Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
70th out of 345 books
—
525 voters
Chapter After Chapter: Discover the Dedication & Focus You Need to Write the Book of Your Dreams
Writing a book requires a focus, a sense of knowing and trusting in yourself and your work. And it requires an unflinching commitment to staying the course. "Chapter After Chapter" shows you how to build on your good writing habits, accrue and recognize tiny successes, and turn your dedication to the craft into the book you always knew you could write if you could just sta...more
Hardcover, 242 pages
Published
December 1st 2006
by Writers Digest Books
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
385)
A coaching guide to take a writer through writing their book.
The author takes the writer through the psychological and technical obstacles to writing a book. Beginning with the mindset, through practical advice (such as reading 100 books), then to help breakthrough the inevitable writing blocks, till finally not giving up on the edit. Chapter by chapter, a different obstacle is examined and a solution proposed. Every chapter ends with an exercise. Most of them are not that helpful, but the ones...more
The author takes the writer through the psychological and technical obstacles to writing a book. Beginning with the mindset, through practical advice (such as reading 100 books), then to help breakthrough the inevitable writing blocks, till finally not giving up on the edit. Chapter by chapter, a different obstacle is examined and a solution proposed. Every chapter ends with an exercise. Most of them are not that helpful, but the ones...more
Heather Sellers is like that friend who tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear, but in the friendliest, gentlest way possible. Writing a book is hard and not something likely to fit around the edges of your life. You'll need to sacrifice a bit and make some decisions about how you spend your time and energy.
She also likens writing a book to having a relationship. If you neglect it, it will suffer. You need to pay attention to your book, even if just a little bit, every single...more
She also likens writing a book to having a relationship. If you neglect it, it will suffer. You need to pay attention to your book, even if just a little bit, every single...more
I found this book a fantastic help when I was working on the second draft of my novel-in-progress.
I was trying and failing to get up even earlier in the morning in order to have a bit more time to write when I was recommended her book. After reading the first few chapters, I found myself motivated to get up when the alarm rang because my reward was to read it, rationing just one short chapter every morning.
I have used a number of Sellars' strategies on and off, am particularly fond of the idea...more
I was trying and failing to get up even earlier in the morning in order to have a bit more time to write when I was recommended her book. After reading the first few chapters, I found myself motivated to get up when the alarm rang because my reward was to read it, rationing just one short chapter every morning.
I have used a number of Sellars' strategies on and off, am particularly fond of the idea...more
This is a real gem of a book!
Sellers look at a writer's life in this book, not at the craft of writing or the technical side of writing. The chapters include the following bits of wisdom:
Writers are not people who have ideas for books: writer's write.
Writers do not have hectic social lives, flitting from one engagement to another: they can manage about one extracurricular activity and the rest of their time belongs to their writing.
Writers do not write "one book": they will write many, many boo...more
Sellers look at a writer's life in this book, not at the craft of writing or the technical side of writing. The chapters include the following bits of wisdom:
Writers are not people who have ideas for books: writer's write.
Writers do not have hectic social lives, flitting from one engagement to another: they can manage about one extracurricular activity and the rest of their time belongs to their writing.
Writers do not write "one book": they will write many, many boo...more
A different kind of writing book than the ones I'm used to... The author recommends slowing down, enjoying the writing process, writing for the love of it and not worrying about publication. I take pride in being productive, writing fast and writing well, so many of her recommendations didn't resonate with me. And yet, others did. Suggestions about how to stay in love with your book and how to fight the dreaded book "Creep" apply to all of us. (A-)
This book is like all other books about writing; it makes you want to sit down and begin writing. But I read at night in bed, so I have that sensation as I am turning out the light and closing my eyes. I would suggest reading this book in the morning when you have the whole day to get some writing done.
This book is quite good! I'll definitely be referring back to it during my time writing. Sellers keeps things interesting and on-topic, and not at all dry, which is a rare quality to find in writing reference books. She tells it like it is, and uses stories of her real life experiences writing, and experiences with other writers, to enhance her points and drive things home.
I should probably have read Page After Page before this book. I'm definitely giving consideration to buying that one now th...more
I should probably have read Page After Page before this book. I'm definitely giving consideration to buying that one now th...more
This is in my top five of all-time favorite books on the writing craft. I've used many of her tips, and I've got a dozen or so Post-It notes marking the pages of this book to prove it. I hope she's working on another. Very inspiring.
A writing book about motivation for the long haul, rather than craft, editing, or publishing. Each chapter meditates on something different, so some resonate while others fall flat, but there strategies enough for most aspiring writers to find value.
I wanted to give this book four stars, but there was one major thing that held me back. The author keeps saying things about how people think you can be a writer in your downtime, that you can do other things while being a writer, but you can't. And then later, she says that she does other things, or that you should do other things, and it is contradictory and frustrating.
That being said, she has some really good writing tips that I am definitely going to keep on hand, especially for when things...more
That being said, she has some really good writing tips that I am definitely going to keep on hand, especially for when things...more
A good book to help you keep going with your writing life, particularly when you reach the mucky parts. Good short chapters that you can read before you write, to inspire you to keep going!
Thank you Laura Nagle for loaning me this book. I've ordered my own copy. A great book for writers, I'd recommend it to anyone who writes.
I had read Heather Seller's Page after Page several years ago, so when I saw Chapter after Chapter, I immediately purchased it and had a ball reading it! It's fun, funny and filled with great tips and descriptions about what it takes to write a book - be it the great American novel, a how-to, memoirs, etc. I don't have any plans to write a book but if I were, I'd definitely want this to be my one of my guides and within arm's reach.
I am still reading this book. I think I'm dragging my feet because I feel that at its end I should begin my own writing journey and fear or self-handicapping are telling me I'm not ready. But it is full of incredibly useful information on how to be a serious writer & get your book written.
Amazing, down to earth writing book. The chapter on equating writing with faith was astounding. The book gives great advice on taming your inner critic, time management and dedication to the craft.
A great follow-up to her book, Page After Page. This book is great for anyone who's working on a book length project, and needs encouragement for the long haul!
Reading like a novel, Chapter After Chapter addresses various facets of writing including voice, grenre, agents, and publishing.
Very good tips to keep you writing.
reread in Seattle 2/22/10
view 2 comments
Jun 17, 2013
Jennifer
marked it as to-read
Jun 17, 2013
Pixiep
marked it as to-read
Jun 14, 2013
Amber Martingale
marked it as to-read
Jun 09, 2013
Loretta
marked it as to-read
Jun 05, 2013
Max
marked it as to-read
Jun 05, 2013
Mohammad Nadim
marked it as to-read
May 31, 2013
Jason
marked it as to-read
May 30, 2013
Korin
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Heather Sellers has a PhD in English/Creative Writing from Florida State University. She’s a professor of English at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where she teaches poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction writing courses. She won an NEA grant for fiction and her first book of fiction, Georgia Under Water, was part of the Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers program.
More about Heather Sellers...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Writing a book is exactly like love. You don’t hold back. You give it everything you have. If it doesn’t work out, you’re heartbroken, but you move forward and start again anyway. You have to.
You don’t hold some of yourself in reserve. It’s all or nothing. There are no guarantees. ”
—
11 people liked it
You don’t hold some of yourself in reserve. It’s all or nothing. There are no guarantees. ”
“When you write, you believe in something no one else can see. You spend lots of time committed to a project for which there are no assurances, no guarantees. Being a writer subjects you to the same doubts, the same unpopularity, the same nagging questions that believers struggle with. Writing is communing with the unseen…”
—
11 people liked it
More quotes…
