117 ratings | 3 reviews | avg rating:4.79

Melissa’s Year In Books

Melissa’s 2020 Year in Books

Take a look at Melissa’s Year in Books. The long, the short—it’s all here.

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Melissa Donovan

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

http://www.melissadonovan.com/

Twitter

melissadonovan

Genre

Nonfiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Poetry

Influences

Maya Angelou, Anne McCaffrey, John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury, Emily Dick ...more

Member Since

February 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/melissadonovan

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I have been inhaling books for as long as I can remember. I started writing poetry and keeping a journal at thirteen and haven't stopped writing since.

I studied creative writing at Sonoma State University, earning a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing. Since then, I have worked as a technical writer, copywriter, professional blogger, and writing coach.

My blog, Writing Forward, is packed with creative writing tips and ideas.

Check out my books: The Adventures in Writing series includes 101 Creative Writing Exercises, 10 Core Practices for Better Writing, and 1200 Creative Writing Prompts. The Storyteller's Toolbox series includes What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing. ...more

375 posts
Melissa Donovan's Blog

My Latest Book – Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises

Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises is the second book in my series on the art of storytelling, The Storyteller’s Toolbox.

Story Drills

Stories are made up of many moving parts: plots and subplots; characters, action, and dialogue; the scenes, the setting, the prose, and more.

Developing each of these elements and then weaving them all together into a coherent narrative requires a variety

Combine Editions
Melissa Donovan’s books

Average rating: 4.05 · 243 ratings · 45 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	101 Creative Writing Exercises 3.94 avg rating — 68 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	1200 Creative Writing Prompts 3.83 avg rating — 69 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing (The Storyteller's Toolbox #1) 4.04 avg rating — 27 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	10 Core Practices for Better Writing 4.22 avg rating — 36 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing 4.60 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2019 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adventures in Writing: The Complete Collection 4.21 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises (The Storyteller's Toolbox Book 2) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Engineered Underground (Metamorphosis Book 1) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Melissa Donovan rated a book it was amazing The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 10, 2021 10:00AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Melissa Donovan wants to read Mythology by Edith Hamilton	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 18, 2020 08:04PM · 13 likes · like
Melissa Donovan rated a book it was amazing The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 18, 2020 08:00PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Melissa Donovan rated a book it was amazing Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 18, 2020 07:55PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Melissa Donovan rated a book really liked it The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 18, 2020 07:53PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Melissa Donovan rated a book really liked it The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 18, 2020 07:52PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Melissa Donovan

“4. A writer loses the ability to distinguish reality from the fantastical worlds of his or her stories.”
― Melissa Donovan, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts

0 likes

Melissa’s Quotes

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.”
― Joseph Brodsky

tags: books, censorship, illiteracy, reading

6413 likes

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

tags: action, change, inspirational, philosophy, wish

109001 likes

“Summer night--
even the stars
are whispering to each other.”
― Kobayashi Issa

tags: poetry

1636 likes

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
― Madeleine L'Engle

tags: books, children, difficult, grown-ups, write, writers, writing

16824 likes

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

tags: dance, heaven, hurt, inspirational, life, love, sing

121225 likes

More of Melissa’s quotes…