So you thought learning to write genre fiction would be easy. A cinch, a cakewalk. After all, you’ve read and written all your life, you wrote hundreds of letters, reports, analysis, opinions, poems, holiday letters, maybe even a dissertation. But nothing has prepared you for writing the world’s best-selling books: genre fiction. That’s mysteries, thrillers, suspense, romances, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, westerns. Many of these genres you’ve probably read.
Writing genre fiction has its own rules, its own requirements and techniques. They are not easy to learn but if you’ve conquered tying your shoelaces, ballroom dancing, making a two-course meal (including Jell-o) or changing a tire, you probably can learn to write fiction. Where to start? Easy, you think: buy some books on writing and get to it. But which how-to-write book? Many are excellent, provided you know the basics. Some will never do you any good: nobody will write a best-seller on the first pass, so forget those that promise you wealth beyond imagining and a film contract starring (fill in the blanks). Try to ignore the siren call of writing ten-thousand words a day or week, too. As with tying your shoe, you learn through trial and error and some coaching.
And that’s where the award-winning WRITING YOUR FIRST FICTION comes in. Over 350 subjects covering everything from plotting and character building to branding and promotion, from A-story to Zebra stripes. Succinct, candid, thorough. The perfect starting point. Available in e-book or paperback (plenty of space to make notes!) Read the free sample: just follow any of these links: