Course Description

Topic: FICTION BESTSELLER WRITING

Level: Beginner

Duration: 4 hours approx

Delivery: Text, PDF

RPWA Certificate: Yes

What do you think actually makes a fiction bestseller?

(You'd probably be surprised...)

Would YOU like to know how to write one?
Then join me on the ultimate quest...

"I can teach you how to create, write and submit a bestselling
novel right now - right from this minute!"


Dear Fellow Writer,

In the course of the last fifteen years of teaching writing online I've become fascinated by the bestseller.

Why do some books outsell others by a factor of a thousand to one? What makes bestsellers so different - and so popular?

On my quest to uncover the truth, I have discovered many surprises - not a few secrets - and yes, I believe I have FOUND THE FORMULA!

Listen up.

Imagine knowing how to write a bestseller.

Imagine knowing all the ingredients necessary: exactly what to put in, what to leave out, where to focus your precious writing time and energy - to create insanely salable fiction that readers - and publishers - will fight over!

Wouldn't that give you the advantage you've always sought?

Why spend a lifetime trying to work through the vagaries of fiction writing, when I can present to you all you need to know right now.

And here's one secret for free: you don't need to be the greatest
writer on earth to sell the most books.

I have studied the five bestselling novelists of the last few years: Dan Brown, JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Paulo Coelho and Nicholas Evans - and at least THREE of these writers have been publicly criticized over their LACK of writing ability!

I won't name which ones here - or for why. Suffice it to say, it's clear to me - and most likely you too - that being a great literary master is NOT the key to achieving bestselling status!

So - if it's not being a great writer that makes a bestseller, what is it?

It's a combination of prerequisites that I will explore in my brand new writing course: "Anatomy of the Modern Bestseller".

About Rob Parnell:
In case you don't know me, I am the author of the award winning Art of Story and The Hero's Journeyin Fiction. I've had over thirty number one Amazon bestsellers. I conduct writing workshops all over the world. I regularly speak on US radio shows about writing. I also run the largest and most influential offline Writing Academy in Australia. My book, The Easy Way to Write a Novel has been in the TOP TEN bestseller list on Clickbank.com ever since its release over FOURTEEN years ago!

It has always been my intention to help writers - and I believe I do. I have personally mentored over three hundred novelists and screenwriters - many of whom have gone on to glittering writing careers. I do this because I love writing and because I seem to possess a unique ability to be able to identify the basic fundamentals of issues that are often needlessly complicated by others.

That is why I know I can teach you how to write a bestseller!

I can show you precisely how to write, plot and structure the kind of novel that sells millions. I know how to create the right kind of characters - and can show you the kind of relationships they should have. I can teach you about setting, the rules of dramatic intent and easy ways to lift your writing to bestseller status.

I have studied writing all my life. And now I want to help you.

Recently I have in particular studied the current five bestselling novels of this century to bring you the best course I believe I have ever produced, based on intimate analysis of these books:


In my new Academy writing course, you will discover:

How to create instantly sympathetic characters your reader will love

'The secret' to compelling characterization

How to plot a dynamite story

How to correctly structure a bestselling novel

How to 'up the stakes' in fiction

How to ensure a reader is riveted

Actual step-by-step templates that show the correct pacing of a story

The right balance between dialogue, exposition, and description

How to impress a publisher with your first line

How to sell your work to an agent

And much more...

Get in inside the minds of these fabulous authors:


Dan Brown, Nicholas Evans, Joanne Rowling, Paulo Coelho and Stephenie Meyer

Experience writing bestsellers from the inside out!

So what's in the masterclass? We will explore:

Module 1. The Idea and the Outline

Writing a blockbuster novel is not just about luck. 99% of the books you see in the NY Times bestseller list were planned and executed with the express purpose of getting on to it.

We will explore the psychology of bestselling authors and the questions they ask themselves before they begin writing. Finding a topic and a set of events that will be compelling to many people is just as important as writing about your characters and their relationships. There are big questions you will need to ask yourself before you write your own bestselling novel. I will reveal those questions and their significance to your success.

I will show you how to easily construct a bestseller outline of your own - and show how strong outlines were used to create the five bestselling novels of our time.

Module 2. Characters and their Relationships

We will analyze what makes a character heroic and enduring. There are simple formulas - but be aware, these are in no way formulaic – because if they were, they wouldn’t work!

Building and developing bestseller characters and compelling character-based scenarios is a process – one you can easily master. I will reveal to you the simple rules that ensure a reader’s engagement in your characters, their relationships, histories, actions and motivations.

We also analyse point of view and how best to use it. Here again, there are rules on how to proceed. Using the examples of the five bestselling novels featured, I will explain those rules and guide you into making the correct decisions for your own work.

Module 3. Scene Structure and Plotting

Plotting modern stories is no longer a random series of writer mishaps. Just like TV and the movies, plotting a major novel is a logical sequence of carefully considered judgments that a committed bestselling author (and often his/her agent and publisher) can and do make.

There are many useful conventions you can use when it comes to plotting a bestselling story. Pace can be formalized – and I will show you the template to use for this purpose. So too can scene structure be shown to be a predetermined decision based on the effect you are trying to achieve.

Remember that my purpose in these lessons is to help guide you toward writing a bestseller. In this module I will present to you formulas which you may embrace or reject, based on your needs and your intuition. However, from the five examples cited, I will also give evidence that certain conventions are best adhered to if you sincerely want to write a bestselling novel.

Module 4. Story Editing and Revision

As writers, we all know that careful editing can make the crucial difference between rejection, consideration or acceptance. Editing a high concept novel requires a dedicated focus on story, impact and emotional involvement with a critical, sometimes ruthless eye. Let me show you how that is done.

Editing and revising a bestseller is often a new frontier for many writers, but one that really must be mastered. I will explore the various techniques employed by bestselling authors and – in their own words – show you how this powerful mindset is achieved and exploited.

If you’ve never actually achieved a position of calm objectivity in regards to your own writing, and its potential force, this module promises to be an enlightening adventure.

Module 5. Submission and Success

When the writing is over, your quest for publication begins. But rest assured, if you’ve followed the teaching of this course up to this point, you are streets and houses ahead of the competition. You will have reached a state of absolute surety that your work is a bestseller merely looking for a home.

This, believe it or not, is when you, the author, has more power than you will ever have in the rest of your writing career. I will show you how to use that power skilfully and to your ultimate advantage.

Based on actual evidence, I will show you a marketing and submission plan that will ensure your success in placing your novel with a publisher.

Plus, tips, secrets and tactics that have been used over and over to literally guarantee long-term success as a bestselling author. All told with the customary wit and wisdom you'd expect from me - and with full color illustrations too!

Remember: my partner and I are the authors of over 100 published books. I am therefore in a very good place to guide and advise you, based on my wealth of experience, expertise, and decades of success within the writing industry. 

(...and no, I'm not that old!)

Purchase the entire six-part Anatomy of the Modern Bestseller - and you'll be writing bestsellers in no time!

To Your Success.
Keep Writing!


Your Success is My Concern


RECENT TESTIMONIAL RECEIVED from a bestselling author:


"Hi Rob, 

"My name is Monica Mathis-Stowe. We have never met, but you helped me make my dream of becoming a published author come true... THANK YOU!

"Over a year ago, I purchased almost all of your writing guides and studied them, no, I devoured them, eager to become a published author. Your how-to-guides were different from the previous writing books I purchased. They were easy to follow and full of useful information. I kept having ah-ha moments while reading your work and almost every paragraph was highlighted because of the useful information. It was life changing for me.

"Even today, while working on my third novel, I still refer to your material when I need help with my writing. If you ever need a testimonial about how your work can help others chasing the same dream, please don't hesitate to contact me."




Rob Parnell's Easy Way to Write:
Writer's Digest Best Writers's Site
Critters Number One Writer's Info Site
"Rob Parnell is the world's foremost writing guru." Vin Smith, Midnight Bookworm

Your Personal Instructor

Rob Parnell

Rob Parnell has been teaching online since 2002, specifically helping writers earn money from their passion. He is the proud founder of The Writing Academy, an online school dedicated to student success and authorial excellence.Rob has published over thirty number-one best-selling books on genre fiction authorship, freelance writing, motivation, productivity; getting rich, staying thin and healthy. When it comes to making a living from writing, composing music, and creating film projects, Rob is a man who knows what he's talking about! You'll enjoy his down-to-earth style and the feeling Rob somehow knows you like a friend! Rob has been writing since he was five years old. He writes every day without fail - it's a compulsion. His preferred genre is the thriller - sometimes with a supernatural edge - in which he writes short stories, novels, screenplays, and adult thrillers - including his Purge detective novels and the popular Sherlock Holmes: Zombie Slayer series. Also a musician and composer, an accomplished singer, media producer and budding movie maker, Rob is ecstatically happy to be married to Robyn Opie Parnell, his savior, and the popular best-selling children's author.They live miles from anywhere in their beautiful country farmhouse, its eleven acres tucked within inches of the stunning Flinders Ranges, with their beloved pets, Wally the dog and the cats: Jessie, and Iggy (because he's The Wild One.)

Course curriculum

  • 1

    The Bestseller Writing Course

    • Introduction to the Modern Bestseller

    • Lesson One - The Idea and The Outline

    • Lesson Two - Characters and Their Relationships

    • Lesson Three - Scene Structure and Plotting

    • Lesson Four - Story Editing and Revision

    • Lesson Five - Submission and Success

Reviews

5 star rating

Well Worth the Read, Loads of Helpful Information

Julie Grace

This course has a wealth of information that will help the newbie writer, as well as, the more seasoned one. There is always more to learn as I found out in...

Read More

This course has a wealth of information that will help the newbie writer, as well as, the more seasoned one. There is always more to learn as I found out in this course. Rob has presented a no-nonsense course that takes you from coming up with a main idea, making an outline for your bestseller, and following through to writing effective scenes. I loved how the course referenced top modern bestselling authors and some of the strategies they used to create their work. It was eye opening to find out about their struggles and how their self-discipline and passion kept them from giving up. The course was uplifting and gave me confidence to move forward towards my goals. The chapter on Submission and Success was surprising. Never publishing traditionally, I had no idea of the process. The Power of Five was also enlightening and very helpful. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to succeed with their writing career.

Read Less
5 star rating

Useful Information

Elizabeth Hamlin

For the price of $17, this was a very good buy. Few courses in how-to-write-a-bestseller are as specific and easy to understand as this one.

For the price of $17, this was a very good buy. Few courses in how-to-write-a-bestseller are as specific and easy to understand as this one.

Read Less
5 star rating

Great advice.

Wesley Goodman

Fantastic advice.

Fantastic advice.

Read Less
5 star rating

Anatomy of the Modern Bestseller

Lee Saenz

Excellent! Looking forward to taking more classes from Rob Parnell. Very clear and simple to understand.

Excellent! Looking forward to taking more classes from Rob Parnell. Very clear and simple to understand.

Read Less
5 star rating

The modern best seller - isn't that what all writers aspi...

Alex Grose

Very helpful, with a few surprising truths, that I wouldn't have know, had I not done the course

Very helpful, with a few surprising truths, that I wouldn't have know, had I not done the course

Read Less