Brande believed passionately that although people have varying amounts of talent, anyone can write. It's just a question of finding the "writer's magic"--a degree of which is in us all. She also insists that writing can be both taught and learned. So she is enraged by the pessimistic authors of so many writing books who rejoice in trying to put off the aspiring writer by constantly stressing how difficult it all is.With close reference to the great writers of her day--Wolfe, Forster, Wharton and so on--Brande gives practical but inspirational advice about finding the right time of day to write and being very self disciplined about it--"You have decided to write at four o'clock, and at four o'clock you must write." She's strong on confidence building and there's a lot about cheating your unconscious which will constantly try to stop you writing by coming up with excuses. Then there are exercises to help you get into the right frame of mind and to build up writing stamina. She also shows how to harness the unconscious, how to fall into the "artistic coma," then how to re-emerge and be your own critic.This is Dorothea Brande's legacy to all those who have ever wanted to express their ideas in written form. A sound, practical, inspirational and charming approach to writing, it fulfills on finding "the writer's magic."

    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.

    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.

    Drawing from her popular blog, the Newbery Honor author answers readers' questions and dives into how to make a story come alive. If you're interested in writing prose and poetry or just want to be a better and more rounded writer, this book will help you on your creative journey.With her trademark humor and vast writing knowledge, Gail Carson Levine reveals the tricks of her trade, writer to writer.

    It's the unique worldview that intrigues readers–persuading them to empathize with your characters and invest in their tale. It's the masterful concealing and revealing of detail that keeps pages turning and plots fresh. It's the hidden agenda that makes narrators complicated and compelling.It's also something most writers struggle to understand. In The Power of Point of View, RITA Award-winning author Alicia Rasley first teaches you the fundamentals of point of view (POV)–who is speaking, why, and what options work best within the conventions of your chosen genre. Then, she takes you deeper to explain how POV functions as a crucial piece of your story–something that ultimately shapes and drives character, plot, and every other component of your fiction.Through comprehensive instruction and engaging exercises, you'll learn how to:choose a point of view that enhances your characters and plots and encourages reader involvementnavigate the levels of a character's point of view, from objective viewing to action to emotioncraft unusual perspectives, including children, animal narrators, and villainsA story changes depending on who's telling it, and The Power of Point of View will help you determine which of your characters can make your story come to life.

    Trouble is, plot is where most writers fall down--but you don't have to be one of them. With this book, you'll learn how to create stories that build suspense, reveal character, and engage readers--one scene at a time.Celebrated writing teacher and author Martha Alderson has devised a plotting system that's as innovative as it is easy to implement. With her foolproof blueprint, you'll learn to devise a successful storyline for any genre. She shows how to:Use the power of the Universal StoryCreate plot lines and subplots that work togetherEffectively use a scene tracker for maximum impactInsert energetic markers at the right points in your storyShow character transformation at the book's climaxThis is the ultimate guide for you to write page-turners that sell!

    Frey, are the basis of all storytelling, and their structures and motifs are as powerful for contemporary writers as they were for Homer.In The Key, novelist and fiction-writing coach Frey applies his popular "Damn Good" approach to Joseph Campbell's insights into the universal structure of myths, providing a practical guide for fiction writers and screenwriters who want to shape their ideas into a powerful mythic story.

    Perfect for busy writers or writers who are easily distracted or who want a better way to make consistent progress with their writing. Includes write ups from 15-minute writers who swear by the method. Also covers mindset, getting into a writing flow, how to clear mental clutter so you can focus during your writing session, and more.

    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.

    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?"

    This indispensable bundle - AVAILABLE ONLY FOR A LIMITED TIME - has over 1000 pages of solid tactics, proven strategies, and actionable advice you can use during each step of the publishing process, from content creation to production and distribution to marketing. Tap into: * expert methods for building story worlds, characters, and plots * a psychology-driven model to shape stories into must-have "products" * best practices for editing * practical approaches to cover design, formatting and pricing * optimized tips for selling fiction vs non-fiction * short-term vs long-term marketing plans * updated tactics for building platform and launching new books * collaborative techniques for selling * strategies for optimizing profit beyond the written word These are THE SAME recently updated editions of popular titles you've heard of by industry names you trust. In fact, the authors have collaborated to bring you additional exclusive BONUS content you can access FREE! Whether you're a newbie or an indie expert, you'll find plenty of insights here to help inform your career. THE INDIE AUTHOR POWER PACK includes the full versions of: ________________ * WRITE. PUBLISH. REPEAT.: The No-Luck-Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success - Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant In 2013, Johnny B. Truant and Sean Platt published 1.5 million words and made their full-time livings as indie authors. In WRITE. PUBLISH. REPEAT., they tell you exactly how they did it: how they created over 15 independent franchises across 50+ published works, how they turned their art into a logical, sustainable business, and how any independent author can do the same to build a sustainable, profitable, future-proof career with their writing. ________________ * LET'S GET DIGITAL: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should - David Gaughran The internet has revolutionized every business it has come into contact with, and publishing is no different. These changes are handing power back to the writer. It's up to YOU if you want to profit from them. With practical, hands-on publishing advice; best practices on editing, cover design, formatting, and pricing; and effective marketing strategies that won't eat into your writing time or budget. And that's just for starters... ________________ * HOW TO MARKET A BOOK - Joanna Penn Get to grips with marketing! Learn the values and marketing principles that will help your long-term career as a writer and encourage you to think more like an entrepreneur, while using short-term tactics to kick up immediate sales. Includes recommendations for branding, content marketing, social networking and working with the media. With methods to take you beyond the book into professional speaking, making money from other products and creating new opportunities.

    Because if you can write one terrific scene, you can write a hundred. And that’s a novel. This is a short book, with just one goal—to teach you the simple principles you can use right now to design a powerful scene before you write it. If you’ve already written your novel, you can use these same principles to make each scene better. About the Book How to Write a Dynamite Scene Using the Snowflake Method will give you the power tools you need to write scenes that move your reader’s emotions. You’ll learn: The one thing your reader most desperately wants. And why. How to decide which character should have the point of view. The 2 kinds of scenes designed to give your reader a powerful emotional experience—and how to know which to use. 5 ways to test that your lead character’s goal in each scene is perfect. How to end every scene so it leaves your reader wanting more. Why dilemmas are good, and how to know when they’re ruining your story. 4 ways to know that your character’s decision will drive your story forward. How to know when a scene is broken—and how to fix it. Excerpt from Chapter 1: Your reader desperately wants one thing. You have it in your power to give your reader that one thing. And what is that one thing? I could tell you what that one thing is, and you would nod and agree that yes, that one thing is clearly something all readers want. But telling you that one thing wouldn’t make it stick in your mind forever. I want it to stick. I’d rather show you that one thing. Once you’ve seen it, once you’ve lived it, you’ll never forget it. That one thing will be inside you, fueling everything you write. So let me tell you a quick story about one of our ancestors who lived many thousands of years ago in a small village on this planet we call home. When I say he’s our ancestor, I mean it literally—he’s your ancestor and he’s my ancestor and he’s every human’s ancestor. That ancestor of ours was once a thirteen-year-old boy, the newest man in the village, and the smallest. Imagine you’re that boy on the day when word comes to the village that there’s a killer tiger ravaging the village’s herd of goats. The Tale of the Tiger You’re furious. A drought has been burning the land for many months. That herd of goats is all that keeps your village from starvation. You’re also terrified. There’s only one way to get rid of a killer tiger. The village has to organize a hunt, find the tiger, and kill it. But that won’t be easy, because there’s nothing more dangerous in your world than a killer tiger. The village headman sends word around to the whole village. All men meet in the village square, and bring your spear. When the messenger comes to your hut, he shakes his head and frowns. He thinks you’re too young to go. In your heart, you’re afraid he’s right.

    Most people who try and write a novel give up or fail miserably. If you need help writing your novel, you need look no further. Publisher, editor and writer, Jim Driver, reveals many of the secrets the experts use to write bestselling novels. He says: "Taking inspiration from the Pulp Fiction writers of the 1940s and 1950s, showed me how to banish writers' block forever. I also discovered the easiest way to create and plot commercial novels." Know What Your Readers Will Buy Before You Write A Word "Writing your novel should be fun and it can be easy. But you have to know how to motivate yourself and reach a point where the words will not stop flowing out of you." How To Write A Novel – The Simple Way Take action now: use the LOOK INSIDE feature (above) to see how valuable the information inside this short eBook (less than 14,000 words). You need solid information, not useless flannel. I'm confident this will be the last book you need to read before you write your bestselling novel.

    Keep them tight and crisp throughout. Conclude them with a wallop.Is the story or novel you've been carrying around in your head the same one you see on the page? Or does the dialogue suddenly sound flat and predictable? Do the events seem to ramble?Translating a flash of inspiration into a compelling story requires careful crafting. The words you choose, how you describe characters, and the way you orchestrate conflict all make the difference--the difference between a story that is slow to begin, flounders midway, or trails off at the end--and one that holds the interest of readers and editors to the final page.By demonstrating effective solutions for potential problems at each stage of your story, Nancy Kress will help you...hook the editor on the first three paragraphs make--and keep--your story's "implicit promise"build drama and credibility by controlling your prose Dozens of exercises help you strengthen your short story or novel. Plus, you'll sharpen skills and gain new insight into...the price a writer pays for flashbacks six ways characters should "reveal" themselves techniques for writing--and rewriting Let this working resource be your guide to successful stories--from beginning to end.

    Non-fiction, writing, how-to book.