How to Write a Novel


Book Description

Author and former literary agent Nathan Bransford shares his secrets for creating killer plots, fleshing out your first ideas, crafting compelling characters, and staying sane in the process. Read the guide that New York Times bestselling author Ransom Riggs called "The best how-to-write-a-novel book I've read."




Beyond the Mat


Book Description

Achieve professional and personal success by following the philosophical principles of yoga, along with powerful poses that can be done at a desk, in flight, or on the go Yoga is thought of by many as a fitness hobby--a gentler alternative to SoulCycle and CrossFit--but its underlying philosophy offers much more than a good workout. Yoga can relieve stress, focus the mind, and provide a path to reinvention, resilience, and a meaningful life. In Beyond the Mat, physician, executive, and yoga instructor Julie Rosenberg reveals how the essential lessons of the four-thousand-year-old Yoga Sutras contain a relevant framework in which to thrive both personally and professionally, with: Principles for achieving work/life balance, building resilience, cultivating compassion, and working effectively with others Practices to manage time, avoid distractions, and get in "the zone" Breath-control exercises to mitigate stress and anxiety Power poses that can be done at home, at a desk, or on the go




The Queen Of The Night


Book Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER, New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and a Best Book of the Year from NPR, Boston Globe, BuzzFeed, and others. The mesmerizing story of one woman's rise from circus rider to courtesan to world-renowned diva—"a brilliant performance" (Washington Post). The Queen of the Night tells the captivating story of Lilliet Berne, an orphan who left the American frontier for Europe and was swept into the glamour and terror of Second Empire France. She became a sensation of the Paris Opera, with every accolade but an original role—her chance at immortality. When one is offered to her, she finds the libretto is based on her deepest secret, something only four people have ever known. But who betrayed her? With epic sweep, gorgeous language, and haunting details, Alexander Chee shares Lilliet’s cunning transformation from circus rider to courtesan to legendary soprano, retracing the path that led to the role that could secure her reputation—or destroy her with the secrets it reveals. “It just sounds terrific. It sounds like opera.”—The New Yorker “Sprawling, soaring, bawdy, and plotted like a fine embroidery.”—NPR




How To Write An Autobiographical Novel


Book Description

Named a Best Book of 2018 by New York Magazine, the Washington Post, Publisher's Weekly, NPR, and Time, among many others, this essay collection from the author of The Queen of the Night explores how we form identities in life and in art. As a novelist, Alexander Chee has been described as “masterful” by Roxane Gay, “incendiary” by the New York Times, and "brilliant" by the Washington Post. With his first collection of nonfiction, he’s sure to secure his place as one of the finest essayists of his generation as well. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel is the author’s manifesto on the entangling of life, literature, and politics, and how the lessons learned from a life spent reading and writing fiction have changed him. In these essays, he grows from student to teacher, reader to writer, and reckons with his identities as a son, a gay man, a Korean American, an artist, an activist, a lover, and a friend. He examines some of the most formative experiences of his life and the nation’s history, including his father’s death, the AIDS crisis, 9/11, the jobs that supported his writing ​— ​Tarot-reading, bookselling, cater-waiting for William F. Buckley ​— ​the writing of his first novel, Edinburgh, and the election of Donald Trump. By turns commanding, heartbreaking, and wry, How to Write an Autobiographical Novel asks questions about how we create ourselves in life and in art, and how to fight when our dearest truths are under attack. Named a Best Book by: Time, Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Wired, Esquire, Buzzfeed, New York Public Library, Boston Globe, Paris Review, Mother Jones,The A.V. Club, Out Magazine, Book Riot, Electric Literature, PopSugar, The Rumpus, My Republica, Paste, Bitch, Library Journal, Flavorwire, Bustle, Christian Science Monitor, Shelf Awareness, Tor.com, Entertainment Cheat Sheet, Roads and Kingdoms, Chicago Public Library, Hyphen Magazine, Entropy Magazine, Chicago Review of Books, The Coil, iBooks, and Washington Independent Review of Books Winner of the Publishing Triangle's Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction * Recipient of the Lambda Literary Trustees' Award * Finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay * Finalist for a Lambda Literary Award for Gay Memoir/Biography




Writing a First Novel


Book Description

In this inspiring collection of essays, a range of award-winning, established and newly published writers offer highly personal accounts of their creative processes. Authors reveal the anxieties, considerations and discoveries that shaped their own first novels, arming new writers with practical advice, focus and inspiration. The book's final section presents the perspectives of an agent, a publisher and an author on the business of publishing a first novel. Writing a First Novel offers an illuminating read for both aspiring and seasoned writers. It contains contributions by: - Hanif Kureishi - Valerie Martin - Johanna Skibsrud - David Vann - Maile Chapman - Edward Hogan - Kishwar Desai - Wena Poon - Alison MacLeod - Andrew Cowan - Jane Rusbridge - Isabel Ashdown - Helon Habila - David Swann - Soumya Bhattacharya - Jane Feaver - Hannah Westland - Helen Garnons-Williams - Lionel Shriver




A Guide to Writing Your First Novel


Book Description

Have you ever wondered how to write a book? Or perhaps you've written a manuscript that's already been edited to death, yet still isn't good enough? Writing your novel doesn't need to be a painful or lonely experience. Sit with me and let me teach you all I've learned about creative writing tips and tricks. You are already talented if you've written a book or are ready to write fiction, which means half the battle is already won. I have good news, writing skills can most assuredly be learned! This guide is designed to answer the following questions: * What should I consider before writing? * How to write a novel which has heavy world-building elements? * How do I approach edits? * What sells a book to agents? * How can I make connections in the writing and publishing community? * Should I self-publish? This guide answers all these questions and more by giving a personal review of actual author pitfalls and how they were overcome as well as soul-searching questions that'll reveal your true writing goals. Bonus Content! * Author interviews from both traditionally and self-published authors. * Samples of winning Twitter Pitch Tweets to see what agents and publishers are looking for, and how you can grab their attention!




On Writing Your First Novel


Book Description

On Writing Your First Novel: The Journey of a Wannabe Novelist is a must-read for any aspiring author. In this book, experienced nonfiction writer Stephen Haunts shares his journey of writing his debut novel, Diary of a Martian, and offers essential insights into how to successfully plan, write and prepare a novel for publication. From developing intriguing plots and complex characters to word processing and formatting tools, through to staying healthy and motivated as a writer, this book covers everything a first-time novelist needs to know. Whether you're just starting out or struggling to get your book off the ground, On Writing Your First Novel provides the guidance and motivation you need to turn your writing dreams into reality. Don't let the challenges and unknowns of novel writing hold you back-let this book guide you on your journey to becoming a published author.




Your First Novel Revised and Expanded Edition


Book Description

Your Expert Guide to Writing and Publishing a Novel In this revised and expanded edition of Your First Novel, novelist Laura Whitcomb, seasoned literary agent Ann Rittenberg, and her knowledgeable assistant, Camille Goldin, team up to provide you with the essential skills needed to craft the best novel you can--and the savvy business know-how to get it published. Complete with updated references, analysis of new best-selling novels, and the same detailed instruction, Whitcomb will show you how to: • Practice the craft of writing, using both your right- and left-brain • Develop a flexible card system for organizing and outlining plot • Create dynamic characters that readers love--and love to hate • Study classic novels and story structure to adapt with your ideas Featuring two new chapters on choosing your path as an author and understanding the world of self-publishing, Rittenberg and Goldin dive into the business side of publishing, including: • What agents can--and should--do for your future • Who you should target as an agent for your burgeoning career • How the mysterious auction for novels actually goes down • Why you should learn to work with your agent through thick and thin Guiding your first novel from early words to a spot on the bookshelf can be an exciting and terrifying journey, but you're not alone. Alongside the advice of industry veterans, Your First Novel Revised and Expanded also includes plenty of firsthand accounts from published authors on their journeys, including Dennis Lehane, C.J. Box, Kathleen McCleary, David Kazzie, and more.




How To Write Your First Novel: A Guide For Aspiring Fiction Authors


Book Description

Start with this easy-to-follow guide from M.K. Williams to get your novel down on paper and your story out to the world! You have an idea for a book! After that first inspired writing sprint the energy wanes. How do you structure it? How do you tell it? How do you finish? So often, when I introduce myself to a new person and they learn that I am an author, they reply back that they plan to write a book one day. I’m always so excited to learn more about their idea and see how I can help. More often than not, they reply that they haven’t written a single word. They ask me, “how do you write a novel? How do you get started?” Over the years I’ve written multiple novels and I have condensed my best tips and practices into How To Write Your First Novel: A Guide For Aspiring Fiction Authors. No matter your plan for publishing your novel, you first need to write the book! I’ve broken down the critical elements to success in two parts: your writing habits and your writing craft. You’ll be able to come back and reference this advice throughout your drafting process and as you look to write additional books. Are you ready to go from aspiring author to author? Are you ready to take your idea and turn it into a book? Let’s get started today!




How To Write Your First Novel


Book Description

Let best-selling novelist Sophie King guide you through the whole process of writing your first novel and getting it published. This revised edition takes aspiring novelists through the steps of writing a novel, from finding that initial idea, to keeping the plot going and crafting the perfect ending. With helpful exercises in each chapter you will learn how to: - Develop a brilliant idea for your first novel - Create characters that will make your novel come alive - Plot your novel so that your readers simply have to turn the page - Unravel the mysteries of viewpoint - Create realistic dialogue and settings so your readers feel they are there - Find your own voice. - Most importantly, the book includes tips and advice on how to get published. This new edition also includes a ten step guide to revision so that you can polish your novel to be the best it can be.