Writing skills taught here are offered by me, Mary Deal, and focus specifically on one aspect of the traditional approach to teaching the craft. That is, learning by example.

Many articles and other information to begin or to improve skills are posted.

Stories and other prose are analyzed.

Those aided in learning to create prose by reading stories produced by others will benefit from the information presented here.

Whether it is the Classics, the present day bestseller, instructional how-to books, or anything in print or on the Internet, most people are inspired by example.

Ever since I began studying, learning, and seriously producing multi-genre stories and other prose, friends who also wrote asked myriad questions.

What they wanted were examples to which they might compare their own creative styles.

Numerous samples, along with answers to specific creativity concerns are readily available on each page through the stories, articles, letters, and advice posted here.

You may even learn about conjuring tall tales!

Much of the material posted will be my own, or from people who have given me permission to use prose they've created.

You will learn how to compose each of these, and enter contests, along with all the correspondence, submissions information, and anything that goes along with submitting your finished work for publication.

Who knows? I might even post a puzzle or two from the puzzle books I am creating.

Other information includes, but is not limited to, tips for writing a story, either fiction or nonfiction, how to write a character sketch, book writing format, and much, much more.

In both the Novels section and the Media Room we analyze my novels and how they are written.

Exciting News....

Read about my Pushcart Prize nomination on the Writing Biographies page.

My thriller, River Bones is a WINNER in the prestigious Eric Hoffer Book Awards competition. Read about it in Mystery Novels.

Stories: Short stories, flash fiction, novellas, novels and nonfiction. Understand their composition. Outlines and Synopses covered here.

Poetry: How to express your feelings and opinions in verse.

Letters, Eulogies, and More: Letter formats, cover and query letters, thank you letters, and others. Compose a Eulogy to share your feelings at a memorial service. Or compose a tribute in a format meant to be published.

Publishing Alternatives and Marketing: Several viable methods now exist to help you become a published author. What you say about yourself and your abilities in Resumes and Media Kits should attract publicity and readers to your projects.

Biographies: You will need a great Biography. Several samples provided.

Contests: Will be multi-genre, including poetry, short story, and first-chapter-of-a-novel contests; may even include a humorous story competition!

Below are listed the portals to a variety of information in this career field, one or all of which you may wish to study as you strengthen your prose.