| JAMES
V. SMITH |
THE
COMPELLING FICTION WRITER
This program tells what compelling is and how to get
to it in your novel. How to write fiction that connects
with the reader, engages the senses, inspires the heart,
uplifts the spirit, moves the soul and keeps those pages
turning.
Award-winning writer and speaker, James V. Smith, Jr.,
has written four books on writing and a dozen novels
of his own. And he has toured the country for Writer’s
Digest, giving day-long workshops on writing the novel.
In his study of dozens of best-selling authors, he has
found the key to the one word everybody in publishing
uses but few can even define: compelling.
The key to compelling?
THE STUPID POWER OF PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT
In every great novel, every great character , man or
beast, makes you feel engaged. Same goes for nonfiction.
Case in point: the title character in the book, Seabiscuit.
The big question: What do readers want? James knows.
He tells you how to connect with readers by making them
feel what they want to feel. He helps you nudge people
to buy your book in huge numbers and start the buzz.
He uses several tools any writer can use. And any writer,
no matter what level of their craft, can boost their
writing to the next level. The rest of his tool kit?
The IDEAL Tool
At last, a way to measure the elements of compelling
in your novel. Set specific targets for edits. Best
of all, pace your novel. This tool gives you the power
to tweak rising and falling action. Measure your pace
on a line graph and edit until the pace rises and falls
at your will. Pacing your writing by the numbers? You’ve
never seen this tool before. When you do, you’ll regret
ever calling it crazy.
The ACIDS Test
A system for testing every scene in your story for:
- Action
- Conflict
- Imagery
and Irony
- Dialogue
- Story
Here’s
James on compelling in his own words:
"Good writing alone won’t make a novel a bestseller.
Need proof? Take a look at any NYT list of the last
ten years."
"All the best-selling authors—even the lousy writers—either
by accident or instinct, compel their readers. Millions
of readers out there will tell you what they want. If
only you will listen."
"The good news? I have found the keys that can help
any writer crack that code to compelling. The bad news?
Duh . . . I can’t think of a down-side to this idiot-proof
system."
|
 |
 I’m
on a mission to re-teach writing to writers, both
on the job and in the novel — no grammar, no hassle,
no kidding.
Corporate writers? You can steal the secrets of
the best-sellers. You can use these secrets in
your writing on the job.
Novelists? You can apply the secrets to writing
your fiction.
I have studied the works dozens of best-selling
authors. They share traits that most of us seldom
use, either at work or in fiction. I teach how
to put five key traits to work for. You can plot
your results and edit to easy-to-read targets.
Is this some kind of magic bullet I’m hawking
in my books? (The
Fiction Writer’s Brainstormer and You
Can Write a Novel from Writer’s Digest
Books. Or The
Creative Corporate Writer, the basis for
workshops at work.) Nope. The magic is in you.
What I teach brings it out. No matter your level,
my aim is to take you to the next level.
You need to know my chops. I’ve both sides of
the fence. I taught novel seminars for Writer’s
Digest on a US tour. And I’ve worked with Fortune
500 firms like Arvin, Arthur Andersen, Safeco
and Lockheed Martin, teaching groups and singles
to write better. I’m a Gannett Teaching Fellow
of Indiana U. and was director of the J-Department
of the DoD school to train reporters and editors.
I’ve co-written books with business writers Harry
Dent (The Great Boom Ahead) and Jerry Wilson
(Word of Mouth Marketing).
I’ve a dozen novels, including the Force Recon
series now in print from Berkley and Delta
Force: Michael’s Sword, due in 2004. You could
look me up on Amazon.com.
I was a writer for the Dallas Morning News and
the Indianapolis News. And I’ve been a small-town
editor. I won a national Golden Quill award and
four other national awards for writing. I have
a MS in journalism from Kansas.
But don’t let the resumé baffle you. I simplify
the task of writing at work. I demystify the craft
of fiction. Hey folks, it ain’t art, it’s bidness.
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| OUR SUCCESS STORIES |
Jesse Ventura - We worked with him to find the "mythic substructure"
of his life adventure culminating in being elected governor
of Minnesota - and built the book, which became a New York
Times bestseller, around the "Labors of Hercules."
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Steve Alten - After a few months' work with Writer's Lifeline, he
went from being broke to having a million dollar studio deal,
and a two million dollar book deal to launch his career as
a New York Times bestseller.
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John Scott Shepherd - He wanted to write it as a screenplay, but
we advised him to do the novel first--and it sold in manuscript
for $1.6 million to New Line Cinema.
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