The Writer & The Hero's Journey - more tips for the writer to improve their writing.
581763
I'm a huge Rob Parnell fan and I buy his books as soon as they come out. This was one of the first ones I bought, and I feel all of his books help the writer look at their writing in a different perspective. Thanks, Rob
4136977
Robert Benson offers his own insights to fellow writers.  He has done copy writing, written books, and even spent a year pretending to write a book.  This is not a how-to book with ten handy tips to overcome writer's block, but an account of one writer's experiences.

I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, many from famous writers.  My favorite chapter concerned three hats.  What?!? Yes, Benson wisely tells us there is a time to wear the artist's hat, a time to put on work clothes and edit, and a time to be the business manager.  Wearing the wrong hat for the day's task can sidetrack a writing project.

If you sometimes feel nobody understands your life as a writer (or as one who want to be a writer) you need to sit down with this book.  You will feel like you met a new friends who "gets it."

I received a free review copy of  Dancing on the Head of a Pen from Waterbrook publishers.
3829630
As a newbie writer, this book was a great help to me. Lots of advice and tips. I may not go all the way and do the NaNoWriMo thing, but the general message of this book still seems very valuable.

It's a funny, well-written book. A sample quote, about choosing what to write in your 30-day novel: "Your novel is not a self-improvement campaign. Your novel is a spastic, jubilant hoe-down set to your favorite music, a thirty-day visit to a candy store where everything is free and nothing is fattening."

Once upon a time I read a book called&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Story-Engineering/dp/1582979987/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Story Engineering</a>. It was the best book on writing that I had found, after reading many. I decided to make it my Bible as a beginning writer. But I ran into a problem. The book assumed I already had a plot and characters in mind. I didn't. I struggled to find some. I came up with some general ideas, but specifics were hard.

Then I found this book No Plot? No Problem! It was my answer. Just start writing and discover your plot and characters along way. So that's my plan now. After writing my first novel draft, I will then apply the Story Engineering principles to structure my novel into publishable shape.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

I like the idea of just writing and expecting the first drafts to be crap. It frees your creativity. It seems to me there are two modes to writing a novel, Creating Mode and Editing Mode. I expect this book will help me develop my creative side, to come up with my plots and characters. And to tell my inner editor-perfectionist that revision and narrative excellence can wait until my inner artist takes his turn first. (These two writing modes are intriguinginly similar to the Being and Doing modes in an unrelated book I read recently,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Mindfulness-An-Eight-Week-Plan-for-Finding-Peace-in-a-Frantic-World/dp/1609611985/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World</a>.)
1382605
"Fast Start:Strong Finish:Be Bold" I like it!!!!
I am a published author but I have had trouble getting started on my new project. With the help of "Write Your Book Now" I am now working on my first draft. There are many good tips in this book and I am now focusing on the important points the authors make about story-telling and having joy about the creative process.
1140474
Upfront I was given an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read the book.  It is more than just writing prompts.  Each prompt is a mini chapter on problems writers face when trying to write as well as advice on being a better writer. Each chapter ends in an exercise that is meant to get the reader writing for a 30 minute period.  Overall the style is laid back, the chapters are informative, and the prompts are though provoking.

I haven't sat down and made myself write through any of the prompts as of yet.  However I have taken the time to think critically about what each prompt is asking a writer to do and I look forward to working through each prompt in order to hone my writing voice.  A good book and well worth the price asked for it.
4596697
Reasons to buy/read this book

1. You have writer's block and need help.

2. You feel that you've confused the many rules of writing.

3. Your writing style bores you.

4. It takes you three pages to explain something that's complicated.

I read "Words Fail Me" for motivation while writing my second book. The best way to move past a writer's block is to lift your confidence by sharpening your writing skills. O'Conner delivers writing confidence in about 20 easy-to-digest chapters.

Patricia T. O'Conner's work is neither preachy nor boring. She speaks to the aspiring writer who may have forgotten some grammar rules while queuing you to times when you may not need to adhere to all the rules in the grammar book.

Her writing is witty and makes grammar fun, for once. It's a neat refresher book to add to your writing library.
1730717
Whow, there's been a lot of different ratings on this book - but I don't doubt. This is a five. I don't agree with everything Bickham says, but the parts that stuck with me, improved my writing a LOT! If you need pace to your story, this tells you how to achieve it. If you wan't your readers to keep turning pages after midnight, this gives you great pointers. I edited my novel one last time (after I thought I was finished) and it made it so much better with Bickham's advice. This is definitely worth the time and money!
96464
Ok so I'm a little late to the game, but better late than never. Right?

I've been a fan of Stephen King's work for a long time. He has a way of spinning a tale that draws the reader in and keeps him there until the very end. It's what all writers aspire to do and this book will help you improve on the craft of writing.

This book is part memoir part writing advice. I loved the snippets Mr. King shared that gave us a glimpse into his life and what formed him into the writer and person he is today. It's like that favorite uncle telling you what got him from Point A to Point B and what he learned along the way.

The advice is spot-on. It opened my eyes to some of the things in my own writing that weren't working and why. I definitely experienced moments of clarity in reading this!

It's a guide and resource that I'll keep on my desk for future reference. I highly recommend to all writers honing their craft.
3382508
I found it useful when writing "pulp" or formula types of stories, especially when they're wanted in a hurry. He has some really great tips and techniques for creating the groundwork in advance for these types of stories, so that if/when you find yourself in need of cracking out a novella or script to a deadline, writer's block won't derail you nearly as much as if you had jumped in unprepared.

Tips such as keeping a file of different types and iterations of McGuffins (almost like a catalog of Mad Libs nouns and adjectives you can mix and match) will save you a lot of time. And, speaking of time, that's one of his biggest tips -- making any story a race against time really dials up the drama.

One of my favorite books on deconstructing the elements of story and then using the pieces to your advantage.
1354634
Although this book is intended for the first time author, after writing seven books, I still found excellent ideas and suggestions. Dr. Sherry Meinberg leads the writer step by step onto a successful path as a published author. This book covers all the nitty-gritty, day to day issues an author has to deal with to put their thoughts into words and get those words onto paper. She provides practical examples as she explains the finer points of writing, editing, publishing, and promotion. She offers words of encouragement to support authors as they persist in their writing career. A well written book, useful while writing and as a reference.
1150582
I have always enjoyed reading books and writing stories. I'm just getting back into writing erotica and found quite a few tips and tricks in this book. Some I knew of already and some I didn't. Good info on how to get started with Kindle publishing. Worth a read if your just starting out or even if you're just thinking about getting into writing.
1010075
What is needed on selling your story! it is the hardest part of being a writer is how to write a query letter!
 Very informative.
3623913
Great for any writer needing to add balance to the hero's journey motif, or even four women seeking to get context for their own lives.
4299860
Great writer's resource.  Establishes the foundation of what authors should be striving for in their works.  Look for the true gems in Ms. Thompson's advice. One of my favorite quotes offers advice for the authors who rush to publication. "But as the unedited, "I-too-can-be-an-author: garbage multiplies, readers are going to become pickier and pickier about which books they will actually buy." So true.  Heck, I see this trend in my own purchases. Ms. Thompson encourages authors to give the reader their very best.  They deserve no less.

On a final note, Ms. Thomson makes an interesting point about the readability factor of a story. "If [the readers] see words, you have failed."  She makes the point the reader needs to feel the emotion-become entangled in the story. Not stopped in his/her tracks for for a word that the author uses as a stick to say 'see how smart I am?' This book is an excellent lodestone for an author trying to make their work a better product.
2571621
If you're a writer who buys books intended to improve your craft you've probably noticed that some books let you in on "secrets". Some show you the "tricks". Some mostly just tell you what a great person the author is. The best books intended to improve craft teach you something useful that will help when you need direction. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is a book that shows you why that section of manuscript that's bothering you isn't working and how to fix it. The authors are expert editors who teach you from experience. One interesting aspect is how they teach you to use your ear as much as your eyes in writing. In writing courses you often are taught style and grammer. Browne and King don't ignore those aspects of writing but they remind you how to use those elements and fudge things here and there to improve the entertainment in your manuscript. I've read a lot of books to help me with writing and this is one of the best. After having written two novels this book enlightened me. I don't know if I would have learned as much from it if I hadn't made the mistakes they help you with ahead of time. For me it was timely to write and then learn from their book. You may prefer to read it before the first word is commited to the page. Either way I consider this book a necessary addition to my reference collection.
3849393
Although not a fiction writer, I still found these tips helpful for non-fiction writing. Recommend it as an addition to a writer's library.
2034818
This book is filled with amazing advice/tips to improve your writing. I really enjoyed this book, it was quite interactive  and conversational, it doesn't feel like a "how-to" book, that's a big plus for me. I loved that this book answered some myths about writing and writers. It's filled with tips on how to improve your writing, and how to overcome some of the obstacles you run into when you're writing, like the writer's block. A very enjoyable and informative read.