "Don't bury your apology."

This Minnesota-based writing coach (check out his columns and the "Better Writing in Six Weeks" email course) adds, "Think of the last part of a sentence as a punch line to a joke: It counts more than the beginning and the middle. Your success--both as a writer and a comedian--depends on it."

He tackles business writing by helping you wrestle with the six basic purposes for writing, including "to persuade your reader" (think board reports, donor letters and requests for raises). Then (and this is refreshingly on target) think about your audience: Who are they? What do they know? What do they feel? And how can you motivate them? (Four cheers from the Customer Bucket!).

Words matter.In The Wall Street Journal's Saturday column, "Word Craft," a new contributor is featured each week on the art of writing and speaking. Hmmm. Must be important to business leaders. (Boring? Not! A recent column by Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams was hilarious. Notice that I wrote "hilarious," preferable to the worn-out "LOL.")

Recently, in The Wall Street Journal's "Word Craft" column, Alexander McCall Smith (author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series) comments on the art of writing:"The real aim, of course, is conciseness. Concise prose knows what it wants to say, and says it. It does not embellish, except occasionally, and then for dramatic effect. It is sparing in its use of metaphor. And it is certainly careful in its use of adjectives. Look at the King James Bible, that magnificent repository of English at the height of its beauty. The language used to describe the creation of the world is so simple, so direct. `Let there be light, and there was light.' That sentence has immense power precisely because there are no adjectives. If we fiddle about with it, we lose that. `Let there be light, and there was a sort of matutinal, glowing phenomenon that slowly transfused, etc.' No, that doesn't work."

Where do you go for inspiration on effective writing? Words matter. When is the last time you asked for feedback on your speaking and writing?

One of the best if not the best!
Stephen Wilbers book explains what great writing is and how to achieve it.Lots of clear examples to help you improve your writing.I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to write clearly and convincingly.

Keys to a Great Beginning
This is a good book for Writer's Workshop I am taking. I feel, I will benefit off this book. I think, it was a great purchase.

Brilliant and illuminating
How do I pay rightful tribute to Keys to Great Writing? It's not enough to say this book is worth far more than its cover price.
Author Stephen Wilbers earned his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, and he knows an awful lot about words and how they work. Although this book is written as a guide to improving nonfiction writing, the principles conveyed can be applied to any type of writing, including fiction.
Wilbers's approach to punctuation--in the chapter titled Music--is a call to celebrate what colons and semicolons, dashes and periods, exclamation marks and commas can accomplish for a writer. "Listen to your voice. Punctuate your beat," Wilbers advises. Other chapters guide us through subjects such as Action, Personality, Purpose, Organization, Drafting, and Revising.
Keys to Great Writing is a work of erudition worthy of respect from academics, and yet it can be read and understood by people with a high school education. Wilbers doesn't use his position as a scholar to shut out intuition, either, reminding the reader to "allow your heart to suggest an unexplored path."
You've got to read it for yourself to get the full benefit. Highly recommended!

Best 1 volume book on better writing.
Wilbers is nationally recognized columnist on writing.His book combines the best ideas and examples on how to write simply, and on how to write well.He captures the heart and flavor of numerous other books on writing and rhetoric, and presents them in a simple, readable, understandable style.I cannot recommend this book enough.It is not only an easy read, but an enjoyable one.The examples of good and bad writing clearly illustrate a running theme in the book:It is not just what you say, but how you say it that matters in effective writing.My law partners liked this book so much that we distributed copies to partners and associates alike, and I personally gave copies to everyone in my family attending high school or college. At the present price, buying this book is a "no-brainer."This book is also well indexed, which makes it useful as a reference. I keep a copy on my desk. ... Read more

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INSIDE WRITING: A WRITER'S WORKBOOK WITH READINGS, FORM B combines a thorough introduction to essential writing concepts with examples and exercises to help you quickly become a more effective writer. INSIDE WRITING breaks down complex concepts into manageable pieces, making the material easy to master. Every chapter covers basic grammar, sentence construction, and paragraph writing. The sixth edition of this successful text provides extensive practice, allusions, and examples and exercises. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Inside Writing: A Writer's Workbook with Readings, Form B
I was satisfied with the quality and condition of the book. My ordered arrived on-time as expected.

I would definitely use this service again.

Thank you. ... Read more

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Have you ever dreamed of writing a best-selling children's book? Ever fantasize about what it's like to live the life of a published children's author? Although writing and illustrating books for children is not as easy as it looks, new authors and illustrators are being discovered--and published--all the time.Even if you're not planning a career in this field, learning how authors and illustrators work can lend new insights and appreciation to their art. The same ideas and inspirations that help authors and illustrators of children's books may encourage students, teachers, librarians and other creative artists in their literary efforts.In The ABCs of Writing for Children you'll learn many ‘do's and don'ts' for creating children's books. You'll see that what works for one author may not work for the next. No matter what your aspirations are, whether you want to enrich your reading, teach others to read and write more deeply, or nurture your own creative process, learning what works for others may work for you.Including:• Chris Crutcher• Karen Cushman• Sid Fleischman• Richard Peck• R.L. Stine• Rosemary Wells•Jane Yolen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A wonderful inside look at the life and work of children's authors
If you've ever wanted to learn from the experiences of successful children's authors, here's your chance. Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff has interviewed 114 authors about everything from coping with writer's block and rejection to author-editor relationships to funny and touching experiences in interaction with children and teachers. The interviews are grouped by subject, so that you can read everything this diverse group said about ways to start a story (for example) in one place. There are several great resource lists. There's also lots of encouragement for finding ways to write that are right for each individual. As I read The ABCs of Writing for Children, I felt as if I were right there with these friendly, genuine, enthusiastic people. This book is a wonderful inside look at the life and work of children's authors, packed full of information, support, and inspiration.

Inspires and Educates
Anyone who is thinking about writing for children can glean enough encouragement, inspiration and advice from Koehler-Pentacoff's compilation of author insights and anecdotes to get that writing engine started. As a wannabe children's author, I found direction within the pages that helped me to be both more realistic and hopeful about taking on the challenge. Helpful hints intermingle with humorous vignettes in an easily palatable format that can be digested nugget by nugget at numerous sittings or all at once. Reading about the experiences of published authors gives the novice writer a view into the process and offers other published authors pieces of wisdom and support.

As for the editing (slammed by another reviewer), I found it neither as neglected as suggested, nor as well done as one might desire; however, I feel only an editing elitist would allow this to interfere with the positives that can be gained from absorbing the content. Read this and reap...motivation and enlightenment.

Content vs. Style
All the things the previous reviewer said are true.The resources in this book are wonderful and the advice from children's authors is absolutely engaging--and useful.However, the copy-editing for this book is non-existent.It is replete with grammatical errors as well as spelling errors and inconsistencies (different spellings of the same word and name throughout).I'm not one of the "grammar police."I can put up with a few errant typos.However, the number of errors present in this book is disturbing.I would have rated it higher for content, but, whether intentional or not, such glaring lack of editing can signal a disregard for the readership and so three stars is as high as I'll go. I hope these problems have been fixed in the paperback edition.

Like a Attending a Writing Seminar with the Best of the Best
Any author, children's or adult, would want to have this book on their shelves. It's got the best writing advice I've ever seen.After all, who knows better than children's authors how to write clear, concise, and vibrantly?In addition, it's delightfully funny.Don't miss the chapters on school visits and letters from kids.Lee Wardlaw's list of things children's authors hate to hear is worth the price of the book by itself.

A comprehensive reference focusing on diverse aspects writing books and stories for children of various ages
Expertly compiled and painstakingly organized by Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff , The ABCs Of Writing For Children: 114 Children's Authors And Illustrators Talk About The Art, The Business, The Craft And The Life Of Writing Children's Literature is a comprehensive reference focusing on diverse aspects writing books and stories for children of various ages, including the business aspects of being published in various forums and formats. Providing especially informative interviews and commentaries from such expert and seasoned published authors of children's literature as Ted Arnold, R.L. Stine, David Greenberg, Alexis O'Neill, Richard Peck, and so many others, The ABCs Of Writing For Children offers a complete grasp and all-inclusive analysis of the literary art and practical business of writing for a juvenile readership ranging from preschool to young adult. Included are lists of recommended books and periodicals, a glossary, resources, and an extensive index. A core addition to personal, professional, and scholastic "Writing & Publishing" reference collections and supple-mental reading lists, The ABCs Of Writing For Children is very strongly recommended for all aspiring children's authors whether they are writing poetry, short stories, novels, or other forms of creative literature for young readers.
... Read more

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At long last someone has produced THE practical guide for teaching analytical writing! Compose Yourself! lays out everything a teacher needs for teaching the art of clear, complete and well-organized writing in the content areas. In fact, I would purchase this guide for students as well as teachers-and not just for high school, but for both middle school and college as well.-Dr. Katherine Nolan, Education ConsultantFinally, a book on how to teach analytical writing in all subjects. And the toolbox! I was thrilled to find templates, rubrics, and clear-cut examples for descriptive, process, and persuasive writing. Compose Yourself! is a must have for all teachers.-Susan King, Magnet School Administrator, Tampa FL, MSA National Board, National PresenterWe are perceived by how well we write. Currently our nation's teachers are struggling to find time and tools to teach thoughtful, logical expository writing. Compose Yourself! is a simple, straightforward writing guide for all subject area teachers working to improve their students' analytical, expository writing skills. Compose Yourself! must find a place in the toolbox of our nation's secondary teachers.-William F. Roberts, Assistant Superintendent Hacienda La Puente Unified School District (California)Compose Yourself! A Guide to Critical Thinking & Analytical Writing in Secondary School is a quick and easy guide to teaching and learning critical thinking and analytical writing at the secondary level, regardless of the subject area. It is perfect for teachers, parents, and students who want to go beyond the worksheet to strengthen their thinking and writing skills, better learn and retain information, and improve overall academic performance. After using this guide, students will be able to write clear, concise, analytical responses to complex, real-world questions in all subjects.This resource includes step-by-step processes, copious examples, writing checklists, helpful tips, and black-line masters, all to help all students improve their thinking and writing.Amy Rukea Stempel has been zealously working in education and education reform since 1989. Prior to founding Lightbulb Learning Services, which specializes in the alignment of curriculum to academic standards, literacy development, and classroom/school leadership, she has led standards and curriculum development projects for the Education Trust, Edison Schools, Inc. (formerly the Edison Project) and standards development efforts for the Council for Basic education. In addition to experience in education policy, Ms. Stempel has also taught literature in the International Baccalaureate program for many years and has happily lived the harried and stimulating life of a classroom teacher.Ms. Stempel's prior publications include, Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground: How Some High Schools Accelerate Learning for Struggling Students, Standards for Excellence in Education (contributor), Where in the World Are We? The Need for International Benchmarking, Six Case Studies of Performance Assessment, and Standards: A Vision for Learning. Many years ago, Ms. Stempel completed a B.A. in English from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.A. in Liberal Studies (with concentrations in literature and history) from Georgetown University. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

The essential source book for teachers and parents
Filling in bubbles on a standardized multiple choice test asks students to answer questions that already have answers. What really measures a student's depth of understanding is a well-thought-out and well-written critical analysis of the topic. Amy Stempel's workbook is a blueprint for teaching students to think logically, to analyze the facts, and organize their findings and conclusions into a coherent, readable essay. It is a step-by-step approach that can be used by teachers and parents to help students become fluent writers and thinkers. Although the workbook is designed for middle school students, the basic principles outlined in it are applicable to all types of writing, from high school essays to graduate theses and the polished communication expected in most careers. By mastering these few, simple rules, students acquire a skill that becomes automatic and is never forgotten, like riding a bicycle.

Teachers who fear that logical, structured writing stifles creativity will discover the opposite is true: students will achieve a level of expression that goes far beyond formulaic narrative, the kind of writing taught in elementary schools. Invariably, the most enduring works of fiction are built on a strong, though subtle and nuanced, underlying structure.

Disciplined thinking and disciplined writing should be required in every subject, including math and science. Giving students the tools to express themselves coherently and with ease is the best gift a teacher or parent could possibly give them. I wish my early mentors had been handed a copy of Stempel's guidebook.

I would like to add that a visit to Stempel's Web site (lightbulblearning.net) is well worth the time spent perusing her thoughts on education.

Community College Admissions Advisor

Author's "voice" rings clear - and smart!
Author Amy Stempel's "voice" in Compose Yourself! is so compelling, concise and clear that it could only be improved if she were actually sitting across the table rather than, as it seemed to me page after page, at that banquet in my mind where profound truths and easy-to-implement techniques are being served up.

To my mind, there isn't a school system in the country seeking to improve performance that would not do its teachers and their students a good turn by investing in this excellent guidebook.Alas for all of us expository writers who had to learn to write the hard way. Ms. Stempel has provided the new and better way.

fabulous book
I love this book. It's full of clear examples, for one thing, so that the instruction about writing comes to life. It's complete without being overwhelming, and seems to be nicely geared to suit the strengths and needs of in-school teachers and home schooling parents. It takes all the mystery out of what makes an effective essay, and does it in a way that's good humored, clear, and organized. I can't think of a classroom that wouldn't benefit from this, especially with the emphasis on writing across the curriculum.

I Recommend This Book
As the mother of three (now grown) children, I would have been delighted to have had this book when they were in middle and high school trying to complete project after project."Compose Yourself!" breaks down the process of thinking about a topic into easy to understand steps that would have helped calm the "night before" scramble of one child, and perhaps avoided the "Whoops! That was due today?!" procrastination of another.My one child who probably didn't need "Compose Yourself!" is now an English teacher who uses this book in her high school English classes to teach analytical writing.Once writers use the provided graphic organizers to think through the topic, Stempel shows them how to put it all together into a coherent whole.This book takes something that is considered mysterious, how to organize analytical thinking and writing, and demystifies it so all can do it."Compose Yourself!" would have been a welcome tool in our house, but those in the trenches can use it now.

A Necessary Tool for the English Teacher's Toolbox
"Compose Yourself" is an incredibly functional and practical tool which breaks the analytical writing process into manageable, concise thinking and writing exercises.Having taught analytical writing for a few years, I can attest that Stempel's step-by-step modeling of critical thinking and writing processes involved in composing an essay are exactly what students need to see.The graphic organizers and deliverables included in the guide are perfect for teacher and student alike."Compose Yourself" is an excellent teaching tool for introducing and practicing skills in grades 6-10, and will also serve to help remediate for students in upper high school who need to perfect their craft. "Compose Yourself" is to analytical writing what "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" is to reading.This is a resource you will return to--over and over!
-Emily Shisler, AP English Instructor
YES Prep District Content Specialist: High School English ... Read more

Product Description
Many people can write. But writing well enough to get published takes hours of practice, the ability to take criticism, and expert advice. Filled with stories and tips from published authors, this easy-to-use guide teaches you the basics of the writing craft. Whether you want to create poems or plays, children's books or online blogs, romance novels or a memoir, you'll learn to write more effectively and creatively. Published author, editor, and PR consultant Wendy Burt-Thomas covers all aspects of writing, including how to:

• Prepare to write, from planning to research to organization
• Properly structure your piece to fit your chosen genre
• Stay focused during the drafting and editing processes
• Work with other authors
• Overcome writer's block
• Market your writing

Product Description
The first of a two-book series, this new text systematically integrates reading and grammar with basic writing instruction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I've been immortalized
There is a section someone wrote about me in this book. Yay! I have been immortalized in a book. ... Read more

Product Description
Language Arts teachers and teachers in other content areas will find in this book an exciting new framework for teaching adolescent writing and a wealth of tools to enact it in their classrooms. The emerging Writing Studies framework encourages student growth through reflection on writing, purposeful and audience-aware projects, and the support of a writing community. The book includes innovative project toolboxes that show teachers how to motivate students to write with confidence and skill from their own experiences, the texts they read, and the research they conduct. For use with Grades 6 & Up. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

excellent exercises
I am rewriting the training manual for our Writing Center Peer Tutors, depending very heavily on the excellent exercises included in this text.There is very little literature out there on the training of peer tutors, making this text very valuable.

good for the basics
I bought the Guide as a requirement for becoming a writing tutor at my university. It's pretty short so I was able to read it in one afternoon. I'd say this is a good basic tool for every tutor. I never got around to completing the exercises but they seemed pretty helpful, if you have the time. However, if you're looking for anything in-depth and detailed, you might want to look elsewhere. Like I said, this is great for learning the basic techniques for tutoring and to brush up on your skills. It's easy to follow and pretty helpful.

useful resource
This is an excellent resource for peer tutors, of any discipline.Included are useful descriptions of an ideal tutoring session along with strategies for coping with a variety of obstacles, such asstudent anxiety, difficult or uncooperative students, ESL, learning disabilities,and writing across disciplines.The handbook also provides an outline ofwriting center priorities, emphasizing the need to focus on higher orderproblems, such as organization, thesis statement, and structure, first andlower order problems, such as basic mechanical errors, last.The onlydownfall -- there is a lot of information packed into a little book.Itmakes for a valuable reference tool, butthe handbook is not ideal forfront cover to back cover reading. Still, it is a must have, along with TheAllyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring by Paula Gillespie and Neal Lerner,for any writing center administrator or tutor. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Great way to learnstructuring of paragraphs and essays
Beginning to write without knowing where you are going or how you are going to get there, is like starting a road trip without knowing the destination.Structuring Paragraphs and Essays: A Guide to Effective Writing shows you the way to put it all together without the worry of writers block.If you want a simple method for putting your writing pieces together is the shortest time you want to use this book.Although a text book, it is put together and can be used as a reference source without all the fluff in between.As a Travel Photojournalist and Freelance Writer, this book is part of my library and serves to remind me how to get it down right the first time. I Just pull it off the shelve, finger the table of contents, then flip and reveiw the chapter I need. ... Read more

Product Description
Through the explanations, examples, and exercises in this guide, Dr. Heaberlin, Professor of English at Texas State University, emphasizes using syntax and logic to connect sentences and teaches users to connect the information of their prose and thus please readers by the clarity of their writing. He introduces principles of organization and directs users to construct sentences according to specific instructions and examples. Gradually the sentences become more complex as users move from writing with one structure to writing with that structure in compounds and series.

For more than thirty years, earlier versions of this guidebook have been used in teaching college students to write. This is the second part of a four part series. Knowledge of the material in Writing Style 1, English Syntax, will aid users of this guidebook, but many have benefited from it without that information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Connecting for Coherence
I used this book for a class and it was really great! It had a lot of new information in it and was easy to understand. I give it two thumbs up. : )

You can use this book to learn how to write well
This book is a later, more sophisticated version of a workbook that I used when I taught Basic Reading and Writing to incoming Freshmen at Texas State over twenty years ago.To the basic workbook about how sentences worked that he was using then, he has added his encyclopedic knowledge of English syntax.Dr. Heaberlin has been teaching students to write since the early 1960s.Connecting for Coherence packs all that knowledge into less than 140 pages.If you understand basic grammatical terms, you can use this book to learn how to write well.(And if you'd like to learn more about grammar, Dr. Heaberlin has put the workbook from his excellent Syntax class on Amazon also.Reading it first could only make this book easier to use. English Syntax: A Guide To The Grammar Of Successful Writers:Writing Style 1)I had taken Dr. Heaberlin's Syntax class before using the early version of what has become Connecting for Coherence, and the two together helped my writing immensely.The knowledge contained in these two books contributed to my being able to write and edit professionally.

Connecting for Coherence is Excellent
An instructive, informative, and accessible guide, Heaberlin's text smoothly and logically teaches readers proper syntax. It is a welcomed and refreshing tool for linguistic amateurs and veterans alike.Using effective teaching methods, the text's exercises begin relatively simply and progress through more complex levels.And complete with twelve in depth lessons with questions and the accompanying answers, readers find themselves with ample learning material.Here exists the route to a new found, coherent comprehension of the English language.An indispensable syntactical guide, this text warrants the attention of anyone wishing to improve his or her linguistic command.I strongly recommend this guidebook.

Excellent
I used this book for a class I took and it had a lot to teach me. It has interesting, informative lessons which are followed by exercises. I recommend this to anyone interested in developing their writing.

Great tool for writing
This workbook is a great tool to improve your understanding of language mechanics and writing skills. ... Read more