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Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing
If you’re reading this, you’re probably a writer, or you aspire to be one. So where do you start? How do you navigate this craft and find your place in it? What’s the best way to turn your thoughts and ideas into words, paragraphs, and pages?
READY, SET, WRITE will show you what you can write and how you can write it. You’ll explore various forms of creative writing, answer questions that deepen your understanding of the craft, and stretch your author muscles as you create and polish new and original works.
You’ll learn how to stay motivated and inspired, and you’ll put together your own writer’s tool kit packed with everything you need to do your work. Plus, you’ll get tons of writing tips to help you write more and write better.
Created for hobbyists and aspiring professionals alike, Ready, Set, Write is structured to be used by individuals or in the classroom. Ideal for young and new writers, it also works as a refresher for seasoned scribes.
Are you ready to start your writing adventure? Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing will show you the way.
READY, SET, WRITE will show you what you can write and how you can write it. You’ll explore various forms of creative writing, answer questions that deepen your understanding of the craft, and stretch your author muscles as you create and polish new and original works.
You’ll learn how to stay motivated and inspired, and you’ll put together your own writer’s tool kit packed with everything you need to do your work. Plus, you’ll get tons of writing tips to help you write more and write better.
Created for hobbyists and aspiring professionals alike, Ready, Set, Write is structured to be used by individuals or in the classroom. Ideal for young and new writers, it also works as a refresher for seasoned scribes.
Are you ready to start your writing adventure? Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing will show you the way.
- GenresNonfictionWriting
209 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2019
16 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Donovan
19 books164 followersI 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 22, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It seem to cover a lot of things, not overwhelmingly but just enough to not get tedious. I enjoyed the encouragement and tips that come with the experience of writing for years in different genres. I might pick up another of Melissa's books having read this one.
I won this book from Goodreads.
I won this book from Goodreads.
September 29, 2019
Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing by Melissa Donovan is a informative guide that can be useful whether a beginner or a person who has written forever. The technology tips were extremely helpful. It is well written.
I received a copy thru a Goodreads giveaway.
I received a copy thru a Goodreads giveaway.
July 7, 2022
Written my entire life but turned serious in early 2020. Struggle to find the tools to help me move in the right direction as a writer. I was surprised how incredibly useful this book is. And in unexpected ways. Make sure to read it to the end, as even the last few pages are a gold mine. Chapter 55, the last one, is “Creative Writing Projects and Activities”. From that title, I had tempered my expectations. She supplies activities and projects I hadn’t read before. And, to my surprise, many that I wanted to do at once. And did so over the weeks after finishing the book. They are unique, not huge endeavors, but those worthwhile and will take your writing to the next level. As someone who is a perfectionist and my worst critic, I often need to get out of my own head. Her book supplied just that. It gave me the tools to continue writing when blocked about current writing projects. But it did more than that. It added tools to my fiction writing. I’ll keep my remaining writing years. The book looks unassuming and no different from other writing help books. But it is. Disappointed repeatedly in the past by other so-called writing experts. Not hers. If I’m ever forced to prune my beloved writing how-to library, hers is safe and never to be donated.
Last note - I don't remember the last time any writing help book affected all aspects of my writing and creativity. If you are not a serious writer, and possibly only take to paper when journaling or jotting down a poem, you'll still want this book. You'll fall in love with it like I have.
Last note - I don't remember the last time any writing help book affected all aspects of my writing and creativity. If you are not a serious writer, and possibly only take to paper when journaling or jotting down a poem, you'll still want this book. You'll fall in love with it like I have.
April 27, 2020
Books about writing are not exactly hard to find, and there's nothing really outstanding about this one. It's full of the usual good advice, and chunked into bites that are easily digested. Will you find yourself a published author after going through the exercises in this book? Probably not. Even the author herself, despite passages in this book that imply more, has only published one book that isn't about writing. But many writers write for their own pleasure and this is a very useful book for those people. And sometimes those writers get published. This is how some of the most successful writers started (read Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft).
This is most likely to be useful to those who want to write but aren't sure where to start. It's chock-full of good advice and ideas to get you moving. If you're already writing and want to know how to get published, this book won't be very useful. There are a few tips that point you in the right direction, but that's all. For the record, Stephen King's book won't get you published, either. What struck me as I was reading through it was that it would make a good text for a creative writing class.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
This is most likely to be useful to those who want to write but aren't sure where to start. It's chock-full of good advice and ideas to get you moving. If you're already writing and want to know how to get published, this book won't be very useful. There are a few tips that point you in the right direction, but that's all. For the record, Stephen King's book won't get you published, either. What struck me as I was reading through it was that it would make a good text for a creative writing class.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
February 18, 2020
Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing
I was sent this book by Melissa Donavan's team for a review. Amazing book for all those who inspires to be a writer someday and a refresher book for those who are already writers. There are questions at the end of each chapter that allows to think and ponder what you have been reading so far and what your personal writing style is. This is the first thing that loved a lot about this book.
The book is written lucidly in simple language so native speakers as well as the non-native speakers can grasp the content easily. I would strongly recommend the book to at all the inspiring and novel writers. It helped me come out of my writers blocks as I got into the habit of writing out the answers to the queries at the end of each chapter. Also the tips given by Melissa Donovan when you are facing a writer's block was helpful.
Overall a good work book for all types of writers because the book tells you that the answers/solutions to all the writing problems lies within you.
I was sent this book by Melissa Donavan's team for a review. Amazing book for all those who inspires to be a writer someday and a refresher book for those who are already writers. There are questions at the end of each chapter that allows to think and ponder what you have been reading so far and what your personal writing style is. This is the first thing that loved a lot about this book.
The book is written lucidly in simple language so native speakers as well as the non-native speakers can grasp the content easily. I would strongly recommend the book to at all the inspiring and novel writers. It helped me come out of my writers blocks as I got into the habit of writing out the answers to the queries at the end of each chapter. Also the tips given by Melissa Donovan when you are facing a writer's block was helpful.
Overall a good work book for all types of writers because the book tells you that the answers/solutions to all the writing problems lies within you.
December 8, 2020
Review submitted on Amazon November 8, 2020.
Subject: Not what I expected.
When I looked at the table of contents, I went into it with a bit of skepticism (the numbers of pages listed in my copy was 157 and I wondered how much information could fit in that amount of pages). After reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of content within it.
This book is great and can be used by anyone (at any experience level) who wants to know what writing is.
At the start of the book, Melissa captivated me in a way that while reading I felt as though I knew her and what she experienced as a writer (her writing process). By making it personal, it was easy to follow.
This book is jam packed with information and is a great addition to your library. It definitely is a great addition to mine.
Subject: Not what I expected.
When I looked at the table of contents, I went into it with a bit of skepticism (the numbers of pages listed in my copy was 157 and I wondered how much information could fit in that amount of pages). After reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of content within it.
This book is great and can be used by anyone (at any experience level) who wants to know what writing is.
At the start of the book, Melissa captivated me in a way that while reading I felt as though I knew her and what she experienced as a writer (her writing process). By making it personal, it was easy to follow.
This book is jam packed with information and is a great addition to your library. It definitely is a great addition to mine.
May 27, 2019
I should say at the start that I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book came just at the right time for me. I had been having my doubts as to my writing skills and whether I should continue writing at all. The book deals with all aspects of writing; from what creative writing is to the tools of the trade and the actual process of writing.
Each section is short and concise and finishes with questions and activities you can try. Melissa Donovan doesn't say that writing is easy but she does go some way to show it can be enjoyable if hard work. I particularly liked the section on motivation and feel geared up to try out some of the exercises she suggests.
This is a book that would be so good for a person new to writing to read but as someone who has written for some time, I found it refreshing and encouraging. It is well worth the read.
This book came just at the right time for me. I had been having my doubts as to my writing skills and whether I should continue writing at all. The book deals with all aspects of writing; from what creative writing is to the tools of the trade and the actual process of writing.
Each section is short and concise and finishes with questions and activities you can try. Melissa Donovan doesn't say that writing is easy but she does go some way to show it can be enjoyable if hard work. I particularly liked the section on motivation and feel geared up to try out some of the exercises she suggests.
This is a book that would be so good for a person new to writing to read but as someone who has written for some time, I found it refreshing and encouraging. It is well worth the read.
March 12, 2020
A thorough overview of many different types of writing. From letters, essays, song lyrics, poems, screenplays, creative fiction and more. As well as practical how to for some common writing problems all writers face. This book would be great for those just starting out on their writing journey but don’t know where to start, as well as for kids and teens who are looking for something low cost to try. This book is full of fun of activities and thoughtful questions at the end of each chapter. Doing the exercises I got some really fun and interesting ideas that I’m going to be using for projects in the future.
December 12, 2019
What a great overview of writing in its many varied forms! Packed with information to help writers at any stage of the game, this book also includes questions and activities which will have you reaching for a pen or your keyboard to try new genres or brush up on familiar structures. I learned some new things and had a lot of instruction I’ve known for years reinforced. Donovan’s conversational style will make you feel as if you’re interacting with a friend who is championing your writing dreams. Tons of helpful advice shared in an easy (and fun!) to read format.
April 8, 2020
This is a fun little book that will help you think about writing in loads of new ways. Although it is meant for newer writers, writers who have been around for a while will find lots to love. It is easy to read, with short chapters and thought-provoking questions at the end of each.
New writers will find content to help them understand different types of writing and explore each with fun exercises. Older writers who need a little inspiration or reminders about the basics will find that here too. Plus it's not the same old information that's been done thousands of times before.
New writers will find content to help them understand different types of writing and explore each with fun exercises. Older writers who need a little inspiration or reminders about the basics will find that here too. Plus it's not the same old information that's been done thousands of times before.
April 18, 2020
A necessary book for me
I am retired and I decided to do some creative writing. My problem was that I had no understanding of what creative writing is or how to write creatively. The book helped me understand what it is and how it is different from other forms of writing. It also gave me the tools I need to begin writing.
I am retired and I decided to do some creative writing. My problem was that I had no understanding of what creative writing is or how to write creatively. The book helped me understand what it is and how it is different from other forms of writing. It also gave me the tools I need to begin writing.
July 15, 2019
Review of Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing
This is a well written book. I look forward to reading more books written by this author. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I won this book through a giveaway on Goodreads website.
This is a well written book. I look forward to reading more books written by this author. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I won this book through a giveaway on Goodreads website.
April 4, 2020
This is a great book and very informative.I won this book from goodreads first reads and am so happy I was chosen to read this wonderful book.as I learn to write again,ill use this as a reference.thanks
June 12, 2019
This book was insightful for aspiring writers.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews