When my editor at Bantam rejected the ending of my second book and told me to rewrite it, she specified exactly what they had bought in Bitch Factor, and what they expected me to deliver again in Rage Factor: a fresh voice and emotional impact. Emotional impact is what every editor is looking for and what many unpublished writers fail to deliver. Click here to read more.

Who can forget Eliza’s “oawoo!” from My Fair Lady or Yoda’s “stubborn you are” from Return of the Jedi? Distinctive characters not only come instantly alive and draw us deep into their story world, they also live on in our minds. We quote them. We admire them or fear them. We even refer to them as if they were real folks. Click here to read it for free.

Are you writing fiction for profit, and you’ve bumped against a writer’s block? Or do you play with characters, plot, story ideas for fun and now want to see how far you can take them? I’ve been fortunate to achieve success in several venues, and I believe storytelling is fun in any form or genre, from my own favorite, suspense, to mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy. I’ve taught novel writing in my private master class, mystery-suspense writing at Rice University School of Continuing Studies, and general writing techniques in seminar format. Now I want to engage the broader scope of the Internet to share with you the ideas I’ve synthesized and condensed that will most enhance your writing.

Chris Rogers speaking at Mystery Writers of America Southwest Chapter

You’ll find plenty of free stuff here to sample. Check out the free Writers’ Easy Guides, read a short story, read sample prize-winning chapters from some of my students. You can also dip into my latest Dixie Flannigan novel for free—Slice of Life. Then apply what you learn. Dig deep and write with heart.

Start writing faster and better with these bite-size guides to plot, character, structure, action, and suspense. Pick what you need, read it fast, and apply the ideas instantly to your writing. With new Easy Guides appearing online every month, you’ll soon have your own instant library. A 12-Step Story Plan, The Art of Suspense and E-Quotient are just a few of the titles already available. Click here to see all 12 titles.

I walked away proud on Saturday, March 27th, when four of my current and former students won big time. John Oehler’s Tepui tied for First Place in Novel Writing, Doug Schlatter’s Loved to Death took Second and Rick Nelson’s Bound by Blood third. JoAn Martin won First Place in Short Stories for Tall Tale Teller.

Jim Hime

Author Jim Hime attended my mystery and suspense writing class at the Rice University School of Continuing Studies. His excellent book The Night of the Dance was published in April 2003 by St. Martin’s Press. This year it was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award as Best First Novel by Mystery Writers of America. Edgar nominees carry a distinction of excellence far into their writing careers. Read more about Jim.

Romance readers, watch for Stacey Keith’s Love’s A Thief to hit the bookshelves soon. As a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s highest award for unpublished writers, Stacey will no doubt be snatched up by a wise editor at the RWA convention in July. Read more.

Stacey Keith

Songs from the Bone Closet

Martha Everhart Braniff, a graduate of my Mystery and Suspense Writing Class and a student of Christopher Woods, writes in a variety of forms, including novel, short story, poetry, stage and screen. Her stories, poems and prose have been widely published. Now her first collected works is out from Stone River Press. In Songs from the Bone Closet, Martha Braniff embraces the healing power of shamans, holy poets and miracle workers. Her instinct for both the real and the magical leads us into the closet surreal, where Lavinia turns into a cat and Egg and Raven meet at happy hour. Read more.

Freelance journalist Vanessa Leggett, who spent 168 days in jail rather than turn over confidential information to a grand jury, attended my Master Class before and after her stint for civil disobedience. Her long awaited true crime book, The Murder of the Bookie’s Wife, is scheduled for release in fall 2005 from Crown Publishing, a division of Random House. Read more.

Vanessa Leggett

Return to top of page.