WisdomCreekPress
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Writing Conversations
Book Description
NEWS FLASH: Writing Conversations
won an Honorable Mention Wisdom Creek Press released a new book to assist authors, poets, screen writers, and other writers in their search for insider knowledge of the writing and publishing industry. “Writing Conversations teaches me how to write in a completely different way,” said author J. Steve Miller. “Each day, I can read a passage by a successful author about the craft and reflect on that wisdom as I begin a new day of writing. This practice evokes feelings of waking up each morning to enjoy my coffee with one of my favorite authors, who gives me five minutes of advice and then bids me farewell, saying "Well, that's my tip for the day. I hope you find it helpful in today's writing!"
Paperback: 218 pages
Cherie K. Miller is the founder and president of Wisdom Creek
Press, LLC and works with the Masters in American Studies
program at Kennesaw State University. She is the current
President of the Georgia Writers Association, a state-wide
nonprofit organization promoting authorship in Georgia. She has
published books, written for national magazines and written a
newspaper column for a Chicago newspaper. She achieved her MA in
Professional Writing from Kennesaw State University in 2007.
For more information on Cherie, visit
www.cheriekmiller.com .
WCPress: Congratulations on releasing another
book!
CKM:
Thank you! I'm delighted with how it turned out and just hope it
helps other authors as much as it's helping me. As I’ve spent
time with new authors, I’ve discovered that they really don’t
have a broad knowledge of the publishing industry. I carefully
chose these quotes from reading biographies or other books
published by authors. They cover many different aspects of
writing.
WCP: So it's obviously targeted to authors...
CKM:
...and aspiring authors! As President of the Georgia Authors
Association – a state-wide organization whose mission is to
encourage authorship and literacy in Georgia – I’ve met many,
many authors. There are also many others who come fearful of
applying the label of “author” to themselves. It’s more a lack
of knowledge than a lack of skill.
WCP: There are plenty of courses and books in print on how to
write. What new angle do you offer?
CKM:
I love to read authors of all kinds and take insights from how
they write to apply to my own writing life. But I’ve found it
equally as valuable to learn from them how to find an agent, how
to work with an editor and how to manage a writing schedule. By
taking advice from one author each morning, I'm able to reflect
on it each day and actually apply it to my writing. This is
especially helpful when one of those distressing days shows up
and I feel horrible uninspired to create. The right quote at the
right time feels like that author is speaking to the heart of my
despair. It can turn a day around for me.
WCP: Who are some of your favorite authors that you quote?
CKM: Of
course, since I was compiling these quotes, I was able to choose
from my favorite authors. When I studied for my Master’s degree
in Professional Writing I was exposed to many, many terrific
authors. In my Creative Nonfiction class, taught by Dr. Linda
Niemann, we read “Wild Minds” by Natalie Goldberg. When I took
Magazine Writing, I read Ann Lamott’s “Bird by Bird.” One of my
very favorite essays by Ann is entitled “Shitty First Drafts.”
It gave me the permission to write badly when I was sure that
everyone around me was writing stellar, perfect first drafts. A
book I’ve reread many times is “On Writing” by the former
English professor and prolific author, Stephen King. His advice
is always invaluable.
Sometimes the most memorable and surprising quote came from an
author I knew but had no idea of the challenges they’ve overcome
to be an author. Fannie Flagg, author of “Fried Green Tomatoes,”
shared how her dyslexia hampers her ability to write so she uses
a clothesline to pin up her chapters. What a wonderful idea!
WCP: Who do you envision as the audience for
this book?
CKM:
If you’re wanted to learn more about the business of publishing,
if you want to improve your writing or if you’re feeling dry and
dusty, lacking inspiration, this is J-U-S-T the book for you.
It’d also make a great birthday or Christmas gift for those
authors in your life. Show them that you value their talent for
writing!
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