CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
  • Travel
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      FOOD & BEVERAGE
        CULTURE
        • Power Trip
        • Fashion
        • Books
        • Royalist
        TECH
        • Disinformation
        SCOUTED
        • Clothing
        • Technology
        • Beauty
        • Home
        • Pets
        • Kitchen
        • Fitness
        • I'm Looking For
        COUPONS
        • Adidas Promo Codes
        • DoorDash Promo Codes
        • H&M Coupons
        • Hotwire Promo Codes
        • Wine.com Discounts
        • Vitacost Coupons
        • Spanx Promo Codes
        • StubHub Promo Codes
        BEST PICKS
        • Best VPNs
        • Best Gaming PCs
        • Best Air Fryers
        Products
        NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
        FOLLOW US
        GOT A TIP?

        SEARCH

        HOMEPAGE
        Scouted

        Read These 5 Books On Writing In Lieu of Spending $40,000 On An MFA

        Cost-Efficient

        Getting an MFA is admirable and useful, but it's also incredibly time-consuming and costly. There are other ways to get a similar education to start improving your writing now.

        Anna Hecker

        Updated Dec. 12, 2019 4:16PM ET / Published Mar. 04, 2019 12:00PM ET 

        Back in the pre-Internet days, if you wanted to land an agent and a book deal you had two choices: spend a million dollars on postage cold-querying agents, or get an MFA. These days, all you need is a great pitch and a Twitter account.

        And—oh, right—a book.

        Instead of spending a bunch of money and two years of your life learning to write like Raymond Carver (because, honestly, that’s 90% of what an MFA program will teach you), get all the craft lessons you need—and then some—from these nuts-and-bolts guides.

        Take Off Your Pants

        Any author worth her salt will tell you that character drives plot…but how, exactly? Ignore this book’s silly title (and the goofy drawings of underpants on the cover) and let Libby Harker school you on why a strong character arc is the single most important thing your novel needs—and how to create one that works.

        Buy at Amazon$9

        Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science

        Did you know our brains are chemically hardwired to get swept up in a great story? In this fascinating mash-up of brain science and craft tips, Lisa Cron will teach you how to turn the barest hint of an idea into a story that makes our lizard-mind crave more.

        Buy at Amazon$12

        Free Shipping

        Writing Deep Scenes

        Ready to stop outlining and start writing? This overview of scene types (and the crucial elements that make a scene tick) will keep you cruising through the chapters.

        Buy at Amazon$10

        Save the Cat:The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need

        “What?” you may be saying. “I want to write a novel, not a screenplay. This is hogwash. I’m getting an MFA.” Hush now. Blake Snyder’s seminal screenwriting guide is useful for writers of any fiction, be it page or screen. Buy it. Read it. Breathe it.

        Buy at Amazon$13

        Cathedral

        Having learned the basics of plotting, character arc, and scene structure, you can now turn your attention to writing like Raymond Carver. This book should help.

        Buy at Amazon$12

        Scouted is here to share practical, entertaining, and sometimes unexpected ideas for products that you might like. ICYMI, here are a few things we recently surfaced for you: board games, fitness products, and projectors. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.  

        READ THIS LIST

        DAILY BEAST
        • Cheat Sheet
        • Politics
        • Crime
        • Entertainment
        • Media
        • World
        • Innovation
        • U.S. News
        • Scouted
        • Travel
        • Subscription
        • Crossword
        • Newsletters
        • Podcasts
        • About
        • Contact
        • Tips
        • Jobs
        • Advertise
        • Help
        • Privacy
        • Code of Ethics & Standards
        • Diversity
        • Terms & Conditions
        • Copyright & Trademark
        • Sitemap
        • Best Picks
        • Coupons:
        • Coupons:
        • Walmart Promo Codes
        • HP Coupon Codes
        • Chewy Promo Codes
        • Ulta Coupons
        • NordVPN Coupons
        • JCPenny Coupons
        • Vistaprint Coupons
        • Samsung Promo Coupons
        • Home Depot Coupons
        • Office Depot Coupons
        • eBay Coupons
        • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
        © 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC