Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More

Great for removing creative blocks

,I love this book. It is wonderful. think every writer from high school to professional writer should have it at their side while they are writing. It is especially important to me. I want to tell you why this book is an answer to a prayer for me. I am or at least I was a professional writer. For 25 years I wrote books and continuing education study materials for health care providers. I loved it. In June of 2015, I suffered a stroke. I was in ICU for several days, then in a regular room in the hospital. Finally I was well enough to be moved to the stroke re-hab hospital where I stayed while I worked with physical and occupational therapists and a wonderful staff who truly cared about the patients there. We celebrated when finally I was released, even though I was in a wheel chair. At home I went straight to my home office where I had been working on a book when it happened. I sat down in front of the computer and realized I had no idea how to turn it on. I also realized I couldn't type. I had been able to type since sixth grade. I had taught myself. I had worked as a medical transcriptionist and typed 10ik0 words per minute. Now, I had no idea as to where to put my fingers. I realized I would have to relearn the skill. I looked at the pages I had written and could not understand all the medical terms. I contacted the publisher, explained what had happened and told her I would be unable to write for an undetermined amount of time. I tried not to write, but I had to. So, I took a notebook and started writing about something my father had told me about as I had grown up, the story of his father. It was a beautiful story and I knew it well. I researched information. It was going so well, but there were so many times when I knew what I wanted to say and knew there were words, phrases, or sayings but my mind would go blank. I felt my writing was missing something because of this. Then I saw the description of this book. When I received it, I went through it page.. by page. It was exactly what I needed. I said a prayer of thanksgiving. I know everyone does not have my limitations. However, if your mind ever wanders trying to think of a better way to say something, you need this book. You will thank Bryn Donovan, the author for putting this together. I thank her for helping me get my writing life back. Bless you Bryn.. .

Every writer I know has been there. I myself have been there multiple times; that place where your imagination dries up and all of your brilliant ideas disappear like a butterfly in the fog, leaving you staring at a blank screen, dazed and absentmindedly tapping your foot to the throb of a blinking curser.Or maybe you find yourself in that situation where you are able to write, but the words just don’t seem to fit. You are having a difficult time expressing yourself and your writing sounds flat, dull, uninspiring, even boring. You have writing goals and publishing deadlines to meet. What do you do?Well, you can do what I have done in the past…just blow off your writing for the day. After all, there is all of that research that needs to be done – you know, on Facebook. But if you are looking to spend your time a little more productively, then I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Master Lists for Writers, by Bryn Donovan (Munds Park Publishing, 2015).Master Lists for Writers is a tremendous resource for writers at any stage in their career. Whether you are working on your very first story or novel, or you are a veteran published author, you will find inspiration and motivation within the almost three hundred pages of writing tips and lists included between the covers of this gem.Some of the helps you will find inside include:- 183 different facial expressions- Page after page of physical and emotional descriptions for your characters- 500 great words for action scenes- 25 plot twists- 25 motives for murder- 100 character quirks- 50 ways to show a character is a good person- Ways people say Good-bye- Ways people verbalize negative feelings- 50 actions that show attractionAnd the lists go on and on...There is one whole section devoted to character names, from Viking names to medieval England. If your story takes place in the old west, and you are looking for just the right name for your protagonist or your antagonist, then the list 200 names from the Wild West would be a good one to check out. Or maybe your story is more contemporary. Don’t worry, there’s no need to pick a name out of the phone book. Master Lists for Writers has a list of 400 different names for contemporary heroes and heroines.Another section covers dialogue and yet another has numerous lists devoted to plotting your story. The only downside I see to this book is that it is filled with so much useful information that you might be in danger of spending your time reading through the lists instead of actually doing your writing! But I think that Bryn Donovan even anticipated that possibility because the last list in the book is 10 Reasons Why You Should Write That Story.

I used to collect books like this one by the dozen. These days there is the internet. Still, I think this is equal to any of the books like this one that I've bought in the past. I recall a software program in the past that costs hundreds of dollars and it offered little more than some of the plot lists in this book. But this book goes further... Lists of words you'll need when your scene slams to a stop because the word at the tip of your tongue refuses to escape. Lists of motives, Character traits, Dialogue, Character Names, Settings, Plotting.This may not be "The" writing book for writers, but these lists can come in handy. I don't want "instruction" on writing and this book doesn't lecture in such ways but touches on things even seasoned writers may need reminded of, then offers some lists of suggestions, some dull and expected in such a list, but then a little jewel of a surprise that is just what a writer may need.I like this book of lists.

I love how everything is laid out in this book, with it easy to find what you're looking for, and nothing you're not. I have it sitting on my desk and use it often. Does what it says on the box.

Little did I think when I bought yet another writing book that I would get such a treasure! I have written a lot, with warts to show as evidence, and my shelves are stacked with How to Write books. So yet another is ho hum - until I opened this one! Hesitate not, fellow writers - Master Lists for Writers will be your reference for years to come. Along with Words and Expressions from Medieval England and before you utter another Merde, turn to the Scents for Settings and liven up your own scene with a ponk.

Just what I needed. I was stuck writing my novel, looking of words, idioms etc. This book has the repository, I can refer to find expression for my thoughts.

Consise and very usefull, a good book to help you write with all considerations.Some other books splain just one aspect off writting, this one privides a lot of resources.

Buon prodotto

Extremely useful bit of kit for a writer. Would recommend.