Customer Reviews

Writing the Popular Novel: A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Fiction That Sells

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

 

 

I expected yet another basic how-to with lots of step-by-step instructions and writing exercises. None of that is in there, but I read it anyway, and this book is GREAT. The style is conversational and direct.

One of the best pieces of advice I found was the chapter on 10 ways to fail as a writer, such as "Keep a journal." Instead the author advocates "Save your creative energies for paying work." Having read journaling books, I can see the author's point: if I only have an hour in a day to write, should I journal or work on my novel? Which one has the potential to result in a check?

Another one: "Write screenplays instead of novels." The author again makes an excellent point that writing a novel takes as much time as polishing a screenplay, and is comparitively easier to sell. So why not write the novel and be paid millions so someone *else* can write the screenplay?

There's also some debunking about leading chapters with hooks and ending them with cliffhangers.

This book is full of very practical, real-world advice. For beginning writers, though, I'd suggest a basic introductory book on the elements of novel-writing. If you've a bit more experience and are ready to really roll up your sleeves and produce, this book is definitely for you.

Ignore the simpletons with the poor ratings for this book. One guy says this book doesn't have the forward???? Well, mine does, I bought it from Amazon a few months ago.

Second, I'm surprised no one mentioned the best part of the book, the short "Fiction Fact" at the end of each of the 27 chapters. They are great. I'll tell you one of them:

"Fans of recycling must appreciate John Creasey, who wrote his first published novel on the back of 743 rejection letters."

Another is about RK Rowling giving a shocking example of where she was financially before publishing the first book. You will be shocked! Believe me. Sorry, these are so great here is another one abbreviated. Offered 200 dollars to write a 2,000 word essay on if a writer should have a social conscience the author wrote back, "No. You owe me 10 cents."

The book itself is very dense. The author gives you quick chapters maybe nine pages long on average covering a lot of information. It is skewed a bit towards the author's perspective and experience, historicals, but that's OK.

If anyone has a brain the will see various books on writing have contridictions. That is because writing is an art, not science. What works for one author-book-time-publisher won't necessarily work for another, duh. It is excellent to learn of various rules, there are reasons for them and know that you are knowingly breaking them.

I have to give Loren credit for speaking his mind so freely, but he lost credibility with me by taking jabs at Nicholas Sparks and his fan base. Not that Mr. Sparks is Hemingway, but he does sell a lot of books and does "something" right with his book writing. Loren's tone was sometimes aloof and it just didn't sit well with me. Some good advice throughout I suppose, but only if you are from Loren's school of thought on what it takes to be a good writer. I think writing about so many tough guys has gone to his head.

This book was great--great advice, very insightful. I loved it! Don't pay attention to the negative reviewers.

When I looked at the sales pitch, I was first of the impression that John Lescroart was one of the authors. I admire his work, and so I purchased the book. I discovered upon its arrival that John Lescroart was only the author of the foreword. But No! I turned to the Table of Contents to find the foreword by John Lescroart. It states that the foreward is "forthcoming." There is no foreword by John Lescroart. The author was not very "forthcoming" by letting those of us who are Lescroart fans believe that, at least, we were going to have the benefit of Mr. Lescroart's foreward. The author lost a lot of credibility with me; I'd purchased the book on the premise that Mr. Lescroart was, at least, involved. Perhaps Mr. Estleman will purchase my next novel, forword by John Grisham.