James Scott Bell Knihy

Story loves structure ... and so do readers! Super Structure represents over two decades of research on what makes a novel or screenplay entertaining, commercial, original, and irresistible

Fifteen years ago their son was taken. Now somebody says they can have him back. Dylan and Erin Reeve have lived with a gaping emotional wound ever since their five-year-old son, Kyle, was kidnapped in broad daylight. And never found. Though the shadow of their loss hangs heavy, Dylan and Erin have managed to get on with their lives, even finding bits of happiness along the way. Until one night when a crayon-scrawled note is slipped under Dylan Reeve's door. All it says is, Your son is alive. Could it be true? Or is it a sick game played by somebody out for money? Or something else? But what? And why now? As clues begin to emerge-both agonizing and expectant in their implications-Dylan and Erin Reeve know they have to play this out to the end. Because it's their last chance-and their only hope-to find the son they lost all those years ago. You'll be blown away by this domestic thriller with twists and turns and the beating heart of parental love.

A sweeping historical epic about dreams and dreamers, love and lovers, and the glitter factory of Hollywood! Two high school kids in small town Nebraska have their dreams. Zee, a minister's daughter, wants to be a movie star. Doyle, the son of a wealthy lawyer, expects to follow in his father's footsteps and practice law. But World War I explodes and changes everyone forever. When Doyle ends up on the battlefields of France, though he performs ably, he comes home disillusioned. Rejecting his parents' pleas to return to school, he finds himself in Los Angeles on the bottom rung of society. Unknown to him, Zee Miller is also in L. A., having run away from her father and the religion of her youth. But a stunning string of events, resulting in a charge of murder, will see their lives intersecting again in a way that may shatter them both.

Take your first draft from so-so to sold! You've finished the first draft of your novel--congratulations! Time to have a drink, sit back...and start revising. But the revision process doesn't have to be intimidating. Revision and Self-Editing for Publication, Second Edition gives you the tools and advice you need to transform your first draft into a finished manuscript that agents and editors will fight for. Inside you'll find: • Self-editing techniques for plot, structure, character, theme, voice, and more that can be applied as you're writing to reduce your revision workload. • Methods for fine-tuning your first draft into a tight, well-developed piece of literature. • The Ultimate Revision Checklist, which seamlessly guides you through the revision process, step by step. • New Chapter! Exercises and techniques for "deepening" your work to engage and excite readers like never before. Whether you're writing a novel currently or have finished the first draft, Revision and Self-Editing for Publication, Second Edition will give you the guidance you need to revise your manuscript into a novel ready to be sold.

Ramp up the tension and keep your readers hooked! Inside you'll find everything you need to know to spice up your story, move your plot forward, and keep your readers turning pages. Expert thriller author and writing instructor James Scott Bell shows you how to craft scenes, create characters, and develop storylines that harness conflict and suspense to carry your story from the first word to the last. Learn from examples of successful novels and movies as you transform your work from ho-hum to high-tension. • Pack the beginning, middle, and end of your book with the right amount of conflict. • Tap into the suspenseful power of each character's inner conflict. • Build conflict into your story's point of view. • Balance subplots, flashbacks, and backstory to keep your story moving forward. • Maximize the tension in your characters' dialogue. • Amp up the suspense when you revise. Conflict & Suspense offers proven techniques that help you craft fiction your readers won't be able to put down.

Spot and Fix Manuscript MisstepsDon't let the revision process intimidate you any longer. Discover how to successfully transform your first draft into a polished final draft readers won't be able to forget.In Write Great Fiction: Revision & Self-Editing, James Scott Bell draws on his experience as a novelist and instructor to provide specific revision tips geared toward the first read-through, as well as targeted self-editing instruction focusing on the individual elements of a novel like plot, structure, characters, theme, voice, style, setting, and endings. You'll learn how to:•Write a cleaner first draft right out of the gate using Bell's plotting principles•Get the most out of revision and self-editing techniques by honing your skills with detailed exercises•Systematically revise a completed draft using the ultimate revision checklist that talks you through the core story elementsWhether you're in the process of writing a novel, have a finished draft you don't know what to do with, or have a rejected manuscript you don't know how to fix, Revision & Self-Editing gives you the guidance you need to write and revise like a pro.

Craft an Engaging PlotHow does plot influence story structure? What's the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that's gone off course?With "Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure," you'll discover the answers to these questions and more. Award-winning author James Scott Bell offers clear, concise information that will help you create a believable and memorable plot, including: Techniques for crafting strong beginnings, middles, and endsEasy-to-understand plotting diagrams and chartsBrainstorming techniques for original plot ideasThought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapterStory structure models and methods for all genresTips and tools for correcting common plot problemsFilled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, "Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure" gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like an experienced pro.

If you want to stay alive, you better know the rules . . . Natalia Mayne said, "What's the first rule?""Fear nothing," I said."You have any more?""Do unto them before they do unto you.""Really?""And you don't owe the truth to people who lie.""I've never met anybody like you.""I've heard that before."Mike Romeo is an ex-cage fighter living off the grid in L.A. Running from a dark guilt that dogs him, he's finally found a place where he can rest and even heal.Then a church blows up. And with it all of Romeo's hopes to be left alone. When he stops to help an injured woman whose kids are missing, someone decides to put a target on his back.But whoever wants him dead picked the wrong guy. Because Romeo has rules--and he's going to make them stick.

A father's desperate struggle unfolds as he fights to reclaim his daughter from a system stacked against him. Mark Gillen's idyllic life shatters when his wife leaves him for a wealthy film director, taking their daughter along. Facing false accusations and the harsh realities of family law, Mark's faith in God becomes his anchor amid turmoil. As he navigates the emotional and legal battles, he must confront the lengths he will go to protect his daughter and the sacrifices he may have to make in the process.

His face did not twitch. In fact, its normally ruddy tones had disappeared. Now there was a dull grayness to the skin. His lips were the color of old plums.Which was when the first chill winds of disquiet blew inside her. "Pinky?"Nothing.She grabbed his jaw. His face was cold to the touch. She turned his head from side to side. And then Keely Delmonico-the former Rachel Fisk of Bismarck, North Dakota-backed away from the bed and tried to catch her breath.For call girl Keely Delmonico, having a client die was a new one. Now she has to avoid the cops and all their nasty questions. She manages to get out of the fancy hotel free and clear. But lurking in the shadows is another danger, a deadly one-a killer who is determined to make Keely's next step her last call. From "one of the top authors in the crowded suspense genre" comes a taut novel of murder and mystery set in Los Angeles and the bright lights of pre-pandemic Las Vegas.Rated PG-13: The material in the book would have been acceptable in a 1960s cop show like Mannix or Mod Squad or Hawaii Five-O.