This Year You Write Your Novel
by Walter Mosley
|
|
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of This Year You Write Your Novel.
discuss this book
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
This book is not in any lists. Go add it to a list.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 100)
Has a copy to sell/swap
—
Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
Someone who wants to write but has no clue where to start
Listening to the "Writers on Writing" podcast (which I highly recommend), I've learned that it's far easier and generally more profitable to sell a non-fiction book proposal than a novel. Perhaps that's why so many writers of fiction come out with "how-to-write" books like this one. Or perhaps I'm being cynical since I have a shelf full of writing books.
I listed to an interview with the author on the WOW podcast and it sounded different than other writing books. But,...more
I listed to an interview with the author on the WOW podcast and it sounded different than other writing books. But,...more
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
1 comments
bookshelves:
writing
Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
aspiring prose pushers (e.g., John)
Somewhere out there is a handbook for writing and the writer's lifestyle; this is more like the "Quick Start Guide" falls out of the box. But if This Year You Write Your Novel is the Quick Start Guide of the writer's lifestyle then Writing Down The Bones is the in-depth, O'Reilly-published "Missing Manual".
I did not like Walter Mosley's bo...more
I did not like Walter Mosley's bo...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in April, 2008
This is one of four newish books I recently read mostly so I could finally get them off my queue list, all of which were actually pretty good but are mere wisps of manuscripts, none of them over 150 pages or so in length. This one is the nonfiction This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley, an author I don't necessarily like that much personally but certainly respect a whole lot, among other things for being one of the only black authors in history to break through the lily-white pu...more
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
add a comment
bookshelves:
books-on-writing
Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
Anyone who wants to write and has NO CLUE where to start
I blew through this little book in a little under an hour while hanging out at the Des Moines Public Library waiting for my friend to finish his volunteer duty at the Iowa State Fair.
I've never used the "You would recommend this book to" field before in a review but I feel it's useful here because with this book Mosley is addressing a very specific type of reader: the person who has never ever picked up, read, or possibly even heard of any kind of how-to about writing. For that rea...more
I've never used the "You would recommend this book to" field before in a review but I feel it's useful here because with this book Mosley is addressing a very specific type of reader: the person who has never ever picked up, read, or possibly even heard of any kind of how-to about writing. For that rea...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Mosley gives straightforward, unpretentious advice to beginning writers, staying realistic at all times. There's no sugarcoating here. To paraphrase some of his advice: write every day, no excuses; the bulk of the work is in the endless drafts; a story is never done, but stop when you can't make forward progress; you'll be better the next story. The somewhat cheesy title is misleading. There is great advice in here that applies to all fiction writing. Can be read in one or two sittings. Definite...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
3 comments
bookshelves:
currently-reading
Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
a novel writer who needs baby steps
I'm actually very disappointed in Mosley for writing such a bland and uninspiring call to take up pens and write. For being such a talented and prolific author himself, you'd think he would have a little more enthusiasm for the art itself, and more wisdom to impart on the aspiring novelist. If you need some help, advice, or motivation in getting your own writing started, I'd recommend The Modern Library Writer's Workshop. Now that
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
bookshelves:
recently-read
Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
Donna, Sylvia
I heart Walter Mosley! I heard him speak at AWP in Austin, and I loved his upbeat, positive, funny presentation. This book captures the same persona. It's like a personal life coach for your writing life. He doesn't say much that I haven't heard before, but it's well-written, concise, and much of what he says rings true with my own writerly intuitions.
I'd recommend this book to any writer or writing teacher. I'm considering it for a novel writing class I'm putting together.
I'd recommend this book to any writer or writing teacher. I'm considering it for a novel writing class I'm putting together.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in February, 2008
Well, although I've read most of his novels and especially love the characters Easy Rawlings and Socrates Fortlaw; and our first "Black President" Bill Clinton listed Mosely as his favorite author, this book was written for high school and college age kids( or adults who have no clue) who are considering being writers.
So it was kinda a waste of time, but I'm still on my dead ine to finish my novel by July 4th with my trusty new mac ibook
So it was kinda a waste of time, but I'm still on my dead ine to finish my novel by July 4th with my trusty new mac ibook
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I've read several "how to write a novel books" by well known authors. This one is pretty rudimentary, but I like Mosley's books,so I wanted to see what he had to say. I love reading, but have never had the imagination or the drive to attempt to write fiction. I know lots of "big words", but stringing them together in an interesting fashion is best left to others. I do recommend Stephen King's "On Writing", mostly for the personal stuff.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in March, 2008
This is a non-fictional guide to writing your first novel supposedly all in a one year time line; start to finish. Even though I have only tentative plans to write my own novel...someday; I thought that this book offers great insight into the lives of professional writers, and is furthermore written by Mosley, a great mystery novelist and fellow Los Angelino.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
library-read
Read in May, 2008
Short book, with lots of good advice.
A review on amazon blasted it for giving information everyone already knows. That's not true. I think this is perfect for the writer just starting out. It's short, gives good advice and the author is amazingly talented. I took notes and picked up some nice gems from it.
A review on amazon blasted it for giving information everyone already knows. That's not true. I think this is perfect for the writer just starting out. It's short, gives good advice and the author is amazingly talented. I took notes and picked up some nice gems from it.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
lit-criticism
Like being nagged at about your personality flaws by an annoying girlfriend only to realize "Goddamn it she's right."
Nothing ground breaking here, but it's simple good sense puts it on the shelf with The Elements Of Style and On Writing as one of the few books about writing that are actually helpful.
Nothing ground breaking here, but it's simple good sense puts it on the shelf with The Elements Of Style and On Writing as one of the few books about writing that are actually helpful.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Mature indavidual who has just started thinking about writing
This book was very introductory, with a lot of stuff that I have heard a million times before being rehashed through; as the title suggests, however, Mosley puts a heavy emphasis on the time factor of writing on schedule, which added an interesting flair to old material and made it worth a brief read.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in December, 2007
My sister-in-law gave me this for Christmas...a not-too-subtle hint from the family about how I've been spending my time! It's nothing I don't already know about writing except he has a different approach to revision that others I have read.
Like this review?
yes
2 comments
bookshelves:
2007,
writing
Read in July, 2007
This Year You Will Write Your Novel covers the basics of writing a novel. If you need a refresher on what a first draft is, or what third-person narrative should sound like, read it. If not, I suggest reading a different book.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
currently-reading
I have spent an ungodly amount of money studying writing. This is the first text that has helped me with the daily habit of writing. Screw theory, write daily.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
Very short guide to writing, the basic stuff most everyone already knows: point of view, show don't tell, etc.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Don't waste your time unless you know nothing about fiction writing. Best thing in the book: "Write every day."
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in March, 2008
Another writing book being added to an already crowded field, and this one is not very memorable.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
writers
Excellent. Answers all those secret questions we don't want to ask anyone about writing fiction.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment














