Don't Bore the Reader

Anyone can write a bad book. But if you want to write a book the reader loves, you're going to need some help.

Transform Your Fiction

  • Learn techniques used by the greatest writers

  • Improve your writing skills

  • Write and publish your dream book

Writing Techniques You Will Learn

1. Dialogue

How to make your characters sound different, how to make dialogue sound natural, and what your characters should do while talking.

2. Characterization

How to create conflict between them, how to make them opposites, and how to make them complex.

3. Suspense

The course shows you how to create scenes full of tension, conflict, and edge-of-seat suspense.

Scenes

How to write a gripping scene that will rivet the reader to the page.

FAQ

  • Do I have to take the course right now?

    Nope. It's an on-demand course -- take it whenever you have time.

  • Do I get to practice the techniques?

    Yes, each of the 27 videos includes a writing exercise.

  • Is this course only for beginners?

    The techniques and exercises are meant for a range of writers -- from beginners to seasoned writers with books under their belt.

  • What if the course doesn't work for me?

    I offer a money-back guarantee.

  • How long do I have access to the course?

    You have access for one year.

  • Is this course good for nonfiction writers?

    I focus on fiction techniques, but if you write creative nonfiction or memoir, you will be able to use most of these techniques.

The Course Includes:

  • Completion Certificate

    When you finish the course, you will earn a completion certification that shows you've mastered the fundamentals of these writing techniques.

  • Access to Instructor

    If you have any questions about the course content, you can post a question within the course and I'll answer it for you.

  • Downloadable PDFs

    To help with your writing education, you can download resources which you can consult at any time.

Course curriculum

    1. 1. Delayed Decoding

    2. 1. PDF: Delayed Decoding

    3. 1. Quiz: Delayed Decoding

    4. 2. Elastic Time

    5. 2. PDF: Elastic Time

    6. 2. Quiz: Elastic Time

    7. 3. Zipper Love

    8. 3. Quiz: Zipper Love

    9. 4. Ambush Object

    10. 4. PDF: Ambush Object

    11. 4. Quiz: Ambush Object

    12. 5. The Emotional Tree

    13. 5. Quiz: The Emotional Tree

    14. 6. Walking as Characterization

    15. 6. PDF: Walking as Characterization

    16. 6. Quiz: Walking as Characterization

    1. 7. Wonky Emotions on 9/11

    2. 7. PDF: Wonky Emotions on 9/11

    3. 7. Quiz: Wonky Emotions on 9/11

    4. 8. The Rock Speaks

    5. 8. PDF: The Rock Speaks

    6. 8. Quiz: The Rock Speaks

    7. 9. The Woozy Storyteller

    8. 9. PDF: The Woozy Storyteller

    9. 9. Quiz: The Woozy Storyteller

    10. 10. Squeeze Emotion from a Hat

    11. 10. PDF: Squeeze Emotion from a Hat

    12. 10. Quiz: Squeeze Emotion from a Hat

    13. 11. Twenty Dialogue Variations

    14. 11. PDF: Twenty Dialogue Variations

    15. 11. Quiz: Twenty Dialogue Variations

    16. 12. Two Characters with Speech Impediments

    17. 12. PDF: Two Characters with Speech Impediments

    18. 12. Quiz: Speech Impediments

    19. 13. Argument Between Opposites

    20. 13. Quiz: Argument between Opposites

    1. 14. The Small and the Large

    2. 14. Quiz: The Small and the Large

    3. 15. Character Doubling

    4. 15. Quiz: Character Doubling

    5. 16. Hermit Crab

    6. 16. PDF: Hermit Crab Forms and Examples

    7. 16. Quiz: Hermit Crab

    8. 17. Funnel Description

    9. 17. PDF: Funnel Description

    10. 17. Quiz: Funnel

    11. Exercise 18 Genre Layering

    12. 18. PDF Genre Layering

    13. 18. Quiz: Genre Layering

    14. 19. Emotional Whiplash

    15. 19. PDF: Emotional Whiplash

    16. 19. Quiz: Emotional Whiplash

    17. 20. Make the Ugly Beautiful

    18. 20. Quiz: Make the Ugly Beautiful

    1. 21. Microconflict

    2. 21. PDF: Micro-Conflict

    3. 21: Quiz: Micro-Conflict

    4. 22. Power Imbalances - Clothed:Nude

    5. 22. Power Imbalances - Clothed:Nude

    6. Exercise 23 Manifesto Voice

    7. 23. PDF: Manifesto

    8. 23. Quiz: Manifesto

    9. 24. The Pivotal Sound with Alligators

    10. 24. Quiz: The Pivotal Sound

    11. 25. Unreliable Narrator

    12. 25. Quiz: Unreliable Narrator

    13. 26. Gesture

    14. 26. PDF: Gesture

    15. 26. Quiz: Gesture

    16. 27. How to Write a Chase Scene

    17. 27. PDF: How to Write a Chase Scene

    18. 27. Quiz: How to Write a Chase Scene

About this course

  • $149.00
  • 72 lessons
  • 2 hours of video content

Bookfox has appeared in:

Books I've Helped Authors Create

By learning the techniques in this course, you can publish a book just like these authors.

Win Awards

After learning from me, many authors go on to win literary prizes and awards.

Instructor(s)

Instructor Bio:

Hi, I'm John Fox, and I help authors write better fiction. Over the last ten years, through courses and editing, I've helped hundreds of authors publish their books and even win awards. My website Bookfox has nearly 1,000 posts to help writers, and I've published two books: "I Will Shout Your Name" (Press 53) and "The Linchpin Writer" (forthcoming late 2021). I've been published by the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and won fiction contests at Third Coast and Shenandoah.

Review of the Course

Michelle Cornish

5 star rating

“John delivers another phenomenal course. Copious amounts of little known exercises combined with clear examples for the win. I cannot wait to try these techniques in my WIPs. One of my favourite courses ever (and I have taken plenty of them). Than...”

Read More

“John delivers another phenomenal course. Copious amounts of little known exercises combined with clear examples for the win. I cannot wait to try these techniques in my WIPs. One of my favourite courses ever (and I have taken plenty of them). Thanks, John!”

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Rose Kleidon

5 star rating

“John is a friendly and enthusiastic teacher, with interesting and often surprising examples from life or literature. Once I saw how useful these ideas were, I slowed down to write new or revised scenes for each lesson. A great course--thank you, J...”

Read More

“John is a friendly and enthusiastic teacher, with interesting and often surprising examples from life or literature. Once I saw how useful these ideas were, I slowed down to write new or revised scenes for each lesson. A great course--thank you, John--I will use these techniques forever!”

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Shari Cohen

5 star rating

“The Writing Techniques helped to refresh my memory from my College days. I have enjoyed the courses and writing exercises and it has helped me to remember how much I enjoyed writing while in college as an English major. A lifetime after colleg...”

Read More

“The Writing Techniques helped to refresh my memory from my College days. I have enjoyed the courses and writing exercises and it has helped me to remember how much I enjoyed writing while in college as an English major. A lifetime after college I am now ready to see if I can write a novel. I have only written short stories and have never tried to publish my work. I am looking forward to continuing with the course. ”

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Libby Kemp

5 star rating

“I thought after the ‘splendid sentences’ course that it couldn’t get better but this course is equally brilliant! Not only do the exercises get you taxing your imagination and provide practical techniques to apply to your writing immediately, Joh...”

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“I thought after the ‘splendid sentences’ course that it couldn’t get better but this course is equally brilliant! Not only do the exercises get you taxing your imagination and provide practical techniques to apply to your writing immediately, John pours himself into the course with such energy, enthusiasm and infectious honesty that you can’t help but reflect on yourself, and tap into psyche for better, fresher and deeper writing. I just love it! Thank you John! ”

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James Bouck

4 star rating

“I really enjoyed the course and I know I can use the lessons in my work. It was easy to understand and to follow, and also made story ideas fall into patterns that made lots of sense.”

“I really enjoyed the course and I know I can use the lessons in my work. It was easy to understand and to follow, and also made story ideas fall into patterns that made lots of sense.”

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Brent Kendall

5 star rating

“John has a knack for curating the most impactful information, condensing it, then sharing it in an engaging way. This course definitely improved my writing.”

“John has a knack for curating the most impactful information, condensing it, then sharing it in an engaging way. This course definitely improved my writing.”

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George Bloom

5 star rating

“OUTSTANDING! It's all the little nuances that add up to something wonderful. These tactical exercises helped expand my writing skills. ”

“OUTSTANDING! It's all the little nuances that add up to something wonderful. These tactical exercises helped expand my writing skills. ”

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Shelley Dark

5 star rating

“John has the uncanny ability to zero in on what really matters. Great course to step your writing up a notch.”

“John has the uncanny ability to zero in on what really matters. Great course to step your writing up a notch.”

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Amanda Barusch

5 star rating

“This course was great from beginning to end. I loved the brief dynamic videos and the writing exercises generated great content for me. Quizzes were fun too. Thanks so much!!”

“This course was great from beginning to end. I loved the brief dynamic videos and the writing exercises generated great content for me. Quizzes were fun too. Thanks so much!!”

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Katherine Krahn

5 star rating

“I really enjoyed taking this course. There isn't a lot of fluff. Just straightforward and practical instruction. I loved the fact that we were encouraged to use the exercises with scenes for our book. It made the scenes come alive. I enjoyed ...”

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“I really enjoyed taking this course. There isn't a lot of fluff. Just straightforward and practical instruction. I loved the fact that we were encouraged to use the exercises with scenes for our book. It made the scenes come alive. I enjoyed writing the book much more and I am sure my reader will also enjoy it more.”

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Your Takeaways

  • By the time you finish this course, you'll sit at your desk armed with skills and knowledge.

  • You'll feel much more confident about how to write a book using these techniques.

  • You'll be better at strategies to revise your book and to write your next book.

What if you don't invest in your writing?

  • A Failed Book

    So many writers throw away their first few books. I'll help you accelerate your writing career.

  • Bad Reviews

    Bad reviews can sink a book. But by improving your writing skills, you can help give more pleasure to your readers.

  • Bad Track Record

    Readers who don't enjoy your first book won't purchase the sequel. Get started on the right foot by nailing the first one.

Learn Writing Techniques Now

Get Access Now

Normal price is $200

Money Back Guarantee

I'm so confident that you'll like this course that I'll refund your money if you don't love it.

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Want access to all my courses? It's only $30 a month, paid annually.