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The Red Sneaker Writers #8
Thinking Theme: The Heart of the Matter
Why do some books linger in memory long after they are read? Why are some books reread, recommended, shared in the classroom? How can you add your book to this distinguished company? The key is theme, giving your story a dynamic idea that lends it power and purpose. William Bernhardt explains what theme is, how it is best revealed, and how to find the theme that, handled correctly, will distinguish your book from all the others. Plus, in the final chapter, Bernhardt explains how your book can have a positive impact on the world in which you live.
William Bernhardt is the bestselling author of more than forty books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid novels. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. He has received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large."
The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What’s a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this book is for you.
William Bernhardt is the bestselling author of more than forty books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid novels. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. He has received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large."
The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What’s a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this book is for you.
- GenresWritingNonfiction
113 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2017
28 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
William Bernhardt
99 books514 followersWilliam Bernhardt is the author of over sixty books, including the bestselling Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid legal thrillers, the historical novels Challengers of the Dust and Nemesis, three books of poetry, and the ten Red Sneaker books on fiction writing.
In addition, Bernhardt founded the Red Sneaker Writers Center to mentor aspiring writers. The Center hosts an annual writers conference (WriterCon), small-group seminars, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-weekly podcast. More than three dozen of Bernhardt’s students have subsequently published with major houses. He is also the owner of Balkan Press, which publishes poetry and fiction as well as the literary journal Conclave.
Bernhardt has received the Southern Writers Guild’s Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (University of Pennsylvania) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (Oklahoma State), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large." He has been nominated for the Oklahoma Book Award eighteen times in three different categories, and has won the award twice. Library Journal called him “the master of the courtroom drama.” The Vancouver Sun called him “the American equivalent of P.G. Wodehouse and John Mortimer.”
In addition to his novels and poetry, he has written plays, a musical (book and score), humor, children stories, biography, and puzzles. He has edited two anthologies (Legal Briefs and Natural Suspect) as fundraisers for The Nature Conservancy and the Children’s Legal Defense Fund. OSU named him “Oklahoma’s Renaissance Man.”
In his spare time, he has enjoyed surfing, digging for dinosaurs, trekking through the Himalayas, paragliding, scuba diving, caving, zip-lining over the canopy of the Costa Rican rain forest, and jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion winning over $20,000.
When Bernhardt delivered the keynote address at the San Francisco Writers Conference, chairman Michael Larsen noted that in addition to penning novels, Bernhardt can “write a sonnet, play a sonata, plant a garden, try a lawsuit, teach a class, cook a gourmet meal, beat you at Scrabble, and work the New York Times crossword in under five minutes.”
In addition, Bernhardt founded the Red Sneaker Writers Center to mentor aspiring writers. The Center hosts an annual writers conference (WriterCon), small-group seminars, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-weekly podcast. More than three dozen of Bernhardt’s students have subsequently published with major houses. He is also the owner of Balkan Press, which publishes poetry and fiction as well as the literary journal Conclave.
Bernhardt has received the Southern Writers Guild’s Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (University of Pennsylvania) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (Oklahoma State), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large." He has been nominated for the Oklahoma Book Award eighteen times in three different categories, and has won the award twice. Library Journal called him “the master of the courtroom drama.” The Vancouver Sun called him “the American equivalent of P.G. Wodehouse and John Mortimer.”
In addition to his novels and poetry, he has written plays, a musical (book and score), humor, children stories, biography, and puzzles. He has edited two anthologies (Legal Briefs and Natural Suspect) as fundraisers for The Nature Conservancy and the Children’s Legal Defense Fund. OSU named him “Oklahoma’s Renaissance Man.”
In his spare time, he has enjoyed surfing, digging for dinosaurs, trekking through the Himalayas, paragliding, scuba diving, caving, zip-lining over the canopy of the Costa Rican rain forest, and jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion winning over $20,000.
When Bernhardt delivered the keynote address at the San Francisco Writers Conference, chairman Michael Larsen noted that in addition to penning novels, Bernhardt can “write a sonnet, play a sonata, plant a garden, try a lawsuit, teach a class, cook a gourmet meal, beat you at Scrabble, and work the New York Times crossword in under five minutes.”
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 5, 2019
Excellent. I love this series. Simple yet deep, well thought out with great pointers. This one really did go to the heart of the matter.
November 17, 2017
When I was a beginning novelist, I must confess that my enthusiasm to grasp writing skills far exceeded my wisdom in obtaining them. In my drive to learn all I could, to be the author of the most amazing book in the history of humankind, I expectantly signed up for a writers' workshop located at beautiful Cape Cod. The symposium lasted for three days, and after hearing speaker after speaker drone on about their various idiosyncratic ideas, I found myself wondering what The Truth really was. The core questions that I needed to have answered were never addressed, and I felt like I was trying to separate the wheat from the chaff. Aside from eating the most delicious lobster I had ever had, the conference generally was a bust, and I came home with my tail between my legs, no better off than when I went.
Just recently, though, I was introduced to The Red Sneaker Writer Series, and I have just completed reading "Thinking Theme: The Heart of the Matter." I was flabbergasted by the pithy, pertinent nature of the text, and, to my delight, I was able to read the entire book in a little less than a day. While I have yet to take in the preceding seven books in the series, I can’t help but wonder how much easier my pathway would have been had I had this information long ago. While The Truth about writing is oftentimes nebulous and hard to discern, in my estimation, this text is a close as any I have seen.
To those of you who are beginning writers, I strongly encourage you to read this book, penned by author William Bernhardt, a master novelist who has sold over ten million books worldwide. To those who have one or more books under your belt, you will be no less thrilled. Even an old dog can learn new tricks.
Trust me, as an old dog myself, I know.
Gary D. Conrad, author of "The Lhasa Trilogy," "Oklahoma Is Where I Live" and "Murder on Easter Island"
Just recently, though, I was introduced to The Red Sneaker Writer Series, and I have just completed reading "Thinking Theme: The Heart of the Matter." I was flabbergasted by the pithy, pertinent nature of the text, and, to my delight, I was able to read the entire book in a little less than a day. While I have yet to take in the preceding seven books in the series, I can’t help but wonder how much easier my pathway would have been had I had this information long ago. While The Truth about writing is oftentimes nebulous and hard to discern, in my estimation, this text is a close as any I have seen.
To those of you who are beginning writers, I strongly encourage you to read this book, penned by author William Bernhardt, a master novelist who has sold over ten million books worldwide. To those who have one or more books under your belt, you will be no less thrilled. Even an old dog can learn new tricks.
Trust me, as an old dog myself, I know.
Gary D. Conrad, author of "The Lhasa Trilogy," "Oklahoma Is Where I Live" and "Murder on Easter Island"
March 18, 2019
Talks about the importance of theme.
Gives lots of examples of novels from which we can learn important truths communicated in a subtle way through fiction. Gives lots of practical tips on how you can deal with a theme that is important to you and how to do it in a way that is not preachy. It can be done through a fictional story that entertains and inspires the reader.
Gives lots of examples of novels from which we can learn important truths communicated in a subtle way through fiction. Gives lots of practical tips on how you can deal with a theme that is important to you and how to do it in a way that is not preachy. It can be done through a fictional story that entertains and inspires the reader.
October 2, 2020
Thinking Theme!
This a journey into self discovery to a very important place within yourself. Do I have what it take to move someone with my words cloaked in a
f2fstory. Emotion is theme. Thank you for truly showing and telling us, what, when, where and how to use and apply your theme in the most valuable way. Thank you. WOW!
This a journey into self discovery to a very important place within yourself. Do I have what it take to move someone with my words cloaked in a
f2fstory. Emotion is theme. Thank you for truly showing and telling us, what, when, where and how to use and apply your theme in the most valuable way. Thank you. WOW!
October 3, 2018
Interesting
It would have been nice if there were tables to fill in so we had guidelines for where to add symbolism or thematic dialogue in our stories or novels. The book presented a lot of information. It made me at least think about adding theme to my writing.
It would have been nice if there were tables to fill in so we had guidelines for where to add symbolism or thematic dialogue in our stories or novels. The book presented a lot of information. It made me at least think about adding theme to my writing.
September 5, 2020
All his writing books are master class!
December 28, 2023
This series of books by William Bernhardt are informational and inspirational. This is one of my favorites.
November 14, 2017
This is the first I've read of Bernhardts's Red Sneaker Writer's series, and I was pleased enough that I intend to read more. Helpful, concise, with the highlights from each chapter presented in a quickly-referenced format so that I can easily review--and I'm sure I will. If you want to write better fiction, but find yourself overwhelmed by the glut of how-tos, start with Bernahardt's Red Sneaker Writers' books. Each one deals witha single aspect of the craft, making it easier to focus on each element until you've reached some level of confidence. Readable, entertaining and instructive. Reccommended.
February 16, 2024
Why do some books linger in memory long after they are read? Why are some books reread, recommended, shared in the classroom? How can you add your book to this distinguished company? The key is theme, giving your story a dynamic idea that lends it power and purpose. William Bernhardt explains what theme is, how it is best revealed, and how to find the theme that, handled correctly, will distinguish your book from all the others. Plus, in the final chapter, Bernhardt explains how your book can have a positive impact on the world in which you live.
February 13, 2025
An excellent addition to the Red Sneaker writing series.
January 8, 2018
A great book. A must for all writers.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews