by Kellie McGann |
Last November we were approached by a young writer who lived in Syria. We’re often approached by writers from all over the world, but there was something different about this aspiring writer: his message.
Nabeel Kallas studies medicine and writes novels in his spare time. He lives in the war-torn nation of Syria and writes about the people of his homeland. His first novel is called WHEN THE JASMINE RETURNS.
WHEN THE JASMINE RETURNS is a story about young people living in Syria. It follows a group of friends trying to live normally despite their fears and the constant threat of the dangers of war.
Today, we’re sharing an exclusive excerpt from this upcoming novel.
by Kellie McGann |
For years I have written nonfiction. I’ve studied memoir, creative nonfiction, narratives, journal writing, and essays. I’ve even written three nonfiction books. But for my next project, I decided to try something different. That is when I was introduced to roman à clef.
“Roman à clef” is French for “novel with a key.” It is a “novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction.”
In other words, roman à clef is something that the author has seen or experienced but portrays the story as a fictional tale.
by Kellie McGann |
I see this in comments on The Write Practice all the time. “I want to be a writer, but I know nothing about grammar.” I don’t have a degree in English or Journalism, either.
I am, though, a writer. For those of you who have decided you are a writer too, you don’t need a degree in English or be an expert in grammar. There are a few grammar hacks I’ve learned that have helped me.
by Kellie McGann |
The next few months I’ve dedicated to finishing the book I’ve been working on for nearly two years. Inspired by Joe’s latest post, I’ve made the commitment to revise the second draft of my book.
I believe, though, the second draft is the hardest. Actually, it’s the worst. All the content of your book is sitting right in front of you like a huge slab of marble mined from your imagination, and you’re expected to take the formless hunk and turn it into Michelangelo’s David.
In finishing the second draft of three books and as I’m embarking on finishing this next one this fall, I’ve compiled these tips for the both of us. Here’s all I know about book editing and surviving the second draft.
by Kellie McGann |
Over the weekend, I was working on a book project. I’ve been working on it for almost a year and desperately need to finish it. But when I sat down to work on it, suddenly everything became more interesting than the writing on the screen in front of me.
I stared at the wood table for too long, before picking up my phone and texting back everyone I hadn’t in the last six months. I stared out the window, got a refill on my coffee, and then finally wrote maybe thirty words.
