Showing results for "matt bird"

An insightful and actionable guide to creating a hero that readers will fall in love with, from the author of The Secrets of StoryThe hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character – specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the reader’s precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable...

You've just boarded a plane. You've loaded your phone with your favorite podcasts, but before you can pop in your earbuds, disaster strikes: The guy in the next seat starts telling you all about something crazy that happened to him--in great detail. This is the unwelcome storyteller, trying to convince a reluctant audience to care about his story.We all hate that guy, right? But when you tell a story (any kind of story: a novel, a memoir, a screenplay, a stage play, a comic, or eve...

An insightful and actionable guide to creating a hero that readers will fall in love with, from the author of The Secrets of StoryThe hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character – specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the reader’s precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable...

Ella loves visiting her grandparents' house with her cousins every summer. It's a great time to play in the woods and fish. This time, Grandpa has a surprise planned. When he announces they're going catfish noodling, Ella isn't sure what to think. Could she really grab a fish that big with her bare hands? As she dives down into the murky water with her cousin, Ella is nervous. Will she come up with a catfish? Or will her first noodling adventure be a dud?

Quincy is excited to travel to Maine for his first black bear hunting trip with his dad and best friend, Jack. Luck seems to be on Quincy's side when a bear strolls out in front of his tree stand. He jumps at the chance to take down his first bear. But when Quincy becomes injured, he might have to leave the bear he shot behind. Quincy soon realizes that taking down a bear is just one important goal of a successful hunting trip.

The Secrets of Story is a revolutionary and comprehensive writing guide for the 21st Century, focused on clever ways to get an audience to fully identify with an all-too-human hero. Authors will learn to how to cut through pop culture noise and win over a jaded modern audience by rediscovering the heart of writing: shaping stories that ring true to our shared understanding of human nature. Providing conversational advice that spans multiple disciplines—from fiction to film to crea...

Building Belonging is both a practical guide for how to start a residential intentional community and a collective framework for addressing the racial, social, ecological and economic disparities affecting all aspects of the living experience for humans, land, and its co-inhabitants. It offers an unprecedented perspective to creating intentional community that speaks directly to the reader who wants collective answers and who sees the deep benefit of community living as a...

Novel Perspectives on German-Language Comics Studies: History, Pedagogy, Theory gathers an international team of contributors from two continents whose innovative scholarship demonstrates a regard for comics and graphic novels as works of art in their own right. The contributions serve as models for further research that will continue to define the relationship between comics and other traditional “high art” forms, such as literature and the visual arts. Novel Perspectives on German-Langua...

From 70 of the most successful mystery writers in the business, an invaluable guide to crafting mysteries—from character development and plot to procedurals and thrillers—“this is a writing guide that readers and writers will turn to again and again” (Booklist, starred review).Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is known for providing unparalleled resources on the craft, art, and business of storytelling, helping writers of all levels improve their skills for...

IF YOU'RE TIRED OF REJECTION, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.Whether you are a novice writer or a veteran who has already had your work published, rejection is often a frustrating reality. Literary agents and editors receive and reject hundreds of manuscripts each month. While it's the job of these publishing professionals to be discriminating, it's the job of the writer to produce a manuscript that immediately stands out among the vast competition. And those outstanding qualities, says N...

Facebook executive, Sheryl Sandberg's # 1 book of 2013, Lean In, is reviewed and summarized. Saving readers time and money. Book Club Reviews gets right to the important parts with interesting details and unbiased analysis and review.

A soulful re-envisioning of what work and leadership can be, from the visionary mind of renowned author and thought leader, Seth GodinThe Song of Significance is a rousing contemplation on work: why it is the way it is, why it’s gotten so bad, what all of us–especially leaders–can do to make it better.Economic instability and the rise of remote work have left us disconnected and disengaged. Alarmed managers are responding with harsh top-down edicts...