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lastpaige111's review
5.0
I'm using this text as a manual as I write my realistic YA novel. It's so helpful and I turn back to it at least once a week.
brandi_daisy's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This book is a WIN for anyone who wants to write and do it properly… it has action steps, tutorials, and comparative wisdom. Read this one, writers!!
dkoboldt's review
5.0
This may be one of the best non-fiction books on writing/authorship that I've ever read. Don Maass not only addresses a number of craft issues that explain breakout novel successes, but also discusses long-term strategies that have helped (or hurt) authors hoping to build long-term careers. One of my favorite quotes:
"In both life and fiction, when people act in ways that are unusual, unexpected, dramatic, decisive, full of consequence, and irreversible, we remember them and talk about them for years."
TWO TYPES OF AUTHORS
He also argues that authors fall into one of two categories: those who write from a desire to tell stories ("storytellers") and those who do it for fame and recognition ("status seekers"). I worry a bit about how I'd be classified by this method, since I pay attention to things like trends and marketing in the publishing industry. But hey, that's my own demon.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It's a great book and I highly recommend it to authors at any stage in the game.
"In both life and fiction, when people act in ways that are unusual, unexpected, dramatic, decisive, full of consequence, and irreversible, we remember them and talk about them for years."
TWO TYPES OF AUTHORS
He also argues that authors fall into one of two categories: those who write from a desire to tell stories ("storytellers") and those who do it for fame and recognition ("status seekers"). I worry a bit about how I'd be classified by this method, since I pay attention to things like trends and marketing in the publishing industry. But hey, that's my own demon.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It's a great book and I highly recommend it to authors at any stage in the game.
artemishi's review
4.0
This one took me quite a bit of time to get through, because there's a lot of information AND opinion to navigate. In terms of writing style and voice, it felt....conversational, but condescending somehow as well. His asides were unnecessary, and there was some "assume the reader is an idiot" in them. But if you gloss over those question/answer insults, you'll find a lot of nuggets of info here. The first half is all about the elements of a good novel, with a metric ton of examples of each (excellent for helping us readers understanding those concepts). It's nothing new, just reminders of things like micro-tension, and support of the idea that you should always write to outdo yourself, and write often, and write your very best.
The second half is all about the publishing industry. It's a little outdated already, having been written in 2010 (when the ebook publishing industry was still in its infancy, not the ungainly waddling toddler it is today), but still useful. I found that part most educational, and it was eye-opening (and depressing) to see how convoluted the industry is. The underlying assumption was that if you write a truly great novel, and you have a good agent, you're guaranteed to get published and garner a fan base (and then you need to keep writing better and growing your skill). That seems contradictorily simple, given how convoluted the publishing industry is (according to Maass) but maybe it's the carrot to balance the stick reality of "you will never be self-supporting as an author". I recommend picking this one up AFTER you've written an revised a manuscript. It will certainly get you thinking about your story and characters. If you pick it up before you've written anything (like I did) you may find yourself intimidated out of writing (which is what I'm currently struggling with). Either way, it's a good resource.
The second half is all about the publishing industry. It's a little outdated already, having been written in 2010 (when the ebook publishing industry was still in its infancy, not the ungainly waddling toddler it is today), but still useful. I found that part most educational, and it was eye-opening (and depressing) to see how convoluted the industry is. The underlying assumption was that if you write a truly great novel, and you have a good agent, you're guaranteed to get published and garner a fan base (and then you need to keep writing better and growing your skill). That seems contradictorily simple, given how convoluted the publishing industry is (according to Maass) but maybe it's the carrot to balance the stick reality of "you will never be self-supporting as an author". I recommend picking this one up AFTER you've written an revised a manuscript. It will certainly get you thinking about your story and characters. If you pick it up before you've written anything (like I did) you may find yourself intimidated out of writing (which is what I'm currently struggling with). Either way, it's a good resource.
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