How to Start, Write, and Finish Your First Novel - Paperback

by Alan Black (Author)

Here you will find everything from turning your initial ideas into story generation, from beating writer's block, to keeping your writing moving forward from story concept to knowing where and how to end your story. The following is a sample. "WRITE THE CLIMAX FIRST It is said that the hardest paragraph to write is the first paragraph of any book. So, don't start there. Remember rule number three? We don't have to write a book in the same order we read the book. Write the end first. Then back up and get the characters to the end as quickly as possible. We became writers because we were readers first. Our natural inclination is to write our novel like we read a book, from front to back, beginning to end, start to finish. That just isn't always the correct or only way. We write in any order that gets us writing and keeps us writing..."

Author Biography

Alan Black has been writing novels since 1997 when he started Eye on The Prize. His writing tastes are as eclectic as his reading preferences. Alan admits that he loves writing much more than editing and the whole publishing process. Alan was born in central Kansas and grew up in Gladstone, Missouri. He graduating from Oak Park Senior High School and eventually earning a liberal arts degree from Longview Community college. He spent most of his adult life in the Kansas City area. The exception came at the orders from the U.S. Air Force when he was stationed in Texas, California, Maryland, and Japan. He and his wife were married in the late 70s and moved back to Independence, Missouri, but now live in sunny Arizona. His desire to write started in the second grade. He was given an assignment to write a short story about Greek mythology. His teacher took the time to call his parents and express her appreciation of the story. Although neither of his patents remembered the incident, it had an impact on him, eventually leading him to write Eye On The Prize, taking two years to complete. He has gotten faster since then completing a recent manuscript in three weeks. Alan Black is a #1 bestselling author for Metal Boxes, a young adult, science fiction, military, action adventure. He has published ten novels to date. He is an indie multi-genre writer who has never met a good story he didn't want to tell. Alan Black's vision statement: "I want my readers amazed they missed sleep because they could not put down one of my books. I want my readers amazed I made them laugh on one page and cry on the next. I want to give my readers a pleasurable respite from the cares of the world for a few hours. I want to offer stories I would want to read."