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agsmith07's review
5.0
I’ve read quite a few books on the craft of writing. I loved this particular book because it was practical, concise and reader friendly. I liked the fact that many different writers and industry professionals contributed to the book, because it offered different insights into all aspects of writing, editing, publishing and marketing. There are also quite a few examples and exercises to elaborate on the topics of each chapter. Although the focus is commercial fiction, with an emphasis on romance, I think all writers would benefit from the knowledge of these professionals. Even though I’m currently writing nonfiction, I learned valuable information about the publishing industry. All contributors emphasized that hard work and practicing your craft is essential, but the tone of the book was still kind and encouraging – which I truly appreciated!
lapetite's review
3.0
Books on craft I prefer to buy them physically but I felt I really needed to read this to get some insight on the romance industry. Plus when I saw Jane Porter had a hand on this, I got really excited.
I enjoyed reading what these bestselling authors had to say along with their recommendations on texture (hadn't heard of this before), conflict (my very weak spot) and many other things. I think this is a fantastic book for a writer who is just started reading books on craft. It encompasses a lot of things and later, once you realize what you need to study up on, you can research books on those specific subjects.
What I didn't enjoy was one particular essay where that mere generalization can create havoc. Not everyone that finds a typo, spelling mistake, etc is a troll. Some people, like myself, point it out because it's annoying and it shows that editing was not as thorough as it should've been. Irony of ironies, I found a few typos in this book and that my friends is very disappointing. This statement apparently makes me a troll. Whatever. That's why I couldn't give this the four star rating I originally wanted to give it. Don't teach writers that they have a right to come after a reader just because they disagree with an opinion. That left a bad taste in my mouth.
However, there was more good than bad in this book. I did loads of highlighting that I will revisit when I am in the throes of my next manuscript.
I enjoyed reading what these bestselling authors had to say along with their recommendations on texture (hadn't heard of this before), conflict (my very weak spot) and many other things. I think this is a fantastic book for a writer who is just started reading books on craft. It encompasses a lot of things and later, once you realize what you need to study up on, you can research books on those specific subjects.
What I didn't enjoy was one particular essay where that mere generalization can create havoc. Not everyone that finds a typo, spelling mistake, etc is a troll. Some people, like myself, point it out because it's annoying and it shows that editing was not as thorough as it should've been. Irony of ironies, I found a few typos in this book and that my friends is very disappointing. This statement apparently makes me a troll. Whatever. That's why I couldn't give this the four star rating I originally wanted to give it. Don't teach writers that they have a right to come after a reader just because they disagree with an opinion. That left a bad taste in my mouth.
However, there was more good than bad in this book. I did loads of highlighting that I will revisit when I am in the throes of my next manuscript.