Best of
Writing
2015
The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know
Shawn Coyne - 2015
It's like a CT Scan that takes a photo of the global story and tells the editor or writer what is working, what is not, and what must be done to make what works better and fix what's not. The Story Grid breaks down the component parts of stories to identify the problems. And finding the problems in a story is almost as difficult as the writing of the story itself (maybe even more difficult.) The Story Grid is a tool with many applications: 1. It will tell a writer if a Story "works" or "doesn't work." 2. It pinpoints story problems but does not emotionally abuse the writer, revealing exactly where a Story (not the person creating the Story...the Story) has failed. 3. It will tell the writer the specific work necessary to fix that Story's problems. 4. It is a tool to re-envision and resuscitate a seemingly irredeemable pile of paper stuck in an attic drawer. 5. It is a tool that can inspire an original creation. Shawn Coyne is a twenty-five year book-publishing veteran. He's acquired, edited, published or represented works from James Bamford, John Brenkus, James Lee Burke, Barbara Bush, Dick Butkus, Harlan Coben, Nellie Connally, Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, Ben Crenshaw, Catherine Crier, Brett Favre, David Feherty, John Feinstein, Tyler Florence, Jim Gant, Col. David H. Hackworth, Jamie Harrison, Mo Hayder, William Hjortsberg, Stephen Graham Jones, Jon Krakauer, David Leadbetter, Alan Lomax, David Mamet, Troon McAllister, Robert McKee, Matthew Modine, Bill Murray, Joe Namath, John J. Nance, Jack Olsen, Scott Patterson, Steven Pressfield, Matthew Quirk, Anita Raghavan, Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell, Jerry Rice, Giora Romm, Tim Rosaforte, William Safire, Dava Sobel, Michael Thomas, Nick Tosches, Ann Scott Tyson, Minette Walters, Betty White, Randy Wayne White, Steven White, and Don Winslow among many others. During his years as an editor at the Big Five publishing houses, as an independent publisher, as a literary agent both at a major Hollywood talent agency and as head of Genre Management Inc., and as a bestselling co-writer and ghostwriter, Coyne created a methodology called The Story Grid to teach the editing craft.
Take Off Your Pants! Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing
Libbie Hawker - 2015
She’ll show you how to develop a foolproof character arc and plot, how to pace any book for a can’t-put-down reading experience, and how to ensure that your stories are complete and satisfying without wasting time or words.Hawker’s outlining technique works no matter what genre you write, and no matter the age of your audience. If you want to improve your writing speed, increase your backlist, and ensure a quality book before you even write the first word, this is the how-to book for you.Take off your pants! It’s time to start outlining.
Successful Self-Publishing: How to self-publish and market your book in ebook and print
Joanna Penn - 2015
Many authors are frustrated because there are so many options for self-publishing, and they don't know which one to choose or what will be best for their book. Others spend thousands of dollars to publish and end up broken-hearted with the result. But it doesn't have to be this way. I've spent the last seven years self-publishing bestselling fiction and non-fiction books and in 2011, I left my day job to become a full-time author entrepreneur. I've made lots of mistakes along the way, but through the process of self-publishing 17 books, I've learned the most effective way to publish and market your books. In this book, I'll share everything with you. The book includes: - What you need to know before you self-publish - Why self-publishing an ebook is a good idea - How to format an ebook - Exclusivity and going direct - How to self-publish an ebook - Why self-publish a print book - Print-on-demand will change your life - What you need to know before you print - How to self-publish a print book - What to do if you want help with the publishing process - After self-publishing - How much does it cost to self-publish? - How do you get paid when you self-publish? - Book marketing principles - How to market fiction - How to market non-fiction Plus, links to more useful resources. If you're ready to successfully self-publish, then download a sample or buy now. You can also get your free Author 2.0 Blueprint and mini-course at TheCreativePenn.com/blueprint (just copy and paste into your browser)
Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story
James Scott Bell - 2015
Contrary to what some may think, structure is not a nasty inhibitor of creativity. Quite the opposite. Properly understood and utilized, structure is what translates story into a form readers are wired to receive it. And it is only when readers truly connect with your story that they turn from casual readers into fans. The material in this book greatly expands upon the chapter on structure in Write Your Novel From the Middle. Super Structure can be considered a companion to that book, but it also stands alone in its treatment of the elements of a solid and pleasing plot. Here's more good news: Super Structure will work for any type of writer--those who like to outline, those who just fly by "the seat of the pants," and those who do a little of both. That's because Super Structure stresses the concept of "signpost scenes." There are fourteen signpost scenes, or beats, that can be used to create an entire plot, the skeleton of an idea, or a map to help you figure out what to write next. Every signpost is given its own chapter and explanation, along with a section called "Helpful Hints for Plotters and Pantsers," showing you how to apply what you've learned and adapt it to your own style of writing. Never write a weak novel or screenplay again. Super Structure is a proven foundation that never fails. It frees you to add your original voice and vision, all of which adds up to bestselling fiction and hit screenplays. "I need three things before I tackle a new novel: Diet Coke, a laptop, and my dog-eared copies of James Scott Bell's books on writing craft!” - Kami Garcia, #1 NY Times & International Bestselling author
5,000 Words Per Hour: Write Faster, Write Smarter
Chris Fox - 2015
5,000 Words Per Hour also has a companion app available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch! The fastest way to succeed as an author is to write more books. How do you do that with a day job, family, school or all your other time commitments? The secret is efficiency. 5K WPH will help you maximize your writing time by building effective habits that both measure and increase your writing speed. - Create an effective writing habit - Track and improve your Words Per Hour - Stop the endless editing and tinkering so you can finish your draft - Use voice dictation software to dramatically increase words per hour. It’s time to shift your writing into high gear.
The Art of Memoir
Mary Karr - 2015
She followed with two other smash bestsellers: Cherry and Lit, which were critical hits as well.For thirty years Karr has also taught the form, winning graduate teaching prizes for her highly selective seminar at Syracuse, where she mentored such future hit authors as Cheryl Strayed, Keith Gessen, and Koren Zailckas. In The Art of Memoir, she synthesizes her expertise as professor and therapy patient, writer and spiritual seeker, recovered alcoholic and “black belt sinner,” providing a unique window into the mechanics and art of the form that is as irreverent, insightful, and entertaining as her own work in the genre.Anchored by excerpts from her favorite memoirs and anecdotes from fellow writers’ experience, The Art of Memoir lays bare Karr’s own process. (Plus all those inside stories about how she dealt with family and friends get told— and the dark spaces in her own skull probed in depth.) As she breaks down the key elements of great literary memoir, she breaks open our concepts of memory and identity, and illuminates the cathartic power of reflecting on the past; anybody with an inner life or complicated history, whether writer or reader, will relate.Joining such classics as Stephen King’s On Writing and Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, The Art of Memoir is an elegant and accessible exploration of one of today’s most popular literary forms—a tour de force from an accomplished master pulling back the curtain on her craft.
Book Launch Blueprint: The Step-by-Step Guide to a Bestselling Launch
Tim Grahl - 2015
He's launched dozens of bestselling books, many to the top of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. In fact, at one point he 5 clients on the New York Times bestseller list at the same time.He has also worked with many new authors getting their first books off the ground and helped them to successfully launch their books as well.In each of these launches, he used the same underlying framework:
Sell to fans.
Encourage sharing.
Influencer outreach.
In Book Launch Blueprint, you learn how each of these steps work and how you can apply it to your next book launch.
Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More
Bryn Donovan - 2015
Write faster...write more! MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS makes “show, don’t tell” much easier and helps you figure out your story more quickly. In this book, you’ll find: • lists of phrases for describing facial expressions, body language, gestures, physical appearance, and emotions • 175 master plot ideas, including romance, high-stakes, family, and workplace stories • lists of words for writing action scenes and love scenes • inspiration for figuring out character traits and quirks, backstories, occupations, motivations, and goals • lists for describing settings and writing dialogue • lists of good character names for contemporary stories...plus medieval England, Regency England, Wild West, and WWII settings • and more! Whether you’re writing novels or short fiction, screenwriting, or any other kind of storytelling, MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS is a rich source of inspiration you’ll turn to again and again. This book contains adult language.
Writing with Mentors: How to Reach Every Writer in the Room Using Current, Engaging Mentor Texts
Allison Marchetti - 2015
In this practical guide, they provide savvy strategies for:--finding and storing fresh new mentor texts, from trusted traditional sources to the social mediums of the day --grouping mentor texts in clusters that show a diverse range of topics, styles, and approaches --teaching with lessons that demonstrate the enormous potential of mentor texts at every stage of the writing process.In chapters that follow the scaffolded instruction Allison and Rebekah use in their own classrooms, you'll discover how using mentor texts can unfold across the year, from inspiration and planning to drafting, revising, and "going public" in final publication. Along the way, you'll find yourself reaching every writer in the room, whatever their needs. "Our hope in this book," they write, "is to show you a way mentors can help you teach anything you need or want to teach in writing. A way that is grounded in the work of real writers and the real reading you do every day. A way that is sustainable and fresh, and will serve your students long after they leave your classroom."
How to Make a Living with Your Writing: Books, Blogging and More
Joanna Penn - 2015
I was miserable in my job and my creativity was stunted by the crushing daily grind.Then I started writing books and blogging, using my words to create products and attract readers. In September 2011, I left my corporate job to become a full-time author and creative entrepreneur and since then I've grown my business year on year "" all based on my writing. More importantly, I'm finally living the happy life I always wanted.I'm not a Kindle or blogging millionaire and this is not a get rich quick scheme. But I will share with you how I make a six-figure income from writing books, blogging and marketing in an ethical manner.We're living in the best time ever to make a living with your writing! Read on to learn more.The book includes:Overview of how I make a living and income splitFirst principlesTips on writing and productivityTips on mindsetPart 1: How to make money from booksIt's not just one bookYour publishing options: Traditional publishingChanges in the publishing industryYour publishing options: Becoming an indie authorHow to self-publish an ebookHow to self-publish a print bookHow to self-publish an audiobookPart 2: How to make money online in other waysA business powered by content marketingProduct salesAffiliate incomeConsulting or coachingProfessional speakingAdvertising and sponsorshipFreelance writingTips for content marketingThe transition and your next stepsPlus/ Companion Workbook so you can answer the questions in the book for yourself.If you'd like to make a living with your writing, this book will help you take the next steps.
The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist's Companion for the 21st Century
Richard Polt - 2015
The Typewriter Revolution documents the movement and provides practical advice on how to choose a typewriter, how to care for it, and what to do with it—from National Novel Writing Month to letter-writing socials, from type-ins to typewritten blogs, from custom-painted typewriters to typewriter tattoos. It celebrates the unique quality of everything typewriter, fully-illustrated with vintage photographs, postcards, manuals, and more. 50 color photographs
The 52 Lists Project: A Year of Weekly Journaling Inspiration
Moorea Seal - 2015
This beautiful undated journal of weekly lists will help nurture self-expression and self-development. Each seasonal section includes list prompts, with plenty of space to write your own lists, and challenges to help you take action and make your dreams a reality. With perfectly timed prompts that meet you where you are throughout the different seasons, this journal will open up new avenues of self-knowledge and help you celebrate, enjoy, and take ownership of your life, as each week of the year becomes more thoughtful and vibrant.
5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing
C.S. Lakin - 2015
The prose feels off. The scene isn’t gelling. The dialogue sounds stilted or clunky. But they don’t know why or how to fix it. This book lays it all out 5 Editors Tackle the Twelve Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing demonstrates the deadly dozen pitfalls on the road to a strong story, along with revisions that show writers exactly how to avoid novel failure.No other writing craft book offers such detailed instruction in how to spot and remedy the major flaws of fiction writing. What makes this book an important addition to a writer’s bookshelf? More than 60 Before and After passages showcase each of the twelve fatal flaws, which are then picked apart and examined to help writers spot these flaws in their own writing and fix them. Five editors with extensive background in both editing fiction and writing novels bring a wealth of insights, examples, and solutions to these flaws, using various genre styles and POVs. Each chapter ends with a checklist to help writers seek and destroy these fatal flaws in their manuscript, followed by bonus Before and After passages to help them test what they’ve learned. This in-depth guide to self-editing is an invaluable resource for any writer of any genre. It shows, not just tells, how to write better fiction. Using it, you’ll be armed with the tools and skills you need to conquer the twelve fatal flaws of fiction writing. Here are some of the 12 fatal flaws:
Overwriting—the most egregious and common flaw in fiction writing.
Nothin’ Happenin’—Too many stories take too long to get going. Learn what it means to start in medias res.
Weak Construction—It sneaks in at the level of words and sentences, and rears up in up in the form of passive voice, ing verbs, and misplaced modifiers.
Too Much Backstory—the bane of many manuscripts. Backstory has its place, but too often it serves as an info dump and bogs down pacing.
POV Violations—Head hopping, characters knowing things they can’t know, and foreshadowing are just some of the many POV violations explored.
Telling instead of Showing—Writers have heard this admonition, but there’s a lot to understanding how and when to show instead of tell.
Lack of Pacing and Tension—Many factors affect pacing and tension: clunky passages, mundane dialogue, unimportant information, and so much more.
Flawed Dialogue Construction—Writers need to learn to balance speech and narrative tags and avoid “on the nose” speech.
“Underwriting”—just as fatal as overwriting.
How to Draw Fantasy Art and RPG Maps: Step by Step Cartography for Gamers and Fans
Jared Blando - 2015
Fortunes are decided. Kingdoms are lost. Entire worlds are created. This book will teach you to bring your fictional realm to life with simple step-by-step instructions on how to draw authentic fantasy maps. Set the stage for adventure by illustrating domains, castles and battle lines, mountains, forests and sea monsters! Learn to create completely unique and fully functional RPG maps time and time again on which your world can unfold.All the skills necessary to create awe-inspiring maps are covered! Landscapes. Add depth, balance and plausibility with rocky coastlines, towering mountains, dark forests and rolling plains. Iconography. Mark important places--towns and cities, fortresses and bridges--with symbolic iconography for easy-to-understand maps. Typography. Learn how to place readable text and the basics of decorative script. Bonus instruction teaches you to create fonts for Orcs, Elves, Vikings and dragons. Heraldry and shield design. Depict cultural and political boundaries with shields and colors. Advanced cartography. Includes how to draw landmarks, country boundaries and political lines. Build roads to connect merchants and troops, troll cairns and dragon lairs. And complete your maps with creative backgrounds, elaborate compasses and thematic legends. 30+ step-by-step demonstrations illustrate how to construct an entire fantasy world map from start to finish--both digitally and by hand!
The 12 Key Pillars of Novel Construction: Your Blueprint for Building a Strong Story
C.S. Lakin - 2015
Build smart!
Over and over, struggling writers make the same fatal mistakes in their manuscripts. Even writers who have studied all the best writing craft books and taken workshops and followed writers’ blogs still don’t get the structure. Truth is, a lot of writers believe they can write a novel without taking time to learn the nuts and bolts of novel construction. Just as with building a house, writers need to adeptly wield the proper tools and materials, and follow structurally sound rules if they hope to “build a novel.”
Build strong!
Smart writers will take the time to learn how to structure strong pillars that will hold up their novels. This new comprehensive writing craft book clearly lays out just how to build each essential pillar so it can carry the weight of your story. Without such foundational support, collapse is inevitable. There are 12 key pillars of novel construction, and if any of these pillars is weak, made of faulty materials, it will compromise the integrity of your novel. Build a novel that will stand up to scrutiny and thrill readers!
Inside, you’ll learn:
what the four primary support pillars are, and why and how you need to build those first, before tackling any other components in your novel. how to determine if an idea has the potential to become a riveting concept with a kicker, and how to transform that idea into a stunning concept. what high stakes is really all about and how to ensure your novel is exploding with them. the secret to creating a riveting protagonist, and the two goals he needs to be pursuing. what tension really is and how to ramp it up in your novel. the key to portraying evocative settings and how to come up with them. 7 important tips to creating believable dialog. what voice is, and how it differs from writing style. ways to brainstorm ideas for plot, themes, motifs, setting, and rich characters through asking a series of questions that will take you deep below the surface of your story. what the difference is between theme and motif, and why both are essential. Ideas and instructions on how to mind map your characters, plot, settings, themes—all the important elements of your story—and integrate them into your 12 pillars. In addition, you’ll get 12 comprehensive “inspection checklists,” each with 12 sets of deep, thought-provoking questions meant to ensure your pillars are truly strong enough to hold the weight of your story. You need to pass every inspection! Don’t waste time trying to guess at novel structure. By using this concise, detailed blueprint, you can be sure you’ll end up with a terrific novel—every time! Now in paperback--The 12 Key Pillars Workbook! Be sure to order yours on Amazon so you can build your novel step by step!
Paper Hearts, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice
Beth Revis - 2015
When it comes to writing, there's no wrong way to get words on paper. But it's not always easy to make the ink flow. Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice won't make writing any simpler, but it may help spark your imagination and get your hands back on the keyboard.Practical Advice Meets Real ExperienceWith information that takes you from common mistakes in grammar to detailed charts on story structure, Paper Hearts describes:• How to Develop Character, Plot, and World• What Common Advice You Should Ignore• What Advice Actually Helps• How to Develop a Novel• The Basics of Grammar, Style, and Tone • Four Practical Methods of Charting Story Structure• How to Get Critiques and Revise Your Novel• How to Deal with Failure• And much more!BONUS! More than 25 "What to do if" scenarios to help writers navigate problems in writing from a New York Times Bestselling author who's written more than 2 million words of fiction.
Teatime with Mrs. Grammar Person
Barbara Venkataraman - 2015
Grammar Person is here and she has the answers to all of the questions you never thought to ask. As a dedicated and serious grammarian, she will do what it takes to be entertaining and enlightening, but never vulgar or coarse. Heavens, no! Where are her smelling salts? Warm and witty, Mrs. G.P. makes grammar interesting with rhyming, wishful thinking, story-telling and a champagne toast. You are cordially invited to join her for a spot of tea!
The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing: How to Write, Work, and Thrive on Your Own Terms
Zachary Petit - 2015
Great! But now you're faced with a laundry list of questions: Should I freelance full time or part time? Should I write for magazines, newspapers, or online markets? How do I dream up the perfect article idea, and how do I pitch it successfully? How do I negotiate contracts, foster relationships with editors, and start getting steady work while avoiding financial panic attacks and unpleasant ulcers?The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing answers all of these questions--and much more. From breaking in to navigating the basics of the business, this book is your road map to a fruitful and rewarding freelance life. You'll learn how to:Dig into various markets, including consumer magazines, trade journals, newspapers, and online venues.Make your digital mark and build your writing platform.Pitch like a pro and craft solid query letters that get responses.Conduct professional interviews in person, by phone, or by e-mail.Write and structure various types of articles, from front-of-the-book pieces to profiles and features.Quit your lackluster day job, and live the life you've always wanted.Filled with insider secrets, candid advice, and Zachary Petit's trademark humor and blunt honesty, The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing won't just show you how to survive your freelancing writing career--it will teach you how to truly thrive.
From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research
Michael Kibbe - 2015
Professors have two options: use valuable class time to teach students as much as they can, or lower their standards with the understanding that students cannot be expected to complete tasks for which they have never been prepared. From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research offers a third option. This affordable and accessible tool walks students through the process, focusing on five steps: finding direction, gathering sources, understanding issues, entering discussion and establishing a position. Its goal is to take students directly from a research assignment to a research argument--in other words, from topic to thesis.
Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews
Gisela Hausmann - 2015
CONTENT All books need more reviews A proven fact Authors have all advantages on their side That’s me How to build up reviews strategically Getting reviews from friends, colleagues, and friends of friends What if you don’t have too many friends who enjoy reading? 5-star reviews that don’t help 1-star reviews that help selling books What you need to know about fake reviews Getting reviews from people who attend book signings Getting reviews from (local) newspaper editors Getting reviews from known book bloggers Why you need to save blogs – forever Buying reviews from paid review services Getting reviews from Amazon top reviewers Always remember – asking for reviews is about your book The best strategy is to stick to your genre and show off How to react to negative book reviews Do not give away information nobody needs to know Authors’ worst mistake Authors’ second worst mistake Author’s third worst mistake What if your book already has a few ‘not helpful’ reviews? Finding a mentor 7 Thoughts to keep you going
A Writer's Guide to Persistence: How to Create a Lasting and Productive Writing Practice
Jordan E. Rosenfeld - 2015
Polish. Persist.Your writing journey can take you many places: hiking through steep mountains, traversing unknown territory, hurdling both roadblocks and rejections. Even the siren song of fame and fortune can distract you from your true purpose: to express yourself in an authentic and meaningful way, and to share your words with others.A Writer's Guide to Persistence is your road map through the rugged terrain of the writer's path. You'll discover advice and techniques for cultivating a fruitful, deeply meaningful writing life by practicing your craft, polishing your work, and persisting through even the toughest challenges.Inside you'll find:Practical ways to balance writing with the rest of your life: taming your busy schedule, increasing your productivity, and committing to a writing practiceAdvice for developing authentic work: finding your voice, writing bravely, and breaking the blocks to creative flowMethods for stretching your skills through craft and revisionThoughts on pushing through rejection and doubt, submitting strong, nourishing yourself to avoid burnout, and keeping your mind and body fitFilled with journaling exercises and much-needed motivation, as well as insights from best-selling writers in a variety of genres, A Writer's Guide to Persistence will help you find the joy and purpose inherent in a writer's life. Your journey to publication and success may take a lifetime, but you can sow the rewards of writing with every step.-A compassionate and intelligent guide for any writer who's just starting out or one who needs the understanding and encouragement of a great writing coach. Rosenfeld offers practical solutions for every concern, from how to find the time to write to getting through writer's block.- --Patricia V. Davis, best-selling author
For Love or Money
Susan Kaye Quinn - 2015
But what if the stories you love to write aren’t the kind that are selling like ice water in July? How do you create a career in writing that you both love and hits the financial success you need to justify the hours spent at the keyboard? For Love or Money talks about writing for love (and how to sell that) as well as writing for money (and how to love it). It contains serious strategies about making money with your books, living the freedom of indie publishing, and stretching yourself creatively in your career. For authors willing to take a hard look at themselves and the market, this book will lay out the necessary steps to create your dream writing career. For Love or Money is meant to be used in tandem with The Indie Author Survival Guide (Second Edition), the first book in the Crafting a Self-Publishing Career series. Together, these two books will set you on a path of turning your love for storytelling into a career. **JOIN THE FOR LOVE OR MONEY FACEBOOK GROUP** Connect with your fellow self-published authors and share information about writing and publishing. Susan hosts monthly consultation giveaways and shares updates on the constantly evolving publishing landscape. JOIN HERE: http://smarturl.it/LoveOrMoneyGroup **Table of Contents** Author's Note Crafting Your Dream Writer Life 1.1 Choosing Your Mountain 1.2 Park Your Biases At The Curb 1.3 Embrace Your Freedom 1.4 My Journey 1.5 Decide For Yourself 1.6 Bite-Sized Summary Writing For Love 2.1 Writing Challenges Me 2.2 Forget About Readers 2.3 Joyful Writing 2.4 Take Your Craft Up A Level 2.5 It Will Always Be Hard 2.6 Bite-Sized Summary Turning Love Into Money 3.1 Don't Give Up Too Soon 3.2 All The Marketing Tricks 3.3 Making What You Love More Commercial 3.4 My Biggest Failure/Learning Experience 3.5 Why Isn't My Book Selling 3.6 Build Your Backlist 3.7 Bite-Sized Summary Writing For Money 4.1 Writing What Sells 4.2 What's In Your Wheelhouse 4.3 Don't Try This At Home 4.4 Bite-Sized Summary Balancing Writing And Life 5.1 Staying Sane in a Crazy (Indie Publishing) World Managing Your Career Appendix: Your Self-Publishing Toolkit
Stealing Hollywood: Story Structure Secrets for Writing Your Best Book
Alexandra Sokoloff - 2015
Are you finally committed to writing that novel or screenplay, but have no idea how to get started? Or are you a published author, but know you need some plotting help to move your books and career up to that next level? You CAN write better books and scripts—by learning from the movies. Screenwriting is based on a simple (and powerful) structure that you already know from watching so many movies and television shows in your lifetime. And it's a structure that your reader or audience unconsciously expects, and that is crucial for you to deliver. In this workbook, award-winning author/screenwriter Alexandra Sokoloff shows you how to jump-start your plot and bring your characters and scenes vibrantly alive on the page by watching your favorite movies and learning from the storytelling structure and tricks of great filmmakers: • The High Concept Premise • The Three-Act, Eight-Sequence Structure • The Storyboard Grid • The Index Card Method of Plotting • The Setpiece Scene • Techniques of film pacing and suspense, character arc and drive, visual storytelling, and building image systems. Based on the internationally acclaimed Screenwriting Tricks for Authors workshops and blog, this new e book edition uses an enhanced format and layout, incorporates all the basic information from the first Screenwriting Tricks for Authors workbook and doubles the material, including ten full story breakdowns. Also available in PRINT --- the textbook-quality edition is 8 x 10 inches and lies open flat for easy highlighting and note-taking.
Naughty Words for Nice Writers: A Romance Novel Thesaurus
Cara Bristol - 2015
USA Today Bestselling Author Cara Bristol has written a thesaurus for romance authors to help you find the appropriate words to make your sex scene sizzle. Naughty Words for Nice Writers is packed with more than 2,000 usable, functional synonyms geared for romance, erotic romance, and erotica. Included are more than 50 word lists for male and female anatomy, foreplay, orgasm, kissing, sex scene locations, specific sexual acts, sexual noises, spanking terminology, and much more. The guide offers suggestions on how to write a sex scene and how to tighten your writing so it sings. With an emphasis on verbs, this guide will help you “show” the intimacy between your characters rather than tell it. Whether you’re writing a “fade to black” scene or a graphic and explicit one, Naughty Words for Nice Writers will provide the tools. Naughty Words was originally published in 2015. This version has been updated with 800 MORE synonyms and more than a dozen new categories.
Write Short Kindle Books: A Self-Publishing Manifesto for Non-Fiction Authors (Indie Author Success #1)
Nathan Meunier - 2015
Write books FASTER. Write BETTER books. Write MORE books. #1 Kindle Bestseller in Authorship, Writing Skills, and Business Writing - Jan. 2015! The Kindle self-publishing revolution is here! Are you in? Why spin your wheels struggling to write bulky, bloated books the traditional publishing way when you can turbo-charge your Kindle author platform with greater freedom, flexibility, and chances for success? This game-changing guide is for aspiring authors AND established publishing pros alike who want to shake-up their routine and embrace a powerful new approach to self-publishing non-fiction. Are you ready to Write Short Kindle Books? You'll learn:
Why writing shorter Kindle books is the best approach for many non-fiction authors
The benefits of boosting your volume with many shorter, high-quality books
How to price your short ebooks for maximum success
Ideal word counts for Kindle books
How to break larger book ideas down into numerous smaller books
How to brainstorm, outline, and write books faster and more efficiently
How to save money on covers, editing, and Kindle book formatting
Why building a team of Beta Readers is crucial
How to bring your book from final draft to launch
And much more! Click on "Look Inside" to Learn More!
Koi Deewana Kehta Hai
Kumar Vishwas - 2015
The poet's imagination of romanticism is captured in the vividly described poems. The poems are written in Hindi and the poet not only narrates the poems in the book but has also sung it in tune. The poems are appealing to the young generation and have been read widely by people in India and abroad
Writing with Quiet Hands: How to Shape and Sell a Compelling Story Through Craft and Artistry
Paula Munier - 2015
In "Writing with Quiet Hands," author and literary agent Paula Munier helps you hone your words into well-crafted stories and balance this satisfying work with the realities and challenges of the publishing world.You'll learn how to tame your muse, manage your time wisely, and treat your practice with the seriousness it deserves. You'll develop a distinct voice, write with style and substance, employ the tenets of strong structure, and engage your readers by injecting narrative thrust into your stories. You'll explore the finer aspects of craft, refine your work, and boldly bridge the gap between published and unpublished. From drafting and revising to querying agents, you'll discover the secrets to writing artfully, and publishing bravely.Fulfilling and rewarding writing careers are forged from the successful marriage of craft and business know-how. Are you ready to embark on your journey, armed with both grace and grit? Are you ready to write with quiet hands?""Writing with Quiet Hands" is loaded tips and tools, firsthand experience, and down-to-earth advice from a writer, editor, and agent who's seen it from all sides. Paula Munier gives it to you straight as she dissects the inspiration, perspiration, and dogged determination it takes to set and meet your writing goals. This book will keep you sane." --Hallie Ephron, "New York Times" best-selling author of "Night Night, Sleep Tight"
Get Started in Writing Young Adult Fiction
Juliet Mushens - 2015
It will help you understand how the genre works, the big do's and don't's - as well as giving you the inspiration and motivation you actually need to write. Written by a leading literary agent who knows what it takes to make it in this market, this book will give you the advice and tips you need to stand out. An essential book for anyone hoping to emulate the success and addictive qualities that characterize books like The Hunger Games, Twilight, Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars.
The Winning Resume: Get Hired Today With These Groundbreaking Resume Secrets
Steve Williams - 2015
Imagine this scenario, you have a potential employer at a company and he's flipping through the applicants and comes across your resume. As he picks it up suddenly the one behind yours catches his eye because the applicant put that extra effort into making it look great. So he sets yours down and forgets about it forever.. The other applicant gets the job. This can easily happen even when you are more qualified than another person, if they stand out more than you then you might never get the call. So it's very important to spend time perfecting your resume. Many people realize this, but don't have any idea what to do to give theirs the extra edge. The truth of the matter is if you are having trouble creating a resume that will land you an interview it is because you are lacking effective techniques and strategies on exactly what to do. This book has step by step advice that will shoot your resume to the top of the list. A Preview of What You Will Learn ✔ How To Make Your Resume STAND OUT ✔ Visual Examples of Both Good and Bad Resumes and Cover Letters ✔ Ways To Express And Leverage Your Value ✔ Key Mistakes To Avoid ✔ The Top 5 Resume Building Tips ✔ Much, much more! Here Are Some Tips Straight From the Book - You have to keep your resume up to date, but it does not need to include everything there is to know about you. When you are sitting down and deciding what you are going to put in your resume you need to first understand that it is best if you only have one page if possible. - Ask yourself, if I were looking to hire someone would I consider someone with my resume. You need to understand that it is not the reader's intention to include your resume in the small pile of potential hires but to exclude it. For this reason you need to make sure that you are only including relevant information and that you do not look as if you are trying to build yourself up. - It all boils down to is knowing what the reader will be looking for. If you can successfully convey the exact message the employer wants to see, you will get the call.
27 Fiction Writing Blunders - And How Not To Make Them!
James Scott Bell - 2015
Now he's tackled the biggest offenders and shows you how to fix them. In 27 Fiction Writing Blunders you'll learn: * The biggest reason readers get stuck in your opening pages...and how to unstick them * How to avoid marshmallow dialogue * The simple solution for low stakes * The art of getting into and out of flashbacks * Getting rid of the kind of characters that readers never want to see in your novel * The biggest point-of-view gaffe and how to spot it * How to perform liposuction on flabby scenes * The best way to show what characters think and feel And much more! Plus, Bell attacks some of the blunders writers can pull on their own careers, including fear, false competition, market ignorance, and the neglected brain. Don't let little mistakes keep you from big success. Eliminate these 27 blunders forever...and sell more books! James Scott Bell is an award-winning, bestselling author of numerous thrillers and popular books on the writing craft. Visit his website at www.jamesscottbell.com "James Scott Bell is my go-to writing teacher!" - Terri Blackstock, New York Times Bestselling Author of Intervention and Vicious Cycle
Write Characters Your Readers Won't Forget
Stant Litore - 2015
Packed with 30 exercises, abundant examples, and practical strategies, this guidebook will help you write unforgettable characters who "come alive" on the page, create compelling dialogue, and chart more breathtaking emotional journeys for your characters. Stant Litore is the author of The Ansible Stories, The Zombie Bible, The Running of the Tyrannosaurs, and Dante's Heart. Best known for his weird fiction, alternate history, and scifi, he has taught frequent courses for writers across the genres and has served as a developmental editor for Westmarch Publishing. His own fiction has been acclaimed by NPR, has served as the subject of scholarly work in Relegere and Weird Fiction Review, and he has been hailed as "SF's premier poet of loneliness." He lives in Colorado with his wife and two daughters, and is working on his next book.
Spellbinding Sentences: A Writer's Guide to Achieving Excellence and Captivating Readers
Barbara Baig - 2015
An author needs all of these to be successful, but writing—and writing well—also demands an entirely different skill set.Spellbinding Sentences arms you with the tools you need to master the power of the English language. In this book, you’ll learn the different qualities of words and the many ways those words can be combined to create sentences that hook readers. You'll emulate sentences from your favorite writers, practice professional techniques, and develop your skills one step at a time. The result? Your ability to craft excellent sentences will become second nature—and those sentences will hold your readers spellbound, page after page. “Get this book and profit from it!”—Ursula K. Le Guin “Barbara Baig’s Spellbinding Sentences is a tribute to the pleasure and vitality of the English language. Never prescriptive and always clear, this enlightening book is sure to help all those wishing to add grace and strength to their writing.” —Jane Brox, award-winning author of Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light, one of TIME magazine’s top ten nonfiction books of 2010“Spellbinding Sentencesis sophisticated and down-to-earth at the same time. Barbara Baig has distilled decades of experience into this wise book.” —Edward Dolnick, New York Times best-selling author of The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiecehttp://www.barbarabaig.com/works.htm
Louder than Words: Harness the Power of Your Authentic Voice
Todd Henry - 2015
But with so many people and companies clamoring for attention, it’s also more challenging than ever to do work that deeply resonates with the marketplace and creates true and lasting impact.According to Todd Henry, the key to standing apart from the noise is to find your unique voice. Those who identify and develop their voices will gain more attention and wield more influence. But first they have to identify what they truly stand for, develop a compelling vision, and become masters of expressing their ideas in whatever media they choose. Henry offers strategies, exercises, and true stories that illustrate the five attributes of resonant work:• Authenticity: Uncover the narratives that are at the core of your personal and professional identity.• Uniqueness: Identify what makes your work distinct from that of others, and learn to creatively package and present your message.• Consonance: Cultivate internal consistency and harmony in your work.• Empathy: Listen to your audience’s aspirations and struggles to make your message more compelling.• Timing: Learn how to coordinate your work with ideas that already have cultural momentum.Making your work speak is a life-long process of trial, error, and realignment. Henry’s audiobook will help listeners build a body of work that resonates deeply and achieves lasting impact.
One Day, The End.: Short, Very Short, Shorter-Than-Ever Stories
Rebecca Kai Dotlich - 2015
. . I went to school. I came home. The end, says our storytellera girl with a busy imagination and a thirst for adventure. The art tells a fuller tale of calamity on the way to school and an unpredictably happy ending. The genius of this picture book is that each illustration captures multiple, unexpected, and funny storylines as the narrator tells her shorter-than-ever stories, ending with One day. . . I wanted to write a book. An original and incredibly deep combination of text and art invites readers to make up stories of their own."
From the Query to the Call
Elana Johnson - 2015
This writing guide is a must-have for any author in this new age of publishing, where the possibilities range from self-publishing to landing a traditional deal with a large New York publishing house. Author Elana Johnson has done both successfully, and she wants every author to have the tools they need to do the same.
The Anti-Christ Handbook Vol. 2: The Horror and Hilarity of Left Behind
Fred Clark - 2015
The Left Behind series has sold tens of millions of copies -- deforming faith, church and politics for millions of Americans. Fred Clark plows through the first book in that series -- page by hilariously horrible page -- unpacking its universe of awfulness. This torturous journey offers a window into the world view of a right-wing religious subculture that shapes American politics and society. It also provides a master-class in How Not To Write.If you care about stories, or storytelling, or theology, or the Bible, or Jesus, or other people, then you'll enjoy this examination of how the Left Behind series -- the World's Worst Books -- are an affront to all of those things.David Dark says, "The slacktivist's thoroughgoing, critically engaging response to the biblical, exegetical and literary malpractice of the Left Behind series is a tour de force that makes the blogosphere feel like a sign of the coming kingdom. One midrash leads to another in his ever-redeeming tangents."Daniel Radosh, a writer for Spy magazine and The Daily Show, says, "Blogger Fred Clark has written one of the most effective (and hilarious) critiques of Left Behind. ... The level of detail gives Clark space to build a devastating case."
The Irresistible Novel: How to Craft an Extraordinary Story That Engages Readers from Start to Finish
Jeff Gerke - 2015
Filled with down-to-earth discussions on the various debates of writing, as well as innovative research on neuroscience and reader response, this book shows you how to:Navigate the various debates on writing fiction--showing versus telling, purple prose, outlining, writing description, and more--to decide what kind of novelist you want to be.Hack your reader's brain to hook her interest and trigger emotional engagement from the very first page.Incorporate enduring elements of storytelling from masters like Joseph Campbell, Aristotle, and Carl Jung.Readers want to be swept away by your stories. When you eschew the rules and focus on your readers' desires, you're free to write truly irresistible fiction.
How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon - Power Pack!: Sell Books by the Truckload & Get Reviews by the Truckload
Penny C. Sansevieri - 2015
And How to Sell Your Books by the Truckload teaches you exactly how to do it. Internationally renowned Amazon book marketing expert, Penny Sansevieri, has created the ultimate guide for mastering the Amazon marketing system. And in moments it can be right at your fingertips! The savings in time you’ll gain is enormous—when compared to painstakingly researching this information yourself. When you follow Penny’s time-tested proven formulas you’ll instantly skyrocket the exposure you receive and kick your book promotion campaign into overdrive! Plus, you can bypass all of the misinformation out there about how Amazon works. That’s because every secret you need to know to understand the Amazon marketing system inside and out is right here. Penny Sanseveri takes you step-by-step through simple and dynamic processes that show you how to: Get top visibility for your book on Amazon Increase sales through perfectly-timed pre-order campaigns Leverage a secret tool to get hundreds of reader reviews Use Kindle Unlimited to your greatest advantage Boost sales by knowing when to give away your e-book – it really works! Use keywords and book descriptions that puts your book in front of tons of buyers Identify and locate secret categories that drive bigger sales Get your booked ranked #1 in your category! How to Sell Your Books by the Truckload is your must-read, go-to resource if you want to really understand the inner workings of Amazon, so you can sell more books. Order right now and you’ll also receive these FREE BONUSES: BONUS #1: Free listings to book bloggers, fiction bloggers, and romance bloggers! Includes hundreds of bonus resources! DOUBLE BONUS: Includes a special book marketing discount coupon! Note: If you have bought any of my Amazon Truckload books, this is newly updated. Also, this book is the same as the Bundled book: How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon!
How To Write a Simple Book Review: It's easier than you think
Allyson R. Abbott - 2015
'Best Book in 'How To' Category 20165 Star award Winning Seal from Readers' Favorite.How to Write a Simple Book Review; it's easier than you think.By International Bestselling British Author Allyson R. AbbottHave you ever wondered how to write a book review? Where to begin or how long it needs to be?Has it ever occurred to you that even negative reviews may be helpful to authors?Are there different types of reviews? Where can you get tips for reviewing a book? Do you wish writing a review was easy?With this book it is. Sharing your opinion with people who want to hear it is fun. Your reviews help fellow readers find out if a book is worth their time and money. Authors appreciate the recognition of a review, no matter how long, and the insight of a review can show them where they need to improve. 'Writing a Simple Book Review; it's easier than you think!' holds these answers and more. You can start writing book reviews today; even if it is only a few words.What the buyers say (Verified Purchases)5 star"What Abbott does is teach you...yes, she teaches you to write a one-word review and proceed on to another word, a sentence, and then another sentence...until you have a full paragraph! Let's face it, no matter what you, the reader, is interested in, there is going to be a book about it to enjoy or learn from. Why not take a few minutes to thank the writer of that book as soon as you have finished reading." Glenda Amazon Reviewer January 30, 20165 star"How to Write a Simple Book Review is a wonderful, concise book to do just that, write a book review, for beginners or those wanting to improve their review skills. The book has formal, semi-formal, and informal guidelines. Templates are great! Star guide lines and how to vary it to suit yourself. Lots of tips and techniques. Lists of reviewer links and pages to encourage interaction. I thought it was a great book!" Kindle Customer December 31, 20155 starAbbott's book about providing book reviews motivated me to write this first Amazon book review. So mission accomplished! I rely heavily on book reviews to decide which books to invest my time due to a year 2016 resolution to not waste unnecessary time on books that I dislike. Therefore, writing book reviews is my way of paying the favour forward.I love that Abbott invested a great proportion of the book on reassuring that there is no fixed format for books. The persuasion is extremely subtle and plods the reader along in a non-intrusive manner. However for those readers who require further structure, she highlights further discrepancies between the different types of reviews (literary criticism, book report and book review). Further guidelines and template act as further handholds to ease the newbies into the role.Naturally, I recommend this to all readers who are beginners to reviewing books. However it might not be suitable for more experienced reviewers who are looking for something to distinguish their reviews from others. Bubbsykat August 1, 2016
Making It in Historical Fiction
Libbie Hawker - 2015
There’s no doubt that historical fiction is popular with readers. In fact, the genre is expanding all the time, gaining market share and influencing other media at a rapid pace. But the HF market has some peculiar quirks that can challenge any writer. In Making It in Historical Fiction, Libbie Hawker shares her knowledge and experience in the world of commercial HF. Hawker’s strategy for success begins long before you write your book. You’ll learn how to spot key opportunities in the modern publishing market, how to create an advance plan for your books that will maximize reader loyalty and build excitement, how to make the genre’s tropes work for you, and more. From understanding the average HF reader to branding your books; from choosing subjects with commercial appeal to fine-tuning dialogue and narrative voice, this book contains everything modern historical novelists need to tap into the commercial potential of the genre.
Self-Publishing In the Eye of the Storm
Karl Wiggins - 2015
You are now connected to a huge network of hundreds of thousands of fellow writers, and that feels both scary and exciting. By definition writing is a solitary profession. Writers need peace and quiet to gather their thoughts, to research, to dig deep into their subconscious for ideas. Marketers on the other hand need people, and the majority of authors are pretty poor at marketing and have absolutely no interest in it So I’ve put this book together with the assistance of a number of fellow authors who’ve all contributed a piece or two. My objectives with this book are a) to demonstrate to those just about to publish their first book the amount of work they should expect to put in afterwards, b) to perhaps offer direction, to advise on what works and what doesn’t, and, I guess c) to establish for the reader just how hard authors have to graft to promote their work, which is why I’ve included pieces from various authors, who all deserve my recognition and gratitude for demonstrating their often contradictory points of view. What worked for some, bombed when fellow authors tried the same tack, so it’s crucial that I’m true to myself and present the Indie industry in a genuinely transparent form.Thanks to these fellow authors - who’ve contributed a full 28% between them - the reader will find a variety of opposing viewpoints, conflicting assessments and impressions of the industry, and differing outlooks and perspectives. The reader will also discover that a number of authors share identical points of experiences and viewpoints. Special thanks to all contributors, but especially Harpie for baring her soul in sharing excerpts from her wacky, psycho, screwball, demented diaries with us. You’ll be hearing a lot more from Harpie in the future. WARNING: Writers can often be a precious breed of born-again goody-goodies. Me? I never ask anyone to like him. I never pretend to be anything that I’m not. I’m a handful and I know it. I’m strong-willed, a bit outspoken and I write exactly what I’m thinking. If strong language offends or you have an aversion to self-deprecating, piss-taking humour then please DO NOT buy this book, because I use these methods of bringing to light situations that just don't stack up. I truly believe that serious issues can be approached with humour, but I understand not everyone feels the same.So what, or specifically who, is the Storm that the title refers to? I’ll tell you. The Storm refers to a group of people who have no issue whatsoever with an artist hiring out a gallery and displaying his paintings. They don’t mind if a chef opens a new restaurant by inviting local residents to an opening night special, or a beautician promotes her services with the use of posters and referral specials for nails, waxing or sun beds. They don’t even mind a scuba diving club offering come-and-try-it sessions. And they certainly don’t object to a local swing band or orchestra advertising an upcoming concert. They don’t even mind their friends trying out a recently acquired capacity for wine-making on them.BUT, if a hard-working author does similar, if he/she promotes the book they’ve slaved over for the last year, this relentless and insidious enemy of all honest scribblers will have that poor author in their crosshairs in a New York heartbeat. If you’re the Storm, you’ll recognise yourself here.
Start Writing Your Book Today: A Step-by-Step Plan to Write Your Nonfiction Book, From First Draft to Finished Manuscript
Morgan Gist MacDonald - 2015
These steps will show you: the myths about writing that make us feel like we're not "good enough" to be an author, how to develop the good writing routines and a solid timeline, how to write a first draft and revise the draft, how to bring in beta readers and incorporate their feedback, and finally, how to pull it all together into a finished manuscript. When we're writing a book, we need inspiration, and we need the "how-to" pieces that we were never taught in school. Start Writing Your Book Today provides both. Over the last 10 years as a writing coach, Morgan has developed a blend of mindset and mechanics to help authors through feeling stuck and into power writing through their books. In this book, Morgan shares her methods with you, so that you can step up and become the writer you know you're meant to be.Each step of how to write your book is laid out for you. No more excuses. You'll be ready to finally start writing your book.
Writers to Read: Nine Names That Belong on Your Bookshelf
Douglas Wilson - 2015
With so many books, articles, and Web sites vying for our attention, we must choose wisely. But what does that actually look like? In Writers to Read, Douglas Wilson—someone who’s spent a career writing, reading, and teaching others to do the same—introduces readers to nine great authors whose work deserves to be read. Whether it’s G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, or Robert Capon, the well-known and less-known authors Wilson examines are all masters of creative writing and worthy of study and enjoyment. Those looking to become better writers or better readers will find this book to be an invaluable guide for wisely selecting their literary mentors.
A Writer's Guide to Active Setting: How to Enhance Your Fiction with More Descriptive, Dynamic Settings
Mary Buckham - 2015
And when writers do focus on setting, they often pull readers out of the narrative and jolt their attention from the action on the page.A Writer's Guide to Active Setting will show you how to create vivid, detailed settings that bring your story to life. You'll learn how to deepen character development, anchor readers to a specific time and place, reveal backstory without slowing things down, elevate action sequences, and more.Drawing upon examples from authors writing across a variety of genres, Mary Buckham will illustrate exactly how the proper use of setting can dramatically improve your story. You'll learn what's effective about each passage and how you can use those techniques to make your story shine.-Takes an all too often overlooked technique, and elevates it to a next-level game changer for powerful fiction.- --Cathy Yardley, author of Rock Your Plot-A powerful combination of fresh insights, practical examples, and how-to advice on the often overlooked but critical element of setting...written in a quick-to-read and easy-to-understand style, and packed with useful application exercises.- --Kelly L. Stone, author of Thinking Write: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind-If you're a writer, then Mary Buckham's book is a must-have tool for your writer's toolkit. Creating settings that are rich and believable is not an easy task, but with this book, I found that each chapter gave me great tips that I could immediately implement in my manuscript.- --Laurie G. Adams, author of Finding Atticus
Writing into the Dark: How to Write a Novel without an Outline
Dean Wesley Smith - 2015
And he knows how to write a novel without an outline. In this WMG Writer’s Guide, Dean takes you step-by-step through the process of writing without an outline and explains why not having an outline boosts your creative voice and keeps you more interested in your writing. Want to enjoy your writing more and entertain yourself? Then toss away your outline and Write into the Dark.
How to Write Your Best Story Ever!
Christopher Edge - 2015
For children aged 13 and under, this book is written in a fun, engaging, and inspirational style that will help all readers to see themselves as writers and help them to achieve their creative writing goals. It is ideal for home and schools, primary and lower secondary. The book is authoritative, linked to curriculum requirements, but not intimidating. From how to write for your audience or for a specific purpose, how to overcome writer's block and how to write in different genres, to what words to use to best effect, this book gives children the tools they need to make writing an enjoyable experience. It is filled with tips on how to use wonderful and weird words, invent new words, and write powerful sentences using metaphors, similes, and idioms. Children will soon be creating stories that will stay with their writers and readers forever.
Book Architecture
Stuart Horwitz - 2015
Whether your manuscript is an advanced draft or you are just starting out, whether you are working in fiction, film and TV, or creative nonfiction, you will learn a new approach to structure that will transform the way you look at your writing. Along the way, Horwitz offers detailed, concrete examples that reveal how the Book Architecture Method works with everything from literary classics to blockbuster films. And you won't have to resort to using a formula--which may seem risky! But it can be done.
The Runaway Horses: A sweeping family saga of love, loyalty and betrayal in the time of the Boer war
Joyce Kotze - 2015
From Transvaal to Victorian England, the cousins form strong bonds that are tested on the battlefields of South Africa. Martin de Winter, nurtured to lead his country, Transvaal, into the twentieth century, instead finds himself excelling as a gifted young general, fighting a desperate war to keep his nation from ruin, all the while being haunted by his love for a British woman. James Henderson, cavalry officer, is forced by his father, a military aristocrat, to marry or face expulsion from his regiment. Bound for India, the regiment is diverted to South Africa to fight the Boers. James rides to glory and honour but is at the mercy of his loyalty to his country and his compassion for his Boer family. In the drawing rooms of Cape Town and Pretoria, Stefanie de Winter, celebrated pianist, is viewed from both sides with suspicion. Fiercely loyal to her brother Martin, but in love with a British officer, she embarks on a dangerous path to keep them both. Karel and Rudolf de Winter, twin brothers devoted to each other and their horses to the exclusion of all else, fight a battle against the bullet that might separate them forever. Through anger, injustice, and betrayal, the family discovers that there is a force stronger than war.
Voice: The Secret Power of Great Writing
James Scott Bell - 2015
Everyone talks about it, yet no one seems able to define it. Voice has therefore been the most elusive aspect of the entire writing craft to teach. Until now. In this book, #1 bestselling writing teacher James Scott Bell reveals the true source of voice, and what any writer in any genre can do to capture it for their own work. In VOICE: The Secret Power of Great Writing you'll learn: • An actual working definition of voice that is simple yet powerful • Bell's original method for turning that definition into book-length voice power • How to vary voice from genre to genre, book to book • How to enhance voice with emotion, flow, and attitude • How to create vivid word pictures • Exercises to expand your voice and style • Example after example of voice in action Don't settle for good writing. Go for the unforgettable. The secret of voice will help you get there.
The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics: How to Create and Sell Comic Books, Manga, and Webcomics
Comfort Love - 2015
With advances in technology, the increased connectivity of social media, and the ever-increasing popularity of the comics medium, successful DIY comics publishing is within your reach. With The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics, creators/instructors Comfort Love and Adam Withers provide a step-by-step breakdown of the comics-making process, perfect for any aspiring comics creator. This unprecedented, in-depth coverage gives you expert analysis on each step—writing, drawing, coloring, lettering, publishing, and marketing. Along the way, luminaries in the fields of comics, manga, and webcomics—like Mark Waid, Adam Warren, Scott Kurtz, and Jill Thompson—lend a hand, providing “Pro Tips” on essential topics for achieving your comics-making dreams. With the insights and expertise contained within these pages, you’ll have everything you need and no excuses left: It’s time to make your comics!
Screenwriting is Rewriting: The Art and Craft of Professional Revision
Jack Epps, Jr. - 2015
From Jack Epps, Jr., the screenwriter of Top Gun, Dick Tracy, and The Secret of My Success, comes a comprehensive guide that explores the many layers of rewriting.In Screenwriting is Rewriting, Epps provides a practical and tested approach to organizing notes, creating a game plan, and executing a series of focused passes that address the story, character, theme, structure, and plot issues. Included are sample notes, game plans, and beat sheets from Epps' work on films such as Sister Act and Turner and Hooch. Also featured are exclusive interviews with Academy Award® winning screenwriters Robert Towne (Chinatown) and Frank Pierson (Dog Day Afternoon), along with Academy Award® nominee Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich).
Grammar Keepers: Lessons That Tackle Students′ Most Persistent Problems Once and for All, Grades 4-12 (Corwin Literacy)
Gretchen S. Bernabei - 2015
. . frequently and across the grades! The biggest issue? Most of our grades 4-12 students continue to make the same old errors year after year. Grammar Keepers to the rescue, with 101 lessons that help students internalize the conventions of correctness once and for all. Bernabei’s key ingredients include Daily journal writing to increase practice and provide an authentic context Minilessons and Interactive Dialogues that model how to make grammatical choices A “Keepers 101” sheet to track teaching and “Parts of Speech Sheet” for student reference
Captivate Your Readers: An Editor's Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction
Jodie Renner - 2015
It’s all about engaging readers through the use of techniques such as deep point of view, showing instead of telling, avoiding author intrusions, and basically stepping back and letting the characters tell the story.Today’s readers want to lose themselves in an absorbing story. Renner shows you how to provide the immediacy and emotional involvement readers crave in fiction, and she does it in her usual highly accessible, reader-friendly style, with plenty of concrete tips and examples.Chapters include:• 12 Essential Steps from Story Idea to Publish-Ready Novel• Checklist for Creating Fiction Readers Can’t Put Down• 33 Must-Do’s for Writing a Winning Short Story• Create a Complex, Charismatic Main Character• Character Descriptions – Learn From the Pros• Those Critical First Five Pages• Introduction to Point of View in Fiction• Engage Your Readers with Deep Point of View• How to Avoid Head-Hopping• Let the Characters Tell the Story• 10 Ways to Add Depth to Your Scenes• How to Keep Your Dialogue Real and Riveting• Tips for Showing instead of Telling• How to Avoid Annoying Author Intrusions
The Dialogue Thesaurus: A Fiction Writer's Sourcebook of Dialogue Tags and Phrases
Dahlia Evans - 2015
Sometimes a writer needs something with a little more expressive power; a word or phrase that helps the reader visualize the tonal quality or mood of the character doing the talking.For many years, writers have been eagerly awaiting the publication of a resource to help them with this dilemma. Thankfully, that wait is finally over. Now there's a way for any writer, regardless of their experience, to craft dialogue tags that add emotion and vibrancy to their storytelling; all while avoiding tired and worn out cliches.Dahlia Evans has compiled a dialogue thesaurus unlike anything ever published. This unique sourcebook is filled to the brim with words and phrases gathered from hundreds of bestselling novels. Finally, you will be able to open up vistas of endless inspiration and bring your dialogue to life.Inside You'll Discover:# Over 500 dialogue and action tags you can use instead of 'said'.# More than 2900 adverbs that can be used to describe speech.# Thousands of emotion and feeling words in adjective and noun form.# A thousand phrases to describe body language and movement.# Tons of example sentences to help solidify your understanding.# And best of all, words are sorted in alphabetical order, as well as by category.'The Dialogue Thesaurus' is the first book of its kind; a thesaurus geared towards writers who want to frame their dialogue with compelling and expressive words and phrases.
Writing Faster FTW
L.A. Witt - 2015
Witt has written and published over 70 romance novels and novellas since 2008, and in Writing Faster For The Win, she shares some techniques for getting the words out of your head and onto the screen faster than before. Whether it’s shaking off insecurities and self-doubt, streamlining the research process, or writing out of sequence, you may just find the advice you’ve been looking for. Approx 20,000 words.
How to Write Your Blockbuster
Fiona McIntosh - 2015
And while there are many resources out there on the "craft" of writing or how to find your creative voice as an "artist," there is little by way of practical advice on how to actually set about writing genre fiction for a career. Fiona McIntosh, one of Australia's most successful commercial authors across a range of genres, is here to set the record straight, and set aspiring novelists on a realistic path. She believes that if you have a tough hide and a philosophical attitude—as well as a damn strong work ethic—anyone can make a living from popular writing. And she's here to show you how.
Persuasive Copywriting: Using Psychology to Influence, Engage and Sell
Andy Maslen - 2015
Using psychology, emotion, and a pinch of neuroscience, Andy Maslen, an experienced copywriter and marketer, presents 25 psychological techniques, 110 words and phrases that trigger emotions, over 10 real-world case studies, and 75 practical exercises to help practitioners and students who have already mastered the basics, write enjoyable, compelling copy which stands out in today's cluttered marketplace. Maslen covers topics such as: how to make spending money look like a privilege, the ancient Greek secret of emotionally engaging copy, when to use pictures instead of words, how to use the right tone of voice, and avoiding common copywriting traps.Ideal for experienced copywriters who want to stay ahead of the game as well as new copywriters catching up with their more experienced peers, Persuasive Copywriting helps readers improve their copywriting skills and perfect the emotion-driven sale.
How to Publish Your Book
Jane Friedman - 2015
Adding to that the publishing market is in a constant state of flux, making publishers wary about taking on new authors. Further, a plethora of options for publication make navigating the increasingly complex publishing industry harder than ever. So, how does an aspiring author get published?Learning the ropes, understanding how publishing works, and having someone who can help you navigate this convoluted system will make all the difference between a manuscript sitting on your closet shelf - or sitting on the top of the best-sellers shelf. In 24 eye-opening lectures, Jane Friedman, publishing industry expert and educator, provides you with sought-after secrets of the publishing process that will help you navigate this difficult progression, bypass pitfalls that many novice authors get hung up on, and improve your chances of being considered for publication. She acts as your personal guide though the entire process: from finalizing your manuscript to writing the perfect pitch to reviewing contracts and marketing your book. She provides the candid scoop on what you need to do in order to increase your chances of being considered. The knowledge you'll gain by having an inside expert teaching you how to position your book for publication gives you a unique advantage and drastically increases your chances of getting noticed in this increasingly competitive industry.The reality is that there is no magic formula that will guarantee publication. There are, however, numerous things that you can do to improve your chances and streamline your path to success. Get extensive insights into the publishing process that will help you avoid the most common mistakes and pitfalls that many authors encounter. This course lays out your best options for publication and leads you step by step toward achieving your goals.
The 15 Success Traits of Pro Bloggers: A Proven Roadmap to Becoming a Full-Time Blogger
Jonathan Milligan - 2015
#1 Amazon Bestseller in Business, Entrepreneurship and Home-based Business
Finally, a proven roadmap on how to become a full-time blogger! In The 15 Success Traits of Pro Bloggers, you'll learn: - A proven pathway anyone can use to become a full-time blogger - The 5 core mindsets Pro Bloggers have that separate them from everyone else - The 4 keystone habits all full-time bloggers practice daily - 3 systems you can implement to quickly move from hobby blogger to Pro Blogger - The Expert Product Wheel 12-Month Plan - The 6 step blueprint to teach your passion online - A handy one-page infographic that summaries the 15 success traits - Plus much more
The Mystery Feast: Thoughts on Storytelling
Ben Okri - 2015
Beginning with a poem, ‘All we do’, Booker prize-winning novelist Ben Okri presents his considered thoughts on the purpose and meaning of stories, concluding with a series of condensed ‘Notes to the modern storyteller’. The collection is completed with a ‘stoku’ – a brief tale on the theme. Based on decades of honing his art, this stimulating booklet gives a glimpse into the mind of a master of contemporary storytelling.
The Chunky Method Handbook: Your Step-by-Step Plan to WRITE THAT BOOK Even When Life Gets in the Way
Allie Pleiter - 2015
The award-winning author of over twenty novels, Pleiter has been teaching her nuts-and-bolts tactics across the country for years to writers of all genres, ages, and experience levels. Filled with real-life examples, humor, honesty, and encouragement The Chunky Method Handbook is an essential resource for thriving in spite of all that the current market—and everyday life—demands from a writer’s creative energy. In this book, you’ll learn how to write your book one step at a time. You’ll discover the secret to finishing your novel at your own pace.
How to Publish Books on Amazon & Sell A Million Copies Using Kindle, Print & Audio Book
Glenn Langohr - 2015
Discover how to Publish Books on Amazon & Sell A Million Copies Using Kindle, Print & Audio Book~ ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME FOR 0.99, USUALLY 3.99This Writing Guide is the # 1 Way to Learn The Entire Publishing Process on Amazon & Covers: How To Write More BooksHow To Find Which Categories to Publish InHow To Master Kindle Direct PublishingHow to Master Facebook MarketingHow to Master Product Descriptions (Synopsis)How to Use Community ForumsHow to Launch Book Promotions to Climb The Amazon RankingsHow To Master Print Publishing Using CreatespaceHow To Master Publishing Audio Books Using ACXHow To Remake Public Domain Books & Much More!
Anatomy of a Premise Line: How to Master Premise and Story Development for Writing Success
Jeff Lyons - 2015
Anatomy of a Premise Line: How to Master Premise and Story Development for Writing Success is the only book of its kind to identify a seven-step development process that can be repeated and applied to any story idea. This porcess will save you time, money, and potentially months of wasted writing. So whether you are trying to write a feature screenplay, develop a television pilot, or just trying to figure out your next story move as a writer, this book gives you the tools you need to know which ideas are worth pursuing. In addition to the 7-step premise development tool, Anatomy of a Premise Line also presents a premise and idea testing methodology that can be used to test any developed premise line. Customized exercises and worksheets are included to facilitate knowledge transfer, so that by the end of the book, you will have a fully developed premise line, log line, tagline, and a completed premise-testing checklist.Here is some of what you will learn inside:--Ways to determine whether or not your story is a good fit for print or screen--Case studies and hands-on worksheets to help you learn by participating in the process--Tips on how to effectively work through writer’s block--A companion website (insert cw URL) with additional worksheets, videos, and interactive tools to help you learn the basics of perfecting a killer premise line--A synopsis development process that sets you up for success
How NOT To Write Female Characters
Lucy V. Hay - 2015
When fifty per cent of your potential target audience is female, if you’re not writing them in your screenplay or novel? You’re making a BIG mistake! But how should you approach your female characters? That’s the million dollar question … After all, women in real life are complex, varied and flawed. Knowing where to start in creating three dimensional female characters for your story is extremely difficult. So … perhaps it’s easier to figure out how NOT to write female characters? Script editor, novelist and owner of the UK’s top screenwriting blog www.bang2write.com, Lucy V Hay has spent the last fifteen years reading the slush pile. She has learned to spot the patterns, pitfalls and general mistakes writers make when writing female characters – and why. In How Not To Write Female Characters, Lucy outlines: • WHO your character is & how to avoid “classic” traps and pitfalls • WHAT mistakes writers typically make with female characters • WHERE you can find great female characters in produced and published content • WHEN to let go of gender politics and agendas • WHY female characters are more important than ever Lucy is on a mission to improve your writing, as well as enable diverse voices and characters to rise to the top of the spec pile.
Goal Setting for Writers
Sandra Gerth - 2015
Many writers fail because they don’t know how to set effective writing goals and how to develop an action plan that will turn their dreams into reality. Whether you are a complete newbie just thinking about writing your first book or a multi-published author dreaming of becoming a full-time writer or somewhere in between, this book will help you to:- Learn the difference between dreams and goals,- Turn your dreams into effective, realistic writing goals,- Discover what matters most to you about your writing,- Break down your goals into bite-sized chunks that you can achieve more easily, even if you don’t have much time to write,- Create an action plan that guides you through every step of the writing and publishing process, from brainstorming ideas to marketing,- Overcome procrastination, writer’s block, and other obstacles that keep you from finishing your book.
Story Fix: Transform Your Novel from Broken to Brilliant
Larry Brooks - 2015
But something's wrong. You're not getting the glowing response you had expected, or you might have even received a rejection. Your story is getting a "Meh..." when you had hoped for an "Amazing!"But have no fear--the piece you've sweated and bled over isn't dead on arrival. It just needs fixing.Story Fix is the answer to your revision needs. With practical techniques from critically acclaimed author and story coach Larry Brooks, you will learn how to: Develop a story-fixing mind-set Navigate the two essential realms of revision: story and execution Evaluate your novel or screenplay against twelve crucial storytelling elements and essences. Strengthen your concept and premise. Punch up the dramatic tension, pacing, thematic weight, characterization, and more. Align your story with proven structural principles. Filled with candid advice on the realities of the publishing world and helpful case studies of real authors who fixed their own stories, Story Fix isn't just about revision--it's about resurrection. Infuse your fiction with a much-needed jolt of electricity, and bring it back to life."Larry Brooks is a superb storyteller and teacher. If anyone can fix your novel, it's him. Put this one on your desk and read it often." --Robert Dugoni, #1 Amazon and New York Times best-selling author of My Sister's Grave"Story Fix is the ultimate writer's companion for taking any manuscript to the next level. A staple for the beginner, a refresher for the pro." --Joe Moore, #1 Amazon and international best-selling co-author of The Blade and The Shield
Writing Your Novel from Start to Finish: A Guidebook for the Journey
Joseph Bates - 2015
The journey from beginning to end is rife with forks in the road and dead ends that lead many writers off course. With Writing Your Novel from Start to Finish: A Guidebook for the Journey, you'll navigate the intricacies of crafting a complex work of fiction and complete the journey with confidence and precision.To maximize your creativity and forward momentum, each chapter offers:Techniques to break down the elements of the novel--from character-building to plotting and pacingMile Markers to anticipate and overcome roadblocks like ineffective dialogue and "the unchanged protagonist"Guidelines for Going Deeper to explore and implement more nuanced aspects of storytelling, such as finding your voice and the role of themeTry-It-Out Exercises and 27 interactive worksheets that help elevate your writing.No matter your level of experience or where you are in your project, Writing Your Novel from Start to Finish provides the instruction, inspiration, and guidance you need to complete your journey successfully.
The Academic Phrasebank: An Academic Writing Resource for Students and Researchers
John Morley - 2015
Equally useful for writers of English as a second language and native speakers, for researchers who want to improve their academic writing & students who need assistance writing up their thesis or dissertation writing. Written by the Director of University-wide Language Programmes at The University of Manchester, The Academic Phrasebank contains tips, advice and examples in all of these topics: Introducing work Referring to literature Describing methods Reporting results Discussing findings Writing conclusions Being critical Being cautious Classifying and listing Compare and contrast Defining terms Describing trends Describing quantities Explaining causality Giving examples as support Signalling transition Writing about the past Writing abstracts Academic style Style in presentations Commonly confused words British and US spelling Punctuation Using articles Sentence structure Paragraph structure Helpful tips for writers
The Art of Comic Book Writing: The Definitive Guide to Outlining, Scripting, and Pitching Your Sequential Art Stories
Mark Kneece - 2015
With this latest book in the SCAD Creative Essentials series from the esteemed Savannah College of Art and Design, comics writer and instructor Mark Kneece gives aspiring comic book writers the essential tools they need to write scripts for sequential art with confidence and success. He provides a practical set of guidelines favored by many comic book publishers and uses a unique trial and error approach to show would-be scribes the potential pitfalls they might encounter when seeking a career in comics writing. Supported by examples of scripting from SCAD's students, faculty, and alumni,The Art of Comic Book Writing strips away the mysteries of this popular artform and provides real-world advice and easy-to-follow examples for those looking to write for the comics medium.
Nail Your Novel: Writing Plots With Drama, Depth Heart
Roz Morris - 2015
You might have a dazzling prose voice and plausible characters, but if they don’t do anything, the reader is likely to lose interest.So where do you find story ideas? How do you make them into a captivating read?Do you know what genre you are best suited to write? What is literary fiction and how do you write that? How will you give your book depth without seeming preachy or bringing the plot to a standstill?What are the hidden patterns that ply the reader’s emotions, regardless of your genre or style? How can you use them with originality? If you want to write a story that breaks the usual conventions, how do you do it?Whatever type of novel you want to write, this book will show you, in down-to-earth tutorials, games and exercises.Use it before you write and when revising, to diagnose your story’s strengths and weaknesses, to decide how to begin, what to put in the middle, how it should end. If you’ve had feedback from critique partners and editors, use it to decode what’s really wrong - instead of what they think might be.Most of all, use it to find out where you already have spellbinding plot material. Discover where your best ideas are hiding and how to tell stories with drama, depth and heart.By a bestselling ghostwriter, literary author, creative coach and book doctor.
Family Resemblance: An Anthology & Exploration of 8 Hybrid Literary Genres
Marcela Sulak - 2015
In this study of eight hybrid genres—including lyric essay, epistolary, poetic memoir, prose poetry, performative, short-form nonfiction, flash fiction, and pictures made of words—the family tree of hybridity takes delightful shape, showcasing how cross-genre works blend features from multiple literary parents to create new entities, forms that feel more urgent than ever in today’s increasingly heterogeneous landscape. Introductions and an afterword discuss the importance and current popularity of hybridity in literature and culture and offer methods for teaching hybrid works. Intended for both scholarly and general readers, this seminal collection sparkles with inventivenessand creative zeal—an essential guidebook to a developing field.
Write Your Novel! From Getting Started to First Draft
Maggie James - 2015
With this book, I'll be your cheerleader, your hand-holder. We’ll work on your mind-set, find sources of support, and deal with procrastination issues. I’ll help you carve out the time to write and together we’ll smash through the excuses that are holding you back.What else? Do you need help in finding ideas? Worried where to start? Unsure whether writing software is right for you? Confused how to plan your novel? No problem! We cover all these issues and more. Every section ends with an action plan so you're raring to go!I’ve included two chapters on plotting and another with writing advice. That way, once you’ve finished Write Your Novel!, you’ll have an outline in place, one that will inspire you to get going, and you’ll know how to start. My aim is to prepare you to write your novel as soon as you’ve completed the exercises in this book.Write Your Novel! is for you if you've always wanted to write a novel but:Haven't a clue where to startLack the confidenceAre unsure whether writing a novel is for youHave written nothing or shorter fiction to dateLack the knowledge how to plot a novelYou might be:Unsure where you'll find the timeUndecided what kind of novel to writeWorried about what people will sayConcerned your grasp of English isn’t up to parSo if you’ve always yearned to be a novelist but you're unsure how to begin... why not buy Write Your Novel! and get started?
APA Guidelines
BarCharts, Inc. - 2015
Different guidelines will be used depending on the subject area or the professor or teacher. Having a quick reference handy can speed the writing and editing process allowing the writer to focus on the quality of the paper rather than the structure.Suggested uses:o Students – Handy reference while writing papers, collect the set of guides you need for your classes to easily switch between styles o Professors/Teachers – Keep handy while writing for academic journals in your subject area
Self-Editing On A Penny: A Comprehensive Guide
Ashlyn Forge - 2015
Don't make the same costly mistakes I've made. Self-Edit first.
Novel & Short Story Writer's Market: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published
Rachel_Randall - 2015
As with past editions, Novel & Short Story Writer's Market offers hundreds of listings for book publishers, literary agents, fiction publications, contests, and more. Each listing includes contact information, submission guidelines, and other essential tips.This edition includes articles and interviews on all aspects of the writing life:Learn how to unlock character motivations to drive your story forward.Imbue your fiction with a distinct, memorable voice.Revise and polish your novels and short stories for successful submission.Gain insight from best-selling authors Chris Bohjalian, John Sandford, Lisa Scottoline, and more.You'll also gain access to a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com's searchable online database of fiction publishers, * as well as a free digital download of Writer's Yearbook, featuring the 100 Best Markets: WritersDigest.com/WritersDigest-Yearb....+ Includes exclusive access to the webinar "The Three Missing Pieces of Stunning Story Structure" by writing instructor and best-selling author K.M. Weiland*Please note: The e-book version of this title does not include a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com."After you've written 50,000 words, there seem to be 50,000 different things you need to know to publish your novel. Novel and Short Story Writer's Market helps clarify options so you can find the best publishing home for your work." --Grant Faulkner, executive director of National Novel Writing Month"I've published more than 200 short stories, and Novel & Short Story Writer's Market has been an essential tool in my success. It's a literary bible for anyone seriously interested in marketing fiction." --Jacob M. Appel, winner of the Dundee International Book Award and the Hudson Prize
The Tears of Olive Trees:: A Autobiographic Story Featuring Poems From Mahmoud Darwish
AbdulKarim Al Makadma - 2015
In the 1948 Nakba, the Zionists stole the AlShaikh family’s home and lands and exiled them to a refugee camp in Gaza. Rather than to return evil for evil, this incredible, heroic family struggled in peace against all odds to give their children a better life.
The Tears of Olive Trees dares to tell the truth about what really happened to the Palestinian people through the experiences of a man who lived through the events of the past fifty years first as a refugee and later as a physician and humanitarian who immigrated to the West. ˃˃˃ Featuring Poems from Mahmoud Darwish
Scroll up and grab a copy today.
HOW I SOLD 80,000 BOOKS: Book Marketing for Authors
Alinka Rutkowska - 2015
I highly recommend this little gem of a book!” Patti Tingen Award-Winning Inspirational Author “‘How I Sold 80,000 Books’ by Alinka Rutkowska covers it all from web page to social media to promotion, sales and everything in between.” Mary Adair Award-Winning Author of Native American Romance Novels “The links included in the book are like gold dust, and you will find yourself watching/reading them over and over again as you forge your way through the publishing world. […] I only wish that I’d had access to this when I first started out. It would have saved me months of work.” Lyneal Jenkins International Award-Winning, Best-Selling Author *** If you plan on self-publishing through amazon and you are looking for book marketing tips, "How I Sold 80,000 Books" is for you. It will show you all the steps you need to implement to get readers, what type of book marketing for authors works, kindle publishing guidelines and best practices. Author marketing is something that can be learnt if you have the right tools. You will find my "4Ps" system, which allowed me to sell 80,000 books in this guide.
How to Write Erotica: A Beginner's Guide to Writing and Publishing Short Erotica
Calista Foxton - 2015
Have you ever thought you might join them? Whether you want to write for pocket money or more, How to Write Erotica is a great guide to getting started. Calista Foxton is a new erotic fiction writer. This book is a record of all the things she wishes she’d known at the beginning. From how to select your market to promoting your story, Calista walks you through every step of the way with her personal insight and plenty of practical tips that any budding author can learn from. How to Write Erotica includes choosing your kinks, avoiding procrastination, structuring your story, creating a cover, publishing your first e-book and a whole lot more. There are readers waiting for the story you’re about to write. If you need a little gentle encouragement and lots of hints on starting out on the road to being the next E L James, this book is for you. Why not read and get started right away?
The Halfway House for Writers
Valley Haggard - 2015
A Handbook for WritersIf you are confident, joyful and productive in your writing life, if you understand your place in the world of writing, of you are happy and carefree when you think of what you have written and what you still want to write, this handbook is not for you.If you have struggled with insecurity, existantial angst, being stuck an feeling unworthy; if you have wrestled with writing that is too crazy, too boring, too shameful, unorgannized, or just plain sucks, read on.
Get IELTS Band 9 in Academic Writing Book 2 Essay Planning
Cambridge IELTS Consultants - 2015
. . can you plan the many different types of Academic Task 2 essay? Can you quickly create a plan for an 'Opinion>Discussion' essay, and also for a 'Problem>Solution' essay? What about an 'Evaluate' essay - and all the other essay types? Don't take the IELTS exam unless you understand these different plans. Following our Number 1 best-selling 'Get Band 9 In Academic Writing,' we've created a completely NEW set of fifteen IELTS essays written to Band 9 standard, to help you get the best possible result. To help you even more, we've added a section to each essay which shows how the student has analysed the task and planned the essay in the way that you MUST do in the IELTS exam. These example plans are clear and highly effective, showing how to rapidly create a plan for any IELTS Task 2 essay, guiding you to the best possible Band score. Each of these NEW fifteen essays includes: A task Explanation of the task type Student analysis of the task Student's PLAN for the essay, showing how to create an effective plan in minutes A model Band 9 essay And Examiner's comments explaining why the essay is at Band 9 level Remember - IELTS Academic writing is an extremely difficult test if you DON'T practise these very specific analysis and planning skills. However, if you practise these skills, you should be able to increase your band score by up to two Bands, for example from a 6 to an 8, or from a 7 to a 9. With this book, you will have the planning skills to attack any IELTS Task 2 essay, and you can show the IELTS examiner exactly how good your English can be.
Author Identity: Build Your Brand. Sell More Books. Change the World.
Angie Mroczka - 2015
There is comfort in anonymity, slipping into the background and letting the words on the page speak for us.Branding yourself as an author requires you to step out from behind your book to fully engage your audience and develop relationships. This can be a daunting proposition, especially if you are an introvert.Through featured brands (including Michael Hyatt, Jeff Goins, Anne Rice, and more) and her own experience coaching writers to become better marketers, Mroczka will show you how branding allows you to set yourself apart from the crowd, positioning yourself as an authority and trendsetter.This book equips you to begin building your author brand through:• Four shocking truths behind commonly held branding myths• The simple, but often-overlooked equation to selling books• Proven strategies to help you discover and attract your Ideal Readers • Practical tips for defining your brand through your books, website, marketing, and on social media• Actionable advice at the end of each chapter, along with a workbook and bonus checklist to walk you step-by-step through the entire processFollow the advice in this book and not only will you become three times clearer on the needs of your audience, but you will also begin to attract the kind of readers who will stick with you through your writing career.What’s stopping you from having a tribe of loyal readers, eager to consume your next book?Quit trying to herd cats and stop being a wallflower! Finally be seen by your ideal audience.
Naked Words: The Effective 157-Word Email
Gisela Hausmann - 2015
A guide to concise, commanding communiquesMary Vinnedge, SUCCESS Magazine"NAKED WORDS 2.0: The Effective 157-Word Email" is the 2.0 edition of previously published "NAKED WORDS: The Effective 157-Word Email".With 23 new illustrative pictures/examples of the good and the not so good, as well as added action steps it is the most impressive and easy to follow book about how to improve marketing emails.Highlights:Why should your e-mail have 157 words?Example of a perfect e-mailWhat about of it is impossible to present your message in about 50 words?Important psychological factorsMindboggling statisticsThe problem with templatesThe 7 parts of an e-mailSuggestions for improvements of common phrases7 words you should never use in an e-mailTypos, misspellings, & the most infamous writing errorThe “thank-you” e-mail & the season surprise e-mailWhat about if all of this does not work?27 examples of ludicrous e-mailsGlobal impactHow do you know if your business partners appreciate your e-mails?
Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published
Chuck Sambuchino - 2015
Now in its 28th edition, "CWIM" is the definitive publishing guide for anyone who seeks to write or illustrate for kids and young adults. Inside you'll find more than 500 listings for children s book markets (publishers, agents, magazines, and more)--including a point of contact, how to properly submit your work, and what categories each market accepts. You'll also find: Interviews with creators of today's successful children's books, including author Henry Winkler (The Hank Zipzer series); author-illustrator Will Hillenbrand ("Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!" and other picture books); author Barney Saltzberg ("The Day the Crayons Quit"); and more."New Literary Agent Spotlights"--profiles of literary reps building their client lists right now. These agents are actively seeking authors of young adult, middle-grade, chapter books, and picture books.Success stories--13 debut authors, as well as 9 successful debut illustrators, share their paths to publication so you can learn from their success and see what they did right.Informative articles on how to make young readers laugh, how to build a career as an illustrator, how to sell your picture book, the difference between young adult and middle-grade, and much more.A one-year subscription to the children's publishing content on WritersMarket.com.*+ Includes exclusive access to the webinar "25 Tips on How to Succeed in Children's Publishing" by Danielle Smith of Red Fox Literary.*Please note: The e-book version of this title does not include a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com."I found my literary agent /art rep in the "Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market."" --Deborah Marcero, illustrator of the Backyard Witch series (Greenwillow HarperCollins) and author-illustrator of "Ursa's Light" (2016, Peter Pauper Press)"If you're serious about writing or illustrating for young people, the information, tools, and insights within the "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market will get you started on the right path." --Wendy Toliver, author of "Lifted" (Simon Pulse) and two other novels for children""
59 Reasons to Write: Mini-Lessons, Prompts, and Inspiration for Teachers
Kate Messner - 2015
They must experience the same uncertainty of starting a new draft and then struggling to revise. As they learn to move past the fear of failure, they discover the nervous rush and exhilaration of sharing work with an audience, just as their students do. Only by engaging in the real work of writing can teachers become part of the writing community they dream of creating for their students. Kate Messner’s new book, 59 Reasons to Write, shows teachers and librarians who teach writing how to be stronger role models for their students. “Writing for my students provided me with appropriate mentor texts to share,” she writes. “Writing with my students made me a mentor and a far better teacher.” 59 Reasons to Write grew out of Messner’s popular online summer writing camp, Teachers Write. Throughout the book she offers mini-lessons, writing prompts, and bursts of inspiration designed to get you writing every day, whether on your own or as part of a group. Dozens of guest authors also share their writing processes and secrets, from brainstorming ideas and organizing research to developing characters and getting unstuck from writer’s block. 59 Reasons to Write is for anyone who has always wanted to write but never managed to get into the habit. Daily warm-ups will help you flex your writing muscles and energize your teaching. As Messner shares, “One of the greatest gifts of writing is the way it nudges us to look more closely not only at the world but also at ourselves.”
How to Write a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry"
Tania Runyan - 2015
If poems came with instructions like IKEA(R) coffee tables, we'd all be missing the point. But this book will give you some strategies-some tools, if you will-to assemble your personal, imaginative raw materials into poems that will surprise and intrigue. These strategies are focused primarily on free verse, yet many of the concepts can also be applied to form poetry, at both the inception and revision stages.How to Write a Poem uses images like the buzz, the switch, the wave-from the Billy Collins poem "Introduction to Poetry"-to guide writers into new ways of writing poems. Excellent teaching tool. Anthology and prompts included.
Get Started in Writing Historical Fiction
Emma Darwin - 2015
Designed to build your confidence and help fire up creativity, this book is an essential guide to mastering the practicalities of writing historical fiction, showing you where to start with research, developing your plots, and convincingly and imaginatively capturing the voices of the past. Using Snapshots designed to get you writing quickly, Key Ideas to help crystallize thought, and a wealth of supplementary materials, this indispensable guide will have you telling amazing and rich historical stories in no time. You'll learn to research and plan your story, practice developing characters and settings, perfect your characters' voices, and transport the reader to another era.ABOUT THE SERIESTheTeach Yourself Creative Writing series helps aspiring authors tell their stories. Covering a range of genres from science fiction and romantic novels to illustrated children's books and comedy, this series is packed with advice, exercises, and tips for unlocking creativity and improving your writing. And because we know how daunting the blank page can be, we set up the Just Write online community, at tyjustwrite.com, for budding authors and successful writers to connect and share.
Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores
Chris Kennedy - 2015
For most, this is because they either don’t know how to enter the publishing process, or they feel their writing isn’t good enough. Self-Publishing for Profit was designed to help you overcome both of these fears by giving you detailed publishing guidance, while simultaneously helping you become a better writer. Produced by veteran independent author and self-publisher Chris Kennedy, Self-Publishing for Profit details the plan he used to sell almost 40,000 copies of his books in his first year, after starting with nothing but a story. Not only will readers learn how to produce ebooks, but also print books, audio books, and more! Self-Publishing for Profit is the first book that gives authors all of the tips required for success. It not only shows how to design business and marketing plans that will help them be successful in the short term, but also how to improve their writing skills for long term success. It does so without requiring large outlays of cash, giving new authors a two-pronged strategy for success that anyone can follow. It’s time to get your book into the stores!
Fiction Writing Journal & Workbook
Robin Woods - 2015
Robin not only shares her knowledge gained by years of experience, but thoughtfully gives space for writers to reflect and hand-write their ideas and moments of inspiration.” –author and editor Tamar Hela Writing a first draft can be daunting. This workbook provides guidance for key elements of fiction writing that help create a cohesive novel. Additionally, it gives writers powerful reference resources to create an emotionally authentic work and the space to hash it all out in one, easy-to-carry book.Workbook sections include:• Brainstorm and outlining• Plotting and the “Tent Pole” Method• Character Worksheets• Conflict• Setting• Lined pages for easy journaling • And more!Reference sections include:• Common publishing terms and abbreviations• Using numerals in text• Clichés and newbie errors• Symbols and symbolism• Synonyms• Self-editing checklist and beta readers• And more!
Scientific Paper Writing - A Survival Guide
Bodil Holst - 2015
This book provides an entertaining, informative and easy to read guide for PhD students and others on how to write and publish a scientific paper. The book is illustrated by Jorge Cham, creator of PhD Comics (www.phdcomics.com). The full Chemistry World review including a podcast about the book with a Nature Chemistry Editor can be found here https: //www.chemistryworld.com/review/scienti...
Nail Your Story: Add Tension, Build Emotion, and Keep Your Readers Addicted (Growth Hacking For Storytellers, #2)
Monica Leonelle - 2015
Instead, Nail Your Story attempts to reveal the connections between the various parts of story so that you can more easily build cohesive plots, characters, themes, and settings—without having to stress over the decisions because (surprise!) you’ve probably already made them in another area of your book. Included in the book: - Monica's Smarter Storytelling Framework, which shows you the many layers of a story and how they each relate to each other - Translation guides for building out your story (for example, how you can use character to build your theme, and vice-versa) - The Smarter Storytelling Worksheets to help you plot out all the elements of your story into one cohesive document - Tons of examples from some of the most popular stories of our time, including Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, the Twilight series, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, How To Get Away With Murder, A Song of Ice and Fire, and more. If you’ve struggled to get 5-star reviews on your stories or build an audience of people dying to get your next book, Nail Your Story will help you identify areas of improvement and even show you how a few small tweaks in your currently available content can make a massive difference in your sales!
10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book: Online Book Marketing on Any Budget
Scott Hughes - 2015
The plan works on any budget. It works for the wealthy busy professional as well as for the struggling artist short on funding. About the Author ~ As the founder of Online Book Club, Scott Hughes has spent over a decade in this new industry, working with thousands of authors to advertise books online. Scott Hughes has worked in the ebook marketing industry before the Kindle ever existed!
Love-Based Copywriting System: A Step-by-Step Process to Master Writing Copy That Attracts, Inspires and Invites (Love-Based Business Book 2)
Michele Pariza Wacek - 2015
In this book, "Love-Based Copywriting System," Michele rolls up her sleeves and walks you through her exact system that she has used over the years to help her clients build successful businesses and get their work out into the world in a big, love-based way. You're going to get the nitty gritty on what you need to do to write love-based copy. It includes step-by-step exercises, templates for the different promotional pieces (such as the copy you would use on a website or an email), a love-based tips section to take the teachings deeper and even advanced copy training for those who have mastered the basics. This book is perfect if you're new to writing copy or are looking to improve your skills (and results) with your marketing pieces.
The Well-Presented Manuscript: Just What You Need to Know to Make Your Fiction Look Professional
Mike Reeves-McMillan - 2015
Mike Reeves-McMillan is a fiction author, reviewer, and former copy editor and technical writer. He's analysed the errors he's found in almost 250 books, both indie and traditionally published, and written a simple, clear guide to avoiding the most common issues. Learn: - Why editors reject 90% of what's submitted to them—and how to increase your chances.- How to get punctuation right every time.- The special conventions of dialog.- The most common word confusions, typos, and research errors—and how to check for and eliminate them.Revised and updated in 2020.
Officiating Weddings: Start a Profitable Business Marrying Couples
Dayna Reid - 2015
This book will walk you through all the steps needed to establish yourself as a reputable, well paid, and in-demand Officiant, including: • Guidance on how to establish your business • Ideas for advertising your services • Advice on pricing your services and getting paid • Guidance for meeting with your clients • Instructions for conducting the rehearsal • Guidance on how to officiate the wedding ceremony • Steps to becoming ordained • Clear information on offering pre-marital counseling • Ideas for following up with couples after the ceremony
Selling Well: The 5 Relationships that Experts, Authors & Coaches Use to Sell 1,000 Books in 21 Days
Ryan Mendenhall - 2015
It needs to be heard by those you were called to lift out of dark places. You have honored that mandate thus far by writing a book and I have written this book to encourage you to honor it more fully by learning what it takes to sell 1,000 books in 21 days.Most authors I speak to have a message that's nearly bursting forth. They can't help but share it, their passion won't let them do anything but. The problem is that putting your message into words alone will never change lives. Once the message is packaged, it needs to be delivered (marketed) or the change you seek for those who struggle will never come to pass.I wrote this book to give order to the many ideas shared with me at The Author's Catapult 2014 Book Marketing Summit. There I interviewed 29 book marketing experts, bestselling authors and savvy digital marketers. They've collectively helped to sell MILLIONS and MILLIONS of books and I asked them "How would you sell 1,000 books in 21 days?"As I reviewed each of the interviews multiple times I noticed patterns emerging. A thread ran through the interviews and it was all about relationships. These experts talked about relationships with partners, with prospects, with clients, with self and with money. It was quite wonderful how everything organized itself before my eyes.I was hoping they would shed more light for me on how to have a successful book launch. I had done that before with a few clients and was excited to sponge up even more insider info! Instead, the bulk of the conversations centered in how to develop relationships pre-book launch that would essentially create your own distribution network.So Selling Well is about building an author platform and the systems to support it and to make it thrive. Because launching or relaunching a book is critical to the process of selling 1,000 books in 21 days, I included a bonus chapter the book about it and if you're interested in that you can download the chapter along with my entire Book Launch Starter Kit.Learning to market your book can be like climbing Mt. Everest, but you never have to do it alone, nor do I believe you should. With the proper gear, guidance & group, you can make it to the top of that peak and stand in a place to be heard by many more people. With help, you can be a powerful change-maker! It is my intention as a book marketing coach to help you, if you so desire, create the structure -- the "platform" -- to be able to sell 1,000 books in 21 days. The principles & strategies shared in this book are powerful. They've been used by people like Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen who have sold over ½ billion Chicken Soup for the Soul books. They've been used by 4-Hour Workweek author Timothy Ferriss. These principles are responsible for literally selling well over a billion books and I believe they will help you too! I’ve observed that the experts who have these five relationships down are the ones that are actually thriving. One can sell 1,000 books in 21 days without them in place, but only a 5 Relationship-focused expert can build on the momentum of a launch and turn it into an amazing business success. The relationships start from within and move progressively outward. Incidentally, they are also the very tools that Sarah used to help her have an amazing book launch. Without further ado, here are The 5 Relationships: Relationship 1: Your Mindset Relationship 2: Your Message Relationship 3: Your Marketing Relationship 4: Your Members Relationship 5: Your Money In the book there are questions to ask yourself as well as an action plan to help you put each relationship into motion in your business. Relationship 1: Your Mindset When very successful people were asked by Napoleon Hill near the turn of the century what got them their wealth, in one way or another they referred to their mental ability to create before creating physically in the real world. Building on timeless principles Your Mindset is about creating that working relationship with yourself that fosters growth, ability and confidence. Here we discuss the process of turning your dreams into reality. Relationship 2: Your Message Confidence that you have something that will better lives leads successful authors to get to know their audience in a deep meaningful way. The message you share stems from this awareness of your reader and creates something that truly resonates with them. If the sum of the first relationship is “know thyself,” the short of this one is “know your reader.” In relationship 2 we share hot tips for targeting your ideal reader. Relationship 3: Your Marketing While many experts have the first two relationships down, this is where some things start to break down. They know they want to get the word out and often they are trying so hard. They blog, they tweet, they tell people. But in the end it feels like an uphill battle. The relationship examined in Your Marketing is the one you have with partners, those who are speaking to your readers, those who already have built trust with the ones you want to speak to. This is a core part of my group success program and it’s a core part of a platform that thrives. Here we uncover the secrets to building a big audience fast. Relationship 4: Your Members I’m not sure if it’s baggage from the past that keeps many experts from making regular and clear invites...Fear of rejection or something similar? If so, I can relate. But I can testify how a plan to do invite readers to become members of your group will that also share how to set up a plan that both encourages new subscribers and keeps them fiercely loyal. Relationship 5: Your Money Likely if any one of the five relationships is missing, it’s this one. Money’s ability to come to you hinges on your ability to create the organization and systems that money likes. You see, money is just a trust that has in your ability to solve their problems. That trust increases exponentially when you assure your members that they’re safe with you. I divulge some of the basic systems that actually make money, increase average orders and do so without breaking your back.
Thesaurus of the Senses
Linda Hart - 2015
Throughout history, the timely use of the apt word has held enormous sway, in literature, speeches, and texts. How is it that some words hold such power? One thing we know: great words often engage the senses. Thesaurus of the Senses expands your possibilities to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell to describe the world around you. It collects some of the best English sensory words in one place to enliven your writing and help you build persuasive description. It's an indispensable tool for writers, poets, bloggers, editors, storytellers, students, teachers, communicators, and word lovers alike — anyone wanting to add more spark to his or her writing.
Farnsworth's Classical English Metaphor
Ward Farnsworth - 2015
Here now is the natural, and perhaps even more noteworthy sequel, Farnsworth's Classical English Metaphor, the most entertaining and instructive book ever written about the art of linguistic comparisons.A metaphor compares two things that seem unalike. Lincoln was a master of the art, as were Jefferson and Shakespeare. Farnsworth's book collects the most eloquent examples, arranges them by theme, and provides the historical and cultural backdrops that inspired their use. There is interest, instruction, and amusement to be found on every page.
Can I Use I?: Because I Hate, Hate, Hate College Writing
Catherine Prendergast - 2015
But keep reading.Even if you don’t like college writing—no, even if you hate college writing—this guide will get you through it. It offers clear and concise answers to your questions about writing college papers. Find out:What makes a good research question?How do I write a strong thesis statement?What if I don’t understand my assignment?How do I write an introduction?How do I answer the “so what” question?
Outline Your Books Or Die!: Secrets of Writing Fiction that Sells, Plotting, Novel Outlining Techniques (How To Write Book 5)
Jim Driver - 2015
It’s not enough just to know how to outline, you have to know how to create a commercially successful story in the shortest possible time.
New, updated version 2.0, July 2016.
Author Jim Driver spent months taking seminars with famous authors like James Patterson, and reading almost every book on novel planning, outlining, and plotting ever written (slight exaggeration)! He’s worked out a simple new way of outlining that makes the process of story writing simple and practically foolproof.His outlining techniques work in every genre and can help you outline and write a commercially successful novel or screenplay in less time than you thought possible. Story engineering has never been so simple.Don’t settle for just writing a novel or screenplay. Discover how to outline properly and aspire to write the best commercial fiction you can.
Can you afford to leave it to chance? Click the ‘Look Inside’ tab above to get started.
Writing Deep Scenes: Plotting Your Story Through Action, Emotion, and Theme
Martha Alderson - 2015
Writing Deep Scenes teaches you how to write strong, layered, and engaging scenes--the secret to memorable, page-turning plots. It's filled with practical tools for building layers and nuance into your scenes, employing the right scene types at the right junctures, and developing a profound understanding of how plot and scene intertwine.Inside you'll learn:- How scenes are comprised of three key layers: action, emotion, and theme. - How to recognize each layer and weave them seamlessly into a scene. - How to develop an intricate relationship between the action and emotion in every scene. - How thematic imagery embedded in scenes increases a story's tension and contributes to the story's meaning.Using contemporary examples from a variety of genres, Writing Deep Scenes provides an effective method for plotting at the scene level. Use these techniques and enrich your fiction and memoirs with page-turning suspense and pathos, and explore new depths in every story you write.