Sell More Books Today: The Simple Secret To Successful Fiction

By Angela Booth

In Sell More Books Today, The Simple Secret To Successful Fiction, we look at what makes bestselling fiction

It's a simple secret, and once you know it, you'll look at your writing in a new way—and you'll use the strategies which turn your novels into page-turners.

 

If you love writing fiction, read on
Love writing fiction? I do too. Not only is fiction fun to write, it can be profitable.

 

But… (There's always a but…)

 

Most novels and novellas sell poorly and their authors aren't sure why. After all, the author did everything right, but something's missing.

Here's the thing. Your book may have a wonderful setting, great characters, as well as an exciting plot, but sales lag. It's not your fault. No one shared the secret of bestselling fiction with you.

 

It's not your fault your books aren't selling
Chances are you've never looked at bestselling fiction and wondered why bestsellers sell.

 

It's magic, right? Or perhaps it's luck. All those bestselling authors got lucky. Or maybe it's literary merit?

 

You may wonder whether your writing needs to improve. Relax. Few bestselling novels are literary masterpieces. You can assess lists of fiction bestsellers and discover that critics have panned every novel on a list. But readers don't care. Bestsellers are bestsellers for a reason and something other than literary merit draws readers to a book which sells hundreds of thousands of copies. Readers may enjoy literary brilliance, but they're looking for something else when they read.

 

So, what do readers want? What, for the love of all that's precious, is the SECRET?

 

The big secret: here's what readers want
Readers want to know what happens next. They want to be emotionally involved with your story. When they're totally engaged in the story; they're on the edge of their seat… They can't leave.

 

Novels become bestsellers when readers zoom through them, staying up way past their bedtime because they can't stop reading.

 

In short, readers want to be kept in suspense.

 

You can use the big secret in your own fiction
Ready for a shock? Page-turner, bestselling novels don't happen by accident. Authors manipulate readers using simple tricks.

 

You can learn those tricks so that every book you right will have readers in an agony of suspense, wondering what happens next.

 

Start today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Angela Booth
• Release date: Aug 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201378448

Book preview

Sell More Books Today

Sell More Books Today

The Simple Secret Of Successful Fiction

Angela Booth

Angela Booth

Sell More Books Today:

The SIMPLE Secret Of Successful Fiction

2021

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By Angela Booth

Copyright © 2021 Angela Booth.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form, anywhere, without prior written permission from the author.

Angela Booth is a copywriter, blogger, writing teacher, and author. Her books have been published by major publishers. She writes several blogs for writers.

Contents

Book Description

Introduction: the simple secret of successful fiction

Essential suspense tactics: open loops and more

Quick and easy ways to create suspense

Characters: create suspense with your characters

Suspense tool: write in scenes

Plot: create suspense with your plot

Structure: build suspense with your novel's milestones

Fiction strategies for suspense and more: articles from my archives

Fiction: Create Super-Easy Outlines

Write Fiction For Readers: 3 Tips For Narrative Drive

3 Secrets For Plotting Fiction: Tell Better Lies

Writing Fiction: 3 Simple Ways Access Your Imagination

The Rule Of 3 To The Rescue

Writing A Novel Essentials: Hit Your Milestones

Plot Fiction: Fill-In-The-Blanks Plotting For Pantsers

Writing Fiction Made Easier: 2 Tips For Using Flashbacks

Fiction: How To Develop Bestselling Plots

Preview: Planning And Writing A Hot-Selling Series

About the Author

Also by Angela Booth

Book Description

Hi fellow author!

In Sell More Books Today, The Simple Secret To Successful Fiction, we look at what makes bestselling fiction.

It's a simple secret, and once you know it, you'll look at your writing in a new way—and you'll use the strategies which turn your novels into page-turners.

If you love writing fiction, read on

Love writing fiction? I do too. Not only is fiction fun to write, it can be profitable.

But… (There's always a but…)

Most novels and novellas sell poorly and their authors aren't sure why. After all, the author did everything right, but something's missing.

Here's the thing. Your book may have a wonderful setting, great characters, as well as an exciting plot, but sales lag. It's not your fault. No one shared the secret of bestselling fiction with you.

It's not your fault your books aren't selling

Chances are you've never looked at bestselling fiction and wondered why bestsellers sell.

It's magic, right? Or perhaps it's luck. All those bestselling authors got lucky. Or maybe it's literary merit?

You may wonder whether your writing needs to improve.

Relax. Few bestselling novels are literary masterpieces. You can assess lists of fiction bestsellers and discover that critics have panned every novel on a list. But readers don't care. Bestsellers are bestsellers for a reason and something other than literary merit draws readers to a book which sells hundreds of thousands of copies.

Readers may enjoy literary brilliance, but they're looking for something else when they read.

So, what do readers want? What, for the love of all that's precious, is the SECRET?

The big secret: here's what readers want

Readers want to know what happens next. They want to be emotionally involved with your story. When they're totally engaged in the story; they're on the edge of their seat… They can't leave.

Novels become bestsellers when readers zoom through them, staying up way past their bedtime because they can't stop reading.

In short, readers want to be kept in suspense.

You can use the big secret in your own fiction

Ready for a shock? Page-turner, bestselling novels don't happen by accident. Authors manipulate readers using simple tricks.

You can learn those tricks so that every book you write will have readers in an agony of suspense, wondering what happens next.

Let's get started.

Introduction: the simple secret of successful fiction

It’s not about what happens to people on a page; it’s about what happens to a reader in his heart and mind.

(Quote from author and editor Gordon Lish.)

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Hi Fellow Author

The longer I write and teach writing, the more convinced I am that the secret for successful fiction is simple.

In a word: that secret is suspense.

For readers, successful fiction is unputdownable.

An intricate plot, engaging characters and a wonderful setting won't make a bestseller without suspense. Readers want to care about your characters and story.

In commercial fiction, readers care because they enjoy a genre and have expectations which you, the author, fulfill. Once they care, they want to know what's happening? and then: what happens next?

What happens next (suspense) is paramount in all fiction

Suspense is paramount in ALL fiction, not just in mysteries and thrillers, the suspense genres.

We're fiction authors, so it's our job to develop suspense so readers are filled with burning curiosity to know what happens next.

We'll look at some simple ways to develop suspense in this guide, including:

Suspense essentials;

Characters;

Plot;

Structure.

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Let's start with a definition of suspense so we know what we're talking about.

What's suspense?

According to Google, suspense can be defined as: a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

Synonyms for suspense include: tension, uncertainty, excitement—and my favorite: anticipation.

Suspense is essential if you want to write successful fiction. If readers stop caring about what happens next, they'll put your novel down. They may never go back to it.

Few authors pay much attention to suspense, however. This