Guide to How to Write - Sampler

chapter 6

Plot 109 Dramatic world 110 | Three-act structure 114 | First chapters and prologues 115 | Act one: the beginning 119 | Act two: the middle 126 Act three: the end 136 | Summary 140 chapter 7

Writing scenes 143 Chapters and scenes 143 | Purpose 145 | Where should I start my scene? 150 | Who is telling the scene? 151 | How should you start? 155 Conflict, risk, obstacles and subtext 156 | Who is in control of the scene? 162 | When to end a scene 164 | How to end a scene 164 Summary 167 chapter 8

Dialogue 169 The purpose of dialogue 169 | Control 173 | Motivation 177 Compromise 180 | Carrying dialogue 184 | Summary 188 chapter 9

You’ve finished your novel – what do you do now? 191 Is it really finished? 191 | Identifying which agents to submit to 193 How to submit to an agent 198 | Why do you need an agent and what do they do? 210 | Negotiating a book deal 214 | Managing your relationship with your publishers 216 What do agents charge? 218 | Summary 220

resources 223 example synopsis 225 | software for writers 228 index 235