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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Pedestrian in the extreme,
By A Customer
This review is from: Writing the Nonfiction Book (The Successful Writer's Guides) (Paperback)
I had very high hopes of this book offering some genuine insights and useful pointers, but, having grown tired of both Ms Shaw's repeated references to herself and how successful she is at writing, and the (largely empty) promises that this book shows you absoultely everything you need to do to get published, I gave up, frustrated and irritated in equal measure.I can't take seriously any book which at one point seems to be preparing you for an imminent appearance on Oprah and then offers a crash course in basic punctuation. I also resent Ms Shaw's assertion that we prefer reading at a sixth-grade level. I for one found her sixth-grade writing style both patronising and irritating. You, of course, may not. This book is also woefully also short on detail and the nitty-gritty. If, for example, you're going to devote an entire chaper to the production of a book proposal, would it not make sense to provide some examples? Ms Shaw evidently doesn't think so, because there aren't any. Similarly, her "advice" for interviewing seems more concerned with what you should wear than what questions to ask and how to ask them. This book might be mildly useful to those looking to produce a simple book on looking after goldfish, but for those of us who are a bit more ambitious - and who think writing should be more than just knocking together something that a sixth-grader could read - look elsewhere.
32 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
5 Stars for Self-promotion, 1 Star for Content,
By A Customer
This review is from: Writing the Nonfiction Book (The Successful Writer's Guides) (Paperback)
I was exceptionally disappointed with this book. The book's content is a far cry from the unanimous five-star ratings and glowing reviews which present this book as a panacea for nonfiction writers. The principle of something appearing "too good to be true" is applicable here and I regret not recognizing that before blowing $... and wasting an evening of precious reading/writing time. My disappointment was foreshadowed early on in the book when the author stated that authors are often thought of as experts on a subject simply because they've written a book on it. Indeed, this book is a classic example of that fallacious reasoning. First, the content is EXTREMELY elementary. There is little presented here that goes above and beyond common sense and a half-day writing seminar. Actually that's not entirely true; with this book you do get plenty of superfluous material you wouldn't get at a seminar. There's lots of filler here, including the things we already learned from our mothers and teachers: dress well, take some lunch money, and go to the bathroom before an interview. The reader has the feeling throughout the book of being talked down to like some low-IQ, spastic rookie who really has no business trying to write a book in the first place. But the author blends comfort with condescension, assuring us that if we follow her impeccable expertise, we can be a master like her. The Table of Contents appears to be the highlight of the book, leading potential readers to believe that the book really does cover everything. Unfortunately it turns out to be little more than an effective marketing tool, as chapter after chapter continues to disappoint. Adding to the frustration of turning every page hoping that it will contain some useful information, the reader is continuously subjected to the author's shameless self-promotion as she creatively, but awkwardly inserts plugs for many of her own books. The author has also done a fine job recruiting colleagues and acquaintances to help her promote this book as reflected in the Foreward by Dan Poynter (I'm disappointed in you Dan) and the reviews on the back cover. The reality is that this book is 60 percent fluff, 20 percent self-promotion, and no more than 20 percent valuable information. After being forced to read (in this book) about the wide array of other books by this author, I'm left with the conclusion that the author tries to be a jack of all trades, but falls short of being even the master of the one she presents herself to be in this book. This is definitely NOT a book for "serious" beginning writers. It is geared more toward the dreamer and the wannabe.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An invaluable reference for all non-fiction writers.,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Writing the Nonfiction Book (The Successful Writer's Guides) (Paperback)
Eva Shaw's Writing The Nonfiction Book is a compendium of practical tips and anecdotal information on the art and science of writing, producing, and marketing nonfiction books. Whether an aspiring author seeking to be published, or an experienced professional, Writing The Nonfiction Book has something to commend it, from determining the marketability of a book concept to creating the manuscript, to finding an agent, to securing a publisher. Easy-to-follow steps explain how to format, complete, and market any kind of nonfiction book regardless of subject matter. Writing The Nonfiction Book is highly recommended reading and will prove an invaluable asset to the entire process from assessing an original idea for a book to marketing and promotion the finished tome.
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