Book Description
This may come as a shock, but brilliant writing and clever wordplay do not a published author make. True, you’ll actually have to write if you want to be a writer, but ultimately literary success is about much more than putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys). Before you snap your pencil in half with frustration, please consider the advice writer, teacher, and self-made lit star Ariel Gore offers in this useful guide to realizing your literary dreams.
If you find yourself writing when you should be sleeping and scribbling notes on odd pieces of paper at every stoplight, you might as well enjoy the fruits of your labor. How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead is an irreverent yet practical guide that combines solid writing advice with guerrilla marketing and promotion techniques guaranteed to launch you into print—and into the limelight. You’ll learn how to:
• Reimagine yourself as a buzz-worthy artist and entrepreneur
• Get your work and your name out in the world where other people can read it
• Be an anthology slut and a brazen self-promoter
• Apply real-world advice and experience from lit stars like Dave Barry, Susie Bright, and Dave Eggers to your own career
Cheaper than an M.F.A. but just as informative, How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead is your catapult to lit stardom. Just don’t forget to thank Ariel Gore for her inspiring, hands-on plan in the acknowledgments page of your first novel!
Customer Reviews:
My new favorite writing book.......2007-09-07
It's funny, it's true, it's irreverent, and it's one of the best new books on writing and publishing available. (Literary snobs won't agree, but who asked them?) I've got three shelves crammed with writing books, and while most are pretty good, they all offer the same safe advice. Gore stresses the importance of marketing and promoting yourself and getting your stuff OUT THERE -- even if it means self-publishing your poems on a copy machine or posting a humor column in the PTA newsletter. While Gore's clear, take-no-prisoners style will appeal mostly to the young and the hip, I'm recommending this book to everyone in my writing workshops, no matter how old (or un-hip) they are. -Cindy La Ferle
A warning and some advice.......2007-08-18
If obscenity bothers you, look elsewhere. Better yet, do yourself a favor and get over it - this book is outrageously good! It's like having coffee or a beer with the kind of friend who loves you enough to kick you out of the rut you've dragged yourself into. Ariel Gore writes with bold, active passion. If you take it to heart, How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead will teach you to do the same.
Not your typical writers guide!.......2007-07-30
Ariel Gore's "How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead" is not your typical writing handbook. Filled with funny antecdotes, sometimes subversive humor, and an overall supportive tone, Gore has managed to write a book that, should we follow her advice, can only lead to success in writing.
Even if you have no aspirations to writerly famedom, Gore's book is a must read. Gore's book includes a mix of straightforward advice with interviews of other writers and stories -- both funny and serious -- from her own writing life. She is at once witty and intelligent without being smug or "holier than thou."
I found Gore's book insipired and have taken much of her advice to heart and I encourage you to do the same. If nothing else, you'll have fun reading this book! The layout ranges from how-to chapters to interviews to advice columns. The only way you could possibly be bored reading this book is if you skip everything between the first and last pages, and even then, you'll still find something interesting! Read it...then go write Ariel Gore a thank you note for her hard work and her willingness to share her experiences with us all!
Another Ariel Gore Hit..........2007-07-29
I've loved Gore's work since the very first Hip Mama book, when I was pregnant with my first child. Gore's release of How to Become a Famous Writer dovetailed with the start of my freelance writing career (Hey, Ariel Gore - are you following me?).
This book is just like her other titles: irreverent, funny, and down-to-earth. But it's on a topic that's relevant to anyone with the writing bug, not just fans of her previous titles. She talks about the more unconventional ways of publishing, including chapbooks, zines, and self-published books. With this book, you'll be grabbing Fame by the horns and wrasslin' it into becoming your pet.
Of coure, we can't all write just like Ariel Gore, which is unfortunate. It would definitely increase our chances of famous writerhood.
If you want to be both informed AND entertained, check out How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead.
This little book is a delight........2007-06-09
Got a postcard at school advertising a book on journalism. Before I tossed it (I'm retiring -- what do I need another book on journalism for?) I turned it over. There was a picture of Ariel Gore's book, with a brief blurb. I was intrigued and ordered it via amazon when I got home. What a gift to myself it turned out to be. I needed this boost. I've wanted to write for years, and resigned myself to the comments written on students' papers and my own online forum. After reading just the first couple of chapters, I know there are no excuses. I consider this book a godsend. Fun to read, beautifully written, wise and wonderful. Thank you, Ariel Gore!
Average customer rating:
- BLAKE OUT IN A COLD SWEAT
- An indispensable guide
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From Pitch to Publication: Everything You Need to Know to Get Your Novel Published
Carole Blake
Manufacturer: MacMillan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Literature & Fiction
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ASIN: 0333714350 |
Customer Reviews:
BLAKE OUT IN A COLD SWEAT.......2005-02-26
This book is widely revered as a masterpiece of its kind - invaluable in the extreme, comprehensively knowledgeable, hugely informative, in addition to being the ideal literary vade mecum for anyone hell-bent on getting their unpublished work published. Hey, and so it is - and so it should be too. Because Ms Blake is only joint managing director of top London-based literary agency Blake Friedmann and she obviously knows what she's talking about . . .
'Or does she?' whispered a tiny voice from the bottom of Ms Blake's slush pile. 'Consider, if you will,' the voice persisted, 'Selection Criterion #1 on p. 7 of the book where Ms Blake bitterly complains that "I am regularly offered novels that are 50,000 or 60,000 words."' The voice gave way to a wheezing laugh. 'Oh dearie, dearie me! Well, there's DEATH IN VENICE, THE GREAT GATSBY, and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE in the trash can for starters.'
The laughter became a tad more hysterical: 'And on Page 9, you'll find, Ms Blake promulgates Selection Criterion #3: "Is the world that I have created in the novel one my readers will want to spend time in even before they know the story or the characters?" Uh oh! In the trash can with A CLOCKWORK ORANGE again (that unpublishable Mancunian's nothing if not persistent), swiftly followed by BRAVE NEW WORLD, 1984, and THE GRAPES OF WRATH.'
For a time no sound could be heard in the room other than the tumultuous trashing of unpublishable typescripts by the score.
'So,' said the tiny, slush pile shrouded voice as Ms Blake collapsed with Repetitive Strain Injury: 'I wish you better luck with Ms Blake and all her house than Thomas Mann, Scott Fitzgerald, Anthony Burgess, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, John Steinbeck - or I ever had, though I confess to finding it mighty reassuring to enjoy such exalted company for once in my life, thanks to Ms Blake.'
An indispensable guide.......2001-07-17
I found this book both fascinating and enormously helpful.It covers everything from doing market research before writing a book, through how to make a submission and on to understanding royalty statements and beyond. Wonderfully readable and peppered with anecdotes it shows how the publishing system really works. Definitely 5 big stars for this hugely informative book!
Amazon.com
This groundbreaking book should definitely help further the movement of what the authors call "a new gerontology." John Rowe, M.D., and Robert Kahn, Ph.D., both members of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network, thoroughly debunk the myth that aging has to be a painful process of debilitation. Their research has shown that the influence of genetics shrinks proportionately as you get older, while social and physical habits become increasingly integral to your state of health--both mental and physical. The 10 years' worth of research cited in Successful Aging reveal some flabbergasting facts about health in later life. For example, an inactive person is worse off, health-wise, than a smoker who exercises regularly. And your lifestyle and attitude are significantly more important than your genes in determining whether or not your golden years are healthy ones--even if you have a genetic predisposition for developing Alzheimer's, arthritis, cancer, or other serious health problems.
Rowe and Kahn start with a thorough breakdown of nutritional advice, including a rundown of the many vitamins and other nutrients that those older than 60 are in particular need of. They also detail the most important exercises for optimal functioning of body and mind, and analyze the benefits and risks of DHEA, melatonin, and tretinoin, while warning about snake-oil formulations that are now being marketed to the AARP set. There's also a thorough explanation of the importance of creativity and social connections--the research shows that, for the aging, strong social ties are even more important in preventing illness than genetic background.
Book Description
See the difference, read
Successful Aging in Large Print
* About Large Print
All Random House Large Print editions are published in a 16-point typeface
Here at last is a compelling and inspiring presentation of what determines how well we age--the results of the MacArthur Foundation Study of Aging in America, which show how to maintain optimum physical and mental strength throughout later life.
Research into aging has been revolutionized in the past ten years largely due to the MacArthur Study, which under the leadership of Drs. John W. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn created a network of leading research scientists from key fields to determine what aging actually involves. Rejecting the established approach of studying aging in terms of anticipated decline, these scientists set out to identify the factors that were enabling vast numbers of people to preserve and even enhance their mental and physical vitality in later life.
Successful Aging brings together the remarkable results of the study for the first time. They explode the myths about aging that have long shaped individual and institutional attitudes toward growing older, including the biggest myth of all: "The key to aging well is choosing your parents wisely." In fact, they discovered that lifestyle choices--more than genes--determine how well we age. Drs. Rowe and Kahn outline those vital choices, including changes in diet, types of exercise, mental stimulation, self-efficacy, and dynamic connections. These choices can make a difference no matter how late in life they are made. In addition, Drs. Rowe and Kahn include the latest research-based strategies to delay or prevent the common diseases of old age.
Society can also influence how we age. Drs. Rowe and Kahn detail innovative programs and policies that are enabling older men and women to stay healthy and to continue to contribute to their societies.
For all of us, the rewards of successful aging are great; this eye-opening work shows how they can be attained and enjoyed.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book!.......2007-01-04
This book was used in teaching a class for senior adults about effective aging. It was most helpful and easy to understand.
New perspective.......2006-02-16
Easy reading in simple language. Encouraging and uplifting. I love how it details the connection between social inter-actions and quality of life. Really good advice for maintaining independence in old age from a physical and mental perspective. Best of all, there is no pressure to rush out and make special purchases. I am getting copies as gifts for siblings - worth reading.
Successful Aging.......2002-11-30
I stumbled upon the book strictly by accident and ended up paying full list price at Barnes and Noble. After seeing the really great prices on Amazon, I reluctently sat down to read a few chapters to try and get my monies worth. Wow. To say the book was enlightening would be to offer a dis-service to the multi-year McArthur Foundation Study. I picked up a few things from the book that most readers will not and that is basic assumptions that Private Foundations and Private Research gathers far more information about a subject than Government sponsored projects. It occured to me that Government has pretty muched screwed up Social Security as well as providing for long term health care in America. Successful Aging gives an alternative to spending your final years in a Nursing Home. The book is very well thought through, well researched and backed up with countless citations that give credit where credit is due. I found the book an enjoyable read, almost a primer. After reading this book, I ordered out about three hundred dollars worth of additional books on aging. That should tell you something. By the way, I ordered another copy of the book in out of print library edition to add to my collection. Great Book! Great Read! Don't get old without it!
Should be a classic.......2002-11-01
The research findings reported in Successful Aging have been supported in a new 20-year study by an independent group of researchers. The study by Becca Levy of Yale Univerisity, et al, was reported in 2002. Simply stated, we can decide now to live longer and better. Having a positive attitude about aging is alone responsible for extending life by 7.5 years, and years of activity and involvment, not suffering. This is a very worthwhile read, despite what some stupid old fools have written before.
would have made a nice article.......2001-03-16
The idea behind this book is great, but its information could easily fit into a 3-page article in Woman's Day or a similar popular magazine. I expected to learn much more than I did from this very repetitive book. (It almost made me feel like I was aging on the spot: "Hey, didn't I just read that a few pages ago? Am I forgetting or imagining things?")
Average customer rating:
- Easy read and great primer for women
- Bravo! A Book Written to Be Read and Enjoyed About Money
- Fascinating and intimate look at money & finance!
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When Are You Entitled to New Underwear and Other Major Financial Decisions: Making Your Money Dreams Come True (G K Hall Large Print Reference Collection)
Eileen Michaels
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Public Finance
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Budgeting & Money Management
| Personal Finance
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
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General
| Personal Finance
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
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Money Management for Women
| Personal Finance
| Business & Investing
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Large Print
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| Children's Books
| Health, Mind & Body
| History
| Literature & Fiction
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| Nonfiction
| Philosophy
| Poetry & Short Stories
| Reference
| Religion & Spirituality
| Romance
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Alternative Reading Formats
ASIN: 0783881169 |
Book Description
ReferenceLarge Print EditionHeres the book that will make your money dreams come true. It doesnt matter how much or how little you have, there are always choices about how to live your financial life. But before making decisions, we must understand that money is not a small compartment of our lives its an intimate partner. In this witty, down-to-earth, and money-wise book, Michaels offers solid help and encouragement. Whether or not we know it, we make these decisions every day of our lives. Michaels simply helps us to make them with more understanding of our own capabilities.
Customer Reviews:
Easy read and great primer for women.......2004-02-17
This was not my first financial book--and I still enjoyed it! It's the kind of book that you can pick up to read at any point (read one chapter or section) and get a lot out of it. I gave it to my younger sister as a must-read. The title resonated with me because as most women, I love to shop. So it became clear to me that I had to re-think my splurges. A year after reading this book I bought my first home!
Bravo! A Book Written to Be Read and Enjoyed About Money.......1999-03-28
What a treat to Find a book that talks in English and Understands how to communicate important issues. I've bought this book for friends, and family as gifts and each and everyone has loved it. Michaels has a flair for speaking in such a personal way that I felt like we were sitting at the kitchen table together.....
Fascinating and intimate look at money & finance!.......1997-11-25
Ms. Michaels superbly combines money management, relationships, and practical advice in this hard to set down financial advisor. (I read it in one sitting). Who would have thought a book on finance could be so interesting! While the author caught me with her witty title, she captivated me with her personal stories. Her fascinating characters walk the reader through real life experiences -- consequences of financial decisions -- the good, the bad & the not so pretty. In the process, the reader accomplishes a self-discovery of the intimate relationship she has with money & spending. After a year of plowing through half a dozen books on finance, (some of us need more help than others), it was most refreshing to find an author who brings together vital information and engaging personal history in such a pleasurable format. I will definitely be on the look-out for more titles from Ms. Michaels.
Book Description
Do you have a story or a message that just keeps dogging you and just won't let you go? Every time that your gaze falls upon a bestseller list, do you wonder why your name is not on it? Are friends, family members, and/or colleagues continually commenting on how much they love to read your letters? Would publication of your work land you the professional praise or tenure that you seek? If you answered "Yes" to any of the above, "You were born to be published," says author Tom Bird, founder of The Tom Bird Method T, which offers, no matter what you write, a proven system for getting your writing published. Some of the central themes to be covered in this book include: . Seeing your book in print in as little as twenty days . Learning the secrets behind getting published that other authors don't want you to know . Getting paid for your book before it is even written . Receiving offers to get your book published or represented by a top literary agent in as little as a few hours . Discovering everything you need to know about protecting your work from being stolen. Tom Bird employed all of the orthodox methods for getting published and met with nothing but frustration and failure. So he finally decided to develop his own strategy for not only writing a book quickly, easily, and enjoyably, but getting whatever it is he wrote published, The Tom Bird Method T. Six weeks after doing so, at the age of twenty-six, Tom sold his first book to, at that time, the third largest publisher in the world, for an amount equivalent to three times his yearly salary as The Assistant Director of Publicity with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since then, Tom, who has gone onto publish fifteen other books and whose work has appeared in dozens of magazines, has shared his Eleven Laws through over 3,000 appearances at more than 100 top college and university campuses, and has helped thousands of writers in securing a publishing deal. He details in this book not only his own successes, but his methods for leading so many others to their literary dreams. As a result, you will find everything you need to know to publish whatever it is that you write. If you ever wanted to publish, for whatever reason, and/or felt that you were born to be published, this book is for you. Tom resides in Sedona, Arizona, with Tammy Kelly, their daughter Skyla, and their two dogs, five cats, and two birds. "I can't thank you enough for helping me fulfill my heart's deepest desire..."-Debra Blais, Author of Letting Your Heart Sing. "Thank you for showing me how to get published...over 200,000 books sold to date..."- Jan Larkey, Author of Flatter Your Figure, Simon & Schuster
Customer Reviews:
Put your passion into action!.......2006-12-19
Outstanding... the system presented in this book is simple enough for the unpublished writer to follow, motivating enough to follow it, and detailed enough to follow through, each step of the way. Tom Bird answers every reason for not getting published in this inspiring, common sense manual. He assumes we writers want to make a positive difference in the world, and that we need to make a living. Right on!
This book introduces the world of publishing in a step by step way. The author is well aware of how frightening this can be to a novice. He gives generously of his own positive attitude, and addresses each concern with practical strategies. The eleven "laws" that organize the book function more as a motivational "ladder" than as a useful list. The 90+ pages of examples, to do lists, and resources are worth the price of admission, alone.
If you are looking for a book to inspire and inform you, this is the perfect one. Forget lethargy, passivity, and inaction. Forget ruthless self-criticism! The success stories of new writers will renew your faith in your own unique contribution. From there, it is just a question of taking action. If you have a passion to be published, this book can help you to get it done.
Some golden nuggets among the sludge.......2006-11-24
Shouldn't someone who teaches writing and publishing have an editor whose spell check program at the very least deletes the "a" from "heafty" before putting the book into print? This type of pervasive sloppiness, along with a little too much oddly placed self-promotion, distracted me from the main message, which is how to get a book or magazine article published.
On the plus side, it does appear that anyone can get published, with perseverence and time and effort, especially if one happens to be buddies with a famous person in need of a ghostwriter. There are some good references to valuable resources, including one web site that is misspelled once but spelled correctly another time. And the book has a very positive, encouraging tone, which may provide stuck would-be published authors with the impetus to get those hundred letters to literary agents out sooner rather than later.
Tom Bird Nails It Again.......2006-11-11
Tom Bird gives you the nuts & bolts of publishing in an easy-to-learn intuitive manner. He breaks down publishing your book, whether fiction or non-fiction, into simple chunks of information.
Just like in "Write From God" or "Releasing Your Artist Within," with Tom's fresh approach and deep industry knowledge, he distills the essence of publishing into a handful of simple guidelines. These guidelines or laws range from, "Always write what you feel most strongly about..." to "If you are so led, collaborating on a book with a well-known source or celebrity is a great way to get published fast."
Tom provides substantial supporting information such as a checklist for self-publishing, sample query letters and sample book proposals.
"You Were Born To Be Published..." is a great tool for you to become the published writer that you want to be!
You Were Born to be Published by Tom Bird.......2006-11-07
So, you've just completed your first opus, and you're pretty proud of yourself. After all, this could just be the Great American Novel. Little do you know that, even though your manuscript is finished, your work has only just begun! There are miles to go between "The End" and that Oprah interview.
You're a babe in the woods. You are about to enter the world of agents, queries, proposals, copyrights, contracts, publicity and promotion, and you are a deer in headlights. You haven't a clue about the many procedures, options and decisions that lie ahead of you, not to mention the many landmines in your way that will derail your progress to the top of the best-seller list.
Enter Tom Bird with his roadmap to getting there. He has been down this road, through the trials and tribulations and, finally, with his own method, to the successes of book publishing.
This book is a gem, a "must have" for any first-time writer. It is not only comprehensive, but concise, succinct, clear, and very easy to use. It is well organized, and loaded with examples of query letters and proposal submissions to help jump start the process of getting published.
You Were Born to be...Published will be an indispensable reference book on any writer's shelf.
Reality Orientation on Getting Published.......2006-10-29
Tom Bird's You Were Born to be Published
As a published author with my share of rejection slips, I find Tom Bird's book a fresh breeze. That's because it's the no-bull guide to getting published. His eleven laws frequently conflict with the conventional wisdom. He tells you don't even try to go to a traditional publisher without an agent. Don't send manuscripts until the agent likes your query letter. Make your letter one page. Don't expect the publisher to spend a fortune on marketing your book unless you're a famous author. Realize that print-on-demand is the way of the future (or even the present). Face the costs of writing and publishing realistically. Write what you know and are passionate about. And on and on.
He also points out the multidimensional roles you have to take if you're going to self-publish--writer, editor, publisher, marketer, publicity agent, business manager. You have to be a literary schizophrenic!
Stuff I know from hard experience is right!
I have read a number of authors on getting published, but none has the ring of reality that Tom Bird does.
--William Waters
Customer Reviews:
A good resource, but some information is outdated.......2000-11-29
This is one of the better books on self-publishing. Although it's only about 100 pages, it contains a lot of useful information. I appreciate the fact that this author has actually self-published her own books. You may be surprised to learn that several of the self-publishing books that I read were written by authors that had never self-published a book.
The major negative comment that I have about this book that it was published back in 1992. Much has changed since then and some of the information is outdated. This is the reason that I cannot give it 5 stars. I hope that the author is working on an updated edition.
If you plan to self-publishing a book, this would be a good book to start with, but I would recommend that you also purchase some other books that have more recent publication dates.
A necessity for writers and publishers.......2000-03-19
The Prepublishing Handbook takes you from that initial dream of being published through writing, production and promotion. Pat Bell has been there several times and it shows. The teacher, the writer and the publisher all show through as she makes getting out your book easy and fun. If you plan to write and/or publish, you need this valuable book.
Publishing? Read Pat's Book!.......1997-10-08
Pat's book is an absolute necessity if you have any hope of succeeding in the independent publishing field. The book's title is as straightforward as her advice. Highly recommended!
A must read for all writers and potential publishers........1997-01-04
The Prepublishing Handbook is one of those books that I refer to again and again.
Pat uses simple, straightforward language to lead you through the steps needed to become a successful independent publisher.
Don't publish your book without first reading The Prepublishing Handbook by Patricia Bell
Customer Reviews:
Attend a Writersý Conference from Home.......2000-10-03
What an inexpensive treat to be able to get inside advice on book writing and publishing from 40 people in the business.
As the author of 113 books (including revisions and foreign-language editions) and over 500 magazine articles, I highly recommend this book to writers. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com.
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Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One and Never Lets Them Go
