Newsletter Ninja: How to Become an Author Mailing List Expert


Tammi Labrecque - 2018
     Imagine having a large list of happy readers who devoured every email you sent. Or launching a book and activating an army of fans who did the selling for you. You could be that person, with the help of Newsletter Ninja. Newsletter Ninja is a comprehensive resource designed to teach you how to build and maintain a strongly engaged email list—one full of actual fans willing to pay for the books you write, rather than free-seekers who will forget your name and never open your emails. • Learn new ways to think about your email list • Re-energize your existing subscribers • Embrace not just the basics, but next level methods • Improve engagement and watch those open/click rates soar • Build a happy list of passionate readers • Launch your books into the charts You’ll get a handle on open rates, click rates, and engagement—while also learning about yourself, your readers, and what you’re really selling when you send an email. (Spoiler: it’s not your books.) Whether you’re building a mailing list, want to grow an existing one, or simply want to raise your email game, Newsletter Ninja has solutions that will work for you.

30 Perfect Popcorn Recipes : How to Make Sweet & Savory Gourmet Popcorn at Home (The Green Gourmet)


Lori Jane Stewart - 2012
    It has a rich history, dating back to before civilization and taking part in a multitude of events we celebrate every year. It's the most popular snack food around the world, and the second most popular snack in America (falling just behind potato chips). Popcorn can be found all over the country, at movie theaters, carnivals, and most people's kitchens or pantries. It is a common misconception that popcorn is an unhealthy snack. The reason some people avoid popcorn is because they don't understand the real culprit! Behind its supposedly unhealthy status, are the seasonings and additives, often added to commercially packaged products to liven up the bland natural flavor and to lengthen it's shelf life. The popcorn itself is a wholegrain, and these can help prevent cancer and lower the risk of heart disease, while also supplying healthy nutrients that support our vision. There are many different methods to create popcorn, but the basic principle stays the same. All you have to do is make the kernels hot enough to heat the moisture contained naturally inside, and turn that into steam. The steam creates pressure from inside the hard shell casing and before you know it, POP! - the kernel is turned inside out and is ready to be consumed. As long as you can generate heat and have some kernels on hand, you can make popcorn!Enough of the history, what about the recipes? I've gathered 30 of the finest popcorn recipes from around the world for your snacking pleasure, and have tried to keep them free from artificial sweeteners, preservatives or other nasty additives wherever possible. I've specified 9 cups of popped corn for most recipes, as that gives 3 generous cups per serving - you can have as many or as few servings as you fancy, but keep an eye on the calories! For your convenience, I've also included nutritional data from the USDA for each recipe (that's the U.S. Department of Agriculture and not the United Square Dancers of America!)My preference for both flavor and health reasons, is freshly air-popped popcorn - so I have used that kind for all of these recipes. Everything in this book can be made with kernels you have freshly popped, or if you are in a hurry (or feeling lazy!), then you can always use the plain store bought pre-popped variety - just make sure you check the packaging for artificial nasties!Most of the ingredients for these recipes can be found at your local grocery store or deli, but if you get stuck, then the slightly more unusual ones can also be bought online via a link at the end of the book.Enjoy preparing and sharing!Lorix

"I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes


Diana Gabaldon - 2016
      “Ask me to your bed,” he said. “I shall come to ye.”   In this revealing compendium, acclaimed writer Diana Gabaldon shares her invaluable lessons for creating an immersive reading experience, from evoking a mood to using the power of emotions to communicate physical intimacy. You’ll learn the difference between gratuitous sex and genuine encounters that move the story forward, and how to handle less-than-savory acts that nevertheless serve a narrative purpose. Gabaldon also notes that sex can be conveyed instead of described. With such tips as “The Rule of Three” for involving the senses, handy lists of naughty euphemisms (with instructions for use), and Gabaldon’s own examples from the Outlander novels, “I Give You My Body . . .” is a master class in writing to draw readers in and keep them riveted to the page.

The Divine Guide to Creating a Daily Writing Practice


Pernille Norregaard - 2016
    When she finally broke the code she developed the writing practice that helped her write 13 books and a couple of screenplays in less than a decade. Now, she shares her insights and methods in this short and practical guide. The Divine Guide to Creating a Daily Writing Practice will not only show you how to find more time to write in your life, but also help you put your writing time to good use, deal with the fear and limiting beliefs that holds you back, and give you a strategy to stick with your writing routine. No matter what you dream of write developing a consistent practice is key. This book will take you on a journey of exploring and challenging the obstacles and beliefs that are holding you back. Get ready to find a new and profound joy in your writing practice.

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: Why That Is And What You Can Do About It


Steven Pressfield - 2016
    And the secret phrase is this:NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T. Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional. From Chapter Four: “When you understand that nobody wants to read your shit, you develop empathy. You acquire the skill that is indispensable to all artists and entrepreneurs—the ability to switch back and forth in your imagination from your own point of view as writer/painter/seller to the point of view of your reader/gallery-goer/customer. You learn to ask yourself with ev­ery sentence and every phrase: Is this interesting? Is it fun or challenging or inventive? Am I giving the reader enough? Is she bored? Is she following where I want to lead her?"

Ten Things About Writing: Build Your Story, One Word at a Time


Joanne Harris - 2020
    This collection of pithy and funny lists of advice provides both hard-won wisdom and insider industry help. All aspects of the writing process and story development are covered – as is the thorny issue of how and where to find readers. From Workspaces and Habits to Plot and Dialogue, these are motivating, problem-solving lists from an experienced and widely respected writer. Uniquely, Ten Things About Writing also takes the reader beyond the stage of finished manuscripts and editorial changes – into the territories of rights, publicity and marketing. Whether you have the urge to write crime fiction or a fantasy novel, literary short stories or blockbuster thrillers Joanne’s lists will speak to you.

Make Your Book Work Harder


Nancy Hendrickson - 2013
    As eReaders and eReading Apps proliferate, so do book-selling services and sites. If you're selling your book on a single platform you're missing at least 40% of the digital reading audience. This book was written for authors of fiction and non-fiction who want to expand their reach and increase their income.Created by two experienced authors, Make Your Book Work Harder walks readers through the maze of book-selling platforms, including some that are well-known and others that may never even be on your radar.What you'll gain from reading this book Step-by-step how-to for using multiple platforms How to maximize your promotional time How to minimize your promotional dollars Where to find little-known publishing alternatives Free sources for promoting your book Time-saving social media services How to amp up your income by creating a book-related course Our personal preferred vendors for outsourcing formatting and social media exposure How to increase your name recognition and much, much moreYOU'VE WORKED HARD ... NOW MAKE YOUR BOOK DO SOME OF THE HEAVY LIFTING!We all know the time and energy involved in writing a book. That's why we feel that only selling on a single platform isn't leveraging the power of your book or the power of alternative publishing platforms. This book is the solution to the one-platform sales lag that every author sees over a period of time. Using our techniques you'll expose your book to new audiences who read books on multiple apps and services (including some that are subscription-based). Why settle for a single point-of-sales when you can reach most of the marketplace?BONUSES TOOWant a behind-the-scenes look at how the authors promote their own books on Facebook? One of the free downloads for anyone who purchases this book is a guide to book promotion on Facebook that can cost pennies a day. The authors have also created a secret Facebook group for readers of this book only - a group where new additions to the book will be introduced first, so you'll get a head start on trying new techniques for making more sales. TIME TO SPREAD YOUR WINGS?There's never been a better time to spread your wings and get your books out into 100% of the book-buying marketplace. Click the BUY button and get going with new promotions and more sales starting right now.

Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English


Patricia T. O'Conner - 1996
    The bestselling grammar book has been updated and revised to include the latest and greatest on the basics and subtleties of English, and features a new chapter on the language of the Internet.

Characters and Viewpoint


Orson Scott Card - 1988
    Use them to pry, chip, yank and sift good characters out of the place where they live in your memory, your imagination and your soul.Award-winning author Orson Scott Card explains in depth the techniques of inventing, developing and presenting characters, plus handling viewpoint in novels and short stories. With specific examples, he spells out your narrative options–the choices you'll make in creating fictional people so "real" that readers will feel they know them like members of their own families.You'll learn how to: draw the characters from a variety of sources, including a story's basic idea, real life–even a character's social circumstances make characters show who they are by the things they do and say, and by their individual "style" develop characters readers will love–or love to hate distinguish among major characters, minor characters and walk-ons, and develop each one appropriately choose the most effective viewpoint to reveal the characters and move the storytelling decide how deeply you should explore your characters' thoughts, emotions and attitudes

Writer's Doubt: How You Can Overcome Doubt and Create Work That Matters


Bryan Hutchinson - 2014
    As a child, he had to take a remedial reading and writing class because he could barely write a full sentence. One editor told him his book would never be published.And yet Bryan is now a bestselling author whose books have been read by over 100,000 people and the book the editor said would never be published has been praised publicly by the foremost experts in the field.All writers doubt their ability. But Bryan's story shows doubt doesn't have to define your writing future.

Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write: How to Get a Contract and Advance Before Writing Your Book


Elizabeth Lyon - 1995
    The good news is that almost every nonfiction book published is sold by a proposal. In this comprehensive yet accessible guide, you will learn exactly what a proposal is, what it must contain, and how to pull yours together into an informative, persuasive selling package. Already a favorite for thousands of aspiring writers, this book has been revised and updated by Elizabeth Lyon to feature nearly two dozen actual proposals, plus:- Choosing a topic based on current trends and competing titles- Drafting the perfect concept statement--daring agents and editors to reject you- Defining and targeting your readership--then connecting with them- Preparing a table of contents and chapter summaries- Submitting exciting and well-written sample chapters- Writing query letters- Devising a marketing plan that will excite agents and publishers

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.

Writing Great Books for Young Adults: Everything You Need to Know, from Crafting the Idea to Landing a Publishing Deal


Regina Brooks - 2008
    Despite this, little has been written to help authors hone their craft to truly connect with this audience. Writing Great Books for Young Adults gives writers the advice they need to tap this incredible market. Topics covered include: Listening to the voices of youthMeeting your young protagonist Developing a writing styleConstructing plotsTrying on points of view Agent Regina Brooks has developed award-winning authors across the YA genre, including a Coretta Scott King winner. She attends more than 20 conferences each year, meeting with authors and teaching.

From The Desk Of Warren Ellis Volume 1


Warren Ellis - 2000
    This volume contains writing from 1995 to 1998 on a variety of subjects, including the eating of sheep faces, Sin City, the ugliness of comics, the parallel world where comics legend Stan Lee dies in a horrific plumbing accident, how to write for comics, and why Michael Moorcock scares the hell out of him!

Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book?


Ally Carter - 2019
    This is my attempt to change that.But first….I need you help.I NEED REAL WRITING-RELATED QUESTIONS FROM REAL TEENS!If you’re a teen and you like to write… Or if you know a teen who likes to write….PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR WRITING-RELATED QUESTIONS, and I’ll go through them all and–hopefully–yours will end up in the finished book!The book, btw, will be published by Scholastic in the fall of 2018–just in time for NaNoWriMo!If you want your question considered, just go to AllyCarter.com/DearAlly and let me know what you’d like to know. --from Ally Carter's blog