This will probably be my only review for a book on novel writing and I say this because in my experiences they are very similar in terms of suggestions, design, and exercises so reviewing multiple books would just result in me repeating myself. But anyway on to the review.

Writing a Novel and Getting Published was a book I found at the library in my early days of writing, and I must say that when I picked it up I was ecstatic. I really had nothing to go on when I looked at my own novel and this book served as a sort of rode map that guided me in the right direction. I can’t remember how many times I would stop reading just to run to a piece of paper and put down notes of ideas for my own story.

One of the best things for a new writer to hear is stories from another writer who went through essentially the exact same thing. That is one of the biggest strengths of this book and books like it. It is just such a wonderful feeling to have another writer speak to you about his or her own techniques and hardships; it makes you feel like you aren’t alone and makes your mistakes seem less of a problem and more of a goal. And don’t be put off by the exercises at the end of the chapter either. I remember when I was reading it that all I wanted to do was read, not stop and go through little assignments; I did that in school so I completely avoided it when reading this book. For the most part it doesn’t really matter if you avoid doing these suggestions, but as I look back on it, it really isn’t a bad idea, and I ended up doing several of these exercises without even realizing it. But if you really don’t have the time or motivation to do these, then don’t worry, the book still helps immensely just by reading it.

Subjects of writing a novel are also broken down into easy to read chapters that focus on things like character, plot and theme. You can skip ahead and read the chapter that focuses on your area of struggle, but I recommend reading the book in order; it flows better and if the author references something he said earlier then you get a better understanding of what he means.

There aren’t any real problems I have with this book, except that there are times where the exercises seemed more like school work which is why I avoided them. Also there will be times where you might disagree with an idea or technique of the author but that is okay, even with that you can still enjoy the book.

I recommend this book to all writers struggling to write their first novel, or even your second or third novel. It is a joy to read and makes the whole process a little easier. Now, as I said, a lot of these how to write a novel books are very similar and I stand by that comment, so if you can’t find this book at your library or at a book store then don’t be afraid to pick up a different one. Also if you are more concerned with areas such as fantasy, sci-fi, romance, or one of many other specific genres then picking up a book that focuses on those areas isn’t a bad idea either. All of these books can help you as a writer even if you disagree with the techniques of the author.