Novel Writing 2015 Download
Writer's Digest Yearbook presents:
NOVEL WRITING
Starting Points
Past Perfect Add depth to your historical fiction with our 5-step guide to digging up the details. by Tyler Moss
Setting the Record Straight Your story may be fiction, but that's no excuse for making factual blunders. These 4 experts expose the real-life details writers most commonly get wrong. by Jacob M. Appel, Myke Cole, Abraham Metrtens & Lee Lofland
Raise Your Voice Find your most natural writing voice by using these 3 simple techniques. by Larry Brooks
What Makes NaNoWriMo Work November is National Novel Writing Month, where writers gather in droves on NaNoWriMo.org to take on the challenge of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Here's why the concept offers the boost so many writers need--and what joining the fray might do for you. by Grant Faulkner
Story Building
The Universal Story Plot your novel in this classic structure, and send your hero on a journey your readers will never forget. by Martha Alderson
High Tide & Low Tide Is your story losing momentum past the midpoint? Follow these 7 steps to manage the ebb and flow of tension--and keep your readers turning pages to the end. by Steven James
Blurred Lines Magical realism invites elements of the mystical into the world as we know it. Venture down the path of otherworldly whimsy with these tips and tricks in tow. by Kristin Bair O'Keeffe
Spoiler Alert You don't want your thriller to be too thrilling--do you? Here are 12 tongue-in-cheek ways to kill the suspense. by Steven James
Character Development
You Are What You Do In life, actions speak louder than words--and so it is with the characters in our stories. Here are 3 ways to craft more dimensional characters by focusing on scenes rather than descriptions. by David Corbett
Characterizing Quick Develop dynamic characters in no time with these 15 easy hacks. by Elizabeth Sims
Love the Way You Lie From Holdren Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye to Amy Dunne in Gone Girl, unreliable narrators never fail to keep us guessing--and turning pages. Try these 8 reliable ways to craft unreliable characters. by Deb Caletti
Super Sleuth The best detectives are every bit as complex as the mysteries they are attempting to solve. Discover clues to developing and introducing a sleuth of Sherlock proportions. by Hallie Ephron
Momentum & Inspiration
Seri(es)ous Devotion These 4 series authors have published dozens of bestsellers spanning a variety of genres. They share their advice for ensuring your own multibook characters and story lines will have a long shelf-life. by Adrienne Crezo
Garth Stein, Out of the Doghouse Years of documentary filmmaking honed his skills as a storyteller, and more than 4 million copies of The Art of Racing in the Rain solidified his career as a novelist. Now Stein has another tale to tell. by Jessica Strawser
Lisa Scottoline, Book Club Favorite An award-winning suspense series set in an all-female law firm. A library of bestselling book club picks. A humor column in the tradition of Erma Bombeck. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Lisa Scottoline is not your average lawyer-turned-author. by Jessica Strawser
First Success These 6 novelists made their debut in 2015. Here, they share how they got their big break--and how you can, too. by Chuck Sambuchino
The Final Draft
Cleaning Up a Rought Draft Most manuscripts don't start out spick-and-span. These 5 expert approaches will help you make quick work of tidying up. by David Corbett
Never a Dull Moment Take your story to a page-turning level by injecting microtension into every scene. by Donald Maass
Missed Connections Are your readers getting snagged on inconsistencies in your fiction? Here's how to spot and clarify common plot problems. by Steven James
Hiring Help? Here are 10 things your freelance editor might not tell you--but should. by Tanya Egan Gibson
The Submission Process
Face to Face Planning to attend a writing conference where you can pitch your work to agents or editors in person? Use these techniques to prepare, stay calm and come out on top. by Tracey Barnes Priestley
Behind the Agent's Desk Literary agents aren't the daunting gatekeepers we might imagine them to be--they're simply real people who love books. Meet 5 industry pros and learn what really makes them tick. by Kara Gebhart Uhl
Expert Advice An agent answers reader questions about the novel submissions process with candor and good humor. by Barbara Poelle
Standout Markets: Book Publishers When it comes to publishing houses, bigger isn't always better: These 5 small presses consistently churn out award-winners. by Cris Freese & Tiffany Luckey
Last Word
Late Bloomers It's never too late to write your first novel, as these famous authors have proven. by Boze Hadleigh
