You: The Story

A Writer's Guide to Craft Through Memory

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$12.99 US
Penguin Young Readers | Viking Books
24 per carton
On sale May 07, 2024 | 9780593524404
Sales rights: World
The nonfiction debut by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys is now in paperback! Perfect for fans of Burn After Writing and Bird by Bird.

Life is a story in motion. Each day, you add to your story, revise it, and view it from a different angle. You erase things. Tear pages out. And sometimes, in hindsight, wish you could put them back. A day is a story. A year is a story. A life is a story.
You are a story.

Ruta Sepetys is known for creating vivid characters and harrowing plots. After five award-winning works of historical fiction and countless hours of meticulous research, she can affirm that the secret to strong writing is embedded within your life experience.

You: The Story is a powerful how-to book for aspiring writers that encourages you to look inward and excavate your own memories in order to discover the authentic voices and compelling details that are waiting to be put on the page. Masterfully weaving in humorous and heartfelt stories from her own life that illustrate an aspect of the craft of writing (such as plot, character development, or dialogue), Sepetys then inspires readers with a series of writing prompts and exercises.

Perfect for fans of Burn After Writing and Bird by Bird, You: The Story awakens the emerging writer and reveals that with some reflection, curiosity, and courage, you have a story to tell.
★ "Instructive and inspiring for storytellers of all ages." Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Part writing guide, part memoir, Sepetys’ fresh, fun handbook is all inspiration." Booklist, starred review

★ "With the same skill and craft that Sepetys employs to write relatable and moving invented characters, she paints a picture of her family, friends, and acquaintances, proving she is capable of more than enthralling fiction. . . . This is a must for any collection where young readers have an interest in storytelling, as well as generally a good pick for fans of the author." —School Library Journal, starred review

"This is an inspirational book that gives readers direction as they begin writing and will make them want to keep writing, and rewriting, their own stories."SLC

"Sepetys discusses the principles that underlie good fiction and recounts details from her own life to illustrate how personal anecdotes can fuel literary creativity. . . . Novice writers will appreciate a bounty of writing prompts."Publishers Weekly

About

The nonfiction debut by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys is now in paperback! Perfect for fans of Burn After Writing and Bird by Bird.

Life is a story in motion. Each day, you add to your story, revise it, and view it from a different angle. You erase things. Tear pages out. And sometimes, in hindsight, wish you could put them back. A day is a story. A year is a story. A life is a story.
You are a story.

Ruta Sepetys is known for creating vivid characters and harrowing plots. After five award-winning works of historical fiction and countless hours of meticulous research, she can affirm that the secret to strong writing is embedded within your life experience.

You: The Story is a powerful how-to book for aspiring writers that encourages you to look inward and excavate your own memories in order to discover the authentic voices and compelling details that are waiting to be put on the page. Masterfully weaving in humorous and heartfelt stories from her own life that illustrate an aspect of the craft of writing (such as plot, character development, or dialogue), Sepetys then inspires readers with a series of writing prompts and exercises.

Perfect for fans of Burn After Writing and Bird by Bird, You: The Story awakens the emerging writer and reveals that with some reflection, curiosity, and courage, you have a story to tell.

Praise

★ "Instructive and inspiring for storytellers of all ages." Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Part writing guide, part memoir, Sepetys’ fresh, fun handbook is all inspiration." Booklist, starred review

★ "With the same skill and craft that Sepetys employs to write relatable and moving invented characters, she paints a picture of her family, friends, and acquaintances, proving she is capable of more than enthralling fiction. . . . This is a must for any collection where young readers have an interest in storytelling, as well as generally a good pick for fans of the author." —School Library Journal, starred review

"This is an inspirational book that gives readers direction as they begin writing and will make them want to keep writing, and rewriting, their own stories."SLC

"Sepetys discusses the principles that underlie good fiction and recounts details from her own life to illustrate how personal anecdotes can fuel literary creativity. . . . Novice writers will appreciate a bounty of writing prompts."Publishers Weekly