July 31, 2008 Winners     

The Mind of Your Story—Discover What Drives Your Fiction by Lisa Lenard-Cook. This book takes writers beyond the basics and guides them through the foundations and the nuances of story creation, allowing them to create fiction that grabs the reader and doesn’t let go. Aspiring writers will also develop and refine their technical skills when it comes to plot development, point of view and more, and establish an internal rhythm that complements their voice and their story’s developing narrative. (Writer’s Digest Books) 256 pp. HC 9781582974880 | $19.99

Tara Boelter ~ Cosmos, MN

The Write Type—Discover Your True Writer’s Identity and Crate a Customized Writing Plan by Karen E. Peterson. The author teaches readers how to exploit their writing personality and create a system that will lead to the book they were inherently born to write. She encourages readers to capitalize on individual quirks and tendencies instead of being constrained by them. She outlines the ten components of a writer’s type and provides accompanying to-do lists, exercises and scenarios applicable to each personality. (Adams Media) 247 pp. PB 1598694707 | $12.95

Cynthia Carter-Scott ~ Bellevue, WA

June 30, 2008 Winners     

Courage & Craft: Writing Your Life into Story by Barbara Abercrombie. This book is for anyone who wants to write about her or his life but wonders how to get started, how to keep going, and whether it’s even worth it. It’s about finding the courage to put your story down on paper no matter how sloppy your first draft may be. It’s also about crafting your story—shaping and editing it into an essay, memoir, fictional story, or family history. The book explores multiple methods for telling stories and offers a nuts-and-bolts overview of each genre.(New World Library) 176 pp. PB 9781577316015 | $14.95

Ruth Wucherer ~ Milwaukee, WI

Time To Write—More than 100 Professional Writers Reveal How to Fit Writing into Your Busy Lifestyle by Kelly L. Stone. The author shows readers that a big part of accomplishing great writing is the time management process taken to get it done. Excuses like getting the kids to practice or demands at work no longer need to deter aspiring writers. The book offers unique regimented time management tips any writer can use along the path to bestseller success. (Adams Media) 246 pp. PB 1598694383 | $12.95

Quinn Urich ~ Townsend, MT

May 31, 2008 Winners     

The Portable Writer’s Conference—Your Guide to Getting Published edited by Stephen Blake Mettee. This book’s workshops cover how to write a sizzling love scene, a self-help book, or a query letter. It will guide you on running a home-based writing business, understanding copyright laws, and creating memorable characters. Best of all, you don’t have to travel to this writer’s conference! (Quill Driver Books) 464 pp. PB 9781884956577 | $19.95

Diane Coutre ~ Santa Monica, CA

The Writer Within You—A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing and Publishing In Your Retirement Years by Charles Jacobs. Created to meet the expressed needs of retirees, seniors, and older baby boomers who have long dreamed of writing, this book teaches the basics of crafting a novel, non-fiction, a memoir, articles, travel or business writing. (Caros Books) 321 pp. PB 9780979363603 | $19.95

Sheryl Gordon-Rivera ~ Staten Island, NY

April 30, 2008 Winners     

A Cup of Comfort for Writers edited by Colleen Sell. This book features the stories of more than fifty writers who share the passion, unrest, and joy their craft can cause them—from the woman who enters an elite writing program at the age of forty to the husband who wins his wife’s affection by writing her love letters. (Adams Media) 327 pp. PB, 9781598692686 | $9.95

Chris Schreiber ~ Langhorne, PA

Inspired Creative Writing: Pokes and Prods for Scribblers of All Stripes by Gordon Smith. This is a welcome addition to the celebrated 52 Brilliant Ideas line. (Each book in the series contains 52 short, stand-alone chapters that present a new idea or strategy.) This particular book offers tactics and exercises to get the imagination flowing from the first line to the final word. (Perigee Trade Paperback) 237 pp. PB, 9780399533471 | $15.95

James Briggs ~ Rexburg, ID

March 31, 2008 Winners     

The Writer’s I Ching—Wisdom for the Creative Life by Jessica Page Morrell. Whether you’re trying to untangle a plot line, shape a nonfiction narrative, or determine how patient to be with a slow-to-respond editor, this book can point the way. Draw a card, then consult the book for the correct interpretation. Complete with a full deck of I Ching card. (Running Press) 224 pp. PB 9780762425471 | $17.97

Kevin Moore ~ Safford, AZ

Writing for Life—The Craft of Writing for Everyday Living by John D. Bessler. This book gives readers the know-how and tools they need to write more effectively. This inspirational guide unlocks the secrets of the craft, excites readers about the possibilities of language, and will help both beginning and experienced writers alike better navigate the writing process. (Bottlecap Books) 352 pp. HC 9780979271809 | $24.95

Marc Araujo ~ Verona, NY

February 29, 2008 Winners     

Courage & Craft: Writing Your Life Into Story by Barbara Abercrombie. This book is for anyone who wants to write about her or his life but wonders how to get started, how to keep going, and whether it’s even worth it. The book explores multiple methods for telling stories and offers a nuts-and-bolts overview of each genre. (New World Library) 176 pp. PB, 9781577316015 | $14.95

Jonathan Feld ~ Saukville, WI

The New Writer’s Handbook—A Practical Anthology of Best Advice for Your Craft & Career edited by Philip Martin. This book of sixty articles serves as a personal, professional-development seminar, touching on topics from craft techniques to career issues to helpful thoughts about creativity and motivation. The book offers an eclectic mix of expert advice, stimulating short pieces and overall encouragement. (Scarletta Press) 288 pp. PB, 9780976520160| $16.95

Vicki Kennedy ~ Longview, TX

December 31, 2007 Winners     

Finding Water—The Art of Perseverance by Julia Cameron. The third book in Julia Cameron’s bestselling trilogy on the creative process offers guidance on weathering the periods in an artist’s life when inspiration appears to have run dry. She guides the reader through tasks and questions that uncover additional tools for working through difficulties and the self-doubts that often come with lack of inspiration. (Tarcher/Penguin) 286 pp. HC 9781585424634 | $25.95

Ashley Laughery ~ Margate, FL

The Freelance Writer’s Bible—Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year by David Trottier. This book is designed as a compass for developing writers as they pursue success in any of 17 writing domains—guiding them from honing the creative process to marketing and selling a finished work for publication. Through worksheets and exercises he provides the ABCs of deriving a meaningful income from writing. (Silman-James Press) 260 pp. PB 1879505851| $19.95

Sean Erickson ~ Crystal  Lake,  IL

November 30, 2007 Winners     

The Fiction Editor, the Novel, and the Novelist—A Book for Writers, Teachers, Publishers, and Anyone Else Devoted to Fiction by Thomas McCormack. Mr. McCormack draws upon twenty-eight years experience as the CEO and Editorial Director of St. Martin’s Press as he gives practical guidance about how to plan, write, and revise a novel. He details how to structure the novel, choose the characters, drive the story, diagnose narrative ailments, and find and apply specific remedies. (Paul Dry Books) 167 pp. PB 9781589880306 | $14.95

Patti Pepple ~ Brooklyn, OH

Spunk & Bite—A Writer’s Guide to Bold, Contemporary Style by Arthur Plotnik. This book proves how rule-breaking can often yield dazzling, engaging writing in everything from fiction and poetry to everyday business reports, memos, and e-mail. With advise on force, clarity, texture, form and how to use the element of surprise, the book offers inspiration for writers looking to get published or just seeking a resource for fresh locutions.  (Random House Reference) 273 pp. PB 9780375722271 | $12.95

Anthony Cheng ~ Chicago, IL 

October 31, 2007 Winners     

Floor Sample—A Creative Memoir by Julia Cameron. Julia Cameron is the author of twenty-four books including The Authors Way. This memoir offers a no-holds-barred account of her trials and triumphs. Against all odds, she built a loving support system, got sober, and stayed that way. Despite enormous physical and emotional challenges, she somehow managed to channel pain and fear into her work, devoting her life to pursuing art in its myriad forms. (Tarcher/Penguin) 406 pp. PB 9781585425570 | $14.95

Margurite Bishop ~ Springfield, OH

Writer Mama—How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids by Christina Katz. With advice on everything from getting started and finding ideas to actually carving out precious time to work, Writer Mama covers specific direction for creating fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. The content is specific for mothers and their uniquely harried environments—making this book’s format a welcome departure from the traditional one-size-fits-all writing instruction guides. (Writer’s Digest Books) 296 pp. PB 9781582974415 | $14.99

Tammy McClenning ~ Canton, GA 

September 30, 2007 Winners     

By Cunning & Craft—Sound Advice and Practical Wisdom for Fiction Writers by Peter Selgin. This book gives guidance to fiction writers of all skill levels and genres, covering every aspect of novel writing from voice and style to story structure and dialogue. Writing successful fiction is a balance between trusting one’s own instincts and making right conscious choices. With precise instruction and examples from classic and best-selling works, this authoritative guide helps you master all the essential fiction-writing elements. (Writer’s Digest Books) 256 pp. HC 9781582974910 | $19.99

Matthew Martin ~ Santa Fe, TX

This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley. This book is an indispensable book of tips, tools, practical advice, and wisdom. Presented in five sections, it advises would-be writers on the general disciplines and attitudes that fiction writers must adopt, delineates the basic elements of fiction writing (plot and story, character development, narrative voice, etc.), recommends some tactics to begin and write a first draft, instructs on the process of rewriting, and explains genre and aesthetics. (Little, Brown and Company) 128 pp. HC 9780316065412 | $19.99

Cappy L. Hanson ~ Douglas, AZ 

August 31, 2007 Winners     

The Glimmer Train—Guide to Writing Fiction—Building Blocks edited by Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda B. Swanson-Davies. In this book you will find the gathered knowledge and opinions of over 100 accomplished literary writers. The result: perspective. In excerpts from interviews conducted by the editors of Glimmer Train Stories, contemporary writers who rarely discuss their craft present you with eye-opening techniques, diverse perspectives, and genuine encouragement—the kind of wisdom earned only from years at the writing desk. The voices of these authors resonate from the pages—sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, but always illuminating. (Writer’s Digest Books) 444 pp. HC 978-1-58297-446-0 | $19.99

Dawn Johnson ~ Duluth, MN

How to Write by Alastair Fowler. This book is an introductory guide to writing, aimed at people who think they can’t write, or for whom writing is an unpleasant ordeal. Broken down into short topic-based chapters on everything from beginning to revising, it demystifies the writing process by taking the reader through each stage necessary to bring a piece of writing to a decent finish. This book is ideal for both students and professional people who need to write during the course of their work. Topics include: How to begin, prep work, producing drafts, and making outlines. Sentence construction, punctuation, and metaphors. Tips on research and using reference works. (Oxford University Press) 202 pp. PB 9780199278503 | $9.95

Frances Ellen ~ Orlando, FL 

July 31, 2007 Winners     

Now Write!—Fiction Writing Exercises from Today’s Best Writers and Teachers edited by Sherry Ellis. Ellis shows how to jump-start the imagination with 86 exercises gathered from a variety of successful and prolific authors covering all aspects of the writing process: Point of View, Character Development, Dialog, Plot and Pacing, Setting and Description, Craft, and Revision. Each exercise includes a brief commentary from the author, outlining the element of fiction writing their exercise addresses, and how the exercise helps them improve their own writing. (Tarcher/Penguin) 269 pp. PB 1-58542-522-2 | $13.95

Angie Harris ~ Saint Joseph, MO

Toxic Feedback—Helping Writers Survive and Thrive by Joni B. Cole. An unfortunate experience with feedback has made some writers forever wary of seeking out comments and criticisms during the writing process. Cole shows writers how to understand and interpret feedback, and how to manage the feedback process; she shows readers how to deliver suggestions in the most constructive manner; and she shows workshop participants how to get the most out of their collective experience. (University Press of New England) 168 pp. PB 1-58465-544-5 | $16.95

Lori Azim ~ Brooklyn, NY

May 31, 2007 Winners     

See Jane Write—A Girl’s Guide to Writing Chick Lit by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs. The authors cover every stage of developing and selling your soon-to-be novel, with information on developing and idea; learning the basics of plotting, pacing, and conflict; deciding on a point of view; making your character likable; and finding an agent. (Quirk Books) 191 pp. PB 978-1-59474-115-9 | $14.95

Anais Casamayor ~ Hialeah, FL

Rules of Thumb—73 Authors Reveal Their Fiction Writing Fixations edited by Michael Martone and Susan Neville. Whether it’s the simplest of prohibitions (don’t use too many adjectives), or a cherished writing maxim (show, don’t tell), all writers have a rule of thumb that guides their work. (Writer’s Digest Books) 245 pp. PB 978-1-58297-391-3 | $19.99

Richard Brousseau ~ Timmins, ON, Canada