Bestseller: Secrets of Successful Writing [Paperback]

"In this ambitious and fascinating book, Brayfield tackles the Zen of fiction bestsellerdom. Her premise is that stories define a puzzling world and help to defuse our more primitive fears, the most significant continuing to haunt and nourish our imaginations. This is based on a study of how myth works through cultures. From there she constructs her methods of story shaping, research, narrative techniques and, of course, style.......From the GCSE student upwards, writers and raders will enjoy this bold an illuminating tilt at unravelling the mysteries of the popular novel. Even, perhaps, the literary novelist."

"Admirably thought-provoking and even profound. Books cited include Gone With the Wind, Damage, The Joy Luck Club, Scott Turow, J G Ballard, The Great Gatsby and James Bond. Best of all, she demystifies writing but highlights the sheer graft."

"Witty, shrewd....at several points you may want to punch the air and shout, @Good on yer, Celia!'"

Acclaimed by Radio 4's book programme as the best-ever guide to fiction writing, BESTSELLER is about the techniques of creating great popular novels - by a pastmaster of the art.

Celia Brayfield, whose novels have topped bestseller lists around the world, shares the secrets of her own success and comments on the work of many other leading authors to show their creative genius in action.

This lucid analysis:
*illuminates the universal themes which emerge again and again in great writing *identifies classic writing techniques and shows you how to use them *explains how plot, character, style and structure all make up a bestseller *delivers a proven motivation strategy to help you get over first-page nerves....and keep writing BESTSELLER has been an invaluable source of insight and inspiration for writers. Warning - this book works.

When the publishers first approached me and asked me to write this book, I turned them down because I'd only written four novels and it seemed like cheek to be handing out advice at that stage in my career.

Then I read some of the other how-to books for authors. They were so terrible that I changed my mind. BESTSELLER grew out of the lectures I gave when I was promoting my books.

People kept asking questions which made me crazy, like "What's the formula?"

They seemed so dazzled by the money bestsellers made that they forgot that writing a book was involved.

The only formula I believe in is writing the best book you can.

Celia Brayfield's sold her first novel, PEARLS, on the strength of a 33-page outline. At the time she was a struggling freelance journalist and a single-parent with a four-year-old daughter.

An instant bestseller, PEARLS has been translated into every European language and sold over 1.5 million copies.

She followed with two more genre novels, then achieved a breakthrough with HARVEST, a black comedy of serial adultery, which she followed with GETTING HOME, a satire on suburbia, and SUNSET, an ambitious study of love and rebirth set on a volcanic island.

She also writes regularly for many newspapers and magazines.

A great many crazy people think they would be bestselling authors if there were not a world conspiracy to gag them.

All unknown writers are in serious danger of being confused with the crazies.

Any of the following actions will put you under suspicion of being such a person, although most authors make at least one of these mistakes on the road to their publication:
*Do not submit a manuscript directly to a publisher
*Do not imagine that you do not need an agent
*Do not ignore advice you have heard three times or more
*Do not expect anyone to care as much about your book as you do
*Do not think badly of anyone who cares less about your book than you do
*Do not complain than anyone has stolen one of your ideas
*Do not use coloured ink or a wacky font
*When you deliver your manuscript, do not tie it up with a ribbon and a bow