The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience

by Chuck Wendig

Overview

The journey to become a successful writer is long, fraught with peril, and filled with difficult questions: How do I write dialogue? How do I build suspense? What should I know about query letters? How do I start?

The best way to answer these questions is to ditch your uncertainty and transform yourself into a KICK-ASS writer. This new book from award-winning author Chuck Wendig combines the best of his eye-opening writing instruction—previously available in e-book form only—with all-new insights into writing and publishing. It's an explosive broadside of gritty advice that will destroy your fears, clear the path, and help you find your voice, your story, and your audience.

You'll explore the fundamentals of writing, learn how to obtain publication, and master the skills you need to build an army of dedicated fans. No task is too large or small for the kick-ass writer. With his trademark acerbic wit and gut-punch humor, Wendig will explain:

   • How to build suspense, craft characters, and defeat writer's block.
   • How to write a scene, an ending—even a sentence.
   • Blogging techniques, social media skills, and crowdfunding.
   • How to write a query letter, talk to agents, and deal with failure—and success!
Whether you're just starting out or you need one more push to get you over the top, two things are for certain—a kick-ass writer never quits, and chuck Wendig won't let you down in this high-octane guide to becoming the writer you were born to be.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599637716
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/14/2013
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	275,683
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Chuck Wendig is a novelist, screenwriter, and game designer, and is the author of such novels as Blackbirds, Mockingbird, The Blue Blazes, and Under The Empyrean Sky. He lives in Pennsyltucky with his wife, son, and two dogs. You can find more at www.terribleminds.com, where he frequently dispenses dubious advice on writing, publishing, and life in general.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The First Tip 1

Part 1 The Fundamentals

25 Things You Should Know About Being a Writer 5

25 Questions to Ask as You Write 13

25 Things You Should Know About Storytelling 21

25 Things I Want to Say to So-Called "Aspiring" Writers 29

25 Things You Should Know About Writing a Novel 37

25 Ways to Be a Better Writer 45

25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing (Starting Right Now) 53

25 Things You Should Know About Writing Horror 61

25 Ways to Defeat Writer's Block 70

25 Ways to Plot, Plan, and Prep Your Story 78

Part 2 The Draft

25 Things You Should Know About Character 86

25 Things You Should Know About Description 94

25 Things You Should Know About Writing A Goddamn Sentence 103

25 Things You Should Know About Plot 112

25 Things You Should Know About Narrative Structure 121

25 Things You Should Know About Protagonists 131

25 Things You Should Know About Setting 140

25 Things You Should Know About Suspense and Tension in Storytelling 149

25 Things You Should Know About Theme 157

25 Things You Should Know About Writing a Scene 165

25 Things You Should Know About Dialogue 173

25 Things You Should Know About Endings 182

25 Things You Should Know About Editing, Revising, and Rewriting 191

Part 3 Publishing & Earning Your Audience

25 Things You Should Know About Getting Published 200

25 Things Writers Should Know About Agents 208

25 Things You Should Know About Queries, Synopses, and Treatments 217

25 Things You Should Know About Self-Publishing 225

25 Things Writers Should Know About Blogging 233

25 Things You Should Know About Social Media 240

25 Things You Should Know About Crowdfunding Your Writing 249

25 Ways to Earn Your Audience 257

25 Things You Should Know About Hybrid Authors 266

Coda: Once You Have Kicked Ass 273

Index 279