ISBN: 978-978-084-281-9
E-book: Special offer, $9.99, for the first 100 days of release
About the Author
Arthur Zulu is a Nigerian-born writer. His works include Queen Esther, A Letter to Noah and Chasing Shadows! Others are How to Write a Best-seller and God Save the White House. He has also written several articles, which are freely available on the Internet.
The author is a founding member of ArthurBookHouse.
About the Book
This excellent how-to teaches you the secrets of writing a best-seller at first attempt. The 20-chapter ABC of writing tells you what makes a bestseller and guides you through the process of writing, styling, editing, publishing, and marketing your book.
Free Preview (First 3 of 20 chapters)
CHAPTER 1
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT WRITING
“Dare to know.”—Emmanuel Kant
Do you want to write a best-seller and become rich and famous? Yes, you can, if you really believe in yourself, and sit down to translate your dream into reality. The sad thing though is that some are defeated even before they pen down the first sentence. But know that fear, doubt and indecision are the greatest enemies of success; and if these have been your lot in life, then you need a wake up call. Cast away all negative thoughts, and tell yourself this moment that you want to reach the star—you want to write a best-seller, and I tell you that you can. If, however, you have not yet believed in the inestimable power in you to be a star writer, then I’m sorry you are WASTING your time reading this book, and should STOP right here!
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But if you believe like I do, that everything you write must be a blockbuster, then read
the questions which I had once asked, and which will help you on your way to stardom.
What am I to write about?
That’s a naive question. There are many subjects to write about, for all the books that have ever been written, have not tapped man’s inexhaustible fountain of knowledge. Look at science for example, and ask yourself: suppose scientists stopped trying, would you be reading this as an e- book? Or would they have even been thinking of colonizing planet Mars, or of putting up a floating holiday resort for you in space, with a window view of the earth?
But do you know that in spite of all these, scientists have not yet unveiled all the species of living things, not to talk of the numerous stars and galaxies in the universe. Yet, they have not stopped trying, and maybe someday, we may have to travel back in time to the moment of the Big Bang! So, why do you say, What am I to write about?
Now start from where you are sitting down, reading this book. Perhaps it is a chair. Have you thought of the different kinds of seats that were ever made, and will be made? Or, maybe you are sitting in a field. Think of all the kinds of vegetation on earth and how life would have been if they didn’t exist. And by the time you raise your head from the book and look around yourself, you will be flooded by a panorama of things to write about.
So you see that writing is thinking. Think and you will see there are many things that are unknown to you. But suppose you don’t know what to write, you may say like many that don’t believe in themselves:
I did not study the art of writing
To this, I say to you that you do not need to attend a writing school in order to write a best-seller. You don’t need to know any rule or literary theory. All those talk about stylistics, plotting, and the characters being in the right places, are meant to frighten and kill your spirit. The greatest writers didn’t attend writing schools All you need is the power of imagination, not a book of writing rules.
You may agree that a degree in writing may not be a prerequisite to writing a best-seller, and say instead:
I am not highly educated
If by education, you mean having some kind of high school training, then I will say that you don’t need to be educated in the conventional use of the word to write a best-seller. Tell me, did all the great writers go to school to write well? Did you even know that William Shakespeare, who strode the writing world like a Colossus, couldn’t sign his name? So why do you say, I am not educated? What you need is a knack for story telling—sincerely from your heart. In fact, your low education should fire you to excel. Why?
Your lack of “education” might even help to write without worrying about those rules, which stifle, rather than encourage, creative thoughts.
You are, therefore, free to write without inhibition, like a flying butterfly; and let your editors worry about the professional touch. But then comes the question:
Will I make money?
Of course, you must know that not all writers live off their writing. But we are talking here of writing best-sellers. And if you write a best-seller, it means your book will be everywhere, and be read by most persons. It, therefore, follows as a writer of a best-selling book, that you will make money—plenty of it, get contracts from publishers to write, give talks and pocket away money, and even win prizes!
Of course, you like the money. Don’t you? And if you don’t like it anyway, there are things to do with it—give it to charity, and wait for heavenly rewards!
Now, you are going to be famous, and you are going to be loved, or hated.
But I don’t want to be famous
You can’t help it as a world-class writer. You will be known everywhere. You will no longer walk alone in the streets. You now need the guards, and if you have a fatwa placed on your head, you go the extra mile—dig up a hideout, and live all alone. Does that prospect frighten you? On the other hand, if you want to write—God help you—damn it, and write your best-selling book.
But who will publish me?
That is a wrong question. Sounds like putting the cart before the horse; or like crossing the bridge before actually getting there. Write first, and think of getting published, later. The truth though is that most publishers will reject you.
But after you have been published, after your work has become a best-seller, and everyone is talking about you, the same publishers who rejected you will come begging –- asking for your work, offering you money in advance to write for them to publish! You see what I mean? So much hypocrisy! But don’t blame them; it’s the way with the material world! And you too will be smiling all the way to your bank.
Now, how can I write a best-seller?
That’s the best question of all, and since you have asked it, you are on your way to writing a best-selling book. But before you write your best-seller, let’s see writers that wrote masterpieces and why they wrote them.
CHAPTER 2
WHY THEY WROTE BEST-SELLERS
"Of all the arts in which the wise excel, Nature's chief masterpiece is writing well"—John Sheffield
Many writers wrote well and their books became commercial successes. But at the opposite end of the divide are countless failed authors.
Consider the Oxford dropout and lexicographer Samuel Johnson. Not that he was a failed writer. But he is not read partly because of the incomprehensibility of his writings. Says his biographer, James Boswell: "He writes like a teacher [dictating] to his students from an academic chair." Oliver Goldsmith, the poet, playwright, and novelist and one of Johnson's good fellows, puts it humorously: "His little fishes talked like whales."
But we are not going to talk about the failures. Rather, we will be discussing writers who dazzled the literary world in a blaze of glory. So I have presented a selection of writers of both sexes, from diverse lands and of various time periods that wrote in different genres. This is not meant to be a detailed study of the authors. But the purpose is for you to see what made them stand out from the rest—why they wrote best-sellers--so that you too can learn from them and write your masterpiece.
When you read, give attention to their style of writing because that is the important thing--the reason why readers enjoyed their works. Your style therefore does the magic. Because as Logan Pearsall Smith the American writer said, "Style is a magic wand, and turns everything to gold that it touches." If that is true, you will write blockbusters like these writers.
Archer, Jeffrey
Jeffrey Howard Archer was born on April 15, 1940 in Western Super Mare, England. He became a politician after his education at Oxford, and decided to write himself out of debt when his business collapsed. This gave birth to the instant successful novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. Other masterpieces followed among which are First Among Equals, Shall We Tell the President?, Kane and Abel and A Matter of Honor. He became so rich and held his readers spell- bound for over two decades. Why?
He used familiar topics—politics, crime, and sex. His characters also seem real—ambitious and fighting people
He also used known people in international politics as characters, which gave his story more visibility. They included Margaret Thatcher, Ted Kennedy, Saddam Hussein, and Rupert Murdock.
Archer is also very descriptive and likes to put his readers in suspense.
The beloved writer who is married with children got a four-year jail term for perjury. Ever since, it seems he is no longer first among equals.
Bronte, Emily
Born on July 30th 1818 at Thornton, Bradford in bleak Yorkshire moors, and fifth child of six children, Emily Bronte and her family members had a poor, harsh beginning—being reared under the tyranny of their pastor-father. In order to escape their unhappy lives, the children took to writing, with Emily and Anne writing poetry and stories for their imaginary world of Gondal.
Of all the three sisters who wrote books—Emily, Charlotte, and Anne—Emily stands out as the best, though her work did not gain equal recognition as Charlotte’s autobiographical Jane Eyre, in her life time. The works of the Bronte sisters cannot be compared to any other work in English literature because they arose out of personal emotion.
But by far, the greatest of them all is Emily’s Wuthering Heights, her only novel. This novel, the violent tale of love and revenge, has been dubbed the most imaginative novel in English literature. What was it that made it so?
Emily Bronte had rich imagination and this is a great asset for any aspiring writer. And what else? She wrote on romance, and stories of love and revenge make best-sellers any day.
She died on December 19, 1848 at 30 and was buried on December 22 in the family vault in Haworth Church.
Bunyan, John
John Bunyan was born in 1628 at Elstow near Bedford into a wealthy family turned poor family. The little schooled writer, less regarded in his time, was fond of The King James Bible while his contemporaries like John Milton and John Dryden immersed themselves in the classics. A soldier and an itinerant tinker (like his father), he was married, and his house was “as poor as poor might be.”
He wrote about 60 controversial religious tracts and three fictional works. However, the “the village Rochester” also nicknamed “Bishop Bunyan”—Puritan and church pastor at Bedford—rode to fame after he wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress, a religious allegory of his autobiographical work, Grace Abounding to the Chief Sinners. Incidentally, this masterful work written during his twelve years and six months imprisonment at Bedford jail is the most widely read book on earth besides the Bible—cutting across race and religion. It equally spawned Thackeray’s novel, Vanity Fair—after Vanity-Fair—a scene in the book. Why was it an echo-Bible?
Bunyan’s language is simple and his readers could relate to the story. (His books were written in the general language of the day.) Also, the book is full of humor and the reader could not help laughing in most part of it. The characters have weaknesses like us and are either good or bad—people that live around us.
The book has greatly influenced the English language with the author’s skillful naming of places and characters. A short list: Christian, Faithful, Hopeful, Worldly-Wiseman, Apollyon, Lord Hategood, Mr. Malice, Mr. Liar, Talkative, Great Heart (characters); Shadow of Death, Giant Despair, Vanity-Fair, Delectable Mountains, Doubting-Castle, Valley of Humiliation, the Slough of Despond, The Hill of Difficulty (places). It is no wonder that S.T. Coleridge said of the author: “His piety was baffled by his genius; and Bunyan the dreamer overcame the Bunyan of the conventicle.”
The dreamer and genius died in 1688.
Christie, Agatha
Agatha Christie “the Queen of crime” was born of American and British parents on September 15, 1890 in Torquay, in the country of Devon, England; and educated by her mother after her father’s death. She was married twice.
She wrote 78 crime novels, 6 romance novels, and 19 plays under the pen name Mary Westmacott. Her works are now available in 103 languages making her the highest selling fiction writer today—dwarfed only by the Bible and Shakespeare—with 2 billion copies and a gross yearly royalty of $3.7 million. Her works include the masterpiece, The Murder of Rodger Ackrovd, and her best play, The Mousetrap. Do you know why she wrote best-sellers?
She wrote on topics that touch hearts and souls—who isn’t concerned about crime and love?
Her choice of words are hypnotic, making her books “unputdownable” as one scientist said.
She became the Dame of the British Empire in 1971 and died in 1976.
Clancy, Thomas Leo Jr.
The American writer, Tom Clancy, was born April 12, 1947 at Franklin Square Hospital, Baltimore. He studied English and has written many best-sellers, won million-dollar writing contracts, and had writers brand their works as titles written by him.
Some of his successful works, which have been turned into movies, are The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger. Others are The Bear and the Dragon, and The Sum of All Fears.
Why is Clancy a great success story?
He is very descriptive, pays attention to details, and has good plots. Also he writes on espionage, a best-selling topic any day.
The author is twice married, and lives in the United States.
Dickens, Charles
The literary czar, Charles Dickens, was born into a humble family in 1812. He was a victim of child labor and suffered the shame of having his father locked up for a year at the debtor’s prison at Marhalsea. Dickens had little education, read books on his own and taught himself shorthand, which later prepared him as a reporter.
He however got instant recognition from all and sundry when he began publishing his writings in installments in The Pickwick Papers. Why was he considered the first Victorian novelist?
Dickens knew what his readers wanted. He could make them weep or laugh. His novels are humorous and satirical—readers enjoy reading such works. While his earlier writings were episodic, the later ones were well plotted.
The excitement in his novels is manifested in his picturesque descriptions and exaggerated characters, which we have come to treasure, like Sheridan’s Mrs. Malaprop and Shakespeare’s Benedict. Some of his unforgettable characters are Barkis (willing), Pegotty (undecided), Ebenezer Scrooge (miserly), Uriah Heep (‘umble), Mrs .Sarah Gamp (ever with her large cotton umbrella), Mr. Michael Micawber (waiting for something to turn up).
Among his celebrated works are The Old Curiosity Shop (readers wept for dead Little Nell), Oliver Twist (he asked for more), A Tale of Two Cities (influenced by Thomas Carlyle’s French Revolution), and the autobiographical David Copperfield (Dickens’ favorite).
He died in 1870.
Forsyth, Frederick
Frederick Forsyth, the British reporter turned novelist, was born August 25, 1938 in Ashford, Kent.
His best-known works are The Day of the Jackal, The Dogs of War, and The Fist of God. Others are The Odessa File, Icon, and The Devil’s Alternative.
Why are his works blockbusters?
His stories are well researched, full of details, and very informative. He writes thrillers—stories of crime and spying—which is another advantage.
The author is a Eurosceptic.
Gogol, Nicholai Vasilevich (Ianovskii)
Nicholai Gogol, whose real surname was Ianovskii, was born in March 1809 at Sorotchinetz, in Little Russia—growing up in his parents’ country estate. In that same year, literary greats such as Charles Darwin, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Abraham Lincoln, Edgar Poe, Gladstone, Holmes, Chopin, and Mendelssohn were also born.
Aleksandr Pushkin and Walter Scott influenced the educated Gogol in his writing. Considered the founder of the so-called critical realism in Russian literature, his best work is Dead Souls—the surrealistic adventures of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, a merchant of dead souls. Some of his works include The Robbers, The Inspector General, The Collected Tales of Nicholai Gogol, The Overcoat and Other Short Stories, Diary of a Madman and Other Stories.
But why was Gogol successful as a writer? He was highly imaginative and had exceptional linguistic power. In his works, he exposed the defects of human character, and could rightly be called the Hieronymus Bosch of Russian literature.
Later, under the influence of a fanatical priest, Father Konstantinovskii, Gogol burnt sequels for Dead Souls, became mad and died at Moscow on February 21, 1852. (Some say he was buried alive.) On his tomb was placed the old saying, "And I shall laugh with a bitter laugh." These were his last words
.
Grisham, John
John Grisham was born in 155 at Jonesboro, Arkansas, US. He studied law and accounting and was a politician.
First reluctant to go into writing, he came to write blockbusters which have been made into film. They include A Time to Kill, The Client, The Firm, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Street Lawyer, among others.
Why were his books the publisher’s are reader’s delight?
In his simplified arresting style of writing, he shows the working of the legal system, giving hope to the common man.
He also tries to make his characters human, and his narratives real.
Grisham is also a plot master—sometimes complicated—and tries to make his stories interesting.
This “best-selling novelist of the 1990’s” according to Publishers Weekly is married with children.
Rowling, J.K.
Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born July 31, 1965 in Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire, England. She has a daughter from a failed marriage, lost her job, and was on the dole. But this single mother took the world by storm with her Harry Potter series—the story of a boy and his wizard kids in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The author, who started writing at 6, has Jane Austen as her favorite writer. She is the first dollar- billionaire writer and is richer than the Queen of England. Rowling has won international acclaim from her works, which have now been made into hit movies. Why did the books become run away best-sellers?
First, she has a friendly subject—occult / paranormal—a topic that has captivated readers since The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien), The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum), Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll), and The Narnia Chronicles (C.S. Lewis).
Second, the books have wonderful plots and effective characters—loved and hated.
Third, her “humanization” of the witches and wizards who depart to school in a secret place at London’s King’s Cross Station (a real place), has added an element of believability to her story—something that other mystery writers haven’t tried.
Last, the use of surprise (what happens in the next series?) also helped to turn the books to mega hits.
Because of the love for Harry Potter, the following phrases are becoming common place: Muggle (a non magical person), Quidditch (a wizard ball game played on brooms), Seeker (the best Quidditch player), Nimbus Two Thousand / Firebolt (names of activity brooms), The Sorting Hat (a school house cap), Parselmouth (a wizard who talks with snakes), Every Flavor Beans (an all-inclusive)
.
She lives with her daughter and second husband in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Rushdie, Salman
Salman Rushdie was born in Bombay (Mumbi) on June 19, 1942 and educated in England. His first work was Grimus and his most controversial work, which earned him the fatwa, Satanic Verses, won him the Whitebread Award. His other works include Midnight’s Children, Shame, The Moor’s Last Sigh, The Jaguar Smile, The Ground Beneath Her Feet and his recent work, Shalimar The Clown. Why did he write best-sellers?
He employs familiar backgrounds in his stories--myths, religion and folk tales. His narrative style of magical realism, which puts him in the likes of Angela Carter and Peter Carey among other writers, is a curious topic for readers.
His writing is full of charm, almost hypnotic. Books written in this way are arresting.
The author has won the Booker and was recently knighted. He has married four times.
Tolstoy, Leo
Leo Tolstoy was born in the family estate of Yasnaya Polyana, in Tula Province, Russia September 9, 1828. He was a university dropout, lost his parents at childhood, became a drunk and gambler, and joined the army.
Tolstoy wrote several books but War and Peace, which has been dubbed the best novel of our time, was his greatest. Why did he write well?
His stories have good plots, effective characters, and simple style, and he was very descriptive
.
His other masterpiece, The Kreutzer Sonata, which fictionalizes the love life of the author and his secretary-wife led to his excommunication.
He died November 20, 1910 and according to his will, was buried by a “green stick” that never was.
Wolfe, Tom
Tom Wolfe was born March 2, 1931, in Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. He holds a PhD degree, and was a reporter before venturing into novel writing.
The man with the fluffy stuff has written many best-sellers. These include The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, The Pump House Gang, The Painted Word, The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full, I Am Charlotte Simmons, among others. The Bonfire of the Vanities earned $5 million for film rights—the highest by any author. What is the secret behind his success?
Wolfe is a hard working writer, an experimentalist with forms. He believes that his form of writing is the best for all America—an assertion that has provoked a debate from other writers. Besides, he is creative, has good plots for his novels and posesses a good command of the English language.
He is married with two children.
What then did you notice as the common thread in the above list?
First, they are novels / short stories. You should therefore know that fiction is the fastest selling kind of literature.
According to the 2002 SPPA survey published by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts, novels and short stories are the most popular types of literature in that country. It gives the readership of the three categories of literature as follows: novels /short stories, 45 percent; poetry, 12 percent; and plays, 4 percent.
The fact is, people prefer watching TVs and movies to reading plays. And nobody will read your poetry collection unless you are Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis.
The second thing is that the authors of these best-sellers wrote on a subject they understood, knew their language, had good plots, and portrayed their characters well. So, write on a subject you know, use good plots and characters, and you will be on the way to glory.
But one thing must be mentioned: language. If you want people to read your work, do not punish your readers like Dr. Samuel Johnson. The most popular American poet in the 19th century, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, said: “In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” (Emphasis added.) I hope you got the message.
A final point: People are saddened with problems in this world. It is not surprising therefore that the comedians are winning. So, add laughter to your work—like Charles Dickens and John Bunyan. Let your readers enjoy a good laugh as they read through your book. That is why you are enjoying this book. Because I can see the laughter in your face. And that is one reason why it is a best-seller.
CHAPTER 3
BEST-SELLING TOPICS TO WRITE ON
“The best angler in the world will catch nothing if he throws his net in the Dead Sea.”—Irving Wardle
If you want to write a best-seller, you may wish to write on any or all of the genres discussed below. This is because they are echo bibles any day. It is frustrating for an author to spend nights and days, writing and re – writing, only to release his work to unreceptive public. Consider writing on a strange topic like The Dance of a Cockroach. Who cares? It is only a mental exercise to keep the writer on duty. But if you are writing for money (the muses forgive you), you must target an audience -- a wide audience for your work.
Now, let’s consider best selling subjects to write about.
General interest topics are blockbusters
Yes, write a book on a subject that interests people. Even if others have written on such topics, it will continue to command general attention.
The film, Love and Sex by Valerie Breiman got instant attention, and even hundreds were turned back when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to a packed theater. Beware though of writing pornography. You will lose your audience, and your works will be stigmatized.
Apart from love and sex, people want to know how to make money, how to find a panacea for incurable diseases; and so on. Try writing a fiction, for example on how AIDS resistant mosquitoes were used to cure AIDS patients in some distant land. That will generate instant interest, and put scientists on their toes to find a cure for AIDS, using mosquitoes. Sounds funny? Not at all!
Success books cannot be bettered
That’s true, for nobody wants to fail. It is for this reason that how - to books are in great demand. And a writer, like Anthony Robbins with his book, Awaken the Giant Within, has become an icon. People are diffident, frustrated, and need guidance to succeed.
If you, therefore, want to join Tony Robbins and others in his league, dream big dreams on how to help people succeed in life. Tell them they are the greatest, tell them to brighten up for success is around the corner, tell them that failure is a trickster, and tell them they have a mission to accomplish on earth, and that they must accomplish it only if they try. And then your reward for this education will be in big sales and plenty of cash!
Mystery books are hot
The latest sensations are mystery books. Suddenly, everyone wants to know about ET’s, witches, wizards, and so on. Many authors have been identified in this genre, and are smiling away to the bank. See how the Harry Potter series is selling; yet the public is asking for more.
The Man Booker Prize judges have even popularized this genre, also called magical realism, by awarding the coveted prize to any that wrote on it: Salman Rushdie (Midnight’s Children), Ben Okri (The Famished Road), Adorunthi Roy (The God of Small Things). So if you dream up The Second Coming of Julius Caesar with his dead warriors from Hades, all armed to launch a final war on the world’s super power, the book will sell out, before publication.
Controversial books are radioactive
If a work sparks debate, interest in the book will skyrocket. Why? Readers want to know what makes the work controversial. So it becomes a case of one man’s sugar is another man’s diabetes.
Controversial works are easy to write. Sometimes, only a sentence or two is enough to generate the debate that is needed to sell a book. Ask Salman Rushdie, author of Satanic Verses. But note that a controversial work need not be scandalous or defamatory. You also have to be careful not to offend, like writing The Gospel According to Satan.
Readers are looking for Doomsday Books
Yes, apocalyptic literature are best-sellers any day. And disciples of Nostradamus are on hand to whet their appetite. Doomsday writers lined their pockets with cash, writing about the end of the world, at the dawn of the millennium. Yet, the world did not end. But that does not mean that interest in the final hour has waned, for once in a while people get jittery about the onslaught of a wandering, earth-bound comet.
So, if you have a fondness for figures and come out with the date for the final destiny of the world, and even provide escape for those who want to survive, you will be a celebrity overnight. After all, George Orwell did it with 1984, and the world waited in apprehension. That year has now been consigned to the dustbin of history.
Spiritual Books are echo Bibles
Many are now seeking spiritual help outside the Bible, and this is creating a new market for faith writers. Among them is Iyanla Vanzant who wrote Yesterday I Cried. These brands of writers are offering spiritual help to victims of child abuse, rape, broken marriages and the like. Since the list of such victims is growing, it is understandable why this genre has become a favorite for writers.
Science Fiction is the way to go
Long before the space shuttles, Spirit and Opportunity, went to Mars and words started filtering out about the first human exodus to the red planet, writers have dreamt better dreams about space, written books on it, and cashed fat checks. Wouldn’t you like to be one of them?
You probably know a couple of SF titles. But don’t be worried by the preponderance of such horrible titles. Why don’t you do a crazier one titled The War of the Sun and the Moon Eaters. For the story line, say that there is a fight-to-finish battle in outer space between these rival aliens—a war that was started over whether or not to eat our sun and moon as a dessert. Did you cringe?
Thrillers are books for all seasons
The increase in crime and espionage in this world gave rise to thrillers, writers who write them, secret agents who study the books and readers who would die for such works.
It is no wonder that Dan Brown is writing best-sellers. Who would think that the Holy Grail—the last cup that Jesus drank from—and the ark of covenant could be hidden in an obscure church in the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland!
Incidentally, it is not difficult to imagine such plots. Think of a spy on his way through the guarded gates of heaven in an attempt to steal two precious documents from God: a list of people in the Book of Life and the date for the world’s destruction. You may title it The Last Spy. And wait for thunders, fires, meteorites, and hailstones from heaven. Don’t panic, thriller writer. Not yet Armageddon!
Fantasy titles are everyone’s delight
Who does not want to escape the Pandora Box of this world—its wars, terrorism, hunger, disease, and death—at least on the pages of a book. Writers knew better and became household names writing fantasies. So, take your readers to a dream world—never mind that there had been many Happy Valleys and Fortunate Isles before you—and show them another Utopia. They know that it is nowhere—it has never existed—but readers cherish living in wonderland. Like Prester John’s. And you will be rewarded in book sales for making them believe they were Flying Dutchmen. Or women for that matter.
Parallel-world stories are shockingly explosive
Tell an irrational story that reverses historical facts and become a millionaire. Philip K. Dick did it with The Man in the High Castle, where he wrote that the Allies were the losers of the Second World War. Imagine Adolph Hitler winning the war and ruling the world! And Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America made it to the best-sellers list with fascism in America, of all places on mother earth!
If you can take the hits, why not write Blood Thirsty Jews about Israel slaughtering 12 million Germans during the Holocaust. (Someone wrote a denial of the Holocaust and got instant publicity.) Or write of Saddam Hussein overthrowing George Bush and colonizing America and title it Saddam the Messiah. Surely not a topic for lily-livered writers!
The choice is now yours.
So, what would you like to write about? A general interest, success, or mystery book? Or do you prefer science fiction, thriller, or fantasy, Or is your favorite controversial, doomsday or spiritual subjects? Or a combination of two or more of the above?
After you have made that decision, the next thing to do is to put your thought on paper. Yes, I am talking about the development of your best-seller. Now, where do you source the materials for your story?
Other Books by the same author
Queen Esther
