The No Rules Handbook for Writers: (Know the Rules So You Can Break Them)

(Paperback)

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Description

Shortlisted as one of The Stage's top 10 training books of 2012 The No Rules Handbook for Writers is a timely, creative and refreshing antidote to prescriptive guides for writers. It will inspire playwrights, screenwriters and novelists; offer fresh insights toteachers, editors, dramaturgs, directors and producers. Lisa Goldman takes 40 established conventions of creative writing. She explores why these rules persist, how to master them, bend or break them and why the most important rules to overturn are your own. The book weaves together industry experiences, psychological observations and inspirational tips. With practical advice from 40 rule-breaking writers: Hassan Abdulrazzak, Oladipo Agboluaje, Ronan Bennett, Sita Bramachari, Trevor Byrne, Anthony Cartwright, Matthew Greenhalgh, Tanika Gupta, Neil Hunter, M.J. Hyland, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Dennis Kelly, Bryony Lavery, Chris Paling, Stacy Makishi, Neel Mukherjee, Hattie Naylor, Anthony Neilson, Kim Noble, Tom Palmer, Lucy Prebble, Philip Ridley, Paul Sirett, Edmund White, Roy Williams. The No Rules Handbook for Writers will be a valuable read for anyone curious about the craft, context and process of writing.

Reviews

Lisa Goldman's book is like the best of British new writing: it is personal, well-written, clearly thought out and resonant. Its advice is passionately felt but perfectly controlled. And its ideas sing and inspire. * Aleks Sierz (author of In-Yer-Face Theatre) *
Feisty, helpful, liberating stuff * The Stage *
What emerges is the primacy of the writer's unique voice, a voice that Goldman seeks to liberate rather than stifle... It is a refreshing approach that quite rightly places the writer as individual at its centre. * The Public Reviews *
Full of sensible advice * Lyn Gardner, The Guardian *

Author Bio

Lisa Goldman is the former Artistic Director of the Soho Theatre where she worked for 4 years, during which time her achievements have included directing the Meyer-Whitworth and George Devine Award-winning Baghdad Wedding, developing Oladipo Agboluaje's Alfred Fagon Award-winning Iya Ille, and staging the work of contemporary playwrights including Dennis Kelly, Anthony Neilson, Chloe Moss, Roy Williams and Tanika Gupta. Previous to that Goldman was a co-founder and Artistic Director of new writing company The Red Room.