-
The Last Fifty Pages
- The Art and Craft of Unforgettable Endings
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Entertainment & Performing Arts
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $6.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Write Your Novel from the Middle
- A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process...Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life.
-
-
Bell's excellent advice, less well conveyed
- By Jennifer on 09-14-20
By: James Scott Bell
-
How to Write Dazzling Dialogue
- The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is one sure-fire way of improving your novel fast...You may know the fundamentals of how to write fiction. You may be more than competent in plot, structure and characters. But if your dialogue is dull it will drag the whole story down...Don't sabotage your chances of selling your work to readers or publishers because the dialogue is unexceptional. Dazzle them with what the characters say. How to Write Dazzling Dialogue will give you the tools to do it.
-
-
Good course, subpar audio quality
- By Andrew Wadsworth on 03-21-20
By: James Scott Bell
-
Super Structure
- The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Super Structure represents over two decades of research on what makes a novel or screenplay entertaining, commercial, original, and irresistible. Contrary to what some may think, structure is not a nasty inhibitor of creativity. Quite the opposite. Properly understood and utilized, structure is what translates story into a form audiences are wired to receive it.
-
-
Help for crafting a great story
- By Robin on 01-09-21
By: James Scott Bell
-
Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
-
Why We Read (Listen To) These Books
- By C. Deputy on 06-07-18
By: K.M. Weiland
-
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t
- And Other Tough-Love Truths to Make You a Better Writer
- By: Steven Pressfield
- Narrated by: Steven Pressfield
- Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's a mantra real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this: "Nobody wants to read your shit." Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.
-
-
How to get over the mediocre part of yourself
- By RICHARD on 11-24-18
-
Writing Vivid Settings
- Writer's Craft
- By: Rayne Hall
- Narrated by: Cat Lookabaugh
- Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do you want your readers to feel like they're really there - in the place where the story happens? Whether you want to enrich stark prose with atmospheric detail, add vibrancy to a dull piece, or curb waffling descriptions, this guide can help. Learn how to make your settings intense, realistic, and intriguing. This is the 10th book in Rayne Hall's acclaimed Writer's Craft series.
-
-
Very helpful. Exactly what is needed.
- By D. Hart on 11-08-17
By: Rayne Hall
-
Write Your Novel from the Middle
- A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
what if it's not the beginning or the end that is the key to a successful book? What if, amazing as it may seem, the place to begin writing your novel is in the very middle of the story? According to writing teacher James Scott Bell, that's exactly where you'll find your story's heart and heat. Bell's "Mirror Moment" is the secret, and its power is available to any writer, at any stage of the writing process...Bell presents a truly unique approach to writing a novel, one that will stand the test of time and serve you all your writing life.
-
-
Bell's excellent advice, less well conveyed
- By Jennifer on 09-14-20
By: James Scott Bell
-
How to Write Dazzling Dialogue
- The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is one sure-fire way of improving your novel fast...You may know the fundamentals of how to write fiction. You may be more than competent in plot, structure and characters. But if your dialogue is dull it will drag the whole story down...Don't sabotage your chances of selling your work to readers or publishers because the dialogue is unexceptional. Dazzle them with what the characters say. How to Write Dazzling Dialogue will give you the tools to do it.
-
-
Good course, subpar audio quality
- By Andrew Wadsworth on 03-21-20
By: James Scott Bell
-
Super Structure
- The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Super Structure represents over two decades of research on what makes a novel or screenplay entertaining, commercial, original, and irresistible. Contrary to what some may think, structure is not a nasty inhibitor of creativity. Quite the opposite. Properly understood and utilized, structure is what translates story into a form audiences are wired to receive it.
-
-
Help for crafting a great story
- By Robin on 01-09-21
By: James Scott Bell
-
Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
-
Why We Read (Listen To) These Books
- By C. Deputy on 06-07-18
By: K.M. Weiland
-
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t
- And Other Tough-Love Truths to Make You a Better Writer
- By: Steven Pressfield
- Narrated by: Steven Pressfield
- Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's a mantra real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this: "Nobody wants to read your shit." Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.
-
-
How to get over the mediocre part of yourself
- By RICHARD on 11-24-18
-
Writing Vivid Settings
- Writer's Craft
- By: Rayne Hall
- Narrated by: Cat Lookabaugh
- Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do you want your readers to feel like they're really there - in the place where the story happens? Whether you want to enrich stark prose with atmospheric detail, add vibrancy to a dull piece, or curb waffling descriptions, this guide can help. Learn how to make your settings intense, realistic, and intriguing. This is the 10th book in Rayne Hall's acclaimed Writer's Craft series.
-
-
Very helpful. Exactly what is needed.
- By D. Hart on 11-08-17
By: Rayne Hall
-
How to Write Best-Selling Fiction
- By: James Scott Bell, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most people think the way to write a best seller is to have a lot of talent and even more luck. As you will learn, there is a recipe for success, and luck may be the least important ingredient in creating a best seller. No one has cracked the code better than James Scott Bell. A best-selling author himself, and the author of the number-one best seller for writers, Plot & Structure, Mr. Bell has been teaching the principles of best-selling fiction for over 20 years, principles that apply to any genre or style.
-
-
I'm a writer and this course is to blame.
- By accentrique on 07-22-19
By: James Scott Bell, and others
-
The Emotional Craft of Fiction
- How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface
- By: Donald Maass
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you. That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.
-
-
Read this if you're a writer
- By Reed Ramlow on 08-08-20
By: Donald Maass
-
Writing for Emotional Impact
- Advanced Dramatic Techniques to Attract, Engage, and Fascinate the Reader from Beginning to End
- By: Karl Iglesias
- Narrated by: Karl Iglesias
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three kinds of feelings when reading a story: boredom, interest, and wow! To become a successful writer, you must create the wow feeling on as many pages as possible, and this requires writing that engages the reader emotionally. In his best-selling book, screenwriter Karl Iglesias explored the working habits of A-list Hollywood scribes. Now, he breaks new ground by focusing on the psychology of the reader.
-
-
Best audiobook by far for writing screenplays
- By FilmmakerSuperNova on 07-04-20
By: Karl Iglesias
-
Fiction Attack!
- Insider Secrets for Writing and Selling Your Novels & Stories For Self-Published and Traditional Authors
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: Basil Sands
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Learn the inner secrets of selling fiction to an ever-increasing audience of readers! Bestselling author and writing coach James Scott Bell brings you powerhouse techniques and strategies in this collection, much of which is from his popular posts at The Kill Zone blog. If you're serious about selling your fiction, Fiction Attack! is your battle plan for breakthrough.
-
-
Excellent Delivery
- By WordMage on 09-12-15
By: James Scott Bell
-
Structuring Your Novel
- Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story
- By: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do some stories work and others don't? The answer is structure. In this IPPY and NIEA Award-winning guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story's major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel's pacing and progression.
-
-
An Outstanding Resource for Writers
- By Richard Phillips (Bestselling Author of The Rho Agenda) on 02-01-15
By: K. M. Weiland
-
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
- The Last Book on Novel Writing You'll Ever Need
- By: Jessica Brody
- Narrated by: Jessica Brody
- Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 "beats" (plot points) that comprise a successful story - from the opening image to the finale - this audiobook lays out the 10 story genres ("Monster in the House"; "Whydunit"; "Dude with a Problem") alongside quirky, original insights ("Save the Cat"; "Shard of Glass") to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate - and a novel that will sell.
-
-
Tip for finding the PDF!!!
- By SB on 02-26-19
By: Jessica Brody
-
Outlining Your Novel
- Map Your Way to Success
- By: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Let outlines help you write a better book! Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal.
-
-
Work changing resource!
- By Tia Graham on 07-29-15
By: K. M. Weiland
-
Story Genius
- How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)
- By: Lisa Cron
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's every novelist's greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page-one rewrite. The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot).
-
-
As a fantasy writer, this book was not for me.
- By Wendy on 01-10-21
By: Lisa Cron
-
Be a Writing Machine: Write Faster and Smarter, Beat Writer's Block, and Be Prolific
- By: M.L. Ronn
- Narrated by: John Freyer
- Length: 2 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing fast is the most important skill you can develop as a writer. While it seems hard to hit high word counts, the secrets are easier than you think. In this writer's guide, prolific author M. L. Ronn pulls back the curtain on the process that he uses to write six to eight novels a year. He has kept this pace while juggling responsibilities as a husband, father, manager at a Fortune 100 company, and a law school student. The result is a catalog of over 40 books and counting.
-
-
Great! ... Good, then bad, then very bad
- By Walt on 11-12-19
By: M.L. Ronn
-
Self-Discipline for Writers: Writing Is Hard, but You Too Can Write and Publish Books Regularly
- By: Martin Meadows
- Narrated by: John Gagnepain
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do you know that it’s almost impossible to find a successful writer who has published only one book? Virtually every widely acclaimed author has an extensive catalog of books. To join the elite ranks of those who write consistently, you need to learn how to stay prolific over the long term. And for that, the number one ingredient is self-discipline.
-
-
Writing Is Difficult But Rewarding!
- By Ian P. on 10-09-19
By: Martin Meadows
-
The Story Grid
- What Good Editors Know
- By: Shawn Coyne
- Narrated by: Dan Portnoy
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Story Grid is a tool developed by editor Shawn Coyne to analyze stories and provide helpful editorial comments. It's like a CT Scan that takes a photo of the global story and tells the editor or writer what is working, what is not, and what must be done to make what works better and fix what's not. The Story Grid breaks down the component parts of stories to identify the problems. And finding the problems in a story is almost as difficult as the writing of the story itself (maybe even more difficult).
-
-
good story, but audiobook needs an editor
- By Jeroen de Jong on 12-17-19
By: Shawn Coyne
-
Writing Your Story's Theme
- The Writer's Guide to Plotting Stories That Matter (Helping Writers Become Authors)
- By: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Powerful themes are never incidental. They emerge from the conjunction of strong plots and resonant character arcs. This means you can learn to plan and implement theme. In doing so, you will deepen your ability to write not only stories that entertain, but also stories that stay with readers long after the end. Conscious mastery of theme will elevate every story you write and allow you to craft fiction of depth and meaning. Take control of your story via a powerful implementation of theme.
-
-
Awesome info if you get past the drama.
- By wondernate on 10-05-21
By: K. M. Weiland
Publisher's Summary
“The first page of a book sells that book. The last page sells your next book.” (Mickey Spillane, American crime author)
What are the secrets for writing a great ending for your novel? How do you leave readers so satisfied that they'll want another book by you, right now? What tools and techniques can shape your last 50 pages into a powerful, unforgettable experience?
In this audiobook, international Thriller Writers Award winner and number one best-selling writing teacher James Scott Bell reveals:
- The five types of endings
- Things that need to happen in act three
- Ways to use the ah and uh-oh emotional wallops
- A simple technique for crafting twist endings
- The most important secret of all: resonance
- The "stew, brew, accrue, do" brainstorming method
- The best way to tie up loose ends
- The most common ending mistakes, and how to avoid them.
- And more!
Listen to this audiobook, and you will come away with a thorough knowledge of why great endings work and how to create them for every novel you write.
What listeners say about The Last Fifty Pages
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joseph Blackhurst
- 12-22-20
Not Great and Out Of Touch With The Times
Some of Bell’s advice is decent, unfortunately it’s about 20% of the book, the rest being overly long quotations and examples from other books. This is a book that suggests Bell is horribly out of touch with the times, it’s 2019 and he draws almost entirely from old movies, books published before 1995, and Warren Zevon lyrics. Additionally, chapter three has one of the worst most pointless Bible metaphors ever written. Lastly, if an author’s sense of humor are such bad dad jokes that the author self-deprecates them at every instance, that’s your first sign as an author that they shouldn’t have made the cut at all. They aren’t charming or entertaining, they are distractions that cheapen the work. Production-wise I suspect no audio producer worked in the recording, the editing is often choppy, cutting off entire sentences at parts. Also Bell stumbles over words frequently. Low quality all around.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ray Alez
- 11-03-21
Not useful
The author keeps rambling without ever getting to the point. Feels like he's trying to hit a certain wordcount rather than to teach me anything useful or insightful. If you have something to say - say it, don't waste people's time.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mike
- 05-09-20
Deep Dive into Ending a Novel
This book right deep dive into how to end a novel, perhaps the most challenging and important part of writing one. With plenty of real world examples, the author lays out how there is no one way to accomplish the task, while also shedding light on the commonalities that great endings share.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kevin Potter
- 12-31-19
Excellent
This is a wonderful examination of everything that should go into the ending of a book, along with a ton of useful tips to really make it shine.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Customer
- 11-11-21
Not bad, not the very best
Agree with some of the other reviews. The useful messages are a bit hidden, and it’s repetitive from some other books he has published. But some useful things to take away.
Wish he had a summary pdf like in the great courses.
On a personal note I don’t like that he was putting down the sequel to Gone with the wind. It’s actually an excellent read and I love it maybe more than the actual book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cole MacGrath
- 09-10-21
must read for all writers.
I enjoyed it thoroughly. lots of great information. I am on board with everything he has listed. I will be listening to it again.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 09-10-21
Fastastic
An excellent book on writing that was easy to listen to and understand. He gives valuable information with a sense of humor.
I have many books on writing that I have never finished because they are boring. This one I will listen to again and take notes.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- T. Weaver
- 05-04-21
Interesting listen; excellent information
I ordered this book to see if there was useful information for my writing. I came away wit a couple of great tips for writing fiction. If you plan to write fiction, I highly recommend this book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- P. Boddy
- 02-24-21
Always Gets The Message/Skill Across With Clarity
His lectures with both Audible and The Great Courses are informative as well as entertaining. Worth every penny...oops, cliche! DOLLAR.
-
Overall
- Diane Z.
- 09-27-20
Extremely Helpful!
Every chapter really gave you something to chew on. His explanations and examples were well thought out and succinct. The author did his own reading and he has a demeanor of speech and voice quality that were easy to listen to.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- JK
- 05-06-22
Another good lesson
This is one to listen/read for some solid lessons on writing a worthy ending. It loses a star because of the constant feedback heard in the background while playing.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- BillionaireManzi
- 07-20-21
Consider Absolutely
Very helpful and entertaining to boot. The end is the most important part of anything and this book explains why very clearly. .