James Scott Bell

Successful Los Angeles attorney Ty Buchanan risks his life and career to learn the truth when his fiancee is killed when Ernesto Bonilla shoots himself and falls from a freeway overpass onto her car, and a mysterious man later informs Ty that Bonilla survived the fall only to be murdered.

Mark Gillen's wife walks out on him for another man taking their five-year-old daughter with her; and when false charges arise keeping him from seeing the child, Mark must rely totally on his faith in God for the strength to face a legal system not in his favor.

Murder, betrayal, and a trial that feeds a media frenzy. Can one woman stand against the forces that threaten to tear her family apart? Pastor Ron Hamilton's star is rising. His 8,000-strong church is thriving. His good looks and charisma make him an exceptional speaker on family values. And his book on pornography in the church has become an unexpected bestseller. Everything is perfect. Until a young woman's body is discovered in a seedy motel room....

Through examples from Janet Evanovich, Elmore Leonard, Douglas Adams, Tom Robbins, Dashiell Hammett, John D. MacDonald, Raymond Chandler, and others, gain the knowledge to master your voice by getting into your character. Then, delve into the rudimentary lessons of a good writer: showing versus telling, avoiding narrative summaries, writing great descriptions, and using telling details.

Understand how weaving in smaller conflicts and challenges (subplots and parallel plots) is a great way to expand a story's range. See how authors successfully integrate subplots into their main story lines. Mr. Bell introduces a formula for determining how many subplots your book should have and a simple grid you can use to manage multiple plots.

Look at the most common reasons for writer's block and get tips for how to change your mental state when you feel blocked. Discover how to find inspiration in unusual places. Finally, Mr. Bell provides advice for dealing with rejection, which all writers face on occasion. Learn how to set your expectations and rejection won't defeat you.

Mr. Bell unpacks the most important parts of a book proposal that you would send to an agent or a publisher (query, synopsis, and sample chapters) by defining each and breaking down what you should and shouldn't do. He also gives invaluable advice on what to look for in an agent, how to negotiate a contract, the importance of copyrights, and the most important component: getting paid.

Dive into the concepts of point of view including: first-person, omniscient, second-person, and third-person (limited and open). Then study how Henry Fielding, Charles Dickens, Mario Puzo, James Clavell, J. D. Salinger, Raymond Chandler, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John D. MacDonald, Suzanne Collins, Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Herman Melville, and others use point of view successfully.

Mickey Spillane noted, "The first chapter sells the book. The last chapter sells the next book." Mr. Bell has already provided the tools to get your reader hooked with the first chapter, and potentially the first line! Now, he provides the five strategies that will help you end your book in a way that gets your reader craving your next title.

Even if you have an agent, you're still responsible for some aspects of marketing. Mr. Bell introduces you to the most important marketing tools. Get tips on selecting a marketable title, creating taglines, finding customers, using social media, building a website, using emails and newsletters, and knowing which self-publishing tools are worth the investment.