Somerset Maugham is quoted as telling a writing class “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”

If you’re like me, you’ve taken writing classes, learned rules, followed some and rejected others, and found your own way to share your writing. I write fiction, creative nonfiction and educational materials. My educational materials are designed for use with incarcerated students, more often referred to as prison inmates.

Though I don’t know the three rules for writing a novel I do have some suggestions for choosing fiction or memoir (creative nonfiction) for stories you want to share. My suggestions appear in a monograph, Writing From Life. It’s presented as a “Writer’s Workshop.”

In this writer’s workshop I use examples from two of my published works. Fiction examples are excerpted from Romar Jones Takes a Hike. Memoir examples are excerpted from Unlocking Minds in Lockup.

Romar Jones is a ninth-grade boy who walks out of school and embarks on a search for his mother who is in prison.

Unlocking Minds in Lockup is both my memoir and a guide to the power of prison education.

If you’re interested in a free downloadable pdf copy of Writing From Life, send me a note at Contact Me at my website www.janwalker-author.com 

Follow my blog. I will share stories and thoughts about writing and life.