“You might be able to write a book in a month, but I’m only on chapter five. I have four kids, you know.” Sally wasn’t wearing makeup today, her blond hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked like she’d lost some weight, her blue eyes a bit tired. “I spent all weekend spring cleaning my house. I haven’t touched my book in a week. My ending is so far out of site, I’ve forgotten what I’m writing about.” “It’s all right, Sally,” I said and nudged my uneaten bran muffin over to her. “You’ve just forgotten what you’re aiming for. See, if you set out on a journey without a destination, you might get lost or even…discouraged.” She tore off a chunk of the muffin. “So, you’re saying that […]
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From the Inside…Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you! By Susan May Warren
Have you always wanted to write a novel, but didn’t know where to start? This book is for you. With proven techniques, easy to understand explanations and practical steps, From The Inside…Out will teach you how a story is structured then take you through the process of creating and marketing your novel. Topics include: Character-driven plotting, How to HOOK your reader, The elements and flow of SCENES, How to build STORYWORLD, Secrets to Sizzling Dialogue, Proven Self-Editing techniques, Synopsis and Query letter writing, How to manage your writing career …and everything in between! BUY Now: From the Inside-Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You
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Quick Skills: Sellability
Raise your hand if you’ve seen the new movie, The Vow. I haven’t, but I’m intrigued because it contains a twist on the premise of my new book, The Shadow of Your Smile. A wife loses her memory, and her husband has to woo her all over again. My story is different in that my hero and heroine have been married for 25 years, with a family and life. However, their marriage is on the rocks…so while they have a lot to lose, there’s also that sense that they’ve already “forgotten” each other. Still, as I was building my story, I thought – how will this be different? How can I make this story more powerful, with bigger issues to make it stand out in the market? How do I […]
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Conversations: The Four Pillars of a Best-Seller
I was drinking an extra tall vanilla latte, blinking back the sand in my eyes as Sally came in. A glorious Monday morning, the sun winking off the frosty waves of Lake Superior, the sky a triumphant eggshell blue, the snow glistening under all that grandeur like diamonds. Good thing, too, because I’d stayed up late watching both Casablanca and Pearl Harbor to prepare for our conversation this morning. I knew, after meeting with Sally for three weeks, she took our conversations seriously and wanted to be on my game. She sat down and pulled off her knitted mittens. “I started a notebook from last week, like you suggested.” She pulled out a hardbound journal with a leather cover and handed it to me. I opened it and to my […]
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