Book excerpt: Rejection e-mails from agents and editors clogging your inbox? Getting the same rejection slips over and over again? It could be pacing, plot, narrative engine . . . or maybe what your characters say just isn't getting the job done. Outstanding dialogue is often the difference between a good book and a great book. How does yours stack up? With nine books published with imprints of Random House, Abrams, and Simon & Schuster, and more than twenty years of experience as an actor and director, author, writing teacher, and Bram Stoker Award Finalist Tom Leveen guides you through everything you need to improve your writing, make your dialogue shine, and get your book noticed and talked about by readers, agents, and editors alike! Learn how to start with a great plot and conflict to form the foundation of awesome dialogue Discover actors’ techniques to give your characters strength and purpose Improve on setting scenes and building relationships between characters and more! What people are saying about Tom Leveen’s dialogue, voice, and character: Party “I must say that I’m absolutely in awe of Leveen’s ability to build such distinct and totally believable voice for eleven characters [protagonists] in one novel.” ~ fortheloveofya.com Zero “Well written, with a distinct and fantastically done voice, Zero is an unflinching must read.” ~ agoodaddiction.blogspot.com “[H]is voice is fresh and strong and consistent.” ~ scratchingcat.wordpress.com “Part of what makes the book, and the voice, believable is Leveen’s ability to channel a teenage girl and make her real. It’s all there—the insecurity, the bravado, the conflicting feelings about sex, the sense that your whole life is in front of you, which is both exhilarating and paralyzing.” ~ The Phoenix New Times manicpixiedreamgirl “[I]t’s the relationships between the novel’s teenage characters that are the real standouts. Tyler’s crass banter with his buddies, his snarky but supportive relationship with his sister, and his botched dealings with both Becky and Sydney are entirely realistic.” ~ Publisher’s Weekly “Tom Leveen has a unique voice and writes interesting male characters, so I was intrigued to check out his latest book manicpixiedreamgirl. Leveen’s characters are usually creative types and not the typical leading men you see in YA. . . . I thought the male voice in manicpixiedreamgirl was very strong and unique.” ~ thereadingdate.com Random “Author Tom Leveen presents a powerful story with a plot so real, readers will be gripped from the very first page.” ~ readingjunky.blogspot.com Sick “[Leveen] really nails the ‘guy’ dialogue as well—it is gross, colorful, and at times, downright funny.” ~ VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) “In an exciting take on the zombie novel, Leveen … shifts to horror while maintaining his trademark complex relationships and character-driven storytelling.” ~ Publisher’s Weekly “Tom Leveen’s voice is truly one of the best elements…” ~ blog.homoeoteleuton.com Shackled “The prose is tight and the dialogue lends emotion to the character’s mental state, properly complementing this plot-driven setup.” ~ School Library Journal “…impeccably written with true-to-life dialogue and characters I can relate to…” ~ literologie.com