Plot & Structure: Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish

The Big Lie. It's what keeps many would-be writers away from their computers and sends many first-time writers away from their screens in despair. What is the big lie? The idea that writing can't be taught. The author debunks this idea in this how-to guide, which teaches the art of plot and structure in understandable terms with extensive use of examples from literature and film. A former trial lawyer, Bell is the best-selling, award-winning author of several novels including "Final Witness" and "City of Angels" as well as the Shannon Saga series, and frequently speaks at writing conferences. He is also a thriller writer and columnist for "Writer's Digest" magazine. Here, he introduces what he calls the LOCK system for creating plots: Lead character, Objective, Confrontation, and Knockout ending. He illustrates this system by sharing a story written by his four-year-old son: "Robin Hood went riding.