A glance at any best-seller list will tell you how popular mystery, crime and suspense stories are with readers. Most of you will find this perfectly understandable! There's nothing like the thrill of the chase or the intellectual challenge of trying to guess 'whodunit' or 'whydunit' before the sleuth. If you're the writer, this presents you with a challenge. You have to juggle a lot of balls at once. You need to: # come up with an intriguing mystery (or an edge-of-the-seat thriller) that will keep readers up long past bedtime # keep your sleuth busy tracking down the perpetrator # weave in and bring to life other significant characters # leave a trail of not-too-obvious clues if it's a mystery (trying to pull the wool over the reader's eyes) or building suspense with the hero and the Bad Guy on a collision course (if the reader knows who the villain is!) # walk in the shoes of the villain, ensuring that he is a worthy opponent. Oh, and did I mention that you have to write tight scenes, build the suspense, create believable conflict, and choose the correct viewpoint as well? Not to mention how to handle research... Good thing, then, that this is all covered in The Busy Writer's Tips on Writing Mystery, Crime & Suspense! Readers also get a bonus PDF with resources for Mystery/Crime/Suspense writers and a collection of all the reference articles mentioned in the book. In the words of Kathryn Fox, internationally acclaimed author of medical thrillers (Cold Grave and five others): "I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Marg McAlister's books to any aspiring or accomplished writers. She shares priceless insights into structure, characters, setting, action, suspense, and importantly, emotional punch. I’m working on my eighth and ninth books, and I still go back to Marg’s books when writing. I have no doubt that following Marg’s advice saves time, energy, and rewrites. A necessity in any crime writer's library!"

“I am a great fan of Marg McAlister's work and have been for over 10 years. Everything she writes is simple to understand, and it works if you work it!” Grace Lee Patrick The Busy Writer’s MegaPack was compiled in response to many readers who asked for the entire Busy Writer library in one collection. You’ll find a ton of information here to get you well on the way to publication. To successfully write and publish a book, you need to have these things in place: # A step-by-step program to get you out of the gate and running: a take-no-prisoners Kickstart Program for writers. # A sound knowledge of the genre in which you want to publish. # Interesting, vibrant characters that readers will enjoy and want to get to know # A well-paced plot that keeps the reader turning pages, eager to find out what happens next # A comprehensive set of checklists to ensure that you’ve left nothing out (characters, plot, pacing, dialogue, and more) This full collection of Busy Writer books provides you with the tools for every item on the list above, plus a sound basis for popular genres with the addition of Writing for Children, Writing Romance, and Writing Mystery, Crime & Suspense. Many genres have some of those elements: characters are caught up in a romance or trying to solve a mystery. Writing for children can encompass anything from simple picture books right through to young adult books. With the Busy Writer’s MegaPack by your side, you’ll be up and running in no time!

The Busy Writer's Tips on Writing Romance equips you with the knowledge and tools you need to get started quickly in this popular genre. In this book, you will find: # General tips on writing romance fiction # Tips on creating vivid, believable heroes and heroines # How to hook your reader # Where to start your story # Tips on creating emotional punch (all-important in any romance!) # What 'show, don't tell' really means # Tips on conflict, pace and tension # Tips on creating a romantic setting # Tips on plotting a romance novel, with a Basic Plot Outline ("Add your own seasoning"!) # An overview of romance sub-genres # Sensuality versus sexuality # How to build sexual tension # Three handy checklists: Emotional Punch, First Chapter, Setting & Sensuality The Busy Writer's Tips on Writing Romance will set you well on the road to success creating stories for this popular, evergreen genre!

What you get in "WRITE A BOOK FAST - The Busy Writer's Starter Pack" The Busy Writer's Starter Pack brings together FOUR of the most popular books in the Busy Writer Series: # The Busy Writer's One-Hour Plot # The Busy Writer's One-Hour Character # The Busy Writer's Book of Checklists # The Busy Writer's Kickstart Program Armed with this collection of books for writers, you will be able to see your novel taking shape after just a few hours—and if you’re having trouble organizing your life to find time to write, simply follow the eight easy steps in the Kickstart Program to get your novel underway! Here's what other writers have said about the four books in this collection: The Busy Writer's One-Hour Plot: "I have read many books about all aspects of writing during my writing years. None compare with this book - it's a winner for sure. It is clear, concise and to the point." The Busy Writer's One-Hour Character: "I followed Marg's instructions and at the end of one strictly-timed hour, which she has divided into 7 segments, I had a cast of characters for my story. I was stoked!" The Busy Writer's Book of Checklists: "Four years ago a friend introduced me to the Plotting Checklist you see in this book. My friend is a professional book reviewer, and she'd stumbled across it on Marg McAlister's website. We both thought it was marvelous... and instantly, we figured where we were heading wrong. I've been hoping for a fuller list of lists ever since. Wow. So here they all are." The Busy Writer’s Kickstart Program: "It's obvious that this author has been there. She has captured the essence of the busy writer's life and offered inspiration, but also practical tips to guide you through those challenging times. This book will help you to clear your physical as well as mental workspace. Once your creativity is pushing through those barriers again, you will find practical advice on developing plots as well as three-dimensional and believable characters. This book is well organized for easy reference." If You're Ready to Write A Book, "Write a Book Fast" will Get You On Track!

The Busy Writer's KickStart Program gives you an 8-Step Plan to get your writing on track again—or to set you up for success from the very start, if you're a beginner. You will learn: # How to clear your life from physical, mental and emotional clutter # How to treat your writing like a project, so you stay on track # How to set yourself up for success by changing the way you look at time # Typical roadblocks for writers and how to get past them # The importance of feedback, support and rewards # Strategies for improving your technique # Insights into plotting and characters # How to keep yourself heading along the road to success Follow an 8-week plan, assigning one week to each step, or modify the KickStart Program to suit your way of life and your writing agenda.

Characters are the heart of your book. No matter how good your plot is, if you don't fill the pages with vibrant, interesting characters, your book won't reach its potential—and you won't win hordes of raving fans. What every writer needs is a fast-track way of creating characters that let you hit the ground running, but leaves plenty of room for growth as you write. The One-Hour Character system shows you how to come up with the Lead Character, other main characters, and a solid supporting cast in just sixty minutes. Team it with the One-Hour Plot, and you’ll have a plot and characters sorted out in less than the time it takes you to go out to dinner! # You’ll learn of six different sources for characters, and how to best use those sources–as well as a few others. # You’ll learn about the different character types that you’ll need: the Lead, the Antagonist, other main characters, a romantic interest (if applicable), sidekicks, confidants and walk-ons. # Step by step, you’ll be walked through the process of creating characters – but with a time limit, so you know that at the end of an hour, you will be ready to start directing your new cast! You also learn how to tweak your characters. You'll find out: # how to give your characters a distinctive voice (tips on dialogue) # how to develop series characters (leaving room for a secret or two) # how to ensure that your characters suit your chosen genre # tips on naming your characters # tips on character growth and development # the importance of giving your characters goals Just one hour—that's all it will take. In the beginning, you'll have a few ideas and a blank sheet of paper. In the end, you'll have a cast of characters, eagerly awaiting their debut!

Editing a manuscript involves far more than doing a spelling and grammar check and fixing up a sentence here and there that doesn't flow. You need to know (a) the common mistakes that authors make (so you can avoid them or fix them) and (b) all the things that can affect a reader's opinion of your book. How The Busy Writer's Self-Editing Toolbox Will Help You In this handy self-editing guide, you will discover: # How color-coding can give you an instant snapshot of any problems with repetitive phrases, dull dialogue, style and tone, and problems with person or tense # Common errors made with viewpoint, and how to fix them # Important understandings about viewpoint # How to edit and polish dialogue so it sounds natural # The DOs and DON'Ts of writing dialogue # How "too much" of anything can ruin your story and alienate your readers # General tips on building your skills With The Self-Editing Toolbox at your elbow, you will understand exactly what you need to do so your story moves from being just average to one that wins you a loyal band of readers. If you're a beginner, then The Busy Writer's Self-Editing Toolbox will save you hours of time—and probably quite a few rejections. If you're more experienced, then you can just dip into the Toolbox for whatever you need to help you with those problem areas. Here's what some satisfied users of the Self-Editing Toolbox say about it: "I used this when editing my books… Once you know what to look for and how to fix it, these self-editing techniques make your writing tight and powerful." [D.J. Stutley, author of Operation Foxtrot Five and 4 others in the series.] "The Self-Editing Toolbox really is every writer's essential guide to editing their book to submission standard: easy to follow, yet effective. The color-coding makes it so easy to sort the rough spots from the prose that glows. I still have some polishing to do but my test readers say they can't wait for more chapters as my characters 'live off the page.' I love they're so hooked by a story that I was struggling to finish and feared I couldn't develop to its full potential. I so nearly gave up on this WIP. With The Self-Editing Toolbox, you really have taken the hard graft out of writing." [Viv Adams, Romance Writer]

If you’re a busy writer who loves to write, but hates to plot… the One-Hour Plot System is just what you’ve been looking for! You will have a better chance of writing your book quickly and easily if: You know what your characters want, You know why they want it, and You know how they plan to get it. That’s where The Busy Writer’s One-Hour Plot comes in. It shows you how to sit down with a timer and a handful of index cards, and work out a solid framework for your story… in just 60 minutes. You will discover: How to prime the pump (so the ideas flow during that 60 minutes) How to tweak your plot (you have the framework–now start fleshing it out) How to use sub-plots How to write a good ending How to add a twist Where to find further resources (because good writers are always thirsty for more knowledge!) Everyone can spare an hour. At the end of it, armed with The Busy Writer’s One-Hour Plot, you could also have the beginnings of your own best-seller. What do other writers say? "I've just tried the one-hour plot and loved it! I had no idea how the story would end so this surprised me... this is fast and doesn't let me procrastinate." Sharon Halasz “I closed the door. I muted the mobile. I set the timer for an hour. I started with an idea and I went from there… When the timer buzzed an hour later I had an outline of the plot: setting, character motivation, obstacles, action, character growth, and the all-important ending. I had a working outline of my next novel!” Margaret Warner.

The humble checklist can save writers hours of time and frustration. From Day One, armed with a checklist to test your initial story idea, you can ensure that you have enough conflict, tension, and challenges to keep readers turning the pages. (That’s much better than getting halfway through writing it only to find that your lovely bright shiny idea won’t hold up!) With a plotting checklist at your elbow, you can run through the list of ‘essentials’ to apply to your novel– like character motivation, plausibility, and crisis points, to name just a few of the things you have to consider. What you will find in The Busy Writer’s Book of Checklists: # Six Foundation Checklists: Getting Ideas, Plotting, Characters, Viewpoint, Dialogue, and Scenes. # Three checklists for Setting and Subplots # Four Checklists on Getting Organized: Your time, your workspace, your files, and your projects # Three checklists for starting and running writer’s groups – including a feedback checklist # Four checklists for social networking and websites (Setting up a website or blog, Facebook, Twitter, and establishing your writer’s network) # Three checklists on getting published (researching publishers, writing a synopsis, and publishing on Kindle) In total, there are 23 super-useful checklists—and as a special bonus, writers who buy this book are eligible for a full set of printable checklists that they can use again and again!

From 70 of the most successful mystery writers in the business, an invaluable guide to crafting mysteries—from character development and plot to procedurals and thrillers—“this is a writing guide that readers and writers will turn to again and again” (Booklist, starred review). Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is known for providing unparalleled resources on the craft, art, and business of storytelling, helping writers of all levels improve their skills for nearly a century. Now, this handbook helps authors navigate the ever-shifting publishing landscape—from pacing, plotting, the business side of publishing, to the current demand for diversity and inclusivity across all genres, and more. Featuring essays by a new generation of bestselling experts on various elements of the craft and shorter pieces of crowd-sourced wisdom from the MWA membership as a whole, the topics covered can be categorized as follows: —Before Writing (rules; genres; setting; character; research; etc.) —While Writing (outlining; the plot; dialogue; mood; etc.) —After Writing (agents; editors; self-pub; etc.) —Other than Novels (short stories; true crime; etc.) —Other Considerations (diverse characters; legal questions; criticism) Also included is a collection of essays from MWA published authors—including Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, and Charlaine Harris—selected by bestselling authors Lee Child and Laurie King and arranged thematically answering, “What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d had at the beginning of your career?” “Everything you wanted to know about how to plan, draft, write, revise, publish, and market a mystery” (Kirkus Reviews), this inclusive manual provides practical, current, easily digestible advice for new and established authors alike.