Books
Concise Fiction Academy - Non-Fiction
Miranda Darrow helps authors cut through the clutter with a series of pithy books on writing that combine her experience as an editor and her skills from her day job as a corporate attorney.
She gives an “executive summary” with an overview, key recommendations, and sources for more information where needed, with a dash of humor. These books offer checklists, flow charts, and work aids to help authors implement the writing advice without bogging down in the details. These books are perfect for busy authors who want a writing resource but who’d rather be spending time reading comp titles or writing their work than reading large tomes on writing craft for each topic.
The first title in the Concise Fiction Academy book series, The Six-Step Revision Process: Revise Your Novel from First Draft to Final, is available now as an e-book and as a paperback. See the Book tab for buy links.
You wrote a novel. Congratulations! But don’t send that query letter or hit publish yet— revise so your novel is ready for primetime. Trying to tackle all the issues in your manuscript simultaneously is an exercise in frustration. The Six-Step Revision Process is a framework for revising your novel methodically to prevent unnecessary work.
You’ll read about:
- The Big Chart – methods to capture your novel’s main plot and story structure
- Work the Chart – identifying and addressing “big picture” issues
- Add Depth – focus on setting, dialogue, and “show, don’t tell”
- Get Feedback and Incorporate – work with critique partners and beta readers
- Line Revisions – active voice and verbs, mechanics, and copyedits
- Next Steps – multiple paths for publication
Each of the six steps includes productivity tools and links to downloadable resources to help authors self-edit logically and efficiently. This book is perfect for busy authors like you who want a writing resource you can read in an afternoon.
“The Six-Step Revision Process is a wonderful resource for any author, whether they just finished their first book or their hundredth. It breaks the revision process down into a step-by-step process with small, bite-size pieces that help make revising a manuscript feel less intimidating and not nearly as complex. It also provides helpful charts and lists of other resources. And bonus—it’s a fun read. I plan to use the concepts learned here for my revisions and for anyone I mentor.”
–Despina Karras, author, #KissPitch mentor, and founder of the #PitchDis online pitch event.
Nominate Your Opening Page to be Featured in Unputdownable Openings
I’m currently collecting opening pages to feature in an upcoming book in the Concise Fiction Academy series: Unputdownable Openings. For my examples, I’m accessing public domain stories and first pages with permission. This could be your book, with your opening pages featured in a positive light in my upcoming craft book. Note: all selected openings will be highlighted as positive examples of a specific aspect of creating a compelling opening and will include your name, title, and author website. If you’re a published author (trad or indie) and would like your first page considered for inclusion, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/RVwJE7AC7kWDRiQLA
The form will remain open until my book on opening pages is completed, to the extent any book is ever “final.”
Fiction
Will Cam’s dreams of the big league cost him the girl?
Hard-working accountant Sandy has been minor league pitcher Cam’s number-one fan since they met in college. But for the past six years, Sandy has moved with Cam as he’s bounced around the minor leagues, stalling her career at every new venue. Sandy is ready to lay down roots. Things are changing in her life, and it’s time for Cam to get a grown-up job if he’s going to continue to be part of it. On a snowy Midwest April night, Cam gets a call that could change both their lives…
Cam finally gets his chance as a twenty-sixth man, a short-term stint allowing for an extra pitcher during a double-header. It’s Cam’s chance to show the world he deserves a major league career. The game is baseball, but the stakes are a future with the career of his dreams and the woman he loves. Will his chance at the big league be enough to save this relationship or will it be their final out?
A baseball romance short story available now on Amazon for $0.99 USD and free through Kindle Unlimited.
