The bestseller is a cultural phenomenon of our age, the only medium through which one person's individual vision can be communicated directly to millions. Most tantalizingly, the art of bestseller writing seems totally accessible to anyone with a pencil and paper - and an idea. Yet the bestseller has become embedded in its own money-driven mythology of massive advances, mega-sales, formula writing, book doctors and superagents. In this investigation into "schlock", Brayfield looks at the hype and success of the superauthor, and explains how technique, commitment, timing and nuturing of the imagination all contribute to the art of hitting the charts.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
British author Brayfield here expounds on the art of producing popular fiction, focusing on what leads to bestsellerdom. She covers content, research, planning, style, and finding a publisher, illustrating her points with passages from best-selling authors such as Scott Turow and John le Carre. Brayfield wisely emphasizes that successful authors do not produce best sellers without understanding their readers; she even shows the importance of understanding the role of books in readers' lives by including an appendix surveying the habits and preferences of 100 readers from different walks of life. Brayfield's information-packed work will be popular with new writers. Recommended for public libraries.?Lisa J. Cihlar, Winfield P.L., Ill.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best!,
By
This review is from: Bestseller: Secrets of Successful Writing (Paperback)
I must agree with the author's comments on her own book- Bestseller is the best how-to book on novel writing, and I've read lots of them. Her advice is practical, useful, and well explained; she's one of the few authors who actually illustrates how to create a mind map-giving you an example from one of her published novels- instead of simply suggesting that it's something to think about doing. Brayfield writes with intelligence and empathy for beginning, struggling, and even successful writers. A must read for anyone contemplating writing a novel, and for those of us who are wrestling with the process.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Illuminating and energetic,
This review is from: Bestseller: Secrets of Successful Writing (Paperback)
A detailed and entertaining dip into what it takes to become a successful novelist. You might find yourself tearing up your own previous attempts at writing greatness after reading this book, but the perspective is fresh, relevant and well supported by examples from many of the most successful writers of our age, so my feeling is you would profit from it in the end. Highly readable and illuminating.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive help for novelists,
By Writer (Europe) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bestseller: Secrets of Successful Writing (Paperback)
Finally a book on how to write a bestseller - from someone who has actually done so! Whether or not Celia Brayfield's books are your cup of tea, you can't deny that she knows the formula for writing a successful book. Here she shares her secrets, from what makes a bestseller and why people read them, to finding your story and characters, planning the book, getting on with writing, and what to do when you get stuck. Researching backgrounds is covered, along with how to navigate the minefield of finding an agent and publisher. Not bad for 250 pages! Even if you are not trying to write a novel that fits the formula of a 'bestseller', you'll still find Brayfield's advice invaluable. If you only buy one book on writing, this should be the one.
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