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."

Confused by the overload of blogs, articles, and guides that promise you everything you need to know on how to write for the web? Not sure where to start with your blog and website, from optimizing for search to creating the best headline? Or how to take your writing skills to the next level and actually market yourself and make money as a professional online freelance writer? In So You Think You Can Write?, you'll learn every skill it takes to write great copy for the web, from the absolute fundamentals of using storytelling in great online content all the way to knowing how to write for both search engines and people, what it takes to craft different forms of content on the web, and much more; plus, there's a bonus chapter revealing how to market yourself and make income as an online copywriter in an modern world. Written by Julia McCoy, who spent years of her life teaching herself the elements of successful online writing and launched a writing business that hit seven figures within five years, this book is your essential blueprint to learning what it takes to write great online copy, both as a freelancer and brand/business owner. In this book, Julia walks you step-by-step through the process of how to craft the seven forms of online content: 1. Web Content 2. Blogging 3. Social Media 4. Advertising/Sales Copy 5. Industry Writing 6. Journalism 7. Creative Writing Julia also takes you through the basics of SEO (search engine optimization) for the online writer and creator, without overloading you: you'll get a key list of the top tools on the web to research keywords, learn how to hone your best key phrases, and the tactics of how and where to place them in your content. Illustrated, easy-to-understand, and fun to read, this is a comprehensive yet digestible resource for writers and businesses alike on how to create successful online content. After you read this book, you'll be able to: Define your audience and the terms they use to search in Google Write great content that will get picked up by Google Know the basics of what it takes to write all seven forms of online copy Create blogs that are evergreen and engaging Know how to write the "secret" bits of copy that search engines love: meta descriptions, tags and more Know how to use Twitter chats, live streaming, and Facebook groups, and other platforms to find your people and confidently market yourself as a writer Access a comprehensive list of online writing tools and resources in the final Appendix Julia McCoy has built a successful freelance writing career and a multi-million dollar copywriting agency out of nothing but the amount of hard work, time, and self-teaching she put into it: and she believes any writer has what it takes to create great online content, provided they learn the essential tactics of adapting to all online copy forms. But she knows it's hard to find these fundamental teachings in one place: which is why she decided to write a book to offer everyone just that opportunity. A writer and internet marketer from an early age, Julia started three companies, enrolled in college, and wrote a book by 16. At 20, she dropped out of nursing school and left McDonald's to make a career out of her passion in online writing. Her writing agency, Express Writers, has over 70 team writers and strategists; and Julia's clients have included Shopify, PayPal, Staples, and a thousand other worldwide businesses of all sizes. Julia is also the creator of #ContentWritingChat, a Twitter chat that's hit #42 on Twitter; hosts The Write Podcast on iTunes; and writes at The Write Blog, Content Marketing Institute, Search Engine Journal, and a large amount of online publications.

Ready to write your book? So why haven’t you done it yet? If you’re like most nonfiction authors, fears are holding you back. Sound familiar? Is my idea good enough? How do I structure a book? What exactly are the steps to write it? How do I stay motivated? What if I actually finish it, and it’s bad? Worst of all: what if I publish it, and no one cares? How do I know if I’m even doing the right things? The truth is, writing a book can be scary and overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. There’s a way to know you’re on the right path and taking the right steps. How? By using a method that’s been validated with thousands of other Authors just like you. In fact, it’s the same exact process used to produce dozens of big bestsellers–including David Goggins’s Can’t Hurt Me, Tiffany Haddish’s The Last Black Unicorn, and Joey Coleman’s Never Lose a Customer Again. The Scribe Method is the tested and proven process that will help you navigate the entire book-writing process from start to finish–the right way. Written by 4x New York Times Bestselling Author Tucker Max and publishing expert Zach Obront, you’ll learn the step-by-step method that has helped over 1,500 authors write and publish their books. Now a Wall Street Journal Bestseller itself, The Scribe Method is specifically designed for business leaders, personal development gurus, entrepreneurs, and any expert in their field who has accumulated years of hard-won knowledge and wants to put it out into the world. Forget the rest of the books written by pretenders. This is the ultimate resource for anyone who wants to professionally write a great nonfiction book.

The inspiring sequel to the 2015 Parent's Choice Winner, How to Read a Story! Step 1: Choose an idea for your story. A good one. Step 2: Decide on a setting. Don't be afraid to mix things up. Step 3: Create a heroine—or a hero. Now: Begin. Accomplished storytellers Kate Messner and Mark Siegel playfully chronicle the process of becoming a writer in this fun follow-up to How to Read a Story, guiding young storytellers through the joys and challenges of the writing process. From choosing an idea, to creating a problem for their character to resolve, to coming to The End, this empowering picture book breaks down the writing process in a dynamic and accessible way, encouraging kids to explore their own creativity—and share their stories with others! • Perfect for educators, librarians, and parents who are helping children develop early writing and reading skills • Great read-aloud book for preschool- and kindergarten-aged children interested in learning to read • Helps teach Common Core Curriculum skills Young readers who love We Are in a Book!, How Rocket Learned to Read, and Also an Octopus will love the reading and writing lessons and inspiration in How to Write a Story. • Read-aloud books for kids ages 3–5 • Learning to write books for kids • Kindergarten, pre-K creativity books Kate Messner is an award-winning author whose many books for kids have been selected as Best Books by the New York Times, Junior Library Guild, Indie Bound, and Bank Street College of Education. She lives on Lake Champlain with her family. Mark Siegel is the author of many graphic novels and children's picture books, including the 5 Worlds series, as well as the illustrator of How to Read a Story and the Robert F. Sibert Honor Book To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel. He lives in New York.

So They Say You Should Write a Book is a first-time author's guide to book writing in the competitive publishing industry. Casually written and easy-to-understand, it is jam-packed with necessary insight, tips, advice, how-tos, quick-reference guides, and checklists to help you write the book you are destined to write.

An enchanted island. An evil resurrected. A society determined to gain power. When a violent attack leaves their father in the hospital, Abigail and Benjamin Cole discover there's more to their family history than mental illness. But after fifteen-year-old Abi is abducted, she learns the attack wasn't random. Thrust into an exotic and beautiful world part of a multi-millennial feud, she must decide who to trust in a society built on secrets. Questioning everything she's ever known, she enlists the help of a boy connected to her in impossible ways and uncovers a dangerous secret stretching generations. Seventeen-year-old Ben desperately searches for both his sister and his mother, but his hold on reality is fading. Something dark has latched onto him. In a race against his own failing mind, where violent hallucinations and paranoia force him to believe he's next in line for the family curse, he learns he's the only one that can save his family. When darkness is coming, who do you trust? Magic. Deceit. War. Perfect for fans of Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, and Leigh Bardugo.

You know there is a novel locked inside of you -- chock-fullof conflict, humor, irony, enthralling events and fascinatingcharacters. What you don't know is how to set it free.Practical Advice, Hands-On HelpRespected author and professional writing instructorLou Willett Stanek's New York workshops have enabledscores of aspiring novelists to realize their dreams ofcompleting credible and compelling manuscripts. Here, ina positive, "user-friendly" format, she offers not onlyencouragement and motivation, but Clear, Step-By-Step Instructions To Accomplish Your Goal -- from original conception through final draft.Learn How To: Set up and stick to a writing schedule Create unforgettable characters Follow strong plotting and solid structure guidelines Choose a viewpoint and develop conflict Handle flashbacks and transitions Not Just Philosophy Or A Simple Motivational Tool, This Is The Book That Tells You How To Succeed

"Heralds Mags and Amily must continue to protect the realm of Valdemar while raising their children and preparing them to follow in their footsteps... The oldest, Peregrine, has the Gift of animal Mindspeech-- he can talk to animals and persuade them to act as he wishes. Perry's dream is to follow in his father's footsteps as a Herald Spy, but has yet to be Chosen by his horse companion ... Mags proposes that Perry join a group of traveling players and musicians, to get experience away from home and out in the world. Perry joins the troupe, and he starts collecting information for his father. And the patterns he finds are unsettling"--

The Story Behind THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE If you've read his books THE WAR OF ART and TURNING PRO, you know that for thirty years Steven Pressfield (GATES OF FIRE, THE AFGHAN CAMPAIGN etc.) wrote spec novel after spec novel before any publisher took him seriously. How did he finally break through? Ignoring just about every rule of commercial book publishing, Pressfield's "first" novel not only became a major bestseller (over 250,000 copies sold), it was adapted into a feature film directed by Robert Redford and starring Matt Damon, Will Smith, and Charlize Theron. Where did he get the idea? What magical something did THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE have that his previous manuscripts lacked? Why did Pressfield decide to write a novel when he already had a well established screenwriting career? How does writing a publishable novel really work? Taking a page from John Steinbeck's classic JOURNAL OF A NOVEL, Steven Pressfield offers answers for these and scores of other practical writing questions in THE AUTHENTIC SWING.