Having a vast collection of "How To Write a Book" books, I can say with some certainty that this is one of the few that ACTUALLY tells you how to write a book, that breaks down the nuts and bolts of what goes into constructing a novel, how to use it to create your own story and how to get back on track when you wander off of it. Other books of its kind are great at telling you what you need to do and what happens once it's done, but they leave out the crucial steps in the middle. I found Nail Your Novel most useful in terms of plotting, surely the thorniest problem of all and the one I feel most neglected by other guides. Yes, you have a beginning, an end and a cast of characters, but how exactly do you get from start to finish? What happens in the middle? Nail Your Novel answers that question for you. Its practical advice is invaluable and the book is so well explained and laid out that you'll end up returning to it again and again. A necessary edition to any writer's reference shelf. Nail Your Novel: Why Writers Abandon Books and How You Can Draft, Fix and Finish With Confidence
Novelist, ghost writer, and professional critiquer Roz Morris's Nail Your Novel is wonderful guide to the bones of writing a novel. A "writing buddy in a book," this 122-page pdf pares down the basics of crafting a lengthy piece of fiction and presents a helpful methodology that dispenses with the often hazy, daunting journey from story conception to finished product.
In a no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase set of "tasks," Morris offers her own regimented technique for building a novel from the ground up. Although her intensive, detail-oriented process won't be a good fit for everyone, it's an excellent place for young writers to start. She walks writers through the basics, beginning with nurturing ideas into usable premises and following the process all the way to the light at the end of the tunnel: selling a completed manuscript to a publisher.
In many respects, Morris's process is very similar to my own, so I found myself nodding my head vigorously over many of her points. Her discussion of outlining, in particular, overflowed with excellent advice, including tips for organizing scenes and filling in the blanks. Her inclusion of "thumb notes," which pause to describe integral pieces of the story-telling puzzle--including character and plot, genre, and scene structure--are an excellent primer for often misunderstood areas of fiction.
As a guide for young novelists who are still trying to figure out just how to get a book written, Nail Your Novel is an excellent resource. For those who already know what they're doing, this fascinating glimpse into the successful process of another author is sure to offer some excellent gems for fine-tuning already established techniques. - Novel Writing - Writing - On Writing - Plot'
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