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Writing the Blockbuster Novel
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Most people think the way to write a best seller is to have a lot of talent and even more luck. As you will learn, there is a recipe for success, and luck may be the least important ingredient in creating a best seller. No one has cracked the code better than James Scott Bell. A best-selling author himself, and the author of the number-one best seller for writers, Plot & Structure, Mr. Bell has been teaching the principles of best-selling fiction for over 20 years, principles that apply to any genre or style.
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Most people think the way to write a best seller is to have a lot of talent and even more luck. As you will learn, there is a recipe for success, and luck may be the least important ingredient in creating a best seller. No one has cracked the code better than James Scott Bell. A best-selling author himself, and the author of the number-one best seller for writers, Plot & Structure, Mr. Bell has been teaching the principles of best-selling fiction for over 20 years, principles that apply to any genre or style.
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what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process...Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life.
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On the nose great...gets to the point.Thank you🤩
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Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
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Are you writing a novel, but having trouble getting your first draft written? You've heard of "outlining," but that sounds too rigid for you. You've heard of "organic writing," but that seems a bit squishy to you. Take a look at the wildly popular Snowflake Method - a battle-tested series of 10 steps that jump-start your creativity and help you quickly map out your story. All around the world, novelists are using the Snowflake Method right now to ignite their imaginations and get their first drafts down on paper. In this book, you'll follow the story of a fictitious novelist as she learns to tap into the amazing power of the Snowflake Method. Almost magically, she finds her story growing from a simple idea into a deep and powerful novel. And she finds her novel changing her - turning her into a stronger, more courageous person.
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Easy to understand "How-to" book...
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There's a mantra real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this: "Nobody wants to read your shit." Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.
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Learn the inner secrets of selling fiction to an ever-increasing audience of readers! Bestselling author and writing coach James Scott Bell brings you powerhouse techniques and strategies in this collection, much of which is from his popular posts at The Kill Zone blog. If you're serious about selling your fiction, Fiction Attack! is your battle plan for breakthrough.
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Excellent Delivery
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Unlike many advice-givers, Block doesn't tell you what book to write, or the one and only way to write it. He holds that every novel is different, and so is every novelist; his aim is to give you the tools to enable you to find your own way.
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from writer to author...
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Best-selling author Elizabeth George has spent years teaching writing, and in Write Away, she shares her knowledge of the creative process. George combines clear, intelligent, and functional advice on fiction writing with anecdotes from her own life, the story of her journey to publication, and inside information on how she meticulously researches and writes her novels.
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Stein on Writing provides immediately useful advice for writers of fiction and nonfiction, whether newcomers or accomplished professionals. As Sol Stein, renowned editor, author, and instructor, explains, "This is not a book of theory. It is a book of usable solutions, how to fix writing that is flawed, how to improve writing that is good, how to create interesting writing in the first place."
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent advice and examples for better writing.
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Publisher's Summary
Every novelist dreams of it - writing the book that rockets to the top of the best-seller lists. Now, they can see how it's done, up close, in an audiobook by an agent who has sold manuscripts that turned into hits. Here Albert Zuckerman covers the essential elements of the blockbuster novel and shows writers how to put them to work in their books. Zuckerman covers the subject thoroughly, from creating outlines and building larger than life characters to injecting suspense and more. His instruction is decisive, direct and clear and is supported with examples from Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, and other blockbusters.
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Overall
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4 out of 5 stars
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Victoria Evangelina
- 09-27-14
treasure
A treasure for writers, willing to put a lot of hard work in their manuscript, in order to make it as commercially good as possible.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Jaro
- 10-04-13
Disappointed
What disappointed you about Writing the Blockbuster Novel?
The book was heavily dated, inexact and sweeping in its descriptions of writing techniques, and it leaned too much on lengthy examples without distilling from them the core of the craft.
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
No redeeming qualities, alas.
Any additional comments?
One wonders why audible does not instead produce the really good books on writing, such as Dwight Swains Techniques of the Selling Writer.
6 of 11 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Josiah
- 10-25-16
The Exception
Much of the writing "self-help" guides out there are similar to celebrity rehab facilities, rarely beneficial and most likely a lost cause. Zuckerman's guide is the exception. Full of practical examples and actual outlines, first drafts, and revisions, Writing the Blockbuster Novel takes your from the crib to the grave of the writing process.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 09-13-16
Awesome!
The way he used real examples from existing novels to show the journey of the outline through 4 drafts is priceless. Highly recommended
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dan Portnoy
- Pasadena, CA
- 10-29-15
Crucial for Authors or soon to be authors!
The outlining tutorials, revising stakes and beats in each chapter were so helpful. Zuckerman helps you visualize what your book can be.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Virginia
- California
- 07-13-15
Good but unnecessarily toooooo long
He makes some great points but I get lost in all the long written examples. If only this book could be shortened, and we don't have to hear long examples of other books, it would be a much much better book. It seemed as though he had to fill a word count for a publisher.