Carrie Jane Knowles provides sage advice, examples and exercises to inspire both new and seasoned writers. The author discusses writing and editing fiction and shows students where to place punctuation in dialogue, why internal and external conflict is vital for any successful novel or short story, and more.
Twelve years ago, Carrie Knowles bought a small office building at the southernmost edge of Historic Oakwood in Downtown Raleigh. She named the building the Free Range Studio and inscribed this on the wall: Creativity should have no boundaries and dreams no fences. “That’s how I see the world,” Knowles says, “and the way I hope to live my life as a creative person.”
The Free Range Studio has provided office space to a wide range of writers and other creative people over the last twelve years, including Carrie’s close friend and fellow author, Peggy Payne. Both Peggy and Carrie not only have their offices at Free Range, but also coach other writers and teach classes there.
Carrie has published dozens of short stories and hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and three novels: Lillian’s Garden (Roundfire Books, 2013), Ashoan’s Rug (Roundfire Books, 2013), and A Garden Wall in Provence (Owl Canyon Press, 2017) and a collection of short fiction, Black Tie Optional (Owl Canyon Press, 2019). Her non-fiction memoir about her family’s struggles with their mother’s Alzheimer’s, The Last Childhood: A Family Story of Alzheimer's, initially published by Three Rivers Press, was recently revised, updated and reissued through Amazon.
There are countless writing guides out there, many claiming to be the ultimate authority on HOW writing should be accomplished.
But few guides actually GUIDE the writer, novice or seasoned veteran, on the down-to-earth tenents of good writing.
In her guide,, "A Self-Guided Workbook and Gentle Tour on How to Write Stories From Start to Finish", author/artist Carrie J. Knowles provides a clear, comprehensive guide. Each chapter explains, with approachable clarity and ease, the principles of good writing and how to apply them.
Each chapter concludes with assignment prompts the reader-student can complete in the book.
The assignment prompts are fascinating and thought-provoking, and really challenge the writer to put their writing skills to the test.
Carrie J. Knowles educates the reader-student in the technical aspects as well, such as outlining, editing, and dealing with realistic aspects, such handling rejection from publishers.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Carrie J. Knowles's guide and am currently working through the workbook assignments.
An absolute must for writers who want to hone their skills, style-wise, technical, and organization-wise.