FIRE UP YOUR FICTION - AN EDITOR'S GUIDE TO WRITING COMPELLING STORIES (formerly titled "Style That Sizzles &amp; Pacing for Power") has won a Silver Medal in the Florida Authors &amp; Publishers President's Book Awards for 2013, a Silver Medal in the Readers' Favorite Book Awards for 2014, and an Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards for 2013. It was also a finalist in Foreword Reviews IndieFab Book Awards and National Indie Excellence Awards. "What a wonderful resource for writers at any stage of their career! I wish I had this book when I first started writing. ... I can't think of anything important that you haven't addressed succinctly and clearly. ... This should be on the booklist for Master's Programs in Writing for Publication. ... You must be a wonderful editor to be able to write such a readable, but comprehensive book." - Judge, Writer's Digest Self-Published e-Book Awards, January 2014 “Jodie Renner’s FIRE UP YOUR FICTION is a handy manual for writers looking to make the biggest impact with their craft. ... “FIRE UP YOUR FICTION is the Strunk and White for writers who want to be not just mere storytellers but master story-compellers.” ~ IndieReader Approved review, Mar. 2014 If you're looking to hone your style, bring your scenes to life, tighten up your writing, add tension, pick up the pace, and develop a more authentic, appealing voice, this guide to the indispensable style elements of writing a popular novel is for you. This book is packed with great tips to help you write like the pros and create a compelling novel that sells. Not only that, but if you apply these tips to your manuscript, you'll save a lot of money on editing costs. "This book is packed with good advice on how to spot and fix weaknesses in your fiction writing. It summarizes the combined wisdom of the last century or so of fiction teachers into one handy volume." - Randy Ingermanson, bestselling author of Writing Fiction for Dummies "A handy checklist and self-editing guide that will get any fiction writer to a stronger, well-told tale." - James Scott Bell, bestselling author of Revision &amp; Self-Editing, Plot &amp; Structure, and The Art of War for Writers

Fire up Your Fiction: An Editor's Guide to Writing Compelling Stories

Reference

Renner, Jodie

Writing, Research & Publishing Guides

Cobalt Books

Are you looking for techniques to really bring your fiction to life for the readers, so they feel they’re right there, on the edge of their seats, struggling with the hero or heroine? Staying up late at night, worrying, glued to the pages? This award-winning editor's guide to writing compelling fiction provides specific advice, with examples, for captivating readers and immersing them in your story world. It’s all about providing a direct connection from the characters to the readers through techniques such as deep point of view, showing instead of telling, avoiding author intrusions, and basically letting the characters tell the story. Today’s readers want to put aside their cares and chores and lose themselves in an absorbing story. This book shows you how to provide the emotional involvement and immediacy readers crave in fiction. You’ll find techniques for making sure your characters come to life and your readers feel directly connected to them, without the author’s hand appearing as an intermediary. And like Jodie Renner's other writing guides, which are all designed for busy writers, the format of this one is reader-friendly, with text broken up by subheadings, examples, and lists.

Captivate Your Readers: An Editor's Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction

ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR SUPERCHARGING YOUR STORIES! Respected editor Jodie Renner offers indispensable advice for creating fast-paced, compelling fiction. Whether you're planning your first novel or revising your fourth, you'll discover lots of concrete ideas here for taking your fiction up a level or two, entertaining your readers, gaining fans, and creating buzz. Both published and aspiring authors of suspense-thrillers and other fast-paced, popular fiction will find these tips indispensable for plotting your story, creating compelling characters, writing a gripping opening, designing suspenseful scenes, picking up the pace, ramping up the tension and intrigue, revising for power, and creating a page-turner that sells. PRAISE FOR WRITING A KILLER THRILLER "Finally, someone who understands the thriller! More than ever, an author must also be his own best editor, and Jodie Renner is there to help. Writing a Killer Thriller should be on every thriller writer's desk. It breaks down the thriller into its must-have component parts to write a scintillating, edge-of-the-seat novel that will get readers buzzing and sales flowing." ~ ROBERT DUGONI, New York Times bestselling author of The Jury Master and Murder One "Writing is hard, editing harder, and self-editing almost impossible. Writing a Killer Thriller demystifies each of these steps on the road to a published manuscript. Read this book. It will help you now and for many years to come." ~ DP LYLE, award-winning author of many nonfiction and fiction books "Writing a Killer Thriller by Jodie Renner is an in-depth journey through each component of the thriller. Renner breaks down the process into key elements, each essential to keeping the reader turning those pages. From character development to building suspense, Writing a Killer Thriller should be on the desk of every thriller author out there. A staple for the beginner, a refresher for the pro." ~ JOE MOORE, #1 Amazon and international bestselling co-author of The Blade, The Shield, and The Phoenix Apostles A companion guide to this one, Jodie's FIRE UP YOUR FICTION - An Editor's Guide to Writing Compelling Stories, is available in both e-book and trade paperback.

Writing a Killer Thriller: An Editor's Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction

Words, Language & Grammar

Jodie Renner

A collection of 20 eye-opening but hopeful stories and a poem by 19 talented writers from the US, UK, Canada, Sweden, Malta, Australia, and India, compiled to raise awareness of the plight of millions of Asian children working long hours under very difficult conditions in factories, mines, quarries, brickyards, farms, hotels, and on the streets. Includes study questions and answers, background research, and many concrete ways readers can help, including a detailed list of respected charities working to free child slaves and provide them with shelter, food, care, and education-- to give them back their childhood. For readers age 12 and up. All net proceeds to SOS Children's Villages, a highly respected charity that works to help abandoned and orphaned children all over the world. "Each well-researched story in Childhood Regained is rooted in the point of view of child workers, starting with the harsh realities of their lives and reaching hope-filled, satisfying conclusions. Yet, the contributing authors from around the world, with their unique writing styles, avoid clichéd, predictable, or overly sweet endings. For young readers, the poignant cover image and evocative sensory details in the writing will draw them into the book. They will be impacted by being exposed to the unfamiliar worlds in these transformative stories. As the characters experience hardship, then rescue, education that brings hope, and childhood joys restored, the reader may gain a new appreciation for all they have and a desire to help make a difference in the world. Highly recommended." ~ Karen Autio, award-winning author of books for young readers

Childhood Regained: Stories of Hope for Asian Child Workers

Literature & Fiction

Foster, Lori Duffy

Combs, Tom

Branley, Edward

Ansing, D.

Eastick, E.M.

Hedberg, Rayne Kaa

Barrett, Della

Hopkins, Eileen

Deshmukh, Sanjay

Short Stories & Anthologies

Childhood Regained: Canadian Schools Edition

Children's Books

Bennett, Hazel

Elford, Patricia Anne

Hausman, Sarah

This is a student edition of Childhood Regained - Stories of Hope for Asian Child Workers, with 9 stories suitable for Grades 4 to 6. A teachers' guide is available to accompany this student edition. These eye-opening but hopeful stories bring to life some of the situations faced by millions of children working long hours in factories, mines, and quarries, and on city streets and commercial farms in Asia. This book also includes comprehension questions for each story, brief factual information on various work sectors, student activities, a glossary, and information on charitable organizations that are working to help these children. Teachers and teacher-librarians: These captivating fictional stories, organized and edited by a former middle-grade teacher and teacher-librarian, Jodie Renner, are told through the voices of Asian child workers in various situations. They are the perfect medium to engage your students and help them gain awareness of the situations of many of their peers across the globe. These stories will make a valuable additional resource for any social studies program, especially for students aged 9 to 12. Also look for the Childhood Regained – Canadian Teachers’ Guide, created to accompany the student editions, with a large variety of related student activities and many more additional resources. Contributors: Della Barrett, Sanjay Deshmukh, Patricia Anne Elford, Sarah Hausman, Barbara A. Hawley, Rayne Kaa Hedberg, Steve Hooley, Eileen Hopkins, Jodie Renner, Caroline Sciriha

Childhood Regained: Student Edition, Grades 4 to 6

Hooley, Steve

Sciriha, Caroline

Hawley, Barbara A.

Growing Up & Facts of Life

This is the STUDENT EDITION, GRADES 6 TO 8, of CHILDHOOD REGAINED - Stories of Hope for Asian Child Workers. See the accompanying CANADIAN TEACHERS' GUIDE. These eye-opening but hopeful stories and a poem bring to life some of the situations faced by millions of children working long hours in factories, mines, and quarries, and on city streets and commercial farms in Asia. This book also includes comprehension questions for each story, brief factual information on conditions in various industries in South Asia, a glossary, student activities, and information on charitable organizations that are working to help these children. Teachers and teacher-librarians: These captivating fictional stories, organized and edited by a former middle-grade teacher and teacher-librarian, Jodie Renner, are told through the voices of Asian child workers in various situations. They are the perfect medium to engage your students and help them gain awareness of the situations of many of their peers across the globe. These stories will make a valuable additional resource for any social studies program, especially for students aged 11 to 14. Also look for the Childhood Regained – Canadian Teachers’ Guide, created to accompany the student editions, with a large variety of related student activities and many more additional resources. “Each well-researched story in Childhood Regained is told from the viewpoint of child workers, starting with the harsh realities of their lives and reaching hope-filled, satisfying conclusions. Young readers will be impacted by the unfamiliar worlds depicted in these transformative stories and may gain a new appreciation for all they have and a desire to help make a difference in the world. Highly recommended.” ~ Karen Autio, award-winning author of books for young readers “While journeying through Childhood Regained, my students have gained a higher level of empathy and increased global awareness. I am excited to share this important book and recommend it to other educators and students.” ~ Natalie Brown, Grades 6 & 7 teacher, Emily Carr School, London, ON Contributors: D. Ansing, Della Barrett, Edward Branley, Fern G.Z. Carr, Tom Combs, Sanjay Deshmukh, E.M. Eastick, Peter Eichstaedt, Lori Duffy Foster, Barbara A. Hawley, Rayne Kaa Hedberg, Steve Hooley, Eileen Hopkins, Kym McNabney, Jodie Renner, Caroline Sciriha

Childhood Regained: Student Edition, Grades 6 to 8

Eichstaedt, Peter

Carr, Fern G.Z.

McNabney, Kym

This Canadian Teachers’ Guide has been created to accompany the Student Editions (Grades 4 to 6, Grades 6 to 8, and Grades 7 to 9) or the Canadian Schools Edition of CHILDHOOD REGAINED - Stories of Hope for Asian Child Workers, an anthology of well-researched fictional stories by talented writers, each written from the point of view of a different child labourer in South Asia. This teachers’ edition includes: • Guidelines for educators • Ministry of Education curriculum tie-ins, Grades 4 to 8 Social Studies • Brief descriptions of all of the stories • Lists of recommended stories by division • Reading level and word count for each story • Comprehension questions and answers for each story • Factual information on child labour in South Asia • Glossary of foreign terms • Individual, small-group, and whole-class student activities • Appendices, including Declaration of the Rights of the Child, plain-language version “Each well-researched story in Childhood Regained is told from the viewpoint of child workers, starting with the harsh realities of their lives and reaching hope-filled, satisfying conclusions. Young readers will be impacted by the unfamiliar worlds depicted in these transformative stories and may gain a new appreciation for all they have and a desire to help make a difference in the world. Highly recommended.” ~ Karen Autio, award-winning author of books for young readers “While journeying through Childhood Regained, my students have gained a higher level of empathy and increased global awareness. I am excited to share this important book and I recommend it to other educators and students.” ~ Natalie Brown, Grades 6 & 7 teacher, Emily Carr School, London, ON

Childhood Regained: Canadian Teachers' Guide

Education & Teaching

Note: This is the AMERICAN SCHOOLS edition of Childhood Regained. These eye-opening but hopeful stories and a poem bring to life some of the situations faced by millions of young Asian children working long hours with little or no pay in factories, mines, quarries, commercial farms, and elsewhere. This book also includes study questions and answers for each story, brief factual information on conditions in various industries in South Asia, a glossary, student activities, and information on how students can help their peers across the globe. Educators: These captivating fictional stories have been organized and edited by a former middle-grade teacher and teacher-librarian. Told through the voices of Asian child workers in various situations, they are the perfect medium to engage your students and help them gain awareness of the situations of many of their peers across the globe. These stories will make a valuable additional resource for any social studies program, especially for students aged 10 to 15. “Each well-researched story in Childhood Regained is told from the viewpoint of child workers, starting with the harsh realities of their lives and reaching hope-filled, satisfying conclusions. Young readers will be impacted by the unfamiliar worlds depicted in these transformative stories and may gain a new appreciation for all they have and a desire to help make a difference in the world. Highly recommended.” ~ Karen Autio, award-winning author of books for young readers “While journeying through Childhood Regained, my students have gained a higher level of empathy and increased global awareness. I am excited to share this important book and recommend it to other educators and students.” ~ Natalie Brown, grade 7 teacher, Emily Carr School, London, Ontario All net proceeds from book sales go to SOS Children's Villages. Contributors: D. Ansing, Della Barrett, Edward Branley, Fern G.Z. Carr, Tom Combs, Sanjay Deshmukh, E.M. Eastick, Peter Eichstaedt, Patricia Anne Elford, Lori Duffy Foster, Sarah Hausman, Barbara A. Hawley, Rayne Kaa Hedberg, Steve Hooley, Eileen Hopkins, Kym McNabney, Jodie Renner, Caroline Sciriha

Childhood Regained: American Schools Edition

Fiction writers - if you're looking to hone your style, bring your scenes to life, tighten up your writing, add tension, pick up the pace, and develop a more authentic, appealing voice, this guide to the indispensable style elements of writing a popular novel is for you. This craft-of-writing guide is highly skimmable and chock-full of excellent tips to help you learn to write like the pros and create a compelling novel that sells. Not only that, but applying these tips will save you a lot of money on editing costs. Topics include: hooking readers in on your first pages, writing compelling action scenes, avoiding common style blunders, showing instead of telling, streamlining cluttered sentences and paragraphs, eliminating overexplaining and repetitions, choosing words that nail it, picking up the pace, avoiding info dumps and awkward structures, writing natural-sounding dialogue, expressing thoughts, showing character reactions, avoiding melodrama, finding your authentic voice, and more. "This book is packed with good advice on how to spot and fix weaknesses in your fiction writing. It summarizes the combined wisdom of the last century or so of fiction teachers into one handy volume." - Randy Ingermanson, bestselling author of WRITING FICTION FOR DUMMIES "A handy checklist and self-editing guide that will get any fiction writer to a stronger, well-told tale." - James Scott Bell, bestselling author of REVISION &amp; SELF-EDITING, PLOT &amp; STRUCTURE, and THE ART OF WAR FOR WRITERS Also, please check out Jodie's book, WRITING A KILLER THRILLER - AN EDITOR'S GUIDE TO WRITING COMPELLING FICTION, which will help authors of any genre hone your craft, add tension, conflict and intrigue, and generally create a fast-paced page-turner.

Style that Sizzles & Pacing for Power: An Editor's Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction

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