Write Your Novel From the Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between


James Scott Bell - 2014
    They are called "pantsers," because they write by the "seat of the pants." Other writers plan and outline and know the ending before they start. These are the "plotters." The two sides never seem to agree with each other on the best approach. But what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to #1 bestselling writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process. Bringing together years of craft study and personal discovery, Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life. "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 NYT Times & International Bestselling author

The Fiction Formula: The New Rules of Self Publishing Success


Sean M. Platt - 2019
     Johnny Truant and Sean M. Platt -- owners of the Sterling & Stone Story Studio and authors of the how-to-publish cornerstone Write. Publish. Repeat -- have spent the last eight years learning the ins and outs of professional storytelling. Between just the two of them, they've written 100 books. The studio as a whole, in 2020 alone, will publish nearly 200 more. To write and publish that much quality, reader-pleasing fiction, you can't just wing it. You need a formula to keep things streamlined and on-target. With a formula, you can be sure you're writing books that will sell. That you're enjoying writing them, and are doing so without writer's block. When you use the fiction formula, your success becomes predictable -- not a matter of luck. In their 2014 bestseller Write. Publish. Repeat, Platt & Truant showed a generation of indies the path to self-publishing success. In this long-awaited follow-up, they'll show you what they've learned since, plus all the fiction-specific stuff they didn't include the first time around: You'll learn: How to choose a genre that's commercial AND fulfilling The Sterling & Stone planning process that helps you write better books, faster. The complete start to finish path from idea to fully launched books and series Creating an author business that can withstand marketplace changes and last for years to come. The Fiction Formula will help you build a thriving indie publishing career no matter what type of writer you are ... so long as you're willing to do the work. If that's you, welcome aboard! The Formula could be your next step toward the author life you've only dreamed of before.

Art & Craft of Writing Fiction: Secret Advice for Writers


Victoria Mixon - 2015
    Written for her blog over the years as Victoria's editing business blossomed, this advice is now hard to find and hidden - and now collected just for you, for free.

Story Engineering: Character Development, Story Concept, Scene Construction


Larry Brooks - 2011
    From story concept to character development to scene construction and beyond, this title helps you learn the big picture of storytelling at a professional level through a fresh approach that shows how to combine six core competencies: the four elemental competencies of concept, character, theme, and story structure (plot).

Robert's Rules of Writing


Robert Masello - 2005
    You know the principles, the lectures, the "expert" techniques. And you've discovered that sometimes tried-and-true just equals tired.In Robert's Rules of Writing, successful author Robert Masello stomps out status quo writing advice and delivers 101 uninhibited techniques to improve your writing that include: Burn your journal (See rule 1) Strip down to your briefs (See rule 38) Spend time gossiping (See rule 61) Buy the smoking jacket (See rule 56) Skip the Starbucks (See rule 7) De-claim! De-claim! (See rule 63) Whether you're a fiction writer, freelancer, memoirist, or screenwriter, Robert's Rules of Writing gives you the unorthodox advice to transform your writing life and get published!

20 Master Plots: And How to Build Them


Ronald B. Tobias - 1993
    These tales gain their power through plots that connect with the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level.Inside, Ronald B. Tobias details these 20 time-tested plots. Each is discussed and analyzed, illustrating how a successful plot integrates all the elements of a story. Tobias then shows you how to use these plots effectively in your own work.Tobias then goes to the next level, showing you how to choose and develop plot in fiction. He shows you how to craft plot for any subject matter, so that you develop your work evenly and effectively. As a result, your fiction will be more cohesive and convincing, making your story unforgettable for readers everywhere.

Sell Your Book Like Wildfire: The Writer's Guide to Marketing & Publicity


Rob Eagar - 2012
    You'll learn how to:- Increase your book sales by driving readers to bookstores and online retailers- Build a brand that makes your books stand out from the crowd- Secure more media interviews and speaking engagements- Connect with key influencers who spread word of mouth- Create raving fans who buzz about your book on social media- Ignite your confidence to sell more books and make more money as an author. Whether you're a first-timer or an old-hand, self-published or traditionally published, a novelist or non-fiction writer, this is the only marketing guide you'll ever need.

Fool Proof Dictation: A No-Nonsense System for Effective & Rewarding Dictation


Christopher Scott Downing - 2017
    How? By taking the fear and mystery out of dictation. By providing exercises designed to nurture and connect parts of the brain used during dictation. By offering specific tips to remove the discomfort that causes most writers to abandon dictation. Fool Proof Dictation is the only ebook of its kind, focusing primarily on the mental process of dictation. It’s a self-paced training system that streamlines the dictation process. There are warm-ups, practical exercises, and an easy to follow routine for dictating your scenes.Fool Proof Dictation serves both absolute beginners and writers who’ve tried dictation but grew discouraged, eventually giving it up. This system offers an ease-of-use that will surprise everyone with how effective and gratifying dictation can be!This ebook details the method I use when I dictate fiction. It also explains all the exercises I’ve used over time to train my brain for effective dictation. On top of that, it includes enough prompts to keep those exercises working for months!

Authorpreneur: Build the Brand, Business, and Lifestyle You Deserve. It's Time to Write Your Book


Jesse Tevelow - 2018
     Jesse has self-published two books, which are both #1 bestsellers on track to generate $30,000 per year in passive income. Beyond book sales, Jesse has leveraged his books to build a business that earned over six figures in its first year. Other part-time authors are doing far better, earning six, or even seven figures per year. Many have leveraged their books to build multimillion-dollar business ventures. This wasn't possible ten years ago, but the publishing industry has changed. People are finding unparalleled freedom and wealth through writing, and you can too. Authorpreneur will show you how. Inside Authorpreneur, you’ll learn: Why writing a book is the new PhD How a book can make you rich, credible, and immortal The three critical traits to succeed as a writer Why everyone is a salesman The 50% Rule The three approaches to finding a marketable topic to write about How to find contractors for quality book production How to choose a title that doesn’t suck How to get reviews before launching When to launch, and what to do AFTER it’s over ...plus so much more. What are you waiting for? It’s time to write your book.

Best ever recipes: 40 years of Food Optimising


Slimming World - 2009
    It is the most slimmer-friendly eating system there is and is based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people - no foods are banned, there is no calorie counting and there are hundreds of 'free foods' that can be eaten in unlimited amounts. Published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Slimming World, Best Ever Recipes draws on Slimming World's 40 years of unrivalled experience in helping slimmers achieve their target weight. Packed with nutritional, lifestyle and diet information, as well as more than 120 new, healthy yet delicious recipes, it is the definitive guide to successful - and enjoyable - weight loss.

Professional Plot Outline Mini-Course


Holly Lisle - 2012
    We all have to learn the SAME skills. But no matter where you’re starting…Even if you have NO story ideas, NO characters, and NO experience, you can finish a complete working plot outline in just SEVEN tiny lessons.If you have ever labored to come up with a GOOD way to start a story…If you have ever stumbled, lost and frustrated, through the MIDDLE of your book…If you have ever wondered,”How do I find an idea worth writing?“…Stop Struggling. Help Is Here.

Tell, Don't Show!


James Lofquist - 2013
    And your next, and your next... The technique I share within these pages is extremely easy to learn and do. You will be able to start using it now, today, and see immediate differences in your writing.It's also a fast read. I've condensed the book down to just a handful of pages, so you can read it all in less than an hour. I know what it's like to try and improve my writing by reading books on how to write. Too much time is lost wading through pages and pages of filler. And the more of these books that we read, the thicker our brains become, with too many details and steps and opinions. This book is different. Read it over lunch, and then go try it out. You'll see for yourself that it works.Here is a bit more about why Tell, Don't Show! is truly worth your time.First of all, the words will come much easier. I promise it. I've seen it transform the writing of many students and friends over the years, and before that, my own writing. The technique is so simple that you won't have any excuse for not using it the next time you sit down to write. It's a real pleasure to write this way. Forget about being a suffering writer. With this one little technique, you'll actually learn to love the process of writing.And do you ever wonder why you aren't writing so much? Do you think that if you could write faster, much faster, you'd want to write more? We're not talking about blindly banging away at the keys, but rather, quickly penning powerful stories and novels in a fraction of the time it takes you right now. That is, if you're even writing now. The truth is that when our writing is too slow and introspective, we lose momentum, and sooner or later, we finally stop. Don't do that. Write faster. The technique I'm sharing in this book will show you how to write faster and a lot more than you are now.Finally, by using this technique, you'll find your creativity expanding by the hour, by the day! It will free up your imagination to focus on the big picture, lifting you up and away from both micromanagement and nitpickiness, such common traps during first drafts. Your stories will grow richer and deeper, and you'll find yourself seeing your characters and settings more vividly. Subtext and subplots will rise up and beg for your attention. And this is just the beginning.You'll find all of the above and much more in Tell, Don't Show!

Short Story: From First Draft to Final Product


Michael Milton - 2013
    I spent time looking for a book which would show me how a "raw" story was developed through drafts, with comments received and the changes made. Struggling to find such a work, I decided to create my own, being transparent and honest in the details. Using the story that gained me an offer of a place on a Master's in Creative Writing, SHORT STORY will take you through three drafts of the work.The book details not only the major revisions, feedback given by a professional novelist and an academic, but also has a bunch of tips from my writers toolbox condensed between the drafts. I hope that the process provides something useful for you, be it a tip from the writing toolbox, a look at the editing process, or motivation in knowing that you can do better than I did!

Knots, Splices and Rope Work


A. Hyatt Verrill - 1944
    Adapted for the use of Travellers, Campers, Yachtsmen, Boy Scouts, and All Others Having to Use or Handle Ropes for Any Purpose. Illustrated with 156 Original Cuts Showing How Each Knot, Tie or Splice is Formed and Its Appearance When Complete.(From Project Gutenberg)

Growing Gills: How to Find Creative Focus When You’re Drowning in Your Daily Life


Jessica Abel - 2017
     If you feel like you’re floundering in the deep end (Not waving, drowning!), and anxiety over the complexity and enormousness of your creative projects overwhelms you, stop scrambling to fit everything in and feeling stretched thin. DIVE DEEP AND SWIM Sustain the energy you feel when thinking of how awesome your projects could be. Value your own creative work as highly as work you do for other people. Build a reusable structure and process that will consistently get you to the finish line. Blast through your stuck-ness. Focus. Finish. Move on to the next project. You’re a creative person. Even if you have a hard time calling yourself a “writer” or an “artist” in public, making your creative work is core to who you are and how you see the world. You may be harboring a big, ambitious idea for a project. Possibly a lot of them. And it’s killing you. You lie awake thinking about it…and hating yourself for not doing more to make it real. And then in the morning you’re exhausted, and you can’t believe you “wasted” more time on this stupid idea. Who ever told you you were creative anyway? You try to shove your idea away, to forget it. But your creative work is what keeps you sane. You can’t not do this. So you live with guilt and anxiety all the time. You’ve tried to carve out the time and attention you need to devote to your creative work. You’ve made ambitious goals, you’ve written lists, you’ve scheduled calendars…you’ve installed shackles on your desk chair. But chaining yourself to your work only seems to make you more distractible and more miserable. (And those unsightly leg sores!) Maybe you've even tried to borrow time-management tips from the business world. Get things done! Build seven habits! Eat that frog! But following business-minded productivity systems just doesn’t work for you. The issue isn’t simply getting “things” done, it’s allowing yourself to devote precious time and attention to the vital, self-generated creative work that builds toward your vision for the future. The problem is, the life you’re living is already full. You’ve made a lot of promises, to yourself, your family, your friends, and your community, that you’ll be there for them. You probably have a job; you may have kids. You may well have many competing ideas for your creative work. Where, exactly, can you find that mythical Creative Focus Unicorn? In Growing Gills, you’ll discover that the power is already within you to make your work. The biggest obstacles to your getting your important creative work done lie in the unknowns you’re facing. Growing Gills takes you step by step through the process of pinning down exactly what’s stopping you from finishing your beautiful, inventive, and potentially game-changing projects. Using the power of conscious decision, you’ll build your own unique system for fitting creative work into your existing life, taking into consideration how you work best.