Customer Reviews

Release The Book Within

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

By the time you finish reading "Expat Writer: Release The Book Within" you will be able to answer this question with confidence.

Jo Parfitt takes the reader by the hand through all the steps it takes to write a book. She makes the process so crystal clear that there will be few surprises as the process evolves.

Parfitt leads the reader from passion and vision through researching and analyzing other people's books before deciding on the formula that will produce the book you want to write. She recommends that you approach writing a book with a formula, or as she calls it, a recipe. She emphasizes the importance of planning and research before putting pen to paper. According to her, the actual writing takes only about 22% of the time it will take to get from idea to published author!

Here's an example of how realistic and practical her advice is. "Make sure your title is not too long to fit down the spine," she says. Why does that matter? She explains, "A bookshop and a library will place your book sideways so that only the spine shows."

One of my favourite segments is her description of how to paint a word picture. She provided such perfect detail that anyone could grasp the point with ease.

She shares insights from the poetic to the practical. Offering advice from her wealth of personal writing experience, she suggests, "Allow your muse to meander. Thanks to word processing power you can juggle it all around later."

My biggest criticism of Expat Writer is that it should not be limited to expats! Those living abroad are not the only ones who can benefit from Parfitt's casual, easy to understand style.

Jo Parfitt set out to provide readers with "hands-on learning about far more than just the mechanics of writing a book." She also promised, "This book will help you to pick your way through the publishing minefield."

The result is an engaging book that will help anyone wondering, 'Am I ready to write a book?' It's a wonderful walk-through of the process of creating a book from start to finish.

This is an inspiring, practical and light-hearted guide for those who want to get serious about writing - on any subject. It pools together the how, what and why of writing wisdom from a host of resources(that over the years I've read a lot of separately) as well as from Jo Parfitt's own experience in an extremely easy-to-read manner. This book gave my muddled and underconfident ambition to write a sense of doability and realism that is inevitably the way forward. I strongly recommend this book.

This book is a must read for writers, both professional and beginners. The instructions are easy to understand..I wish I could have the opportunity to study writing under Ms. Parfitt.

I found Ms. Parfitt's book to be most helpful in guiding me through the writing, publishing and marketing of my debut book. An earlier title of Ms. Parfitt's book included the words "Expat Writer", and it was this reference that first drew me to her book. However, the tips offered are suitable for all types of books and genres. Ms. Parfitt writes in a style that is easy to read, and her checklists make the book even more user friendly. I thank her for sharing a wealth of experience with new writers such as myself.

From the moment I started to read 'Expat Writer', I felt so excited I was compelled to finish the entire book at one sitting. I had read many other books on starting a writing career, but none of them kept me quite as transfixed as this one.

Jo Parfitts easy-to-follow strategies on how to write, organise and accomplish a book, is a guiding light in the world of writing, demystifying the process with simple straightforward advice.

Since reading Expat Writer, I have now 'released my own book within' and with Jo's words...

"Ignore the inner censor, the one who tells you that you haven't a hope in hell of success. He's only jealous of you"

...I learnt to not take rejection personally, showing that persistance truly does pay off.

I am now in the process of having my first book published, and it really is an elating experience.

Thanks, Jo Parfitt!

Vicky Gray
Author of Didgeridoos & Didgeridont's
www.australiauncovered.com

Reviewed by Kathleen Dowdell for Reader Views (5/07)

Author Jo Parfitt has lived in Dubai, Oman, Norway, England and now the Netherlands, thus the title "Expat Writer." She brings a unique perspective to writing through her travels and her sheer determination to become a writer even though as a child her teachers told her that writing was not a real career. In this book, Jo shares her story that can easily be incorporated into writer's tips that will help any writer through the process of first idea to published idea. Many first ideas are born out of experiences that make the person an expert in a certain field. Jo shows how to capitalize on these experiences and turn them into marketable outcomes.

The meat of the book is found in the eight chapters that are broken into lessons. The first lesson begins with the question "Why do you write?" By figuring out what inspires you to write, you can focus more clearly on the final product - your book. These pages of information are truly inspirational in the sense that they outline the characteristics of a writer. Not all people can or want to write. But a true writer has passion and that passion is the motivating factor that keeps a writer focused and self-driven. Parfitt points out that maintaining motivation is one of the hardest things about writing a book. She devotes an entire chapter on motivational tactics that include ways to stay on target. This book will definitely help inspire you during those times when you encounter writer's block.

One extremely useful chapter tells how to appear to be a writing authority even if you have not had anything published before. These tips called the "8 A's for Astonishing Authors" show how to keep your writing alive and appealing. These invaluable tools will surely get you noticed as an expert in your field. Remember, most books written today are from experiences that the authors want to share with others. Surely anyone has an experience that is worth writing about.

Parfitt has included a 50-step checklist to self-publishing success as well as numerous published resources, websites, electronic newsletter subscriptions, and online bookstores that provide great information to have on hand for further research. Useful information also included is how to apply for an ISBN number as well as self-publishing through e-books.

I would recommend this book to any person who is interested in writing a book even if they don't have a topic in mind. This book will help you tap into your creative talents and inspire you to begin to write. Just getting the flow of words on paper is a beginning that moves you closer to publishing your book. Once you are on track, the "Expat Writer" will be a great guide in helping you "release the book within."

Received book free of charge.