Take a walk down Birmingham's main street, at the heart of England, and experience 400 years of historical fiction, fantasy, time travel, crime and comedy.An unlikely threesome re-enact Jaws on the Brindley Place canals; a Polish immigrant escaping the 1980 Solidarity crackdown tries to find a new life; Parliamentarians battle with cavaliers in the Battle of Digbeth; an old man tries to solve a murder mystery from the 1970s; a secret paramilitary unit track down a monster that live...

Self-publishing authors have taken over the book world. The revolution is happening and more writers today earn a living by self-publishing than through traditional publishing.Punk Publishing not only takes you through the new digital landscape, it’s also a DIY guide for any writer planning to go indie.Andy and David - who’ve published over 40 books - show you the easy way to turn your writing into an ebook, how to make paperbacks, how to design your own book covers and set...

Dialogue must contribute to the telling of the story said Victorian-era novelist Anthony Trollope more than one hundred years ago and his words have been a yardstick for writers ever since. A more recent novelist, Stephen King, wrote, "When dialogue is right, we know. When it's wrong we also know—it jags on the ear like a badly tuned musical instrument." In "Shut Up!" He Explained (the title comes from a Ring Lardner poke at the way some people overwrite), William Noble shows you how to write...

Create unforgettable characters your readers will love!Want to make your characters and their stories more compelling, complex, and original than ever before? 45 Master Characters is here to help you explore the most common male and female archetypes--the mythic, cross-cultural models from which all characters originate.• Explore a wide variety of character profiles including heroes, villains, and supporting characters.• Learn how to use arc...

Seeking writing success? Start at the beginning...Whether youre looking to get published or just hoping to hook your reader, first impressions are vital. Compelling opening scenes are the key to catching an agent or editors attention, and are crucial for keeping your reader engaged.As a writer, what you do in your opening pages, and how you do it, is a matter that cannot be left to chance. The First 50 Pages is here to help you craft a strong beg...

Drawing on years of experience, and thousands of readers comments and reviews of her writing, internationally bestselling author Cathy Glass provides a clear and concise, practical guide on writing and the best ways to get published.Bestselling author Cathy Glass has written and published 18 books, sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide, and had no 1 bestsellers in both the UK and the US.In that time she has received thousands of emails from readers asking for her help and ...

Discover The Story Equation!One question can unlock your entire story! Are you struggling to build a riveting plot? Layered characters? Fortify that saggy middle? Create that powerful ending?Build your entire book by asking one powerful question, and then plugging it into an “equation” that makes your plot and characters come to life. You’ll learn how to build the external and internal journey of your characters, create a theme, bui...

Worldbuilding is the ultimate act of creation for speculative fiction writers, but how exactly do you worldbuild? You ask 'what if' and use each answer as a springboard to more questions and answers about your fictional world.In The A-Zs of Worldbuilding, that 'what if' process is broken down into 26 themed chapters, covering topics ranging from architecture to zoology. Each chapter includes a corresponding set of guided exercises to help you find the 'what if' questions r...

LEARN HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL WITH THIS COMPLETE, PRACTICAL COURSE.Designed to take you from the moment you first put pen to paper right through to the process of contacting publishers (or uploading an ebook file) and promoting your book, this is the most important book on writing that you'll ever read. It introduces you to the craft of fiction writing, the art of words and the way in which to use them. It gives you inspiration, ideas and practical advice.It g...

Write a Bestselling Thriller: Strategies to Get Your Book Published is a step by step guide to putting together an unputdownable narrative. It takes you on a journey through each component of the thriller, breaking the process down into key factors such as the Hero, the Trigger, the Story, Scenes and Style. The whole of the second part is devoted to the publishing process, while the book features hundreds of pratical exercises. There are diagnostic tests, case studies, practical exercises ...

Do you struggle with show, don't tell? You don't have to.Award-winning author Janice Hardy (and founder of the popular writing site, Fiction University) takes you deep into one of the most frustrating aspects of writing--showing, and not telling. She'll help you understand what show, don't tell means, teach you how to spot told prose in your writing, and reveal why common advice on how to fix it doesn't always work.With in-depth analysis, Understanding ...

Do you struggle with creating conflict in your novel? You don't have to.Award-winning author Janice Hardy (and founder of the popular writing site, Fiction University) takes you deep inside one of the most important aspects of storytelling--conflict. She'll help you understand what conflict really is, discuss the various aspects of conflict, and reveal why common advice on creating conflict doesn't always work.With in-depth analysis and easy-to-understand e...