Writing the Heart of Your Story: The Secret to Crafting an Unforgettable Novel (The Writer's Toolbox Series)

Some novelists write with the goal of becoming a best seller, hoping for wealth and fame. Some just want to write novels that earn them a steady income so they can feed their families and pay their bills. Some write to express their creativity and don’t care if anyone ever reads their books.

Then there are the other writers. They want to write an unforgettable novel—the kind of book that gets called a classic, that endures the ravages of time, that stays long in readers’ hearts and changes their lives.

These writers want to know the secret of how to reach the heart of their readers.

If you are one of those writers, Writing the Heart of Your Story is the book you’ve been waiting for.

Inside, you’ll learn:

• what the most important key elements are that must be in the very first scene of your novel—and some in the first paragraph.


• how to tap into the heart of your story, characters, setting, plot, and themes by employing specific writing exercises.


• ways to brainstorm ideas for plot, themes, motifs, setting, and rich characters through asking a series of questions that will take you deeper below the surface of your story.


• what the most important question is that must be asked in the opening scene in order to write an unforgettable novel.


• what three things each character must be asked for them to become truly believable and compelling.


• the secrets to structuring powerful scenes by focusing on the “high moment.”

Don’t just write a good novel. Write a great one—by mining the heart of your story!

Here's what the best writing instructors and bloggers have to say about this essential writing craft book:

“A fresh and motivating take on conventional wisdom, but with unconventional heart. This is highly accessible teaching that transcends ‘how to’ and goes deep into ‘why to’ in a way that will force you to choose between reading it again and jumping on your own project. Bravo.”
—Larry Brooks, best-selling author of Story Engineering and Story Physics

“As authors, our job is to make people feel, and to do this we need to connect with our own deepest selves in the hope that we can meet the reader where they are. This book will teach you how to delve into your own heart in order to impact those who read your words.”
—Joanna Penn, author of From Idea to Book

“A veritable compendium of sound writing advice and technique. Written in a style that is both accessible and fun, Lakin's book will be a welcome companion on your writing journey.”
—James Scott Bell, best-selling author of Conflict and Suspense and Plot and Structure

“I read dozens of writing craft books every year. All too many of them are ho-hum, been-there-done-that. This one is absotively posolutely not. Lakin offers a refreshingly structured—and yet freeing—approach to not just creating a solidly entertaining story but to crafting a tale of emotional resonance and resilience. Her useful writing exercises and spot-on story sense offer epiphany after epiphany. This is one I will read and reread.”
—K. M. Weiland, author of Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel

“C. S. Lakin once again shares her generous heart and knowledge and experience with writers in this inspiring and inspired Writing the Heart of Your Story. Ready to take your writing to the next level? Lakin offers practical exercises to help you bring heart to your own stories."
—Martha Alderson, author of The Plot Whisperer series of writing books