The Story Within

"Laura Oliver's stories are tightly constructed, understated and nearly perfect.” 

George Packer, The New Yorker.

"Laura Oliver writes with enormous humanity, humor, and a truly keen eye for human emotion.  When I read phrases such as our parents being "a choice the cosmos made" I realized I was in the confident hands of a true writer. I love the way she depicts parental love, parental anxiety, and many other things. I would love to see anything else that Laura Oliver writes. She works a territory that I'm very comfortable with and she brings her own considerable talent to this turf."

Jane Rosenman, Executive Editor, Houghton Mifflin

The Story Within, New Insights and Inspiration for Writers: “Oliver's book manages to be simultaneously eloquent, no-nonsense, inspirational, funny, and loaded with truly practical ideas: tantalizing essay openings; cool things to put on a writer's desk; specific ways to make dialogue work better; useful instructions to give people you've asked to read your paragraphs.  I envy Oliver's students, who must thrive under her understanding and enthusiasm. I happened to pick it up during a week when I was in a foul mood about writing in general, and by the time I was halfway through, to my amazement, Oliver had made me want to sit down and get back to work.”

                       --Cynthia Gorney, Graduate School of Journalism, U.C. Berkeley Contributing Writer, The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic Magazine

“Packed with new ideas and deeply engaging, The Story Within inspires, instructs and entertains. Laura Oliver is an immensely talented writer, teacher and storyteller. This book is fun to read and will make you a better writer.”

          --Jon Franklin, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory           
Journalism and the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing.

"Oliver’s fiction is “full of complexity, well-observed detail and emotional force.” 

Alice Mattison, In Case We Are Separated, and a former  New Yorker contributor.

"I did get to read Laura Oliver's stories. I think she is incredibly talented and was blown away by some of the crystalline sentences. I loved how she captured the mother/daughter relationships. They felt fresh and important.  She sure can write."

Shoemaker & Hoard, Publishers

More on The Story Within: "Blunt, witty, relentlessly honest about the hard simplicity of the writing craft, immensely useful, and startlingly thorough. As penetrating and stimulating a craft workbook as I have ever seen.”                                               

                                                                                                                                      -- Brian Doyle, editor of Portland Magazine

"Laura Oliver is an extraordinarily gifted teacher and writer. She brings passion to her presentation, which inspires her students to explore  "the story within" and put it in words. Ms. Oliver shares her own stories with her students, encouraging us to do likewise. One of her most captivating qualities is a wry sense of humor that makes every class a joyful experience."

Mary Lou Baker, Annapolis,  Maryland

"You have changed the way I look at life…my own, my children’s, my husband’s…and virtually everyone I see throughout my day! Thank you for this…you have a gift that you are passionate to share and I feel so fortunate that you have shared it with me!"

 

J.W., Annapolis, MD,  Workshop Participant

"I found a voice I didn't know I had and I found the courage to use it. Laura's astute insights and suggestions took me beyond where I thought I could go."

Camilla Schwarz,  Annapolis, MD, Writing Workshop Participant

" Laura Oliver’s writing, whether fiction or personal essay, is well-crafted and deeply resonant. Laura is also a gifted and nurturing teacher. Her uncanny ability to identify the essence of a story, no matter how buried, is something all writers will find invaluable. If you have the chance to read Laura Oliver’s work, do it. If you have the chance to study with her, rush to do it."

Lynn Schwartz, writing instructor, St. John's College

"On behalf of the Annapolis Area Maryland Writers' Association, please accept our heartfelt thanks for your informative and sensitve presentation at Maryland Hall. The crowd loved you as well. You are so genuine and a great speaker."

Joanne Alloway, Maryland Writers' Association

"Thanks again for such helpful feedback. I appreciate you spelling it out the way you did. We writers look for clear answers when they are available such as "the asnwer is yes!" Until I came to that part, I hadn't realized how interested I was in my options! You are a wonderful teacher."

Jennifer Longhi, workshop participant

"Laura Oliver generously shares the tools with which to waken RipVan Winkle memories or to mine apparently insignificant everyday occurrences for gems. In her classes students find themselves creating veritable masterpieces."

Henriette Leanos, St. John's workshop participant