Whether your focus is books or articles, there are all manner of tricks of the trade that most writers have to learn the hard way, on their own, through trial and error--if they learn them at all. From how to write a book proposal to pitching to editors, from great openings to how to get paid and read contracts, the logistics of how to be a writer are rarely taught, even in creative writing programs and in how-to-write books. The 12-Hour Author lifts the veil and invites the reader in on the secrets of successful writers, both from the angle of how to write well, but also--and almost uniquely among books on the subject--the practical elements of how to work as a writer.

The author is a Pulitzer nominee who has published more than twenty books, including international best-sellers, and hundreds of articles for major publications, including The Guardian and The Washington Post. Divided into 12 chapters, if you're willing to commit as little as 12 hours to learning this craft, you'll have all the tools you'll need.