Jodie’s Books
on Sep 22 inThe following are Jodie’s published craft-of-fiction e-books to date. Please visit Jodie’s author website to find out more about her current and upcoming books.
For more information on each, click on the title just below to go to Amazon-Kindle. And by the way, you don’t need a Kindle to buy and read e-books – you can purchase and read them on your PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet. Scroll down for endorsements and reviews of each book. Style That Sizzles & Pacing for Power is also available in paperback, on Amazon and elsewhere, and for other e-readers like Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader and Apple iPad through Smashwords.
~ WRITING A KILLER THRILLER – An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction (32 reviews, averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars)
~ STYLE THAT SIZZLES & PACING FOR POWER – An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction (28 reviews, averaging 4.9 out of 5-stars)
Style that Sizzles & Pacing for Power
- An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction
by Jodie Renner
Available as a paperback and as an e-book on Amazon-Kindle, and for Nook, Apple iPad, Kobo, and Sony Reader through Smashwords.
Some of the reviews STYLE THAT SIZZLES & PACING FOR POWER has received on Amazon:
5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Guide Every Writer Must Have, October 17, 2012
By Susanne Lakin “slakin” (CA USA) -
This review is from: Style that Sizzles & Pacing for Power (An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction) (Kindle Edition)
Style that Sizzles is a book every fiction writer needs to have. I’ve read dozens of writing craft books, and this one is a gem. Jodie Renner addresses all the crucial issues and components in a novel and shows with great right-and-wrong examples how to trim and tighten your writing. As a professional copyeditor she brings years of expertise to the fore and examines both the big-picture issues involved in cutting or revising scenes as well as the many micro issues such as clunky dialog and overuse of adverbs and adjectives. As a professional novelist, copyeditor, and writing coach, I can honestly say this comprehensive book covers everything a writer at any level needs to make a novel sizzle.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource for any writer, November 17, 2012
By Eyeclocker – See all my reviews
Jodie Renner has achieved a remarkable feat here–she’s distilled everything a fiction writer needs to know to draft edgy, compelling fiction into a short and sweet book. And she’s done it by excluding all the fluff other craft books use as filler. Even if you only read just one of her chapters it will be worth the `investment’ you will make as a writer. It’ll take you a few hours to get through it, but it’s two hours you can’t afford not to dedicate to this book if you care about your writing career.
Of course she includes the core writing techniques required for publishable manuscripts such as show vs. tell, deep POV, natural sounding dialogue, and all the rest. But what’s exceptionally useful is that the book is essentially a micro-manual for quick, easy-to-learn techniques to pare down your writing and make it lean and mean. Read this and you will avoid the sort of mundane writing that tries too hard and puts off today’s busy readers–or worse, agents and publishers. Ms. Renner wages a ruthless war on little words that pile up, like “that”, which you will never again use unless you really need to. No matter how good of a writer you think you are, or no matter how complete you think your manuscript is, I guarantee you will find something in this book to improve your writing and to substantially enhance your chances of getting published.
Ms. Renner is the queen of thrillers and other crime fiction, but the invaluable advice provided here is applicable to anything you write, including non-fiction. And yes, including the review you will be compelled to draft about her book after you buy it and read it.
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for aspiring fiction writers, October 7, 2012
By Iola (New Zealand) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Style that Sizzles & Pacing for Power (An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction) (Kindle Edition)
This isn’t a long book, but it’s packed full of information that any writer aspiring to write and publish a novel needs to know. It quotes well-known editors such as Sol Stein, James Scott Bell, and Browne & King, and the author draws extensively on her own experience as a freelance fiction editor. The tone is conversational, which makes it easy to read, and it is full of practical examples of how to self-edit your novel. While unpublished or self-published novelists will learn the most from this, I think it serves as a handy (and cheap) reminder for anyone interested in writing, editing or proofreading fiction.
5.0 out of 5 stars From an editor for writers!, October 4, 2012
By L.J. Downs – See all my reviews
This review is from: Style that Sizzles & Pacing for Power (An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction) (Kindle Edition)
For a book that is focused on style and pacing, not only was the style and format of the information being conveyed constructed great, but the pacing of the book was very quick as well! At about 143 pages a lot of information was neatly packed into this e-book. You can tell this was written by an editor for writers. Too many books dealing with the craft of writing on the market are filled with unnecessary words that slow the book down. I can’t even count the number of books I’ve read where an author provides a bad then good example of some point they’re trying to make then spends the next few pages essentially saying, “SEE HOW GOOD IT IS THE SECOND TIME!”
This book will be staying on my kindle bookshelf for a long time since it will function as a great reference when I need a reminder on the fundamentals of writing.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for Fiction Writers, September 26, 2012
By Ian Walkley “author of NO REMORSE, thriller a… (Brisbane, Australia) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Style that Sizzles & Pacing for Power (An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction) (Kindle Edition)
“What I like about Jodie Renner’s second style guide is the way it is concisely points out the key things writers need to remember about particular elements of style, like cliche, showing not telling, choosing strong verbs and so on. Unlike some resource manuals that seem to feel it’s necessary to labour the point to make the book thick enough, Jodie shows the strength of her editing skills to give us enough material that we can refer to regularly.
A top reference for any writer, but particularly emerging writers of fiction.”
Writing a Killer Thriller
- An Editor’s Guide to Writing Powerful Fiction
by Jodie Renner
“When it comes to fiction techniques, Jodie Renner knows her stuff. She’s the real deal.”
D.P. Lyle, MD, Macavity Award winning and Edgar Award nominated author of many non-fiction and fiction books
32 reviews, averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars
Available on Amazon-Kindle for $2.99
“I’m buying and reading everything else Jodie has available to sell or to share. Her Rosetta Stone of Thriller Writing Advice only makes the other how-to titles on your bookshelf that much easier to understand, appreciate, and put to good use.”
- Andy Fields, Amazon, April 6, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars For every thriller author serious about perfecting their craft: this one’s a must-read., July 5, 2012
“With years of experience as a professional editor to many successful authors, Renner knows what it takes to write a good thriller, and she lays it all out here in a no-nonsense, easy-to-understand manner. From building excitement and suspense on every page, to adding tension and conflict to each chapter, this book is packed with information you simply can’t afford to miss if you want to gain that ever-elusive competitive edge in the world of fiction.
–Andrew E. Kaufman, #1 bestselling author of The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted and While the Savage Sleeps
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Writing Advice,July 21, 2012
By L.J. Sellers, novelist (Eugene, OR) – See all my reviews
“Jodie Renner is a terrific editor, one that I trusted with my last three novels. And her advice columns are so good, I print and save them all. For thriller authors, this will be the best money you ever spend.”
–L.J. Sellers, bestselling author of provocative mysteries and thrillers
5.0 out of 5 stars So you want to write a thriller…, July 24, 2012
“Jodie Renner has de-mystified the process of thriller-writing with WRITING A KILLER THRILLER. This little booklet is packed full of information which is not just useful, but critical to the success of any thriller writer, whether just starting out or a veteran of many books.
WRITING A KILLER THRILLER proceeds logically, starting out with what might seem obvious at first glance but really is not – explaining the difference between a mystery and a thriller. The booklet then addresses issues critical to the success of your thriller, like the importance of conflict, how to heighten suspense, and techniques to use which will keep readers compulsively turning the pages.
I’ve worked with Jodie in the past, she helped me transform THE LONELY MILE from a good book to a “gripping and unnerving” Amazon bestseller, and I look forward to working with her again. But if you want to avail yourself of the knowledge of one of the best freelance thriller editors in the business, you couldn’t ask for a better deal than WRITING A KILLER THRILLER, especially for such short money.”
- Allan Leverone, bestselling author
5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource!, July 20, 2012
“an absolute must-have for anyone even thinking about writing a thriller. [...]
Her e-booklet will help keep your prose tight while making sure that you never forget the essentials for making a thriller hum–tension, conflict, and suspense. [...]
It’s an e-booklet that’s easy and quick to read and should serve as a handy go-to guide for all phases of the writing process and a constant reminder of what it is a thriller is trying to accomplish–grab your readers and not let them go until the ride is over. There’s no question Jodie knows her stuff and has a tremendous knack for effectively sharing that knowledge with all who aspire to have their own writing reach that “can’t put it down” status.”
5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE FOR ALL SUSPENSE/THRILLER/MYSTERY WRITERS, July 5, 2012
“Talk about setting a scene! I just downloaded Jodie Renner’s WRITING A KILLER THRILLER the other day, and have been taking notes (and making progress!) ever since. With this 40-page “booklet,” Ms. Renner has not only created a direct, no-nonsense “road map” for all the essentials that go into writing tight, clean, thrill-filled fiction, but she has also given us a tiny can’t-put-it-down offering that, most pointedly, gives glimpse into what every writer of thriller fiction should know, and most likely grapples with, in creating fiction that not only shocks…but SELLS. Whether aspiring, or a writer who is a bit more seasoned, this “little” offering is a must-have tutorial for any writer who seeks to be GREAT rather than just good.”
5.0 out of 5 stars Are you writing a thriller? Get this book!, July 6, 2012
By CD Carr(Portland, OR USA)
“Terrific booklet on best practices for constructing a successful thriller! Author distills her wisdom and that of leading teachers and writers on heightening tension, conflict, and suspense. She also deconstructs effective thrillers to identify the critical elements and building blocks. This is a great concise reference for writers who are working in this genre. I expect to use it again and again!”
5.0 out of 5 stars, by Beverly-
This review is from: Writing a Killer Thriller (An Editor’s Guide to Writing Powerful Fiction) (Kindle Edition)
“This handy guide by freelance fiction editor Jodie Renner is full of great tips on picking up the pace of your novel and tips for creating a page-turner that has bestseller qualities. I have personally worked with Jodie on short stories and am currently working on my novel with Jodie. The great advice she has given me on how to add tension, conflict, suspense and intrigue is all included in this edition. I look forward to her future e-booklets and working together to streamline my book.”
“Renner makes it easier. The writing is short, punchy, and cohesive.” – Mar Preston, California, July 6, 2012
“Editors are often the best writing teachers an author can have, and Ms. Renner is sharing the love for an affordable price.” – Whomever, Doral, Florida, July 5, 2012