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Writers on Writing Volume 1 - 4 Omnibus: An Author's Guide Kindle Edition
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This is the Writers on Writing Vol.1 - 4 Omnibus – An Author’s Guide where your favorite authors share their ultimate secrets in becoming and being an author.
Includes:
- The Infrastructure of the Gods by Brian Hodge
- The Writer’s Purgatory by Monique Snyman
- Why Rejection is Still Important by Kevin Lucia
- Real Writers Steal Time by Mercedes M. Yardley
- What Right Do I Have to Write by Jasper Bark
- Go Pace Yourself by Jack Ketchum
- A Little Infusion of Magic by Dave-Brendon de Burgh
- Confronting Your Fears in Fiction by Todd Keisling
- Once More with Feeling by Tim Waggoner
- Embracing Your Inner Shitness by James Everington
- The Forgotten Art of Short Story by Mark Allan Gunnells
- Adventures in Teaching Creative Writing by Lucy A. Snyder
- Submit (to psychology) for Acceptance by Daniel I. Russell
- Character Building by Theresa Derwin
- Heroes and Villains by Paul Kane
- Do Your Worst by Jonathan Winn
- Creating Effective Characters by Hal Bodner
- Fictional Emotions; Emotional Fictions by James Everington
- Home Sweet Home by Ben Eads
- You by Kealan Patrick Burke
- The art of becoming a book reviewer by Nerine Dorman
- Treating Fiction like a Relationship by Jonathan Janz
- How to Write Killer Poetry by Stephanie M. Wytovich
- Happy Little Trees by Michael Knost
- In Lieu of Patience Bring Diversity by Kenneth W. Cain
- Networking is Scary, but Essential by Doug Murano
- Are You In The Mood? by Sheldon Higdon
- What if Every Novel is a Horror Novel? by Steve Diamond
- Description by Patrick Freivald
- A First-time Novelist's Odyssey by William Gorman
- I Am Setting by J.S. Breukelaar
- Finding Your Voice by Lynda E. Rucker
Are you ready to unleash the author in you?
Proudly brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing – Tales from the Darkest Depths
Interview with the authors:
So what makes Writers on Writing so special?
Stephanie M. Wytovich: I think what makes Writers on Writing a standout craft book is that Crystal Lake Publishing pulled writers from different genres and different mediums to give readers a massive insight into the industry in regards to film, screenwriting, poetry, prose, etc. It’s a meaty collection of advice that speaks to everyone at any point in their career, and I think readers will be wildly excited about the essays inside.
Tell us more about your essay.
Jack Ketchum: Mine's about pacing, crucial to grabbing and holding the reader's attention, and music to the reader's ear. Both, I think, important things to consider.
Kenneth W. Cain: I speak of using diversity in your fiction, of pulling from the known world to create more realistic characters without relying on stereotypes and generalizations. It’s much a reflection of myself, of course, but I fully believe in letting characters breathe, allowing them to become what they will, good or bad, male or female, deviant or prude.
Why should authors read Writers on Writing?
Stephanie M. Wytovich: To me, it’s a great way to see how other artists are making things work, while at the same time gain insight into different approaches to the craft. I also think that books like Writers on Writing are great teaching tools for instructors and editors because they can help students both inside and outside of the classroom, and as an instructor myself, I find the essays to be extremely refreshing reads that excite and prepare me for lecture and workshop.
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateNovember 29, 2016
- File size2289 KB
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From the Publisher
Contributors include the likes of Clive Barker, Stephen King, Christopher Golden, Wes Craven, George A. Romero, John Connolly, Chuck Palahniuk, Ray Bradbury, Charlaine Harris, Jonathan Maberry, Peter Straub, Kevin J. Anderson, Craig Engler, Dean Koontz, Richard Matheson, John Carpenter, John Saul, Tom Holland, Mick Garris, Richard Chizmar, Brian Keene, Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, Graham Masterton, Edward Lee, Sarah Pinborough, Stephen Jones, Grady Hendrix, Lisa Morton, Steve Rasnic Tem, William F. Nolan, John Russo, Elvira, Tim Lebbon, Nancy Holder, Joe R. Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson, John Skipp, Bev Vincent, Elizabeth Massie, Paul Moore, Gene O’Neill, Tom Monteleone, Tim Waggoner, Patrick Lussier, Aaron Sterns, Jeff Strand, Jeffrey Reddick, Adam Neville, and many more.
Editorial Reviews
Review
Product details
- ASIN : B01N1JRVH3
- Publisher : Crystal Lake Publishing (November 29, 2016)
- Publication date : November 29, 2016
- Language : English
- File size : 2289 KB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 284 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #412,219 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #397 in Authorship
- #543 in Writing Skill Reference (Kindle Store)
- #846 in Authorship Reference
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Lucy A. Snyder is the five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of 14 books:
* Sister, Maiden, Monster
* Halloween Season
* Exposed Nerves
* Garden of Eldritch Delights
* While the Black Stars Burn
* Spellbent
* Shotgun Sorceress
* Switchblade Goddess
* Soft Apocalypses
* Orchid Carousals
* Sparks and Shadows
* Chimeric Machines
* Installing Linux on a Dead Badger
* Shooting Yourself in the Head For Fun and Profit: A Writer's Survival Guide
Her writing has been translated into French, Russian, Italian, Czech, and Japanese editions and has appeared in publications such as Apex Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, Pseudopod, Strange Horizons, Weird Tales, Steampunk World, and Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 5.
She has an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College and lives in Ohio. You can follow her on Twitter at @LucyASnyder.
You can learn more at her website: www.lucysnyder.com
TODD KEISLING is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Devil’s Creek. His other works include The Final Reconciliation, Ugly Little Things: Collected Horrors, and The Monochrome Trilogy, among several shorter works. He lives somewhere in the wilds of Pennsylvania with his family where he is at work on his next novel.
Michael Knost is a Bram Stoker Award®-winning editor and author of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and supernatural thrillers. He has written in various genres and helmed multiple anthologies. His Writers Workshop of Horror won the 2009 Bram Stoker Award® for superior achievement in non-fiction. His critically acclaimed Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy is an Amazon #1 bestseller. Return of the Mothman, Barbers and Beauties, and Author’s Guide to Marketing with Teeth were all finalists for the Bram Stoker Award®. Michael was honored with the Silver Hammer Award from the Horror Writer's Association because of his work as the organization's mentorship chair, and he also won the prestigious J.U.G. (Just Uncommonly Good) Award from West Virginia Writer's Inc. He has taught writing classes and workshops at several colleges, conventions, and online, and currently resides in Chapmanville, West Virginia with his wife, daughter, and a zombie goldfish.
Kenneth W. Cain is the author of four novels, four short story collections, four novellas, and several children’s books among his body of work. He is the editor for the anthologies Tales From The Lake Volume 5, When the Clock Strikes 13, and Midnight in the Graveyard. The winner of the 2017 Silver Hammer Award, Cain is an Active member of the Horror Writers Association as well as chair for the membership committee and the Pennsylvania chapter. Cain resides in Chester County, Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.
Website:
http://kennethwcain.com
Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKennethWCain/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KennethWCain
Get updates on forthcoming books, find about giveaways, and get free stories by signing up for my newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/caUofP
"The triumph of Everington’s first novel is that, while hinting at lofty literary precedents, it cumulatively takes on an unsettling voice all of its own." The Guardian
I'm a writer of horror and strange stories from Nottingham, England. I enjoy the unexplained, the psychological, and the ambiguous in my weird fiction, and this is the kind of story I try and write. My main influences are writers like Ramsey Campbell, Shirley Jackson, and Robert Aickman.
My latest collection of stories, 'Falling Over', is out now from Infinity Plus, as is the episodic novel 'The Quarantined City' which was recently reviewed in The Guardian.
My first book as editor, 'The Hyde Hotel' was released in 2016.
I drink Guinness, if anyone's offering.
Mark Allan Gunnells loves to tell stories. He has since he was a kid, penning one-page tales that were Twilight Zone knockoffs. He likes to think he has gotten a little better since then. He loves reader feedback, and above all he loves telling stories. He lives in Greer, SC, with his husband Craig A. Metcalf.
Since its founding in August 2012, Crystal Lake Publishing has quickly become one of the world’s leading publishers of Dark Fiction and Horror books in print, eBook, and audio formats.
While we strive to present only the highest quality fiction and entertainment, we also endeavour to support authors along their writing journey. We offer our time and experience in non-fiction projects, as well as author mentoring and services, at competitive prices.
With several Bram Stoker Award wins and many other wins and nominations, Crystal Lake Publishing puts integrity, honor, and respect at the forefront of our publishing operations.
We strive for each book and outreach program we spearhead to not only entertain and touch or comment on issues that affect our readers, but also to strengthen and support the Dark Fiction field and its authors.
Not only do we find and publish authors we believe are destined for greatness, but we strive to work with men and woman who endeavour to be decent human beings who care more for others than themselves, while still being hard working, driven, and passionate artists and storytellers.
Crystal Lake Publishing is and will always be a beacon of what passion and dedication, combined with overwhelming teamwork and respect, can accomplish. We endeavour to know each and every one of our readers, while building personal relationships with our authors, reviewers, bloggers, podcasters, bookstores, and libraries.
We will be as trustworthy, forthright, and transparent as any business can be, while also keeping most of the headaches away from our authors, since it’s our job to solve the problems so they can stay in a creative mind. Which of course also means paying our authors.
We do not just publish books, we present to you worlds within your world, doors within your mind, from talented authors who sacrifice so much for a moment of your time.
There are some amazing small presses out there, and through collaboration and open forums we will continue to support other presses in the goal of helping authors and showing the world what quality small presses are capable of accomplishing. No one wins when a small press goes down, so we will always be there to support hardworking, legitimate presses and their authors. We don’t see Crystal Lake as the best press out there, but we will always strive to be the best, strive to be the most interactive and grateful, and even blessed press around. No matter what happens over time, we will also take our mission very seriously while appreciating where we are and enjoying the journey.
What do we offer our authors that they can’t do for themselves through self-publishing?
We are big supporters of self-publishing (especially hybrid publishing), if done with care, patience, and planning. However, not every author has the time or inclination to do market research, advertise, and set up book launch strategies. Although a lot of authors are successful in doing it all, strong small presses will always be there for the authors who just want to do what they do best: write.
What we offer is experience, industry knowledge, contacts and trust built up over years. And due to our strong brand and trusting fanbase, every Crystal Lake Publishing book comes with weight of respect. In time our fans begin to trust our judgment and will try a new author purely based on our support of said author.
To date we’ve published around 100 books, and with each launch we strive to fine-tune our approach, learn from our mistakes, and increase our reach. We continue to assure our authors that we’re here for them and that we’ll carry the weight of the launch and dealing with third parties while they focus on their strengths—be it writing, interviews, blogs, signings, etc.
We also offer several mentoring packages to authors that include knowledge and skills they can use in both traditional and self-publishing endeavours.
We look forward to launching many new careers.
This is what we believe in. What we stand for. This will be our legacy.
Welcome to Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
Mercedes M. Yardley is a whimsical dark fantasist who wears poisonous flowers in her hair. She is the author of many diverse works, including Beautiful Sorrows, Pretty Little Dead Girls: A Novel of Murder and Whimsy, and the Stabby Award-winning Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love.
She recently won the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for her realistic horror story Little Dead Red and was a Bram Stoker finalist for her short story "Loving You Darkly." Mercedes lives and creates in Las Vegas with her family and menagerie of battle-scarred, rescued animal familiars. She is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin and Fountain Literary Management.
Joe Mynhardt is a Bram Stoker Award-winning South African publisher, editor, and mentor.
A former primary school teacher, Joe is now the owner and CEO of Crystal Lake Publishing, which he founded in August, 2012. Since then he’s published and edited short stories, novellas, interviews and essays by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Stephen King, Charlaine Harris, Ramsey Campbell, John Connolly, Jack Ketchum, Jonathan Maberry, Christopher Golden, Graham Masterton, Damien Angelica Walters, Adam Nevill, Lisa Morton, Elizabeth Massie, Joe R. Lansdale, Edward Lee, Paul Tremblay, Wes Craven, John Carpenter, George A. Romero, Mick Garris, and hundreds more. Yes, hundreds.
Just like Crystal Lake Publishing, which strives to be a platform for launching author careers, Joe believes in reaching out to all authors, new and experienced, and being a beacon of friendship and guidance in the Dark Fiction field. In 2017 he started a coalition of small press publishers to support both each other and their authors.
Joe also became a work-from-home dad in 2018. His daughter, Cayleigh, is named after his childhood influences, Bruce Lee and Stan Lee. Joe’s other influences stretch from Poe, Doyle, and Lovecraft to King, Connolly, and Gaiman (and so many more). Not to mention other great stories found in comics, movies, and television.
You can read more about Joe and Crystal Lake Publishing at www.crystallakepub.com or find him on Facebook.
Doug Murano lives somewhere between Mount Rushmore and the mighty Missouri River. He is the Bram Stoker Award-winning editor of Behold! Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders and the co-editor of Bram Stoker Award-nominated Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories.
Since 2008, his short stories have appeared in a number of venues. He is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association, and was the organization's promotions and social media coordinator from 2013-15. He is a co-recipient of the HWA's 2014 Richard Laymon President's Award for Service.
Follow @muranofiction on Twitter.
In addition to Eidolon Avenue: The Second Feast (Best Horror Collection 2021 - Audiobook Reviewers Awards), Jonathan Winn is the author of Eidolon Avenue: The First Feast (“a great read…powerful and jarring,” Cemetery Dance), Martuk…the Holy (A Highlight of the Year, 2012 Papyrus Independent Fiction Awards) and Martuk…the Holy: Proseuche (Top Twenty Horror Novels of 2014, Preditors & Editors Readers Poll) as well as The Realtor: an Eidolon Avenue Short Story, part of a series of free reads from Crystal Lake Publishing, and The Martuk Series, an ongoing collection of short fiction inspired by Martuk....
His work can also be found in Horror 201: The Silver Scream, Writers on Writing, Vol. 2, Tales from the Lake, Vol. 2 with his award-winning short story Forever Dark, and Shallow Waters, an ongoing collection of flash fiction, all from Crystal Lake Publishing.
Feel free to visit him at http://martuktheholy.com
Sheldon Higdon has numerous publications in various magazines and books. He is also an award-winning screenwriter.
He is currently outlining a new middle grade horror novel. His short story collection is forthcoming.
Join his free newsletter at: https://tinyletter.com/SheldonHigdon
www.sheldonhigdon.com
Twitter: HigdonSheldon
Instagram: sheldon.higdon
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I liked the conversational tone of most of the writers and the level of intelligence and generally well-used vocabulary. A minor quibble would be that most of the writers in this collection speak with a masculine voice. Interesting that the final essay "Finding your Voice" was written by a woman and spoke most clearly to me.
There seems to be endless how-to essays and books on writing. I’ve read a handful and numerous blog posts, much of the time these read like reheated supper. This had some reheated supper, sure, but, like lasagna, sometimes the re-issuing of a dish has more impact than the first run.
From the initial book of this omnibus –and by far the strongest and most generally insightful portion– it proves a valuable expenditure of time. Often, horror related essays on writing touchback to a particularly revealing and helpful memoir by Stephen King, aptly titled On Writing. The technical side of it anyway. The authors of this collection also make notes and direct quotes themselves, but it did not feel like regurgitation. There was application to it.
What the first book of this omnibus excels at above the others is entertainment. It is one thing to write a operation/repair manual, it is another to ensure that thing holds the attention of the reader. Holding attention is the only way to convey a message.
The second book of the omnibus loses some of the momentum with a pair of essays seemingly written by authors wanting nothing more than to shower themselves in praise and shill copies of their works –see what I did here, and here, oh and what about how awesome I did it there? This noted, most were fine and a few were stronger than that.
The third book shifts to an all-new tone, clear and narrow, the essays cast light over the intention and in the case of one essay, Hal Bodner’s Creating Effective Characters, entertainment, information and accessible placement of information roll together wonderfully. The third is also where the collections break away from honing skills on paper to focus on skills aside from writing, something that comes up –in useful and realistic terms– far less often.
The fourth focusses on many of the lesser discussed items. It is more in-depth than the previous in a particularly technical standpoint. Subjects of less glamor than characters and setting, but no less important, receive the full objective treatment.
Overall, I was impressed and in the case of a handful I felt veils lifting behind questions I hadn’t known I had, which is truly helpful –imagine if you read the frequent screw-ups by other weekend carpenters before trying buying the tools and supplies to into a deck on the back of your house and had the chance to apply their knowledge, you might have a deck you could stand on!
As a collective –beside the self-aggrandizing bits– Writers on Writing is a wealth of knowledge presented in a readable package, and made interesting by a horror leaning and the sensibility to know reader still needs a little something-something more than blueprints and checklists. Definitely of more value than the price tag and in some cases, one of few truly honest sources of information when it comes to the indie horror world.
In Writers on Writing Volume 1 – 4 Omnibus: An Author’s Guide, Crystal Lake Publishing gives us just such a book and they do so in spades, bringing together a collection of essays from an eclectic gathering of authors from all walks of life and every branch of the profession you can imagine. Here you’ll find excellent guidance and advice from horror authors, poets, screenwriters and editors, all of whom excel in their chosen field and who bring together years of experience and talent culminating in a referential volume that you’ll find yourself turning to again and again in your writing adventures, no matter what kind of writing you do. With articles about pacing from the great Jack Ketchum, poetry advice from horror’s young phenom Stephanie M. Wytovich, a brilliant essay on the relationship between heroes and villains by Paul Kane, and an outstanding piece on setting from J.S. Breukelaar just to name a few, you can’t go wrong with this exceptional collection of wisdom by some of our favorite genre writers, poets, and editors, as well as a great essay on book reviewing by Nerine Dorman.
In addition to those already mentioned, you’ll also find work by such greats as Mercedes M. Yardley, Tim Waggoner, Kealan Patrick Burke, and Lucy A. Snyder. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When it comes to books like this, you could do much worse, but you couldn’t find much that’s better than this. Every piece in here is rock solid, based on concrete knowledge and experience, and all extremely useful. There is zero fluff to be found here, but you will find a plethora of wisdom on just about any writing subject you can imagine. Highly recommended for both new authors and more experienced authors looking to hone their skills.
Top reviews from other countries

A must for anybody thinking of setting up a writers' group. Highly recommended.

I liked the conversational tone of most of the writers and the level of intelligence and generally well-used vocabulary. A minor quibble would be that most of the writers in this collection speak with a masculine voice. Interesting that the final essay "Finding your Voice" was written by a woman and spoke most clearly to me.