Author: B Mayer
Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books
RRP: $19.99
ISBN: 9781582973203
Release Date: 2011
Description:
Susan Wiggs (#1 NY Times best-seller): Bob Mayer is a gifted writer and a generous teacher. Terry Brooks (#1 NY Times best-seller): An invaluable resource for beginning & seasoned writers. Don't miss out. Elizabeth George (NY Times best-seller): Something for every writer. My hat is off to Bob. Chicken Soup Creator Jack Canfield (#1 NY Times best-seller): Your new Warrior-Writer focus is a great one. I always loved at Maui Writers Conference how your programs delved deeply into the psychological models you need to develop characters. Now you are using that same knowledge to develop people. As we say in California-- way cool! Much love to you my friend, and congratulations on the new book it looks great! --Best-selling author quotes
Product Description
Here's the book writers have been waiting for! Covering every aspect of the creative journey, Living the Writing Life shows readers how to:
*Develop salable ideas
*Turn ideas into stories
*Set a writing schedule and stick to it
*Conduct accurate research
*Dissect best-sellers in order to discover what makes them work
*Develop compelling characters and plot
*Write dialogue that sounds real and engaging
*Find an agent or an editor who will help publish your work
*Put their ideas into story form
*Understand the submission and publishing process
*Promote their work
*Stay alive and inspired through it all
Advice is given in a straightforward and usable manner, laying out and examining all of the tools available to writers, from imagination to technology.
Review:
Bob Mayer's "The Novel Writer's Toolkit: A Guide to Writing Novels andGetting Published" is a really great book. This book should be on everyaspiring writer's book shelf. I have been an aspiring writer for the pastsixteen years and I'm really learning from this. Bob Mayer doesn't sugar-coat the business aspects of writing. The other great thing isthat this is an easy-to-read, step-by-step book. Mayer also has awonderful theraputic approach to writing and says that anyone can learnhow to write. It's not some sort of mystical talent people have the day they are born. Mayer also gives charts and grids on how to make your story better.
Mayer doesn't babble on about pointless aspects of writing, like a lot of self-help writing novels do. Mayer really knows his trade and gives great advice. He talks about why and how aspiring writers fail. He also makes you really think about yourself and your needs as an author, wheather or not you're really cut out for the business side of writing. Mayer gives great details about every aspect that should be in a book, from characters to plot points and other things you wouldn't even think about.
He has helpful sample outlines, sample cover letter and synopsis. He also includes a nice sample story grid and plot line.
Overall, he covers the mechanics of writing in less than 135 pages and the business parts in less than seventy pages. That makes it a quick read, and an enjoyable one as it doesn't linger anywhere too long to be boring. Therein lies its shortfall. Nothing is very detailed. For example, there aren't specifics on creating good dialogue or narrative. As a result, it is one of about fifteen books I keep to provide a solid reference on how to perform my art to its best.
Whilst in some respects it a more slim line version of the Writer’s Digest Writers Market it does offer some solid advice that works extremely well for the UK market.
All in a decent book that will help you more in the later stages rather than the early ones but the motivation is there to help get you started in the first place. Decent enough although I’d say that this title is more a companion to another title such as Writing the Paranormal Romance (or a title specific to the genre you wish to write in) rather than a pure standalone.
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