Now updated for 2015! The best, most comprehensive guide for writers is now revised and updated, with new sections on ebooks, self-publishing, crowd-funding through Kickstarter, blogging, increasing visibility via online marketing, micropublishing, the power of social media and author websites, and more—making The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published more vital than ever for anyone who wants to mine that great idea and turn it into a successfully published book. Written by experts with twenty-five books between them as well as many years’ experience as a literary agent (Eckstut) and a book doctor (Sterry), this nuts-and-bolts guide demystifies every step of the publishing process: how to come up with a blockbuster title, create a selling proposal, find the right agent, understand a book contract, and develop marketing and publicity savvy. Includes interviews with hundreds of publishing insiders and authors, including Seth Godin, Neil Gaiman, Amy Bloom, Margaret Atwood, Leonard Lopate, plus agents, editors, and booksellers; sidebars featuring real-life publishing success stories; sample proposals, query letters, and an entirely updated resources and publishers directory.

In the tradition of other great ex-patriot stories like The Sun Also Rises or All the Pretty Horses, Native Moments is a coming-of-age adventure set among the lush landscape of Costa Rica. After the death of his brother, Sanch Murray leaves for a surf trip as a way to cope and sets out on a quixotic search for an alternative to the American Dream. Set in 1999 Costa Rica, Sanch and his friend Jake Higdon wander the dirt roads of Tamarindo and surrounding areas chasing waves as a way to live out the romantic fantasy lifestyle of traveling surfers. Jake Higdon, six years Sanch's senior, takes on the role of the wise leader and Sanch as his young apprentice. Sanch's adventure leads to encounters with people who share world views he had never considered and could potentially shape his own changing perceptions about life. Through sometimes humorous episodes such as trying his hand as a matador at a roadside rodeo or in his not so humorous battle with dysentery, Sanch explores life's beauty and wonder alongside the darker undercurrents of humanity. Along his journey, Sanch befriends a shamanic traveler named Rob, young revolutionaries from Venezuela, numerous expatriates from around the world trying to escape whatever it is that keeps chasing them, and a beautiful local girl named Andrea, who Sanch suspects is a prostitute but can't help falling for.

The first of the five-part MEDORAN CHRONICLES offers a new slant on magical parallel worlds – it's Harry Potter meets X-Men, with a twist of Narnia. With just one step, 16-year-old Alex Jennings's world changes - literally. Dreading her first day at a new school, Alex is stunned when she walks through a doorway and finds herself stranded in Medora, a fantasy world full of impossibilities. Desperate to return home, she learns that only Professor Marselle can help her... but he's missing. While waiting for him to reappear, Alex attends Akarnae Academy, Medora's boarding school for teenagers with extraordinary gifts. She soon starts to enjoy her bizarre new world and the friends who embrace her as one of there own, but strange things are happening at Akarnae, and Alex can't ignore her fear that something unexpected... something sinister... is looming. An unwilling pawn in a deadly game, Alex's shoulders bear the crushing weight of an entire race's survival. Only she can save the Medorans, but what if doing so prevents her from ever returning home? Will Alex risk her entire world... and maybe even her life - to save Medora?

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Magically written, heartbreakingly honest.” —Jodi Picoult Leavitt’s new novel, Days of Wonder, is coming April 23, 2024. Pre-order now! Two women running away from their marriages collide on a foggy highway, killing one of them. The survivor, Isabelle, is left to pick up the pieces, not only of her own life, but of the lives of the devastated husband and fragile son that the other woman, April, has left behind. Together, they try to solve the mystery of where April was running to, and why. As these three lives intersect, the book asks, How well do we really know those we love—and how do we forgive the unforgivable?

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.

You can write a book-anyone can. But if you want to write a book that people will want or even need to read, it's not as simple as sitting down to write. In fact, that's one of the biggest mistakes unsuccessful authors make. Writing a book can be one of the smartest moves for your business success. But you need more than writing skills to create an impressive book that readers will love. You also need a plan to market, sell, and leverage your book into a new level of leadership within your industry to reach your professional goals. In Self-Publish & Succeed, trusted best-selling author and entrepreneur Julie Broad shows you that writing a successful nonfiction book starts long before you write your first chapter. To write a book that boosts your brand, generates a profit, and makes you an influencer in your industry, you need the #noboringbooks way. You're about to discover: -The reason why you're not finishing your book-and how to overcome it. -Why most books are boring, and how to keep yours from being one of them. -Which editors you need to perfect your story and where to find them. -The one simple page that could generate thousands of sales. -Seven places to sell your book (and only one starts with "A!"). Nonfiction doesn't mean no fun. Write a money-making book that delivers meaningful impact. Self-Publish & Succeed is your step-by-step guide to writing, publishing, and marketing a book that will get attention, explode your career, and change people's lives-including yours.

In 14th century France, Aida is accused of being a witch when the Black Death wipes through her village. Abandoned by her family, she is surrounded by death and disease, but when a woman who may actually be a witch tells her how to cure the plague, it may mean uncovering a dark magic.

This new book gives you everything you need to know to get into print. Whether you are seeking an agent or publisher, or have decided to self-publish, it gives you the background information, step-by-step guides and a unique selection of case studies from published authors and insider tips from industry experts. With an exhaustive list of useful addresses and websites, it is an essential manual for any aspiring author. Features contributions from key literary agencies (including Curtis Brown and Pollinger) and top publishing companies (including John Murray and Headline). NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of getting your book published. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

LEARN HOW TO FIND A PUBLISHER AND GET YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED. Do you have a completed manuscript ready for submission? Are you looking to successfully publish or self-publish your work? Do you have the level of understanding of the publishing industry? Whether you want to take a traditional route into print or want to digitally self-publish, this book will give you the advice you need on everything from submitting manuscripts to garnering reviews and promoting your work. It covers everything from polishing a final draft to managing your finances, and is also full of case studies, advice and tips from industry insiders from both traditional publishing and successful self-publishing backgrounds. ABOUT THE SERIES The Teach Yourself Creative Writing series helps aspiring authors tell their story. Covering a range of genres from science fiction and romantic novels, to illustrated children's books and comedy, this series is packed with advice, exercises and tips for unlocking creativity and improving your writing. And because we know how daunting the blank page can be, we set up the Just Write online community at tyjustwrite, for budding authors and successful writers to connect and share.