How to become a Better Hooker

Knowing how to start your novel is very important in developing what you over all hook will be. I think you will enjoy the following article.

Johnny ray
http://www.thejohnnyray.info
http://www.johnnyray.info

Where Do You Begin When You Want to Write Your First Novel?
Author: Elizabeth St Denny Mfa

Writing a novel is dream that many of us hold in our hearts, your novel does not have to be your dream. All you need is to dedicate some time to learn how to bring out that novel inside you. A new e-guide, Bring out the Novel Inside You, has been written to help you make your dream come true. Here is some great advice from this e-guide on how to begin to write your first novel.

You want to write a novel, perhaps a mystery. Maybe it’s a saga, or a short story. Or perhaps it’s your very own biography. How do you get into it? Where do you begin? With that question, you may have opened up more ideas than enough to take you into a great story.

Writing An Outline

I guess it’s a matter of working methods and whether it works for you.

An outline is seeing the whole story in your mind’s eye and writing a specific outline from beginning to end. If you can envision the whole story it may be a system for you.

What Is A Protagonist?

Here’s one suggestion for novels; one I use more often than any other.

I listen. I hear someone say something like: “Why is youth wasted on the young?” Provocative perhaps, but nonetheless worthy of discovering your ideas on the subject. Or, for a saga you may sit and mull over a few things and wonder why man seemingly needs to land on Mars.

Then there’s always the romances already built within our systems. Sooner or later, in our own life, we fall victim to them. There is no end of subjects for writers to develop. The difference between oneand the other is the way in which it’s presented – from your personal point of view.

What Shall My Genre Be?

Shall I write a fictional novel? Or will I concentrate on mysteries. Maybe historical fact is more for me.

Or… I could try all three – and even more.

Once you decide which genre (genre is the style of book you want to write), suits you best, you may again wonder:

How do I Begin?

There are several methods. Some find just a “working title”. Believe me, the very title will conjure many ideas for beginning. Let’s look at this suggestion for starters.

Take an hour or so and sit and write just titles of what could be a novel.

Here is what an example of what I mean:

“The 39th Message on The Cell phone” (woooooo – scary).

“’A Row of Shattered Titles” (Did the roof cave in?)

“A Well-Known Confidential Record” (a comedy, no doubt).

I could go on all day long, but I want you to understand that JUST A SIMPLE TITLE can give you so many ideas you can complete an entire book.

That’s why I say there is no such thing as “writer’s block”.

Stay with me here, because we are now going to begin to write a story about a family of survivalists and we’ll title it “The Last Climb.”

At present, we have only small ideas we would like to expand.

You can grab any title out of thin air and make it work.

That’s where authors begin. They take a headline from some publication.

Or, they have a “beef” about something that’s going on in the world and, heaven knows, there are plenty to choose from these days.

It doesn’t take much to find a title.

Bring out the Novel Inside you is a great e-book, but it isn’t going to be just a dull list of rules and regulations for you to follow or commit to memory. Nothing is more deadly to the senses than that and, heaven knows, there’s enough deadening of senses going on without more. Instead, the e-book is more like a conversation between the author and the reader. That’s much more palatable, I believe.

You can start to bring out that novel that is inside you today!

About the Author:

Elizabeth St. Denny, is a native of New York State.

Elizabeth has been writing most of that life since she began while still in grade school.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts and then began to teach in the local high school and Junior Colleges while studying to earn her Master of Fine Arts.

After graduating, she taught Creative Writing at Armstrong College in Georgia for over ten years, before deciding to spend more time doing what she really wanted to do - write.

You can order this ebook from http://www.novelinsideyou.ebooks-excel.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Where Do You Begin When You Want to Write Your First Novel?

The title of you book can be your best hook in grabbing your readers attention
Summing up a book in a few words is always daunting for any writer. However the best writing advice you will ever receive is taking the time to get it right.
Johnny Ray

7 Book Title Templates that Grab Your Book Readers By the Collar
Author: Earma Brown

Is your book title the best it can be? Could it use some work to do its job effectively? Don’t let your book get lost in the sea of information streaming into your reader’s consciousness each day. Instead, write a sizzling title designed to hook your potential readers and draw them in for the read.

One of the most important skills to develop as a marketer of your book is the skill of creating attention-grabbing titles. When you master this skill you may use it in every aspect of your writing to attract more readers, more sales, improve your cash flow and increase your profits.

You will need title writing skill for your book titles, chapter titles, sub-heading. Even bullet points will have pulling power if they are developed correctly. Don’t forget your website. Your website will need passionate headings to capture the attention of your web visitors.

In fact, all marketing material from your 5 page sales letter, tri-fold brochure or email campaign to the 2 line classified ad needs the attention grabbing power of a great headline.

Titles set the stage for your potential audience. They either work to grab your potential reader by the collar and pull them in for the read or they don’t. Top titles create excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm for more. You want your titles to express the heart and passion of your message. Here are 7 top title templates to help create your grab-you-by-the-collar titles:

1. Command your book readers through your book title.
“Get Clients Now!”
Most will say they don’t like being told what to do. But our human psyche seems to respond in spite of what we like. The command has an immediate effect. Why? It connects with the “Yes, I want that” spot within us all. Commands reassure you that helpful advice will follow to help you get what you want from the advice. It tells the readers it’s possible to achieve the benefit the author is claiming.

2. Include a How to in your book title.
“How to Make Your Article Marketing Go the Extra Mile”
People love magic pills, miracle solutions or just plain old EASY. They love to learn with simple steps, easy ways and most of all fast. Combine it with a powerful benefit and you will reel your reader in every time. You decide. Does the title above, “How to Make Your Article Marketing Go the Extra Mile” or “8 Ways to Format Your Article”

3. Write a book title using a provocative statement.
“7 Book Writing Mistakes that Stamp Loser On Your Self Published Book”
Are you saying I could be making mistakes that stamp loser on my self published book? You would want to know especially, if you’ve been working hard to self publish in excellence. Provocative statements pull at our attention like an electric shock. They make us curious. They sometimes make us mad. They make us feel a lot of different things but most of all they make us read.

4. Ask a question in your book title.
“Are You Getting Enough Sex In Your Marriage?
Most times people unconsciously answer the question you pose in their minds. The key is to provide the answers in your copy including statistics. For example, “Have you felt afraid to buy online? Like it or not, many are still cautious of buying on the web. A Boston Consulting Group Consumer Survey found that 70% of respondents worry about making purchases online.”

5. Make a big promise in your book title.
“How to Increase Sales 400% by Using Article Marketing”
People will turn away from hype and never come back. But if you have a big gun promise, don’t be afraid to pull it out and use it. Consider carefully and use sparingly; then make your big promise and deliver. People will remember your promises and come back for more or purchase. Don’t forget to include the specific delivery or ‘how to’ in the content inside your big promise titled book.

6. Perplex your readers with a confusing book title.
“Eat the Book Writing Elephant One Bite at a Time”
Develop curiosity into your title. A seemingly opposite simile works like a charm. Use this one cautiously. Even so, sometimes the title that doesn’t make a lot of sense will pull your audience in for the read. Would the title above arouse your curiosity? The confusing title can capture the attention of your audience just to see what it’s about.

7. Offer your top benefit in the book’s title.
“Think and Grow Rich”
A winning non-fiction title immediately communicates the benefit readers will gain after reading your book. Benefit-oriented books often use the problem-solution approach. Master (A) this skill or technique and get (B) this benefit. Readers buy non-fiction books for a “benefit” for something that will help them, grow them, profit more, less expense, less trouble, gain more time, less stress, better relationships, better health, less drama, less trauma, more energy and vitality and less fatigue.

Develop the above valuable skill and you add magnetic pulling power and punch to all your marketing documents including your front book cover and chapter titles that will get your message read. Book titles set the stage for your potential audience. They either grab your potential reader by the collar or they don’t. Write a book title that gets your reader’s attention and make them want to read your important message. Title well and prosper!

About the Author:

Earma Brown, 12 year author and business owner
helps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Earma mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine “iScribe.” Send any email to iscribe@bookwritinghelp.com for free mini-course “Jumpstart Writing Your Book” or visit her at http://www.bookwritinghelp.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - 7 Book Title Templates that Grab Your Book Readers By the Collar

The best writing advice ever told is writing about what you know. Yes, the best advice is writing what you are passionate about, you know, what really excites you.

I hate to write when I am bored. I know or suspect the reader would feel the same. That is why the reader will never see such writing, at least from me. It is best to write when you are excited as the article below describes so beautifully.
Johnny Ray

Writing When You Are Excited
Author: Designer Marjorie J McDonald

I am over the top excited about some things that are going on in my life and remembered the feeling and how easy it was in the past to write when I was experiencing this feeling. I felt like I just had to share what was happening with the people in my life who could get excited with me.

Try thinking back and see if you can tap into a time when you were experiencing this same type of excitement energy and use it to write a story about an event or happening. It can add so much to the story and help your reader experience the same thing as if they were with you at the same time it was happening to you. The connection to the reader gets better as well as stronger when you can help them experience this same kind of energy. It is fun to be excited and it is fun to be around excited people or attending exciting events.

See what part of the event stands out, what part of the events are more of a blur and those parts of the event that happened but you do not remember them at all. Capture the same feeling for a character you are writing about in a fiction story.

Put in the same things you remember that your character can experience. It adds so much to your story line when that excitement can be shared through writing about it and then, as an extra bonus, including how you felt about it from an observer point of view.

By engaging your reader at this level it also increases your satisfaction when you get the feedback that the reader was able to connect and feel the same way you did when you were writing the story. An amazing feeling of how words can be powerful in the connection and sharing process.

I learned to write from my mother who was an extraordinary teacher. She made it so much fun to communicate with words that I grew up enjoying every area that had to do with writing especially if there was a creative twist to it. I feel fortunate to have that kind of relationship with language. I appreciate stories, good articles and books. Along the way, I have been able to share with others my joy of writing and creativity.

And now I invite you to join me for a series of writing exercises to help you discover your areas of interest in writing as well as increasing your creativity. You may access these exercises by visiting http://www.freecreativewritingstrategies.com
You also may enjoy visiting my blog at http://www.creativewritingmadeeasy.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Writing When You Are Excited

Writing advice on engaging the reader
To make a reader want to read the book you have to engage and compel them to keep reading. This article offers great writing advice on how to accomplish this.
Johnny Ray
Seven Steps to a More Compelling, Engaging and Readable Book
Author: Peter Bowerman

Making Sure Your Book Gets Read, Referred, Talked About, and Bought More!

(Excerpted from The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living, by Peter Bowerman. Fanove, 2006. www.wellfedsp.com).

How many best sellers have you ever read that were dry, boring, or uninspired? Not many, I’d wager. Write an interesting, compelling book, and you’ll be ahead of the pack out of the gate. Sure, some people are inherently gifted when it comes to wordsmithing, but anyone can improve their skills by following a few simple guidelines. And remember what’s at stake – nothing less than the success of your book.

The suggestions that follow are all about making your writing more clear, concise, conversational, coherent, and compelling – all of which, incidentally, is about considering your audience.

Write like you talk (at your best…)

I keep this rule front and center when I write, which is probably why my books have earned such high marks for their readability. For some inexplicable reason, many verbally articulate people often seem to be taken over by some alien power that compels them to adopt an awkward, stilted, wooden tone when it comes to writing.

When people read anything, I say there’s a voice in their mind narrating those words to them. As such, read everything you write out loud, and make sure it has an engaging, conversational tone (within reason, depending on the subject matter). If it doesn’t, work on it until it does. And don’t be afraid to use plenty of contractions; they’ll make your copy infinitely lighter and more conversational. It’s true. You’ll see.

Give your audience credit

Don’t overwrite. We all know the good feeling we get when someone we respect highly for his or her intelligence assumes we’re just as smart. Want to win over readers? Assume they’re bright enough to catch on without spelling it all out like you would to a 10-year-old. It’ll flatter them, and a flattered reader is an interested reader.

Sure, there are times when you have to write to a lowest common denominator, and yes, clarity is next to godliness, but don’t overdo it. And remember: if you’re writing a how-to guide, address your readers directly as “you,” not the third-person “them.”

Make every word pull its weight

I once heard an exceptionally useful writing tip: If a word doesn’t move the story forward, cut it. Words should not be used to showcase your ability to fill up white space, or as a forum for flexing your linguistic muscles. Words are the building blocks of a story. Don’t just have them parading around, impressed with themselves, leaning on their shovels watching other words work, or taking up space in some other way (like I’m probably doing here…).

We could learn a lot from public signage. “Not Responsible For Lost or Stolen Articles.” The “We’re…” upfront is understood. “Keep Off Grass.” Not “You Need to…” “Yield.” Not “Yield to Oncoming Traffic.”

Make your writing disappear

When you write something, your goal should be to disappear from the process. Readers should just get the idea, without even noticing the words. Words should be the vehicle of a thought or an idea, not a distraction. It’s like two workers. One quietly and effectively does his job right the first time, without drawing attention to himself. The other makes a big show of what he’s doing, and being more concerned with having everyone know what he’s up to, ends up doing a mediocre job.

Cadence is everything

What’s wrong with this paragraph?

The first step of our business process is to understand your goals. We follow that by determining the best avenue to get there. Our solutions always end up being simple, direct and effective. And the feedback we’ve received has been uniformly positive.

All the sentences are roughly the same length. Big problem. It’s too mechanical. This is NOT a good example of “Write like you talk.” Mix it up. Short and long. Like I’ve done in this paragraph.

Start in the middle

I start off many chapters of my books with a story that drops the reader right in the middle of things. It just makes for more compelling reading. This device has become second nature to me, and given how easy a way it is to make writing more interesting, I’m not sure why it’s not used more. Once you’ve grabbed the reader’s attention, you can continue on with a more conventional approach. It’s more effective, it’s more engaging, and it’s a heckuva lot more fun to write.

Focus on the Reading, Not the Writing

Two meanings: 1) Focus on the sound and flow of the piece as it’s being read so it reads naturally, free of excess words, awkward syntax or robotic rhythm, and 2) (more global) Always write with the reader in mind, and try to appeal to that particular reader; don’t just focus on the words for their own sake.

Succeeding with your self-published book is a lot of work, but it’s far easier if you write that book with a more interesting, engaging voice – one that draws readers in, keeps them reading, and then has them tell others about it!

************

Can’t land a publisher? Do it yourself, and make a living from it! Check out a free report on self-publishing at www.wellfedsp.com, home of author Peter Bowerman’s award-winning 2007 release, The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living.

About the Author:

Bowerman is the self-published author of The Well-Fed Writer titles (www.wellfedwriter.com), multiple-award winning selections of Book-of-the-Month Club. Over 50,000 copies of his first two books in print have earned him a full-time living for over five years.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Seven Steps to a More Compelling, Engaging and Readable Book

The beginning is said to be the hardest part of writing a novel
When asked for writing advice most writers hate to face the reality that eventually you have to get your butt in the chair and WRITE. Yes, to finish a novel you have to get started. This article is very good in helping a writer to accomplish goal one–get started.

Johnny Ray

How Shall I Begin?
Author: Patrika Vaughn

You hold in your mind an entire tale. Millions of facts and details sit there, waiting to be written down. You want to share all this with your readers, who know absolutely nothing about your tale before they begin to read. What do you tell them first? How can you introduce them to all you have to say in a way that will grab their interest?

Openings create a work’s theme music and provide the first information readers receive. They should be wonderfully interesting and should raise questions in your reader’s minds. Your first few paragraphs should have readers wondering, Who/what is this about? Where is it? How did this situation come about? When? What will happen next? Once you’ve aroused their curiosity, they’ll keep reading. To decide what those questions should be, there are questions you must ask yourself. The first is, what do I want to say? When you can answer that in one sentence, you understand your plot.

Your next question, how shall I say It?, depends on knowing who your readers are and what effect you want your writings to have on them: If your intention is to inform — to tell readers how to make great widgets — you’ll want them to feel confident they can learn to do it. If you begin with something that inspires their belief in their ability, they’re likely to read on. If you intend to persuade through your writing, decide first whether your approach should be informative or questioning. This will depend on your relationship to your readers (older/younger, more/less knowledgeable, etc.) Begin by addressing these readers in your chosen tone. If your object is to entertain, you need a grabber opening. Is there a dramatic moment in your story that would make an irresistible opening? Could you start there and fill in earlier stuff with flashbacks later on? What tone do you want to set?

Suppose you’re writing something historical. You might open with Daniel Boone standing on a mountaintop in 1800, surveying open prairies stretching as far as the eye could see. You could then write a chronological account from 1800 to today, when the view from that same spot reveals teeming highways and urban sprawl. If your opening scene took place at dusk, with nature’s creatures settling down for the day, it would contrast nicely with an ending that showed today’s electric lights shimmering like fairy dust as afar as the eye could see. No matter what your objective, you’ll need a riveting beginning for your work. Your fiction, history, or how-to book must compete with the 60-second commercial. If readers aren’t captured by your first few paragraphs they’re likely to put down your work and reach for the remote control. Try out several openings. Ask yourself: 1. which of them will interest my readers? 2. which creates a scene or sets a tone that best launches what I want to say? 3. which speaks best to the readers I want to say it to?

Think of your story as a kind of strip tease. You hold the entire body of the work in your head, but reveal it only a little at a time. The revelation of your work begins with setting the tone (like the music the audience hears before the stripper comes on stage). Then you introduce your Main Character (the stripper) who begins some kind of action. A stripper doesn’t rush on stage and tear off all his/her clothes within seconds. The pleasure of the event is in its slow unfolding. In writing as well as stripping, anticipation is a large part of your audience’s pleasure. A good opening will launch your reader’s anticipation.

About the Author:

I am the world’s foremost Author’s Advocate. I help writer’s write better and get published. I am listed in The International Authors and Writer’s Who’s Who, Outstanding People of the 21st Century, and has been awarded the Order of Excellence in Who’s Who in the 21st Century

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - How Shall I Begin?

Writing advice to increase Sales of your book
Every writers wants to know the inside secrets on how to increase sales. They want the writing tips and advice to become bestsellers. While their are many opinion on this and different approaches the list below outlines some of the major points that need to be mastered.
Johnny Ray

Book Writing Secrets that Make Your Book Sales Soar
Author: Earma Brown

Does your writing lack pizzazz? Does it lack the power to draw your readers in for more? Does it inspire confidence in you as an author? Does it stand up to your competition and hold its own?

If you answered no to any of the questions above you may be interested in the tips below. Discover how to write compelling copy that makes your book sales soar:

1. Put your reader first. Most of us tend to write selfishly. I mean we write what we want. Go against the natural grain; give your readers what they want. Write to their benefit. Write a solution to their problems.

2. Start well. Create a sizzling beginning. Hook your readers through emotion. Slant your book or introduction with a question or an amazing statistic. Share the top benefits of your book early. Aim for the ‘You’ in every reader.

3. Break your writing into short sections. Write your book in chunks, chapters, sections and parts. Use headings, bulleted lists, pull quotes and other easy reading tools. Don’t make your chapters too long. Create easy transitions to the next chapter or section. Keep each section short and easy to read.

4. Use short sentences. Slash your sentences to under 15-17 words. Don’t bog your readers with complex sentences. Remember multiple phrases slow your reader’s comprehension. Make it easy. Get to the point fast.

5. Use simple words. Write for the 7-10 grade level. The shortest, most well known words are best. The more syllables in a word, the less compelling it becomes. Cut all unnecessary adjectives. Clear, easy to understand copy makes your reader want to read your piece to the end. Fill your writing with what’s in it for them. They’ll come back for more and tell all their friends.

6. Avoid technical jargon. Unless you are writing a technical manual where most everyone will understand the technical language, don’t use technical jargon. It will become techno mumbo jumbo to your readers; they will find something better to do besides figure out what you’re saying.

7. Be specific. Avoid generalities. Engage your reader’s emotion with specifics. Let them experience color, size and shape. Instead of, “Complete your degree online fast to increase your income.” Say, “Complete your master degree online fast so you can upgrade your lifestyle, get vacations, health insurance and other corporate benefits.” Specific benefits create a stronger pull than the general benefit of increased income.

8. Slash adverbs. Go through and cut words like openly, suddenly, very that tell the reader instead of show the reader. Circle all the (ly) and (very) words. Pull out your thesaurus and replace them with power words that show emotion or describe.

9. Check the flow of information. Check your paragraphs for good harmonic flow and understanding. Meaning, make sure you don’t drop off suddenly and change the subject. Clear writing creates compelling copy. Compelling copy leads to more book sales.

10. Slash passive structures. Passive sentences slow and dull your writing. Get rid of the passive voice sentences. Give your sentences a clear subject and a verb to avoid the passive voice. “The writer found fame and fortune through marketing her books online.” instead of “The writer’s books were instrumental in leading her to fame and fortune.” Avoid connecting verbs like ‘was’, ‘is’, ‘had’, and ’seemed’. Replace passive voice verbs with active verbs.

Are you ready to write sizzling copy that your readers find hard to put down? Remember to put your reader first, develop a sizzling start, break your writing into short sections, shorten sentences, use simple words, avoid technical language and be specific. Implement these seven tips to begin writing for more profits! Now go; write a successful book and make us all proud!

About the Author:

Earma Brown, 13 year author and book coachGet a Free Book Writing Kit when you take the Write a Book Challenge. Send any email to wabc@bookwritinghelp.com for 7 lesson mini-course “Win with the Writer Inside” or visit her at How to Write a Book for more resources and tips.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - 7 Book Writing Secrets that Make Your Book Sales Soar

The best tips on writing are those that focus on engaging the reader
I think the following article will give you lots of advice in creating a story that is compelling and interesting. These four steps in creating a story that can be sold are solid writing advice.
Johnny Ray

Write Like a Professional by Following These Four Rules
Author: Donald Yates

Four Critical Elements For Writing Like A Professional

I. Plot - No matter the definition, a plot is essentially the storyline, or sequences of events that makes up a story. All plots should include conflict, addressing an internal or external argument that deals with other people or events, either way it must be both original and interesting. How complex the plot or setting is presented, is a matter of personal taste.

Let’s face it, no matter how you definition what a plot is, the object is to engage the reader with so much intensity that he/she simply could not put the book down. Simply put, write a great story.

2. Characters - The most intriguing element of any book is its characters. You must make the characters so vivid that they not only come alive in the reader’s mind but the reader actually transform into them. Characters can range anywhere from short outlines to profound, detailed biographies, the emphasis placed depends on the value the character brings to the story. Obviously characters must be kept in the nature of the genre. Make your characters real by association. If the reader can associate with the character, he/she can become alive in his/her qualities.

3. Style - The style you write in will become your trademark. It is what the reader will look for in your works. Be it adventure, romance or mystery, how you portray the storyline will define your novel. Is your writing well-organized and reserved or do your plots become complex and out of the ordinary? Is your vocabulary extensive or do you get right to the point? How many words are there and are they fitting to the character of the story? Do you write of romance or the deep mysteries of the mind? Each genre has a loyal reader following. People read for information or to escape into someone else.

Stick to basic writing rules and limit the ue of adverbs when writing conversation. Fit the dialogue to the occasion. Use words suitable to their proper meaning and most important don’t just tell, illustrate.

4. Length - Length is somewhat self explanatory. How long is your book? The length should be appropriate to the story. Keep the length practical so it can be read in an reasonable amount of time. Don’t ramble, keep the reader engaged and energized. Sometimes less is more in writing. Stay on track and flow from start to end. Don’t write to fill pages rather write to stir the imagination
Books that are too long demonstrate the ego of the writer rather than the consideration of the reader. Rambling, lengthy stories are often a sign of a wandering mind by a writer who is more interested in showing intellect rather than consideration.

The same goes for novels that are too short, though this doesn’t seem to happen as often. Sometimes when characters and settings are screaming for more detail they are cut short and become dry. Adding “bulk” is important to the tempo of a novel. If too much length is bad, so also is a book that’s too short. Keeping the proper pace is important. Don’t linger yet don’t speed off. Like life, everything must come one event at a time and in order. Order keeps the reader from being confused and disenchanted.
What is the main object?

The main object is to keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat and glued to the story. Reach out, grab the reader and pull him/her into the story. The reader must be able to relate to your characters and feel their emotions as if they were their own. When they transform into your characters they become engaged in a personal experience of happiness, sorrow, anxiety and the other elements of your storyline.

Bring the story to life.
Don’t just tell a story, pull the reader in by persuading them they are living it. Make them feel what the characters feel. Send them on a journey they will remember forever.

Remember the pen is a mighty tool, communicate with your reader, touch their spirit and make your story a living experience.

Happy Trails

About the Author:

“Former Development coordinator for Imperial Research, author, Spiritual Adviser, Donald Yates is now retired but continues to expand through Self Discovery. Learn how you can also. Go to.”
“Affiliate Marketing” => [Click Here]
“Business Opportunities”

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Write Like a Professional by Following These Four Rules

Building characters to hook your readers
While there are many ways to hook a reader, the one that works extremely well is the builidng of strong characters that bring the story to life and make the reader want to follow the story to the end.
Johnny Ray

Writing Strong Characters For Effective Storytelling
Author: Paul Turner

When aiming to create very strong fiction writing, whether in the form of short stories or novels, most experts will agree that one of the most important parts of a successful equation is introducing strong, complex and believable characters. Even if the premise of a story is extremely original and captivating, including weak or underdeveloped characters with little motivation can lead to poor writing hat no one will want to read.

While readers may initially be attracted to a story by its premise, it is their relationship to the main characters that will hook them and give them the desire to keep reading. Without powerful characters that readers can relate to, your writing will inevitably be weak and receive a bad response from editors and publishers.

The first and best way of creating a strong character in your writing is to ensure that he or she is nuanced and someone your readers can relate to. Once you have identified your target audience, it is essential that you write a protagonist with whom they can relate one at least some small level. Your main character’s motivations, thoughts and actions must be both feasible and compelling for your readers.

That’s not to say any character should be written as all god or all bad; people are made up of good and bad aspects, regardless of who they are, and your readers are intelligent enough to realize this. Just make sure that you write abut your main character’s talents, flaws and attributes in ways that are understandable, and even allow them to relate, to your target audience.

One of the best ways to create an immediate sense of concern for your main character, and to make them truly relate to them, is to plunge them into a troubling problem as early in the story as possible. After all, when it comes to writing good fiction, trouble, conflict and eventual resolution are keys to success.

By writing your main characters into a problem, or series of problems, early on, you will create a sense of tension in your readers and make them desire to find out how the problem is eventually resolved (if it is even resolved at all).

And don’t fall into the trap of thinking that all of your main character’s problems need to come to a resolution that is favorable to the, either. Sometimes putting your characters into an impossible situation that lets them learn and strengthen themselves through failure is a very effective writing technique.

To recap, it can’t be stressed enough how important creating strong characters is to your writing. There is an endless amount of writers who may have had wonderful story ideas, but whose plots did not translate into success because of poorly written, unbelievable, unsympathetic main characters.

Ideas for character traits that can reinforce your lot-line and bolster your story abound all around you every day; just look to yourself, the people you interact with, and your own experiences for some great writing ideas to draw upon.

About the Author:

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Writing Strong Characters For Effective Storytelling

Many tips on writing start with the opening line. Why is it so important?

After baiting the reader with a fantastic cover and raving comments about how good the book is, the reader starts to read–sadly, many do not get past the first sentence. That is why it is so important. Study and learn from others and absorb the writing advice on every article discussing the opening sentence. For this writing advice can make or break your book.

Johnny Ray

Developing the Opening LineAuthor: Deborah Owen

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When I first started writing, I never gave a thought to developing the opening line. I just had a thought, sat down, and wrote it. Of course, I didn’t sell anything. I don’t think anyone learned writing any slower than I did. Let me share with you what I have learned on developing the opening line.

It is nearly futile to worry about the opening line when you first write the story. Save that for later when you edit. Look back on it when it’s cold. About 95% of the time, you can ditch the first two or three paragraphs and actually begin on the third or fourth one. Any details that you wanted to keep in those first few paragraphs can be worked in further down.

When you get to that point, you’re ready to think about your opening line. It will set the tone for the story. Is it a romance story? Is it a horror story? Is it non-fiction that tracks drama? Whatever it is, design that first line around your story.

You want something snappy. Something that will reach out and grab the reader by the throat. You might want to use heavy alliteration. You might want to scare the daylights out of the reader. That first line will grab your reader and pull them in. This is called “setting the hook”. Sounds like fishing, huh? In a way, it is. You’re fishing for the reader, and trying to keep them from passing your story in favor of another one.

Would you rather read a beginning that says, “Dad had to kill chickens that day. I ran away and cried.” Or would you rather read, “Dad entered the house with bloodshot eyes, and carrying a bloody axe. I scrambled for the back door, tears streaming down my face”? You can even misrepresent a scene, if you want to – as long as you can keep the excitement high enough to hold the reader’s attention.

I read somewhere that the first line should take hours for you to decide upon. I couldn’t agree more – and it should also take a lot of experimenting.

About the Author:

If you are still in doubt as to which class you should take, send a 1,000 word story or a 200 word article to deborahowen@cwinst.com and ask for an evaluation. (Join our Short Story/Article Writing Contest from Aug. 1 - Sept. 30, 2008) Compliments of http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Developing the Opening Line

Writing advice from most writing pros is to always start off hooking your reader from the first sentence.

Learning how to write and how to write well is usually all about writing to engage the reader. The beginning hook is what determines usually if the reader goes on to the next sentence, the next paragraph and eventually to the end of the book. This article explores how to write great beginnings.

Johnny Ray

Hook your Reader From the First Sentence: How to Write Great BeginningsAuthor: Lucia Zimmitti

Let’s face it: when you send your writing off in the hopes it will be published, every word is important. You wouldn’t give yourself permission to get sloppy after page 37, assuming the editor can handle choppy prose or “inventive” spelling if she made it that far. But what you may not realize is that the beginning of your manuscript is by far the most important part because it will encourage an editor to read on or to toss the whole thing aside. After all, you may have crafted an admirable middle or a breathtaking ending, but no one will get there if your beginning is mediocre.

Despite the fact that more books are being published than ever before, the publishing world is more competitive than ever before. Agents and editors are inundated with staggering heaps of unsolicited manuscripts, and it is physically impossible for them to plow through — in their entirety — every one. The beginning is the only chance you have to make the right impression.

Face it, unless you have to, how often do you push through a book when you’re under-whelmed by the beginning?

Which brings us to some rules for great beginnings. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but often those exceptions are only successful in the hands of experienced writers or those with multi-book deals. For the writers who make up the majority, it pays to heed what the current market demands.

Make your beginning shine:

~Start with action.

“Action” doesn’t necessarily mean a fist fight or an explosion or a sky-dive gone awry. Action means starting your book or story at a compelling place, with a scene, with something at stake for your characters. Look closely and you may find that you have pages of material that shouldn’t be in the beginning. They fill in some important blanks for readers, but that backstory can safely be moved to somewhere after your opening.

Don’t start your story with history — start it with a riveting now that grabs the reader by the collar and doesn’t let him/her turn away.

~Never put dialogue or straight description in your opening lines.

To clarify: Dialogue is fine in the first scene. Actually, many experts agree that first scenes without dialogue don’t achieve their potential. This is because the most compelling reading material involves tension between people, and people usually talk to each other. However, if your very first lines are dialogue, it’s impossible for the reader to understand who is speaking right off the bat (or why s/he as a reader should care), since the reader hasn’t had any history with the characters.

Similarly, description right up front will not pull your reader into the story. Not because it confuses or disorients them like dialogue does, but because static description can be dull and plodding and doesn’t tell the reader anything about the story (the action, the story problem) itself. If the setting is somehow crucial to your first scene and you feel you must start there, limit it to one or two sentences and then get right into the meat of the scene. There will be time for description later.

~Make sure your writing is accessible and engaging.

Your beginning is not the place to try out some experimental stylistic device or to stump your readers with a puzzle. You want to make your readers think, but you don’t want them to feel stupid or say, “Huh?” If the reader feels frustrated and confused right away, you can bet they won’t sign up for 300 more pages of it.

~Set up the story promise.

You’ve seen shoppers at bookstores. They scan the bookflap for a description, and, if that intrigues them, they’ll flip to page one and skim the opening to see if it’s the kind of book they want to read. Immediately make it clear what kind of story yours is. Don’t start with a knock-knock joke if it’s an essay about a serious subject. (Although there’s room for humor in almost any piece, it must be appropriately woven into the work and not tacked onto the wrong place. But that’s a subject for another article.) Don’t start with the point of view of a character you’re planning to kill off by page three. You get the idea.

Readers like surprise — they don’t like to feel disoriented.

~Always remember that boredom kills readership.

If you’re bored when you write the opening, if you fall asleep at your desk when you reread it, and if trusted readers can’t stop yawning when they review it, what makes you think strangers you send it to will be riveted by it? Readers have more choices than ever before (in print and online), and they will not stick with you past a few dozen words if they’re bored. Make sure your beginning glues your readers to the page, wide awake and eager for more.

To discover more ways to give your writing the best odds in a highly competitive market, visit http://ManuscriptRx.com and sign up for “Write Through It,” a free, monthly e-newsletter that offers tips on writing more clearly and effectively.

About the Author:

Lucia Zimmitti, a writing coach and independent editor, is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Editorial Freelancers Association. Her fiction and poetry have been published in various national literary journals, and she has taught writing at the high school and college levels.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Hook your Reader From the First Sentence: How to Write Great Beginnings