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Celebrating!
February 2015 marks the 20th Anniversary of
20 Years!!
I'm so proud of this book--a true case of "the little engine that could"; a book originally written for my fledgling creative writing classes way back in Carrollton, Georgia, yet has continued to sell year after year, month after month.
The Essential Guide has been used in so many places: prison creative writing programs, university MFA programs, homeschool seminars, and in such a variety of writers' groups it's mind-boggling: from New Zealand to India to California and back, The Essential Guide has accomplished everything I ever wanted for it. Thank you to all those who have purchased the book (and thank you for the fan mail), and welcome new readers if you're investigating the pages for the first time!
Basically the book is a streamlined "how to" manual designed to establish and maintain your everyday writing habits. It cuts right to the essence of what makes a good story, listing the main building blocks all publishable writing, both fiction and nonfiction, should include.
Some of the things you'll find inside:- Getting your ideas right where you want them--on paper.
- What editors are looking for, and how to get the to look at you.
- Creative conflict--the driving force behind character, goal, and plot.
- Narrative hooks--grab your reader and don't let go.
- Setting and dialogue: "I really felt I was there!"
- Turning your ides into scenes, and your scenes into fully finished manuscripts.
- Desire, visualization, and commitment--the three key ingredients to selling your work.
- Writing the right query letter and book proposal.
Writing exercises at the end of every chapter, too! Take a peek at the trailer:
Wow. It's been a journey, friends. May the next 20 years be just as exciting, or more!
Tip of the Day: To celebrate The Essential Guide's birthday, I'm having a special price at my website--just $5.95 from now until March 20, 2015. The price includes free domestic shipping to anywhere within the USA. You can't go wrong--get your copy today!
Announcing! The Essential Guide for New Writers, From Idea to Finished Manuscript now has its own book trailer:
I'm excited to have this new development for the book, especially as it's been one of my best sellers over the years, and it's been quite a few years! Some of my favorite memories from the early days of writing the book:- The idea came to me while I was teaching my first workshop at West Georgia College, now the University of West Georgia.
- I was still in the middle of building my house in the middle of 5 acres of woods and farmland.
- My initial idea was to simply make photocopies of my workshop notes and staple them together. (Whew. Would've been a lot of stapling. Glad I didn't choose that option!)
- And then I realized I could have a complete trade paperback. A revelation in publishing.
- Chapter 3 on "Creative Conflict" was reprinted in a textbook for the Atlanta College of Art. Prior to this I never knew you could sell and get royalties for just a part of your book. The textbook was for the college's class on making videos.
- International sales have been as far away as New Zealand and Singapore.
- I'm proud to say the book has been used in both male and female prison writing programs throughout the country.
- It's also been a featured textbook in several university masters' programs, including the Masters in Professional Writing at Kennesaw State.
- I wrote the entire book in longhand first--still my preferred method!
To celebrate the release of my new trailer, The Essential Guide for New Writers is on super-sale at my website. Instead of the usual price of $10.95, the price is now only $5.95, and all USA orders include Free Shipping! What are you waiting for? Get on over and get your copy today!Tip of the Day: I wrote The Essential Guide as a way to express my love of writing. When I sat down to type out my handwritten notes, writing was, and continues to be, my passion. I just love to write--and I wanted to share that joy with other writers. Whatever you feel passionate about is always a good indicator of what you should be working on.
