creative writing

When thirteen-year-old Joan moves to California in 1972, she becomes friends with Sarah, who is timid at school but an imaginative leader when they play in the woods, and after winning a writing contest together they are recruited for an exclusive summer writing class that gives them new insights into themselves and others.

Presents an introduction to the children's author, Dan Gutman, in simple text with photographs, providing information on his childhood, education, and how he became a writer.

Presents interviews with author Roald Dahl, creator of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," in which he shares his perspective on plots, and discusses his writing process, and includes readings from his books, animations and scenes from his plots, and a look at his writing devices.

Presents an introduction to the process of story writing, as the editors of "Wordswork" magazine learn that a story idea can begin anywhere, including characters, settings, or plots.

Encourages readers to write a story by helping a queen answer her mail.

Simple text and illustrations show how making a set of directions can help improve writing skills.

"... offers a behind-the-scenes look at how books get made, from idea to publication, and gives [the reader] insight into the writing processes of some of the biggest and most talented YA authors writing today"--Jacket flap.

A teacher's guide to be used with the "Writers INC" handbook for students, covering approaches to writing, assessment strategies, and other topics, and including tips and techniques for working with student writers and learners.

"Teacher, author, [and] writing coach Angela Stockman ... provides five right-now writing strategies that reinvent instruction and inspire both young and adult writers"--Provided by publisher.

"This collection of more than twenty-five critical essays, speeches, and biographical pieces written and/or chosen by Diana Wynne Jones will be required reading for the author's many fans and for students and teachers of the genre. Reflections includes insightful literary criticism alongside autobiographical anecdotes about reading tours (including an account of the author's famous travel jinx), revelations about the origins of the author's books, and thoughts in general about the life of an author and the value of writing. The longest autobiographical piece, "Something About the Author," details Diana's extraordinary childhood and is illustrated with family photographs. Reflections is essential reading for anyone interested in Diana Wynne Jones's work, fantasy, or creative writing. With a foreword by Neil Gaiman, introduction and interview by Charlie Butler, bibliography, and index. "Various threads run through this collection, but by far the strongest is that of the need for fantasy in all its many facets and its value for children and adults alike. It is my hope that some of these items will be of use to people."-Diana Wynne Jones "Her writings assembled in one place tell us how she thought about literature and the reasons for literature, about the place of children's fiction in the world, about the circumstances that shaped her and her own understanding and vision of who she was and what she did. It is ferociously intelligent, astonishingly readable, and as with so much that Diana Wynne Jones did, she makes each thing she writes, each explanation for why the world is as it is, look so easy."-Neil Gaiman"--.