Magic is defined as that essence of imagination projecting us into the world of fantasy. Adult readers have a difficult time tapping into their hidden child, whereas adult moviegoers fare much better. Why? The answers will be found in this reference manual, Magic for Your Writing, a collection of tips and techniques that can make a striking and beneficial difference in your novel no matter the genre. Aimed primarily at struggling writers who are spinning their wheels, the manual will be helpful to seasoned writers as well. It focuses on the reader’s expectations, discussing ways of helping him step away from reality into the world of fantasy and keeping him there. The chapter on Point of View and Voice addresses widespread misunderstanding of these important topics. Dialogue is covered at length, plus character development, scenes, smoothing bumps in the road, entrances and exits, second story lines, the dangers of making a plot up front, showing versus telling, author voice, and those troublemakers that spoil otherwise promising manuscripts.