Show your students how to stop dabbling and start publishing with this professional-caliber how-to guide to unleashing the inner writer! Covering novels, short stories, memoirs, screenplays, and stage plays, this is one series that all serious writers should have access to. It’s packed with advice from agents, editors, publishers, and some of the most significant authors of our times - individuals who live the business of writing every day.

The nine 48-127 minute programs are:

THE DRAMA OF CREATION: Writers on Writing
How can a handful of words, scribbled on a napkin or a train schedule, grow into a timeless play? How does a storyteller create characters with lives and intentions of their own? Is writing a miraculous act, impossible to explain or describe, or is it 90 percent perspiration? In this program, a chorus of famous authors discuss creative strategies that lead to emotionally charged stories and dramatic narratives. The video weaves together rarely seen interviews featuring nuts-and-bolts commentary from Neil Simon, August Wilson, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, Peter Shaffer, Tina Howe, and other artists whose work profoundly moves readers and audiences. Exploring the writer’s craft from several different angles - the roller coaster of inspiration, the pros and cons of collaboration, the importance of listening to a character’s voice, and more - this luminous compendium of literary wisdom is an indispensable resource for any aspiring author or writing instructor. 48 minutes, CC

PUBLISHING SHORT STORIES
In this volume, Amy Tan gives a talk called "Serendipity, the Muse, and Divine Intervention". Using examples from The One Hundred Secret Senses, she explores the role that these elements played in the development of her work. This volume also features a lively panel discussion in which authors Amy Tan and Richard Ford and editors Will Allison, Alan Cheuse, and Andrew Tonkovich field questions posed by moderator Stephen Kochand and members of the audience. Questions include What are the best markets for emerging fiction writers? Are there trends to follow or avoid?, and What role does the editor play in selecting content for various publications? 91 minutes

WRITING THE NOVEL
In segment one of this volume, Janet Fitch discusses landscape and how its use can distinguish professional writers from aspiring writers. In a clear and conversational style, she provides examples and recommends methods, tools, and exercises to help novelists elevate the level of their prose. In segment two, writers Sands Hall, Max Byrd, Varley O’Connor, and Stephen Koch present a wealth of information, humorously moderated by editor Andrew Tonkovich, on point-of-view. Topics such as the connection between POV and voice and how perspective, voice, and POV relate to character and place are included. 89 minutes

WHAT TO WRITE
In segment one of this volume, screenwriter Gill Dennis gives a presentation that addresses how to find the story, develop memorable and realistic characters, uncover "significant irrelevancies" and apply them to fiction, and use emotions to develop story lines. In the second segment, "Psychological and Spiritual Distress of Writing", Anne Lamott provides good advice and great examples as she gives insights into topics ranging from what to write, to her fears about getting published, to how she copes with her critical voice. She also talks about what to do when your work doesn’t get the response you were hoping for. 110 minutes

ELEMENTS OF WRITING
This volume concentrates on successful storytelling. In a talk called "Scene, Summary, Silence", writer/educator Al Young tells how to engage readers and keep a story moving by creating believable narrative and maintaining a balance between scene and summary. A panel discussion moderated by Mark Childress follows, in which authors Olga Carlisle, James Brown, Lynn Freed, and Al Young examine the influence of their birthplaces on their work. With honesty and humor they answer questions including Do you think you’d be a writer if you came from another place in the world? and What impact did leaving your birthplaces have on your writing? 111 minutes

WRITING FOR DIFFERENT GENRES
Crime writing and the memoir are highlighted in this volume. In segment one, author/journalist Martin J. Smith shares his knowledge about the differences between mystery, crime, and suspense; how to know if you have a solid concept; and five elements that are necessary for success in a crime-related genre. In segment two, author and former columnist Adair Lara walks viewers through The Arc, an indispensable tool for developing the structure of a memoir and making it compelling - and marketable. In addition, Lara responds to questions such as How do you move the story forward?, How do you handle hurt feelings?, and Where do you start, how do you end? 82 minutes

AGENTS, EDITORS, AND PUBLISHERS
This volume looks at writing from the perspective of agents, editors, and publishers. It begins with a Q&A segment that spells out how to secure an agent. Moderated by agent Betsy Amster, the panel - BJ Robbins, Julie Barer, and Elyse Cheney - fields questions including What do you like to see in a query letter? and What is a good way to find the right agent? A panel featuring editors Ann Close and Joy Johannesson and publisher Michael Pietsch concludes the program. Questions in this segment range from the general - What makes a book sell? - to the very specific: How do you determine the advance amount an author receives? 99 minutes

READINGS AND CONVERSATIONS
In segment one of this volume, authors Mark Childress, Janet Fitch, and Glen David Gold read and talk about their previously unpublished works. In the second segment, "Conversations", Oakley Hall - founder of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, author of 24 novels, and former writing teacher - presents 15 tips that every writer needs to know, beginning with Write every day, Observe and listen, Employ all the senses, and Use strong verbs. 127 minutes

TALK FAST: Pitching a Screenplay in Two Minutes
What if an aspiring screenwriter could get just two minutes of face time with a major Hollywood exec to make a pitch? Welcome to Pitchmart. In this reality-based program, five people with five big ideas express their passions and frustrations as they spend a week with Ken Rotcop to polish their presentations - and then two precious minutes with the decision-makers who could transform their scripts into box office bonanzas. Rotcop, Pitchmart’s founder, is an award-winning screenwriter and author of the best-selling The Perfect Pitch. An honest and insightful scrutiny of parlaying a script into a movie deal. 53 minutes