What If . . .. . . every classmate passed the bar examexcept one?. . . the killer left a calling cardthe ace of spades?. . . she was a sleeping beautybut it wasnt princes kiss that woke her up?. . .he had history of obsessive behaviorand then he developed a passion for. . .Thousands of Stories Are Just Waiting to be ToldBy YouIf you have the passion and energy to write fiction, but have trouble finding an idea and getting started, this is the perfect book for you. Lou Willett Stanek has helped scores of new authors in her acclaimed writing workshopsand now she shows you how to look and listen, how to find stories and begin shaping them like a writer.Heres how to find inspiration from neighbors and strangers, reshape classic tales, cull current events and use other tricks of the writing trade so effectively youll soon find yourself brimming with ideas, your imagination revved to its full potential. Begin with a snippet of overheard conversation, an unexpected event, a simple character trait, a place, a problemMs. Stanek teaches you to get past what really happened and reinvent reality in ways that will astound and delight you, and hold a readers attention.Here too are hundreds of what-ifs, simple situations you can guide to endlessly different conclusionsand use to learn new ways to fashion plot, describe character, develop conflict, paint with language, create a setting, employ flashbacks, build suspense, and much, much more. For every writer who could use a jump-start, from novice to pro, here is a book that will help you keep the faith and. . .Get Started!