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Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey
 
 

Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey [Kindle Edition]

Chuck Wendig
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

Digital List Price: $4.99 What's this?
Kindle Price: $4.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet


Book Description

May 18, 2011
“No seriously, he’s not f**king around, you really don’t want to be a writer. But if you’re mad enough to decide that you do, Wendig will be your gonzo-esque guide, from the technical advice about structure, query letters and submissions, to dealing with agents and editors and how to make your characters do as they’re damn well told, he’s full of good advice. Like a cursing, booze-soaked Virgil to your Dante, let him show you around.

Buy this book, your editor will thank you.”

-- Jenni Hill, Editor, Solaris Books

Want to become a novelist? A screenwriter? An all-around freelance penmonkey? Don’t know the difference between beats, scenes, sequences and acts? Not sure where to begin your edit, or how to query an agent, or what liquor goes best with the madness of being a writer? Then CONFESSIONS OF A FREELANCE PENMONKEY is all yours.

CONFESSIONS is a collection of 50+ essays on the subject of writing and the writing life. It covers a wide array of subjects, from technical advice to discussions of publishing versus self-publishing to what to do if you wake up pantsless and ink-stained in the basement of a Tijuana bookstore.

Equal parts hilarious, insane, profane, and profound, CONFESSIONS will take you through the trials and tribulations of the penmonkey’s existence, offering advice every step of the way.

Features popular TERRIBLEMINDS essays:

…“Beware of Writer”

…“Drop That Pen, Grab A Hammer: Building The Writer’s Platform”

…”Exposing Yourself: Do You Write For Free?”

…“No, Seriously, I’m Not F**king Around, You Really Don’t Want To Be A Writer”

…“The Penmonkey’s Paean”

… “Why Your Novel Won’t Get Published”

…“Why You Won’t Finish That Novel”

And more!

(TERRIBLEMINDS has been named one of the top 101 websites for writers by WRITER’S DIGEST magazine!)

"Chuck Wendig has done what so many authors desperately need and will never admit: offered a phenomenal book about the real world of writing, and made it reachable and readable by anyone. An absolute must-read for anyone even thinking of dabbling with words for a living.”

-- Karina Cooper, author, Blood of the Wicked

"Chuck Wendig's Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey is full of the kind of writing advice I wish I'd gotten in school. Practical, brutally honest, and done with the kind of humor that will make it stick in your brain. Whether you're a veteran writer or new to the craft, you'll find something useful in here.

Plus he says ‘f**k’ a lot, so, you know, there's that."

-- Stephen Blackmoore, author, City of the Lost

"In Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey, Chuck Wendig hammers out writing and career advice that's always brave, profane, creative, clever, and honest. And don't forget hilarious. You'll never laugh so hard learning so much."

-- Matt Forbeck, game designer & author, Vegas Knights

“When a writer hits cynical, drunken, mother-hugging rock bottom, that's when they need Chuck Wendig's raw, no-holds barred advice. This is not for the faint of heart. But then again, neither is writing.”

-- Mur Lafferty, host of ISBW (I Should Be Writing), editor of Escape Pod, author of Playing For Keeps

"Despite being irreverent, vulgar, and funny, Chuck Wendig is also surprisingly profound. From one wordslinger about another, Chuck is the real deal and every prospective or working writer should read Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey."

-- Jennifer Brozek, author, The Little Finance Book That Could

“If you want to be a better writer, or just want to be inspired by one of the best takes on writing I’ve ever read, do yourself a favor and buy Confessions.”

-- Daniel Ames, author, Feasting at the Table of the Damned


Product Details

  • File Size: 1085 KB
  • Print Length: 338 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Terribleminds; First Kindle Edition edition (May 18, 2011)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B0051JTOLQ
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123,810 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Kate (the other one) May 23, 2011
By Kate
Format:Kindle Edition
4 stars just because I'm name-dropped about half way through the book. Extra star for his hilarious send up of the acknowledgments page.

I kid. I kid.

This is, in essence, TerribleMinds: the remix. Consider this the greatest hits collection of Chuck's writing advice throughout the years, with bonus content and post scripts on many of the articles. You'll see Chuck change his mind about NaNoWriMo, completely reverse his stance on ebooks, and expand on a lot of ideas he only glossed over the first time around. That alone is well worth the $5 price tag.

Bottom line - this is the most honest writing advice you'll come across. You won't agree with everything Chuck puts forward, and he doesn't expect you to. He doesn't approach his methods and musings as The One True Way to Write. Instead he'll give you lots of options to chew on, things to ponder, and a new way of looking at your craft.

Writers, this collection is a boon. Add it to your collection.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey is a fun read, full of encouraging solid advice for people who would like to be what he is - a professional freelance writer. At times challenging, funny, profane, sweet, and inspiring, (occasionally all of those things at once), Chuck's articles - mostly taken from his blog at terribleminds.com - did a very important thing. They made me think long and hard about whether professional writing is for me.

Chuck Wendig is, well, an odd duck with a penchant for creative, colorful profanity that is nothing short of astounding. He is also, by most reports, usually pantsless. You have been warned. And of course, now I can't think about the words long and hard without it being a euphemism. CURSE YOU, WENDIG!!!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Dude I mean really. December 22, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition
Seriously, where in the hell can you find writing advice this good in a format that so side-splitting, jaw droppingly hi-frakkin-lar-e-ous?

Nowhere. Only from Chuck Wendig.

It's ridiculous how much this book rocks.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
If you were waiting for the ultimate book on writing advice your wait...
I've read quite a few books on how to write, or how to develop a particular genre, but hands down, this is the best book on writing out right now. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Todd R. Moody
Pretty dang solid
Other people have commented on the origins of this book. With the exception of some commentary, and a few cleaned up posts, everything in this book could be found with some... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Anthony
If you don't get the vapors at the mention of the word "panties"
... Then this book is for you.

I tend to avoid How-To-Write books, as the advice is typically some combination of trite, shallow, condescending, or useless to anyone who... Read more
Published 9 months ago by L. Blair
Bwaaaa HA haaaaaaa haaaa!
God, this thing made me howl with laughter at least once in damn near every chapter/post. Fair warning, though: if you are one of those stick-up-the-butt prudes who hate profanity... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Angela Knight
Full On Advice for the Aspiring Artist
Chuck doesn't mess around with words in this book. If you are easily offended by swearing, crass analogies or low-brow humour; don't read this book. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Brett Nash
Pen's and monkey's
My personal experience with the fiction genre is, well, non-existent. I can give you a step 1, step 2, and step 3 like a how-to virtuoso. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Dahlia Valentine
Good little penmonkey
Is Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey the most useful book of writing advice I will read all year? Yes it is. You too, if you're smart. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Dave Versace
Thumbs Up
This is some fantastic work. The advice is specific and actually useful and delivered with wit. Not that I went in expecting to be bored, because hey... Read more
Published 10 months ago by SJ Mathis
Funny, insightful and a tad zany
I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought this book. Based on the word "Freelance" in the title, I assumed this was geared towards freelance copywriters, not novelists, so at... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Amber S
Consider me a fan!
This book sucks you straight in from the start and dosen't let you go until the very end.
Chuck Wendig, has a unique blend of sarcasm and wit that makes learning about the... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Rachelle
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More About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chuck Wendig is equal parts novelist, screenwriter, and game designer. He is the author of the novels DOUBLE DEAD, BLACKBIRDS, and MOCKINGBIRD. In addition, he's got a metric boatload of writing-related e-books available, including the popular 500 WAYS TO BE A BETTER WRITER. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with wife, dog, and newborn progeny.

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Frame out your dialogue scenes as characters acting in order to achieve a goal. &quote;
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what are the main characters feeling? And, what are the readers feeling? Note there the absence of the word "should." That word is meaningless. It either is, or it isn't. &quote;
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