What do you think?
Rate this book
Project Canvas
An international writing community.
61 authors
11 countries
6 continents
Are you looking for advice on how to create the perfect villain? Do you need the courage to put your story down on paper? Find this and more in Project Canvas, a writing resource written completely by teen and young adult writers and compiled by Caroline Meek and Olivia Rogers.
Project Canvas includes:
- 71 short chapters, each written by a different author
- bonus interviews with authors such as Tessa Emily Hall and Q. Gibson
- world building and character development worksheets
and other helpful resources!
“This is a writing teacher’s dream – not a how-to book, but more of a literary testimony and homage to the process of writing. A sweet balance between the practical and the spiritual, Project Canvas is concise enough for daily meditation, yet robust enough to move the writer’s soul beyond the temporary.” – Brian Dolezal, professional development and spoken word coach at Sumner Academy of Arts and Science
61 authors
11 countries
6 continents
Are you looking for advice on how to create the perfect villain? Do you need the courage to put your story down on paper? Find this and more in Project Canvas, a writing resource written completely by teen and young adult writers and compiled by Caroline Meek and Olivia Rogers.
Project Canvas includes:
- 71 short chapters, each written by a different author
- bonus interviews with authors such as Tessa Emily Hall and Q. Gibson
- world building and character development worksheets
and other helpful resources!
“This is a writing teacher’s dream – not a how-to book, but more of a literary testimony and homage to the process of writing. A sweet balance between the practical and the spiritual, Project Canvas is concise enough for daily meditation, yet robust enough to move the writer’s soul beyond the temporary.” – Brian Dolezal, professional development and spoken word coach at Sumner Academy of Arts and Science
327 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2018
1 person is currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Caroline D. Meek
5 books34 followersCaroline Meek is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Project Canvas. She’s originally from Kansas City, Kansas, where she co-authored The Drawing in of Breath and attended Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences. Caroline has a passion for bringing writers together and is currently studying English & Creative Writing on the Publishing track at the University of Iowa. This past summer, she worked with the International Writing Program’s youth writing camp, Between the Lines, and now works at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop as an office assistant. She’s been published in The Kansas City Star, Ink Lit Mag, Wordsmith, and blogs at Of Stars and Ink-Stained Things.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 27, 2018
I'm one of the many writers of this amazing resource! :)
November 13, 2018
What can I say? Project Canvas is one of the most inspiring and instructive books on writing I've read. Imagine all the wild passion of 61 young writers from around to the world poured into 327 pages: that is what this book is. It is on fire with a desire to change the world through writing.
The book covers everything from writing inspiration to practical instruction on topics like dialogue, backstory, and research, in addition to exploring a number of other topics relating to the writing life, such as journaling. Whether you're just stepping into the writing community or have been at it for a while, there's something in these pages for you. I know I'll be flipping back through them soon when I need tips or inspiration!
Also, I think one of the BEST things about Project Canvas is how it has allowed young writers to be published and share their thoughts with the world. We have something to say, and we hope what we have said can help someone out there (like an article on theme from yours truly ;)
My one warning is that there are some minor swear words scattered throughout the book. Otherwise, the language is clean :)
In sum, I'd HIGHLY recommend this book to any writer, especially one in the young adult age group. It's inspiring, it's instructive, and it's beautiful to see so many authors come together to make something amazing.
***I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
The book covers everything from writing inspiration to practical instruction on topics like dialogue, backstory, and research, in addition to exploring a number of other topics relating to the writing life, such as journaling. Whether you're just stepping into the writing community or have been at it for a while, there's something in these pages for you. I know I'll be flipping back through them soon when I need tips or inspiration!
Also, I think one of the BEST things about Project Canvas is how it has allowed young writers to be published and share their thoughts with the world. We have something to say, and we hope what we have said can help someone out there (like an article on theme from yours truly ;)
My one warning is that there are some minor swear words scattered throughout the book. Otherwise, the language is clean :)
In sum, I'd HIGHLY recommend this book to any writer, especially one in the young adult age group. It's inspiring, it's instructive, and it's beautiful to see so many authors come together to make something amazing.
***I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
December 30, 2019
WOW.
I was not expecting this book to be this good, let me just say.
Usually, I’m not a fan of hyped-up books, and this was definitely hyped around the blogosphere. HOWEVER . . . it’s hyped for a good reason.
The writing advice offered in this book is concise and practical. Some personal favorite segments of mine include:
Writing is Freaking Hard by Aimee Meester (the dose of reality I needed - thank you!)
Wielding Theme and Passion by Audrey Caylin (I struggle with theme in my writing, so this was extremely helpful!)
Studying Writing Formally by Leigh-Ann Hewer (which I plan to do, so it was interesting to see her take on it)
On Cowriting by Kathryn Thies (now I want to cowrite a book with my friend!)
Alphas and Betas: The Most Underrated Writing Asset by Abigayle Claire (I never knew the difference between them, and she laid it out very clearly)
100% recommended to anyone who wants to read more about the writing craft and have a good time while they do it!
I was not expecting this book to be this good, let me just say.
Usually, I’m not a fan of hyped-up books, and this was definitely hyped around the blogosphere. HOWEVER . . . it’s hyped for a good reason.
The writing advice offered in this book is concise and practical. Some personal favorite segments of mine include:
Writing is Freaking Hard by Aimee Meester (the dose of reality I needed - thank you!)
Wielding Theme and Passion by Audrey Caylin (I struggle with theme in my writing, so this was extremely helpful!)
Studying Writing Formally by Leigh-Ann Hewer (which I plan to do, so it was interesting to see her take on it)
On Cowriting by Kathryn Thies (now I want to cowrite a book with my friend!)
Alphas and Betas: The Most Underrated Writing Asset by Abigayle Claire (I never knew the difference between them, and she laid it out very clearly)
100% recommended to anyone who wants to read more about the writing craft and have a good time while they do it!
December 22, 2018
Super inspiring and motivating read. Chock-full of helpful articles that are short, easy to understand, and super beneficial. An awesome read for any young writer (or even adult writer too ;) ).
It was so cool to see articles by bloggers I'd been following, like Audrey Caylin and Hosanna Emily. :) Nice work guys!
It was so cool to see articles by bloggers I'd been following, like Audrey Caylin and Hosanna Emily. :) Nice work guys!
November 10, 2018
I’ve been following the Project Canvas blog for a while and I’ve really appreciated all the tips the contributors have shared. There are so many writers who are a part of Project Canvas, and it’s really cool to see so many people come together to celebrate art and help one another learn and grow in their craft. So obviously, when I had the opportunity to be part of a blog tour for the official book I jumped on it. Supporting fellow authors is something I’m really passionate about—which is part of the reason I’m so drawn to Project Canvas—so I always do my best to promote other authors, and self-published authors in particular.
This book is basically the Project Canvas blog in book form. By that I don’t mean “Oh, you could have found all this information on the Project Canvas blog.” That’s far from what I mean to say. What I mean by that is that it’s a book of amazing writing advice from a huge, group of authors from all over the world who have come together to help and encourage and teach other young writers.
Also, have I mentioned they’re all young adults? I love to see young people succeed and make a difference despite society’s low expectations for them, so this is another thing I love about Project Canvas.
The articles in this book cover a broad variety of writing topics, anywhere from characters to worldbuilding to plotting to getting through writer’s block to remembering why you write in the first place. I gained insight from almost every piece in this collection, and it’s the kind of resource you refer to again and again and again when you’re struggling with your writing.
There were a lot of copy-editing oversights, which made this a bit more difficult to read, and there were some articles that I didn’t quite love just due to my views differing from those of the authors, but they didn’t take away from the overall value of the book.
Also, there are resources in the back! I haven’t had a chance to use them yet, but there are character and worldbuilding worksheets that look super cool, there are lists of suggested books to read, and the blog addresses of all the contributors (who have blogs) are listed. (I’m super excited to follow a lot of them.)
I can’t wait to get this book in print and add it to my writing reference shelf. I highly recommend it to any author looking for a good reference.
This book is basically the Project Canvas blog in book form. By that I don’t mean “Oh, you could have found all this information on the Project Canvas blog.” That’s far from what I mean to say. What I mean by that is that it’s a book of amazing writing advice from a huge, group of authors from all over the world who have come together to help and encourage and teach other young writers.
Also, have I mentioned they’re all young adults? I love to see young people succeed and make a difference despite society’s low expectations for them, so this is another thing I love about Project Canvas.
The articles in this book cover a broad variety of writing topics, anywhere from characters to worldbuilding to plotting to getting through writer’s block to remembering why you write in the first place. I gained insight from almost every piece in this collection, and it’s the kind of resource you refer to again and again and again when you’re struggling with your writing.
There were a lot of copy-editing oversights, which made this a bit more difficult to read, and there were some articles that I didn’t quite love just due to my views differing from those of the authors, but they didn’t take away from the overall value of the book.
Also, there are resources in the back! I haven’t had a chance to use them yet, but there are character and worldbuilding worksheets that look super cool, there are lists of suggested books to read, and the blog addresses of all the contributors (who have blogs) are listed. (I’m super excited to follow a lot of them.)
I can’t wait to get this book in print and add it to my writing reference shelf. I highly recommend it to any author looking for a good reference.
Read
November 2, 2018I WROTE A PIECE IN THIS. 😱
November 7, 2018
I was incredibly blessed to be not only a contributor to this amazing collection of helpful writing tips, but also a receiver of an ARC copy a couple weeks ago. Guys, I might be a little bias, but this book is getting five stars from me.
The timing worked out so that I finished my copy right before NaNoWriMo in November of 2018, and y'all...it was so inspiring. I've gone back and reread a couple of the sections during the first couple days of this month too because I was feeling discouraged...and well, that discouragement didn't last long. There's just something about knowing that somewhere in the world other young authors are also struggling, but not surrendering, to the trials of a writer's life that is invigorating. I came away from finishing the book refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to write a book! Project Canvas is one of those books a writer NEEDS to have on their bookshelf...not just on their bookshelf, but beside their bed, in their car, on their desk, anywhere close so they can be ready for anything life throws at them. So, my friends, if you are an author, or want a sneak peek into what makes our lives possible, get this book!
The timing worked out so that I finished my copy right before NaNoWriMo in November of 2018, and y'all...it was so inspiring. I've gone back and reread a couple of the sections during the first couple days of this month too because I was feeling discouraged...and well, that discouragement didn't last long. There's just something about knowing that somewhere in the world other young authors are also struggling, but not surrendering, to the trials of a writer's life that is invigorating. I came away from finishing the book refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to write a book! Project Canvas is one of those books a writer NEEDS to have on their bookshelf...not just on their bookshelf, but beside their bed, in their car, on their desk, anywhere close so they can be ready for anything life throws at them. So, my friends, if you are an author, or want a sneak peek into what makes our lives possible, get this book!
August 5, 2019
Very useful and inspiring. Definitely worth reading for anyone who likes writing! A good mix of practical tips, general ideas and inspiration to help any aspiring author.
January 13, 2019
Oh my goodness! Where do I even start? I'm pretty sure that words cannot express how amazing this book is.
To start, I discovered this book on Twitter and once I found that it was a book of writing advice and inspiration written by young writers I eagerly hounded Project Canvas' account and website, waiting for it to be published. It was a tad on the expensive side but soo worth every penny!
I've learned so much about the writing process and been inspired exceedingly. Not being able to keep this book to myself, I ordered it for a family member who is also a writer and recommended it to several people. Which is why I'm recommending this to you.
If you are a writer, young or old, or someone who is interested in the process, you need to read this book! "Project Canvas" changed my life and it can change yours.
To start, I discovered this book on Twitter and once I found that it was a book of writing advice and inspiration written by young writers I eagerly hounded Project Canvas' account and website, waiting for it to be published. It was a tad on the expensive side but soo worth every penny!
I've learned so much about the writing process and been inspired exceedingly. Not being able to keep this book to myself, I ordered it for a family member who is also a writer and recommended it to several people. Which is why I'm recommending this to you.
If you are a writer, young or old, or someone who is interested in the process, you need to read this book! "Project Canvas" changed my life and it can change yours.
January 31, 2020
A wonderful collection of motivation and writing advice from 61 authors from 11 countries and 6 continents. It's so cool how writing can bring everyone together!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews