So What Does It Really Take to Write a Knock-Out Novel That Sells?
#1 bestselling writing teacher James Scott Bell says, "In one weekend I'll teach you more about writing novels that sell than most writers will learn in a lifetime.”
E-books or Print books, Self-published or Traditional: The secrets of popular fiction must be mastered for long term success...
Dear Writer:
People sometimes say you can't learn to write bestselling fiction or hit screenplays. Great writers are born, not made, they say. You either have it or you don't.
Baloney.
I know it's baloney because I thought I didn't have it (in other words, I believed what "they" were saying). But then I knew I had to try writing or I'd shrivel up.
So over the course of several years I taught myself how to write and sell. And then I started teaching others, who wrote and sold.
I've taught screenwriting and novel writing to tens of thousands over the years, through workshops and my books for Writer's Digest.
And I keep hearing the success stories.
So what's the secret, the key, the gold?
I know you've asked that question. I did, too. In fact, I wrote half a dozen screenplays and a couple of novels with absolutely no success. Then one day it all came together. It clicked. That's when I started to sell.
And I haven't stopped since.
What did I learn that made the difference? That's exactly what I want to teach you in one intensive weekend.
Now, maybe you've already taken a bunch of classes and read a mountain of "how to" books.
And you still run into walls.
Why? One simple reason: Because potential buyers (or their assistants) are not finding in your work what they so desperately desire –– but often can't define.
They might call it "voice" or something "fresh." But they usually end up seeing only variations on the "same old, same old" all day long.
And that makes them cranky.
But what if they open your book or script, and find in it the single most important element in bestselling fiction and hit movies? And what if they see that on page one? I'll tell you what will happen.
They will sit up and thank their lucky stars that they've finally found a voice that stands out from the slush. Because that's what they live for.
And readers do, too.
So what can you do about all this? You can get help from someone who's actually done this, who has sold over twenty novels, has hit bestseller lists, optioned scripts, and taught the craft of writing novels and screenplays for a decade and a half, with proven results.
That's what my Next Level Workshop is all about.
Here's what you'll learn in two power-packed days:
• The single most important secret to selling your work publishers–or directly to readers. Odds are you've never been taught this. You'll get it in the first hour of the seminar.
• The one plot element most writers miss, dooming their chances of selling. (Note: this applies to every genre, from comedy to tragedy and everything in between.)
• How a misunderstanding of "character arc" might actually be hurting your story . . . and what you can do about it.
• Why "inciting incident" is confusing, and the more powerful concept that replaces it.
• An actual process for mining irresistible stories out of your writer's mind.
• Why dialogue is the fastest way to improve your story instantly, and my specific tools to take yours to the highest level of conflict and tension.
• The one crucial element that applies to every scene of your book or script (without it, your story will drag)
• How to bond a reader with a character so they have to finish your novel or screenplay.
• What a "plot point" really is, and more important, what you need to do to make them work.
• How to craft the perfect finishing touch: a knock-out ending.
And a heck of a lot more, including analysis of film clips and exercises that will improve your work-in-progress during the seminar itself.
I've developed some new material designed specifically for a live presentation. Ways to super charge your imagination, craft and process. Ways to be more productive than you've ever been before.
The workshop is interactive. Be sure to bring a project you’re working on, or an idea you want to develop. You’ll leave the seminar with your head exploding with ideas.
If this was a business seminar, I'd say you'd learn how to outperform your competition by leaps and bounds.
Well, maybe this IS a business seminar. You want to be in the business of writing, and making some money at it, and there's huge competition out there for those spots.
I said that I'll teach you more in one weekend about writing novels and screenplays that sell than most other writers will learn in a lifetime.
I know this to be true because most writers out there aren't committed to learning these writing secrets. You don’t have to fall into that category.
I've packed years of learning what works into these two days.
By the way, I don't use fancy words or made-up theories.
I just tell you what works, why it works and how it can work for you.
That's why I can give you the competitive edge you need to get to the next level.
And A Special Word to You Who Want to Self-Publish:
Maybe you're thinking about forgetting traditional publishing and going straight to the consumer with your e-books.
Well, the same techniques that go into selling a novel to a big company are just as essential when you go indie. They are, in fact, exactly what you need if you want to build a career as an independent author.
So I will also include a short module in the workshop called “The 5 Keys to Building an E-career.” That way you’ll have all options available to you as a writer.
Now I’m not just pitching hopes. In nearly two decades of teaching I’ve seen these secrets work for committed writers, time after time. Here are just a few examples:
My short bio:
James Scott Bell is the author of the #1 bestselling writing book, Plot & Structure, as well as four other bestsellers on the craft: Revision & Self-Editing, The Art of War for Writers, Conflict & Suspense (all from Writer’s Digest Books) and Writing Fiction for All You’re Worth (Compendium Press e-book). Along with numerous bestselling thrillers, Jim has worked as a screenwriting consultant and book doctor with a small number of handpicked clients on movie and novel projects. He has taught writing at Pepperdine University and at conferences in the United States, Canada and Great Britain.
I hope to see you at my Next Level Seminar, because nothing makes me happier than helping writers make it. You can sign-up by clicking on the named city, below. Make your reservation soon. See the form for further details about accommodations.
The Times:
Saturday & Sunday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Continental Breakfast and Lunch included
The Dates:
Austin, June 16 & 17
Nashville, August 11 & 12
Cincinnati, Sept. 15 & 16
Details to follow soon....See you on the road...
Jim
James Scott Bell