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A Writing Log Marks You as a Professional

A writing log has changed the way I perceive my writing output. Interviewers never fail to ask how long it took to write my last novel, and the one before that. 

"Six years," I say. "And five for the first."

But how much of that time was actually spent writing, researching, editing, and thinking about the novel? Not six years. Not even close. The next time someone asks, I'll be more prepared.

"About 5,000 hours altogether," I'll say. "About 1000 writing, another 3,000 editing, and 1,000 researching and planning."

To which they'll reply, "You're kidding. You have that information?"

I do now, and should my editor phone to ask how I'm progressing, if I think I might be finished in time to include my title in the spring catalog, I won't break into a cold sweat.

I have created a writing log. In it, I keep track of the hours I spend researching, writing first draft material, editing, and polishing my work. I can see already that the first draft column has far fewer hours listed than I would have expected. I spend the most time editing and polishing my work, but again, not as much as I would have thought.

If you're like me, you might also need a column for "worrying about the novel."

I'm learning that I spend more time worrying about not writing than actually writing. It's not easy to delude yourself when you have a log book to tell you exactly what you've accomplished over the last week or month. Instead, it's motivating.

As a result of my log, I write more. If see the first draft column looking skimpy, I'm motivated to get to work.

When you get to the place where your agent talks about a two-book deal, you need to know that you're capable of meeting the deadlines. Keep a writing log and you will not only have confidence in your ability to produce, but you will inspire confidence. If you know how quickly you write, you'll not agree to a contract you can't manage.

Creating a Log

It's not difficult to create a writing log. You can do this in a notebook or on your computer. I've created an Excel file that adds the hours up for me every time I make an entry in one of the following columns:

• Hours spent on planning and research
• Hours working on first draft material
• Substantive Editing (developing scenes or moving sections around)
• Polishing and refining
• Manuscript page count

My first column keeps track of the date, and the bottom row shows the number of hours worked.

I can divide the number of pages I wrote in a single day by the number of hours I worked to see how many pages I write per hour or day. I can also see at a glance how long it has been since I started the novel and how many days or weeks have passed without work on it. All of this information has been very enlightening.

I encourage you to make your own writing log, even if you're well into the writing of a book. It will inspire you to work more and to work smarter.

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Written by A Guest Author June 29th, 2023

Imitating John Steinbeck: A Guide to Keeping a Writing Log

By Ratika Deshpande

Every time John Steinbeck sat down to write the next words of his masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath , he first wrote in his journal. This notebook, which was later published as Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath gives us a look inside Steinbeck’s mind—his struggles, his inspiration, his self-doubt, and his determination.

Because I was already a devoted diarist and writer when I learned of Steinbeck’s habit, I decided I’d emulate him—not in writing a masterpiece (as if such a thing can be done deliberately)—but in reflecting on my writing sessions. I started keeping a writing log. Here’s how I did it and what benefits I’ve gained from doing so:

I chose to keep my log in a Google Sheet because I didn’t want one more notebook to carry around with me and because I was planning to “extract data” about my writing. As much as I love paper notebooks, for this experiment I wanted ease of editing. I could also abandon the project without guilt if it proved unfeasible. (If it were a notebook, I’d feel bad about ruining its clean pages.)

The contents

I made columns in the sheet for each of the following:

The title of the piece. Sometimes when I don’t know what to name the piece but I’m burning to write it, I simply enter the date as the document name.

The genre. When I started my log, I was writing sci-fi, fantasy, creative nonfiction, and blog posts. I wanted to be able to see which genre I was writing more in and how it was related to the number of words I wrote or how I felt about the writing session. For example, I wrote a lot of fantasy but hardly any sci-fi. Eventually I realised I enjoyed the former more, so I focused on improving my fantasy short stories as well as reading more of them.

The inspiration. Here I note what gave me the idea for the piece. Was it something a friend said? A prompt I saw online? An image? A dream I had? Over time, I could see where most of my ideas came from. I then used this information to guide me when I was stuck. For example, I’ve noticed that several of my short stories were inspired by combining random nouns and objects (forager + sword; knight + cave) or by listening to fantasy music. Many of my essays came about because of frustration or something I’d written in my diary or some movie I’d seen. Several times recently when I took on story-writing challenges, I used this information to help me come up with ideas.

The time when I sat down to write. I’m a morning person. Sometimes I work best after breakfast. Sometimes, it’s the post evening-chai session that produces good work. I don’t think that science has any solid proof to suggest which time of day will help you create a work of genius, but it’s still helpful to know what times work best for you. This is, of course, assuming you have the freedom to write at any time of day: I began this log during the pandemic and now I’m a freelance writer so my situation hasn’t changed much. Your mileage may vary. For example, if you’re pressed for time because of your job, logging your writing time may help you decide if you should do it before you go to work or after you’re home.

The word count.

Rating. This is an intuitive assessment of how much I enjoyed writing a particular piece, on a scale of 1-5. Sometimes it’s a solid 1. Sometimes it’s a brilliant, my-heart-is-bursting-with-joy 6. A quick calculation shows me that my average rating for 2022 was ~4, which is a very good number.

Notes. This is where everything else goes. How fun it was to write (or how frustrating). Details on how a certain conversation or thought floating in my head led me to writing the story/essay. I vent, I recognize the places I struggle (e.g. plotting), and solutions (e.g. reading more short stories to understand how they’re written). I can leave notes for my future self—changes to make in the second draft, or encouragement to polish the piece even if the first draft sucks. A spreadsheet is not the perfect place to write long paragraphs, but it works for my purposes. I won’t be putting these entries together for publication, after all. Some things we write just for ourselves. And they turn out to be as important for our writing as the actual stories or essays.

“I’ll get the book done if I just set one day’s work in front of the last day’s work. That’s the way it comes out. And that’s the only way it does.” – John Steinbeck, Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath

If you want to start a similar log, you can create your own using my categories.. Everything here is optional. I recommend adding a new sheet to the document every year, otherwise you’ll have to scroll a lot and the document may hang.

Bio: Ratika Deshpande is a freelance psychology and culture writer f rom New Delhi, India. She has previously written for  Tor.com  and  Submittable’s blog, Discover . Find her on her website.

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Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing

What to Write in a Reading Journal + 25 Creative Prompts

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Do you ever finish a book and find yourself overwhelmed with emotions, yet unsure of how to articulate them? I’ve been there. The first time I started a reading journal, I stared at the blank pages, feeling a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Over the years, and after analysing countless books, I’ve realised the right prompts can be a game-changer. They can transform that overwhelming feeling into a deep, reflective journey with every book.

Are you wondering what to write in a reading journal or looking for a way to connect more with the characters and story lines in your favourite novels?

If so, you’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll explore what a reading journal is, how it can enhance your reading experience, and provide you with 25 creative prompts to get you started on your own reading log

How To Keep A Reading Journal?

How to start your reading journal: simple notes or structured reflections, what to write in a reading journal – 25 reading journal prompts, reading journals, reading log benefits, reading journal book, printable book log, digital reading log, what is a reading journal.

A reading journal is a great way to keep track of the books you’ve read and record your favorite books. There are many different ways to keep a reading journal, from a simple tracker or list of books read, or recording the number of pages you’ve read each day, all the way through to recording favourite quotes and authors and a full book review with star ratings.

Learning how to write a reading journal that’s personalised for your own preferences is a great way to get more from your reading experience .

One of the best things about keeping a reading journal is that at the end of the year you can count the number of books you’ve read through the year. If you’re an avid reader and get through a lot of books keeping a book reading journal is a great way to add much pleasure to your reading life.

Another benefit of keeping a book log is keeping track of great books and authors so you can always find inspiration for your next book. They’re also great for book club members to use as a reading tracker and to note down a good idea or discussion point for your next meeting.

Keeping a reading journal is a transformative experience, turning the solitary act of reading into a documented journey of discovery. But like any journey, the first step is often filled with choices. What kind of journal should you use? What details are essential to capture? How can you make your journal a true reflection of your reading self?

As you stand on the cusp of this literary adventure, here are some key considerations to guide your choices and ensure your journal becomes a cherished companion on your reading voyages.

• Medium: A paper-based journal can help to avoid digital distractions but a digital planner can be backed up and accessed anywhere.
• Date of starting and finishing the book.
• Book title and author name.
• Personal reflections on the book (with page references if possible).
• Reviews: If reviewing, rate the book and briefly explain your rating.
• Creativity: Incorporate drawings, favorite quotes, and page clippings.
• Flexibility: Make it as simple or detailed as you prefer. There’s no right or wrong approach.
• Purpose: A reading journal documents your literary journey, offering a retrospective look at books read over time.

A reading journal is a deeply personal space, a canvas where readers paint their journey through the world of books. Its beauty lies in its adaptability; it can be as minimalistic or as intricate as you desire.

For the Minimalists: If you’re someone who cherishes simplicity, your reading journal can be just that—a blank page dedicated to each book, waiting to be filled with spontaneous thoughts, reactions, and musings. This approach is akin to having a conversation with the text, where you jot down anything that resonates, intrigues, or challenges you. It’s raw, unfiltered, and intimate.

For the Structured Souls: On the other hand, if you thrive on organization and consistency, a more structured approach might be your calling. This method is especially beneficial for students, academics, or anyone who wishes to draw comparisons between different reads. A structured format not only combats the dreaded writer’s block but also ensures that you capture standardized details for every book. Over time, this creates a treasure trove of insights, allowing for an at-a-glance view of each literary adventure. It’s like having a neatly organized bookshelf in written form, where you know exactly where to find each gem.

Now, diving into the heart of a reading journal, let’s explore the myriad things you can record, inspired by some of the features found in meticulously crafted journals:

• Reading Log: A chronological list of all the books you’ve journeyed through. Rate them on a scale that resonates with you—be it stars, hearts, or even emojis! This log serves as a testament to your literary conquests.
• Book Reviews: Dedicate a few pages to each book and delve deep. What did you love? What irked you? How did the narrative make you feel? These review worksheets are your space to play the critic, applauding the masterpieces and critiquing the letdowns.
• Books To Read: We all have that ever-growing TBR list (to be read list) of books we’re itching to read. A reading journal is a great place to start a reading queue that ensures you’re never left wondering, “What should I read next?”
• Favourite Books: Ah, the crème de la crème! Dedicate a section to the books that have left an indelible mark on your soul. This list is your go-to for inspiration, especially on those days when you’re yearning for a comforting re-read.
• Favourite Authors: Celebrate the wordsmiths who’ve enchanted you time and again. By recording your favorite authors, you can easily keep tabs on their latest releases and dive into new worlds they craft.
• Notable Quotes: Every reader has come across lines that resonate deeply, echoing long after the book is closed. Capture these literary gems in your journal, creating a reservoir of inspiration, wisdom, and beauty.

In essence, your reading journal is a reflection of your literary self. Whether you’re scribbling spontaneous thoughts or meticulously filling out structured templates, the goal is the same—to celebrate the joy of reading and the insights it brings. So, as you embark on this journey of journaling, remember that there’s no right or wrong way—only your way. Let these ideas inspire you, and craft a journal that’s as unique as your reading journey.

Check out our reading journals available in a range of formats to suit your preferences. Tracking your reading and journalling about books read is a great way to get more from your reading and remember the plot of books read .

It can be hard to decide what to focus on when writing your review. Sometimes you can’t put your finger on why you loved a particular book so much or even why it didn’t resonate with you. If you’re ever feeling stuck or staring at a blank page, try one of these 25 creative ways to get you looking at the text in a new light and generate some ideas for what to write about:

Prompt #01: Write about your thoughts and feelings after finishing the book. Reflect on your emotional journey after finishing the book. Did it evoke strong feelings? Perhaps it reminded you of a personal experience or challenged your beliefs. Dive deeper into why you felt the way you did. Studies have shown that emotional engagement with literature can enhance empathy and understanding.

Prompt #02: Make a list of the characters in the book, along with their biographical information (e.g. name, age, job, etc.). As you read, refer back to this list and take note of how the characters change and develop over time. Consider their roles in the story. How do their backgrounds, jobs, or ages influence their decisions?

Prompt #03: Write down your thoughts and feelings about the book as you are reading it. This can be done in a traditional journal format, or simply by jotting down a few brief sentences after each chapter. Capturing your in-the-moment reactions as you progress through the book can offer insights into how your perceptions change as the story unfolds. Journaling in real-time like this has been linked to improved memory recall.

Prompt #04: Create a “storyboard” of the book. Draw pictures or write short descriptions to depict important scenes and characters in the novel. This can be a great way to visualise the story and gain a better understanding of what is happening in the plot. Many people are visual learners and retain information more effectively through visual means. Recording how you pictured a scene or a character can aid comprehension and help you retain more details about the story and how it made you feel.

Prompt #05: Take note of any interesting or unusual words that you come across while reading, and look them up in a dictionary. Use these words in your writing to add colour and depth to your journal entries and improve your vocabulary.

Prompt #06: Compare and contrast the book with others that you have read. What are the similarities? What are the differences? How does this particular book stand out from the rest? Comparing books can deepen your understanding of literary themes and styles. Literary analysis often involves drawing parallels between works to uncover deeper meanings.

Prompt #07: If you are reading a non-fiction book, make a list of the main points that the author is trying to get across. As you read, refer back to this list and take note of your own reflections and opinions on the subject matter. Summarising the author’s main arguments can help solidify your understanding. Additionally, reflective writing, where you relate the content to your own experiences or beliefs, has been shown to enhance comprehension.

Prompt #08: Keep track of the author’s use of literary devices such as similes, metaphors, and symbols. How do these devices help to create meaning in the text? Note down your favourite lines, interesting passages, or particular sections you’ve enjoyed and consider why these parts resonated with you. By identifying and reflecting on them, you’re engaging in a form of literary analysis, a skill that’s emphasised in many educational curriculums for its critical thinking benefits.

Prompt #09: If you are reading a book that is part of a series, take note of any foreshadowing or clues that the author has provided about future events. This can be a fun way to speculate about what might happen in the next instalment of the series. Foreshadowing keeps readers engaged and builds anticipation. By noting these clues, you’re honing your analytical reading skills and improving your own creative writing skills .

Prompt #010: Reflect on a moment in the book that deeply resonated with you. Why did it stand out? How did it make you feel, and why? By taking the time to write down your thoughts and observations, you will be able to better appreciate and enjoy the novels you read.

Prompt #011: Talk about what caught your attention while reading. It could be a scene, a character, or a phrase that struck you as interesting. Describe it in detail. What about this part of the text made it memorable?

Prompt #012: Connect the book to your own experience in some way. How did this connection enhance your understanding or appreciation of the story? This can help you to better understand what you are reading. It can also help you to remember the details of the book better if you can connect it to your own life experiences.

Prompt #013: Write about a character and analyse their motivations. When you write about a character and their motivations, you can get inside their head and understand what makes them tick. This can help you to better understand the story as a whole, and can also give you insights into the author’s intentions.

Prompt #014: Choose a character and write a diary entry from their perspective on a pivotal day in the book. What might they have been feeling or thinking? What decisions did they make that affected the course of the rest of the book? How might the book have ended if they’d acted differently? How would you have acted in the same situation?

Prompt #015: Think of another book you’ve recently read. How would a character from that book react if placed in the setting of your current book? Would it result in a comical but brilliant mash up? How would the characters backstory affect their decisions in the new setting? Would it result in a different ending?

Prompt #016: Keep a list of questions you want to research further after finishing the book. Have you just read a historical novel and want to learn more about the setting or if it has any basis in fact? Or perhaps you want to know if the author has written more books. Make a note of these questions as you read – this will help keep your thoughts organised and give you something to come back to later on.

Prompt #017: Start a conversation with other book lovers on Goodreads or social media about the book. Starting a discussion with other readers can help you better understand the book and get more insights. If you don’t want to get social imagine a conversation between you and another reader who had a completely different take on the book. What would you discuss or debate?

Prompt #018: Create your own graphic novel page for one chapter of the book. Creating a graphic novel page for one chapter of the book can help to provide a different perspective on the text. It can also help to better understand the characters and the main plot points. Additionally, it can be a fun way to engage with the material and to further explore the themes and ideas presented in the book.

Prompt #019: Write an alternate ending or missing scene. Rewriting the ending can help to clarify your thoughts about the story and what you thought about it. What would you change and what would you keep? If the ending was ambiguous or didn’t quite make sense, rewriting it can help to clear things up. Was the ending rushed? Perhaps there was a part of the book that the author skimmed over that you’d have liked to read in more detail.

Prompt #020: Write a fan letter to the author. It can be really helpful to write a fan letter to the author of the book you just read. You don’t have to send it to them, but it can be a fun way to connect with the author on a personal level. It can also help you to better understand their work and what they were trying to achieve with the book.

Prompt #021: Analyse the book’s theme. By understanding the themes at play, you can see how the author crafted the story and what they were trying to say. This can help you appreciate the book more and see it in a new light. How does this theme relate to current events or societal issues?

Prompt #022: Make predictions! As you read jot down what you think is going to happen in the book? What clues in the text led you to this prediction? Predict what will happen in the sequel or in the characters lives after the book leaves them – where will they be in 5 years time? Making predictions helps your enjoyment and understanding of a story because you are actively engaging with the material. By thinking about what you think will happen, you are forming connections with the text and deepening your understanding of plot devices.

Prompt #023: Compare and contrast two different versions of the same story (e.g. movie vs. book). When you compare a book to its movie, you can see how the director and writers interpreted the story. This can help you understand the book better and enjoy it more. You can also see which elements of the story were changed or left out in the movie. Compare a key scene in both versions – how do the interpretations differ, and which do you prefer?

Our reading journals are a popular choice to help guide you through the process of recording your thoughts about each book as well as keeping a log of the book you’ve read.

Prompt #024: Write a monologue from one of the characters’ perspectives. Writing a monologue from one of the characters’ perspectives can help you to get into their minds and understand their motivations. This can be especially helpful when you are trying to write a book review or book journal entry.

Prompt #025: Choose a song that reminds you of the book and write about why. When you choose a song that reminds you of the book, you are linking the emotions and memories that you have with the song to the emotions and memories that you have with the book. This can help to deepen your enjoyment and understanding of the book. It can also help to make the reading experience more personal for you.

Whether you’re a seasoned reader or just starting out, keeping a dedicated book journal can help you get more out of your favourite books.

These prompts are also great to use if you’re not sure what to say about your latest book club read. Use these prompts to help you think about the book in different ways that you might not have thought of. You may find that a book you didn’t think much of reveals a clever plot or deeper meaning that you would have missed otherwise.

What to read more about the benefits of keeping a reading journal? See our post about the benefits of starting a book log.

We hope this post has inspired you and it has given you some reading journal ideas for how to write a reading journal of your own. By recording page numbers, characters, thoughts and overall feelings, and other interesting details about the book, readers can connect more with the story and understand it better. Additionally, comparisons and contrasts with other books can be made, as well as connections between the text and personal experiences. The tips we shared are just the beginning – there are countless ways to personalize your journal and make it work for you. So get creative, have fun with it, and happy reading and/or writing!

If you found this blog post helpful, please share these reading journal ideas with your friends & family — you may just inspire them to start a reading journal of their own!

I’d love to hear your reflections on a recent read. Feel free to share an entry in the comments inspired by one of the prompts above!

What is the purpose of reading journals?

Reading journals are a great way to keep track of your reading progress, as well as to document your thoughts and feelings about the books you read. They can also be a fun way to keep track of your reading challenge progress. They’re a great way to document your reading life. At the end of the year, you will have a list of books to reflect on and hopefully some great books to rediscover.

Why are reading journals beneficial to writers and readers?

Reading journals are beneficial to both writers and readers because they help improve comprehension, allow for critical thinking and reflection, and provide a space for avid readers to document their thoughts and feelings about the books they read.

How can recording what I’ve read in a reading journal improve my writing?

One way to improve your writing is by recording what you’ve read in a reading journal. This can help you improve your comprehension, as well as your writing skills. Additionally, it can be a great way to reflect on the books you’ve read and to document your thoughts and feelings about them. They also help to get the creative juices flowing by providing valuable insights into the writing and plotting process employed by the author.

What kind of reading journal should I choose?

The type of reading journal you choose should be based on your personal preferences. Some people prefer to use a physical journal, while others prefer to use an online journal or word document. There are also many different types of reading journals, such as those that focus on book reviews, book journalling, or reading challenge progress. Choose the type of journal that will work best for you and your needs.

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Language » Writing Books

The best books on creative writing, recommended by andrew cowan.

The professor of creative writing at UEA says Joseph Conrad got it right when he said that the sitting down is all. He chooses five books to help aspiring writers.

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

On Becoming a Novelist by John C. Gardner

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner

Worstward Ho by Samuel Beckett

1 Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

2 on becoming a novelist by john c. gardner, 3 on writing: a memoir of the craft by stephen king, 4 the forest for the trees by betsy lerner, 5 worstward ho by samuel beckett.

How would you describe creative writing?

Creative writing is an academic discipline. I draw a distinction between writing , which is what writers do, and creative writing. I think most people in the UK who teach creative writing have come to it via writing – they are bona fide writers who publish poems and novels and play scripts and the like, and they have found some way of supporting that vocation through having a career in academia. So in teaching aspirant writers how to write they are drawing upon their own experience of working in that medium. They are drawing upon their knowledge of what the problems are and how those problems might be tackled. It’s a practice-based form of learning and teaching.

But because it is in academia there is all this paraphernalia that has to go with it. So you get credits for attending classes. You have to do supporting modules; you have to be assessed. If you are doing an undergraduate degree you have to follow a particular curriculum and only about a quarter of that will be creative writing and the rest will be in the canon of English literature . If you are doing a PhD you have to support whatever the creative element is with a critical element. So there are these ways in which academia disciplines writing and I think of that as Creative Writing with a capital C and a capital W. All of us who teach creative writing are doing it, in a sense, to support our writing, but it is also often at the expense of our writing. We give up quite a lot of time and mental energy and also, I think, imaginative and creative energy to teach.

Your first choice is Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer , which for someone writing in 1934 sounds pretty forward thinking.

Because creative writing has now taken off and has become this very widespread academic discipline it is beginning to acquire its own canon of key works and key texts. This is one of the oldest of them. It’s a book that almost anyone who teaches creative writing will have read. They will probably have read it because some fundamentals are explained and I think the most important one is Brande’s sense of the creative writer being comprised of two people. One of them is the artist and the other is the critic.

Actually, Malcolm Bradbury who taught me at UEA, wrote the foreword to my edition of Becoming a Writer , and he talks about how Dorothea Brande was writing this book ‘in Freudian times’ – the 1930s in the States. And she does have this very Freudian idea of the writer as comprised of a child artist on the one hand, who is associated with spontaneity, unconscious processes, while on the other side there is the adult critic making very careful discriminations.

And did she think the adult critic hindered the child artist?

No. Her point is that the two have to work in harmony and in some way the writer has to achieve an effective balance between the two, which is often taken to mean that you allow the artist child free rein in the morning. So you just pour stuff on to the page in the morning when you are closest to the condition of sleep. The dream state for the writer is the one that is closest to the unconscious. And then in the afternoon you come back to your morning’s work with your critical head on and you consciously and objectively edit it. Lots of how-to-write books encourage writers to do it that way. It is also possible that you can just pour stuff on to the page for days on end as long as you come back to it eventually with a critical eye.

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Good! Your next book, John Gardner’s On Becoming a Novelist , is described as comfort food for the aspiring novelist.

This is another one of the classics. He was quite a successful novelist in the States, but possibly an even more successful teacher of creative writing. The short story writer and poet Raymond Carver, for instance, was one of his students. And he died young in a motorcycle accident when he was 49. There are two classic works by him. One is this book, On Becoming a Novelist , and the other is The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers . They were both put together from his teaching notes after he died.

On Becoming a Novelist  is the more succinct and, I think, is the better of the two. He talks about automatic writing and the idea, just like Dorothea Brande, of the artist being comprised of two people. But his key idea is the notion of the vivid and continuous dream. He suggests that when we read a novel we submit to the logic of that novel in the same way as we might submit to the logic of a dream – we sink into it, and clearly the events that occur could not exist outside the imagination.

What makes student writing in particular go wrong is when it draws attention to itself, either through bad writing or over-elaborate writing. He suggests that these faults in the aspirant writer alert the reader to the fact that they are reading a fiction and it is a bit like giving someone who is dreaming a nudge. It jolts them out of the dream. So he proposes that the student writer should try to create a dream state in the reader that is vivid and appeals to all the senses and is continuous. What you mustn’t do is alert the reader to the fact that they are reading a fiction.

It is a very good piece of advice for writers starting out but it is ultimately very limiting. It rules out all the great works of modernism and post-modernism, anything which is linguistically experimental. It rules out anything which draws attention to the words as words on a page. It’s a piece of advice which really applies to the writing of realist fiction, but is a very good place from which to begin.

And then people can move on.

I never would have expected the master of terror Stephen King to write a book about writing. But your next choice, On Writing , is more of an autobiography .

Yes. It is a surprise to a lot of people that this book is so widely read on university campuses and so widely recommended by teachers of writing. Students love it. It’s bracing: there’s no nonsense. He says somewhere in the foreword or preface that it is a short book because most books are filled with bullshit and he is determined not to offer bullshit but to tell it like it is.

It is autobiographical. It describes his struggle to emerge from his addictions – to alcohol and drugs – and he talks about how he managed to pull himself and his family out of poverty and the dead end into which he had taken them. He comes from a very disadvantaged background and through sheer hard work and determination he becomes this worldwide bestselling author. This is partly because of his idea of the creative muse. Most people think of this as some sprite or fairy that is usually feminine and flutters about your head offering inspiration. His idea of the muse is ‘a basement guy’, as he calls him, who is grumpy and turns up smoking a cigar. You have to be down in the basement every day clocking in to do your shift if you want to meet the basement guy.

Stephen King has this attitude that if you are going to be a writer you need to keep going and accept that quite a lot of what you produce is going to be rubbish and then you are going to revise it and keep working at it.

Do you agree with him?

He sounds inspirational. Your next book, Betsy Lerner’s The Forest for the Trees , looks at things from the editor’s point of view.

Yes, she was an editor at several major American publishing houses, such as Simon & Schuster. She went on to become an agent, and also did an MFA in poetry before that, so she came through the US creative writing process and understands where many writers are coming from.

The book is divided into two halves. In the second half she describes the process that goes from the completion of the author’s manuscript to submitting it to agents and editors. She explains what goes on at the agent’s offices and the publisher’s offices. She talks about the drawing up of contracts, negotiating advances and royalties. So she takes the manuscript from the author’s hands, all the way through the publishing process to its appearance in bookshops. She describes that from an insider’s point of view, which is hugely interesting.

But the reason I like this book is for the first half of it, which is very different. Here she offers six chapters, each of which is a character sketch of a different type of author. She has met each of them and so although she doesn’t mention names you feel she is revealing something to you about authors whose books you may have read. She describes six classic personality types. She has the ambivalent writer, the natural, the wicked child, the self-promoter, the neurotic and a chapter called ‘Touching Fire’, which is about the addictive and the mentally unstable.

Your final choice is Worstward Ho by Samuel Beckett .

This is a tiny book – it is only about 40 pages and it has got these massive white margins and really large type. I haven’t counted, but I would guess it is only about two to three thousand words and it is dressed up as a novella when it is really only a short story. On the first page there is this riff: ‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.’

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When I read this I thought I had discovered a slogan for the classroom that I could share with my students. I want to encourage them to make mistakes and not to be perfectionists, not to feel that everything they do has to be of publishable standard. The whole point of doing a course, especially a creative writing MA and attending workshops, is that you can treat the course as a sandpit. You go in there, you try things out which otherwise you wouldn’t try, and then you submit it to the scrutiny of your classmates and you get feedback. Inevitably there will be things that don’t work and your classmates will help you to identify those so that you can take it away and redraft it – you can try again. And inevitably you are going to fail again because any artistic endeavour is doomed to failure because the achievement can never match the ambition. That’s why artists keep producing their art and writers keep writing, because the thing you did last just didn’t quite satisfy you, just wasn’t quite right. And you keep going and trying to improve on that.

But why, when so much of it is about failing – failing to get published, failing to be satisfied, failing to be inspired – do writers carry on?

I have a really good quote from Joseph Conrad in which he says the sitting down is all. He spends eight hours at his desk, trying to write, failing to write, foaming at the mouth, and in the end wanting to hit his head on the wall but refraining from that for fear of alarming his wife!

It’s a familiar situation; lots of writers will have been there. For me it is a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is something I have to keep returning to. I have to keep going back to the sentences, trying to get them right. Trying to line them up correctly. I can’t let them go. It is endlessly frustrating because they are never quite right.

You have published four books. Are you happy with them?

Reasonably happy. Once they are done and gone I can relax and feel a little bit proud of them. But at the time I just experience agonies. It takes me ages. It takes me four or five years to finish a novel partly because I always find distractions – like working in academia – something that will keep me away from the writing, which is equally as unrewarding as it is rewarding!

September 27, 2012

Five Books aims to keep its book recommendations and interviews up to date. If you are the interviewee and would like to update your choice of books (or even just what you say about them) please email us at [email protected]

Andrew Cowan

Andrew Cowan is Professor of Creative Writing and Director of the Creative Writing programme at UEA. His first novel, Pig , won the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the Betty Trask Award, the Ruth Hadden Memorial Prize, the Author’s Club First Novel Award and a Scottish Council Book Award. He is also the author of the novels Common Ground , Crustaceans ,  What I Know  and  Worthless Men . His own creative writing guidebook is  The  Art  of  Writing  Fiction .

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The 20+ Best Books on Creative Writing

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I write a book?”, “How do I write a short story?”, or “How do I write a poem?” you’re not alone. I’m halfway done my MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts , and I ask myself these questions a lot, too, though I’m noticing that by now I feel more comfortable with the answers that fit my personal craft. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Master’s of Fine Arts in Writing candidate, or even a college graduate, in order to soak up the great Wisdom of Words, as I like to call it. Another word for it is craft . That’s because there are so many great books out there on writing craft. In this post, I’ll guide you through 20+ of the most essential books on creative writing. These essential books for writers will teach you what you need to know to write riveting stories and emotionally resonant books—and to sell them.

I just also want to put in a quick plug for my post with the word count of 175 favorite novels . This resource is helpful for any writer.

Now, with that done… Let’s get to it!

What Made the List of Essential Books for Writers—and What Didn’t

So what made the list? And what didn’t?

Unique to this list, these are all books that I have personally used in my journey as a creative and commercial writer.

That journey started when I was 15 and extended through majoring in English and Creative Writing as an undergrad at UPenn through becoming a freelance writer in 2014, starting this book blog, pursuing my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts , and publishing some fiction and nonfiction books myself . My point here is not to boast, just to explain that these books have all helped me better understand and apply the craft, discipline, and business of writing over the course of more than half my life as I’ve walked the path to become a full-time writer. Your mileage my vary , but each of these books have contributed to my growth as a writer in some way. I’m not endorsing books I’ve never read or reviewed. This list comes from my heart (and pen!).

Most of these books are geared towards fiction writers, not poetry or nonfiction writers

It’s true that I’m only one human and can only write so much in one post. Originally, I wanted this list to be more than 25 books on writing. Yes, 25 books! But it’s just not possible to manage that in a single post. What I’ll do is publish a follow-up article with even more books for writers. Stay tuned!

The most commonly recommended books on writing are left out.

Why? Because they’re everywhere! I’m aiming for under-the-radar books on writing, ones that aren’t highlighted often enough. You’ll notice that many of these books are self-published because I wanted to give voice to indie authors.

But I did want to include a brief write-up of these books… and, well, you’ve probably heard of them, but here are 7 of the most recommended books on writing:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – With her guided practice on how to rejuvenate your art over the course of 16 weeks, Cameron has fashioned an enduring classic about living and breathing your craft (for artists as well as writers). This book is perhaps best known for popularizing the morning pages method.

The Art of Fiction by John Gardner – If you want to better understand how fiction works, John Gardner will be your guide in this timeless book.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott – A beloved writing book on process, craft, and overcoming stumbling blocks (both existential and material).

On Writing by Stephen King – A must-read hybrid memoir-craft book on the writer mythos and reality for every writer.

Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose – A core writing book that teaches you how to read with a writer’s eye and unlock the ability to recognize and analyze craft for yourself.

Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin – Many writers consider this to be their bible on craft and storytelling.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg – A favorite of many writers, this book takes an almost spiritual approach to the art, craft, and experience of writing.

I’m aiming for under-the-radar books on writing on my list.

These books are all in print.

Over the years, I’ve picked up several awesome books on creative writing from used bookstores. Oh, how I wish I could recommend these! But many of them are out of print. The books on this list are all available new either as eBooks, hardcovers, or paperbacks. I guess this is the right time for my Affiliate Link disclaimer:

This article contains affiliate links, which means I might get a small portion of your purchase. For more on my affiliate link policy, check out my official Affiliate Link Disclaimer .

You’ll notice a lot of the books focus on the business of writing.

Too often, money is a subject that writers won’t talk about. I want to be upfront about the business of writing and making a living as a writer (or not ) with these books. It’s my goal to get every writer, even poets!, to look at writing not just from a craft perspective, but from a commercial POV, too.

And now on to the books!

Part i: the best books on writing craft, the anatomy of story by john truby.

For you if: You want to develop an instinctive skill at understanding the contours of storytelling .

All I want to do as a writer, my MO, is tell good stories well. It took me so long to understand that what really matters to me is good storytelling. That’s it—that’s the essence of what we do as writers… tell good stories well. And in The Anatomy of Story , legendary screenwriting teacher John Truby takes you through story theory. This book is packed with movie references to illustrate the core beat points in story, and many of these example films are actually literary adaptations, making this a crossover craft book for fiction writers and screenwriters alike.

How to read it: Purchase The Anatomy of Story on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The art of memoir by mary karr.

For you if: You’re writing a memoir book or personal essays .

Nobody is a better person to teach memoir writing than Mary Karr, whose memoirs The Liar’s Club and Lit are considered classics of the genre. In The Art of Memoir , Karr delivers a master class on memoir writing, adapted from her experience as a writer and a professor in Syracuse’s prestigious MFA program. What I love about this book as an aspiring memoirist is Karr’s approach, which blends practical, actionable advice with more bigger-picture concepts on things like truth vs. fact in memoir storytelling. Like I said in the intro to this list, I didn’t include many nonfiction and poetry books on this list, but I knew I had to make an exception for The Art of Memoir .

How to read it: Purchase The Art of Memoir on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The emotional craft of fiction by donald maass.

For you if: Plot isn’t your problem, it’s character .

From literary agent Donald Maass, The Emotional Craft of Fiction gives you the skill set you need to master emotionally engaging fiction. Maass’s technique is to show you how readers get pulled into the most resonant, engaging, and unforgettable stories: by going through an emotional journey nimbly crafted by the author. The Emotional Craft of Fiction is a must-have work of craft to balance more plot-driven craft books.

How to read it: Purchase the The Emotional Craft of Fiction on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

How to Write Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

For you if: You need a quick-and-dirty plotting technique that’s easy to memorize .

I first heard of the “Snowflake Method” in the National Novel Writing Month forums (which, by the way, are excellent places for finding writing craft worksheets, book recommendations, and online resources). In How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method , the Snowflake Method is introduced by its creator. This quick yet thorough plotting and outlining structure is humble and easy to master. If you don’t have time to read a bunch of books on outlining and the hundreds of pages that would require, check out How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method for a quick, 235-page read.

How to read it: Purchase How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Meander, spiral, explode: design and pattern in narrative by jane alison.

For you if: You want to do a deep dive understanding of the core theory of story, a.k.a. narrative.

A most unconventional writing craft book, Meander, Spiral, Explode offers a theory of narrative (story) as recognizable patterns. According to author Jane Alison, there are three main narrative narratives in writing: meandering, spiraling, and exploding. This cerebral book (chock full of examples!) is equal parts seminar on literary theory as it is craft, and it will make you see and understand storytelling better than maybe any book on this list.

How to read it: Purchase Meander, Spiral, Explode on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The modern library writer’s workshop by stephen koch.

For you if: You’re wondering what it means to be the writer you want to become .

This is one of the earliest creative writing books I ever bought and it remains among the best I’ve read. Why? Reading The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop echoes the kind of mind-body-spirit approach you need to take to writing. The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop doesn’t teach you the nuts and bolts of writing as much as it teaches you how to envision the machine. Koch zooms out to big picture stuff as much as zeroes in on the little details. This is an outstanding book about getting into the mindset of being a writer, not just in a commercial sense, but as your passion and identity. It’s as close as you’ll get to the feel of an MFA in Fiction education.

How to read it: Purchase The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Romancing the beat by gwen hayes.

For you if: You write or edit the romance genre and want a trusted plotting strategy to craft the perfect love story .

If you’re writing romance, you have to get Gwen Hayes’s Romancing the Beat . This book breaks down the plot points or “beats” you want to hit when you’re crafting your romance novel. When I worked as a romance novel outliner (yes, a real job), our team used Romancing the Beat as its bible; every outline was structured around Hayes’s formula. For romance writers (like myself) I cannot endorse it any higher.

How to read it: Purchase Romancing the Beat on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Save the cat writes a novel by jessica brody.

For you if: You have big ideas for a plot but need to work on the smaller moments that propel stories .

Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel adapts Blake Snyder’s bestselling screenwriting book Save the Cat! into story craft for writing novels. Brody reworks the Save the Cat! methodology in actionable, point-by-point stages of story that are each explained with countless relevant examples. If you want to focus your efforts on plot, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is an excellent place to go to start learning the ins and outs of what makes a good story.

How to read it: Purchase Save the Cat! Writes a Novel on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Story genius by lisa cron.

For you if: You’re a pantser and are terrified at outlining yet also realize you might have a “plot problem .”

More than any other book, Lisa Cron’s Story Genius will get you where you need to go for writing amazing stories. Story Genius helps you look at plotting differently, starting from a point of characterization in which our protagonists have a clearly defined need and misbelief that play off each other and move the story forward from an emotional interior and action exterior standpoint. For many of my fellow MFA students—and myself— Story Genius is the missing link book for marrying plot and character so you innately understand the contours of good story.

How to read it: Purchase Story Genius on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Wonderbook: the illustrated guide to creating imaginative fiction by jeff vandermeer.

For you if: You’re writing in a speculative fiction genre—like science fiction, fantasy, or horror—or are trying to better understand those genres.

Jeff VanderMeer’s Wonderbook is a dazzling gem of a book and a can’t-miss-it writing book for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers. This book will teach you all the skills you need to craft speculative fiction, like world-building, with micro-lessons and close-reads of excellent works in these genres. Wonderbook is also one to linger over, with lavish illustrations and every inch and corner crammed with craft talk for writing imaginative fiction (sometimes called speculative fiction). And who better to guide you through this than Jeff VanderMeer, author of the popular Southern Reach Trilogy, which kicks off with Annihilation , which was adapted into a feature film.

How to read it: Purchase Wonderbook on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Writing picture books by ann whitford paul.

For you if: You’re looking to write picture books and/or understand how they work .

This book is the only one you need to learn how to write and sell picture books. As an MFA student studying children’s literature, I’ve consulted with this book several times as I’ve dipped my toes into writing picture books, a form I considered scary and intimidating until reading this book. Writing Picture Books should be on the shelf of any writer of children’s literature. a.k.a. “kid lit.”

How to read it: Purchase Writing Picture Books on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Writing with emotion, conflict, and tension by cheryl st. john.

For you if: You need to work on the conflict, tension, and suspense that keep readers turning pages and your story going forward .

Mmm, conflict. As I said earlier, it’s the element of fiction writing that makes a story interesting and a key aspect of characterization that is underrated. In Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict , bestselling romance author Cheryl St. John offers a masterclass on the delicate dance between incorporating conflict, the emotions it inspires in characters, and the tension that results from those two factors.

How to read it: Purchase Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Part ii: the best books on the productivity, mfas, and the business of writing, 2k to 10k: writing faster, writing better, and writing more of what you love by rachel aaron.

For you if: You struggle to find the time to write and always seem to be a chapter or two behind schedule .

If you’re struggling to find time of your own to write with competing obligations (family, work, whatever) making that hard, you need Rachel Aaron’s 2k to 10k . This book will get you in shape to go from writing just a few words an hour to, eventually, 10,000 words a day. Yes, you read that right. 10,000 words a day. At that rate, you can complete so many more projects and publish more. Writers simply cannot afford to waste time if they want to keep up the kind of production that leads to perpetual publication. Trust me, Aaron’s method works. It has for me. I’m on my way to 10k in the future, currently at like 4 or 5k a day for me at the moment.

How to read it: Purchase 2k to 10k on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The 3 a.m. epiphany by brian kitele.

For you if: You’re going through writer’s block, have been away from writing for a while, or just want to loosen up and try something new .

Every writer must own an an exercise or prompt book. Why? Because regularly practicing your writing by going outside your current works-in-progress (or writer’s block) will free you up, help you plant the seeds for new ideas, and defrost your creative blocks. And the best book writing exercise book I know is The 3 A.M. Epiphany by Brian Kiteley, an MFA professor who uses prompts like these with his grad students. You’ll find that this book (and its sequel, The 4 A.M. Breakthrough ) go beyond cutesy exercises and forces you to push outside your comfort zone and learn something from the writing you find there.

How to read it: Purchase The 3 A.M. Epiphany on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The 4-hour workweek by timothy ferriss.

For you if: You think being a writer means you have to be poor .

The 4-Hour Workweek changed my life. Although not strictly about writing in the traditional sense, The 4-Hour Workweek does an excellent job teaching you about how passive income can offer you freedom. I first heard about The 4-Hour Workweek when I was getting into tarot in 2013. On Biddy Tarot , founder Brigit (author of some of the best books on tarot ) related how she read this book, learned how to create passive income, and quit her corporate job to read tarot full time. As a person with a total and permanent disability, this spoke to me because it offered a way out of the 9-to-5 “active” income that I thought was the only way. I picked up Ferriss’s book and learned that there’s more than one option, and that passive income is a viable way for me to make money even when I’m too sick to work. I saw this come true last year when I was in the hospital. When I got out, I checked my stats and learned I’d made money off my blog and books even while I was hospitalized and couldn’t do any “active” work. I almost cried.; I’ve been working on my passive income game since 2013, and I saw a return on that time investment when I needed it most.

That’s why I’m recommending The 4-Hour Workweek to writers. So much of our trade is producing passive income products. Yes, your books are products! And for many writers, this means rewiring your brain to stop looking at writing strictly as an art that will leave you impoverished for life and start approaching writing as a business that can earn you a real living through passive income. No book will help you break out of that mindset better than The 4-Hour Workweek and its actionable steps, proven method, and numerous examples of people who have followed the strategy and are living the lifestyle they’ve always dreamed of but never thought was possible.

How to read it: Purchase The 4-Hour Workweek on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum

For you if: You’re serious about making a living as a writer and publishing with a Big 5 or major indie publisher .

Courtney Maum’s Before and After the Book Deal addresses exactly what its title suggests: what happens after you sell your first book. This book is for ambitious writers intent on submission who know they want to write and want to avoid common pitfalls while negotiating terms and life after your debut. As many published authors would tell you, the debut is one thing, but following that book up with a sustainable, successful career is another trick entirely. Fortunately, we have Maum’s book, packed with to-the-moment details and advice.

How to read it: Purchase Before and After the Book Deal on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Diy mfa: write with focus, read with purpose, build your community by gabriela pereira.

For you if: You’re stressed out wondering if you really need an MFA .

The MFA is under this header “business of writing” because it is absolutely an economic choice you make. And, look, I’m biased. I’m getting an MFA. But back when I was grappling with whether or not it was worth it—the debt, the time, the stress—I consulted with DIY MFA , an exceptional guide to learning how to enrich your writing craft, career, and community outside the structures of an MFA program. I’ve also more than once visited the companion site, DIYMFA.com , to find a kind of never-ending rabbit hole of new and timeless content on the writing life. On DIYMFA.com and in the corresponding book, you’ll find a lively hub for author interviews, writing craft shop talk, reading lists, and business of writing articles.

How to read it: Purchase DIY MFA on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Mfa vs. nyc by chad harbach.

For you if: You’re wondering how far an MFA really gets you—and you’re ready to learn the realities of the publishing world .

About a thousand years ago (well, in 2007), I spent the fall of my sophomore year of college as a “Fiction Submissions and Advertising Intern” for the literary magazine n+1 , which was co-founded by Chad Harbach, who you might know from his buzzy novel, The Art of Fielding . In MFA vs NYC , Harbach offers his perspective as both an MFA graduate and someone deeply enmeshed in the New York City publishing industry. This thought-provoking look at these two arenas that launch writers will pull the wool up from your eyes about how publishing really works . It’s not just Harbach’s voice you get in here, though. The book, slim but mighty, includes perspectives from the likes of George Saunders and David Foster Wallace in the MFA camp and Emily Gould and Keith Gessen speaking to NYC’s writing culture.

How to read it: Purchase MFA vs. NYC on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Scratch: writers, money, and the art of making a living – edited by manjula martin.

For you if: a) You’re worried about how to balance writing with making a living; b) You’re not worried about how to balance writing with making a living .

Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living is alternately one of the most underrated and essential books on writing out there. This collection of personal essays and interviews all revolve around the taboo theme of how writers make their living, and it’s not always—indeed, rarely—through writing alone. Some of the many contributing authors include Cheryl Strayed ( Wild ), Alexander Chee ( How to Write an Autobiographical Novel ), Jennifer Weiner ( Mrs. Everything ), Austin Kleon ( Steal Like an Artist ), and many others. Recently a young woman asked me for career advice on being a professional freelance writer, and I made sure to recommend Scratch as an eye-opening and candid read that is both motivating and candid.

How to read it: Purchase Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Write to market: deliver a book that sells by chris fox.

For you if: You don’t know why your books aren’t selling—and you want to start turning a profit by getting a real publishing strategy

So you don’t have to be an indie author to internalize the invaluable wisdom you’ll find here in Write to Market . I first heard about Write to Market when I first joined the 20Booksto50K writing group on Facebook , a massive, supportive, motivating community of mostly indie authors. Everyone kept talking about Write to Market . I read the book in a day and found the way I looked at publishing change. Essentially, what Chris Fox does in Write to Market is help you learn to identify what are viable publishing niches. Following his method, I’ve since published several successful and #1 bestselling books in the quotations genre on Amazon . Without Fox’s book, I’m not sure I would have gotten there on my own.

How to read it: Purchase Write to Market on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

And that’s a wrap what are some of your favorite writing books, share this:, you might be interested in.

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Sarah S. Davis is the founder of Broke by Books, a blog about her journey as a schizoaffective disorder bipolar type writer and reader. Sarah's writing about books has appeared on Book Riot, Electric Literature, Kirkus Reviews, BookRags, PsychCentral, and more. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Library and Information Science from Clarion University, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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How to Write a Reading Log

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. This article has been viewed 82,495 times.

It can be easy to forget everything you read. Preserve your reading activities and your thoughts about what you read by keeping a reading log. A reading log is much like a journal, except that it describes every book or article you read. Sometimes a reading log is part of a formal school assignment, and sometimes it is something you want to keep solely for yourself. In either case, a reading log will help you think in a more sophisticated and nuanced way about your reading.

Things You Should Know

• For school, review your assignment and create a log template with appropriate categories, then read your book and write down all the key information.
• For personal use, buy a journal you like and keep it near your favorite reading spot, reading carefully so you can write and take notes as you go.
• A reading log lets you take note of observations you make, improving your long-term development and reading comprehension.

Keeping a Log for School

• The title and author of the book
• The dates you read which page
• The amount of time you spent reading each day
• Key themes of the book
• Major characters and plot developments
• Questions you have as you read

• Some pre-made templates also exist online. Just search for "reading log template" in your favorite search engine. [2] X Research source

• The book's title
• The publication date
• The publisher and city where the publisher is located
• Any other identifying information (such as the edition used, translators, co-authors, etc.)

• Never put off entering a reading assignment until later! You might lose track of your work and forget important details.

• Take down a few notes as you read, especially if you have questions. Jotting out the main theme of a passage or your question about a chapter while you're reading will help you fill in the information in your log later.

• Plot elements
• Character names
• Key argument (if the text is nonfiction or academic) [6] X Research source

• Don't forget to note the page number and speaker whenever you copy a passage.

• An excellent first step to writing a formal journal entry is finding 3 or more passages that explore a common theme, such as justice, love, or despair. Use your journal entry to explore how this common theme is treated in these different passages.

Keeping a Personal Log

• If you expect to keep the journal for a long period of time, try to purchase one that has archival paper. This will keep the pages from yellowing and degrading over time.

• It is also wise to keep a working pen in the same location.

• Read every day, even if only for a few minutes [12] X Research source
• Turn off the television and resolve to read instead [13] X Research source
• Feel free to stop reading books you hate--don't view reading as a chore [14] X Research source
• Get recommendations for excellent books from friends and family
• Join a reading group at your local school or library

• Do not skip over this part, assuming that you are bound to remember a book's title and author. People are liable to forget even these details over time, so they are the most important pieces of information to write down.

• Who are your favorite and least favorite characters? Why?
• Have your thoughts about any of the characters changed?
• What do you find fascinating about the plot? Are there mysteries to solve?
• Do you like the author's style? Are there any distinctive elements to the author's style that make it stand out?
• What would you have changed about the book if you were the author?
• Does the book help you understand something about your world, about another country, or about history?
• How does the book remind you of what's going on in your own life? What are your personal reactions to the book?

Community Q&A

• Don't be too caught up in writing perfect prose. Let your reading log be a kind of rough draft where the most important thing is to get your observations down on paper. Work on fixing them up later. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Remember that a reading log can help you become a better reader, writer, and thinker. However, this only works if you maintain your journal consistently. Do not slack off or tell yourself you will write down your thoughts later: write your thoughts down while you read. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• This might help encourage you to read but it might not work for everyone. If you find that a reading log discourages you from reading, you might choose to discontinue the practice. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Keep back up copies of your journal, especially if you are keeping it on a computer. You don't want to lose your work if your computer crashes. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/back-to-school-keep-an-academic-reading-journal.html
• ↑ http://www.k12reader.com/printable-reading-logs/
• ↑ http://www.writingforward.com/writing-tips/journal-writing-reading
• ↑ http://www.bothell.washington.edu/wacc/teaching/reading/journals
• ↑ https://joelgoldman.com/keep-reading-journal/
• ↑ http://www.refinethemind.com/read-more-often/

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Top 10 books about creative writing

From linguistics to essays by Zadie Smith and Toni Morrison, poet Anthony Anaxagorou recommends some ‘lateral’ ways in to a demanding craft

T he poet Rita Dove was once asked what makes poetry successful. She went on to illuminate three key areas: First, the heart of the writer; the things they wish to say – their politics and overarching sensibilities. Second, their tools: how they work language to organise and position words. And the third, the love a person must have for books: “To read, read, read.”

When I started mapping out How to Write It , I wanted to focus on the aspects of writing development that took in both theoretical and interpersonal aspects. No writer lives in a vacuum, their job is an endless task of paying attention.

How do I get myself an agent? What’s the best way to approach a publisher? Should I self-publish? There is never one way to assuage the concerns of those looking to make a career out of writing. Many labour tirelessly for decades on manuscripts that never make it to print. The UK on average publishes around 185,000 new titles per year, ranking us the third largest publishing market in the world, yet the number of aspiring writers is substantially greater.

Writers writing about writing can become a supercilious endeavour; I’m more interested in the process of making work and the writer’s perspectives that substantiate the framework.

There’s no single authority, anything is possible. All that’s required are some words and an idea – which makes the art of writing enticing but also difficult and daunting. The books listed below, diverse in their central arguments and genres, guide us towards more interesting and lateral ways to think about what we want to say, and ultimately, how we choose to say it.

1. The Hatred of Poetry by Ben Lerner An intellectual meditation on the cultural function of poetry. Less idealistic than other poetry criticism, Lerner puts forward a richly layered case for the reasons writers and readers alike turn to poetry, probing into why it’s often misconceived as elitist or tedious, and asks that we reconsider the value we place on the art form today.

2. Find Your Voice by Angie Thomas One of the hardest things about creative writing is developing a voice and not compromising your vision for the sake of public appeal. Thomas offers sharp advice to those wrestling with novels or Young Adult fiction. She writes with appealing honesty, taking in everything from writer’s block to deciding what a final draft should look like. The book also comes interspersed with prompts and writing exercises alongside other tips and suggestions to help airlift writers out of the mud.

3. Linguistics: Why It Matters by Geoffrey K Pullum If language is in a constant state of flux, and rules governing sentence construction, meaning and logic are always at a point of contention, what then can conventional modes of language and linguistics tell us about ourselves, our cultures and our relationship to the material world? Pullum addresses a number of philosophical questions through the scientific study of human languages – their grammars, clauses and limitations. An approachable, fascinating resource for those interested in the mechanics of words.

4. Madness, Rack, and Honey by Mary Ruefle The collected lectures of poet and professor Mary Ruefle present us with an erudite inquiry into some of the major aspects of a writer’s mind and craft. Ruefle possesses an uncanny ability to excavate broad and complex subjects with such unforced and original lucidity that you come away feeling as if you’ve acquired an entirely new perspective from only a few pages. Themes range from sentimentality in poetry, to fear, beginnings and – a topic she returns to throughout the book – wonder. “A poem is a finished work of the mind, it is not the work of a finished mind.”

5. Feel Free by Zadie Smith These astute and topical essays dating from 2010 to 2017 demonstrate Smith’s forensic ability to navigate and unpack everything from Brexit to Justin Bieber. Dissecting high philosophical works then bringing the focus back on to her own practice as a fiction writer, her essay The I Who Is Not Me sees Smith extrapolate on how autobiography shapes novel writing, and elucidates her approach to thinking around British society’s tenuous and often binary perspectives on race, class and ethnicity.

6. Threads by Sandeep Parmar, Nisha Ramayya and Bhanu Kapil Who occupies the “I” in poetry? When poets write, are they personally embodying their speakers or are they intended to be emblematic of something larger and more complex? Is the “I” assumed to be immutable or is it more porous? These are the questions posited in Threads, which illuminates the function of the lyric “I” in relation to whiteness, maleness and Britishness. Its short but acute essays interrogate whiteness’s hegemony in literature and language, revealing how writers from outside the dominant paradigm are often made to reckon with the positions and perspectives they write from.

7. Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison An urgent set of essays and lectures from the late Nobel prize winner that collates her most discerning musings around citizenship, race and art, as well as offering invaluable insight into the craft of writing. She reflects on revisions made to her most famous novel, Beloved, while also reflecting on the ways vernaculars can shape new stories. One of my favourite aphorisms written by Morrison sits on my desk and declares: “As writers, what we do is remember. And to remember this world is to create it.”

8. On Poetry by Jonathan Davidson Poetry can be thought of as something arduous or an exercise in analysis, existing either within small artistic enclaves or secondary school classrooms. One of the many strengths of Davidson’s writing is how he makes poetry feel intimate and personal, neither dry or remote. His approach to thinking around ways that certain poems affect us is well measured without being exclusive. A timely and resourceful book for writers interested in how poems go on to live with us throughout our lives.

9. Essays by Lydia Davis From flash fiction to stories, Davis is recognised as one of the preeminent writers of short-form fiction. In these essays, spanning several decades, she tracks much of her writing process and her relationship to experimentalism, form and the ways language can work when pushed to its outer limits. How we read into lines is something Davis returns to, as is the idea of risk and brevity within micro-fiction.

10. Essayism by Brian Dillon Dillon summarises the essay as an “experiment in attention”. This dynamic and robust consideration of the form sheds light on how and why certain essays have changed the cultural and political landscape, from the end of the Middle Ages to the present time. A sharp and curious disquisition on one of the more popular yet challenging writing enterprises.

How to Write It by Anthony Anaxagorou is published by Merky Books. To order a copy, go to guardianbookshop.com .

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• Zadie Smith
• Lydia Davis

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Reading Log Worksheet Templates

Customize reading log templates.

If you're assigning this to your students, copy the worksheet to your account and save. When creating an assignment, just select it as a template!

What are Reading Log Worksheets?

Reading log worksheets are where students can keep track of their reading on a daily and weekly basis. They are commonly used by students, teachers, and avid readers to keep a record of the books they have read, the time spent reading, and their thoughts and reflections on the material. They can include books students are reading for class or even encourage students to read at home for pleasure.

What is a Reading Log?

A reading log is a tool for tracking and documenting reading activities. It records book titles, dates, page numbers, and sometimes includes summaries or reflections. Reading logs are used to monitor progress, set goals, encourage accountability, and reflect on reading experiences. They can be kept in various formats, including physical or digital versions. A standard reading log example outline may include the book title, dates, pages read, summary, reflections, favorite quotes, characters, themes, connections, rating, and recommendation. These elements provide a comprehensive overview of your reading experience and allow you to track important details about each book.

Reading log worksheets can include the following sections and prompts, such as:

• Book Information: This section includes fields to record the title, author, genre, and date of the book being read.
• Reading Time: This section allows readers to track the time they spend reading each day or in total. It helps individuals monitor their reading habits and set goals for themselves.
• Summary/Thoughts: Here, readers can jot down a brief summary of what they read or their thoughts and reflections on the book. It can include key events, characters, or any personal insights gained from the reading.
• Vocabulary/Word List: Some reading logs provide space to list new words encountered while reading. Readers can write down unfamiliar words and their meanings to expand their vocabulary.
• Ratings/Recommendations: This section allows readers to rate the book based on their personal enjoyment or provide recommendations to others.

Why Are Reading Log Worksheets Important and How Are They Best Used?

Reading is not just a hobby; it's a gateway to knowledge, imagination, and personal growth. Whether you're an avid reader, a student, or a parent trying to cultivate good reading habits in your child, a reading log can be a valuable tool. Reading at home is an important part of developing and strengthening reading skills. Reading logs are the perfect way for students to keep track of what they have read. For daily use, printing a free online reading log template is a fantastic way to start a habit. Daily reading logs can hold students accountable and also make it easy for teachers to stay on top of their students’ at home reading.

Benefits of Reading Logs

Reading logs serve as a visual representation of your reading journey, allowing you to track your progress and reflect on your reading habits. They provide a sense of accomplishment, motivation, and accountability. By recording the number of pages read, daily reading time, and books completed, you can set goals and challenge yourself to read more. Additionally, reading logs offer a convenient way to remember the books you've read and provide a foundation for writing book reviews and recommendations.

Free Printable Reading Log Templates

To assist you in your reading adventures, there are free printable reading log templates available online. These free reading log templates are designed to cater to different age groups and reading preferences. Each template includes sections to note down essential details such as book titles, authors, genres, number of pages, and even space for writing brief book summaries or reviews. You can download these templates for free and customize them according to your liking. Whether used by students, parents, or book clubs, these templates serve as practical tools to foster a lifelong love of reading and encourage it as a lifelong habit.

Creating and Utilizing a Reading Journal

In addition to reading log templates, you can create personalized reading journal templates as well. A reading journal goes beyond recording basic details; it delves into your thoughts, feelings, and insights about the books you read. You can use journal templates or create your own sections for capturing your reflections, favorite quotes, character analysis, and connections to your own life. A reading journal is an excellent way to deepen your engagement with literature and create a keepsake of your reading journey.

The Difference Between a Reading Log and a Reading Journal

While there is some overlap between reading journals and a weekly reading log or a daily reading log, they are not interchangeable terms. Here's a brief explanation of the difference between the two:

Reading Logs: Reading logs typically focus on tracking reading progress and recording key information about the books read. They often include details such as book titles, authors, dates started and finished, and the number of pages read. Reading logs are commonly used to monitor reading habits, set goals, and track the quantity of reading.

Reading Journals: Reading journals, on the other hand, go beyond mere tracking and aim to capture a reader's personal experiences, reflections, and insights about the books they read. They delve into the reader's thoughts, emotions, and connections to the text. Reading journals may include detailed summaries, character analysis, thematic exploration, favorite quotes, and personal reflections on the reading experience.

While reading logs focus on quantitative aspects of reading, such as tracking progress and recording basic information, reading journals delve into the qualitative aspects, encouraging deeper engagement with the text and fostering critical thinking and self-expression.

Encouraging Students and Young Readers

Reading logs are particularly beneficial for students and young readers. By designing reading log templates for kids, parents and teachers can encourage and monitor their reading progress. Reading logs can be integrated into daily reading routines and summer reading challenges. They provide a sense of accomplishment for young readers and help instill a lifelong love for books and learning.

A reading log template for kids is an excellent tool for encouraging young readers, as it combines fun and engaging elements with structured tracking, allowing them to record their reading adventures, set goals, and celebrate their achievements.

Reading logs and reading journals are invaluable tools for anyone looking to enhance their reading experience and track their literary adventures. By using free printable reading log templates, you can conveniently document your reading habits, set goals, and deepen your engagement with books. Encourage young readers by inviting them to create a personalized reading log that sparks their excitement for books. Whether you're a student, a parent, or an avid reader, make the most of these resources and embark on a fulfilling reading journey.

Remember, the joy of reading lies not only in the number of pages read but in the worlds discovered and the knowledge gained. Happy reading!

Planning for an Engaging Reading Log

• Choose a Format: Decide on the format of the reading log. It can be a physical notebook, a digital document, or an online template. Select a format that is convenient and accessible for the intended users.
• Identify Required Information: Determine the information to include in the reading log. Common elements may include the book title, author, date started, date finished, page numbers, and a brief summary.
• Consider Additional Elements: Think about additional elements to enhance the reading log. These can include sections for reflections, favorite quotes, personal ratings, book reviews, or any other relevant details that enhance the reading experience.
• Design the Layout: Create a visually appealing and organized layout for the reading log. Use headings, columns, or sections to clearly separate and categorize the information. Consider using colors, fonts, or graphics to make it visually engaging.
• Customize for the Audience: If the reading log is intended for a specific audience, such as children or ESL learners, customize the design and content to cater to their needs and preferences. Make it age-appropriate and user-friendly.
• Test and Adjust: Before finalizing the reading log, test it out and gather feedback. Make adjustments based on the usability and feedback received to ensure it meets the desired objectives.
• Provide Instructions: If the reading log will be used by others, provide clear instructions on how to use it. Explain the purpose, how to fill in the information, and any specific guidelines or expectations.
• Encourage Consistent Use: Emphasize the importance of regular and consistent use of the reading log. Highlight the benefits and motivate users to make it a habit by setting reading goals or offering incentives for maintaining the log.
• Review and Update: Periodically review the reading log to ensure it is meeting its purpose and address any necessary updates or improvements. Solicit feedback from users and make adjustments as needed.

By following these steps, you can create a reading log that effectively tracks reading progress, enhances the reading experience, and encourages engagement with a good book on a regular basis. Check out how to make printable reading logs with Storyboard That below!

How To Make A Reading Log

Choose one of the premade templates.

We have lots of templates to choose from. Take a look at our example for inspiration!

Click on “Copy Template”

Once you do this, you will be directed to the storyboard creator.

Give Your Worksheet a Name!

Be sure to call it something related to the topic so that you can easily find it in the future.

Edit Your Worksheet

This is where you will include directions, specific images, and make any aesthetic changes that you would like. The options are endless!

Click "Save and Exit"

When you are finished, click this button in the lower right hand corner to exit your storyboard.

From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more!

Even More Storyboard That Resources and Free Printables

• Active Reading Worksheet
• Journal Cover Template
• Test & Quiz Templates
• Book Cover Templates
• Blank Worksheet Template

Happy Creating!

Frequently Asked Questions About Reading Log Worksheets

Are there specific reading log templates designed for different age groups.

Reading log templates are available for different age groups and reading abilities. Templates for kids feature colorful graphics and simplified formats with spaces for drawing or coloring. Templates for teens have a more mature design and include sections for reflections and book ratings. Templates for adults have a clean layout with sections for detailed summaries and insights. ESL learners can find templates with extra space for vocabulary and language practice. Some are tailored to specific genres, allowing for genre-specific elements to be recorded. It's important to choose a handout that suits the individual's age, reading level, and preferences. Customization can enhance the reading experience and encourage consistent use of the log.

Can reading logs be used as a basis for classroom discussions or book club activities?

Yes, they can serve as a basis for classroom discussions or book club activities by allowing students to share their experiences, engage with each other's reading, provide book recommendations, guide discussions, and track progress. These activities promote collaboration, critical thinking, and a vibrant reading culture within the classroom or book club.

How can reading logs be used to encourage reluctant readers?

Reading logs encourage reluctant readers by setting goals, tracking progress, allowing personal choice in book selection, providing positive reinforcement, offering a variety of reading activities, facilitating supportive discussions, and gradually increasing reading time. These strategies boost motivation, confidence, ownership, engagement, and enjoyment, helping reluctant readers develop a reading habit and find meaning in their reading experiences. Teachers can show students how to write a reading log designed for their specific needs by explaining the benefits, providing sample logs, guiding the process, allowing personalization, setting goals, offering reflective questions, and providing feedback. These strategies empower students to enhance their reading experience, develop critical thinking skills, and foster a love for reading.

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April guide to the arts at the U

By Brittney Bomnin Garcia [email protected] 03-29-2024

Explore a roundup of events this month, including concerts, exhibitions, and undergraduate student presentations during the annual Research, Creativity, and Innovation Forum. Learn more about The U Creates —the University’s digital hub for the arts, culture, and creative expression—and view the full calendar of events .

VIEW ALL: Bill Cosford Cinema | Center for the Humanities | Jerry Herman Ring Theatre | Frost School of Music | Lowe Art Museum | School of Architecture | University Libraries | UM Art Galleries

Saturday, April 6, 7:30 p.m. | in person and streaming, purchase tickets

Frost Music Live!: Schubertiade for Violin and Piano

Frost School of Music’s piano professors will join renowned violinist Charles Castleman to unveil the magic of Franz Schubert. A tradition that began in 1815 honoring the then 18-year-old Schubert, the Schubertiade originated as an unpublicized, informal concert of his music, but quickly spread throughout Europe, and eventually to the United States. Purchase tickets .

Newman Recital Hall, Knight Center for Music Innovation, 5513 San Amaro Dr, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Monday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. | in person, free event

Book Talk: ‘Roman Satire’

With particular attention to authorial and national identity, artistic self-definition, and literary reception, Jennifer Ferriss-Hill, professor of classics and senior associate dean for faculty affairs and college diversity at the College of Arts and Sciences, shows how four ancient Latin poets—Lucilius, Horace, Persius, and Juvenal—asked and answered these questions between the second century BCE and the second century CE as they invented and reinvented the genre of Roman verse Satire. Save your seat .

Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, FL 33134

Tuesday, April 9, noon | virtual, free event

Slow Looking with the Lowe: Highlights from the Campus Art Collection

During this virtual program, Tola Porter, Lowe Art Museum educator for academic and public programs, will lead participants through a 30-minute mindful and interactive session exploring selected artworks from the Lowe’s collection. Sign up now .

Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Wednesday, Apr. 10, noon to 4 p.m. | in person, free event

Research, Creativity, and Innovation Forum (RCIF)

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Community Outreach offers students from all disciplines the opportunity to present their research to a wide audience consisting of their peers, faculty and staff members, and the larger University community. In collaboration with the Center for the Humanities, RCIF has added a panel presentation component this year for students and peers to develop their presentation skills and further engage with their research in the humanities. Learn more .

Donna E. Shalala Student Center, 1330 Miller Drive, Miami, FL 33146

Thursday, April 11, 4 p.m. | in person, free event

Edith Bleich Lecture Series: Jennifer V. Evans, professor of history at Carleton University in Canada

In her lecture, “Why We Need Queer Kinship Now More Than Ever,” Evans asks how the queer and trans past has often been drawn upon to make a series of claims about liberal democracy itself, including the place of identity in rights-based discourses of experience, policy, and governance. Register now .

Otto G. Richter Library, Third Floor Conference Room, 1300 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Thursday and Friday, April 11–12 | in person, purchase tickets

Smart Cities MIAMI 2024

The School of Architecture, in collaboration with the Frost Institute for Data Science and Computing, will host the 8th Annual Smart Cities Conference . This event will explore the theme of artificial intelligence in design, offering a platform to delve into the cutting-edge advancements shaping the future of architecture. Registration is $50 per person.

Lakeside Village Expo Center, 1280 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Saturday, April 13, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

M.F.A. in Creative Writing thesis reading

Graduate students Guillermo Leon, Dorie Spangler, and Swetha Siva, who are pursuing Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, will share their thesis. This event is open to the public.

Thursday April 17, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

Lowe Connects: Exploring Art, Marine Biology, and Engineering to Address Climate Challenges

U-Link partners from the departments of art and art history, marine biology, and engineering will speak about the connection between scientific research, engineering, and art. Guests will learn about the ways that the University of Miami is catalyzing interdisciplinary collaboration to advance knowledge on the impacts of climate change and other stressors, and the development of practical solutions to meet society’s changing needs. Register now .

Mindfulness programs are offered virtually at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and in person at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays at the Otto G. Richter Library.

Friday and Saturday, April 19-20 and Friday and Saturday, April 26-27 | in person, purchase tickets

‘Urinetown, the Musical’

Join the revolt in a dystopian future where water is worth its weight in gold, and one of the most basic human needs is under the control of an evil bureaucracy. Wickedly witty, this Tony Award- winning musical satire pokes fun at politics, social irresponsibility, capitalism, and musical theater itself. University students and staff and faculty members can use code THSUTOWN before selecting their seats to receive a discount. University students can obtain free entry to an 8 p.m. show Thursday, April 25, by presenting a valid ’Cane ID. Purchase tickets .

Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, 1312 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Saturday, April 20, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

Catherine Kramer: ‘Known/Unknown’

On view from April 5 through April 26, the University community is invited to the opening reception of “Known/Unknown,” an exhibition by Master of Fine Arts candidate Catherine Kramer. Drawing inspiration from Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung and his process of active imagination, Kramer intentionally works with subconsciously produced imagery while creating her artwork. Learn more .

University of Miami Wynwood Gallery, 2750 NW Third Ave., Suite 4, Miami, FL 33127

On view now through Saturday, April 20 | in person

The Annual Juried Exhibition

Organized by the Department of Art and Art History and hosted by the Lowe Art Museum, the exhibition features works of art across various media created by undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Miami. Learn more .

Monday, April 22, 4 p.m. | in person and streaming, free event

Adobe Scholars Reception

Meet and engage with the 2023-2024 Adobe Scholars as they share the results of their projects. This event is free to attend and open to the public. The online component of this hybrid event will be hosted using Zoom software. Sign up to participate .

Monday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. | in person, free event

‘Sing Sing’

Attend a sneak preview of “Sing Sing,” the story of an inmate at the infamous Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, NY, who forms a theater troupe with his fellow prisoners. Admission is free. Registration is required .

Bill Cosford Cinema, Dooly Memorial 225, 5030 Brunson Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Thursday April 25, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

ArtLab | Miya Ando: Sky Writing lecture and reception

Join the Lowe for a talk and reception featuring artist Miya Ando to celebrate the ArtLab 2024 exhibition, Miya Ando: Sky Writing, on view through Saturday, June 1. This student-curated exhibition features multimedia works by Miya Ando, whose oeuvre explores nature’s ever-changing moods and the fragility of human existence. Register to attend .

Thursday, April 25, 7:30 p.m. | in person and streaming, purchase tickets

Frost Music Live!: Michel Camilo and the Frost Latin Jazz Orchestra

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York, Michel Camilo bridges the genres of jazz, classical, popular and world music with his artistry and virtuosity. The Grammy, Latin Grammy, and Emmy Award-winner joins forces for one night only with the Frost Latin Jazz Orchestra and Cuban drummer Dafnis Prieto. Purchase tickets .

Maurice Gusman Concert Hall, Frost School of Music, 1314 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Saturday, April 27, 7:30 p.m. | in person and streaming, purchase tickets

Frost Music Live!: Beethoven’s 9th

The Frost Symphony Orchestra season finale presents a symphonic masterwork alongside four American orchestral miniatures by Augusta Reed Thomas, Bernard Rands, Daren Hagan, and Chen Yi. Purchase tickets .

Featured: RCIF Humanities Hub

As part of the Research, Creativity, and Innovation Forum, the Humanities Hub will feature representatives from the University's humanities departments to provide attendees with information about the humanities as well as answers to specific questions about fields of study, research pursuits, and career opportunities. The Humanities Hub aims to create a stronger connection between research and the humanities within the undergraduate student body and also promotes the different ways in which students can get involved in the humanities.

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Craft the perfect creative writing prompt from Microsoft Designer's AI images

march 22, 2024

by Monica Jayasinghe

Hello, fellow educators! I recently discovered an exciting way to create engaging writing prompts for my students using AI and Microsoft Designer . The results were amazing, and I can't wait to share this fun and innovative approach with you!

Describing the Vision:

To get started, head over to Microsoft Designer . We'll use the power of AI to generate an image that will serve as the foundation for our writing prompt.

We'll use Image Creator , where you can describe the image you want to create. The goal is to generate an image that will capture your students' imagination and inspire them to write.

For this example, I entered the prompt, A spacecraft landing near a house, futuristic, mysterious.

Choose the image you want to work with

Once you select Generate , Microsoft Designer will provide you with a variety of AI-generated images. Since we're creating a writing prompt, look for an image that has space for adding instructions and is easy to read.

You'll be amazed by the number of options available! When you find an image you like, click on it and select Edit image .

Customize the image

After selecting your preferred image, it's time to customize it.

• Click on Resize in the top panel and adjust the dimensions to match a PowerPoint slide. This will ensure that the image fits perfectly when you're ready to present it to your students. You can also align the image anywhere on the page to create the perfect composition.
• In the box labeled AI tools , you'll see additional customization options. Consider playing with the filters to update the mood and color scheme of your image.

Add instructions and text

To make the writing prompt clear and easy to read, click on the existing text and customize it. To add a heading, click on Text in the left panel. The right panel will populate with even more ideas you can use.

In this example, I changed the color to white and added a story starter.

Engage your students

The possibilities for using AI-generated images as writing prompts are endless! Here are a few options:

Get inspired by the artwork

The most obvious way to use these images is as direct inspiration for student writing. Generate a bold, fantastical, emotional, or silly image and have students write a story about what's happening in the image.

Try this prompt: A whimsical classroom under the sea. The teacher is a wise old octopus. The classroom is decorated with shell desks and seaweed streamers .

Bring stories to life

Another great idea is to take an excerpt from a story you're reading in class and use the AI to generate an image that matches that specific part of the story. This will spark engaging discussions among your students and bring the story to life in a whole new way.

Bring units to life

Why stop at a story? You can also generate images that fit the theme of a unit you're working on, whether you're exploring weather patterns or reliving life on the Oregon Trail.

Consider setting aside some time each day or week for students to free write or journal. Kick off the writing session with an AI-generated image, then throw on some light classical music and let them write. Mix up the kind of images you show them, from lush landscapes to abstract pop art, and see what it inspires.

Try this prompt: An abstract painting in vivid colors

You can even include animated options. After you generate your image in Microsoft Designer, select the image and Create Design . In the right-hand panel that appears, you'll see several design options. Usually, one or more of these options will be animated. Select the animated option and add it to your PowerPoint!

Accessing your AI-generated images

One of the best features of Microsoft Designer is that all the images you create using AI are saved in the My Media section. This means you'll never lose your creations and can easily access them whenever you need them.

This feature enables educators to curate a collection of visuals for various writing themes, be it aliens, dragons, or any other imaginative scenario.

Wrapping up

Microsoft Designer is a game-changer for educators looking to inspire their students' creativity. The AI-generated images, customization options, and easy access to your creations make this a powerful tool for any classroom.

Head over to designer.microsoft.com today and start creating unforgettable writing prompts!

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Screen Rant

Even an animated twilight show can't fix the book's silliest decision.

Even the proposed animated Twilight show can't fix (or even redeem) the silliest decision Stephenie Meyer made when writing her vampire novels.

• Twilight 's sparkling vampire lore decision by Stephenie Meyer continues to be a divisive and oft-mocked aspect of the series.
• Even with the potential for animation, the jarring and cheesy appearance of the sparkling vampires may remain an issue.
• A Twilight remake should consider ditching the sparkling vampire element to make needed changes and appeal to a broader audience.

Even the proposed animated Twilight show can't fix (or even redeem) the silliest decision Stephenie Meyer made when writing her vampire novels. Lionsgate, the studio that holds the onscreen rights to Meyer's Twilight Saga , has been shopping around a new project: an animated series based in the Twilight universe. At a time when romantasy novels are having another surge in mainstream popularity , it's probably the best time to revive the ultra-popular vampire romance series. The first film in the saga, 2008's Twilight , starred Kristen Stewart as teenager Bella Swan and Robert Pattinson as perpetual teen (and vampire) Edward Cullen.

The first film was a sleeper hit, making $408.4 million against a comparatively modest $37 million budget. Twilight went on to launch an immensely lucrative film franchise, adapting Meyer's remaining three books. The five films in the Twilight Saga (Meyer's fourth book, Breaking Dawn , was split into two films) made a whopping $5.28 billion based on how much each Twilight movie made . It's no secret that Twilight doesn't exactly reinvent the whee l: its forbidden romance between a mortal and a vampire who must rebuke his bloodthirsty impulses isn't novel — except for one silly wrinkle Meyer invented.

Making Vampires Sparkle Remains 1 Of The Twilight Books' Silliest Decisions

Stephenie meyer invented a ridiculous bit of vampire lore.

Since Meyer's first book rose to popularity, fans have wondered why vampires sparkle in Twilight . Without a doubt, Meyer's choice to inject this original bit of vampire lore remains rather mind-boggling, and has been subject to backlash. It's one of the key issues that franchise naysayers mock and criticize. The author of the Twilight Saga clearly wanted a more PG way to reference the fact that vampires can't withstand sunlight . Notably, that's precisely why Edward and the rest of the Cullen brood relocated to the always-rainy and overcast Forks, Washington.

...the sparkling reveals that Edward isn't human...

Still, it's hard to take the sparkling vampire thing seriously. In the novel, it's meant to be a beautiful stand-in for Edward's sun intolerance: the sparkling reveals that he isn't human, but the teenage vampire doesn't have to burst into flames. This becomes an even more substantial plot point in the second film and book, New Moon . After breaking up with Bella, Edward hopes to attract the attention of a vampire clan called the Volturi. In order to draw their eyes — and death-dealing fangs — he decides to step into the sunlight in an incredibly public place .

How Old Edward And The Other Cullens Are In Twilight

Animating twilight's vampires won't fix the franchise's sparkling problem, even animation can't justify the vampires' look.

The Twilight movies never had the best special effects. The first movie, which had a more indie feel, features numerous sequences that come across as visually off-putting. Most often, these sequences center on the Cullen family's vampire powers . Their super speed and strength looks outright ludicrous in certain moments, especially when Edward is memorably displaying his powers to Bella for the first time. An animated series can fix a lot of these visual issues by making them look more believable within the context of a cartoon world. However, even the most dazzling animation can't redeem Meyer's sparkling vampire decision.

[The sparkling skin] may work in the book — and in readers' minds...

The effect in the movies is incredibly cheesy, but also jarring. In fact, it raises more questions than anything else. Even though the Cullens are careful about where they live, favoring cloudy locales, that doesn't mean they aren't standing in the sun's rays. It's hard to accept in live-action form, and it's hard to imagine an animated Twilight show doing much to soften the jarring sparkling look. While it may work in the book (and in readers' minds), the sparkling skin isn't very appealing or visually interesting. Instead, it's just one of Twilight 's more silly and distracting aspects .

The 1 Twilight Movie Scene The TV Reboot Will Find It Almost Impossible To Beat

The twilight remake should just cut this part of the source material, the twilight show has the chance to make much-needed changes.

Animated or not, if a Twilight remake comes to fruition, it should just cut the sparkling vampires element. Aside from New Moon 's ending, the strange skin trait isn't crucial to the Twilight Saga movies . In the case of New Moon , creators can certainly find some workarounds ; there's more than one way for Edward to flag his vampirism in a public space. According to Meyer, the Twilight vampires' sparkling skin is also a reference to their hard marble skin. This visual difference also accounts for their superior strength; however, all of that could remain true without Twilight 's vampires needing to sparkle.

Twilight is a TV show reboot of the popular vampire film series that was based on Stephenie Meyer's young-adult novels.

Creative writing prizes: Hastings Book Festival 2024 Competitions

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Jun Wang , James E. Ashton Professor and interim departmental executive officer in the College of Engineering’s

 Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, is the 2024 Scholar of the Year . The award celebrates nationally recognized recent achievement in outstanding research, scholarship, and/or creative activities. 

Wang’s research centers on the development of novel remote sensing techniques to characterize aerosols and fires from space. He serves as the University of Iowa’s lead investigator on NASA’s TEMPO, Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring Pollution, which Time magazine named one of its best inventions of 2023. 

“Professor Wang's scholarly endeavors over the past two years stand out as a paradigm of excellence, serving as an exemplary model for both emerging and seasoned faculty members to aspire toward,” said Karim Abdel-Malek, professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Iowa Technology Institute.

James Byrne , assistant professor of radiation oncology in the Carver College of Medicine ( CCOM ), is the 2024 Early Career Scholar of the Year . The award honors assistant professors who are currently involved in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity and show promise of making a significant contribution to their field. 

As a physician scientist, Byrne continues to care for patients while developing novel biomedical therapies for cancer, finding inspiration in everything from latte foam to tardigrades. In his first two years as faculty at the UI, he has earned more that $2.5M in external research funding, including a K08 award from the NIH.

“Dr. Byrne’s scientific creativity stems from both an active and curious mind as well as his ability to bridge diverse fields from engineering to biology to medicine,” said Michael Henry, professor and interim director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. “These interdisciplinary boundaries are where some of the most interesting and important work is happening today.”

Donna Santillan , research professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Science Research in the CCOM Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, received the Leadership in Research Award , which recognizes research and scholarly accomplishments throughout a career. 

While Santillan’s research has spanned across the field of reproductive science, she has a particular interest in the deadly diseases of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and its intergenerational effects. She designed and directs the Women’s Health Tissue Repository. Santillan’s work has been cited more than 2,700 times, and she has mentored 114 early career scientists and students, a testament to her expansive impact.

“Dr. Santillan has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering the professional and personal development of trainees in research, including myself,” said Banu Gumusoglu, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology. “Her mentorship extends beyond the confines of traditional academic settings, touching the lives of many aspiring trainees from high school through residency, clinical fellowship, and faculty levels.”

Stephen Warren , professor of history and American studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), received the Distinguished Achievement in Publicly Engaged Research Award . The award recognizes an individual faculty member who has put addressing public needs and direct engagement with the public, in the service of improving quality of life through research, at the forefront of his or her academic activities.

A prolific scholar of Native American culture, Warren’s research has centered on the Shawnee people of Oklahoma for the past two decades. He has published four books and co-authored the most recent one , Replanting Cultures: Community-Engaged Scholarship in Indian Country, with Chief Benjamin Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe. 

“Over the last two decades, Professor Warren has established himself as a leading community-engaged scholar, and his achievements in research and publishing demonstrate that community engagement and strong scholarship are not mutually exclusive,” said Nick Benson, director of the Office of Community Engagement. “Professor Warren’s work serves as an inspiration for researchers at Iowa and nationally who seek not only to make a difference in academia, but also in our communities.”

Kaveh Akbar , associate professor of English in CLAS, received the Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Humanities Research Award . This award honors distinguished achievement in humanities scholarship and work in the creative, visual and performing arts. 

Akbar joined Iowa in 2022 to serve as the director of the English and creative writing major. In January, his new novel, Martyr!, was published to critical acclaim. Akbar previously published two prize-winning poetry collections and has served as poetry editor for The Nation  since 2021. 

“Akbar’s leadership in the profession and on campus continues: his transformative work in our department not only enriches the academic experiences of 700+ English and creative writing majors, but also enhances the profile of UI as ‘The Writing University,’” said Blaine Greteman, professor and departmental executive officer of the Department of English.

Cara Hamann , associate professor of epidemiology, received the Faculty Communicating ideas Award . This award recognizes excellence in communication about research and scholarship in the sciences and humanities and the study of creative, visual, and performing arts to a general audience directly or via print and electronic media.

Hamann has frequently shared her work on transportation issues, including teen driving, bike and scooter safety, and pedestrian safety, through peer-reviewed journals and extensive media outreach. Her recent op-ed, “The most deadly traffic policy you’ve never heard of leaves you vulnerable, too,” drew widespread attention to a legal loophole in crosswalk laws and appeared in more than 50 news outlets nationwide, including USA Today .

“Dr. Hamann’s work is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and impactful to a

wide audience,” said Diane Rohlman, associate dean for research in the College of Public Health. “Her ability to communicate with clarity, creativity, and passion coupled with her extensive media outreach, exemplifies how she utilizes multiple approaches to address transportation challenges impacting society.”

Bob McMurray , F. Wendell Miller Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Caroline Clay , assistant professor of acting in the Department of Theatre Arts, were recipients of the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Distinguished Mentor Awards . The awards honors mentors’ dedication to making their students research experiences successful.

“I can’t imagine my research journey without Bob’s welcoming kindness, thriving lab community, and confident mentorship, and I am so deeply grateful for his impact on me,” said Hannah Franke, a psychology and linguistics major mentored by McMurray.

“I know I am far from the only student whose life has been impacted by Caroline Clay,” said Isabella Hohenadel, a second-year theatre arts major. “She deserves to be recognized of all of the wonderful work she does and how much she cares about us as students. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of recognition than her.”

Staff Awards

Angie Robertson , department administrator for CCOM’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, received the Distinguished Research Administrator Award . The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the UI by exploring funding opportunities, assisting in grant proposal preparation, submission, post-award administration, and operational support. 

In addition to overseeing every aspect of daily operations for the department, Robertson manages nearly 100 research grants for the department and three longstanding NIH T32 training grants. 

“Angie plays a leading role in our department office, inspiring us to achieve all aspects of our missions ,” said Li Wu, professor and department chair. “She is innovative, collaborative, accountable, and respectful  in her daily work. She exceeds any expectations and sets a great example for staff members in the department.”

Min Zhu , research specialist in the Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research (IIOHR) within the College of Dentistry, received the Distinguished Research Professional Award . The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the UI by conducting experiments, collecting, and analyzing results and performing operational duties associated with a laboratory or research program. 

Zhu has worked as a lab bench scientist in the College of Dentistry since 2006, executing experimental work for grants and other research, working closely with IIOHR faculty members, overseeing lab maintenance and environmental health and safety efforts. 

“Beyond her research skills, Dr. Zhu has been an exceptional mentor and educator for my students and other junior researchers,” said Liu Hong, professor of prosthodontics. “Her kindness and willingness to share her knowledge have made her a beloved figure among them.”

Curtis Iberg , manager of sterilization services in the College of Dentistry, received the Innovation in Safety Award, which celebrates exceptional and ground-breaking innovations that advance safety at the UI. Iberg led a major renovation of the College of Dentistry’s instrument processing and sterilization area, with the aim of encouraging better workflow and support for future growth. 

“His innovations in workspace are a valuable asset to the greater University and demonstrates that the most important people to be involved in a space renovation are those that use the area because they can see how the facility can better function and how it can be designed for future needs,” said Kecia Leary, associate dean of clinics.