The Writing in the Dark series will continue! We’ve signed Tim Waggoner’s guidebook on writing media tie-ins titled Just Add Writer. It explains all the ins and out of writing media tie-in fiction, from landing gigs to developing a pitch, getting it approved, and writing the project with the input of both editors and representatives of the IP holder.

Insights from industry professionals – writers, editors, and agents – accompany the text, as well as writing exercises, and a comprehensive list of resources at the end. If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite movies and TV shows are turned into books Tim reveals it all.

“While this book is intended for a more niche audience than the other Writing in the Dark  guides I’m excited because I don’t think this information is wide available, certainly not all in the same place. Once again, Tim has done a fantastic job of explaining a complex writing process and given lots of real worled examples to support the information,” says editor Jennifer Barnes.

Here’s a snippet from the introduction:

“In a very real sense, tie-ins are a modern version of the oldest storytelling tradition of our species. Tales of the gods and great heroes and leaders were passed down from generation to generation, embellished, altered, becoming new stories about long-established “characters.” Legends were told and retold. How many versions are there of King Arthur’s story? Of Robin Hood’s? In the modern day, we have multiple versions of James Bond, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Sherlock Holmes…Humans have been telling stories about shared characters for thousands of years. These stories fulfill a deep need in humans for community and connection. That’s where fandoms come from, but people who don’t consider themselves fans of any particular character or story setting are still familiar with Dorothy and her three friends, Snow White, Frankenstein…Shared characters like these are an integral part of worldwide culture.”