4 A.M. Breakthrough: Unconventional Writing Exercises That Transform Your Fiction - Softcover

Kiteley, Brian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1582975639 ISBN 13: 9781582975634

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2009

Synopsis

Realize All That Is Possible in Your Fiction

Writers have long turned to exercises for help with beginning—be it a new piece of fiction, a daily routine, or a serious writing life. Behind the theory of exercises is an attitude of curiosity and expectancy, a desire to ask questions of yourself and of the world, to boldly—or not so boldly—stick a toe into the waters of something fresh, provocative, and exhilarating. To create fiction on the verge.

In The 4 A.M. Breakthrough, companion to The 3 A.M. Epiphany, award-winning author and professor Brian Kiteley presents you with another 200 stimulating exercises, designed to help you expand your understanding of the problems and processes of more complex, satisfying fiction and to challenge you to produce works of which you never thought yourself capable.

You'll learn how to:

• Train your writing instincts, so creation becomes a more organic, automatic process
• Tackle challenging concepts and themes, such as Language Games, The Mind, Money & Class, and History, laying a foundation for larger, more significant writing projects
• Make your writing process more fun and experimental, so you'll approach your fiction in the spirit of discovery, rather than with anxiety

Open the book. Choose an exercise. Surprise yourself.

Anything can happen—even at 4 a.m.

About this title

Synopsis

Writing is practice. Writing is instinct. Practice makes for better instincts. Fiction exercises are one part of a very particular sort of practice to build better instincts.Building on the success of Kiteley's previous book, "The 3A.M. Ephiphany", this book goes beyond the basic fiction writing elements such as dialogue and character to provide unusual exercises that allow writers to practice their craft in creative new ways.Unlike other writing books that can seem formulaic and predictable, this guide doesn't provide neat definitions of the component of fiction, nor does it hammer on particular rules or methods. Rather, it helps writers learn the elements of fiction while experiencing them.

About the Author

Brian Kiteley is director of the creative writing program at the University of Denver (one of the very few schools to offer a PhD in creative writing); he teaches writing workshops to both undergrads and grads. He has published two novels. His work has been published in Best American Short Stories.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1582975639
• ISBN 13: 9781582975634
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288