Writing the Popular Novel: A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Fiction That Sells [Paperback]

Loren D. Estleman (Author), John Lescroart (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1582972885 | ISBN-13: 978-1582972886 | Publication Date: September 2004

What does it take to craft a best-seller - one that tops the charts week after week and leaves everyone talking? In this groundbreaking guide, successful author Loren D. Estleman shares the process. Readers will learn: The four essential traits best-selling authors possess; The specific challenges in a variety of genres and how to overcome them for writing success; The benefits of exploring more than one genre for a fulfilling career - and more; Upbeat, engaging, and personal, Writing the Popular Novel provides readers with the instruction they need to craft the books that become best-sellers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Loren D. Estleman is the author of more than fifty novels, including a best-selling detective series. He is the recipient of sixteen writing awards. His work has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award and the Edgar Allan Poe Award.

Product Details

• Paperback: 242 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582972885
• ISBN-13: 978-1582972886
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,707,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Since the appearance of his first novel in 1976, Loren D. Estleman has written more than 65 books and hundreds of short stories and articles. Alone (Dec 2009, Forge Books) is the second in a new series about L.A. film detective Valentino, and features Greta Garbo.

To kick off the new decade, Estleman's The Book of Murdock (eighth in the U.S. Deputy Marshal Page Murdock series) will appear in March and, to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of Private Detective Amos Walker, The Left-Handed Dollar will publish in December. It's the 20th novel in the award-winning series.

An authority on both criminal history and the American West, Estleman has been called the most critically acclaimed author of his generation. He has been nominated for the National Book Award and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award.

He has received seventeen national writing awards: four Shamuses from the Private Eye Writers of America, five Spurs from the Western Writers of America, two American Mystery Awards from Mystery Scene Magazine, two Outstanding Mystery Writer of the Year awards from Popular Fiction Monthly, two Stirrup Awards for outstanding articles in the Western Writers of America magazine, The Roundup, and three Western Heritage Awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. In 1987, the Michigan Foundation of the Arts presented him with its award for literature. In 1997, the Michigan Library Association named him the recipient of the Michigan Author's Award. In 2007, Nicotine Kiss was named a Notable Book by the Library of Michigan.

Estleman graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Journalism. On April 27, 2002, EMU presented him with an honorary doctorate in letters. He left the job market in 1980 to write full time. He lives in Michigan and is married to writer Deborah Morgan. For more information, please visit his website: www.lorenestleman.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, September 20, 2004

By 

TheCafeWriter (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Writing the Popular Novel: A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Fiction That Sells (Paperback)

I expected yet another basic how-to with lots of step-by-step instructions and writing exercises. None of that is in there, but I read it anyway, and this book is GREAT. The style is conversational and direct.

One of the best pieces of advice I found was the chapter on 10 ways to fail as a writer, such as "Keep a journal." Instead the author advocates "Save your creative energies for paying work." Having read journaling books, I can see the author's point: if I only have an hour in a day to write, should I journal or work on my novel? Which one has the potential to result in a check?

Another one: "Write screenplays instead of novels." The author again makes an excellent point that writing a novel takes as much time as polishing a screenplay, and is comparitively easier to sell. So why not write the novel and be paid millions so someone *else* can write the screenplay?

There's also some debunking about leading chapters with hooks and ending them with cliffhangers.

This book is full of very practical, real-world advice. For beginning writers, though, I'd suggest a basic introductory book on the elements of novel-writing. If you've a bit more experience and are ready to really roll up your sleeves and produce, this book is definitely for you.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, October 20, 2005

By 

B. Abernethy "Writer Wannabe" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Writing the Popular Novel: A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Fiction That Sells (Paperback)

Ignore the simpletons with the poor ratings for this book. One guy says this book doesn't have the forward???? Well, mine does, I bought it from Amazon a few months ago.

Second, I'm surprised no one mentioned the best part of the book, the short "Fiction Fact" at the end of each of the 27 chapters. They are great. I'll tell you one of them:

"Fans of recycling must appreciate John Creasey, who wrote his first published novel on the back of 743 rejection letters."

Another is about RK Rowling giving a shocking example of where she was financially before publishing the first book. You will be shocked! Believe me. Sorry, these are so great here is another one abbreviated. Offered 200 dollars to write a 2,000 word essay on if a writer should have a social conscience the author wrote back, "No. You owe me 10 cents."

The book itself is very dense. The author gives you quick chapters maybe nine pages long on average covering a lot of information. It is skewed a bit towards the author's perspective and experience, historicals, but that's OK.

If anyone has a brain the will see various books on writing have contridictions. That is because writing is an art, not science. What works for one author-book-time-publisher won't necessarily work for another, duh. It is excellent to learn of various rules, there are reasons for them and know that you are knowingly breaking them.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A bit heavy handed, May 3, 2005

By 

cbbonney (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Popular Novel: A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Fiction That Sells (Paperback)

I have to give Loren credit for speaking his mind so freely, but he lost credibility with me by taking jabs at Nicholas Sparks and his fan base. Not that Mr. Sparks is Hemingway, but he does sell a lot of books and does "something" right with his book writing. Loren's tone was sometimes aloof and it just didn't sit well with me. Some good advice throughout I suppose, but only if you are from Loren's school of thought on what it takes to be a good writer. I think writing about so many tough guys has gone to his head.