How to write a million - the complete guide to becoming a successful author

How to Write a Miffion

'Then I turned to the two Writer's Workshop books, Characters & Viewpoint and Plot. Suddenly my interest was quickened. These were about writing real books and stories, the sort which are all around us, which people read every day. They discussed the practicalities of making characters come to life, of planning and then controlling a plot. And what was most important, they made me think that writing a book could be fun, something that even I could do, and something I would enjoy...

These are the words of author Michael Ridpath, whose first novel, Free to Trade, won him a million pounds in rights fees and advances, with five publishers bidding against each other for the script.

Few writers spring untutored to success, and spending some time learning about the techniques and tools of the trade will always pay off. In this top-value collection of Writer's Workshop guides, compiled by three experienced and successful authors, you will find a complete writer's manual, covering Plot, Characterization & Viewpoint and Dialogue.

Here is the way to build short stories and novels that do not sag, or fizzle out, how to invent, construct, and animate interesting and lifelike characters, through whose eyes and voices the action can be revealed, how to make dialogue a realistic and inherent part of the fabric of your narrative, until your work becomes a polished whole.

Full of vivid examples, step-by-step techniques, useful options and tips, the Writer's Workshop will help you write your way to fulfilment and success. In the words of Michael Ridpath: 'Read these books. Enjoy them.

And start writing!'