9781496235756

1496235754

9781496238108

9781496238115

"Acetylene Torch Songs is a guidebook for writers who want their honesty, social engagement, and intimacy to reach beyond the page and transform the lives of readers with searing, indelible, and unquenchable words"-- Provided by publisher.

"At times writers-from the unpublished to jaded lifers-need a fire lit under them to pursue the complex work of self-exploration. Acetylene Torch Songs provides that spark for memoirists and essayists seeking mentor-based instruction and inspiration. Drawing on twenty-five years of teaching and mentoring writers, Sue William Silverman stresses practice over theory. She encourages craftiness as well as craft and urges writers to embark on emotional quests in pursuit of their art. Acetylene Torch Songs uniquely illustrates how the writer's imaginative spirit comes alive on the page through metaphor, literary masks, sensory memories, voice, obsessions, and more. This holistic approach to writing emphasizes how the creative process brings together the heart, mind, and senses to illuminate the human condition through language. Featuring a personal essay in each chapter, Silverman uses her own work to model a specific concept or approach, demonstrating how obsessions, secrets, and memories can burn on the page. Through guided prompts, worksheets, checklists, publishing advice, personal essays, and strategies, Silverman encourages writers to find the confidence and courage to write stories that reach beyond the page through their intimacy, social engagement, and honesty"-- Provided by publisher.

The hammer overture

"Body and soul" : writing fiery, holistic prose

"Thanks for the memory" : bringing the past to life

"Ghost riders in the sky" : writing what haunts you

"Behind the mask" : on revealing the sequined self

"Voices inside my head" : the multitudinous sounds of voice

"The long and winding road" : some thoughts on narrative structure

"Come together" : strategies to craft an essay collection

"Respect" : confessional writing as resistance

"You don't own me ": on writing controversial or disturbing literature

"Do you want to know a secret?" : I love confessional writing

"Look through any window" : Memoir with a view

Sue's EZ rules to write by

On trifles : things you might not think to write about.

Creative nonfiction > Authorship.

Autobiography > Authorship.

Autobiography > Authorship.