Goodreads Mobile | see what your friends are reading

Apr 11, 2008

Keris rated it:

Since I love Janet Evanovich's books so much, it was only natural that I would want to read the guide she has written to how she actually *writes* them.

How I Write is basically a glorified collection of the writing FAQs gathered from Evanovich's website, with occasional interjections from co-writer Ina Yalof and Evanovich's daughter - and webmaster - Alex, but that's not to say it's not entertaining and valuable, just a bit, well, basic. There is little writing advice that you wouldn More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 19, 2008

melydia rated it:

I am not very familiar with Evanovich's work. I read One for the Money and thought it was cute but felt no special desire to read anything else by her. However, I am always curious to hear what bestselling authors have to say about writing since obviously something they are doing is working. I was pleasantly surprised with this one. Evanovich takes us from character development all the way through book tours in a light, funny question-and-answer format. She is realistic about the publication pro More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 05, 2010

Khaya rated it:

Well, On Writing this was not. "How I Write" was, though, a thorough and accessible look at the writing process. Janet covers a lot of ground here -- getting ideas, writing dialogue, forming characters, publishing your book, marketing, etc. She does this with her trademark light and entertaining touch.

The information in this book may not be new for the most part, but I believe it is useful and instructive for aspiring writers. I did have some mixed feelings about Janet' More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 19, 2010

Syd rated it:

I love this kind of book and this is a good one of its kind. The only other one I've read is Stephen King's ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT. If you know of any others in this genre (writers writing about writing), please let me know.

If you like to read Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" novels, you'll enjoy this book too. She uses examples from the series to make her points and keeps the humor coming. The book is written in a Q and A format. Janet (I like to be on a first name More...

1 comment like

Jul 22, 2011

A.R. rated it:

I have read several books by writers writing about writing. She follows true to the form. She gives a witty introduction to her and her crew. She stays true to her roots with a sexy feeling to her writing. I like it and lets face it sex sells. She gives her history and how she met her coauthor. She plugs her website in several areas of the book. I was intrigued and emailed her a question. I expected maybe a form reply or a non reply at best. I mean dare I even hope for a personal reply. I go More...

0 comments like

Dec 09, 2008

Sherina added it

Through the minds' eye of Janet Evanovich is a book written to her readers, and readers-to-be, just how she claimed her spot on the New York Times Best Seller's list, twice. Mrs. Evanovich takes a refreshing approach on wrting a book on writing. For over a decade readers have sent her letters asking just how she does what she does and she has come out full throttle with this writing how-to book answering those curious questions. As soon as the book is opened she reels the reader in by captiva More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 20, 2011

Danielle rated it:

If you love Evanovich, you will love this book. She is generous with her process and uses lots of examples from own work, so it is certainly a glimpse into the writing life of this author. As a writing how-to, however, despite its blurb stating that it is "the perfect guide for anyone looking to strengthen their writing" (which suggests at least intermediate advice,) it is introductory at most and that is the reason for my 2 stars.

The book is structured as a Q & A, the Q's c More...

0 comments like

Dec 20, 2008

Tony rated it:

An interesting and somewhat useful book about how Janet writes her books it is based on questions asked on her website, and there are numerous anecdotes that make this a fun read.
I wouldn't take her system to much to heart if you work differently. While I like her writing, I think it is very formula and unexceptional. I think it is EXTREMELY good for what it is, but her systematic way of writing is good for churning out a book a year.
I don;t write the way she does. i don;t KNOW wha More...

0 comments like

Dec 01, 2008

Elizabeth rated it:

Though I have never actually picked up one of Janet's books in the past I will son be reading some of her most famous books. Janet's book on How I Write is nothing short of amazing. She takes not only other writer's questions but some from individuals who are not writers themselves. She elaborates on different parts of the writing world:Creating great characters, nuts and bolts, structure, revising and editing, getting published, bits and pieces, and the writing life. Being successful is what is More...

0 comments like

Sep 21, 2010

Jerjonji rated it:

I didn't plan on liking this book. I read Evanovich when I need a brief whirl of escapism and a tiny taste of Trenton. She usually annoys me by the details and things she gets wrong about Trenton- like being able to buy beer at the grocery store- you can't- and I try to give her latitude to create an imaginary town from a real place. But... in her easy, breezy way, I found her book on writing an encouragement, a boost to keep going, and I ended up respecting her for her knowledge of the craft an More...

0 comments like

Mar 02, 2011

Erin rated it:

I'm through the section on creating characters and find this book very thought provoking and interesting. I love the excerpts from the books to prove a point - and the character introductions from Stephanie at the beginning. So far finding this book is really what I need when I'm feeling a little BLOCKED. :)

The rest of the book was just as good. Some great advice about getting into the industry, publishing, even promoting yourself. Found the book very informative with the added benef More...

0 comments like

Aug 17, 2009

Louis rated it:

A fun, quick read, much like her books although not as LOL funny. I listened to this on audio and so got her daughter Alex's perspective as well as Ina's in their own words. The Q&A format was useful, as were the excerpts from the books to illustrate the points. The bibliography was surprisingly interesting. The chapters on finding an agent, query letters, and dealing with publishers were excellent--I easily felt like I better understood this world and would have the confidence to pursue it More...

0 comments like

Jul 11, 2010

Curtis rated it:

I have never read a Janet Evanovich novel yet I bought How I Write because I was curious to know the "secrets of a bestselling author". However these secrets aren't really secrets at all just good advice with excellent examples from her previous works.

Much of the instructional stuff I've heard before (school, writing panels, conferences, writing books, etc...) but what sets this apart is Evanovich's sense of humor in regards to herself and her writing. Much like her Stephan More...

0 comments like

Mar 15, 2009

Philana rated it:

This was something I picked up at the library Thursday night. It was a great inspiration to me, an aspiring author, as well as a great reference. Honestly, I have only read excerpts of her work but what I have read I have found interesting. But this book is much more basic in scope compared to other books I have read on the subject- character development, plot, structure, time-lines, and this was a very quick read so I could plode through it in an afternoon then go back and review those chapters More...

0 comments like

Jun 17, 2010

John rated it:

To be fair, in her introduction, the author, Janet Evanovic, explains that this book purports to be nothing more than a description of how SHE writes, based mostly on questions fans send in to her web site. This is merely a packaging of her responses, mixed in with excerpts from her books that illustrate various writing pointers.

If you're a wannabe writer, Evanovich offers no new insights or any original counsel about writing. She is encouraging and direct in the way Dear Abby is d More...

0 comments like

Dec 23, 2010

Cathy rated it:

Excellent audio book on the craft of fiction writing. I gained a lot of knowledge, helpful tips and colorful examples in this book by the author of the famous Stephanie Plum adventure series, Janet Evanovich. I liked the way thte book was structured, starting with how to write fiction, going through all the motions the author herself would go through and then the second half of the novel attends to the more technical sides of writing including, getting an agent, a publisher, submitting query let More...

0 comments like

Oct 23, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

This book was fabulous! A must for any aspiring writer! Was very refreshing, inspiring and fun take on getting you first book off and running. Janet talks about how she writes and tells what it takes to get a writing career off and running. The majority of the book is questions asked from her fans in which she responds with honest yet funny answers. I highly recommend this book if you're a first time writer (especially if your genre is romance or mystery)and are have trouble in either getting st More...

0 comments like

Oct 09, 2009

Tammy rated it:

As a fan of the wildly popular Stephanie Plum series and a wanna-be writer, I couldn't help picking up a copy of Janet Evanovich's guide to writing. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was written in the same fun and easy-to-read style as her books.

The format is simple Q's and A's - taken directly from questions posted by her fans on Evanovich's website. Various entertaining excerpts from the Stephanie Plum series are used as examples. Useful tips and how to's are included.
More...

9 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jun 23, 2011

Heather rated it:

I found this while requesting my annual dose of Stephanie Plum from the library. I do love me some light silly reading!!! A cute read at times because there are so many quotes from the Plum series. As a writer, it's always fun to hear about other people's
process, but I would encourage realistic (low?!) expectations of the book. My favorite bit is that she explains how she wants people to FEEL after reading her books. That is a very thoughtful way of considering audience and purpose...

0 comments like

Jul 17, 2009

Heather rated it:

This book was awesome! It really got me into the mode of Janet's books but also to jump start my book again that I've already started working on. It was great! I plan on buying the book so I can go back and read the sections to help me out along the way! An awesome read! A must read for anyone that wants to write or thinks they want too.

Janet and Ina really read the book in an awesome way. Janet is fun, alive and bubbly and keeps you wanting more and keeps you engaged in the book at More...

0 comments like

Aug 15, 2011

Katie rated it:

This was an entertaining and informative book about writing and about Janet Evanovich. The book is written in a question and answer type format, which would have driven me crazy actually reading, so I'm glad I listened to it. Janet has a nice speaking voice, as does Ina. Alex doesn't as much, but her reading was kept to a minimum.

The questions were mostly interesting, as were Janet's answers. All in all, it was a good read about writing from the perspective of an author, but not ne More...

0 comments like

Mar 23, 2011

Jeannine rated it:

The title of this book, "How I Write" is a perfect description. Evanovich doesn't tell us the "right" way to write, or how it "should" be done, she simply tells us what works for her. OK, there are a few shoulds, but they are really basic things.

I didn't learn much new information from this book, but I did enjoy it. She's really funny and the book was a quick, easy read. I've never read any of her books, but now I am interested in seeing what I think

0 comments like

Feb 09, 2009

Sara rated it:

Really quick read about how Janet writes. Honestly, I haven't read any of her books, but it is nice to learn of her style, how long it takes her to do things, how she strucures her days, and her advice on getting published. Set up in a question/answer form - I think most if not all was taken from her website (people would email in questions and she would respond). The book is organized into sections. Again - quick and helpful read... and a bit inspirational.

1 comment like

Mar 29, 2010

Sally rated it:

Very quick read, finished the whole thing in about 4 hours. It's basically an organized version of the Q&A from her website, so answering questions from people who want to be writers.

For me, not a lot of new info here. For those who don't have experience in the publishing world, however, good info especially on the shopping of a book to agents.

The bad side -- Just like her Stephanie Plum books, reading this made me want to eat cake and doughnuts.

0 comments like

Jan 13, 2010

Marissa rated it:

An aspiring author, I picked up this book because the subtitle was "Secrets of a Bestselling Author". I'm game for tips, especially when presented by a sassy, successful, redhead. Though I've only read one Janet Evanovich novel (which I thought was kind a little ridiculous) I liked the tone and set up of this book. I think I'd get along with JE quite well in the real world. She's upbeat but realistic about writing and publishing and I appreciate that.

0 comments like

Jul 14, 2009

Ronda rated it:

I have laughed almost as much in reading this book as I did while reading the Stephanie Plum books. Want to find out more about how Janet Evanovich brings Stephanie Plum and her wonderful wacky cohorts to life? Need a Stephanie Plum fix while you wait for the next book in the series? This is the book for you. If you want the specifics on how to write "the great American novel", you'll need to go elsewhere--but, Evanovich and her co-authors do provide laughter, insight, and resource More...

0 comments like

Jul 07, 2009

Ashley rated it:

I picked this up from the library on a whim, had never heard of the author or her books. There was some interesting insight for budding writers, it's lost on someone who hasn't read the author's books. It felt almost like a promotion for her book series, as well as a book about how she writes. It did its job... I'm now interested in reading her book series, based on the character descriptions in this book.

0 comments like

Oct 25, 2011

PoligirlReads rated it:

I think it's a pretty good sign that despite the fact that I don't care much for Evanovich's writing fictional style, I found her non-fictional writing in How I Write, to be quite enjoyable.

This is a really good book for people who are just starting to write. It goes over the basics of the writing process, finding an agent, and publishing. In her Q&A responses, she's kind, but she's also blunt. She also emphasizes that this is *her* writing method; it works for her, but it might not More...

0 comments like

Jul 06, 2011

Gayle rated it:

An interesting and entertaining book for Evanovich fans as well as anyone interested in getting started as a writer. If you're unpublished but have been writing for years there likely isn't anything "new" here, but it a quick, entertaining read on how one very successful series author works. I appreciated the tips about working with agents and work habits.

0 comments like

Jan 03, 2011

Karen rated it:

This is a great book to listen to on Audio. You get to hear Janet talk about how she writes. FABULOUS. Even if you never want to be a writer but love her work this is a good read.
Of course, if you DO want to be a writer this is a FABULOUS book. Not only for technique but also hints on getting your book on the shelf.
Enjoy!

0 comments like

reviews