“Writing Your Book and The Magical Power of 50! --An Expert's How to Write a Book Step-by-Step Guide”
Got a gdood idea for a novel? Here's the criteria you need to make your dreams a reality!
by Steve Manning
If I had a nickel for every time someone has come up to me and said they have a great idea for a novel, I don't think I'd have to write another word again. People do this for only one reason; they want validation. They don't want to give me the idea, why give it away, when they can just as easily turn it into a million-copy best seller themselves.
Sometimes they want to work on the book in collaboration with me. (I don't even collaborate with my wife on our Christmas card list). Nope, what they're looking for is validation from me, telling them that not only is it a good idea for a novel, it's something they should jump on right away because it's a sure fire winner.
So, without further delay, let me tell you my criteria for a good novel idea, particularly a thriller. Pay attention, now. Your future as a writer could depend on it…
Most of the time the ideas for the novel are pretty stunted and don't lack the vitality for a book that will be 400 pages in length. I usually hear the short-story ideas. A guy is attached by thugs on a subway train and kills them all. A woman discovers her boss is cheating on his wife and confronts him with the issue. A scientist discovers how to fly through space at the speed of light.
Okay, each one might make a very interesting scene, maybe even two. But that's about as far as it goes.
The novel you're thinking of writing, at least the novel the publisher is thinking of buying, will have about 50 dramatic scenes between the first and last page of your manuscript. Through it all, the story will develop and grow and be very satisfying for the reader.
Time for a little unabashed, self promotion: If you haven’t asked for my Free CD, “How to Write a Book On Anything in 14 Days Guaranteed!” then you’re just plain nuts! It’s free, no charge, but you can bet this $100 CD will be carrying that price tag very shortly. How do you get it? Just email me at Free CD, Please, or CD_please@writeabooknow.com and make sure you include your name, your mailing address and your telephone number in the email. Now, back to the article…
Why 50? Because that's what most thrillers have. You don't win points by trying to buck the trend. Remember my publishing maxim: the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong… but that's the way to bet!
If you're going to have 50 dramatic scenes in your book, then your protagonist is on a quest. And every time she turns around there's another obstacle, another challenge, another impossible problem that she solves and then moves forward. She's captured, she escapes, she struggles onward, over and over again, with each obstacle becoming more and more imposing and impenetrable. As she overcomes, she becomes stronger and evolves into much more than she was when she began.
The quest may be straightforward, maybe even mundane, but we all know that on her success lies the entire fate of the world. Yes, she's got to get the map back to the white house, that's her quest, but if she doesn't then thousands, no make that tens of thousands of people are going to die.
The thriller comprises three sensations: danger, this runs throughout the book on every page; fear, this is our hero's constant companion; anxiety, dear reader, is what you feel building in yourself with every page.
And speaking of every page, here's the final ingredient: on every page something must happen, some kind of development, that forces the reader to continue because they've got to read what happens next.
So before you say you've got a great idea for a book, and this strategy is used no matter what the genre, by the way, consider the 50 dramatic scenes you must have. Your hero's quest. The really big motivation for success, and the relentless excitement for the reader. When you've got all that you've got yourself a winner!
While we're on the topic of strategies, and if you haven't already done so, feel free to
subscribe to my FREE on-line course, "How To Write A Book On
Anything in 14 Days... or Less" it's packed with tips, techniques
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Time for a little unabashed, self promotion: If you haven’t asked for my Free CD, “How to Write a Book On Anything in 14 Days Guaranteed!” then you’re just plain nuts! It’s free, no charge, but you can bet this $100 CD will be carrying that price tag very shortly. How do you get it? Just email me at Free CD, Please, or CD_please@writeabooknow.com and make sure you include your name, your mailing address and your telephone number in the email.
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Just about everyone has asked me, what's the cheapest, fastest, most cost effective way to turn your manuscript into a real,
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I have it by this afternoon. Cost effective as in, what if I only
want to produce one or two copies. Take a look at this information for all the answers you'll ever need.