Crafting Plots That Steal Sleep From Your Readers With Matthew F. Jones | SCC 252

Matthew F. Jones is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels as well as a number of screenplays. His novels have been widely translated and several times have been named on best novels of the year lists. Three of his novels, A Single Shot, Deepwater and Boot Tracks, have been made into major motion pictures. He has taught creative writing at a number of colleges and universities, including Randolph Macon College, Lynchburg College and the University of Virginia. He grew up on a horse and dairy farm in rural upstate New York and currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.

When tackling a new writing project, one of the first decisions that you must face is who is your book for? Believe it or not, when you honestly ask yourself this question and allow the answer to guide your planning, you might just unlock some of the trouble areas that have plagued your writing in the past. Abby and Hank are going to explore this topic and give you some real-world--and hard won--tips that might just transform your writing.

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod and twelve other bestselling thrillers. He also writes nonfiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series. Brad is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag with his show, Brad Meltzer’s Lost History.

It’s been five years since heiress Clare Monroe tragically died on New Year's Eve at her family's fabulous Italian estate. Since that time, her college roommates have harbored a dark secret--their lies and misdeeds led to her death all those years ago. What happened that fateful night was a series of horrible accidents, but Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David are guilty, nonetheless. And their desperate decision to conceal the truth destroyed their once-close bond. Now, the estranged friends are each the recipient of an invitation from Clare’s family to an all-expenses-paid trip back to the Monroe's lakeside palazzo for a long-overdue celebration of life party. It’s an invitation none of Clare’s friends want to accept, but they can hardly refuse. Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David have barely settled into the idyllic estate with the rest of Clare’s family before they become targets of a series of unsettling occurrences. Someone here knows the truth, and as the menacing taunts and threats escalate, it becomes swiftly clear that nothing is as it seems at the Monroe palazzo, and their secret—and their lives—are in danger.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kit Frick is a MacDowell Fellow and International Thriller Writers Award finalist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She studied creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College and received her MFA from Syracuse University. She is the author of the adult suspense novels The Split and Friends and Liars, the young adult thrillers Before We Were Sorry (originally published as See All the Stars), All Eyes on Us, I Killed Zoe Spanos, Very Bad People, and The Reunion, and the poetry collection A Small Rising Up in the Lungs. Kit loves a good mystery but has only ever killed her characters. Honest. Visit Kit online at KitFrick.com and on Instagram @KitFrick.

We all love a good writing challenge, don't we? NaNoWriMo (RIP) was an excellent challenge that helped a ton of writers get started as writers. We at Dabble even started our very own 60 Day Novel Challenge to help encourage and empower people to take that plunge and get their novels written, but do we have to wait until October or November to write? What if you're inspired in the middle of Spring? The good news is that most writers are always writing or thinking about writing. In today's Fireside Chat, join Abby and Hank as they discuss being a year-round and lifelong writer.

As authors we envision a life of creating stories that entertain and move readers, or so we hope. The reality is, though, that we must learn to balance art and commerce. As authors we must wear many hats throughout our career. Join us as we talk it out.

Blaine Pardoe is an award winning New York Times bestselling author who lives in Spotsylvania, Virginia. He is the author of numerous science fiction, military history, true crime, horror, and business leadership books. He is considered one of America's best writers about the Great War. His books have been published in six languages and he has been a featured speaker at the U.S. National Archives, the United States Navy Museum, and has appeared on numerous television and radio programs.

Welcome to the 60-Day Novel Challenge Live Show. It’s your place to ask questions, get unstuck, and stay motivated throughout the 60-Day Novel Challenge! Each week during the challenge, we go live to: Answer your questions Troubleshoot common writing roadblocks Share tips to help you plan, draft, and finish your novel Highlight upcoming challenge events and writing sprints This week, we're wrapping up our novels by discussing the third act and reflecting on all the effort you've put in so far. Plus, we answer all your burning questions! Still need to join the challenge? It’s free! And if you sign up for a free trial of Dabble and connect it to your 60-Day project, we’ll extend your trial until the end of the Challenge, all with no credit card required! Join the Challenge: https://www.dabbleu.com/feedDabble Free Trial: https://www.dabblewriter.com/ Let’s write that novel—together! #AmWriting #60DayNovelChallenge #WritingCommunity #NaNoWriMo #DabbleWriter

Welcome to the 60-Day Novel Challenge Live Show. It’s your place to ask questions, get unstuck, and stay motivated throughout the 60-Day Novel Challenge! Each week during the challenge, we go live to: Answer your questions Troubleshoot common writing roadblocks Share tips to help you plan, draft, and finish your novel Highlight upcoming challenge events and writing sprints This week, we're talking about the second half of act two: the midpoint and second plot point, and what those mean for your character. Of course, we're answering all your burning questions, too. Still need to join the challenge? It’s free! And if you sign up for a free trial of Dabble and connect it to your 60-Day project, we’ll extend your trial until the end of the Challenge, all with no credit card required! Join the Challenge: https://www.dabbleu.com/feedDabble Free Trial: https://www.dabblewriter.com/ Let’s write that novel—together! #AmWriting #60DayNovelChallenge #WritingCommunity #NaNoWriMo #DabbleWriter

Welcome to the 60-Day Novel Challenge Live Show. It’s your place to ask questions, get unstuck, and stay motivated throughout the 60-Day Novel Challenge! Each week during the challenge, we go live to: Answer your questions Troubleshoot common writing roadblocks Share tips to help you plan, draft, and finish your novel Highlight upcoming challenge events and writing sprints This week, we're looking at the thrilling things you want to harass your protagonist with: the rising action, subplots, and the antagonist! Still need to join the challenge? It’s free! And if you sign up for a free trial of Dabble and connect it to your 60-Day project, we’ll extend your trial until the end of the Challenge, all with no credit card required! Join the Challenge: https://www.dabbleu.com/feedDabble Free Trial: https://www.dabblewriter.com/ Let’s write that novel—together! #AmWriting #60DayNovelChallenge #WritingCommunity #NaNoWriMo #DabbleWriter