Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly

Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly is a book by Gail Carson Levine that teaches its reader how to write better.

Each chapter introduces a new point on which good writers focus, such as description or character creation or being able to let your characters suffer. Then, at the end of the chapter, Levine lists a couple writing prompts so the reader can practice what was just learned.

Levine doesn't just help with the finer points of writing, either. If you're struggling with one of the basics, such as writing your story's beginning, middle, or end, she offers help for those too.

Or perhaps you wrote up to a certain point in the story and you don't know what to do next. She offers tips for getting your story moving again.

Although this book is certainly unlike her other books that I've talked about, it is not any less engaging. Even if you don't try any of the writing exercises, even if you just read the book straight through, it's helpful. While you may not be getting the experience that is offered throughout the book, absorbing the information for later is still helpful.

This book isn't just helpful for writing fiction, either, or so Levine claims. Personally, I haven't noticed one way or the other, but supposedly this book helps with letter-writing, essay-writing, and even skywriting. Go figure.

Anyways, it's a very useful and engaging book. I guarantee you'll like learning in this case. =)