Learning to write – Jean's Writing

Every writer dreams of hitting the bestseller list.

However, there are more books than M&Ms promising to show us the way. So which one do you pick? Well, I’ve got a good one you should consider reading.

I admit I picked up this book with a lot of trepidation. But I wasn’t disappointed and I don’t think you will be either.

The Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel by Jodie Archer dissects best-selling books, explaining why readers devour them and producers gobble them up for the big screen.

In the Bestseller Code, Ms. Archer covers,

“Write what you know.” and it doesn’t mean if you were a plumber, to write about plumbing. But to put your experiences with love, anger, joy, loss, etc. into your stories.
To write everyday things into the story. Taking kids to school, cooking dinner, gossip at the water cooler. You get the idea. Helps readers relate to the characters, creating realism & relatability.
Add human closeness and connection for shared intimacy. Casual moments help readers see the characters as more than caricatures and more of themselves.
What will make a character come alive like Pinocchio after Geppetto’s wish comes true?
Incorporate nonverbal communication such as smiles, glances and other facial expressions.
Readers need to see and feel an emotional connection between your characters. And a story that elicits an emotional response.
Why Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James caught fire lighting up the bestseller list. Even with grammatical errors.
And what one book in the last 30 years, and hits all points in an algorithm as number one of bestselling novels. The title will surprise you. Click here for a sneak peek at the title- surprise.

If you want to understand the structure and writing tips that make up a bestselling novel, you need to read The Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel by Jodie Archer.

My review:

The eye-catching coral cover with enticing subheadings lured this writer to open and read. I read this book on the recommendation of my daughter. She loaned me her copy during our holiday. After reading, I bought my own copy because this is a must have for a writers library. The writing style of the authors is engaging, informative and easy to understand. I discovered answers to several perplexing questions. This book delivers what is promised, explaining the success of some books and the failure of others. The Bestseller Code receives 5 stars from this reader.

Have you ever wondered what makes a bestselling novel click with readers?

Have you scratched your head over books like 50 Shades?

Have you read The Bestseller Code?

Do you have a favorite “How to” book on writing?

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW.

AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Stumbleupon

That love at first written word?

You know what I’m talking about. Don’t act like you don’t. That first blush of prose, your heart racing with each word you write. Oh, and remember when your first short story or flash fiction story was published? Ah, love sweet love.

Short story, flash fiction, and Drabble – writing the great American novel couldn’t be much harder. Wrong. I have so much to learn.

Thank you, Sacha Black, for your recent post.

7 LESSONS I WISH SOMEONE HAD TAUGHT ME BEFORE I STARTED WRITING

It feels good to realize I’m not the only writer on the planet to stumble through the writing process.

I too had to face the fact, learning takes time. Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks but it may take a little longer and a lot more patience.

What I gleaned from Sacha’s lessons:

I’m not alone. We can all learn to write better.
Writing a short story is not the same as writing a novel.
Research is a black hole.
Studying is a black hole.
Reading can suck you into a black hole.
BLACK HOLES will distract me from writing.
Focus on learning one writing technique at a time.
Feedback should come from objective writers.
Benchmark what other authors write. Deconstruct specific sections, dialog and figure out the why and how.
Break down competition. Covers, chapters, length, etc. How will mine stack up?
Make friends. Writer friends who tell me the truth. Sometimes the truth is overrated.
Write-I should make more time to write. Shouldn’t we all?

Sacha goes into more detail on her blog, and you’ll probably get something totally different than I did so click and read the whole thing. You’ll be glad you did.