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The Nasty Little Writing Book : Longtime New York Publishing Insider Reveals Secrets Only Best-Selling Authors Know [Hardcover]

Madelyne Simone Rovenhauer
3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)


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Book Description

September 1, 2000 0965840786 978-0965840781
BOOK BY PUBLISHING INSIDER TOPPLES PUBLISHING FROM PEDESTAL A new satire of how-to-write-books by NY publishing insider Madelyne Simone Rovenhauer has the market all to itself. In a genre rife with deadly serious texts purporting to teach the beginner to write bestselling novels, there is now a deadly satire. Anything but the usual publishing cheerleader, Rovenhauer bites not only the hand that feeds her, but every hand within reach. Her nasty little book topples publishing from its pedestal and into the gutter where it belongs, and anyone who has ever read any of an endless stream of how-to-write books in hopes of being published—and collected rejection slips—will want to read this hilarious spoof.

Rovenhauer deals with all aspects of writing a bestselling novel on one’s first try—from awaiting the muse to coping with ensuing fame. Included in her acerbic guide are: secrets of ‘bonding’ with new york editors, writing about sex, what genre is ripe for ‘breaking in’, why you should not ‘write what you know’, how TV can be your doorway to success, why literary agents want to ‘discover’ you, and much more. Bitingly satirical and choc-a-block with lies as it is—this nasty little tome serves up a bigger dose of truth than any gross of the usual how-to-be-published books.

The Nasty Little Writing Book guarantees a contract with a large publishing house and a million dollar advance on the reader’s first attempt. Ms. Rovenhauer is that confident, that filled with sage advice for the novice. Vicious as it is nasty, those familiar with the realities of the publishing world will find Rovenhauer’s nasty little spoof acerbically on target.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Madelyne Simone Rovenhauer (a nom de plume) and D.W. St. John (A Terrible Beauty) present The Nasty Little Writing Book: Dirty Little Secrets of Bestselling Authors Revealed by New York Publishing Insider, filled with all the things a budding author should not do, under the guise of being helpful and chummy in a hilarious, backstabbing kind of way, of course. With a heavy speaking tour and healthy promotional efforts, sales and gales of laughter should be on the rise. Agent, Bernie P. Steinfelder. 15-city West Coast author tour. 50,000 first print run; $20,000 advertising budget.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Bitingly satirical…serves up a bigger dose of truth than any gross of the usual how-to-be-published books." -- Puyallup Mercury Dispatch, December 5, 2000

"Highly recommended… for the experienced writer looking to enjoy a good…laugh…should be required reading for aspiring best-selling authors…" -- Midwest Book Review (August 2002)

"…topples publishing from its pedestal and into the gutter where it belongs." -- René Philipe Laucaste—author, Angles Of Repose

"…vicious as it is nasty! Rovenhauer bites not only the hand that feeds her, but every hand within reach." -- Capistrano Intelligencer News, January 2, 2001

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 132 pages
  • Publisher: Poison Vine Books (September 1, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0965840786
  • ISBN-13: 978-0965840781
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,627,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author profiles are written by the authors themselves. Did you know that? That's why in author bio's, authors never 'live' anywhere---they 'reside.' Sounds better doesn't it? But, honestly, they just live somewhere.

Authors are neither more clever nor more interesting than you are, they just have to pretend to be, because who would pay to read a book by someone as ordinary as they are?

Why do we write? Every writer has a different reason.
We want people to think we're smart.
We're not comfortable talking to people directly. We can write all the clever stuff we could never think of in real life.
We want to share our dreams.
We want to make a few shekels.
That's all.

You may notice my bookies are not available on this site. They are available in ebooks elsewhere, though. Just google them. Some are even free.

Who knows... you might even find some truth in them.

Be well and may reading be a great joy to you.


Customer Reviews

Waste of money, but luckily my kindle had a delete button! Machelle  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
Excellent advice, given with wit and enthusiasm. Linda Thaler  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 31 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars An in joke that falls very flat indeed March 8, 2004
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
If brevity's the soul of wit, this 121-page wheeze is still too long. Smug author thinks it's a laff riot to invert standard advice (single-space your manuscripts, never revise a word, demand $1,000,000 in your query letters . . . are we getting the joke yet?). Soon, even author herself grows bored, starts satirizing romance novels and anything else within her limited reach--in a nonstop, archly overwritten style.

The only valid lesson this book teaches is what it might to be like to be being trapped in an elevator with Dame Edna on speed.

Was this review helpful to you?
21 of 26 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars KEEP THIS BOOK OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE GULLIBLE. January 17, 2001
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This book has to be the most cynical look at writing and publishing I've ever devoured. Reading it is like walking blidfolded through a patch of cockleburr--every few lines you wince. Not ready to laugh at yourself, at bestsellers, at writing, at writers, at publishing in general? Then don't open this one. It spares no one and nothing.
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13 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars LAUGHED TIL I CRIED! January 18, 2001
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I have no idea if this woman even exists, but my God what a nasty book. If this babe is real I pity the poor souls she comes across. There is a lot to make fun of in the publishing world, the writing world, and she makes a grab for all the rings. While not catching them all, she comes close.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars It really is that bad.
No redeeming qualities. This is the only book I've ever thrown away. I don't want anyone else to read this. It's not worth the paper it's printed on. Is it satire? Parody? Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. Browning
5.0 out of 5 stars The Nasty Little Writing Book
Excellent advice, given with wit and enthusiasm. I enjoyed it so much I passed it on to my daughter who teaches college English and uses examples from the book in her classes.
Published 5 months ago by Linda Thaler
1.0 out of 5 stars A Parody should be called a parody
I'd feel different about this book if it had been clearly labeled a parody. But you can't very well pillory an industry for targeting gullible wannabes immune to listening and do... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mac Author Anonymous
4.0 out of 5 stars Satire! Read with a dose of cynic!
Some negative reviewers just do not get that this is written with the intention of being satire, plain and simple. It is a fun jab to people who do know about publishing. Read more
Published 19 months ago by cbugs
2.0 out of 5 stars I laughed until I stopped.
Although I enjoy a bit of mean spirited satire, the author just doesn't seem to know where to leave off a joke. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Rachel H Duncan
1.0 out of 5 stars NASTY Author
I always dreamed of writing, but I would never stoop this low to write a book. Its very misleading at first. Read the fine print. I didnt see anything humorous about this book. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Machelle
1.0 out of 5 stars Don't Pay for this Book
This book was an opportunity for its author to vent, and prop themselves up by mocking... pretty much anybody. Read more
Published 20 months ago by T. Blackford
4.0 out of 5 stars Naughty, Naughty!
There is truth here. Oh God, is there ever!
I laughed a lot while reading this. It stung, but I laughed anyway.
If you like to laugh, this may be for you. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Drosin Macavedjev
4.0 out of 5 stars Very cynical and funny.
If you take things very literal, then avoid this book a all cost. If you like a cynical sense of humor, then this book is a funny look at the writing industry. Read more
Published on May 18, 2011 by R. J. Santos Vargas
5.0 out of 5 stars Never laughed so hard in my life... does that make me nasty, too?
As a former librarian and recovering aspiring fiction writer, I've read---or tried to read---hundreds of "how to write a novel" books, most of which are not worth the time to... Read more
Published on April 20, 2011 by Sarah Williams
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