The Art of War for Writers: Fiction Writing Strategies, Tactics, and Exercises

Strategies and Tactics for the Master Novelist

Successfully starting and finishing a publishable novel is often like fighting a series of battles. You not only have to work hard to shape memorable characters, develop gripping plots, and craft dazzling dialogue, but you also have to fight against self-doubts and fears. And then there's the challenge of learning to navigate the ever-changing publishing industry.

That's why best-selling novelist James Scott Bell, author of the Write Great Fiction staples, Plot & Structure and Revision & Self-Editing, came up with the ultimate novel-writing battle plan: The Art of War for Writers.

You'll find tactics and strategies for idea generation and development, character building, plotting, drafting, querying and submitting, dealing with rejection, coping with unrealistic expectations, and much more.

With timeless, innovative, and concise writing reflections and techniques, The Art of War for Writers is your roadmap to victory.

Bell shares 77 observations on the mental game of writing fictional novels, the business of publishing, and the style of writing that grabs editors' attention. His suggestions include setting a page quota to write each week, defining a character's unique traits, narrating dialogue, adding tension to scenes, checking ego at the door, and getting an agent. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)