You Can Write a Novel

Since I am about three-fourths done with the first draft to my novel, it's too late to take all his advice. As you may have gathered from other reviews, Smith takes a very practical and logical approach to writing. Organizing everything up front. It should make your writing clearer and more focused. It involves a series of cards for each character and scene in your book. Larger cards for larger scenes and characters of greater importance. I will write my next book based on this system. Other invaluable advice he gives involves what to do once you finished the first draft. And it is up to date requiring word processors. He shows you how to do searches and look up offending words and types of words. In a word, brilliant. In fact, he gives you no less then thirty-five items to go through for the revision stage. All of them valuable. Perhaps some of the most compact, yet best advice I have seen. Remember, the only thing between your novel and a best seller, is in the revision. These thirty-five steps will shine your work to brilliance! Go for it. In short, if you haven't started your new novel yet, don't be a moron, buy this book and be signing your own books and a year or so. If you are part way through your present novel. Kick yourself for not buying this book first, buy it and use the editing section. This book goes on my shelf as a must read. PS This book is yet another home run from "Writer's Digest Books" who is in my mind the premier source of fine how to write books. PPS My short list of must reads: The First Five Pages, Noah Lukeman Writing the Breakout Novel, Donald Mass 45 Master CHaracters, Victoria Lynn Schmidt Dialogue, Gloria Kempton Description & Setting, Ron Rozelle Scene & Structure, Jack M. Bickham You Can Write a Novel, James V. Smith Jr. PPPS My short list of stinkers that slipped through: Creating Character Emotions, Ann Hood Writing Dialogue, Tom Chiarella Theme & Strategy, Ronald B. Tobias

I'd like to add to the many reviews of You Can Write a Novel by bringing up what I consider to be the best advice in the book--the best advice I've received in a long time. Smith advises you to write the ending first. Instead of starting at the beginning, typing thousands of words, suddenly finding yourself lost, then, naturally, abandoning the project, you're advised to plot your novel ahead of time. Then you're to begin writing at the best part, the end.By writing a strong climax early on, you will clearly see where your novel is going, and you will be able to foreshadow effectively. Honestly, this one professional tidbit has helped me to finish my first story in a long time (a short story, granted, but the advice crosses over).Smith shows you how to zoom out and see your novel as a whole, to write it out of order--always tackling the parts that inspire you most, first, above all others--and to fill in the lesser scenes later.It almost makes writing fun. (Many of us don't write for fun, but out of compulsion.)I'm currently reading another book about novel writing that's twice as long and less than half as effective. You Can Write a Novel by James Smith is short, HELPFUL, and enjoyable. This guy wields words with humor and authority. He makes me want to write a novel, which previously I'd feared. I couldn't imagine how to tackle such a project. He'll make you beleive that you can, too.

To all would-be novelists: do you need help? Is there a first line, or a first chapter, lurking in your desk drawer, waiting for your ideas to gel? Maybe scraps of ideas written on envelopes and napkins?Get organized. This book is what you need.James V. Smith covers all necessary aspects of writing novel-length fiction, up to and including a unique way to organize characters and scenes on index cards, keeping all your info available when you need it.Then, beyond the mechanical help, Smith gives you practical advice on the creative process. Learn how to revise by eliminating text; exactly how many main characters a well-crafted novel has in population; how to make those characters believable, and the reader care about them; how to start and keep going until you finish.It's as good as a fiction workshop priced at ten times the price of this book.

This is the first book I have read about writing a novel that explains in simple, applicable terms what a novel is; what New York is looking for; and how to write a novel. Had I had access to this book earlier, I would have saved myself years -- literally -- of wasted energy and fruitless hopes. Clearly, as the author points out, there are exceptions to the clear-cut rules in this book. But if you're one of the gifted few who meet those exceptions, you don't need this book. For the rest of us, it's a must-read if you want to publish -- as opposed to write -- a novel.

This is the only book on writing that I've ever found to be remotely useful. It leads you from your little concept to a full manuscript in a straightforward and enjoyable manner. It's gotten so much use I actually had to replace my copy recently.