Kelly Stone was a featured author at BWS in 2008. She has completed her third book in the "TIME TO WRITE" series. Here is a review of "Living Write: The Secret To Inviting Your Craft Into Your Daily Life." ***** Review of Living Write: The Secret to Inviting Your Craft Into Your Daily Life by Kelly L. Stone.

Kelly L. Stone delivers on the promise she makes in the title. She imparts her knowledge as a counselor and an author to advise aspiring writers on the act of daily writing. Kelly encourages writers to explore their vision and reach milestones while overcoming self-doubt. Readers learn what is possible as well as how to achieve it.

Whether you are a published author or a novice writer, there are tools in Living Write that will appeal to your level of development. Kelly also shows writers what self-sabotaging systems to throw out of the tool box! Instead, techniques to improve the traits of a successful writer are introduced, such as “role-modeling” and “image incorporation.”

Living Write is not an editing or grammar guide, nor does it contain writing prompts and brain teasers. What it does offer is a thorough examination of a writer’s mind set, and methods to implement the positive traits into the act of daily writing.

Living Write is a must-read for anyone searching for the secret to successful writing. It includes a CD with guided meditations and daily exercises for writers. Other books in Kelly L. Stone’s series are Time to Write: No Excuses, No Distractions, No More Blank Pages and Thinking Write: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind.

Review completed by Lynn C. Tolson

Sounds like a very useful book, PL. Especially that it comes with the CD featuring guided meditations. That is special.

I am very desperate to start reading this book! Would love to have a copy in my bookshelf. Personally I prefer to read books which gives tips & advice on writing. Thanks for sharing!

Samantha, here is another recommendation. Sue Silverman was a featured author 2 or 3 times on BWS. Fearless Confessions: A Writer’s Guide to Memoir by Sue William Silverman

Sue Silverman was my role model for memoir because she had dared to write about issues usually silenced in our society. (see) Then, I had the pleasure of meeting her at Vermont College of Fine Arts, post-graduate writer’s conference, where she was faculty/advisor. She taught the group metaphor, voice, and technique, and encouraged expression from the writer within each individual. Sue urged us toward Fearless Confessions, an apt title for the Writer’s Guide to Memoir. Despite my notes from the conference, and hand-outs from Sue, I wished I had a “go-to” guide at my fingertips. Sue has made such a guide available in Fearless Confessions.

The book contains chapters that have writing exercises and inserts with tips. Sue also arranged for appropriate articles by other authors, which exemplify what Sue is conveying in the body of the chapter. Sue generously offers examples of her own. I was especially moved by her revealing essay The Pat Boone Fan Club. That is what a memoirist does: revealing life matter that one thinks is individual, yet the emotions are universal. Some confessional memoirs put into words what others are thinking, but are afraid to say aloud. Sue dares us to dig deep and write down, such as with an exercise that asks the reader to “Write a short paragraph about a secret you’ve never told anyone, except maybe a therapist.”

Sue explains the craft of writing, and elements such as “the voice of innocence” and “the voice of experience” She leads us to websites, books, marketing opportunities, and publishing options. (note of disclosure: Sue used my essay From Process to Product: Using Print-on-Demand to Publish in Appendix two).

I eagerly awaited Fearless Confessions because I wanted to hold Sue Silverman’s knowledge and ability in the palm of my hand. Sue packs more in 237 pages than I ever expected. If you want to write a memoir, let Sue’s “go-to” guide you to write it right. (Review completed by Lynn C. Tolson)