The Mental Game of Writing: How to Overcome Obstacles, Stay Creative and Productive, and Free Your Mind for Success
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The Mental Game of Writing: How to Overcome Obstacles, Stay Creative and Productive, and Free Your Mind for Success
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Narrated by:
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Virtual Voice
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By:
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James Scott Bell
This title uses virtual voice narration
About this listen
The keys to success as a writer are yours for the thinking!
All success begins in the mind. For writers, the mind fuels the imagination and creates stories. But for authors who are productive and resilient, and see a good return on their efforts, there is another factor at work. They are winning the mental game of writing. Successful writers have the ability to inspire themselves to produce consistently, improve systematically, overcome obstacles and keep up a positive mental attitude.
In this book, #1 bestselling writing teacher James Scott Bell takes you through the mental landscape of the successful author. He shows you not only how to stay on your game, but how to improve it. He gives you insights, strategies and techniques for blasting through walls and jumping over hurdles, setting you free to concentrate on what you love most – writing.
You'll learn how to define true success, formulate goals and plans, find courage and commitment to write, unleash your creativity and write with joy. You'll also be given steps to handle challenges like stress, burnout, envy, expectations and the trap of comparison. In short, you'll learn to get all your mental jets going full blast so your writing can reach new heights!
"I need three things before I tackle a new novel: Diet Coke, a laptop, and my dog-eared copies of James Scott Bell's books on writing craft." - #1 NYT Times Bestselling Author Kami Garcia
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- By: Matt Bell
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 45
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
They say writing is rewriting. So why does the second part get such short shrift? Refuse to Be Done will guide you through every step of the novel writing process, from getting started on those first pages to the last tips for making your final draft even tighter and stronger.
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4 out of 5 stars
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many great tips
- By lauren on 06-30-24
By: Matt Bell
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Help! For Writers
- 210 Solutions to the Problems Every Writer Faces
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 33
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 30
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Story4 out of 5 stars 30
The craft of writing offers countless potential problems: The story is too long; the story's too short; revising presents a huge hurdle; writer's block is rearing its ugly head. In Help! For Writers, Roy Peter Clark presents an "owner's manual" for writers, outlining the seven steps of the writing process, and addressing the 21 most urgent problems that writers face. In his trademark engaging and entertaining style, Clark offers 10 short solutions to each problem.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Good advice, but novelists beware
- By Robert Jason on 06-17-20
By: Roy Peter Clark
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How to Write Short
- Word Craft for Fast Times
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 81
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 73
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Story4 out of 5 stars 72
In How to Write Short , Roy Peter Clark turns his attention to the art of painting a thousand pictures with just a few words. Short forms of writing have always existed - from ship logs and telegrams to prayers and haikus. But in this ever-changing Internet age, short-form writing has become an essential skill. Clark covers how to write effective and powerful titles, headlines, essays, sales pitches, Tweets, letters, and even self-descriptions for online dating services.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Ironically long
- By Amazon Customer on 03-14-16
By: Roy Peter Clark
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Damn Fine Story
- Mastering the Tools of a Powerful Narrative
- By: Chuck Wendig
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 124
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 109
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 107
Great storytelling is making listeners care about your characters, the choices they make, and what happens to them. It's making your audience feel the tension and emotion of a situation right alongside your protagonist. And to tell a damn fine story, you need to understand why and how that caring happens. Using a mix of personal stories, pop fiction examples, and traditional storytelling terms, New York Times best-selling author Chuck Wendig will help you internalize the feel of powerful storytelling.
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2 out of 5 stars
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This writer's approach might work for some, but. .
- By zacman on 04-24-19
By: Chuck Wendig
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Story Engineering
- Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing
- By: Larry Brooks
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 44
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Performance3 out of 5 stars 37
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
The vast majority of writers begin the storytelling process with only a partial understanding of where to begin. Some labor their entire lives without ever learning that successful stories are as dependent upon good engineering as they are artistry. But the truth is, unless you are master of the form, function, and criteria of successful storytelling, sitting down and pounding out a first draft without planning is an ineffective way to begin. Story Engineering starts with the criteria and the architecture of storytelling, the engineering and design of a story....
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2 out of 5 stars
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dislike narrator voice/intonation, didnt get far
- By Khang Tran on 10-03-20
By: Larry Brooks
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Write Your Novel from the Middle
- A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 350
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 299
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 296
what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process...Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Bell's excellent advice, less well conveyed
- By Jennifer on 09-14-20
By: James Scott Bell
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The Glamour of Grammar
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 59
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 42
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Story4 out of 5 stars 40
Early in the history of English, glamour and grammar were the same word, linked to enchantment and magical spells. Now grammar brings to mind language bullies and bored-out-of-their-skulls students. Roy Peter Clark, one of America’s most influential writing teachers, wants to change that by putting the glamour back into grammar.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Wasteful
- By ABID on 12-05-13
By: Roy Peter Clark
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The Secrets of Story
- Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 736
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 638
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 627
The Secrets of Story is a revolutionary and comprehensive writing guide for the 21st century, focused on clever ways to get an audience to fully identify with an all-too-human hero. Authors will learn to how to cut through pop culture noise and win over a jaded modern audience by rediscovering the heart of writing: shaping stories that ring true to our shared understanding of human nature.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good Story Impossible? 'Au Contraire'!
- By Gillian on 05-26-17
By: Matt Bird
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How to Write Dazzling Dialogue
- The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 286
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 228
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 227
There is one sure-fire way of improving your novel fast...You may know the fundamentals of how to write fiction. You may be more than competent in plot, structure and characters. But if your dialogue is dull it will drag the whole story down...Don't sabotage your chances of selling your work to readers or publishers because the dialogue is unexceptional. Dazzle them with what the characters say. How to Write Dazzling Dialogue will give you the tools to do it.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Good course, subpar audio quality
- By Andrew Wadsworth on 03-21-20
By: James Scott Bell
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Stein on Writing
- A Master Editor Shares His Craft, Techniques, and Strategies
- By: Sol Stein
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,671
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,174
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,141
Stein on Writing provides immediately useful advice for writers of fiction and nonfiction, whether newcomers or accomplished professionals. As Sol Stein, renowned editor, author, and instructor, explains, "This is not a book of theory. It is a book of usable solutions, how to fix writing that is flawed, how to improve writing that is good, how to create interesting writing in the first place."
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent advice and examples for better writing.
- By Jane on 06-22-12
By: Sol Stein
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Write Great Scenes
- Master Techniques to Create Scenes That Keep Readers Enthralled
- By: Meg Leader
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 1 hr and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 5
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Story5 out of 5 stars 5
DO YOU want readers to find your stories un-put-downable?DO YOU want to create stories readers love? WRITE GREAT SCENES gives you a key set of tools to becoming a writer whose works readers can't stop reading. The most fundamental building block of any novel isn't the character or the plot or anything except the scenes. If you learn how to write great scenes you'll be well on your way to creating novels readers can't put down. This book breaks down what makes a great scene, the four critical elements every great scene needs, and provides you with an entire toolkit of Page-Turner Techniques ...
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3 out of 5 stars
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I have mixed feelings about this.
- By Suzanne Davis on 11-17-24
By: Meg Leader
What listeners say about The Mental Game of Writing: How to Overcome Obstacles, Stay Creative and Productive, and Free Your Mind for Success
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- brian dubois (Consignment)
- 08-27-24
AI narration is terrible and distracting
Many parts were unlistenable because of the AI narration. Otherwise great quotes and insights. I learned from it when the narration wasn’t making g it difficult to listen to or even understand.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 01-08-24
Virtual voice
Not a fan of virtual voice. Takes away from what the author says. Good info, bad delivery.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Camden
- 11-08-24
good practical advice
short and to the point gold nuggets we all need to have someone tell us once and then keep reminding ourselves
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