William Bernhardt

Even the most unique and interesting characters will not engage readers if their journey - the plot - fails....

All fiction is character-driven, according to William Bernhardt, despite what you might have heard elsewhere....

Getting his client off death row could save his career...or make him the next victim. Daniel Pike would rather fight for justice than follow the rules....

Dynamic dialogue can turn an otherwise ordinary novel into a delightful read, but dull, uninspired dialogue will cause readers to lose interest and try something else....

In this book, New York Times best-selling author William Bernhardt explains the elements that make stories work, using examples spanning from Gilgamesh to The Hunger Games....

The writer who understands the fundamentals of fictional writing style knows how to capture readers and never let them go....

This book guides writers through that process, explaining what's worth doing and when to do it....

Attorney Daniel Pike knows the dire consequences of crossing the government. So when rising political star Camila Perez faces charges in a gruesome quadruple homicide, his instincts sense a frame by powerful rivals....

How do you create a fictional world that audiences will want to visit? How do you paint a picture that springs to life? William Bernhardt explains how to use description and setting to enhance your story without slowing the pace....

A billion-dollar inheritance. A relative’s suspicious reappearance. Can Dan dig up the secrets of the past before he’s buried six feet under? Find out....

Defense lawyer Daniel Pike believes he’s closer than ever to proving his late father was no murderer. But with key witnesses snuffed out and his archnemesis pulling all the strings to ensure no one talks, his frustration is about to boil over....

When a scandalous divorce trial interferes with a ruthless killer, can one tough lawyer find the truth before she becomes the next victim? Kenzi Rivera is classy, compassionate, and ready to buck the status quo....

If he loses this case, the consequence is death.... Ever since his father’s wrongful incarceration, defense lawyer Daniel Pike has defended the innocent at any cost. But he’s stunned when his archrival DA is found shot dead and brutally crucified....

He has one chance to find the facts he’s searched for his entire life. All he has to do is prove his number one enemy is not a killer...Daniel Pike has devoted his legal career to ensuring that no wrongly convicted person dies in prison like his father did....

When her shocking new case hits too close to home, can Kenzi prevent a miscarriage of justice? Kenzi Rivera wants her day in the sun. Now the highest-earning name at her father’s firm, the spitfire attorney is furious her brother was chosen to manage the practice....

William Bernhardt’s bestselling novels featuring Oklahoma defense attorney Ben Kincaid capture the bare-knuckles reality of high-stakes criminal defense, as lofty ideals of justice clash with power, corruption, and wealth. In Capitol Murder, Bernhardt’s hard-charging hero takes on his most...

When a priest with radical ideas and a parish council with traditional values lock horns over the beliefs they hold most sacred, there’s bound to be controversy—and consequences. But murder crosses the line between committing a sin and committing a crime, turning a battle over faith into a...

The Grim Reaper is coming to the courtroom—where Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid may face their final judgment.

In this audiobook, William Bernhardt tackles essential topics that, while smaller in scope, are nonetheless necessary to a contemporary author's survival. How do you create a memorable series character? Should you write in the first person? Listen to find out more....

When Oklahoma attorney Ben Kincaid came to Washington, D.C., to defend a senator caught in a red-hot sex scandal turned murder case, he never dreamed he’d end up trading the courtroom for the Senate chamber. And after his not-so-distinguished client stepped down, Ben found himself appointed to...