Book picks similar to
How Your Book Sells Itself by Bethany Atazadeh


writing
nonfiction
non-fiction
writing-craft-books

How to Write a Selling Screenplay


Christopher Keane - 1998
    In How to Write a Selling Screenplay, he takes writers through the entire process, from developing a story to finding the best agent. Using an annotated version of an often-optioned screenplay of his own, and citing examples from movies ranging from Casablanca and Lethal Weapon to Sling Blade and The English Patient, he discusses how to create three-dimensional characters, find a compelling story, build an airtight plot structure, fine-tune dialogue, and much more. Keane's tips on the difference between writing for film and television, as well as his advice on dealing with Hollywood movers and shakers, make this an essential companion for people writing their first--or their fortieth--screenplay.

How I Sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon's Kindle: An Easy-To-Follow Self-Publishing Guidebook


Martin Crosbie - 2013
    The next month Amazon posted a press release revealing that Crosbie had made $46,000 in one month, with one book. Previously to this, his novel was rejected one hundred and thirty times by traditional publishers and agents.In the months that followed, My Temporary Life and its sequel have been consistent sellers, often sitting atop Amazon’s rankings. Crosbie’s story has been mentioned in Publisher’s Weekly, Forbes online, and other media outlets around the world. In fact, Amazon referred to him as one of their 2012 success stories in their year-end press release.How I Sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon’s Kindle-An Easy-To-Follow Self-Publishing Guidebook tells the story of how he became a full-time writer, detailing the specific steps he took to find and connect with his readers. Plus, it describes how to adjust and tweak your strategy as Amazon changes their systems.

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.

From Jobless to Amazon Bestseller: The Step-by-Step System I Followed to Write, Self-publish, Market and Promote my Book to Become a #1 Bestseller on Amazon


Marc Reklau - 2015
     Why you should choose Self-publishing. Why you should choose Amazon. How to write you book fast without ever suffering from “writer’s block”. How to find a title that sells for your book. How to get a cover that sells made. How to price your book right. Why it’s easier than you thought to get an Amazon bestseller. How to market and promote your book and get it in the top of the charts on Amazon. What your book can do for you in the long term (passive income, traditional publishing contracts, radio & TV appearances etc.). And so much more! Think of it! If you publish on Amazon, millions of people are only a click away from downloading your book on their Kindle, PC, Mac, tablets or smartphones. That’s an enormous amount of potential customers! Why not use Amazon’s “look inside” feature and check out the first chapters of “From Jobless to Amazon Bestseller” before you buy?  Just click on the book image above and start reading.

Make Every Word Count


Gary Provost - 1980
    Gary Provost has a light-hearted style, but his message is clear and strong: Make Every Word Count.

The Secrets of Action Screenwriting: From "Popeye Points" to "Rug Pulls"


William C. Martell - 2000
    No theories! Only actual techniques! The ultimate HOW TO screenwriting book! Creating the ultimate villain, harvesting the audience's secrets desires or hidden fears to create a hit film, how to write a plot twist, the four kinds of suspense, using reversals to keep your descriptions exciting, four ways to explode cliches, the two types of heroes, ten ways to create exciting action scenes, using secrets and lies, weapons for weirdos, instant character identifiers, your script's DNA, 16 steps to better description, pacing secrets, rugpulls, visual characterization, "Popeye" points, and more! "Secrets Of Action Screenwriting" was written by a working professional screenwriter with seventeen produced films. He knows what works!

Writing Steampunk!


Beth Daniels - 2011
    This is Steampunk territory. WRITING STEAMPUNK is a journey into building Steampunk fiction. It doesn't tell how to write a book -- there are other books that will do that. It doesn't talk about the Steampunk society. It focuses only on the elements that go into WRITING STEAMPUNK.There are choices to be made in regards to era, characters, and world building. And there's research to do, for knowing what was really happening in Victoria or Edward's England, the American cities or frontier, and other locations around the world, and what masterpieces inventors and scientists were building and discovering is necessary. Why? Because Steampunk is alternative history and some tinkering will need to be done.Steampunk is also fantasy. It's mystery, suspense, romance, and action-adventure. It can even be comedic or dystopian. It's all up to the writer spinning the tale.Which is what WRITING STEAMPUNK is all about. Spinning the right sort of tale.A list of Steampunk novels is included, as well as a list of publishers likely to be interested in Steampunk, a brief overview of events, discoveries and inventions of the 19th and early 20th century, and a lot of encouragement, suggestions and examples are given.Multipublished author and frequent online workshop presenter Beth Daniels (aka Beth Henderson, J.B. Dane) is your tour guide. So step into our virtual parlour, accept a cup of tea or something stronger from our clockwork maids or steam powered automaton waiters. Do open the window should you feel the need to indulge in cigars or pipes. Those of you with paranormal leanings, please refrain from considering the other guests as possible snacks.It's time to start the journey of creation right now!

May I Have Your Attention, Please? Your Guide to Business Writing That Charms, Captivates and Converts


Mish Slade - 2016
    It's near impossible for customers to cut through the "innovative solutions" and "passion for customer service," and find out who can actually give them what they need.For the business owner who's willing to do something different, though, it represents a major - and inexpensive - competitive advantage.May I Have Your Attention, Please? lays out 12 simple principles that allow business owners - even those with no writing experience - to attract and enchant their dream customers. With clear and concise explanations of what works and why, and examples of the best and worst text out there, you'll have all the tools you need to turn readers into buyers into raving fans. Give your writing skills an instant upgradeIn this short book, you'll learn: Simple techniques to turn your dull-as-dishwater business marketing into "can't resist" copy - even if you don't think of yourself as a "good writer." How to make price irrelevant and be the only choice for your ideal customer - by changing nothing except your copywriting. The business writing "rules" you should revel in breaking. Why copying your competitors is a dangerous waste of time... and what to do instead (without spending hours searching for ideas). The easily avoidable mistakes that are turning your customers off - even if they don't know it. A simple framework to help you blast through writer's block and know exactly what to say in any piece of writing. How to "read your customers' minds," and get them looking for reasons to buy from you. Who is this book for? Business owners looking to breathe more life into their website, content marketing or sales materials. Employees who want to gain a new skill and have more impact in their work. Anyone who has something great to offer - but is struggling to get the message across.

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?"

Paused to Prolific


K. Webster - 2019
    She’ll reveal in a humorous, yet effective, manner how she keeps her focus and has managed to publish one or two stories each month consistently for over five years. In this easy-to-read book, you’ll learn to retrain how you think and new habits to help you become productive in a few simple ways by: Identifying Your Problem Making a Plan Being Accountable Staying Focused Sticking to a Schedule Staying Productive Using short exercises in each section, you will begin to understand how to put into practice what you’ll learn in this book. **This is a quick and effective 12,000-word guide meant to cut through the fat and get straight to the meat so you can get back to writing!**

Writing Monsters: How to Craft Believably Terrifying Creatures to Enhance Your Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction


Philip Athans - 2014
    Monsters are lurking in the woods, beneath the waves, and within our favorite books, films, and games--and there are good reasons why they appear so often. Monsters are manifestations of our fears and symbols of our society--not to mention they're a lot of fun--but each should serve a purpose and enhance the themes and tension in your fiction. In Writing Monsters, best-selling author Philip Athans uses classic examples from books, films, and the world around us to explore what makes monsters memorable--and terrifying. You'll learn what monsters can (and should) represent in your story and how to create monsters from the ground up. Writing Monsters includes: In-depth discussions of where monsters come from, what they symbolize, and how to best portray them in fiction Informative overviews of famous monsters, archetypes, and legendary creatures A Monster Creation Form to help you create your monster from scratch An annotated version of H.P. Lovecraft's chilling story "The Unnamable" Whether you write fantasy, science fiction, or horror, your vampires, ghouls, aliens, and trolls need to be both compelling and meaningful. With Writing Monsters, you can craft creatures that will wreak havoc in your stories and haunt your readers' imaginations--and nightmares.

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.

The Writer's Idea Book


Jack Heffron - 2000
    And once you've got an idea, what then? Ideas without a plan, without a purpose, are no more than pleasant thoughts. In The Writer's Idea Book, Jack Heffron, former senior editor at Writer's Digest Books and Story Press, will help you find the answer. Utilizing over 400 prompts and exercises, you'll generate intriguing ideas and plumb their possibilities to turn them into something amazing. The Writer's Idea Book will give you the insight and the self-awareness to create and refine ideas that demand to be transformed into greater works, the kind of compelling, absorbing writing that will have other writers asking "where do you get those ideas?"

Writing for Bliss: A Seven-Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life


Diana Raab - 2017
    With techniques and prompts for both the seasoned and novice writer, it will lead you to tap into your creativity through storytelling and poetry, examine how life-changing experiences can inspire writing, pursue self-examination and self-discovery through the written word, and, understand how published writers have been transformed by writing.

The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults


Cheryl B. Klein - 2016
    In The Magic Words, editor Cheryl B. Klein guides writers on an enjoyable and practical-minded voyage of their own, from developing a saleable premise for a novel to finding a dream agent. She delves deep into the major elements of fiction—intention, character, plot, and voice—while addressing important topics like diversity, world-building, and the differences between middle-grade and YA novels. In addition, the book’s exercises, questions, and straightforward rules of thumb help writers apply these insights to their own creative works. With its generous tone and useful tools for story analysis and revision, The Magic Words is an essential handbook for writers of children’s and young adult fiction.