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Story Trumps Structure

How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules

Foreword by Donald Maass
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Paperback
$18.99 US
5.45"W x 8.4"H x 0.67"D   | 10 oz | 40 per carton
On sale May 27, 2014 | 304 Pages | 978-1-59963-651-1
Don't limit your fiction - LIBERATE IT

All too often, following the "rules" of writing can constrict rather than inspire you. With Story Trumps Structure, you can shed those rules - about three-act structure, rising action, outlining, and more - to craft your most powerful, emotional, and gripping stories.

Award-winning novelist Steven James explains how to trust the narrative process to make your story believable, compelling, and engaging, and debunks the common myths that hold writers back from creating their best work.

   • Ditch your outline and learn to write organically.
   • Set up promises for readers - and deliver on them.
   • Discover how to craft a satisfying climax.
   • Master the subtleties of characterization.
   • Add mind-blowing twists to your fiction.


When you focus on what lies at the heart of story - tension, desire, crisis, escalation, struggle, discovery - rather than plot templates and formulas, you'll begin to break out of the box and write fiction that resonates with your readers. Story Trumps Structure will transform the way you think about stories and the way you write them, forever.
Steven James is the national bestselling author of a dozen novels, including the critically acclaimed thrillers The KingOpening Moves, and The Queen. He has won three Christy Awards for best suspense and was a finalist for an International Thriller Award. His thriller, The Bishop, was named Suspense Magazine’s book of the year. Publishers Weekly calls him “[a] master storyteller at the peak of his game.” James has a master’s degree in storytelling and has taught writing and creative communication around the world. View titles by Steven James

About

Don't limit your fiction - LIBERATE IT

All too often, following the "rules" of writing can constrict rather than inspire you. With Story Trumps Structure, you can shed those rules - about three-act structure, rising action, outlining, and more - to craft your most powerful, emotional, and gripping stories.

Award-winning novelist Steven James explains how to trust the narrative process to make your story believable, compelling, and engaging, and debunks the common myths that hold writers back from creating their best work.

   • Ditch your outline and learn to write organically.
   • Set up promises for readers - and deliver on them.
   • Discover how to craft a satisfying climax.
   • Master the subtleties of characterization.
   • Add mind-blowing twists to your fiction.


When you focus on what lies at the heart of story - tension, desire, crisis, escalation, struggle, discovery - rather than plot templates and formulas, you'll begin to break out of the box and write fiction that resonates with your readers. Story Trumps Structure will transform the way you think about stories and the way you write them, forever.

Author

Steven James is the national bestselling author of a dozen novels, including the critically acclaimed thrillers The KingOpening Moves, and The Queen. He has won three Christy Awards for best suspense and was a finalist for an International Thriller Award. His thriller, The Bishop, was named Suspense Magazine’s book of the year. Publishers Weekly calls him “[a] master storyteller at the peak of his game.” James has a master’s degree in storytelling and has taught writing and creative communication around the world. View titles by Steven James