Language Arts Books

With Movies In The Mind: How To Build A Short Story, Colleen Rae provides the aspiring writer with compendium of sound advice, techniques, and strategies for writing plausible, believable, resonating fiction. Each informative chapter is a gem of sound, practical, illustrative, and occasionally inspiring instruction and includes: Entering The Storymaker's Realm; Fiction's Building Blocks; Participatory Art; Digging The Clay; Whose Story Is It Anyway?; Unlocking Your Story; How To Birth A Story; and There's Always A Critic. Very highly recommended for anyone seeking to improve the quality of their fiction, Movies In The Mind is further enhanced with a section of Exercise Pages, a Reading List; and a user-friendly index.

we need to learn how to work with them and how to make them work, this is in part what Colleen tells us here. Very nice book indeed and not the usual one. She doen't promise to become wealty by getting published, yet between the lines I think there is a hope for everyone of us becoming richer in the spirit. And this is why many of us write: to live a fuller life by reflecting on it. This book helps us in both ways - to write for the entertinment of others and for the deepening of one's thoughts - and I'm eagerly waiting for a second and third book with more entertaining tips and insight! Thak you Colleen.

This book is great, will really rev up your writing, and I'm not the only one who says so. The February 2001 issue of Wisconsin Bookwatch has the review : With "Movies In The Mind: How To Build A Short Story", Colleen Rae provides the aspiring writer with compendium of sound advice, techniques, and strategies for writing plausible, believable, resonating fiction. Each informative chapter is a gem of sound, practical, illustrative, and occasionally inspiring instruction and includes: Entering The Storymaker's Realm; Fiction's Building Blocks; Participatory Art; Digging The Clay; Whose Story Is It Anyway?; Unlocking Your Story; How To Birth A Story; and There's Always A Critic. Very highly recommended for anyone seeking to improve the quality of their fiction," Movies In The Mind" is further enhanced with a section of Exercise Pages, a Reading List; and a user-friendly index.

Colleen Mariah Rae's book is a unique approach to learning the art of writing fiction. It's strictly an inside job, and Rae helps you find answers to your fiction writing problems within yourself. Her emphasis on imagery and detail is presented in a straight forward manner that sheds new light on the subject. But her advice on developing a trait continuum for your characters is help of the most valuable kind. I look forward to seeing more books from her in this series.

John M. Whalen, Journalist/Freelance Writer

Before I finished the first chapter of this book, I saw a dramatic difference in my writing. If you want to learn how to connect with the mysterious well where all of our stories come from, if you want to understand what really grabs your reader and connects him/her with your story, read this book! It's not just for short story writers. It's for writers. Period. Look through Colleen Mariah Rae's eyes as you devour this book, and you'll see your creative world in a whole new light!

When a newspaper goes out of business, it's sometimes as if it never existed and everything it did is buried, rarely to be exhumed again unless it is some researcher.

Wire service people have labored in obscurity for decades and only in recent decades have credit lines become common for photos in newspapers or other print sources. Even Magazine credits were sometimes astonishingly small.

There is a UPI still in business, but it is unrelated to the great wire service that competed with the powerful Associated Press. But the photographs made by UPI photographers and others for UPI will live on in the Corbis library, much of it buried in cold underground storage.

What this book has done is to reach down into that vault and pull out some of the more memorable pictures from the UPI days when it covered the world. The names of the photographers may not be familiar except to those in the trade, but they are among the best as these images demonstrate.

An excellent book, well-written and well-edited. More please.

If you like pictures - news pictures that tell a story even after 70 years - you'll love "Picture This! The Inside Story and Classic Photos of UPI Newspictures." If you like good captions that flesh out the images with background information, you'll love Picture This!. The book of 238 black-and-white photographs, written and compiled by Gary Haynes with a foreword by Walter Cronkite, showcases the work of UPI's band of aggressive, talented and serious photojournalists who chronicled the life of the world in images that resonate even after 70 years.

You'll recognize the world-famous photograph of a saluting John-John Kennedy following the funeral of his father and discover the photo of the Dionne quintuplets and the image of George H.W. Bush campaigning in a Chicago suburb.

I have no vested interest in whether you buy Picture This! and never met Gary Hayes. But, I was a newsman with United Press International for 18 years in four states and I am, obviously, partial to UPI and have a sense of the toil and trouble UPI photographers encountered in chronicling news events.

A word of warning, however. When you try leafing through this book with the intention of spending only a few minutes, you will find yourself stopping to peruse an image, reading a caption and re-discovering, and perhaps discovering, forgotten events. Invariably, you will ask yourself: What was I doing at that moment in time, captured by a UPI photojournalist.

Unfortunately, Picture This! does not have the glitz and glitter of a huge table top book. Perhaps, however, that is the charm of a wire service book that underscores the art of black-and-white photographs and the talents of UPI photographers worldwide. These pictures and these photographers never tried to be pretty or charming, only tell a true, accurate story.

PICTURE THIS! THE INSIDE STORY AND CLASSIC PHOTOS OF UPI NEWSPICTURES comes from a veteran syndicate editor and photographer who pairs the best of UPI news photos with an insider's account of the stories behind them. But it's more than just a gathering of key photos linked to major news stories: it follows the wire service industry as a whole, providing a history of its development and evolution, competition with other news services, and how its library ended up in a Pennsylvania cave. An outstanding survey essential for any student of journalism.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

We all take the camera for granted ;but someone having a camera availible at the right time and place;has meant that memorable moments and events have been recorded for posterity.There are many books that have tried to sum up the best photographs of the Century;some are very average,some are very good,and some are excellent;this one is that type.
I often wondered which I would choose if I had to pick 3 favorite photographs.It is very difficult;but three that come to mind immediately,and I don't really know why,are;

The Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima ,as the best photograph from
the Second World War.

Oswald being shot in Dallas,probably since iI saw it "live" on TV.

and,

Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to President Kennedy,again
watched "live" on TV.

Anyway those are my picks,but with a little more thought,I could think of others just as momentous;such as the collasping of the World Trade Center on 9/11;which I watched being built;when I worked in the next block at the corner of Broadway Ave. & Nassau St.
UPI published many of the great photographs of the Century and if you've wondered what happened to all their 11.5 million photographs;they ended up in a cave in Pennsylvania,owned by Bill Gates's Corbus.
Gary Haynes has put together this wonderful collection from these archives ,along with comments on the photographs,circumstances and photographers.
In this large book of 256 pages and 238 B&W photographs, Haynes will enthrall you and bring back many memories. You'll remember seeing many of them,you may have even watched sone take place (live or on TV);and others will be new to you.But one thing is for sure,you'll enjoy this remarkable collection.
Here are some of what is included;

The Hindenbury exploding in 1937.

Barrels of wine being dumped in the gutter in Los Angeles,in the
1920's.

The KKK parade in Long Branch,NJ,on July 4,1924.

Truman holding up the Chicago Times announcing "Dewey Defeats Truman"
November 3,1948.

People viewing John Dillinger on a slab,July,1934.

Rare photograph of JFK in a hat;and not the top hat at the Inaugural.

Hermann Goering ,accustomed to ostentatious luxury,eating from a tin
plate during a break in his Neurenberg tria.

JFK and Sinatra as best of pals.

President Truman playing a tune with Lauren Bacall draped across the
piano.

Louis Armstrong serenading his wife Lillian in front of the Sphinx.

and even some humor ,such as;

Lee Travino ,emerging from a rough ,holding a large snake on the end of
his club.Though it was a prank rubber snake,it always startled the
bystanders.
What a wonderful collection of photographs and many thanks to both Haynes for putting them together and least, but not all,to the photographers who took them.

My husband worked for UPI Newspictures from 1961 to l981 and shared the ups and downs of UPI and Gary Haynes has captured the story of the wonderful photographers and their work who were always out numbered by the AP and were able to compete and win many stories by sheer determination. UPI Newspictures had a great planner,Charley McCarty who out thought the oposition and two fantastic photo editors Ted Majeski and Larry Desantis who could find the best images on the film they edited. This books shows some of the photos they found on the film made by the hardworking photographers who never were willing to let the AP beat them. Thanks to Gary Haynes for putting it all in this book.

This is not a review on pragmatics of human communication, it is a review on a book. This might be an imperative read when you're working with human beings and/or when you're a pragmatist, but you'd probably already knew everything in it. This is no book for the communication specialist: it will be too disturbing. There is no 'sender', 'no channel' and 'no reciever' in the bbok. It also has no 'message'. It is also not recommended for people who do not want to change. Finally, it is not for lay people, because it is better to live in ignorance than know that a conversation in basically about nothing.

The last chapter of this book, which I read over 30 years ago, and still remember to this day, is a true stunner, especially the last sentence. The truth therein is timeless. When I finished it, I remained seated and awestruck for a long time, contemplating a cosmic truth which has never left me to this very day. The specific memory is carved in stone, so to speak.

Ever heard of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig? Well, POHC goes even further - towards a mathematical truth about our very existence. This book is far more than its title suggests. Quite simply it is the second most important book I've EVER read... and Pirsig's is not the first, either.

If you have the intelligence to absorb it, this book will probably change the very foundation of what you call "me"... it will fundamentally challenge your mind. Read it if you have confidence in your OWN intellect.

BTW - for a reference point, I was the only student in my class at Western Michigan University who apparently understood the implications of this book. It was a 400 level Communications course with 28 students, and the course was "built" around the book.

That human relationships are something mysterious and intriguing is hardly a question. But whether an account of them that is limited by scientific standards can do justice to their complexity and nature is quite another. However, I'm convinced that in this case the subject not only survives the operation - the methodology and presentation don't kill their subject or explain it away - but benefits from it to a rather surprising extent. That is, it achieves the difficult task of being both accurate and rigourous on the one hand and sheading light on the parts of us that have to do with us being human on the other - the thoughts and feelings in our behaviour. This is not only in stark contrast to the behaviorist paradigm dominant at the time this work was written, but marks an equally important departure from the intrapsychic focus of psychoanalysis. Thus the introduction of models based on cybernetic principles, systems theory, game theory, mathematics etc allowed for a completely new dimension in human relations to appear.

The new approaches that made it possible and which found so excellent synthesis in "Pragmatics.." are to a considerable extent traceable back to the works of Gregory Bateson. Indeed, it wasn't untill reading his "Steps to the Ecology of Mind" that I came to realize this. However, the relative lack of originality is compensated by the degree of integration and condensation achieved in "Pragmatics" - perhaps higher than any other single writing in "the Palo Alto framework" before or after has (intended) - which naturally exceeds that of "Steps..." - which is a collection of Bateson's articles dating from 1930s to 1970s. So above anything else, the two make an excellent complementary reading.

A very intresting book. After I have got this book, I acquired all the other books by the author and found that this book is probably his best one. A must read for those who are interested in knowing the interactions between communication and paradoxical psychotherapy.

I bought the book wanting to know something more about the world of communication and was delighted to find references to my youth interests: logics and mathematic and to my more recent one: spirituality. What was of a particular interest, even if it might be considered a bit partial, was the importance the authors put on paradoxes both as the root for patology and cure. In this latter respect references are given to zen sayings and their relationships to actual therapeuthical episodes.
A problem stemming for the emphasis put on the interrelated cause of neurosis is that individuals tend to be quite neglected: so giving the feeling that people having no stable relationships with other people must be either totally healty or... incurable.
Already bought two other books from the same author.

I adore this book! It is one of those books that I just pick up and flip to a random page, and absorb the wisdom. It is full of tiny little things you can do to make your work look more professional. This guy is amazing.

One-Minute Designer Revised edition Roger C. Parker MIS:Press, 1997

Like it or not, if you use a computer you are a typographer, and that's anyone who arranges words within a given space: letter, report, bulletin, brochure, ad, billboard, book, sign etc. You don't have to be a graphic designer to create good typography because Roger Parker makes it easy to communicate clearly. The book is methodically organized. Each page is devoted to one subject, i.e. column width, placement, type sizes, word and letter spacing, font choice-all 204 of them. Parker writes easily, clearly, succinctly, and is always on the side of the reader, and the absence of verbiage and posturing is refreshing. Each page has direct, easy-to-understand two color illustrations that unambiguously define the text. Unlike program manuals that have incomplete or misnamed subjects, I'm impressed with Parker's contents page and glossary, which makes it easy for the reader to find information quickly. The soft cover book is a comfortable, easy to hold 7" x 9" portrait format. For quick review, the italic captions are printed in red. Text is set in one of my favorite fonts Minion, designed by Robert Slimbach one of the world's great type designers. The generous 11-point size makes is easy to read. This is a book that makes it easy to produce good looking, well organized layouts that communicate, a rarity in manuals. Parker's book should be within arm's length at a workstation, and [for the money], it's money in the bank.

Doyald Young, teacher and author: Logotypes & Letterforms and Fonts & Logos

This book is amazing. It lists 200 examples of good and bad design in a text/title/image/graphic perspective for business documents (which is just like a website). This book is a bible for begining or intermediate graphic designers who want to make the perfectly organized data (newsletters, website, newspaper, etc). Instead of long chapters of boring theory and idealism, it points out common design mistakes and shows a better way to do it and throws in a couple sentences of theory to it. In my opinion this is a must in anyone's library of books.

I bought this masterpiece after I read 'The Non-Designers Design Book' by Robin Williams. The content is much the same, but explored much more thoroughly, with clear examples and well-thought layouts.

If you want to get only one book on Desktop Publishing, THIS IS THE ONE! Don't waste your time with other books.

A paper design is self-explanatory and self-maintaining. This is why Roger Parker was able to write this superb book on design for paper. Web publishing involves collaborative maintenance of a collection of material. So one can never achieve such clarity. Anyway, this is a great book if you want to design some paper stuff and it is also good to think about why you'll never have it this easy in the Web world.

If you are serious about becoming a screenwriter, this book will be a valuable addition to your professional library. Lucy goes into depth on subjects other authors ignore or treat lightly. Usually if you can learn one or two things from a screenwriting book, it's worth reading. This book clarifies subjects other authors fail to explain. Lucy not only explains all the loose ends, but ties them together. There are a lot of good books on screenwriting, and this is one of them. Cynthia Whitcomb has a couple of books on screenwriting that you might also want to read.

This book should be a mandatory read for writers of all types and all levels. Story Sense offers the tools to develop an entertaining, clever plot with emotionally and psychologically dimensional characters. It takes you step by step through idea, plot, and character formulation, as well as explains how to develop structure, dramatization, and everything else you need to write the perfect screenplay or fictional story. You will find yourself highlighting passages and constantly refering back to this "bible" throughout your writing journey. Keep this book close by, it has all the answers you need as a writer.

This should be required reading for any type of writer--novelist, screenwriter, playwright. The sections on plot and character development are worth double what this book costs.

Too many "how-to" books on writing perpetrate the image of a writer as a conduit for mysterious creative forces. While I'm not entirely discounting that image, there needs to be a balance between writing as an art and writing as a craft. This book falls firmly in the craft column. It demands you cast aside any artistic pretensions and get down to the plumbing of creating a story. And it doesn't stop with the obligatory pep talk--Lucey shows you how it's done. And he shows it better than any other writing how-to out there.

If I could give this ten stars I would. Highly recommended.

When ordering several books on screenwriting this book caught my eye because of the high ratings afforded it by others. After reading it I fully concur with what others had to say. I went out and purchased DVDs of the four main example films (The Verdict, Terminator, Sleepless in Seattle, and Witness) that Mr. Lucey focuses on and they allowed me to pick up the fine points described in the text. His vast experience in script writing shows through in each of the topics discussed. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. For a detail-oriented individual such as myself, this book met all my expectations. If you are interested in this topic, this book is a "must have" by all means.

I have read many screenwriting books and this is the most complete. It takes you by the hand through each step of the process. I would recommend it to anyone interested in screenwriting. The book even states that if you follow the steps in the 12 chapters it should take you 120 hours and would be equivelent to a college course. No need for any other training. This book is it!

This book covers many aspects of writing, such as copyright, writing contests, agents, contracts, writing courses, how to keep out of legal trouble with your writing, what to do if you've sold something to an editor who won't pay up and much more. It is a tool to help a writer make it through the hazards of writing and the many pitfalls that wait for the unwary. The book also includes sample contracts for you to check out. It's a great reference book for every writer to have. I keep it handy where I can use it all the time.

A great book for a new author! I found this book very informative, enlightening but scary, realizing all the mistakes I have already made- myself but acknowledging some of the good decisions I've made as well. Nevertheless, it's better to know at the beginning of my journey than much later. If only I had read this book first! Thanks for the much needed info.

Jenna Glatzer and lawyer Daniel Steven have combined forces in THE STREET SMART WRITER and given any writer a valuable resource.

Too many writers have gone innocently down the wrong path with a scam literary agent or publishing house and lived to regret their choice. Follow the wise counsel in these pages and you will protect yourself from disappointment and you will save yourself a lot of money and grief.

"We want to believe that people have good intentions."

If you're not familiar with Jenna Glatzer then you really need this book because you're obviously not as internet/writer savvy as you need to be. Jenna is the owner of AbsoluteWrite.com, a writer friendly site. She's also the author of Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer and one of my favourites, Outwitting Writer's Block. Not only does she write for writers but the last year she wrote an authorized biography for Celine Dion: For Keeps. This working writer has a knack for sharing her experience with others. In this publication she has joined forces with Daniel Steven, a writer and publishing lawyer.

This is definitely a must-have guide for writers, especially the writer who dabbles in many areas. It's not only about what to avoid but doing it better. The Street-Smart Writer is divided into 17 chapters with an appendix of additional forms tacked on the end. Chapter breakdown:

1 - Agents & Managers (spotting sharks)
2 - Agents & Managers (finding a good one)
3 - Paying to Publish (vanity and subsidy presses)
4 - What to do if you've been screwed
5 - Trouble Spots in Book Contracts
6 - After Publication Rip-offs for Book Authors
7 - Vanity Poetry Contests
8 - Deceptive Contests for Novelists, Short Story Writers, Screen writers & others
9 - Crash Course in Copyright
10 - Special Screw-over for Screenwriters
11 - Monstrous Magazines & E-zines
12 - Dealing with Deadbeats
13 - Costly Courses & Shady Seminars
14 - How to Know When They're really using You
15 - Spotting False Credentials
16 - Protecting Yourself from Threats & Lawsuits
17 - "They Stole My Idea!" and other things not to worry about.

One of the things I appreciated about the Street-Smart Writer was its ability to explain instead of tell. Like the "big bucks" you make at vanity presses: -Let's say you managed to sell a hundred copies through bookstores. How much would you earn on a 250-page paperback book printed as cheaply as possible with a retail price of $20? About $240. Which means if you paid a print-on-demand company to publish your book and didn't even spend a dime to have it edited or promoted, you still wouldn't even have recouped your initial investment, let alone made any profit from your hard work.- To finish off Street-Smart provides a commercial publisher arrangement for you to compare. An eye opener for anyone thinking they can make big(ger) bucks by doing it themselves.

Many sample letters appear throughout and to help you decipher any forms the appendix provides examples of: Literary Agent Agreement, Interview Release, Permissions Agreement, Contributors Agreement, Trade Publishing Agreement, Film Option & Literary Purchase Agreement. These are not meant to be substitute agreements but to give you some background information when you're cool and collected because you know your stomach is going to be in knots when the real thing comes.

There's so much in this book for the eclectic writer. But any writer can learn from all these areas and apply it to their own work. Jenna Glatzer's usual comedic style, logic and blunt truth delivers the cold hard facts about the writing world. In layman's terms she explains away the idiots of the industry's scam tactics by teaching readers how to read between the lines. It's not meant to be a scare tactic but to make you an informed writer and it accomplishes its task. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.

While the entire book is fantastic, and offers an insider's look into the world of freelance writing and authoring books, I have to say I found Chapter 5: Trouble Spots In Book Contracts to be the best part of the book. It delves into trouble areas that can hurt the author, and how to maneuver around them. Finally, the appendix of forms is priceless: sample literary agent agreement, interview release form, permissions agreement, contributor's agreement, trade publishing agreement, and film option agreement.

Wow, what a great book. I could not put it down. The information is really helpful. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about these speakers, motivational speaking or just wanting a great read.

Absolutely amazing! Far and away the most detailed and analytical explanation of superstar success in the field of motivation. Bring a pen and get ready to underline. This book is filled with great thoughts you will never want to forget. I can't recommend this book highly enough. The book is genius. Dr. Darryl Wheat, author of The Genius of Great Achievers

This book is a gem that is filled with ideas from many of THE BEST speakers in the world. What a great resource! It is my favorite book now for ideas on how to be more "impactful" in my message to the audience. This reminds me of one of my other classic favorites, Think and Grow Rich. I'm ordering another copy for a friend today!

I recently got back into the training field after a long absence and found that my skills were not only rusty, but perhaps had never been developed as much as they could have. I went searching for information and came across this book. It was the first of many books I purchased on the subject, and is by far the best. Other books had great detail on how to prepare a presentation, but were lacking on what it means to entertain and engage an audience. This book gives specific examples the types of things these speakers do to engage and entertain their audiences--and covers a wide range of styles, from Tony Robbins to Barbara DeAngelis, which I found especially useful because I can relate to some types more than others.

Michael Jefferys' style is easy to read, entertaining and well laid out. His range of speaker styles means that everyone will find someone they can relate to.

After finishing this book, I successfully applied what I learned to my training. In fact, I am now rereading much of it so that I can take this excellent information to a deeper level and further polish my skills.

I started speaking publicly when I was 16 but it wasn't until I purchased Success Secrets of The Motivational Superstars on March 18, 1997, that I increased my stakes as a speaker. This one book helped me develop a deeper appreciation and understanding for what speakers do.

THIS BOOK HAS IN DEPTH PERSONAL INTERVIEWS
Michael Jeffreys deserves a standing ovation for interviewing some of the speaking industries leading speakers. He covers in depth personal interviews with three of my mentors Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy and Les Brown. He could have stopped there but he also includes Leo Buscaglia, Art Linkletter, Jack Canfield, Patricia Fripp and many, many more.

JEFFREYS BOOK TEACHES YOU HOW TO LEVERAGE THEIR EXPERIENCE
If you want to learn how to overcome obstacles and see the specific step by step formulas that some of the speakers apply you need this book like a car needs a steering wheel. You will be guided through such things as what to do when you blow it, identifying your unique differentiating factors, how to give your audience ideas they can put to use within 24 hours, the Walt Disney philosophy, Les Brown's number one quality and a few hundred other techniques, ideas and things to avoid.

IF YOU WERE MY STUDENT THIS WOULD BE REQUIRED READING!
Failing to apply the lessons you learn in this book could be disastrous to your speaking career. All that I have shared above only gives you a birds eye view of this wonderful book.

I love this book and would wholeheartedly recommend it for every househould. Families and coworkers can have the best intentions, but if the language we use is what we all grew up with - a war-like model - then it can be confusing and frustrating when our interactions with people make us feel worse than before. I like how this book dissects the language we typically use (most of it rang all too familiar!), then offers new ways of communicating the same thing with language that helps the other person feel more receptive.

I've started using these techniques at home and at work, and I can't speak highly enough about it. I really learned a lot, and I feel more empowered in my communication skills, even in difficult of situations - not that I don't fall back into old ways. But when I do, it's a reminder of how different the results are when you use language consciously or unconsciously.

The concept of using language creatively to generate harmony is such an obvious but brilliant observation. The way the author breaks everything down into examples makes it seem really possible for anyone to transform and improve how they interact with the world. (The index of examples is really helpful!)

I read all the reviews by other readers of this book and was surprised that everyone gave it 5 stars. After reading it, I have to agree with them. The things Sharon Ellison is teaching in this book are amazing. I wish I would have known about them sooner or that it was a part of my early education.

In any case, I want to spread the word about how to communicate in a non-defensive way. I am lending my copy of the book to everyone I know. It is more empowering than using defensive communication. And I really feel like it is necessary for the next step in our human evolution in order for our humanity to catch up with our technology (something Sharon Ellison writes about in the last chapters of the book).

I have no reservation in recommending this book.

I had bought this book, thinking it would teach my teen how to be less defensive. What it did was teach me how to deal with her defensiveness. I found that, by using the book's techniques, I was able to defuse potential battles and our house is much, much calmer as I can now defuse the power struggles she initiates. I also found that I have used the techniques many times with others in the family and with those in various groups to which I belong. I have been reading and re-reading the book ever since I got it a year ago, to ingrain the techniques. I cannot recommend this book more highly. It opened my eyes and changed my way of communicating.

I happened upon this book surfing the net for something else, and when I saw the title, I ordered it right away hoping it would be good. I haven't finished it yet, because my husband and I are reading it aloud to each other whenever we get the chance. But we are well into it, and it is excellent. I can't believe it isn't more popular.

The first part of the book is about how we (as a culture) learn to communicate and use language based on a war model. She gives examples of every war tactic and how that plays out in real-life day-to-day situations. I guarantee, they will all be familiar to you. She doesn't miss much in analyzing how people unintentionally communicate poorly with one another. I went to a party after reading that section and was hyper-aware of how I and others communicated. It was very interesting and helpful. But I couldn't wait to get to the next section on how to communicate well!

The rest of the book is about how to replace the old unhealthy way of communicating with a healthy way of communicating that gives you power and confidence in your day-to-day interactions, and minimizes conflict. Her theory that we need to "take the war out of our words" before we can achieve peace at home and in the world, to me, seems like an obvious but brilliant perception. She seems very dedicated to spreading this message and educating people. I think she does an excellent job. This is the kind of stuff I wish we were learning in our schools! Great read.

I own a lot of books on listening, communication and conflict resolution. This book is one of the better ones because it presents a lot of useful concepts in an easy to apply manner.

The book begins by covering different communication styles and the thinking that underlies each style. It then goes on to present a non-defensive model and shows how it works, why it makes sense and how to put it into practice.

This book also talks about developing specific attitudes toward honesty and compassion. In other words, it is more than a text of communication techniques.

If you have read a lot in this area or a little, you will find this to be a very useful book. I also recommend "Crucial Conversations."

I've taken several workshops with Nancy and have always come away exhilirated and with the kernels of ideas for many new essays. She just has this way of stimulating your brain to make new leaps and insights. Basically, she teaches you how to get out of your own way and let your creativity flow. Her main thrust is to create a safe place in your mind where you can risk trying new things. The book is just like talking with her -- if you can't take one of her courses, it's the next best thing.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. The way the author sets up the reading and then BAM...tells you to write xyz. And you really are ready to write xyz. You'll be overflowing with ideas. It makes you say "what writer's block". I had to force myself to put my journal down. I love this book. I'm not even half way through it but I've already gotten my money out of it. It will probably be a classic on my shelf. Get the book, you won't be dissappointed. I wish I could take one of her workshops.

As a memoir and personal essay workshop leader, I highly recommend this book to every new writer in my classes. It's right at the top of my required reading list, along with Anne Lamott's BIRD BY BIRD and Brenda Ueland's IF YOU WANT TO WRITE. Aronie's book helps slice through the fear that haunts most new writers who aren't sure how or where to begin. Best of all, she highlights the importance of telling your own truth, which leads to the healing gifts of writing. Whether you want to write for your own pleasure or for publication, this is a wonderful book. A classic in the genre. -- Cindy La Ferle, columnist and author of WRITING HOME, www.laferle.com

Writers-block doesn't exist if you have read "Writing from The Heart". Stripping writers- both novice and experienced-down to the basics, Nancy Slonim Aronie, guides us through doors that were once closed, sometimes even slammed in our face, and assures us that they can be walked through. Using compassion and humor, this book flows like a river, and while it may not have been written with ease- it sure reads that way. If you are a writer of any kind, this book should be kept right next to your dictionary and your Writers Market.

Ok, so you want to write "your story", or create a character that surprise! is so very like you. Or maybe you just want to start writing in first person present. But you can't!!! You try but it just doesn't come out right. You resist, you tell yourself that you can't do it. That you suck. Well, perhaps you honestly do but before you start to believe it pick up this book.

I think that the real problem, for me anyway, when it comes to writing first person present or developing a character that has experiences based upon mine, is fear. Fear of what might happen if I dare to dig into my life, my feelings.

What this book did for me was help me to get over that fear. Or it at least inspired me and made me want to keep trying to write my truth. It's difficult when writing like this to REMEMBER two things: It's FICTION and no one HAS to see it but you.

This book isn't dry and it isn't authoritative. In a witty, conversational manner Nancy gives you reasons to write your truth, to get out of your way, to break the barriers that are keeping you from writing something real and honest. Give yourself permission to feel and pick up this book! I think you will like it ;)

This is a necessary, indespensible resource for anyone desiring to become published. It is completely detailed with every iota of info you could possibly need for submission. It also provides helpful anecdotes & facts about the whole process of getting published.

If you want to find out where to submit your novel or story, there's no doubt that Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market is about the best place to look. Unfortunately, despite the 2000 edition's claim of containing 250+ book publishers, the number I found suitable for a fantasy novel was pathetically small. A publisher for children that doesn't have a fantasy list has always seemed to me like a butcher shop without sausages, a hot bread shop without French loaves, a sweet shop without toffees ...
However, this is a publishing fault rather than a criticism of the book. My only criticism of the book itself is that you have to shelve out somewhere in the region of US$22 every year. Using last year's edition could land you up addressing your package to the wrong editor.

And, no, that's NOT a typo.

While every Writer's Digest Books "Market" title is a valuable source of information about who to contact and what to send, the reputation is slightly tainted with this year's edition of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market. The very same guide that admonishes the hopeful author and illustrator to dot every "i" and cross every "t" is riddled with the kinds of typographical and grammatical errors that send one's dreams to the dreaded slush pile.

Examples:

"Paula Danzier collaborated with friend Ann M. Martin for 'P.S. Longer Letter Later' and it's (sic) sequel 'Snail Mail No More.'"

"Her book is a first-person account of three days in the life of Memphis Riley, a thirteen-year-old girl who has lived with her grandmother Naomi four (sic) five years. . ."

". . .and also deals with sibling rivalry from the point of view of an 'only dog' dealing with the edition (sic) of a new baby."

Throughout the book, the reader is constantly exhorted to put together a professional, error-free presentation but that advice can be a little disheartening when one's own Bible doesn't practice what it preaches.

Let's be honest. In a field saturated by talented writers, there is no substitute for having some help from inside the industry. However, for any persistent writer or illustrator who has the talent, but no "in," there is no substitute for this listing, which gives one hope for publication without candy coating the difficult task of breaking into this field.

The listings are easy to use, and writer/illustrator-oriented, really bending over backwards to provide enough details about each potential publication company to prevent wasted effort. If you have an agent, or the means to get your manuscript or portfolio looked at by someone who matters, use that. But if not, use this book to maximize your effort and chances.

What's to say about Children's Writer's and Illustrator's market? If you write or illustrate children's books you have to have this book. A library edition won't do because this book has to have yellow highlighting and colored tabs applied! and then too, it needs to be constantly updated as new information arrives about which editor is working where and which publisher is still in business. No, every writer and illustrator needs their very own copy!