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Live Writing: Breathing Life into Your Words [Paperback]

Ralph Fletcher
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Book Description

March 9, 1999 8 and up
This book is based on the simple idea that every writer has a "tool box." Instead of awls and hammers, a writer's toolbox contains words, imagination, a love of books, a sense of story, and ideas for how to make the writing live and breathe. I wrote this book to give you some practical strategies to throw into your toolbox. I hope you'll try them, because these are ideas that can make you a better writer.

This book is titled Live Writing, and you may be wondering what I mean by that. Most of us have read (and written!) the opposite kind of writing-dull, drab language that sounds about as interesting as a city phone book. By "live writing" I mean the kind of writing that has a current running through it-energy, electricity, juice. When we read "live writing", the words seem to lift off the page and burrow deep inside us.


Frequently Bought Together

Live Writing: Breathing Life into Your Words + A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You + How Writers Work: Finding a Process That Works for You
Price for all three: $16.17

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ralph Fletcher has always been a special person for children's literature. He is the author of picture books, nonfiction, and novels for young readers. How to Write Your Life Story is the fifth book in Mr. Fletcher's series of instructional writing books, which includes A Writer's Notebook, Live Writing, How Writers Work, and Poetry Matters. Mr. Fletcher lives with his family in New Hampshire.


Product Details

  • Age Range: 8 and up
  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins; Reissue edition (March 9, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0380797011
  • ISBN-13: 978-0380797011
  • Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ralph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.

Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.

Customer Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
(13)
4.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
68 of 70 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Third in a Fantastic Trio by Fletcher July 19, 2003
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ralph Fletcher has written a trio of fantastic books for young writers. "A Writer's Notebook" is about gathering material; "How Writers Work" is about the process of writing; and "Live Writing" is about craft, or how to write well. Most importantly, these three books are written directly to kids, in a warm and personal rather than "textbook" manner. I don't know of any other author who writes books on writing for kids, and this genre is so needed! Plus all of Fletcher's books are very engaging and well-written.

Fletcher selects what he feels are the most important aspects of craft for this book. My notes on some of them follow:
Characters
· Characters are the most important part of a story.
· The plot should grow out of the characters, and not the other way around.
· Characters must first be born in your mind.
· Build characters from people you know.
· Give physical descriptions of your characters.
· Characters should be complex, containing both good and bad.
· Write letters to and from your characters, asking them questions!
Voice
· Best way to develop it is through your writer's notebook.
· Think of writing as chatting on paper.
· Always have a particular audience in mind.
· Be honest!
· Writing is trying to get readers to see something as you do.
Conflict
· Types of.
· Don't wait long to develop it.
· Don't solve it too quickly.
· Don't end a story too abruptly or predictably.
Time
· Writing time isn't the same as real time.
· Slow down "hot spots."
· Skip over unimportant time quickly.
· Narrow the time frame to key points.
· Flashbacks are usually needed; they represent memories, what makes a character tick.

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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Teaching Writing May 13, 2003
By madbee
Format:Paperback
This easy to understand book is good for writers of all ages. I have used lessons from this book to help my middle school and high school students improve their writing. Fletcher concentrates on specific aspects of writing, like leads or characters, and uses simple but powerful examples that implicitly show students how to improve their writing. If you are using a workshop class, many of his ideas lend themselves to effective mini-lessons.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great advice for young or beginning creative writers April 26, 2005
Format:Paperback
This is a light, easy-to-read small book summarizing the important ideas for young creative writers.

The author gives published examples of most of his creative writing recommendations. The book is short but was well worth the price of the paperback version ($5 retail).

Although the target seems to be young writers, I found many interesting quotes and passages to digest and underline.

And although I think of this book as a little 'lightweight' I keep going back to browse through it.

John Dunbar

Sugar Land, TX
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
It is clear and well written for any age. Since buying this I have purchased more books by this author.​
Published 28 days ago by Karl Graff
5.0 out of 5 stars Must have
All of these books are a must have in your writing library. Very easy to read and apply to your daily lessons
Published 1 month ago by Cz
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Writing Workshop
I use this book in Writing Workshop with my students in fifth grade. It is a great help with their writing and they enjoy listening to Ralph Fletcher's stories.
Published 5 months ago by Phillip Lariviere
4.0 out of 5 stars Very User Friendly
This book is written for teens, therefore it is generally straight forward. I love that the author tells the kids, "I have to work at writing. Read more
Published on November 17, 2010 by D. Anthony
4.0 out of 5 stars Practical Advice for Beginning Writers
This short book intended to improve elementary writing skills contains several fine pieces of advice for the aspiring writer of fiction. Read more
Published on August 26, 2010 by TW
4.0 out of 5 stars Beginning Writers
This book helps teach a person how to bring the characters off the page. The title says it all. It helps you to "Breath Life Into Your Words." Words are just words. Read more
Published on March 23, 2009 by TooTall
4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD RESOURCE FOR YOUNG WRITERS...
I read excerpts of this book to my at-risk secondary students and they really enjoyed hearing about how to make their writing more full of life. Read more
Published on May 13, 2007 by M. MCDONALD
1.0 out of 5 stars Live Writing
Have you ever read a book that you hated so much that you never wanted to set eyes on it again? Well I have and I want to tell you a little about it so that you don't have to go... Read more
Published on May 18, 2005
2.0 out of 5 stars Boring, Lame, and More Boring
The book Live Writing is a basic "toolbox" for young writers. It shows different methods on how to enhance your writing, by giving you tips on grammar, topics,organization,... Read more
Published on May 18, 2005
5.0 out of 5 stars Live Writing
I think everyone should go and buy this book. It is worthy of 5 stars.This book trys to help you become a better writer by sharing some of Ralph Fletcher's experiances. Read more
Published on January 1, 2000 by Justin Kremer
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