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Help! How do I make my reader care?

By on February 24, 2014 in 1. Discover your story, 2. Create Your Story, Extreme Book Makeover, How do I write Emotions?, Susan May Warren

I sat on the tarmac on my way to Florida for five hours last week (#IloveMinnesotaweather), and while we were waiting, I stirred up a conversation with my seatmate.

“What do you do for a living?”  I asked.

“I break into building to check their security.”

#Cool!

Poor guy suddenly discovered the dangers of sitting next to a novelist. By the time the plane took off, we’d plotted a story about a man living two different lives – a spy living in suburbia, posing as a regular guy.

Then came the moment when we had to figure out the first scene.  “We need to make him relatable,” I said to 24B.  “Someone who the reader can relate to.”

“Why?” 24B asked. “He’s not a regular guy.”

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Extreme Book Makeover: Help! How do I hook my reader?

By on February 17, 2014 in 1. Discover your story, 6. Search by Series:, Extreme Book Makeover, Susan May Warren

Any book can be fixed – it just needs and Extreme Book Makeover. Over the past month we’ve been diagnosing common problems of a boring plot and how to fix them. We touched on Story Stakes – and the importance of understanding what your character has to lose. We talked about the Story Question – the fuel for the inner journey. And we discussed the difference between High Concept and Low Concept plots. But those are all big picture issues with plot. Once you solve those, an author must understand the key elements of the Three Act plot to keep the momentum going in the story. Briefly, Act One is the ignition – it sets up the character(s)’ wants, goals and fears, then sets them on a journey into Act […]

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Crazy Reindeer Specials from My Book Therapy!

By on November 29, 2013 in 1. Discover your story, 2. Create Your Story, 3. Publish your Story, 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, Delivering Convincing Proposals, Encourage Me!, How do I Pitch my Book?, How do I Promote my book?, How do I write a Synopsis?

Santa’s Reindeer have taken over My Book Therapy!
It finally happened.
The Reindeer have had it with Santa getting all the glory. We all knew the inevitability of the revolt after Dasher demanded his own Sugar Cookie break over Finland. And then Vixen said she absolutely, “wouldn’t fly over Prague without a mint-hot cocoa.”
The source of their discontent? Santa’s sack of goodies.

“We’re the ones pulling the sleigh. Why does he get to distribute all the gifts?” Prancer said on the eve of the takeover.

The Reindeer assumed control of the MBT Warehouse during Thanksgiving, sneaking in under cover of night, cloaked as Moose. (“After all, people confuse us all the time,” Comet said in an cell-phone conversation from inside the MBT HQ)

And now, they’re offering MBT Bundles of Reindeer Specials at CRAZY prices.

And giving away FREE STUFF!

With these kinds of deals, it’s clear the Reindeer have lost their minds!

But, until MBT re-assumes control of inventory, it’s your chance to take advantage of these Crazy Reindeer Specials for Writers.

The culprits and their bundle offers are listed below…

(and Visit the MBT Marketplace to catch all their latest craziness!)

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How to sell that NaNoWriMo project!

By on November 25, 2013 in 3. Publish your Story, 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, 7. Search by Author:, Delivering Convincing Proposals, Encourage Me!, How do I Pitch my Book?, How do I Promote my book?, How do I write a Synopsis?, Learn the art of Social Networking, Susan May Warren, Writing Conferences
I am so excited about this product – it’s been months (okay, years!) in the making, but I’ve taken everything I know about selling novels (and I’ve sold 40 of my own, not to mention helped countless others with their proposal projects) and put them in this step-by-step, 8 lesson video/audio series, complete with writable PDF handouts for you to fill out on your computer.
And examples from my own files.
And an easy method for writing that dreaded synopsis. And even a template for the marketing part of your proposal (the yikes! part). It’s like a proposal paint-by-numbers!
And, oh yeah, an optional workbook for those who like to scribble out their ideas by hand.
Frankly, it’s everything just short of me coming to your living room and looking your shoulder while you put your proposal together. And probably you wouldn’t like that anyway, because I get hungry and I’d humbly ask for hot cocoa. And popcorn.
This is a popcorn free product. But pretty much everything else is included.
AND…during the month of November (NaNoWriMo!_
we have 3 Novel Proposal deals!
  • Deal #1: First…from TODAY until December 1st, get $20 OFF – yep!, that’s nearly 30% OFF the regular price! JUST Enter: WRIMODEAL in your coupon code.
  • Deal #2: During this special only, get the Novel Proposal Workbook at 25% off the cover price!

And that’s not all.

  • Deal #3: We want your story to be epic! So, our epic Novel Proposal sale comes comes with the FREE audio/video class:
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