James Scott Bell has 8 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 5 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4.8★ across 152 ratings. The most-rated is Nearly Normal.
Nearly Normal
Summary
From the author of the best-selling memoir North of Normal comes the harrowing story of a past that won't let go, and one woman's attempt to put her life back together after everything falls apart In her best-selling memoir North of Normal, Cea wrote with grace about her unconventional childhood - her early years living in a tipi in Alberta with her pot-smoking, free-loving counterculture family. But her struggles do not end when she leaves her family at the age of 13 to become a model. Honest and daring, Nearly Normal reveals the many ways that Cea's unconventional childhood continues to reverberate through the years. At the age of 37, Cea has built a life that looks like the normal one she craved as a child - husband, young son, beautiful house, enviable career. But her carefully art-directed world is about to crumble around her. As she confronts the death of her still-young mother, the disintegration of her second marriage and the demise of her business, all within a few months, she finally faces the need to look at her past to make sense of her present. The Globe and Mail says "Person's best gifts as a writer are her memory, her knack for knowing when to dig down into the finer details of a scene, and when to pull back." Nearly Normal chronicles the many stories Cea left untold but that needed telling. Settled into a new and much happier life after the release of her first book, she is nonetheless compelled to continue searching for answers about her enigmatic family. She discovers the value in the lessons they taught her, and the power of taking responsibility for her own choices.
©2017 Cea Sunrise Person (P)2017 Audible, Inc.
How to Write Best-Selling Fiction
Summary
Most people think the way to write a best seller is to have a lot of talent and even more luck. As you will learn, there is a recipe for success, and luck may be the least important ingredient in creating a best seller. When it comes to solving the mystery of what makes a best-selling novel, no one has cracked the code better than James Scott Bell. A best-selling author himself, winner of the International Thriller Writers Award and the Christy Award for Suspense, plus the author of the number-one best seller for writers, Plot & Structure, Mr. Bell has been teaching the principles of best-selling fiction for over 20 years, principles that apply to any genre or style. In the 24 lectures of How to Write Best-Selling Fiction, Mr. Bell provides a comprehensive, eye-opening, and illuminating survey of the entire writing process, as well as a full breakdown of how best-selling authors such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Suzanne Collins, Janet Evanovich, and dozens of others have implemented best practices in their own writing. From fun creative challenges to help you get started with unique plot and character ideas to how to format, package, and promote your finished material - with help dotting every "i" and crossing every "t" along the way - Mr. Bell offers an insightful, intimate, and extraordinarily revealing look at the elements that elevate a novel to become a best seller. Any aspiring author will gain a wealth of tools that will not only improve their ability to write, but will also increase their enjoyment of the craft. The famous writer Somerset Maugham once said, “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” And maybe no one knows the “rules”, but there are writing techniques, practices, and fundamentals that writers have used for decades to become best-selling authors. And just like Picasso, once you master the basics of your art, then you can create your own rules. With How to Write Best-Selling Fiction, you get an intimate introduction to the fundamentals of how to write your best seller, from a best-selling author who has mastered the secrets to success. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2019 The Great Courses (P)2019 The Teaching Company, LLC
You Have a Match
Summary
A Reese Witherspoon X Hello Sunshine Book Club YA Pick A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget. From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship.... When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie...although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front. But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister. When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself. The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything. But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones. A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books “A YA contemporary set at summer camp? Count us in.” (BuzzFeed) “Heartfelt and engaging, You Have a Match is a masterclass on love in all its forms.” (Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated and Perfect on Paper) “A bright summer tale of connection and self-discovery.” (Booklist)
©2021 Emma Lord (P)2021 Macmillan Audio
How to Write Dazzling Dialogue
Summary
There is one sure-fire way of improving your novel fast... You may know the fundamentals of how to write fiction. You may be more than competent in plot, structure and characters. But if your dialogue is dull it will drag the whole story down. On the other hand, if your dialogue is crisp and full of tension it immediately grabs the reader. And if that reader is an agent or editor, sharp dialogue will give them instant assurance that you know what you're doing as a writer. Writing a best seller or hot screenplay is no easy task, but dazzling dialogue is an absolute essential if you want to get there. The best part is, the skills of the dialogue craft are easy to understand and put into practice. Number one best-selling writing coach James Scott Bell has put together and expanded upon the dialogue lectures from his popular writing seminars. In How to Write Dazzling Dialogue you'll learn: What fictional dialogue is...and isn't The 11 secrets of crafting memorable dialogue The 5 essential tasks of dialogue 5 ways to improve your dialogue ear 4 can't-miss methods to increase conflict and tension in any dialogue exchange The top 10 dialogue issues, and how to resolve them You'll also see dazzling dialogue in action with examples from hit novels and screenplays. Don't sabotage your chances of selling your work to readers or publishers because the dialogue is unexceptional. Dazzle them with what the characters say. How to Write Dazzling Dialogue will give you the tools to do it.
©2014 James Scott Bell (P)2019 James Scott Bell
Write Your Novel from the Middle
Summary
A powerful secret and a fresh approach to writing bestselling fiction! What's the best way to write a "next level" novel? Some writers start at the beginning and let the story unfold without a plan. They are called "pantsers", because they write by the "seat of the pants". Other writers plan and outline and know the ending before they start. These are the "plotters". The two sides never seem to agree with each other on the best approach. But what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to #1 bestselling writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process. Bringing together years of craft study and personal discovery, Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life.
©2014 James Scott Bell (P)2019 James Scott Bell
The Last Fifty Pages
Summary
“The first page of a book sells that book. The last page sells your next book.” (Mickey Spillane, American crime author) What are the secrets for writing a great ending for your novel? How do you leave readers so satisfied that they'll want another book by you, right now? What tools and techniques can shape your last 50 pages into a powerful, unforgettable experience? In this audiobook, international Thriller Writers Award winner and number one best-selling writing teacher James Scott Bell reveals: The five types of endings Things that need to happen in act three Ways to use the ah and uh-oh emotional wallops A simple technique for crafting twist endings The most important secret of all: resonance The "stew, brew, accrue, do" brainstorming method The best way to tie up loose ends The most common ending mistakes, and how to avoid them. And more! Listen to this audiobook, and you will come away with a thorough knowledge of why great endings work and how to create them for every novel you write.
©2019 James Scott Bell (P)2019 James Scott Bell
Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth
Summary
Includes audio excerpts from Trump’s press conferences, remarks, rallies, and speeches A National Best Seller In perilous times, facts, expertise, and truth are indispensable. President Trump's flagrant disregard for the truth and his self-aggrandizing exaggerations, specious misstatements, and bald-faced lies have been rigorously documented and debunked since the first day of his presidency by The Washington Post's Fact Checker staff. Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth is based on the only comprehensive compilation and analysis of the more than 16,000 fallacious statements that Trump has uttered since the day of his inauguration. He has repeated many of his most outrageous claims dozens or even hundreds of times as he has sought to bend reality to his political fantasy and personal whim. Drawing on Trump's tweets, press conferences, political rallies, and TV appearances, The Washington Post identifies his most frequently used misstatements, biggest whoppers, and most dangerous deceptions. This book unpacks his errant statements about the economy, immigration, the impeachment hearings, foreign policy, and, of critical concern now, the coronavirus crisis as it unfolded. Fascinating, startling, and even grimly funny, Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth by The Washington Post is the essential, authoritative record of Trump's shocking disregard for facts.
©2020 WP Company LLC. All rights reserved. (P)2020 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved
Super Structure
Summary
Story loves structure...and so do audiences! Super Structure represents over two decades of research on what makes a novel or screenplay entertaining, commercial, original, and irresistible. Contrary to what some may think, structure is not a nasty inhibitor of creativity. Quite the opposite. Properly understood and utilized, structure is what translates story into a form audiences are wired to receive it. And it is only when audiences truly connect with your story that they turn from casual followers into fans. The material in this book greatly expands upon the chapter on structure in Write Your Novel From the Middle. Super Structure can be considered a companion to that book, but it also stands alone in its treatment of the elements of a solid and pleasing plot. Here's more good news: Super Structure will work for any type of writer - those who like to outline, those who just fly by "the seat of the pants", and those who do a little of both. That's because Super Structure stresses the concept of "signpost scenes". There are 14 signpost scenes, or beats, that can be used to create an entire plot, the skeleton of an idea, or a map to help you figure out what to write next. Every signpost is given its own chapter and explanation, along with a section called "Helpful Hints for Plotters and Pantsers", showing you how to apply what you've learned and adapt it to your own style of writing. Never write a weak novel or screenplay again. Super Structure is a proven foundation that never fails. It frees you to add your original voice and vision, all of which adds up to bestselling fiction and hit screenplays. "I need three things before I tackle a new novel: Diet Coke, a laptop, and my dog-eared copies of James Scott Bell's books on writing craft!” (Kami Garcia, number one New York Times and international best-selling author)
©2015 James Scott Bell (P)2020 James Scott Bell