{"product_id":"author-in-progress-isbn-9781440346712","title":"Author In Progress","description":"\u003cb\u003eEmpower Your Writing Through Craft and Community!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Writing can be a lonely profession plagued by blind stumbles, writer's block, and despair--but it doesn't have to be. Written by members of the popular Writer Unboxed website, \u003ci\u003eAuthor in Progress\u003c\/i\u003e is filled with practical, candid essays to help you reach the next rung on the publishing ladder. By tracking your creative journey from first draft to completion and beyond, you can improve your craft, find your community, and overcome the mental barriers that stand in the way of success.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAuthor in Progress\u003c\/i\u003e is the perfect no-nonsense guide for excelling at every step of the novel-writing process, from setting goals, researching, and drafting to giving and receiving critiques, polishing prose, and seeking publication.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eYou'll love \u003ci\u003eAuthor in Progress\u003c\/i\u003e if...\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   • You're an aspiring novelist working on your first book.\u003cbr\u003e   • You're an experienced veteran looking for ways to enhance your career and connect with your writing community.\u003cbr\u003e   • You've finished your first draft and want to know the next steps.\u003cbr\u003e   • You're seeking clear, effective advice about publication-from professionals who are \"down in the trenches\" every day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat's Inside\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAuthor in Progress\u003c\/i\u003e features:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   • More than 50 essays from best-selling authors, editors, and industry leaders on a variety of writing and publishing topics.\u003cbr\u003e   • Advice on writing first drafts, conducting research, building and fostering community, seeking critique, revising, and getting published.\u003cbr\u003e   • An encouraging approach to the writing and publishing process, from authors who've walked this path.\u003cb\u003eIntroduction by Therese Walsh\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e After I got my publishing deal, the question I received most often from not-yet-published authors was this: \u003ci\u003eHow did you do it?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The pithy answer? \u003ci\u003eYou put your butt in a chair and write.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Don't you want to punch that answer in the face? It's like hearing someone with great hair say that she simply rolls out of bed in the morning and fluffs it a little. You know she has a cabinet filled with gels and sprays and various antifrizz products, but she doesn't want to share her secrets or admit to the mirror time required. She just wants you to admire the final product.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Well, \u003ci\u003ebutt in chair\u003c\/i\u003e is only part of the story, and the least fantastical part at that. So let's try again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eHow did you do it?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I spent several years writing and editing a version of the manuscript that would \u003ci\u003ebecome\u003c\/i\u003e my debut novel, but it wouldn't become my debut until after I gutted all of that polished prose. I tore the story to the ground and then built it back up with a new (more innovative) structure, new (shades-of-gray) characters, new (layered) storylines, and a new (stronger) voice. I finished the manuscript for a second time, and that version is what finally sold. The \"formula,\" in broad strokes, was this:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   1. Write.\u003cbr\u003e   2. Receive feedback with an open mind.\u003cbr\u003e   3. Improve myself to improve my story.\u003cbr\u003e   4. Repeat.These steps contained fine brushstrokes, of course, as well as dozens of questions: \u003ci\u003eWhat do you write? How often should you write? Do you need to take classes, read books, get an MFA? What barriers might you face, and how do you 4 Author In Progress overcome them? How do you receive feedback, and where do you find it? How do you process it all? Which changes do you-and don't you-make? What if you want to quit? How long must you go on? When is enough\u003c\/i\u003e enough?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The purpose of \u003ci\u003eAuthor in Progress\u003c\/i\u003e is to answer those questions. This book offers guidance for the evolution of your manuscript and for yourself as a writer. We'll walk you through the stages every novelist must face, whether you want to obtain a traditional publishing deal or self-publish, and we'll introduce you to the stumbling blocks you might encounter before writing, while writing, when asking for feedback or seeking instruction, through rewriting, and beyond.","brand":"Writer's Digest Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46299742732517,"sku":"NP9781440346712","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781440346712.jpg?v=1767721967","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/author-in-progress-isbn-9781440346712","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}