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Title details for Spilling Ink by Anne Mazer - Available

Spilling Ink

A Young Writer's Handbook

by Anne Mazer
Ellen Potter
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available

Prompted by a neverending stream of letters pleading for advice on how to be a better writer, successful children's authors Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter put their heads together to create this useful guide. With dozens of books and decades of experience between them, the authors brought their distinct personal styles to the advice they had to offer. Now they have done the same for this audio version, with each author narrating her own sections. Along the way they call in some friends for some delightful bits of storytelling to illustrate their points. Filled with wisdom and delivered with wit, this funny, practical guide will be welcomed by anyone who wants to improve his or her skill as a writer. Whether you long to create compelling stories, or simply want to express yourself more clearly and directly, this is the book for you!

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    February 21, 2011

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781936223442
      • File size: 161381 KB
      • Duration: 05:36:12

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 830
    • Text Difficulty: 4-5

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Authors Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter give kids insight into the writing process. The conversational tone of their essays on topics like generating ideas, plotting, and revision is reinforced by their own reading of their work. Listeners will get a sense of each personality from Mazer's subdued reading and Potter's vivacious one. The contrast adds interest to the production as a whole and makes the authors seem that much more real, giving their advice weight. Mazer and Potter freely share insecurities and doubts, as well advice on how to overcome them, along with practical tips and writing exercises. This is a useful and entertaining guide for writers of any age. A.F. (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 18, 2010
      Young scribes may find the tools they need with these guides to the craft.
      Spilling Ink: A Young Writer's Handbook
      Anne Mazer
      and Ellen Potter
      , illus. by Matt Phelan. Roaring Brook/Flash Point
      , $16.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-59643-514-8
      ; $9.99 paper ISBN 978-1-59643-628-2

      This playful guide for aspiring writers aims to demystify the creative process as it explores first drafts and finding inspiration, the meat and potatoes of writing, and writer's block and criticism. Mazer (the Sister Magic series) and Potter (the Olivia Kidney books) challenge readers to dig deep into their characters, make a “mental compost pile” to find inspiration, and face revision head on, while modeling their own approaches. “I get ideas while waiting in lines, staring at the clouds, or lying sick in bed,” says Mazer; demonstrating how to build suspense, Potter shares the true story (“with a few embellishments”) of a robber hanging from her neighbor's terrace. Phelan's ink illustrations and a lighthearted humor enliven the text, and honest advice, such as “Your character's heart's desire is what propels your story forward,” are cogent and invaluable. Ages 9–14.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:830
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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