Entries Tagged '"How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews' ↓
March 12th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: Query Letters That Sell
Author: Mridu Khullar
Website: www.mridukhullar.com
My Rating: 5 out of 5
About five years ago I came across a site called WritersCrossing and the freelance writer who ran it Mridu Khullar. At the time she had an e-book called Query Letters That Will Knock Your Socks Off which she offered to writers like me who were just starting out in magazine writing. The letters and her advice were extremely helpful, as I have since sold my articles to several different magazines thanks to her.
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February 9th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: The Quick Resume and Cover Letter Book
Author: Michael Farr
Publisher: JIST Publishing; 4 edition (November 2007)
ISBN-10: 1593575173
ISBN-13: 978-1593575175
My Rating - 5 out of 5
Farr’s Resume Strategy is #1!
Out of all the resume books I’ve read, this one was the most helpful in terms of advise, information, creative ideas and sample resumes. After not only reading but using this book, one can definitely agree with Bill Warren (Executive Director, DirectEmployers Association, founder and former president of Monster.com), when he comments, “This book is proof that Mike Farr is America’s number-one career planning and job search expert.” Farr’s 25 years of studying, teaching and writing about job seeking skills are clearly seen and shared throughout this book.
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: The Screenwriter’s Workbook (Revised)
Author: Syd Field
Publisher: Delta
ISBN-10: 0385339046
ISBN-13: 978-0385339049
My Rating - 5 plus
After an amazing twenty-two year run, the original classic 1984 Screenwriter’s Workbook (Dell Trade Paperback) was revised and updated in 2006. It might only weigh 7 ounces, but it’s jam-packed with EVERYTHING you need to know in order to write a successful, salable script.
The master of screenwriting has outdone himself! Hang on, as we go on a journey with “the most sought-after screenwriting teacher in the world,” touts the Hollywood Reporter. Field will take you from the first crucial pages to the final act in a clear-cut, systematic manner.
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: New Directions In Teaching Memoir: A Studio Workshop Approach
Author(s) Dawn Latta Kirby and Dan Kirby
Publisher: Heinemann
ISBN-10: 0325006687
ISBN-13: 978-0325006680
My Rating - 4 out of 5
This studio workshop approach for the genre of contemporary memoir is quite interesting, as it is written from the standpoint of the instructor who is teaching a class on writing memoir. Taking a look at the new direction in which the class is being taught, the authors of this book have taken their ideas from those which required a little over a decade to develop and then successfully implemented in classrooms and workshops across the country.
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: Developing an Effective Online Course
Author: Valerie Landau
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
ISBN-10: 0072587024
ISBN-13: 978-0072587029
My Rating - 4 out of 5
Author Valerie Landau is very thorough in helping you to develop and evaluate a successful online course. Each topic comes complete with goals, objectives, warm up activities, famous quotes, instructor’s notes, student assignments and a list of resources.
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: Outwitting Writer’s Block and Other Problems of the Pen
Author: Jenna Glatzer
Publisher: The Lyons Press
ISBN-10: 1592281249
ISBN-13: 978-1592281244
My Rating - 4.5 out of 5
“Wit” is definitely the key word in this how-to-do book. Glatzer takes a subject that drivers writers to drink (at times) and turns it into a simple annoyance (“an insidious pest”) that can be handled with concentration, tried and true methods, mixed with a bit of humor, so you can get to the real task of what you’re here for … WRITING!
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: Make A Real Living As A Freelance Writer
Author: Jenna Glatzer
Publisher: Nomad Press (May 2004)
ISBN-10: 097220265X
ISBN-13: 978-0972202657
My Rating - 5 out of 5
Glatzer has a way of grabbing your attention right at the outset of this valuable writers’ tool book and not only keeping it but heightening it with each chapter. I have never read a “How To” book with such excitement that I wanted to try every suggestion as soon as I could, yet not wanting to put it down until I greedily read and savored every page.
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: Cover Letter Magic: Trade Secrets of Professional Resume Writers
Author(s) Wendy S. Enelow and Louise Kursmark
Publisher: JIST Works; 3 edition (December 2006)
ISBN-10: 1593573642
ISBN-13: 978-1593573645
My Rating - 5 out of 5
Having a great resume is important but so is having the proper cover letter to present it. After all, you only get one chance at your first impression and the cover letter very often determines whether or not a potential employer will go beyond it to consider the resume itself. Therefore, Wendy S. Enelow and Louise Kursmark have put together this third edition of Cover Letter Magic to help you apply for the job you want with total confidence. So let’s see what they have to offer.
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book
Author: Susan Page
Publisher: Broadway Books
ISBN: 0-553-061771
Rating - 5 out of 5
Susan Page outlines the twenty steps to getting published successfully, giving you “everything you need to know in the order you need to know it”. She not only gives you the steps but also useful exercises, tips, resources, marketing tools, the eight laws of writing and a sample proposal. The chart in chapter 5 is very beneficial in giving the pros and cons of self-publishing your book or selling it to a publisher.
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January 24th, 2008 — "How-To-Write ..." Book Reviews
Title: New Writer’s Handbook 2007: A Practical Anthology of Best Advice for Your Craft and Career
Editor: Philip Martin, Preface: Erica Jong
Publisher: Scarletta Press (June 6, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0976520168
ISBN-13: 978-0976520160
My Rating - 4.5 out of 5
What is most interesting and attention-grabbing about this book is that it isn’t written by only one author. Rather, it is an anthology of the best and practical advice that writers can use to hone their craft and make a successful career with their writing. Composed of sixty-three articles from almost as many writers (some authors have more than one article showcased), it is a collection no writer should be without. All of the personal websites of each author are listed at the end of their articles. Even more valuable is how each author’s article is filled with quotes and advices they found helpful from other famous authors.
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