The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing: A 16-Step Program Guaranteed to Take You from Idea to Completed Manuscript

Business & Legal Forms for Authors and Self-Publishers

Twenty ready-to-use forms with detailed instructions include: estimate, confirmation, permission, and nondisclosure forms; contracts with agents, publishers, designers, printers, sales reps, and distributors; and a licensing form for electronic rights. Revised edition with forms included in popular MAC and PC word-processing formats for easy customizing.

Writing Television Comedy

Veteran television writer/producer Jerry Rannow gives aspiring and experienced comedy writers a humorous and eye-opening guide to conceiving, writing, and marketing a winning TV sitcom. Drawing on more than twenty-five years' experience, he tells how to construct a story outline, structure and format scripts, develop character and dialogue, pitch to producers, collaborate with other writers, and work with network and studio executives, producers, directors, agents, writers, and stars. Full of laughs and profitable tips for making a living in the business, this book is an invaluable tool for any writer who wants to break into TV comedy.

Successful Syndication: A Guide for Writers and Cartoonists

Chock full of insiders' information, this is the first book devoted to providing complete information about the syndication business, systematically detailing how writers and cartoonists can turn dreams of having work syndicated into reality. Tell-all text addresses every aspect of syndication: creating columns, comics, and features most likely to sell; finding a syndication agency; working with people at a syndicate-or setting up self-syndication; marketing through the Internet or direct mail; attracting international sales; pricing; and invoicing. Extensive resource lists are included, as are ample documents and a clause-by-clause review of a syndicated contract by the nation's top syndication lawyer.

The Screenwriter's Guide to Agents and Managers

by John Scott Lewinski. The lessons to be learned from this helpful guide show aspiring screenwriters, television writers, and novelists how to catch an agent's eye and develop a successful scriptwriting career. Step-by-step instructions reveal how to get around the "Catch 22" of the trade--that you can't get an agent until you've sold a script. Interviews with prominent agents and managers disclose how the power brokers choose material, what kinds of writers command their attention, and what they expect from the writers they sign on. Tips on how to write a winning spec script, how to word an effective query letter, how to forge a sound relationship with reps, and other invaluable advice fill this insider's guide. 6 x 9, 256 pages; Softcover, ISBN 1-58115-079-2.

The Art of Writing Great Lyrics

by Pamela Phillips Oland. For songwriters, composers and performers, this trail-blazing blueprint to crafting and understanding quality lyrics will prove a bottomless source of advice. Written by a nationally acclaimed songwriter, The Art of Writing Great Lyrics covers everything from communicating through song, defining styles, and collaborating with a partner to studying the market, making a great demo, and getting started on a songwriting career. Full of creative exercises, writing do�s and don�ts, and a handy A to Z checklist for reviewing new songs, this insightful and highly motivating guide helps songwriters in all stages of their career to be at their creative best and make the right decisions. 6 x 9, 224 Pages; Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-093-8.

Making Crime Pay: An Author's Guide to Criminal Law, Evidence, and Procedure

By Andrea Campbell. For writers of mysteries, crime novels, and screenplays, criminal law's intricate ideas and principles are clearly explained using everyday language in this handy reference. Written by an expert on criminal law and accomplished writing coach, this thorough and easy-to-access resource will enable authors at all levels to write the authentic and believable stories that only inside-knowledge makes possible. Entertaining in style, the book carefully explains the historical background and evolution of criminal law and uses actual case stories to illustrate key ideas. Fourteen chapters are divided three sections covering criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence, and the criminal justice system. Packed with genre-specific writing and creativity techniques, this indispensable "accomplice" will save writers hours and hours of time-consuming background research. 6 x 9, 320 pages; Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-216-7.

The Journalist's Craft: A Guide to Writing Better Stories

Edited by Dennis Jackson and John Sweeney. This inspiring collection of 19 essays from veteran news writers explains how to weave storytelling skills into nonfiction narratives. Journalists of all backgrounds and levels of experience will discover dozens of exercises that have been tested successfully in newsrooms, workshops, and classrooms, and will cover everything from the fundamentals of reporting, writing and revising to more specialized elements like creating rhythm, cadence, and voice; employing dialogue and scene-building; and such devices as foreshadowing, symbols, and metaphors. Contributors are all veteran journalists, including Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down, and several Pulitzer Prize-winners. This is the perfect guide for anyone who wants to take his or her writing skills to a more engaging, professional level. 6 x 9, 256 pages, Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-222-1.

The Copyright Guide: A Friendly Handbook to Protecting and Profiting from Copyrights, Third edition

by Lee Wilson. This prized legal companion is the definitive handbook for anyone looking to understand and benefit from copyrights in the Information Age, from artists to musicians, software designers to writers, craftsmakers to photographers, and entrepreneurs to media moguls. Updated and expanded to reflect important recent changes in U.S. copyright law and the impact of the Internet on copyrights, this revised edition covers what can and cannot be protected under current law; duration and scope of protection; notice and registration; how to avoid infringement and what to do if you suspect infringement; how copyrights are exploited in the marketplace; and much more. Veteran intellectual property lawyer Lee Wilson engagingly teaches the ins and outs of copyrights in a logical, progressive fashion, making a complex subject easy-to-understand for the layperson and professional alike. Also included are dozens of real-life examples of both copyright creators and users, detailed checklists to determine fair use of copyrights, guidelines for turning copyrights into income, and easy-to-use form agreements that are alone worth more than the price of the book. okTextBLD">6 X 9, 256 pages; Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-314-7.

The Internet Research Guide, Revised Edition

This widely acclaimed guide to the Internet has been completely revised to reflect the latest developments in Web technology and bring readers up-to-date on the hottest new techniques for hunting down information in cyberspace. World-renowned Internet guru Timothy Maloy zeros in on specific subject areas and explains how to conduct fast and effective research in everything from small and corporate business to journalism, academia, and specialized topics. The book goes beyond the basics of getting connected and navigating the Web, providing essential tips for using Newsgroups, Listservs, search engines, metasearch engines, subject directories, and research robots or "bots," as well as detailed sections on how to tap into national, state, and university library systems and learn in virtual classrooms. Vital Web site and Internet addresses are also provided, along with a comprehensive glossary of key terms.

writing.com: Creative Internet Strategies to Advance Your Writing Career, revised edition

Revised edition by Moira Anderson Allen. Now revised, updated, and expanded, this new edition includes a password to 2,000 online resources for writers! This indispensable resource tells writers how to take full advantage of Internet technologies and resources to improve skills, increase sales, and build recognition. Both experienced and novice writers will learn how to use cutting-edge tactics to uncover new domestic and international markets; to communicate and conduct writing business successfully over the Internet; to find and use writers' groups effectively; to use a Web site to promote books and articles and attract readers; to start an e-zine; and much more. 6 X 9, 288 pages; Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-270-1.

Marketing Strategies for Writers

A wizard at promoting his own work reveals the aggressive tactics needed for winning in today's highly competitive marketplace. He details the skills and strategies writers must master to promote themselves and their work, from researching the marketplace, to becoming lecturers, teachers, and experts in a particular field, to networking with editors and publishers, pitching to radio and TV producers, and marketing on the Internet. This invaluable guide goes beyond selling and marketing books and articles to take writing careers to new levels with these top-of-the-line resources.

How to Write Articles That Sell, second edition

This is a practical and inspirational handbook that will guide aspiring writers as well as seasoned pros through the mysteries of researching, writing, and selling freelance articles for magazines, newspapers, and Internet zines. With explicit examples and an easy-to-understand writing style, L. Perry Wilbur and Jon Samsel help writers to realize their inherent power for creative expression by showing how to transform bright ideas into saleable articles. Covering how to pick a topic, tailor articles to a particular market, create a winning query letter, work with an editor, combine text with the right photographs, sidebars, and graphics, and break into emerging markets on the Internet and World Wide Web, this book is a unique and timeless resource for writers of all ages and levels of experience.

How to Write Books That Sell, second edition

Part marketing guide, part writing manual, part inspirational handbook, this is an invaluable companion for writers of all genres. It provides every author--whether novice or pro--with successful strategies for creating and moving a book idea from proposal to published page in today's competitive book business. The book includes tips for working effectively with editors and agents, a helpful question and answer section, and a complete listing of writers' resources both in print and online. Also provided are practical and inspirational insights from such bestselling authors as John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Garrison Keillor, Jean Auel, Stephen King, and many others. For writers of all styles and backgrounds, students and teachers of writing and journalism, and anyone interested in the world of publishing, How to Write Books That Sell provides inspiration and skills for turning any budding project into a profitable adventure.

Writing for Interactive Media

This book offers a vital introduction to the key skills and concepts every writer needs to master the emerging craft of interactive writing. Authors Samsel and Wimberley explore the entire gamut of multimedia activity, elucidating the basics of interactive storytelling as well as the intricacies of writing hypertext, gaming applications, and corporate training programs. They show how to: Plan and structure interactive ideas Write and design compelling characters and multi-form plots Create design proposals and interactive screenplays Understand the mechanics of hypertext fiction and online narratives Write informational and educational multimedia Included are interviews with leading visionaries Greg Roach, Neal Stephenson, and Michael Joyce, and behind-the-scenes looks at such popular interactive creations as MGM's Paul Is Dead, The X- Files, and the role-playing saga Myst. Sample documents, proposals, and scripts are also provided, as well as expert tips for networking, negotiation, and sidestepping the most common mistakes when writing interactive documents.

The Writer's Legal Guide: An Authors Guild Desk Reference, Third Edition

by Tad Crawford and Kay Murray. Created by professionals with extensive experience in both law and publishing, this valuable desktop guide answers virtually any question writers are likely to face concerning their rights and the law. Fully updated with the latest information on electronic rights and expanded coverage of fair use and permissions, this new Third Edition features the latest changes in copyright law, book contracts, agency contracts, collaboration agreements, limits of expression, the Freedom of Information Act, and tax laws. Plus, it includes numerous sample forms, such as a ready-to-use electronic rights clause, a model contract for licensing articles to magazines, a checklist for avoiding defamation and invasion of privacy, and much more. Copublished with the Authors Guild, this book is a must-have addition to any writer's library. "An indispensable handbook for anyone who writes." -- Publisher's Weekly. "An excellent survey of the business side of authorship today." --Booklist. 6 X 9, 320 pages; Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-230-2.

The Screenwriter's Legal Guide

This authoritative guide will help both fledgling and established writers to negotiate the best deal, protect their work, and get fair compensation for it. One of the most powerful entertainment lawyers in Hollywood provides clear, expert advice on all the legal issues involved in the business of screenwriting. He gives an enlightening explanation of the screenwriter's position in the industry and then provides a thorough discussion of contracts, options, and purchase agreements, writing assignments, copyright, collaboration agreements, the producer's role, and working with agents and lawyers. "A real eye-opener. It is a book that should be in every screenwriter's library." --Syd Field.

Selling Scripts to Hollywood

This upbeat resource book is full of encouraging advice to budding screenwriters on just how to prepare, submit, and sell their movie scripts. From structuring the plot and formatting the script to finding an agent and negotiating the best deal, this insider's information covers all the bases. Tips are offered for developing characters and storylines; using scriptwriting computer programs; sending letters to prospective agents; working with directors; getting along in the business; tapping into Web sites and workshops; and other sources of support for writers.

Writing Scripts Hollywood Will Love, revised edition

by Katherine Atwell Herbert. This fully updated, career-boosting book arms aspiring and experienced writers with an insider's insights into the process of conceiving, writing, and marketing a winning film or television script. A veteran story analyst reveals what is demanded of scriptwriters in today's competitive marketplace and offers guidance on everything from the script's appearance to plot, structure, characters, dialogue, and innumerable subtle clues that shape analysts' opinions. Revised and expanded, the book provides timely coverage of opportunities on the Internet and in film festivals and contests, topped off with sample scripts and interviews with legendary and emerging professionals in the field. 6 x 9, 160 pages; Softcover, ISBN 1-58115-074-1.