Compelling stories have the power to generate infinite wonder: It's nearly impossible to imagine how the author began, and yet we sense there's much more beyond the final word. It's this mystery–a combination of inspiration and craft, smoke and mirrors–that makes writing feel momentous. But it can also feel overwhelming, causing us to become small, scared, not quite ready for the "big" rides, such as finishing that story, that novel, and finding the courage to share it with the world.

In You Must Be This Tall to Ride, you'll find 20 works of fiction and nonfiction by acclaimed contemporary authors, each offering fresh perspective on ''coming of age'' (a story to which we can all relate), as well as exclusive personal essays and practical exercises.

In their own words, these writers grant you a guided tour of craft with unparalleled access to the process behind their creation, including how to:

grow a story from the seed of an image or sentence
allow experiments with language to lead you to plot
turn even the most unlikely characters into heroes
transform raw anecdotes from your own life into compelling fiction and essay

Join 20 writers as we grow up and down, taking a rollercoaster ride in stories. You'll not only begin to understand what makes the wheels of a story turn, you'll also gain the tools and strategies to transform lost characters and runaway plots into the greatest show on earth. So go ahead, step right up. Listen for the calliope music, and take your place in line.

Your ride has just begun.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Steve Almond
Aimee Bender
Kate Bernheimer
Ryan Boudinot
Judy Budnitz
Dan Chaon
Brock Clarke
Michael Czyzniejewski
Stuart Dybek
Michael Martone
Antonya Nelson
Peter Orner
Jack Pendarvis
Benjamin Percy
Andrew Porter
Chad Simpson
George Singleton
Brady Udall
Laura van den Berg
Ryan Van Meter