When reading the work of literary heroes like Jane Austen, or modern-day masters like Sally Rooney, it can be hard to imagine that they began with an empty page (or screen). It's strange to think that Victor Hugo turned a pen and parchment into the beautiful tale of The Hunback of Notre Dame. Or

Adopting a unique writing style can give you confidence, help you stand out, and more. Here’s some insight into how to develop your writing style and why it’s important.

When I heard that Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief, was visiting Denver, I actually gasped out loud. The Book Thief has been influential in my writing and reading life in more ways than I can name. Suffice it to say that I have about a million favorite books, but when forced to choose just one, I say The Book Thief. The characters don't let you go, the plot is so original, and to say the writing style is beautiful is an understatement. So of course I jumped at the chance to hear Zusak speak, and to get my copy of The Book Thief, as well as his new book, Bridge of Clay, signed. Zusak was a funny and charming speaker, and warm and welcoming when I met him in the signing line. I wish I could have just recorded the whole talk and posted it for you, but here are six things he said that stood out to me the most. Know the backstory Zusak said that the way he is able to tell if he'll be able to turn an idea into a novel is how much backstory comes to him. When you're planning your book, knowing the background of the characters is incredibly important. Even if most of it doesn't end up in the book, pieces of it will, and that's what will give your characters life and make the story memorable to readers. The more your characters seem like real people you know, not just one-sided figures you write about, the more they'll come alive in the reader's mind. Having a deep backstory is the best way to accomplish this. Incorporate details Zusak used this simple metaphor to convey the importance of details: Once he was at an airport, and forgot his jacket in the security line. When he returned to claim it, the guard asked him what it looked like. He didn't just describe the color, but also the logo, and how there was a piece of folded-up paper in the pocket. With these precise details, the guard had no trouble believing he was telling the truth and the jacket was his. Likewise, when we incorporate specific, unique details into our stories, the reader is able to believe that we are telling the truth, even while knowing it's fiction. Details are what make your story jump off the page and lodge itself in the reader's mind. They're what make a reader stop and think, Yes! That's exactly how that feels/sounds/looks. How did they know?! If you don't feel something, neither will the reader Robert Frost once said, No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader. Zusak modeled this when writing both The Book Thief and Bridge of Clay. During the Q&A session after his talk, a young reader asked him if he cried when writing the end of The Book Thief. He confessed that he had ugly cried as he wrote the ending--like many of us as we read it--and had actually cried even harder when writing the end of Bridge of Clay (causing many of us in the audience to groan with grim but eager anticipation). If you have laid out the backstory of your characters and incorporated details that bring them to life, you as the writer will end up caring deeply about them, so that whatever you feel when writing their fate, the readers will also feel. Keep writing, no matter what During the Q&A session, someone asked him who had encouraged him to keep writing when he was young. With a laugh, he responded, Absolutely no one. He spoke of how he had never won a contest, never had a short story published, how his parents and his English teachers never thought he would publish a book--but something in him knew that's what he wanted to do, so he kept trying. When I met him in the signing line, I mentioned how I was a writer and The Book Thief had been so inspirational to me. To my delight, he asked about my writing, and when I said I was writing an adult contemporary fiction novel and had just sent it to people to read, he reminded me that even if I got negative feedback, I was still a writer and I needed to just keep writing. It is easy to be discouraged when we don't get glowing responses to our work, but imagine if Markus Zusak had listened to those around him and given up. Know that you are a writer, and so you must keep writing. Write the book only you can write This might have been my favorite thing Zusak said all night. He doesn't try to write books that are better than other writers or that win all the awards; his focus is on trying to write stories that only he is capable of writing. No matter how you feel about The Book Thief or Bridge of Clay, I know that they're books only I could write, he said. Don't compare how good your book is to other books or other writers. Focus on the story that only you can write. Writing takes a bit of luck Throughout his talk, Zusak mentioned several instances of luck that contributed to his success. Not just in terms of finding an agent or publishing, but in the actual writing of his stories. Before writing The Book Thief, he was visiting a school and leading an activity in which students choose a color and write from its perspective. He ended up writing from Death's perspective, and thought, Hey, maybe I should use this in that book I'm planning set in Nazi Germany. He also had another page-long piece about a girl in modern-day Sydney stealing a book and had the same thought of incorporating it into the Holocaust story he was planning. Of course, these two ideas are crucial to making The Book Thief into what it is. Likewise, with Bridge of Clay, when he first came up with the idea for the book, he chose the character name 'Clayton' at random. It was only later in the process of planning and writing that he shortened it to Clay, and realized it fit perfectly with the idea of building a bridge. Writing takes a lot of skill, and you have to know how to use those strokes of inspiration in your stories, but it's also helpful to know that a bit of luck is always involved. A huge thanks to Markus Zusak, both for his incredible stories and for a wonderful evening. Denver's Tattered Cover bookstore also has my undying love for bringing amazing authors to visit. To buy Zusak's newest book, Bridge of Clay, click here. You can also read more about Zusak and his books on his website. (FYI–This post includes affiliate links. I promise to never recommend anything that I haven’t loved and think you should try!) Have you read The Book Thief or any of Markus Zusak's books? What's your favorite? Who is the author you would most love to meet? Who is someone you've already met and loved? Let me know in the comments!

Time to start binging some documentaries, I guess.

America is not the whole world. Now I have nothing against Americans or even America as a whole but you have to admit, there are a lot of stories that make it a not so safe place for anyone who does not bleed red and blue. I am not saying all Americans are like this

An internet user wanted to know if she was being a jerk when she told her roommate that she did not give a damn about her boyfriend's food allergies.

Embark on an academic adventure like never before! Unleash the power of precision with our curated list of top-tier assignment writing…

Use some expert help from top professionals in any academic field! Hire a Writer => https://bit.ly/click_me_for_help <= We take pride in our solid team of professional academic writers available 24/7 to serve your requests. 👌 6 Reasons to Try a Single-Point Rubric | Edutopia For example, a holistic rubric might describe an A essay using the following criteria: “The essay has a clear, creative thesis statement and a consistent overall argument. The essay is 2–3 pages long, demonstrates correct MLA formatting and grammar, and provides a complete works cited page.” Then it would list the ...

A literary agent shares a 7 step process she uses with clients to help them write a book that sells so they can make a living from their writing!

Teachers are there to teach us. Not to berate us when we ask questions that are not considered 'smart'. I never understood the reason why teachers get annoyed when a student asks too many questions. I mean doesn't it mean the student is participating and trying to learn? Why is it a bad thing? However,

I asked my Instagram followers,“What are some signs of amateurish writing, in your opinion?” Here are the results!

How to write a book in 30 days? Is it really impossible? A feat on par with slaying a dragon? Maybe so, but writers engage in this adventure every single year

The writing process can seem daunting if you're just finding out how to start writing a novel. Here are some tips and resources from my own writing process.

Memes are the best medicine.

Ah yes, torturing readers, your favourite hobby!

More Than Just Essay Writing Service Writing services provided by our company will never let you down. Order Now => https://bit.ly/essaytt <= World-Class Education Help For Anyone, Anywhere 🥇 Get help with your study project from top experts in any discipline 💯 The following topics represent a mix of different ideas that can be used in argumentative research papers. Is youth superior to experience in the workplace? Can Plant sources ever. unethical business research articles how to format dialogue in an essay...

Elizabeth Gilbert has created an easy note-taking system for writing a novel that helps her avoid writer’s block and keep her research and ideas organized.

Structuring your story can frighten some writers and confuse others, but it doesn't have to be so - here is a simple way to look at story structure.

Want to write a book but don't know where to start? Learn how to start writing a book for beginners with these tips to kickstart your book-writing journey.

Whether your characters are getting into swordfights, falling out of high windows, or escaping dramatic fires, you may be wondering what sort of injuries they would realistically sustain. This guide aims to explain some common injuries in fiction, as well as how to write each one. I did my best to research this (check

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Steal these for your writing unit!

Do you think writing an outline of your chapters will help you but don't know where to start creating one? Create the perfect chapters outline.

Engaging activities and ideas for teaching students to add dialogue

Celestial symbolism in writing refers to the use of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars as symbols to convey deeper meanings in a literary work. Celestial symbolism has been used in literature for centuries. It can add depth and meaning to your work by conveying abstract ideas and emotions through concrete images. Symbolism helps to create a mood or atmosphere, and to reinforce themes and motifs throughout a text. The same symbol can represent a variety of things in literature depending on the context and the author's intent, which is why some examples may have more than one association.

When tons of academic assignments jump into the pocket all at once, even the most devoted and self-organized student can get confused. Academic overload and pressure to succeed are among the top…

If you're writing a book for the first time and you're not sure what the steps to do it are, you can follow these simple tips to start writing your novel.

How to write a children's book—everything you need to know! Thinking of writing a children's storybook? As an independent publisher, I often get calls from men and women who have either written a kids' story or have one in mind they want to write. This article will focus primarily on how to write a children's

Engaging activities and ideas for teaching students to add dialogue

In this post, we provide an explanation on how to add humor to a novel.