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It was a hard
slog; without even a little bit of guidance, I felt like I was drowning.
And
let’s face it, writing short stories is completely
different to writing novels, or any other form of
writing. It’s a specialised area, and if you
don’t understand the concepts, you simply won’t
sell your work. And that’s what we’re all
aiming for, right?
I studied the
craft of writing for many years before it all fell into place.
Suddenly I understood the 'secrets' that other writers had been
coveting. Finally I understood why some stories sold, and others
were a complete waste of time and effort - and solicited the big
'R' (rejection).
Then I wrote
the story that completely changed my life.
"Sure," you're
saying. But it's true, I swear. (You'll find no B.S. here.)
I'd struggled
for years to sell my work, and the sale of this one story totally
changed everything.
I
earned
more
than $500 on the sale of
this one story,
then all of a sudden I was selling my writing all over the place.
After receiving
emails from writers all over the world - asking how I did it, wanting to
know what I did that was different to everyone else - I decided to write this book; the book I
needed back in those early days. And other writers need today.
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Stuck with a shelf full
of undeveloped short story ideas, I went through this book as writer--
not just a book reviewer-- and tried many of her exercises with a
skeptical eye. Her exercises worked, and her knowledge and advice turned
my ideas into short stories.
Anyone who is a novice to
writing the short story can expect growth in writing and publishable
short stories after reading this book.
Brandy Y. Foster, Absolute Write |
| “Think Outside the Square”
is the most valuable instruction manual for writers that
I’ve ever read.
Cheryl Wright shows you how to really get
involved with your characters and produce a great story
rather than just a bland piece of writing. Her “down
to earth” approach really works!
There is no-one, but
no-one… who would not benefit greatly
from this book.
Sarah Cook, Author of
Australian Fiction
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| With a resource as concise as "Think
Outside the Square...",
any writer could easily begin submitting short fiction
manuscripts that make editors stand up and take notice.
What better way to launch any writing career?
Lee Masterson, editor of Fiction Factor, and author of
Writing Short Fiction that
Sells!
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The book has been written as an interactive workshop. You won't
be told what to do, you'll be shown how to do it.
You will be guided through every stage of
writing your story; you'll learn how to brainstorm better outcomes,
build realistic characters, give your character a unique
voice, prepare your manuscript, and much, much more.
Here are
just some of the things you will learn:
 The Best and Easiest Way to Create Memorable Characters
How to Make Your Settings Authentic
Why you Need to Fit your Character to his/her
Surroundings and What Happens if You Don't
Why it's Better to Let the Reader Imagine your
Character's Appearance, and How to Avoid giving a Physical
Description (it's easy when you know how!)
How to Write Realistic Dialogue that Fits the Character
Why you Should Use Action Tags - Instead of 'he said'
'she said' All the Time
Free and Easy Ways to Find Outstanding Ideas
Why Point of View is Crucial, and How to Use it
Correctly
How to Write Dazzling Opening Sentences - and Why you
Must
How to Use Emotion, Conflict, and Motivation
- and the Differences Between Them
How to Write a Twist at the End - and Why you Should
Why it's Important to Create Stunning Titles - and How
to Come up with Them
How to "Show, Don’t Tell" – Everyone Talks
about it, But Never Explains it!
New information has been added to
this latest version, including:
 Using Layers to Add More Depth (to your
characters).
Sections have been updated where applicable.
Additional resources added in some sections.
As mentioned above,
Think Outside the Square was written as an interactive
workshop. I want you to work your way through the book, to write
as you learn, using the
summary and exercise/s provided in each section. You may even end up
with a story at the end, or at the very least, the bare-bones for one.
This is not a book to only read. If you’re looking
for a book that will simply tell you what to do,
you’ve chosen the wrong book!
| "Cheryl Wright
has written a wonderful book covering the basics:
developing characters, setting the scene, writing and
selling short stories. It is an invaluable resource for
people seeking financial success for their fiction
writing."
--Sarah White, freelance writer
and editor, and author of “Doing the
Write Thing: The Easy Way to Self-Edit"
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Hi Cheryl,
I really am enjoying your "Think Outside the Square" program. It has
already helped me a lot and I really am glad I bought it. I really
love what you say at the end about never letting anyone discourage
you. I am also having to battle through carpal tunnel in both
hands-very serious in one hand including two surgeries but I won't
give up. I have some stories submitted now to publications but
needed help and your program provided that.
Bill Falo, Writer, New Jersey (USA)
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I’ve also included many of my
‘secret formulas’ and my thoughts on marketing
and setting goals. Using snippets from my own work as
examples, I show you exactly how I do it. There’s no
technical jargon or incomprehensible information;
it’s all explained in a way that is easily
understood by both novices and experienced writers.
Quite apart from the monetary factor -
and you generally get a good
return for short stories - there are other important reasons to
get your short stories published:
 Editors love to snag previously published writers
Book publishers prefer writers with a publishing history
Short stories teach you to write tight and not waste words
Helps with your character development
This one won't help your career, but it sure will help
your ego:
It's a great feeling to be able to say you're a
published author!
If you want to
learn how to earn money by writing short stories, this book is for you.
There's no fluff, and no B.S. - it's all solid and proven information.
Reading this
far means you're serious about getting published in this sought after
area. Right now you're only one short
step away from being published!
p.s. This book
could easily have sold for
$29.95 – even more, but
I’ve chosen to keep it affordable for all writers at
all income levels. Why? Because when I was starting out,
I simply couldn’t afford the tools I needed; I
don’t want to put anyone else in that same
position.
p.p.s. I am so convinced
this book will help your writing immensely that I've decided to give a
100% money back guarantee. And that guarantee is good for a whole 12
months. (This book has been available for over five years now
and I've NEVER been asked for a refund. But I have received tons of
unsolicited
emails thanking me for my insights - you can read just a handful of them
on this page.)
| *If you're wondering whether or not I'm
qualified to write this book, the answer is a resounding
yes! Either
go to
my website, or check out the
'about us' page
on this website. Currently I have nine
published books, with two more due for publication in 2008. Plus I teach writing, edit for publishers, and
have contributed to many non-fiction books
and/or anthologies - seven of them already published. Oh,
and my story was the lead in my latest anthology gig! (I was
paid US$500 for that particular story! You
can check it out here.) |
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It's absolutely no use knowing
how to write short stories if you can't sell them, right?
To make this easier for
you, I've compiled a list of 97 (mostly) pro-paying markets.
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|
That's rights, 97 markets,
most of which pay professional rates - all in the one place!
How easy is that? Better
still, you'll get this listing totally free when you purchase
Think Outside the Square: Writing Publishable (Short) Stories!
Real Value: $11-97 |
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| "Think Outside
the Square is loaded with information, clear examples and
talent-stretching exercises. An essential addition
for every writer's resource library. I felt
so prepared and inspired when I finished ‘Think
Outside the Square’ that I sat right down and wrote
a 1,500-word story. I think it's my best yet!"
Jill
Maser,
author of “Red
Passion”
|
| "’Think
Outside the Square: Writing Publishable (Short)
Stories’ really IS a true interactive workshop for
writers full of writing exercises that will help to get
your creative juices flowing and will lead help you to
get the stories in your head down on the page.
You've got to love a book that
begins with ‘Creating Memorable
Characters’ chapters before you even begin
‘Finding Ideas’. You can't go wrong when
you begin with a three-dimensional character!
If you answer every question as
you read through, your story practically writes
itself!"
Jennifer L Baum, New Jersey
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“I
felt like Cheryl was in the room with me, helping me to
visualize my character. Plus it was friendly and
understanding, not know-it-all and
far-away-from-me-the-beginner-writer. The language
Cheryl used was easy to read and understand. No fancy
jargon, just honest advice from an honest writer.”
Susannah
Eve (Windsor,Ontario)
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