On Point: A Guide to Writing the Military Story

by Tracy Crow

Overview

Personal writing can be risky for anyone, but for military veterans, especially those suffering from post-traumatic stress, sharing stories can trigger painful and disturbing flashbacks. Writing is also risky for the ego. It is one thing to write a military story, especially one based on authentic experiences; it is quite another to muster the courage to share that story with others for critique and feedback.

Award-winning journalist and author Tracy Crow presents a roadmap for writing an authentic, persuasive military story. Drawing from her personal experiences and those of other veteran writers, and from the insights of noteworthy writing and teaching professionals, On Point is the guide Crow wishes she'd had when she first began writing about her military experience. No previous writing guide specifically addresses the unique challenges and rewards facing soldiers who want to craft their military story with courage and candor.

Tracy Crow is a former Marine Corps officer and an award-winning military journalist. Her essays and short stories have been published widely and been nominated for three Pushcart Prizes. She is the author of Eyes Right: Confessions from a Woman Marine (Nebraska, 2012) and Red, White, and True: Stories from Veterans and Families, World War II to Present (Potomac Books, 2014).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612347097
Publisher:	Potomac Books
Publication date:	09/01/2015
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	676,834
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Tracy Crow is a former Marine Corps officer and an award-winning military journalist. Her essays and short stories have been published widely and been nominated for three Pushcart Prizes. She is the author of Eyes Right: Confessions from a Woman Marine (Nebraska, 2012) and Red, White, and True: Stories from Veterans and Families, World War II to Present (Potomac Books, 2014).

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. Owning the Story of Our Lives

2. Discovering Where the Small Fires Burn

3. Embracing the Writer (and Process) Within

4. Plotting Our Stories with Timelines, Memories, Outcomes

5. Developing Characters, Conflicts, and Connections

6. Shaping Our Storytelling with Structure

7. Activating Energy Shifts within Our Scenes

8. Sharing Our Stories—When and How

9. Navigating the World of Publishing

10. Gifting Ourselves with a Writing Life

Additional Resources

Editorial Reviews

"An extremely useful tool."—David Poremba, Past In Review


"On Point: A Guide to Writing the Military Story is an essential book for all of us linked to the military community. . . . On Point leads an important step in the right direction to making the military experience more visible to ourselves and those around us."—Amber Jensen, Military Spouse Book Review


“Both useful and graceful. . . . This book is essential for those who want to share their perspective on the growth, the ironies, the emotions, and the fundamental truths of the military experience.”—Janet Burroway, author of Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft


“Tracy Crow has written the perfect writing guide. Her advice is crisp, clear, and indispensable: just what you’d expect from a former Marine turned author.”—Dinty W. Moore, author of Between Panic and Desire and the director of the creative writing program at Ohio University


“A great tool for veterans, military service members, military family members, and for instructors of creative writing.”—Brian Turner, author of My Life as a Foreign Country


“Finally! A straightforward, practical primer. . . . On Point provides the necessary tools for converting one’s military experience into meaningful storytelling.”—Dwight Jon Zimmerman, #1 New York Times best-selling author and president of the Military Writers Society of America 

From the Publisher

"An extremely useful tool."—David Poremba, Past In Review

Past In Review - David Poremba

“Both useful and graceful. . . . This book is essential for those who want to share their perspective on the growth, the ironies, the emotions, and the fundamental truths of the military experience.”—Janet Burroway, author of Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft

Janet Burroway

“A great tool for veterans, military service members, military family members, and for instructors of creative writing.”—Brian Turner, author of My Life as a Foreign Country

Brian Turner

“Finally! A straightforward, practical primer. . . . On Point provides the necessary tools for converting one’s military experience into meaningful storytelling.”—Dwight Jon Zimmerman, #1 New York Times best-selling author and president of the Military Writers Society of America 

Dwight Jon Zimmerman

"On Point: A Guide to Writing the Military Story is an essential book for all of us linked to the military community. . . . On Point leads an important step in the right direction to making the military experience more visible to ourselves and those around us."—Amber Jensen, Military Spouse Book Review

Military Spouse Book Review - Amber Jensen

“Tracy Crow has written the perfect writing guide. Her advice is crisp, clear, and indispensable: just what you’d expect from a former Marine turned author.”—Dinty W. Moore, author of Between Panic and Desire and the director of the creative writing program at Ohio University

Dinty W. Moore

“The world needs Tracy Crow’s writing guide because no other book has been written specifically for military veterans with stories to share. The advice is solid, her examples relevant, and her approach inspirational.”—Lee Barnes, author of Gunning for Ho and When We Walked Above the Clouds: A Memoir of Vietnam

Lee Barnes