A Writer's Workbook: Daily Exercises for the Writing Life

A Writer's Workbook: Daily Exercises for the Writing Life
by Caroline Sharp

A Writer's Workbook: Daily Exercises for the Writing Life
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Book Summary Information

Author: Caroline Sharp
Foreword: Elizabeth Gilbert
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-06-14
ISBN: 031228621X
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Book Reviews of A Writer's Workbook: Daily Exercises for the Writing Life

Book Review: INSPIRATION TO WRITE
Summary: 5 Stars

During a search of books by Elizabeth Gilbert on Amazon.com, I came across Caroline Sharp's "A Writers Workbook". Anyone with a desire to put pen to paper needs to read this book. I want to buy one for every friend who has expressed an interest in writing! It encouraged me to begin journaling again after many years.

Summary of A Writer's Workbook: Daily Exercises for the Writing Life

Aspiring doctors have medical school. Karate students have belts of different colors. Pianists have scales and arpeggios. But what system do writers have for getting and staying "in shape," to help them focus, practice, and make progress?

A Writer's Workbook is Caroline Sharp's ingenious collection of exercises to inspire, encourage, warm up, and jump-start anyone who writes. A wise and funny friend who will cheerlead you through even your darkest can't-write days and "every idea I've ever had is awful" nights, she provides encouraging suggestions, hilarious observations, and an amazingly vivid catalogue of writers' neuroses (with advice on overcoming them, of course).

From "Roget's Resume" and "Emulating Ernest" to "End Well," "The Rewrite Rut," and "Dear John," the exercises in this generous, wry workbook will keep your ideas fresh, your mind open, and your pen moving.

After nine months of not writing--nine months of morning sickness--Caroline Sharp had a new baby and an urge to write again. Trouble was, she was out of practice. So she devised a series of 32, mostly half-hour exercises to get her writing muscle back in shape. Thus was born A Writer's Workbook. In it, Sharp embraces warming up with a journal. She is personable and humorous, often returning to the subject of her addiction to coffee. Although her book is recommended in Elizabeth Gilbert's (Pilgrims) introduction for any reluctant writer in need of a jump-start, it seems best suited to fictioneers. "Write a character description of yourself," an early exercise suggests. "Write down as many food memories as you can recall," urges another. "Take yourself through 24 hours in your character's day," and "See if you can come up with a true list of bad behavior." While the exercises cumulatively don't help you create a greater whole, if they get you writing, they've done their job. And as you write, keep in mind: "You've got to get in the habit of harvesting all the acreage," says Sharp. "The pretty flowers are great, but the bent and twisted and screwy ones are more interesting." --Jane Steinberg

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