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Product Description
Product Description
You already have the tools to become a gifted writer; what you need is the spark. Harvard creative writing professor and acclaimed author Bret Anthony Johnston brings you an irresistible interactive guide to the craft of narrative writing. From developing characters to building conflict, from mastering dialogue to setting the scene, Naming the World jump-starts your creativity with inspiring exercises that will have you scrambling for pen and paper. Every chapter is a master class with the country’s most eminent authors, renowned editors, and dedicated teachers.
• Infuse emotion into your fiction with three key strategies from Margot Livesey.
• Christopher Castellani dumps the “write what you know” maxim and challenges you to really delve into the imagination.
• A point-of-view drill from Susan Straight can be just the breakthrough you need to flesh out your story.
• Jewell Parker Rhodes shares how good dialogue is not just about what is being said but about what is being left unsaid.
Brimming with imaginative springboards and hands-on exercises, Naming the World has everything you need to become a stronger, more inventive writer.
“A delicious book. Imagine yourself at a cocktail party crammed with literary lions. You have the chance to spend a few moments with each of them. Wit and wisdom abound.”
–Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way
“A highly useful and perceptive book. With charm and intelligence it touches on nearly every teachable aspect of the devilishly difficult art of writing.”
–Ethan Canin, professor of creative writing at the Iowa Writers Workshop, and author of Carry Me Across the Water
“These entertaining and useful exercises, intelligently organized, are a boon for both beginning and experienced writers.”
–Andrea Barrett, National Book Award—winning author of The Air We Breathe
“Forget about getting an MFA! For any writer struggling with his craft, here is the equivalent of a master class in writing by some of the best writer/teachers around.”
–Betsy Lerner, author of The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers
• Infuse emotion into your fiction with three key strategies from Margot Livesey.
• Christopher Castellani dumps the “write what you know” maxim and challenges you to really delve into the imagination.
• A point-of-view drill from Susan Straight can be just the breakthrough you need to flesh out your story.
• Jewell Parker Rhodes shares how good dialogue is not just about what is being said but about what is being left unsaid.
Brimming with imaginative springboards and hands-on exercises, Naming the World has everything you need to become a stronger, more inventive writer.
“A delicious book. Imagine yourself at a cocktail party crammed with literary lions. You have the chance to spend a few moments with each of them. Wit and wisdom abound.”
–Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way
“A highly useful and perceptive book. With charm and intelligence it touches on nearly every teachable aspect of the devilishly difficult art of writing.”
–Ethan Canin, professor of creative writing at the Iowa Writers Workshop, and author of Carry Me Across the Water
“These entertaining and useful exercises, intelligently organized, are a boon for both beginning and experienced writers.”
–Andrea Barrett, National Book Award—winning author of The Air We Breathe
“Forget about getting an MFA! For any writer struggling with his craft, here is the equivalent of a master class in writing by some of the best writer/teachers around.”
–Betsy Lerner, author of The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Naming Mediocore,
By Carsen Ashlie (ft.collins, co) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer (Paperback)
If you want to start writing, maybe you can find some tidbits of inspiration in this book. Maybe good for someone just beginning. As long as you are not looking for something in depth, you may find this book alright. If you're looking for something more in depth and comprehensive, there are way better writing books which explain the process of writing with more astuteness. Pick up a copy of "A Writer's Guide to Fiction" by Elizabeth Lyon from the library first before looking at this book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews) 52 of 54 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wealth of inspiration,
By S. Kay Murphy "Heretic" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer (Paperback)
If you are as yet unfamiliar with the work of Bret Anthony Johnston, dear writer, there are two things you should know. The first is that his fiction is tight, controlled, alluring and fresh, so he knows whereof he speaks. (And if you haven't discovered him yet, I highly recommend purchasing Corpus Christi along with Naming the World; the former is a collection of Johnston's short stories.) The second is that Bret Anthony Johnston is currently one of our most vocal and devoted cheerleaders for the craft of writing. Like Ray Bradbury, Johnston is a writer's writer, someone who can become just as enthusiastic and excited about the process of writing as he can about the finished product itself.The introduction to Naming the World begins, "I don't believe in talent... Truth be told, I'm not at all sure that writing can be taught. I am positive, though, that it can be learned. What I believe in, as a writer and a teacher, is dedication." I once heard author Douglas Clegg say, "I don't believe the great American novel will be written by a writer who is 'great'; I believe it will be written by a writer who writes." He went on to say that, as writers, the greatest obstacle we have to conquer is the self-doubt that keeps us from writing. Because after all, as tired of a cliche as it may be, practice does indeed make perfect--or close enough to perfect to publish. For those of us, from novice to professional, whose lives are sustained by writing, Naming the World offers a buffet of appetizers, prepared by some of my favorite writers, designed to intensify our hunger for putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. Johnston names dedication, stubbornness and discipline as the traits he believes will lead to writing as a vocation. The aspect of discipline comes in writing every day. This book will provide a hundred jumping off places to do just that. If you are a writer who is interested in perfecting your craft--whether you are an apprentice or a tradesman already--read this book and listen to what some of the masters say. There is something here for everyone, inspiration on virtually every page, and the sound of Bret Johnston's voice in the background, cheering us all on. 33 of 37 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Compendium of Writing Exercises!!,
By Livvy "Livvy" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer (Paperback)
I'm more at an intermediate level of fiction writing (although not published yet) and found many number of exercises to be enlightening, thought provoking, and beneficial in aiding one's understanding of fiction writing. The book is probably more suited for beginners to intermediate fiction writers who require some instruction on the nuances of writing in a friendly and unintimidating tone. I have read about 2/3 of the book, skimmed through the rest, and have done a half dozen exercises and must say that I finally found a book that is tightly focused in presenting helpful writing excerises that are not bloated but to the point and fun to do. I especially liked the section on "Character Exercises".The chapters are broken down as such: Getting Started, Characters, Point of View and Tone, Plot and Narrative, Dialogue and Voice, Descriptive Language and Setting, Revision, and Daily Warmups. Each Chapter is further broken down by several authors who offer their insight and a few exercises each on a particular aspect of fiction writing. Highly recommend. Another highly recommended text on creative writing is "One Year to a Writing Life" by Susan M. Tiberghien. ***UPDATE*** Another great book with excellent exercises that focuses on the entire writing process is "The Dramatic Writer's Companion" by Will Dunne which surpasses both books mentioned above for its concise depth in theory, along with exercises that benefit the momentum of any writing project!!!! 34 of 43 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Contributors?!,
By Sam Beck - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer (Paperback)
It seems strange that there isn't a complete list of the contributors to this book available here on the Amazon page. Many of them are terrific writers. So, here goes: John Dufresne, Joyce Carol Oates, Christopher Castellani, Thisbe Nissen, Tom Robbins, Daniel Wallace, Rachel Cline, Lee Martin, Dan Chaon, Norma E. Cantu, Alan Cheuse, Dorothy Allison, C. Michael Curtis, Tom Barbash, Tom Bligh, Debra Spark, R.T. Smith, Kyoko Mori, Steve Almond, Ann Packer, Jason Brown, Varley O'Connor, Lee Martin, Eric Goodman, Melissa Pritchard, Julia Fierro, Michael Knight, Thane Rosenbaum, Elizabeth Strout, Paula Priamos, James Brown, Vu Tran, Susan Straight, Tom Grimes, Katherine Min, Amy Hassinger, Dan Pope, Jacob Appel, Josh Emmons, Elizabeth McCracken, Adam Johnson, Michelle Wildgen, Danielle Trussoni, Aimee Phan, Robert Boswell, Vanessa Furse Jackson, Michelle Wildgen, Nick Arvin, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Colette Sartor, Richard Bausch, Katherine Min, Robert Torres, Robert Rosenberg, Kate Myers Hanson, Jose Skinner, Michael Jayme Becerra, Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, Rebecca Johns, Jonathan Liebson, DeWitt Henry, Mark Winegardner, Paul Lisicky, Margot Livesey, Don Lee, John Smolens, René Steinke, Jason Brown, Holiday Reinhorn, Marlin Barton, Merrill Feitell, and Stephen D. Marlowe.
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