Want to be a better writer? Perfect your process.

Process is a vital, unsung writing skill.

For example, do you fear the blank page? You may be skipping the essential early phases of writing.

Do you generate swarms of ideas but never publish anything? You need strategies to focus and persist to the finish.

When you learn to work with your brain instead of against it, you'll get more done and have more fun.

Master the inner game of writing

The Writer's Process combines proven practices of successful authors with cognitive science research about how our minds work.

You'll learn: 

Done properly, memoir is more than just a recitation of facts about a person's life. It's a journey, connecting writer and reader in that shared space where we all experience what it means to be human. In the award-winning Writing Memoir: The Practical Guide to Writing and Publishing the Story of Your Life, Jerry Payne details, in an easy-to-follow way, how to take the particulars of one's life and weave them into a moving, compelling, page-turning story. Using examples from his own works as well as other works from the masters of the genre, Payne discusses narrative arc, theme, character development, description, dialogue, flow, and voice.


Concise, yet comprehensive, Writing Memoir also covers essential concerns like how to construct an effective outline, how to avoid common errors of grammar and punctuation, how to go about editing and rewriting, how to view one's book critically and objectively, and the ins and outs of both traditional publishing and self-publishing.

Write! is a breakthrough book from a successful professional author, for an audience of writers of all levels seeking a guide to the craft. DiPego’s unique personal approach takes readers on a private tour of his well-lighted rooms and dark corners, revealing his way of pulling feeling, experience and invention from within and weaving them into a story. The result of this exciting method is the creation of rich, believable characters and an atmosphere of Emotional Realism.

Write! shows that the inspiration for a new work is not reducible to rules, the mechanics of plotting, or finding a “hook,” but largely rests in the emotional journey of the characters, so readers are personally engaged and live the journey as they read. DiPego’s method is delivered on the page in a personal, conversational style, laced with examples from his published and produced work as well as relevant anecdotes from the life of a working writer. DiPego offers useful prompts and exercises to help writers integrate his method into their own work.

DiPego is a veteran writer who has taught creative writing and screenwriting, spending four years on the faculty of the Santa Fe Screenwriter’s Conference. Write! distills wisdom from 45 years in his successful career as a writer of fiction in all forms, including novels (Cheevey, With a Vengeance, Keeper of the City and others) films (Sharky’s Machine, Phenomenon, Message in a Bottle, The Forgotten, Words & Pictures, and many more), short stories and stage plays.

He is twice nominated for the WGA screenwriting award, and his film for television, A Family Upside Down, won a Golden Globe award as best picture. His recent play, 154 and Paradise, was produced last year at Santa Barbara's Center Stage to sold-out audiences. His screenplays have attracted top talent such as Paul Newman, John Travolta, Anthony Hopkins, Juliette Binoche, Clive Owen, Kevin Costner, Jennifer Lopez, Robin Wright and others.

How do I self-publish my new book?
And how much will it cost?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? If so, this is the perfect book for you! In this concise and award-winning* self-publishing guide for aspiring authors, Mike Kowis, Esq., shares his 14-step process to publishing attractive, well-written, and effectively marketed books. Don’t worry, it’s MUCH easier than you think! In this step-by-step guide, you will learn:

•Everything you need to know about self-publishing, including advice for editing, designing, distributing, and marketing your book;
•How much this process costs; plus
•The surprising lessons Mike learned from self-publishing his award-winning debut book.

This handy book also includes a checklist of the entire 14-step process so you won’t miss a single thing!

*This book was selected as a Finalist in the Business: Writing & Publishing category of the 2017 International Book Awards, chosen as an Official Selection in the Writing & Publishing category of the 2017 New Apple Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing, and received Honorable Mention in the Non-fiction Writing/Publishing genre of the 2017 Readers' Favorite Book Awards.


MIKE KOWIS, ESQ., is a corporate tax attorney, college instructor, speaker, and award-winning author. During the two-month process of self-publishing his first book, Engaging College Students: A Fun and Edgy Guide for Professors, Mike took careful notes on each step and later decided to write this book to help other authors who want to self-publish. Mike holds a bachelor’s degree and two law degrees, including an advanced law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He lives in Texas with his beautiful wife, Jessica, their two rambunctious children, and two noisy but sweet dogs. You can find more information at www.engagingcollegestudents.com/self-publishing-guide.

With the availability of self-publishing services and the rise of the entrepreneur as a thought leader, writing a book is becoming more appealing to an increasing number of small business owners. The problem? Most small business owners aren’t writers, have never written a book before, are time poor and don’t know where to start. While many want to write a book, they worry about investing months of their time and thousands of their dollars to write something that isn’t any good, or to not even finish. Book Blueprint gives a step-by-step framework that any entrepreneur can follow to write a great book quickly, even if they’re not a writer.

Fire up Your Fiction has won three awards to date: a Silver Medal in the FAPA President’s Book Awards, a Silver Medal in the Readers' Favorite Book Awards, and an Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards for 2013, under its former title, Style That Sizzles & Pacing for Power. It was also a Finalist in Foreword Reviews IndieFab Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards.

“What a wonderful resource for writers at any stage of their career! I wish I had this book when I first started writing. [...] I can’t think of anything important that you haven’t addressed succinctly and clearly. [...] This should be on the booklist for Master’s Programs in Writing for Publication. [...] You must be a wonderful editor to be able to write such a readable, but comprehensive book.”
~ Judge, Writer’s Digest Self-Published e-Book Awards for 2013

“Jodie Renner’s Fire up Your Fiction is a handy manual for writers looking to make the biggest impact with their craft.
“Fire up the Fiction is the Strunk and White for writers who want to be not just mere storytellers but master story-compellers.”
~ IndieReader Approved review, March 2014

Fiction writers – if you’re looking to hone your style, bring your scenes to life, tighten up your writing, add tension, find just the right words, pick up the pace, and develop a more authentic, appealing voice, this multi-award-winning guide to the indispensable style elements of writing a popular novel is for you. This reader-friendly book is chock-full of excellent tips to help you learn to write like the pros and create a compelling novel that sells. Not only that, but if you apply these tips to your manuscript, you'll save a lot of money on editing costs.

“This book is packed with good advice on how to spot and fix weaknesses in your fiction writing. It summarizes the combined wisdom of the last century or so of fiction teachers into one handy volume.”
- Randy Ingermanson, bestselling author of Writing Fiction For Dummies

“A handy checklist and self-editing guide that will get any fiction writer to a stronger, well-told tale.”
– James Scott Bell, bestselling author of Revision & Self-Editing, Plot & Structure, and The Art of War for Writers

Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can read e-books on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Also, please check out Jodie's other guide, WRITING A KILLER THRILLER - AN EDITOR'S GUIDE TO WRITING COMPELLING FICTION, which will help authors of any genre hone your craft, add tension, conflict and intrigue, and make your stories more captivating.

You’ll also find excellent tips on engaging your readers and bringing your characters and story to life in her upcoming book, Captivate Your Readers.