The blank page, the impossible deadline, the rush of inspiration: There is no profession more maddening or more rewarding than being a writer. Yet surprisingly, all writers pass through the same sequence of stages in the course of their careers. It was this remarkable insight that inspired veteran authors Nancy Pickard and Lynn Lott to write one of the wisest and liveliest guides to the literary life ever penned— a volume of astonishing revelation, warm reassurance, brilliant encouragement, and welcome humor. No matter what you write or how much recognition you’ve received, you are bound to pass through the seven steps on the writer’s path: Unhappiness, Wanting, Commitment, Wavering, Letting Go, Immersion, and Fulfillment. Whether you’re a wannabe writer or a published literary veteran, you’re bound to find this book a source of true delight, vital wisdom, and lasting inspiration.

Contributed essays.

This dynamic guide to doing literature reviews demystifies the process in seven steps to show researchers how to produce a comprehensive literature review. Teaching techniques to bring systematic thoroughness and reflexivity to research, the authors show how to achieve a rich, ethical and reflexive review. What makes this book unique: Focuses on multimodal texts and settings such as observations, documents, social media, experts in the field and secondary data so that your review covers the full research environment Puts mixed methods at the centre of the process Shows you how to synthesize information thematically, rather than merely summarize the existing literature and findings Brings culture into the process to help you address bias and understand the role of knowledge interpretation, guiding you through Teaches the CORE of the literature review – Critical thinking, Organization, Reflections and Evaluation – and provides a guide for reflexivity at the end of each of the seven steps Visualizes the steps with roadmaps so you can track progress and self-evaluate as you learn the steps This book is the essential best practices guide for students and researchers, providing the understanding and tools to approach both the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of a rigorous, comprehensive, literature review.

Want to be a better writer? Perfect your process. For example, do you fear the blank page? You may be skipping the essential early phases of writing. Do you generate swarms of ideas but never publish anything? You need strategies to focus and persist to the finish. When you learn to work with your brain instead of against it, you'll get more done and have more fun. Master the inner game of writing The Writer's Process combines proven practices of successful authors with cognitive science research about how our minds work. You'll learn: How to invite creativity and flow into the writing process Why separating the writing process into different steps makes you more productive How to overcome writer's block, negative feedback, and distractions How to make time for writing in a busy, interrupt-driven lifeIt's filled with ideas that you can put into practice immediately. The Writer's Process is a 2017 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner and a Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Silver Award winner.

In Means of Transit--A Slightly Embellished Memoir, Miller writes of journeys that turned into life-altering experiences as she learned to "story" her way beyond the impasses.