Writing True Stories

The complete guide to writing autobiography, memoir, personal essay, biography, travel and creative nonfiction
1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-0-367-72018-6
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 352 Seiten, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 696 g

Writing True Stories is the essential book for anyone who has ever wanted to write a memoir or explore the wider territory of creative nonfiction. It provides practical guidance and inspiration on a vast array of writing topics, including how to access memories, find a narrative voice, build a vivid world on the page, create structure, use research-and face the difficulties of truth-telling.

This book introduces and develops key writing skills, and then challenges more experienced writers to extend their knowledge and practice of the genre into literary nonfiction, true crime, biography, the personal essay, and travel and sojourn writing. Whether you want to write your own autobiography, investigate a wide-ranging political issue or bring to life an intriguing history, this book will be your guide.

Writing True Stories is practical and easy to use as well as an encouraging and insightful companion on the writing journey. Written in a warm, clear and engaging style, it will get you started on the story you want to write-and keep you going until you reach the end.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Miller, Patti

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Mediensoziologie
• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Medienwissenschaften

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Prologue, Part One: Starting Out, 1. Exploring the territory, 2. How to use this book, 3. Workshop One: Getting started, 4. Workshop Two: Memory and other sources, 5. Workshop Three: Bringing it to life — Detail, 6. Workshop Four: Bringing it to life — Scenes, 7. Workshop Five: Finding your voice, 8. Workshop Six: Structure, 9. Workshop Seven: Inventing the story — Narrative, 10. Workshop Eight: Style matters and editing, Part Two: Masterclasses, 11. Workshop Nine: Midway blues — Continuing on, 12. Workshop Ten: Madeleines and unicorns — Sensory detail, 13. Workshop Eleven: Research, 14. Workshop Twelve: The storyteller’s seat — Narrating position, 15. Workshop Thirteen: Beauty of form — More structure, 16. Workshop Fourteen: The magic spell — More narrative, 17. Workshop Fifteen: Difficulties of truth-telling, 18. Workshop Sixteen: Avoiding self-indulgence, 19. Workshop Seventeen: Borderlands — Memoir and fiction, 20. Workshop Eighteen: Creative nonfiction, 21. Workshop Nineteen: Wish you were here—Travel memoir, 22. Workshop Twenty: Random provocations—The personal essay, 23. Where to now?—Publishing, Reading list, Useful contacts, Acknowledgements, Index

Über Autor(innen)

Patti Miller is an award-winning memoirist and nonfiction writer, whose 2012 book, The Mind of a Thief, was longlisted for the Stella Prize and the Nita Kibble Prize, shortlisted for the WA Premier's Prize for Non-Fiction, winner of the NSW Premier's Prize for History and on the syllabus for English for the VCE in Victoria. Her most recent memoir, Ransacking Paris, was released in April 2015 to critical acclaim. Her two previous writing books, Writing Your Life and The Memoir Book, have been continually in print since publication. Patti is a highly successful life-writing teacher and mentor who offers courses at the Faber Academy, as well as many other writing centres around Australia and in Paris.