The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt Handbook: Everything you need to be a better writer and produce great work

Here in one book are the tools you need to be a better writer and produce great work. The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt Handbook gives you practical, accessible advice for all of the dimensions of the craft, backed up with examples from classic and contemporary literature, together with insights from dozens of professional writers, artists, editors and agents. Here’s what others have said about the book: –  “A unique and comprehensive handbook… it lays the foundations and then helps you build.” –  “A very useful practical (hands-on rather than theory) guide with many (many) examples…highly recommended.” –  “I’ve found so few advice givers as competent and informative as Andrew Chamberlain” Each chapter covers an aspect of the craft, giving you insights that you can apply immediately to your own writing, and providing you with the confidence to go on to explore and develop your skills. Chapter 1: Creating a Story Learn the classic shape of stories and understand why throughout history, one particular approach to story construction has been so successful. Chapter 2: Characters and characterisation Explore the two primary aspects of characterisation: character essence and goal motivation and passion. Learn why getting these aspects right is most of the hard work of character development. Chapter 3: Setting, world-building, and research Understand the two critical requirements of a setting – that it be credible and immersive. Grounded with examples, we also look at the best way to gather and apply research, with expert insights into the process, and guidance on the important issue of understanding and writing characters who do not reflect our own heritage. Chapter 4: Tools of the trade Understand how to use the most important tools of the craft, from ‘showing not telling’ to point of view and foreshadowing to exploiting the power of sensory description. Chapter 5: The building blocks of writing Explore the techniques for harnessing the power of punctuation and structure, understand the power of verbs in driving the pace of a sentence. Chapter 6: The sound of your writing Unlock the secrets of tone, style, and voice, and wield the sharpest tools available to you: clarity, brevity, and precision. Chapter 7: Story identity – Genre and theme Explore the strategies for harnessing genre and trope to reassure and absorb the reader. See how symbol, dilemma, and innovation interweave with theme and moral, and how to apply these aspects to enrich and enhance our work. Chapter 8: The Writer’s Life Living well is a step towards writing well. From physical health to mental and emotional wellbeing, the handbook offers suggestions for the writer’s life. This chapter also explores the author experience with publishers and some thoughts on how to effectively market both ourselves as writers and our work.