Learn the secret of how to write the heart of your story! This writing skills book, full of fiction writing technique, is like no other. Some novelists write with the goal of becoming a best seller, hoping for wealth and fame. Some just want to write novels that earn them a steady income so they can feed their families and pay their bills. Some write to express their creativity and don't care if anyone ever reads their books. Then there are the other writers. They want to write an unforgettable novel-the kind of book that gets called a classic, that endures the ravages of time, that stays long in readers' hearts and changes their lives. These writers want to know the secret of how to reach the heart of their readers. If you are one of those writers, Writing the Heart of Your Story is the book you've been waiting for. Inside, you'll learn: what the most important key elements are that must be in the very first scene of your novel-and some in the first paragraph. how to tap into the heart of your story, characters, setting, plot, and themes by employing specific writing exercises. ways to brainstorm ideas for plot, themes, motifs, setting, and rich characters through asking a series of questions that will take you deeper below the surface of your story. what the most important question is that must be asked in the opening scene in order to write an unforgettable novel. what three things each character must be asked for them to become truly believable and compelling. the secrets to structuring powerful scenes by focusing on the "high moment." Don't just write a good novel. Write a great one-by mining the heart of your story! Here's what the best writing instructors and bloggers have to say about this essential writing craft book: "A fresh and motivating take on conventional wisdom, but with unconventional heart. This is highly accessible teaching that transcends 'how to' and goes deep into 'why to' in a way that will force you to choose between reading it again and jumping on your own project. Bravo." -Larry Brooks, best-selling author of Story Engineering and Story Physics "As authors, our job is to make people feel, and to do this we need to connect with our own deepest selves in the hope that we can meet the reader where they are. This book will teach you how to delve into your own heart in order to impact those who read your words." -Joanna Penn, author of From Idea to Book "A veritable compendium of sound writing advice and technique. Written in a style that is both accessible and fun, Lakin's book will be a welcome companion on your writing journey." -James Scott Bell, best-selling author of Conflict and Suspense and Plot and Structure "I read dozens of writing craft books every year. All too many of them are ho-hum, been-there-done-that. This one is absotively posolutely not. Lakin offers a refreshingly structured-and yet freeing-approach to not just creating a solidly entertaining story but to crafting a tale of emotional resonance and resilience. Her useful writing exercises and spot-on story sense offer epiphany after epiphany. This is one I will read and reread." -K. M. Weiland, author of Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel "C. S. Lakin once again shares her generous heart and knowledge and experience with writers in this inspiring and inspired Writing the Heart of Your Story. Ready to take your writing to the next level? Lakin offers practical exercises to help you bring heart to your own stories." -Martha Alderson, author of The Plot Whisperer series of writing books

Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers! Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just "kid's stuff" anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to: • Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing. • Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership. • Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more. • Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords. Mary Kole's candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collection of book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors who specialize in the children's book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career. If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorable stories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you.

The best story is one that comes from the heart. The library is having a contest for the best story, and the quirky narrator of this book just has to win that rollercoaster ride with her favorite author! But what makes a story the best? Her brother Tim says the best stories have lots of action. Her father thinks the best stories are the funniest. And Aunt Jane tells her that the best stories have to make people cry. A story that does all these things doesn't seem quite right, though, and the one thing the whole family can agree on is that the best story has to be your own. Anne Wilsdorf's hilarious illustrations perfectly capture this colorful family and their outrageous stories in Eileen Spinelli's heartfelt tale about creativity and finding your own voice.

Acclaim for Structuring Your Novel "I have long wished for a book like this. Structuring Your Novel is so much more than a writing craft book-it's a recipe to help writers structure a deep, meaningful journey for their hero that will captivate readers from beginning to end."-Angela Ackerman, Author of The Emotion Thesaurus "There is absolute gold in this book-and I am grateful that the author has a real talent for distilling some of the somewhat clunky information found elsewhere, into really simple-to-understand and easy-to-follow techniques."-Robert Scanlon "This book shows a writer how to structure their novel from beginning to end in a no-nonsense manner. It's fast and easy reading, and MAKES SENSE "-Carrie C. Spencer About the Book Is Structure the Hidden Foundation of All Successful Stories? Why do some stories work and others don't? The answer is structure. In this IPPY and NIEA-Award winning guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will learn the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will show you how to perfectly time your story's major events and will provide you with an unerring standard against which to evaluate your novel's pacing and progression. Structuring Your Novel will show you: How to determine the best techniques for empowering your unique and personal vision for your story. How to identify common structural weaknesses and flip them around into stunning strengths. How to eliminate saggy middles by discovering your "centerpiece." Why you should NEVER include conflict in every scene. How to discover the questions you don't want readers asking about your plot-and then how to get them to ask the right questions. Story structure has enabled countless bestselling and classic authors. Now it's your turn More Praise for Structuring Your Novel "K.M. Weiland delivers another exceptional resource for writers-offering practical guidance on everything from crafting a book's hook to its resolution."-Elizabeth Spann Craig, Author of the Myrtle Clover Mysteries "Structuring Your Novel will give you the blueprint for making your story more powerful. I'm taking this one with me to my desert island "-Jennifer Ibarra "After finishing the book, I reviewed my own writing and was easily able to see where the story wasn't working, understand why it wasn't, and figure out what I needed to do to fix it."-Abby Geiger More storytelling assistance from K.M. Weiland: Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success-Can outlining help you write a better story?

The first novel-writing guide from the best-selling Save the Cat! story-structure series, which reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any novel a success. Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 "beats" (plot points) that comprise a successful story--from the opening image to the finale--this book lays out the Ten Story Genres (Monster in the House; Whydunit; Dude with a Problem) alongside quirky, original insights (Save the Cat; Shard of Glass) to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate--and a novel that will sell.

Emerging With Wings is a love story. Danielle Bernock takes you with her on her raw yet graceful journey from an invisible cage full of agony and shame, to the incomprehensible joy of validation, love and the empowerment of personal freedom. She unveils how this cage was built as well as how she obtained her freedom. Many things she did not know kept her in the dark, one being the harmful effects of multiple childhood traumas that went unaddressed which fed that darkness and a pervasive fear. The love story reveals a LOVE that secretly carried and protected her despite the lies that grew in that darkness, organized for destruction. This LOVE came and never gave up. The LOVE of one she calls The Pursuer. You are invited into her story. Enter it, share its elegance and in it see The Pursuer for yourself, in your story, for your freedom.

NORMAL (definition) (adj.) Conforming to a standard; regular, typical or expected (urban) A word inapplicable to human beings (Florence) Round, smooth and bumpy like a cobbled street Florence doesn't always see things the way other people do. She feels different. When Florence meets Jasper, Andrew and Wilf she can't imagine they'd have much in common - with at least five mental health conditions between them, they all have very different reasons for being referred to Manor Lane Therapy Centre. It's only when their therapist, Howard, goes missing that they find a common purpose. Worried by his disappearance and wanting answers, the four of them decide to track him down. As they cross the country in a 'borrowed' van, asking each other Ultimate Questions and facing a series of challenges along the way, they start to reveal their true selves - and Florence realises there's more to all of them than just a diagnosis . . . Maybe they're not so different after all? Full of irreverent humour, witty dialogue and characters you can't help but fall in love with, this timely novel is perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and Jennifer Niven. 'This is without a doubt one of the best (if not THE best) YA book about mental health that I've read; Sarah Harris takes such a delicate subject, weaves humour and love and friendship, and creates such a beautiful book' Beautiful Bookland 'This endearing story does much to enlighten readers of all ages by dispelling myths surrounding mental health in a rollickingly entertaining manner . . . a heart-warming odyssey' Peterborough Telegraph 'I can honestly say that this is the best book about mental health that I've read to date. The representation, understanding, acceptance and 'relatability' of mental health portrayed in this book was, in my opinion, flawless. It's juxtaposed with sweetness, humour, romance and friendship and I enjoyed every minute of it' My Endless Shelf 'Everything I love about contemporary YA . . . highly recommended' Goodreads reviewer 'The characters, the story, the writing - all of it was endearing and wonderful, and now I hold this book so close to my heart' Goodreads reviewer